Author's Note: Season 2 of "Lost" has only just begun here in Australia (where I am from), so I am inventing story fragments without any knowledge of their correct context. Poetic licence! Thanks for your reviews so far, please continue writing them because I love to read them. It won't be long now, folks – the end is near… Enjoy, gitania

Hope Anew

Chapter 14: Return to Me

She fell unceremoniously backwards, screaming as she headed for the hard ground. Her screams faded into laughter as she landed on a soft mattress with him kissing his way along her neck. The room was light and airy, and she felt happy for the first time in a long while.

"I mean it," she said, smiling as she ran a hand through his hair. "We need to talk – It's important."

His lips curled into a smile against her skin. "Okay," he said, sitting up next to her on the bed. "What is it?"

She grinned and said dramatically, "What's the best thing that could happen to us?"

"You bought me a Harley?" he joked, lighting his entire face up in a mirror of hers.

"No," she swatted his shoulder. "Seriously – the best thing ever."

He thought for a moment and shrugged. "I have no idea. Come on, babe, just tell me."

She smiled at the power of her secret and leaned towards him for a kiss. "It's a baby," she whispered.

Hope's eyes opened slowly and she saw the canopy of trees blurred above her. There were voices calling her name, but her head was too heavy to lift and call out. She lay back as the dark washed over her again…

The room went dark and his face fell into shadow.

"What?"

"A baby," she said with a smile. "Isn't it amazing?"

"Are you crazy? We can't have a baby."

"Why not?" she asked simply.

"Forget it," he said firmly, pulling on his coat. "Get rid of it."

Tears formed in her eyes as she processed his words. "What? Why?"

He turned and stared into her eyes, filling her with the anger she knew so well. "Fine, keep it," he spat. "But don't expect me to take care of you. We're done."

He walked from the room, leaving her to follow and stand in his way as he reached the top of the stairs. He moved to push past her, but she stood her ground. She felt the first tears on her cheek. "You can't do this – I can't do this alone. I need you. We can work it out."

"You think you're any good to me now?" His voice was a furious growl that filled her head and made the tears fall faster.

The back of his hand hit her cheek and she tasted the blood in her mouth. Her feet lifted from the floor, and she screamed as she fell backwards. She hit the floor hard and lay still and silent. Her eyes lost focus but she could sense his seething form standing above her.

"Stupid bitch." His voice was quiet but stern, and she closed her eyes against it for a moment. "You're on your own."

He turned on his heel, leaving her sight, oblivious to her sobbing. "Wait…" she called out as he closed the door hard behind him, "…please." Her face was hopeful as the door re-opened…

"…please." Hope mumbled softly, feeling the tears in her eyes. The blood filled her mouth and she couldn't hear the voices anymore. She was alone in the dark, just like before…

She opened her eyes against the bright light, silently watching as a kind-looking doctor entered the room.

"Awake I see," he smiled genuinely, and she tried to smile back. She felt bruises on her face, and her stomach hurt badly.

"You've been asleep for quite a while," he remarked. "We were starting to wonder if we'd see you today."

He sat in a small seat next to her bed and moved it to within her line of sight.

"You've been in quite bad shape," he said with a frown. "But you're out of the woods now, don't you worry."

"What happened to me?" she whispered, feeling her throat burn as she spoke.

The doctor sighed and said seriously, "You were found badly beaten, at the bottom of the stairs in your home. You lost some blood, and you'll have some bruising for a while, but other than that, we think you'll be just fine."

The doctor's eyes fixed on hers, and she knew what was coming before his mouth opened again. "Your baby… was lost during the beating," he said softly. "You miscarried yesterday – I'm very sorry."

The tears fell freely down her cheeks. After allowing her a few minutes of tears, the doctor stood to leave her alone.

"Do you need anything before I leave?" he asked kindly.

She swallowed hard before asking, "Will I ever be able to have another baby?"

The doctor smiled tightly. "There's no way to tell for certain, unfortunately. But we must never give up hope…"

"…Hope! Hope! Where are you?"

"Hope? Hope!"

The voices grew louder as Hope struggled to keep her eyes open. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her face, and knew that she must have slept through the night. She tested her body, trying to move without pain. She listened to the voices calling her name, and focussed all of her attention on them, forcing herself to stay awake.

"Hope! Where are you? Hope!"

"Here!" she called out, feeling her dry throat. "Here, I'm here!"

"Hope? Is that you?" Kate's voice rang out somewhere over to her left.

"I'm here," she called louder. "I'm here, Kate! Over here!"

"Hope?" A sandy head appeared over the top of the cliff she had fallen down, and Hope felt relief flood through her. "Don't worry," he said to her. "I'm coming."

He started to move down the wall of the cliff sideways, holding onto small trees to help him make his way. Finally knowing that she was safe, Hope let her eyes close again, listening to his progress down the slope.

"Don't you go to sleep, now," he warned. "If I'm making my way down a cliff, you better be awake for me when I get there."

Hope smiled softly, hearing his words become jumbled as the darkness blanketed her again.

"No, no," he said sharply. "Come back. Don't go to sleep, okay – you've probably got a concussion."

"Hmmm?" she said softly, eyes still closed.

"A concussion," he said clearly, so that she could understand. "That means no sleeping. Eyes open!"

She obeyed, forcing her eyes open and fixing them on his face as he knelt beside her and took her hand in his.

She smiled serenely at her champion and whispered, "Hi."

He laughed a little, sighing with relief as he saw her eyes come into sharper focus. "Hey, Peaches."