Disclaimer: Yea, I don't own Lost! WHAT NOW! Wow...
A/N: So, yea, I was on the internet, reading an HP story, Power Within (great story) and then, I finished it, so I was like, ugh, I'm bored, then I started talking to Carly, and then I automatically opened up Microsoft Word, and I was like, I'll work on a new chapter for Gypsy Queen, because, it's my favorite story I've got at the moment, so, in conclusion, I have NO CLUE what is going to happen in this chapter…I'll just wing it I suppose…So, read and enjoy!
Jack and Locke
It was late at night. I had long since retired from translating the maps. I had left with Sayid thanking me profusely, for everything. I had smiled at him and said bye. Now I had to find a place to sleep. Preferably somewhere that wasn't rocky, and wasn't near anyone. After about fifteen minutes, ok, maybe not that long but that's what it felt like, of searching, I found a piece hidden in the fuselage, or by the fuselage, or whatever.
When I had gotten down in a comfortable position, I set to thinking about the day, and what it meant to me. It felt like months since I had parted with the DeGrootes. I decided, right then and there, that I was going to stay on this side of the island, for a VERY long time.
When I woke up, it was still dark. I could just barely see the sun beginning to rise over the horizon. I stretched and shook out my sheet of blonde hair and set about searching for a rubber band. It didn't take me long to find one, and when I did, I pulled my hair back into a pony tail.
Automatically it seemed, I glanced over by Sayid's tent and was surprised to see that he was already awake. As I continued to stare at his muscular profile, he looked straight at me and nodded. I took that nod as an invitation and made my way slowly to his tent.
"Good morning," he greeted me as soon as I stood before him.
"Morning," I replied distractedly, looking around the camp.
"You're up early," Sayid remarked, drawing me out of my secluded bubble.
"So are you," I answered swiftly.
"I'm always up at this time."
"Ah," I said, searching his face.
"Sit," It wasn't an order, it was a request.
I sat in the same chair I had occupied the day before. I found myself uncharacteristically nervous in Sayid's company.
"I spoke to Jack," Sayid said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Oh?" I replied, half interested.
"Yes, he wants to see you as soon as possible. He wants me to take you to him."
"Now?" I asked, slightly dreading this meeting, although I couldn't help but being relieved that I didn't have to look for Jack myself. The only thing about him that I was certain of was that he was the island doctor.
Sayid nodded in response to my question and rose from his seat. I rose and looked at Sayid expectantly.
"Jack is at the caves." Sayid said, answering my unsaid question.
"So…will you lead the way?" I asked, knowing at once that I had said something incredibly stupid.
"You should know the way Alex," Sayid replied suspiciously.
"Oh, I, uh, never bothered going to the caves before," I answered swiftly.
"Everyone's been to the caves at least once," Sayid said quietly, "When The Other's were coming."
"Do you really expect me to remember the way?" I answered defensively.
Sayid merely looked at me and said, "Very well. Follow me."
He set off into the jungle and I followed him.
The trail to the caves was maybe a mile long. When we finally arrived, I couldn't stop my gasp at the surreal beauty. I had always loved nature when left alone, and although there were many people sleeping in different caves, it still looked natural, with the earthy floor, the rocky caves, and a noisy spring of fresh water. In one of the caves there was a table and airline cushions that formed a bed. Sayid led me over to that cave and as we drew closer, I saw that it was just more than a table and bed. There was a set of drawers that held medical supplies.
A man was filling a water bottle. As we drew near, he looked up. "Ah, Sayid," he said with a smile.
"Alex, this is Jack," Sayid introduced us, "Jack, this is the girl who helped me with the map translations yesterday."
"Nice to meet you Alex." Jack smiled.
"Likewise," I said somewhat stiffly, inclining my head.
"Sayid, could you give us a minute?" Jack asked. Sayid nodded and left the caves.
When he had disappeared, Jack turned to me and motioned me to sit on the makeshift bed, which I did. Jack sat next to me. We sat like that in silence for a while, until Jack broke the silence. "Sayid told me that you were a dance teacher in the south of France."
I nodded. "I taught ballroom dancing," I said, looking straight into Jack's hazel eyes.
Jack nodded. "Thank you for helping him with the map translations. Michael's getting desperate to find his kid." I nodded, pretending, once again, to know what was going on, although I knew Walt personally.
"I felt bad for him," I found myself saying.
Jack looked at me inquiringly, so I elaborated, "Well, his girlfriend died. He looked a mess."
Jack nodded. "I know what you mean. At first, he was loath to even continue with the translations. He insisted that Shannon was the only girl for the job."
I nodded, staring out at the cave entrance, looking at the place where Sayid had disappeared, as though I could suddenly see him standing there.
I looked at Jack, but at the moment I opened my mouth, some geeky guy in glasses came up and started blathering on about some rash that was spreading, so I excused myself and left the caves. I remembered the path fairly well, so I was able to make my way to the beach. When I arrived, I was called over to Sayid's tent, where Sayid was standing with some bald guy, who Sayid quickly introduced as Locke.
"Locke here needs a companion to help him hunt a boar that's been harassing the caves lately. Would you like to join him?"
I nodded reluctantly, "Sure."
"You're going to need better shoes," Locke said, looking down at my feet. I nodded and scavenged about for several minutes for a pair of hiking boots that fit my delicate feet.
When I was ready, Locke led the way into the jungle.
"So, what do you do in the real world, Alex?" Locke asked me as he bent down to examine a mark in the ground.
"I'm a ballroom dance teacher in the south of France. What about you?" I responded, eyeing the mark in the ground with what could almost be described as professional interest.
"I'm a collections supervisor for a box company in California," Locke answered, smiling at me and heading off after the trail of the boar.
"A box company?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows.
"Yea, they make boxes," Locke answered me.
"I hope you don't mind my asking, but how does a collections supervisor for a box company learn how to track boar?"
"Reading," Locke responded.
"This isn't something you just learn out of a book Mr. Locke," I said in exasperation.
"Call me John."
"I'm serious, John," I remarked, putting extra emphasis on Locke's name.
"Well, how does a dance teacher learn how to track boar?" Locke responded, still not fully answering my question.
"I haven't always been a dance teacher," I began, but Locke cut me off.
"And I haven't always been a collections supervisor for a box company."
"Your point is…" I trailed off.
Locke laughed, "For all you know, I could've been a hunter in another life, and for all I know, you could be one of those savages from the other side of the island." He laughed at what he must have thought a ludicrous suggestion. I, on the other hand, was terrified. Had this man discovered my identity? I surely hope not! If he did…the consequences would be too dire to imagine.
Locke didn't seem to notice my discomfort, and I left the matter to the back of my mind.
"But, I'm serious," I said at last, "where did you learn to track?"
"Taking notes, reading, and doing a fair bit of hiking back in my school days. What about you?"
"Whoever said I'm a tracker?" I asked rhetorically.
"You agreed to come, didn't you?" Locke asked me.
"Yes, I did, but that was only because I had nothing else to do." I answered, slightly surprised. I hadn't opened up to a stranger like this before.
Locke laughed. "But you are taking an interest in the tracks. You know what to do. You're keeping up with me, and that's not possible to do unless you are used to this rough terrain."
It was true that I was very used to the rough terrain of the island, but, lucky for me, I'm a good liar. "Did it ever occur to you that I'm a dance teacher? That I'm used to labor such as this? Did you ever stop to think that I might take my students on occasional hikes through the beaches and the mountains and the woods?"
Locke looked thoroughly taken aback at my reprimand.
Just to add a bit of tension, and again taking myself by surprise, I added, "Has it ever occurred to you that the boar we're looking for is right there?" And as I said it, I pointed through the tall grass, where there was indeed a boar, just looking at us, as though daring us to come closer.
Locke looked in the direction I pointed and chuckled. Without further ado, we crept forward and killed it, and Locke and I skinned it and cleaned it, before carrying it back to the caves, where Locke set about cooking it. He then ordered me to take half the boar back to the beach for the other survivors.
Of all the people I had met so far, Sayid, Claire, Jack, and Locke, Locke was definitely the most intriguing, and I couldn't help but feel a certain liking towards him. As I lay down at night, I wondered how I had lived for seventeen years on the opposite side of the island, when the people on this side were much more likeable.
A/N: I'm relatively pleased with this chapter, considering that I had no idea what was going to happen. This chapter was, when I had started to gain SOME idea about what I was doing, intended to circle around a conversation…or something between Gypsy/Alex and Jack, but, I spent more time with Locke than with Jack…weird huh? Another point I would like to make…103 hits and only 3 reviews! Come on people! Get it together! I am begging you on hands and knees to please please please REVIEW!