Chapter 4: Taken

It was already getting dark. Charlie raced through the last bit of the forest until his feet hit the sand of the beach. He let out his breath.

He had had enough of it. The hatch was driving him crazy, causing him so much confusion, confusion that was hard to handle. Charlie looked over at the sky. It was sported red streaks and hid behind the sun that was setting in the distance. He looked around to see that the castaways had already started many fires on the island. Jin was bringing in his last bundle of fish that he had caught.

Charlie didn't know what they would do without him. He brought in 9 out of 10 of the fish. Charlie smiled and started forward.

"Charlie!" Claire was now running towards him.

"Where's Aaron?" he quickly asked noticing that Aaron was not in her arms. She smiled.

"Sun. She's great with him you know." Claire said. She looked up at him. "You okay?" she asked. Charlie pursed his lips together then pointed behind him.

"Eko. Him and that stupid hatch. It's driving me crazy." Charlie said. Claire looked a bit confused but didn't ask any questions.

"Is he still there? In the hatch?" Claire asked. Charlie shrugged.

"Probably, but he could have left by now. Let's hope he did." Charlie said. He leaned forward and put his arm around Claire's shoulder.

"Let's go get some dinner, shall we?" asked Charlie. Claire smiled.

"Good idea…" she looked behind her as they walked towards Jin.

"What about Eko, I'm sure he has not eaten yet." Said Claire. Charlie nodded.

"He'll come when he's ready. When he realizes there is nothing worth wasting time for." Charlie said and the two of them set off towards their dinners.

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"You people are mad. What makes you think that this plant will hold us?" Sawyer was standing beside the ravine watching as Sayid and Jack tied the vine to a tree.

"Sawyer, Charlie was hanging from a tree, with this stuff." Said Kate as she fingered the long material. "I'm sure it will be fine." Kate walked over to the edge and draped the vine over the edge. She turned facing the guys as she brushed off her hands.

"Me first." Said Jack. "I need to make sure it's okay." Kate put her hand out.

"No. Let me." She said. Sawyer coughed.

"No your not." He said. Kate put her hands on her hips and faced Sawyer.

"And why not Sawyer?" she asked. He blushed slightly but kept his face tight.

"It's dangerous." He said. "Doc wouldn't like it much if you got hurt." Kate could see the worry in his eyes, but not for Jack's sake, for his own.

"He's right Kate." Jack said.

"I'm the smallest, I weigh less, I should go first." Kate said.

"She does have a point." Said Sayid. Kate saw Sawyer and Jack both give Sayid a look but he simply ignored it.

"Go ahead." Sayid said. Kate nodded and walked over to the edge. She took a deep breath and took a hold of the vine.

"Be careful." Sawyer said quickly. Kate smiled.

"I'll be fine." Said Kate. She turned around so she was facing them and then began her decent. It really was not that hard. She had no idea what they had been fussing about. Thirty seconds later she was standing firmly on the ground below and in front of her, underneath the cliff was a small burrow. Inside this burrow was a small creek.

"I'm down! You won't believe what I found!" she yelled. She could see Jack coming over the edge now and beginning his own decent down the edge of the cliff. Kate didn't want to get to close to the burrow in case it decided to close down on her. She backed up and looked back up at Jack. He was now three meters from the ground when she heard a faint snap. Kate looked above to where the edge of the cliff was and the vine came twirling down towards her. She moved out of the way as Jack landed with a thud on his back.

"Oh my god, Jack." Kate ran forward and knelt beside him as he rolled onto his side. His teeth were clenched together and his face was red.

"Jack?" Kate asked.

"Idiot, he snapped the damn vine." Kate looked up to see Sawyer looking over the edge of the cliff. "Now we have to get another one!" he yelled. Sayid then appeared at his side.

"Is he okay?" Sayid asked. Kate looked down at Jack, whose eyes were now open. Jack nodded.

"Yeah, I think so." She said. She could see Sayid faintly nod.

"We need to find another vine, just sit tight." Sayid said. Sawyer and Sayid then disappeared form the ledge. Kate then turned her attention back to Jack who was now sitting up.

"You okay?" she asked. Jack nodded and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm good. At least I didn't fall too far." He said. Kate smiled and helped him up. He looked over at the burrow.

"Water." Kate said. "It's the creek we heard." Jack leaned forward, but didn't get to close.

"Good. Now all we have to do is wait for them." Jack said.

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"No dude, really I'm serious." Hurley said. Charlie shook his head.

"You know, as many times as you tell me, I'm never going to believe you." Charlie said shoving another handful of fish into his mouth. Claire was sitting beside him, feeding Aaron.

"It doesn't hurt to believe him Charlie." Said Claire. Hurley looked over at her.

"You don't believe me either?" he asked. He put down his plate.

"Why is it so hard to believe?" asked Hurley. "I really did win the lottery!" he said. Charlie laughed.

"Yeah okay, what ever you say." Said Charlie. He stood. "I'll be right back." He told Claire. He left the fire and began walking over to the water bins to rinse of his dish. He looked up to see Eko standing at the edge of the forest.

"How's the stupid hatch going?" asked Charlie. "Did you magically open the door?" he asked. Eko didn't say a word.

"What now?" Charlie asked abandoning his plate. Eko walked forward.

"The hatch is of no importance now." He said. Charlie let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh really, now what? You want to build the church again?" asked Charlie. "Or, would you like to go on a hike?" Eko paused.

"No." he said. "Where is John?" he asked.

"Locke?" asked Charlie. Eko nodded.

"Um… somewhere around here I believe." Charlie said. He turned to look at the fire.

"Go ask around." Said Charlie. Eko didn't move.

"Oh come on!" said Charlie. He was interrupted when Sun came over.

"Everything okay?" asked Sun.

"No. Do you know where John is?" asked Eko. Sun shook her head,

"Actually no…" she looked up. "He wasn't here this morning. He hasn't been anywhere." She looked from Charlie then over to Eko.

"Why has something happened?" she asked. Charlie was now very interested.

"Eko… where is he?" asked Charlie. Eko smiled.

"They have him." Said Eko.

"Who has him?" Charlie asked. Eko smiled again and beckoned towards the forest.

"They." He repeated. Charlie looked over at Sun and watched as her face suddenly began to change. She now look frightened and kept her eyes peeled to the floor.

"Sun…?" asked Charlie. Sun took a deep breath but kept her head to the ground. She bent down and picked up a piece of cloth and looked up. She held it out.

"The others… they have him." She said.