I´m finally back ;-) Sorry that it took me so long to update.
Thank you, XxDanaxX - I hope you like the new chapter!
And many thanks to Enelya Tasartir! Yes, Charlie is my favorite character-)
Chapter 3 - Rated PG for voilence
No copyright infringement intended, I don´t own anything, this is just for fun.
We continued to fight our way through the jungle.
"Perhaps we should make camp.", Michael said. "It´s getting dark. We can continue tomorrow."
"We have at least another three or four hours of daylight.", said Locke.
"We cannot stop.", said Charlie. "We´re almost there."
"We´re almost at the next camp - but from there, we have to search Ethans new camp.", I answered. "Michael is right, we cannot do that in the night. Perhaps we have to split up. But I suggest we go on until it´s dark."
"Let´s move", said Boone. "and not waste any more time."
Jack nodded.
20 minutes later, we reached the place of the camp I ran away from.
"This is it.", I said.
"And you are sure he headed north", asked Kate.
"Yes - he tried to teach me his rules when I was younger. But I never believed in his convictions - he always talked of the north, that the one he´s waiting for would arrive there."
"What a bullshit.", said Sawyer.
"Let´s move on.", Locke said and we followed him. Now he was the leader.
A while later, I realized that Charlie was falling behind.
I walked back to him. He was breathing hard and shivering from the constant rain and exhaustion.
"Hey, shall we take a break"
"Go on. We will loose the others."
"You better take care that you don´t get lost."
I turned around to call Jack, who was nearly out of sight, but Charlie grabbed my arm.
"Don´t. I don´t want him to know.", he said. "I can do this. I have to do this. Do you understand"
"But he´s right, what if we find Ethan and his men and you are in this condition"
"I don´t care. I couldn´t forgive myself if I hadn´t tried to save her."
I nodded - he loved her and that was the only thing he could do for her at the moment.
"Come."
We walked on, following the others, who were now out of sight.
After two or three minutes I stopped.
"Where are they", asked Charlie.
"We cannot be on the wrong path.", I said.
"We lost them", said Charlie and I could hear the panic in his voice.
"No. They were here. Look at the fresh footprints"
"They belong to me.", someone said from behind.
Shocked, we turned around - Ethan.
I stumbled backwards and looked at Charlie. He was white as a sheet, it seemed he wasn´t able to move.
"I thought I got rid of you.", Ethan said to Charlie, took a step forward and grabbed his neck.
Charlie gasped and closed his eyes in pain.
"Stop it", I shouted. Ethan continued.
I called out for Jack - I shouted as loud as I could, but even if they found us, it would be too late for Charlie.
I took my knive - and in this second, Ethan stopped to choke Charlie.
He turned around, Charlie sank to the floor, coughing and desperately sucking in some air.
Ethan came towards me.
"You want to kill me, huh"
I stared at him, my knive in front of me. I wasn´t able to speak, all the horrible memories of the past flooded back in my mind.
"I always treated you good.", he said very calm. "You never had to be afraid of me."
He smiled "But you always were afraid, little girl."
I swallowed. "I´m not the little girl you remember.", I answered.
"I know you.", he continued and took a step towards me.
"You cannot kill a human."
I began to shiver, because I knew he was right. Could I kill a human being? Even if it was Ethan?
"Stop it", I shouted.
"I teached you so many things. You wouldn´t be alive without me", Ethan said. "Do you remember the day I saved you from drowning? No, you cannot kill me. I see right through you"
Suddenly, Ethan screamed out loud.
Charlie, still on the ground, but on his knees now, had pushed his knive in Ethans back.
He turned around and kicked Charlie in the face. Charlie fell backwards and landed on the floor.
Ethan reached for the knive, and with another scream, he pulled it out. He grabbed Charlies collar.
"Now you´re dead", he shouted.
I jumped forwards to prevent Ethan from killing Charlie - and when I reached them, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.
Slowly, I looked down... the knive - Ethan had seen me coming.
I froze. Ethan turned around, his hand still on the knive. He grabbed my wrist and my own knive fell on the floor.
"I told you I know you.", he said cold and pulled the knive out. I gasped - but it didn´t hurt.
My knees gave in and I sank to the floor.
Then they came - Jack, Locke, Boone, Michael and Sawyer arrived and surrounded Ethan.
"You will never find her without me", Ethan shouted and laughed out loud.
"Drop the knive", demanded Locke.
Ethan shook his head. And within a second, he pushed it in his own chest.
My vision swam and I felt cold.
The next second, Jack was there.
"Oh no.", he said. "Lay down."
I looked at him. "It´s not bad.", I said. "It doesn´t hurt."
Jack gave me a faint smile. "Lay down.", he said once more.
He lifted my shirt and looked at the others.
Locke kneeled down next to Jack.
"Hey, we found Claire.", he said to me.
"But - the others.", I answered and wondered how weak I sounded.
"There were no others.", Jack told me. "Ethan was all alone."
"He must have killed them all.", said Locke.
"Claire is fine. Kate is with her."
I nodded and closed my eyes. I was so tired...
"There´s nothing I can do - not here.", whispered Jack.
That was the last thing I heard, before I drifted away...
Ten days later, Charlie visited Teenas grave.
He sat down on a rock next to it and waited a moment before he spoke.
"Claire got her baby.", he said. "It´s a girl."
He swallowed, he didn´t want to cry now...
"Claire knows what you did for her. She wants to name her after you."
He sighed. "Both are fine. Claire and the Baby, I mean."
Charlie fought back the urge to cry.
Quick he took his guitar. He had brought it along.
"I promised you to show you some rock music...", he said and began to play.
The End