1Author's Note: Helllooooo... this chapter is awfully fluffy, so keep your eyes open and watch out for bits 'o' fluff floating in the air around you. Psychadelic!
Disclaimer: I am sorry to say that I don't own LOST or any of the characters. I wish I owned a few of the boys, though. Growl. Especially Charlie.
Chapter Four: To Tell A Secret
"Where the hell is Charlie!?" Jack yelled in frustration. Kate put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder, but Jack did not seem comforted. They had worked all day, and returned to the caves to find them empty. No Charlie in sight. They had formed search teams: Shannon, Sayid, and Hurley at the beach; Locke, Boone, and Michael in the jungle; Kate, Sun, and Walt at the caves. Jack, as always, alternated between the beach and the caves, checking on both teams. (Sawyer was nowhere to be found, either, but as this wasn't at all unusual no one seemed to mind.) Sun had tried vainly to coax Jin into helping them search, but he wouldn't give in. So he spent the day doing whatever island-stranded Koreans do all day.
"We'll find him. He can't have gone far, because he seemed really weak this morning. Sort of, sick, almost," Kate added slowly, remembering the morning talk she'd had with Charlie. That was the last time anyone had seen him. Sadly, she hung her head so Jack wouldn't see the tears welling up. Not Charlie, too. Too many people were disappearing. Too many bodies were found hacked and mangled. All of this was too much for Kate, and apparently, she noted, glancing at Jack's wan, worried expression, it was too much for Jack, too.
Then Walt approached the two, Vincent gamboling along at his side. Kate was startled out of her gloomy reverie when she felt a little hand grasp her own. She looked down at Walt. There were tears on his ruddy face. Removing her hand from Jack's shoulder, she knelt in front of Walt. Kate used her free hand, the one Walt wasn't holding, to wipe a tear from his cheek. Too much for Walt.
"Are we gonna find Charlie, Kate? Did the Thing take him, too?" he asked quietly, between sniffles. He seemed dreadfully embarrassed to be seen crying, and was trying his hardest to stop the tears. Vincent, his tail still wagging, licked the remaining tears from Walt's face, forcing the boy to giggle a little. Kate smiled slightly. How nice it would be to be Vincent! He didn't even seem to notice that things were going all wrong. Ignorance really is bliss.
There was a silence while Kate pondered how she ought to reply. She didn't want to disappoint Walt. The poor kid was already overly stressed-out. "We'll just have to keep searching. Are you tired, though? It's getting dark, so you should probably go to sleep. Michael would want you to," Kate changed the subject briskly. Walt shrugged.
"Nah, I'm not tired yet. I could stay up all night," he boasted. His bravado was somewhat lessened by the fact that he yawned widely in the middle of it. Kate smiled kindly and stood them both up. Jack had left again, probably down to the beach. They all needed sleep, not just Walt.
"Okay, Walt. Time for bed. You can help us search in the morning," Kate promised him as he climbed into his pallet of assorted blankets. She was all ready to run down to the beach, when she heard Walt's voice again.
"I know I'm gettin' a little old for it, but... I can't sleep. Kate?" he whispered in the near-total darkness. Kate turned and walked over to sit beside Walt's 'bed'. He rolled over to look at her.
"Could you sing to me, please? It'll help me sleep, I swear," Walt pleaded. Kate was taken aback by this proposition. She could sing, yes, but what would she sing to Walt? What kind of lullaby would he like?
"Okay," Kate acquiesced. At first she just hummed, and then the melody turned to words.
Each time on my leaving home
I run back to my mother's arms,
one last hold and then it's over.
Watching me, you know I cry,
you wave a kiss to say goodbye,
Feel the sky fall down upon me!
All I am,
a child with promises
All I have
are miles full of promises of home.
If only I could stay with you,
my train moves on, you're gone from view,
Now I must wait until its over.
All I am,
a child with promises
All I have
are miles full of promises of home.
Days will pass, your words to me,
it seems so long, eternity,
but I must wait until it's over.
Kate finished the song and realized that Walt had fallen asleep, and was snoring lightly. She also realized that she was crying. Affected by her own song. Either I'm a really great singer, or I'm just really sensitive right now. She opted more for the second one.
"That was beautiful, Kate."
Kate looked up so abruptly she gave herself whiplash. Her eyes widened and she stood up. She ran to his side and looked him up and down. Charlie was back!
"Shh, you can't wake Walt up! He only got to sleep about half an hour ago. He can see Charlie in the morning," Kate hushed Hurley, who had been poised to wake Walt up, so the boy would get to feel relieved along with the rest of them, despite the grudge Hurley still held against Walt for beating him so many times at backgammon.
Everyone had returned from their posts by now, and were gathered in the caves, questioning Charlie about everything. Kate smiled, looking around at the group of happy people. Things were looking up. Maybe that's why Vincent had been so cheerful. He knew things would work out.
Meanwhile, Charlie was enjoying the attention. He'd had no idea that they would be so worried about him. It felt good to be welcomed. It was a feeling he had missed so much after Claire disappeared. It was a feeling of family.
The only one who seemed remotely upset with him was Shannon. The others were just glad he was back, but Shannon was angry. "I searched all day for you! I worked my butt off trying to find you! And then you just come back at the end of the day, all fine and dandy without a scratch!" Shannon raged at him. Luckily, Walt was a sound enough sleeper not to wake up at the sound of Shannon's irate voice.
Boone stepped in. "The only reason she's upset is because she broke a nail today while she was looking around." Everyone laughed, even Shannon herself. Boone put an arm around his sister's shoulders, and for once she didn't push them off.
Charlie remembered his secret with a jolt. I should tell them now, while they're all here. This is a perfect time. Who knows the next time we'll have everyone all in one place!
"Hey, guys," he began loudly, to get their attention. They all looked expectantly at him. They wanted to hear what he had to say. The focus was on him.
She was so frail. So afraid. And she needed me.
"Umm..." He faltered. Tell. Tell. Tell! "Do— do we have anything to eat right now? I'm starving."
They bustled about, cooking fish immediately. None of them could know. It was Charlie's secret.
Chapter Five: Prayers
Sarah: Woohoo! I actually wrote all of this in one sitting. Now I can't feel my butt. Ow. Anyway, I hope you all like it! The song Kate sung is a song by Enya. It's called Evacuee and can be found on her CD, Shepherd Moons. She's a wonderful artist and one of my very own personal favorites. Oh, and I'm now a convert to SayidShannon-ness! Yay! I hope I get some reviews for this chapter, as I think this one is my favorite so far. Peace out!