Disclaimer: Don't own lost. This fic was another shortly, and I still didn't take you very far. Sorry I'm dragging it out so much, but it shouldn't be much longer. Have fun.
A A Battery: Sorry to keep you waiting. evil grin I love cliff hangers
Alatariel10: I know exactly how you feel about the next couple weeks without lost. So I will be righting as much as I can to keep myself sane as well.
FATE
Nice Girls
"Where is Claire?" Charlie asked in a whisper. Ethan smiled. "I thought you'd ask that" was his
reply, as he leaned agenst the wall of the cave, obscuring himself from the light so only one side of
his face showed. "Where!?" he demanded as he began coughing. His voice sounding strange and
distant, as if some one had beat his vocal chords to a bloody pulp. Ethan laughed. "You might
wanna just take it easy. You don't look so good" He continued to ignore the question, finding the
situation quite amusing. "I swear to god if you hurt her.." Charlie threatened, leering at him
intensively. "You'll what? Throw yourself in my general direction?" Ethan taunted while laughing.
Charlie's expression did not change. He could fill his wrist slipping slowly beneath the ropes,
makeing his skin burn. "Face it Charlie, your in a bad sitituaton" he continued, "I suggest you
stop beating your self up." Charlie closed his eyes, trying to block him out. His head throbbed,
and he was growing exceedingly pale. He became well aware that he may pass out at any given
moment. "Where is she, Ethan" he mumbled almost inaudibly, head down. "What is it about her
anyway, that has you so fascinated?" Ethan teased with a smirk as he pushed himself off the wall
and approached him.. His back was turned, from what Charlie could see. He had walked into the
dark and seemed to be looking for something. "I could ask you the same question" Charlie slurred
violently, eyes barley open. "What makes you think I'm after Claire?" Ethan questioned with a
look of entertainment as he turned back into the light, crossing his arms. "Your obviously not
after me" he answered bluntly. "How's that?" Ethan asked inquisitively, talking to down to him
like a psychiatrist would. Knowing no matter the answer, he could make you sound
crazy. "Because if you wanted me, you would have killed me already." Charlie finished, shifting
the weight of his shoulders. Ethan looked surprised by his response. "Don't think I don't know
your using me as bait. I'm not an idiot" he added blankly. His voice had no tone or expression,
just a slurred drone of words blending into one another. "Could of fooled me" Ethan snorted,
amusing himself. "Just tell me where she is" Charlie replied, ignoring any insult intend towards
him. Ethan didn't respond, his eyes trailed across the floor. "That what I thought" Charlie noted,
after a moment, pulling his head back as far as he could. The muscles in his arms and neck felt as
if they were being torn apart. "You thought what?" Ethan asked skeptically, crossing his arms as
he took a few steps forward. "You don't know" Charlie answered smugly, knowing full well he
was right. Ethan smiled, and looked at the ground. "If you knew, you'd tell me" Charlie added
shortly. "I admire your courage, Charlie" Ethan grinned sarcastically. Charlie's eyes caught the
shine of the serenge in his hand only moments before he untucked it from where he been keeping
it folded in his arms an squeezed out the access liquid. A clear-greenish substance squirted out
from the tip. "Hold still, this is going to hurt. A lot" With that he lifted the side of Charlie's shunt
and stabbed the needle into his abdomen. Charlie cringed and struggled for a few seconds until the
drug kicked in. Ethan watched triumphantly as he fadded into unconsciousness.
"Are you sure your alright?" Claire asked, kneeling down beside sowyer, who had gotten himself
caught up in some kind of trap. He stepped on a trip wire, and next thing he knew he was
dangling by his ankle from a branch thirty feet off the ground. Claire hand managed to cut him
down with her home made weapon, with little injury. "Yeah," he sighed, "but who the hell goes
out setting traps in the middle of the god damn woods?" Claire shrugged. "Maybe Locke" she
guessed, skeptically. "Ass whole" Sawyer grumbled as he pulled himself to his feet. "I don't think
it was meant for you" she assured, makeing an attempt to help him up. He brushed her hand
away, proving he could manage on his own. "Next time you see one of those things you let me
know" he suggested, brushing past her. "I didn't see it before" she defended, pulling her bag back
on. "And that's another thing" he began his rant, stopping once again to face her. She shifted her
weight and waited patently. "How is it that you just walk through and completely miss the wire,
and I'm the one who gets flung up into the sky like a god damn yo yo!?" he finished angrily. "I
have no idea" she responded plainly. "Yeah. Right" he replied skeptically, lighting up a cigarette.
Claire pushed past him and continued walking. "Those things will kill you, you know" she
informed without looking back. "No kidding. So will plundering around the enchanted forest with
you" he defended, slipping the zippo back into his pocket. "Then why are you?" she questioned,
continuing to look forward. "I already told you" he answered, taking another drag. She shook her
head and continued her onward march. They walked for a while without talking until Sowyer s
stopped in his tracks. Claire hadn't noticed until he grabbed her arm. "What is it?" she whispered,
but was cut of by his even louder "Shh!" she waited for a moment, until she herd what had startled
him. In a near distance, a single twig snapped. The sound was fallowed by silence. They stood
almost back to back in a state of cat like alertness, not sure where the sound had come from. In a l
loud brush, about ten more branches snapped. Leaves rustled and feet hit the ground until a
familiar face appeared before them. Locke sighed with temporary relief. "What are you two doing
out here?" he questioned after a moment, trying to catch his breath. "Why, the same thing you are"
Sowyer grinned. "Well you better go back" Locke instructed, looking up at the two. "Oh, and
why's that?" he asked in return, makeing no indication of leaving. "Because...its dangerous" he
replied slowly, taking heavy breaths between words as if he were a nine year old with asthma. Sowyer smiled at this. "What ever 'dangers' that happen to be out here, I'm sure we can handle
it."he said smugly and began walking. "Your wrong" Locke confirmed sternly. Sowyer stopped in
his tracks. "Please, turn back" He continued, after no one respond. When he spoke he looked
directly at Claire, and his voice changed from an order to a plea. "I can't" she admitted, as if she
almost wished that she could. She didn't get an enjoyment out of it. She wasn't out tumbling
through the woods looking for a since of entitlement like some of the others. She was there for one
purpose: Charlie. The man who had taken care of her since they first meet. She wasn't about to let
him down. "Claire, I know you want to save Charlie. But theres nothing you can do" Locke tried
to compromise, but he was only makeing the situation worse. "Don't tell me what I can and can't
do" she replied defensively, clearly offended by his words. Locke stopped abruptly, taken a back as
he heard his own words echoing back at him. He sighed in surrender, unable to argue with
someone who had just so powerfully quoted him. But before any of them could speak, a loud
crash sounded from all around them. The echo bounced of trees, makeing it appear to come from
every angle. Locke listened for a moment, alert. "This way" he said, starting off in some random
direction. Sowyer shrugged, and run off after him. Claire took up behind.
Charlie sat lifelessly at the bar, ease dropping on the various conversations going on around him.
A couple to his side remembering some anniversary, tow gits next to him arguing over business,
the whole lot of loud mouths, dancers, and the blocks playing Poole in the back all having a
grand old time. And he was trapped in the center, miserable. His temples throbbed as ran his
finger around the rhyme of his empty shot glass. And to think, a year ago you would have vomited
at the sight of vodka, he thought as he let the glass slip away from beneath his hand so the
bartender could re fill it. He was about ready to sneak out when a familiar face popped up beside
him. "Its about time" he scolded playfully, grinning back at his brother. "Yeah, sorry about that"
he replied, scratching the back of his head. Showing little remorse. A grin crossed his face.
"Here. I'd like you to meet two of my new best mates" he said, indicating to the two model-
material girls standing next to him. One, a tall dark haired bird named Christen, the other an
even tall blond called Eden. Both fairly attractive, leggy, disgustingly thin, both probably taller
then him. He glassed up, uninterested but faked a simile. Not only were they not his type, but he
really wasn't in the mood to be around any females at the moment. It had been less then a month
since Amy's funeral and Liam had spent the entire time trying to hook him up with every tart who
crossed his path. This was getting ridiculous, he thought, as he turned his back. "Excuse us for a
moment, ladies" Liam said politely, with and awkward slime. The two walked off into the crows.
"What the hell was that?" Liam questioned outrageously once they were gone. "I told you
before" Charlie tried to explain wearily. "Oh come on! Are you a man or what?" Liam asked
sarcastically, tilting his head as he waited for Charlie answer. "Liam, don't do this" he sighed,
agitated. "Do what? I'm just trying to help you" Liam defended. "Well stop!" Charlie snapped
before he could finish. Liam stared at him blankly and blinked for a moment before his words
settled in. " fine." he sneered, "stay alone. Why the bloody hell should I care?" Charlie watched
regretfully as Liam stormed off into the crowd, bumping people out of his way as he went. The
glass had appeared infront of him, full to the rhyme. He sighed, and poured his third shot down
and continued stareing off into nothing, with no reaction to the horrific taste. Why was I being so
defensive? He thought to himself as he stared at the empty glass infront of him. After all, he was
just trying to help. That's what brothers are for. But why can't he understand that I'm just
not...ready. His thought trailed off as his eyes caught something else. A young girl, clearly lost
trying unsuccessfully to politely make her way to the bar. He watched, almost in slow motion, as she approached slowly, trying to squeeze between each ignorant git standing in her way without
upsetting them. She was defonetly in the wrong place. Finally, reached the bar beside and
squeezed in beside him. "Excuse me" she said at a normal tone, trying to get the bar tenders
attention. It became clear why she was so lost. The pour girl wasn't even English! "Excuse me!"
she repeated a little louder, but still maintaining her manners. Feeling sorry for the girl, he
decided to pitch in. "Try this" he muttered, leaning over to her. " WILL!" he hollered at the bar
tender, who turned instantly. The girl jumped at the sound, clearly startled. The tall, elderly man
called WILL made his way over and waited patiently. Charlie turned his head to the girl and
stared as well, indicating for her to speak. "I'm suppose to meet some one here, have you heard
from a man name Thomas?" she asked, strugling to talk over the crowd. "Nope" Will replied,
shanking his head. "Oh. Alright" she said, looking disappointed. Will nodded and walked back
across the bar. The girl frowned and tapped her hand on the bar, thinking. "Who's Thomas?"
Charlie asked after a moment. The girl looked up, surprised. "I'm sorry?" she asked with a look
of confusion. "You said you were looking for a man named Thomas" he reminded her. "Oh. He's
my boyfriend, sort of" she answered uncertainty. "Sort of?" he questioned, turning the stool to
face her. The couple behind her stood and began moving out. She plopped back on one of the
stools. "Yeah. We used to date, but now were just friends" she explained shyly. He nodded. "Some
friend" he huffed sarcastically, "dragging a sweet girl like you out to a dump like this." She
smiled at the comment. "What a line" she teased, her grin growing with her words. She had a
gorgeous smile. Bright eyes, heart-shaped face, perfect teeth, defonetly not British. He laughed
back, realizing he'd just blurted out the oldest one in the book without even meaning to. "Besides,
apparently I'm at the wrong place" she explained, looking around the room unpleasantly. "Maybe
I can help. Where are you suppose to be?" he asked, disregarding his glass witch he had been clinging to. She thought for a moment, and her cheeks reddened. "I don't really know" she
admitted, laughing with embarrassment. He raised an eye brow as he watched her begin to search
through her pocket. "He gave me an address, and I know it's a pub, but I can't really read his
hand righting" she explained as she retrieve a crinkly piece of scrap paper and handed it to him.
He took it confidently and scanned over the wrighting, the did a double take, squinting to get a
closer look. "Bloody hell" he muttered as he stared at the squiggly black lines before him. "I
know" she laughed amusingly. "Hate to break it to you, luv, but your screwed" he confirmed,
handing the paper back to her. Her smile fadded as she slipped it back into her pocket. He began
fidgeting as he searched for something else to say that might cheer her up. "So what business brings
you to England?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject. "Oh, nothing important" she answered
modestly, her eyes shifting to the shot glass beside him witch was being filled as she spoke. "Two"
he instructed to the bar tender once he became aware of his presence. The mad laid another one
down and filled it up without expression. Charlie took the second glass and nudged it in her
direction. "No thank you, I don't drink" she said quickly, appearing lightly uncomfortable. "Oh
come on, are you Australian or what?" He insisted sarcastically. "How did you know I was
Australian?" she asked with surprised, successfully changing the subject. "Well your not English"
He confirmed sluggishly, as he wrapped his hand around the glass. "Why's that?" she asked
promptly, showing interest. "You have lovely teeth, now drink!" he ordered. She smiled and lifted the
glass. They clinked the glasses together, took the shot and slammed them back down, as was the
custom. She began choking with a look of disgust. "How is it?" he asked sarcastically, smiling at her
reaction. "My god! That's the worst thing I've ever tasted" she replied with a look of disgust.
"Really? That it?" He asked with a look of surprise. She nodded in response, unable to speak due to
the burning in the throat. "You must not have siblings" he predicted with a hint of envy. "Nope" she replied, begging to recover. "Lucky" he grumbled jealously, "My brother made me eat
everything!" She snickered abruptly, the smile makeing its way back. "Worms, spiders, dirt, my
mums ear pearl ear rings" he elaborated. Her laugh matched her smile, pure, happy and free. "You
poor thing" she comforted, and tried to stop laughing. "Oh don't worry, I got him back" he assured.
She laughed again. "What's your name?" She asked after a moment The question caught him off
gard. Why was she interested in me? He thought, before realizing that he was keeping her waiting. For
a moment he almost forgot. "Charlie" he babbled out after a moment. She giggled at his slow
response. " Charlie-?" she trailed off into a question. "Just Charlie, like Madonna" he joked. They
both laughed a little bit. "And you are?" he asked in return. She began to answer but he interrupted.
"Wait, let me guess" he suggested, giving a thoughtful look. She gave him a questioning look, but
decided to play along. He pondered for a moment.
"Something short, common...am I right so far?"
"Uhh" she trailed off, not sure what he meant. "Alright" he continued thinking. "Starts with an...A"
he guessed, looking up to see if he was correct. "Uh, no" she answered bluntly. "Alright" he said
again, going back into thinking mode. "Fine, what is it?" he asked, giving up. Before she could
answer, a man appeared behind her and tapped her shoulder. "Thomas!" she greeted cheerfully.
turning to face the man. "Hey, sorry I'm late" he apologized, giving a strange glance at Charlie.
"Oh, its alright" she assured. "You ready to go" he asked hopefully, pretending to then ignore him.
"Yeah" she nodded, gathering her bag and her jacket as she hopped off the stole. "By Charlie" She s
aid as the two disappeared into the crowd. "Cheers" he mumbled in response as he turned back to the
bar. Now there, was a nice girl.