Chapter 5

The afternoon sun began to descend signaling that the light would soon be gone for the day. The Nigerian figured they still have a good hour before they needed to stop for the night. Turning back to the line he shouted that they should be there by tomorrow night. At least he hoped, as long as they didn't run into anyone or anything.

Sawyer had quickened his pace and was now walking in front of Valerie. The entire time she was arguing about whether or not to talk to him. Would he even listen? Would he ignore her again? God, how he reminded her so much of herself. Mentally slapping herself, Valerie thought it was worth the shot. She needed to say something or else this would bother her until she did.

Quickening her step, she appeared beside Sawyer only to see him grimace. Peeking further she saw him really rubbing at his wound. She hoped it wasn't infected.

"Are you ok?" she said not even thinking before she said it. Sawyer simply rolled his eyes, but kept his stride even with hers.

"Look, I'm sorry," Valerie said a little harsh. He was not making this any easier than it should be. "I sometimes say things that I shouldn't. Have you ever done that before?"

"Guilty as charged," he replied without looking at her.

"Then why are you so upset? Because you seem like the sort of person who wouldn't give two damns about anyone."

Sawyer couldn't help but face the fact that she was right. The only thing he cared about was his revenge, but after the crash it all seemed to change. Walt reminded him a little of how Sawyer was as a kid. He didn't deserve to be in this position.

"You don't understand. He didn't deserve to be taken. And he doesn't deserve to believe that his father is dead."

Valerie looked away after Sawyer's statement. She was always good at analyzing and she could only think that something terrible happened to Sawyer when he was a child, which explains his feelings towards this little boy. She felt the words trying to come from her mouth, but with much effort contained them. She did not want to say anything else that would upset him. But there was something she had to say.

After seeing his face in pain again she sighed and said, "Will you let me look at that arm?"

"What?"

"Can I see your arm?"

"No," Sawyer replied before he released his hand from the wound.

"Why?"

"Because I don't allow girls to 'see' me unless I get a kiss first."

"Excuse me?" Valerie could not believe what she was hearing.

"If you want to see my arm, I need a kiss first," Sawyer couldn't help but smirk. He was easily pulling off the same gag as he did with Kate and the whole incident with Shannon's medicine. "So what do you say?"

"You're sick," Valerie said and walked as far away from him as possible.

"That's what they all seem to say," Sawyer shouted back, but once she was in the front of the line he looked down in shame.

"Let me go!" Valerie shouted at the two large men that were dragging her down a hallway. Through a lot of connections she had tracked down Hibbs. He was in Sydney and this was her chance. The moment she stepped into the building, however, she was confronted by these two men who were now dragging her along.

They took her to the farthest room in the building, which led into a small square room with dirty walls and a cold wooden floor. After they released her the men slammed the door shut, locking her inside. Valerie instantly started kicking the door.

"Let me out of here you bastards!"

"There's no use shouting, they only listen to me," a voice said from the dark room. Valerie turned around and backed as close as she could to the wall.

"Who's there?"

"Someone you've been looking for for some time," the voice replied and then a hand reached up and pulled on an overhead light. Valerie was now looking into the eyes of Hibbs.

"You!" she said while he laughed.

"Me."

"You're the bastard who had my father killed."

"True, but I am not the one who killed him, am I?"

"It doesn't matter!" Valerie yelled and pulled a gun from her jacket. Pointing it directly at Hibbs, she felt herself shaking and all Hibbs did was laugh.

"Oh, honey, you wouldn't use that on me," he said remaining comfortably seated in his chair.

"Oh yeah?" Valerie replied and pointed the gun directly next to him. Pulling the trigger she shot the pillow that was resting underneath his arm. The pillow exploded into tons of feathers, some landing on Hibbs's head.

"I am not the one you want to kill," he said finally standing up.

"Stay where you are!" But Hibbs did not listen. He began walking slowly towards her, his face sterner than in his picture.

"Come on now Valerie, put it down."

"How do you know my name?"

"I know everything about your family and the debt your father still owes me. I told him many times that I would have killed you and your mother unless he paid me back. Why do you think he moved to Sydney?"

"He came here for business and decided to stay longer."

"It was so we would leave you alone."

Suddenly, Valerie felt Hibbs grab the gun from her and push her against the wall with a lot of force.

"I knew sooner or later you would find me. But it is I who has been watching you. You can be very useful to me, Valerie. And in the process you will be seeking the revenge you hold so dear in your heart."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm compromising," Hibbs said while stroking the side of her face. "I will forget all about your father's debt to me. I will leave you and your mother alone, if, you promise to kill just one person for me."

Valerie was not sure whether to accept the deal or not. She could see that this Hibbs was a real player and he probably said this same speech to many people before.

"This person you would be killing is the exact man who murdered your father, if you really want to know."

"Who is he?"

"No, no, no. First you must promise to take the job, then you kiss me, then I will tell you his name."

"What?" Valerie said her voice deep. This Hibbs was disgusting even to look at. She couldn't imagine what kissing him would be like.

"You heard me," he replied moving in closer, his face now only inches from her own. "A simple promise, a simple kiss, and the identify of your father's killer revealed."

Valerie knew she had no choice. Hibbs was getting closer and closer and there was no way she was going to pass by the name of her father's murderer.

"Ok, I promise," she whispered and before she even finished the sentence Hibbs's lips were locked against hers.

She felt his tongue exploring her mouth and she fought back the urge to vomit. And after what seemed like forever he finally pulled back and looking right at her said two words, "James Ford."

The sun had set an hour ago and Valerie was leaning against a rock near the caves they had found for shelter. Her arms were crossed and she never heard the jungle so quiet. She could not stop herself from thinking about the one thing that had consumed her thoughts all day. Then she spotted something that would be quite useful.

Sawyer was settled in the corner of the cave while the others camped closer to the opening. Again he was rubbing his wound and was surprised when the rubbing did not make the burning go away. He could feel that the wound had become infected but he did not want to give the others the extra burden of worrying about him. Peeking down at it he saw a disgusting sight. A completely infected wound and now he only prayed it would not become life threatening.

"Will you please let me look at your arm?" said a familiar voice above him. Sawyer glanced up and saw Valerie standing over him. Her arms were still crossed and her face serious.

Turning away, he gave a quiet scoff and replied, "Not until I get that kiss."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am. All I'm asking for is a little kiss." This again brought back memories of the time Sawyer tricked Kate into kissing him.

"Is this how you get all your action?" Valerie replied crudely.

"Maybe."

Valerie rolled her eyes at his arrogance. But she knew that wound would kill him if it was not treated and soon. Uncrossing her arms she sighed and said, "Ok. I promise to kiss you after I look at your arm."

"Doesn't work that way, darlin'."

"Well that's my final offer. Take it or leave it. Otherwise, I can tell you now, that arm will be giving you more pain than you can ever imagine."

Sawyer would not say anything, but he knew she was right. He could already feel the burning spreading through his entire body and not just his arm anymore. Looking up at her he gave in.

"Fine," he said and sat up. Valerie smiled and kneeled down beside him. Reaching behind her she pulled from her pockets a small branch of leaves and flowers. Sawyer's eyes fell right on it. "What is that?"

"Spider flower."

"Uh?"

"It's fine. It has a lot of medical uses. It helps cool the body and the flowers are a disinfectant. Ok, I need you to take your shirt off."

"Whoa, now, sugar, I only said a kiss."

Sawyer snickered but after seeing the stern look in Valerie's face knew his joke was going to be cut short.

"Alright," he said as he reached for the bottom of the shirt. "Don't get too excited."

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Valerie whispered back while Sawyer removed his shirt and placed it beside him. Valerie couldn't help but peek at how ripped and perfect his stomach was.

Sawyer watched while Valerie tied her hair back into a short ponytail and began ripping the flowers from the leaves. She licked her thumb and index finger and rubbed the flowers between them, flattening them out. Very carefully she reached for the wound and rubbed the flowers against it. Sawyer groaned the first few times, but after a while got used to it. He also already felt his body cooling down. While Valerie continued, Sawyer decided this would go a lot faster if they embarked in a conversation.

"So how do you know about this Spider Flower and it's remedies?" he said in a rather simple and calm tone.

"I was studying to be a doctor," Valerie replied without taking her eyes off the wound. "The last thing I learned was about tropical plants and their medical uses."

"Why was it the last thing you learned?"

"My father died shortly after we finished the chapter. And I never went back to school."

"Oh, how'd he die?"

"He was killed, shot one time in the heart." Now Valerie was using the leaves to make an overcoat for the wound. "I went to Sydney to identify the body and that's where I learned that he was murdered."

"Sydney? He was Australian?"

"No, he was there on business, decided to stay a little longer. And off time from work he ran a shrimp truck."

Sawyer's heart skipped a beat. A man, American, running a shrimp truck in Sydney. No, it couldn't be. Valerie had moved on to wrapping the wound with a cloth she had ripped from a shirt probably back at the camp. Sawyer needed to know more. This was sounding all too familiar.

"Why was he killed?"

Valerie wasn't sure why Sawyer was asking her these questions or why she was even answering him, but she continued anyway.

"He had borrowed money from this man named Hibbs. He had someone kill my father so I tracked him down, but he told me the name of the man who had fired the gun on my father. I promised to him that I would seek revenge on the one who killed him and once I do that I will take my revenge on Hibbs."

Sawyer felt a shortness of breath and this time it wasn't from the wound. This could not be. This could not be the way Valerie was involved in all this. It just couldn't be.

"What was the killer's name?"

Looking Sawyer right in the eye she replied, "James Ford."

Oh, no, God, no, Sawyer thought. It couldn't be.

"What was your father's name?"

"Frank Duckett. I'm his only daughter, Valerie Duckett."