Homecoming
Chapter Four

It was quiet for a moment. Jack had wanted to kill Sawyer, but his thoughts were momentarily preoccupied with worried thoughts of Kate. Sawyer, on the other hand, didn't know what to think as he looked down at the ground. His eyebrows wrinkled as a black object caught his attention. Bending down, he picked up the object and saw that it was a hair scrunchy, spotted with blood. He looked up at Jack.

This was hers.

Sawyer stood up, showing Jack the scrunchy. Jack took the object, staring at it. He then threw it down abruptly and shoved Sawyer back.

What did you do with her? He shouted.

Sawyer caught his balance before falling, glaring at Jack.

You seriously think I would take her? He said slowly.

What the hell did you do? Jack repeated.

When Sawyer didn't answer, Jack launched forward, striking Sawyer's jaw with his fist. Sawyer's head snapped to the side, but Sawyer recovered quickly, returning the move to Jack. Jack made to shove Sawyer back again, but stopped at Charlie's voice.

Hey! Hey! Stop! Charlie shouted, feeling an odd sense of dejavu.

Both men turned and stared at him. Sawyer wiped the blood off his mouth with his sleeve, feeling the same odd sense of dejavu. Jack ignored his own blood.

He didn't do it, Charlie said simply.

Thank you, Sawyer said, see. Told ya I was telling the truth.

Jack glared at him.

How do you know? Jack asked Charlie, breathing heavily.

Charlie showed him a scrap of clothing- part of the t-shirt Sawyer had tried to wrap around Kate's ankle.

This is yours, isn't it? Charlie said to Sawyer.

Sawyer nodded. Charlie showed the shirt to Jack, who looked at it, confused.

Jack asked, not seeing what this had to do with anything.

It's covered in blood, Charlie explained, then pointed at Sawyer, all he had was a few scrapes, and it looked like it's been wrapped around something.Nice going, Sherlock, Sawyer commented sarcastically.

Jack turned his way.

In case you didn't notice, he said to Sawyer, he was trying to help you.Yeah, well I don't need it, Sawyer said, turning to leave, I didn't do anything, but just in case you've forgotten she's still out there somewhere.

Rather Jack was going to try and pick another fight or not, the other two couldn't tell, but didn't push it as they began to go down hill, where some leaves and twigs had obviously been stepped on. Jack looked down at the ground, trying to block the thoughts out as he sought to come up with a plan. It was then he noticed that the ground around them was wet. Curiously, Jack followed the trail to a now empty bottle of water, covered in dirt. Sawyer, seeing Jack's eyes following the trail, reached out.

That's mine too, he said, snatching the bottle before Jack could pick it up.

Jack was about to say something, when an ear-piercing cry for help rang through the air. Jack knew that voice from anywhere: it was Kate's.
......
Boone felt himself crash down hard on solid ground. He had let out a cry of pain as he felt a tree root jab into the side of his leg on his way down. His leg which was now bleeding reverently. Catching his breath, Boone lowered his head to his leg, which was sticking out in an angle. He then sat back up, and let out a loud, rough, groan of pain as he tried to move his leg. Heat from the sun and the closed in walls made Boone start to sweat in panic. Looking up, he expected to see Shannon's face staring down at him, but instead, he saw nothing.

He groaned, finding himself unable to yell.

Want something? Came a snotty voice from above ground.

A little help would be nice! Boone said as loudly as he could while breathing heavily, concentrating on a bug that was crawling towards his shoe.

Thought I was worthless, Shannon said in a voice that showed she knew she was about to prove him wrong.

Boone groaned. He hated admitting he was wrong, but he now knew he had no choice.

You're not worthless! Boone said, closing his eyes as he tilted his head back, clutching his leg. Either come help me or go get some help.

Shannon's face appeared above the hole that was his only source of air. Immediately, he found breathing hard to do.

You think I'm going to run four miles just for you? She asked as if he had just asked her to eat worms.

Boone was about to reply when something felt on his head: dirt. Shaking it out of his hair, Boone looked up just in time to see that the ground under Shannon was weakening, unable to support the weight.

He croaked, finding his throat steadily going dry. The ground- She said, looking at him, confused.

But he was too late. The ground bellow broke, leaving Shannon to fall on top of Boone. Dirt clouded the atmosphere in the pit, and Boone felt the air leave him. Shannon groaned as Boone pushed her off of him, causing her to roll to the side. She lay there, staring up at the blue sky, trying to catch her breath, while Boone found he had none. Finding her strength, Shannon sat up, backing up against the dirt wall. She looked at Boone, unmoving, on the ground, and bit her lip. She too hated admitting she was wrong, but she knew it wasn't going to turn out on the positive end if she didn't help him.

She pulled Boone out from under his arms, helping him sit back next to her against the cave walls. He breathed heavily, looking at her, his dirt and scar covered face haunting her.

was all he could murmur.

As she nodded, Boone turned his head away, looking up at the sky above them. He was about to try to say something else, maybe try to apologize for the way he acted above ground, when voices above ground caught their attention.

What the hell happened here? An unfamiliar voice said.

Who cares? Said another. Probably some rabbit got caught down there. Nothing to throw a party about.

Shannon opened her mouth to scream for help, but the screams were muffled as Boone's hand flew to his mouth. Squeezing his eyes shut, Boone tried to block out the planned

Ah, well, cover the trap back up, a third man said, we'll see what we caught later, dead or alive.

Without another word, wood was place over the trapped that settled itself in the hole, allowing only a little sunlight shinning through the tiny cracks. The footsteps faded away into the distance. Boone's slimy hand slid off of Shannon's face. They were quiet for a minute, then:

Oh my God, we're going to die.

And this time, Boone didn't argue.

Author's Note: Yes, I'm, sorry, cliffhanger every time, but it just works, you know? Thanks for all the reviews! I'm lovin' them! Oh, and school start back tomorrow. Because I won't be able to stay up to the crack of dawn, you might not get another chapter until tomorrow afternoon instead of early tomorrow morning. I've been updating around three A.M, but now it might not be until five P.M.

October Sky