Wish You Were Here

Chapter Seven

Alex was confused. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to believe, who to believe, or who to fear. She knew perfectly well what Kate, if that was really even her name, had done to her. But had Jack known? What would he think? She had seen him with Kate multiple times, and their relationship was indescribable. It was mutual dependent, always there for each other, always caring, something rarely seen in the world today. But what would it be like now? Maybe, she thought, if she was lucky, Kate wouldn't even remember her, and nobody would notice a thing, especially not the fact that the gash on her shoulder wasn't from the crash. But she was never lucky.

"I'm glad to see one of our patients is looking better," Sayid said for the other, "though it would've been much easier if the other hadn't run off and left us."

She wasn't sure if he meant her or not, but didn't push the question, only stood there, letting her silence tears fall until Sayid realized what she was doing.

"What's wrong?" Sayid asked, implicated.

"Nothing," Alex said, shaking her head and swiping her arm at her wet eyes, "I was just wrong about somethings, that's all."

"Would it help to talk about it?" Sayid asked, realizing that this reminded him an awful lot of some of his conversations with Shannon.

"No," Alex said, taking one final swipe to her eyes, and then to the ground, and said in a soft, unsure voice, "I'm fine."

Turning, Alex walked away from the beach, into the jungle, feeling as though she was going to be sick again. She had starting whistling without even knowing that she had begun, but it didn't pass Sayid.

"That song?" Sayid called from behind her. "What is it?"

By the time Alex had finished debating with herself, Sayid had already caught up to her. Casually, she continued walking into the jungle.

"Oh, it's just this stupid song my boyfriend used to sing," she shook her head, corrupting herself, "well, my dad, but when Adam found out about the song, he decided it would be a cute joke if he started singing it one day-" she sighed in memory, "let me tell you, it wasn't."

Sayid chuckled a little at the comment, and said, "Would you mind singing it for me?"

Alex looked at him for the first time.

"I don't sing," she said plainly.

"I don't mind," Sayid replied back.

"I warned you," Alex sighed, and then began to sing:

"Somewhere beyond the sea

Somewhere waiting for me

My lover stands on golden sands

And watches the ships that go sailing"

She was stopped suddenly, turned around by Sayid's hand on her shoulder. Wincing, she wondered why it always had to be her left.

"What was that?" Sayid asked urgently. "That song, what was it?"

"Um.." Alex searched her memory bank, "'Somewhere Beyond the Sea'. I don't know who it was by though-"

"Where did you say you heard it again?" Sayid said in a rush that scared her.

"My dad used to sing it to me when I was little," Alex said, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Sixteen years ago, correct?" Sayid said.

"I guess," Alex shrugged, "he said it used to be the only thing that would get me to sleep, but what does this have to do with-"

But Sayid had already taken off running.

Alex woke up to massive whiteness and her head spun at the sound of a machine buzzing. Groaning, she tried to roll over, but found herself unable to, her left arm locked in an IV with a heavy bandage on her shoulder, and her chest felt heavy. She brought her right arm forward from being wrapped around her head, and strained to hear the faint noise she noticed above the humming-

"Somewhere, beyond the sea," sang a voice, "somewhere, waiting for me- da da da da da da da.."

Smiling to herself, Alex knew who it was. Adam.

"You're singing it wrong," she complained playfully as she cocked her head to get a better view of him.

Somehow Adam had managed to get the nurses to let him sit and wait in the room, and he was now sitting in a chair opposite her, resting his elbows on his knees. He was wearing lose close, tattered jeans, and old black jacket, and white t-shirt.

"You look like on of those greasers from The Outsiders," Alex commented lightly, recalling a book that she had read in the sixth grade and had afterward watched the movie..or was it the other way around?

"Well we already live like them," Adam said, meaning for it to be a joke, but it didn't work out as one, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's all right, "Alex said just over a whisper, and leaned her head back into the pillows, "our lives suck."

As she said it, she winced as she put too much pressure on her right shoulder.

"Well that's all going to change," Adam said, standing, his mood suddenly brightening.

"Oh really?" Alex said, wondering how many times she had heard that one in her life. "And just how are you going to do that?"

"I'm moving us to New York," Adam said proudly, smiling.

"Yeah?" Alex said. "And how are you planning on doing that- if you've forgotten, I'm only sixteen?"

"Remember your Uncle Arnie who came down a few Christmases ago?" Adam asked.

"The grave digger?" Alex recalled.

"Yeah, him," Adam said as he begun to pace the room, "he got this amazing apartment in Manhattan along with a job at a recording studio. And he agreed to take you in."

"You're kidding?" She would give anything to get away from the foster mother she lived with, who did no more for her but to leave the microwave plugged at night.

"I told him about out music," Adam continued, "and he said that he might be able to get us a recording deal."

"You're serious?" Alex said as Adam crossed over to her, and took her hand.

"This is real, he said, cupping his hand in hers, "this might be our chance- your chance, to make it."

"But how do I know he even wants to take care of me?" Alex said, thinking this was all to good to be true.

They had tried dozens of times to get at least one of the pair a record deal, but had failed. Now going to New York, moving so suddenly- it all seemed so unreal to her.

"He says that he owes your father the favor," Adam said, "after-"

He trailed off before saying 'what happened' but Alex knew what he was about to say, and Adam could see the guilt in her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault," he said softly, looking into her eyes, pleading for her to believe it.

"I know," Alex lied, and sighed, leaning back into the pillows.

The two were quiet a moment. Adam wanted to get her true feelings out of her, but wasn't sure how.

"So this is real?" Alex asked again, interrupting the moment.

"Yeah," Adam said, smiling at her, "it's real."

Author's Note: Sorry again for the shortness. They got long there for a while, didn't they? Or at least longer than usual, anyway. I'll try and write the second part tonight, and I'll, hopefully, have all tomorrow afternoon and night to write. Who knows, I might even get this done this weekend. Moving fast, aren't I? Don't worry, Charlie and Claire will be back, and so will Charlie's song- one that I wrote, by the way! Yes, I'm a songwriter- most of them suck- but I do write them! Must've written over sixty, but that's enough about that. And I've decided it'll be Sayid and Boone looking for Shannon next fic. Thanks for all the help with that! Oh, and disclaimers next chapter!

Crazyhorsegirl88: How is it that I can always guess what you'll say in reviews? Lol! Yeah, there's just so much more possibilities with Sayid/Boone than Sayid/Shannon. All I can see there is the meds thing and Sayid asking, "So why is that the you care about your brother so much?"

Thanks to ALL my reviewers! Even the new ones, who I hope aren't confused!

Coming up: A trip to Danielle gets delayed by old twenty-eyed in the jungle.

October Sky