A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I really like reviews wink wink, nudge nudge Also, although it my not seem like it yet, this story isn't all "fluffish". I HAVE A PLOTLINE, MAKE NO MISTAKE! And, because I do, note that Ardren's age has changed. Instead of being 14, he is 16. Big hint. It will come up later.

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of lost. I am not the owner of lost. I am not……

When Ardren had finished, he clambered out, dismayed when he saw no one on the beach. Frowning, he turned around looking for the others. He spotted them in a tight group, arguing. By the time he got there, the crowd had mostly left, except for Charlie, the doctor from yesterday, and a fierce-looking woman. She had dark brown curly hair, and she commanded authority.

"Er…Hello. Did I…miss something?" Ardren asked when he had reached them. The woman and the doctor exchanged a look. Charlie smiled, fidgeting with the hood of his sweatshirt.

"I, Kate, and Charlie are going to find the cockpit of the plane. We are going to look for the transceiver, to see if we can get a signal." He spoke to Ardren like he was a little kid. Kate rolled her eyes and whispered "Jack, he's not two years old. He looks like he's what, eighteen?" She turned to him.

"I don't think you'd want to come- too many people, it will be dangerous…." She trailed off. The silence was broken only with Charlie singing under his breath.

"You're taking him." Ardren said, gesturing to the still singing Charlie.

"But in your condition…."

"Sorry, Crutches. You'll just slow 'em down." Came a southern drawl behind him. It was the same guy from last night. Ardren sighed and shuffled off. He leaned against the plane, like he had seen the man do last night. He watched them talk, and then Jack, Kate, and Charlie left into the jungle. The blonde man came back, and leaned next to Ardren. He didn't speak, but lit up another cigarette.

"Hey-" Ardren was cut off when the man angrily answered.

"Lemme guess- I shouldn't be smoking so close to the plane with all 'em gasses still in the friggin air, am I right? Well, I don't-"

"Actually, I wanted a cigarette." Ardren stated bluntly. The man blinked, and laughed. He shook his head, and handed him one out off the pack he had hidden in his sleeve cuffs.

"If you really want to go with 'em, bet you could catch up." He said, putting the box away. Ardren looked down at his feet. He had always had a short attention span, and he was already bored of sitting in his tent. The mystery of the jungle was welcoming after two days on the endless beach. He stuck the cigarette behind his ear and smiled.

The man laughed and walked away, and Ardren thought he heard him say "Great going Sawyer. Haven't you read the book "If you give an orphan a cigarette"? Now you've adopted him." Ardren went and got his now-empty bag, and placed a bottle of water and a bag of mini-pretzels (the only food he could find) in it.

It was easy to find them; there was a wide trail of broken branches and crushed grass behind them. It was the catching up that was hard. Ardren decided to follow them from a distance, enjoying the view of tree after tree. He could already see how many different animals lived in the jungle. It reminded him a lot like home.

Flashback

10 year-old Ardren had to cover his nose, the harsh city smell- exhaust, gas, garbage, and salt- was so bad. He was sitting on a dumpster, and the towering buildings went on and on as far as he could see. He was trying to ignore the speech his brothers were giving. He had to listen to it every time they got new recruits. Jerry used to do it, but after he died, it was usually Stacey or Scott. "This" they would say, circling an area on the map they had drawn "is Viper territory. The Gorillas usually hang here, and you get some of those damn Scorpions over here." The new recruits would stare wide-eyed, nodding at everything his brothers said.