Title: Another Day, Brother - Chapter 9

Author: jbdean ©

Rating: G

Summary: A few moments later - same day.

Locke put the map in his pocket as he started back to camp, Desmond following close behind. The two men were silent during the long walk; each deep in his own thoughts.

Upon arriving back at base camp, Locke spotted Jack standing with his back to him by the water trough. Locke quickly approached him.

"Jack?"

Jack turned to face Locke and saw Desmond standing just behind him. His eyes went quickly back and forth between the two. Desmond gave a weak smile.

"Evenin', Brotha," Desmond addressed Jack.

Jack's face began to show the signs of the heartbreak that had been there when Desmond and he last met. He turned away to gain him composure. Locke stepped closer to Jack and pulled the map from his pocket.

"Desmond gave me this. It's a map to the six bunkers on the island." Locke explained.

Slowly Jack looked over to the map in Locke's hand. Taking it in his own hands, he stood studying it for several minutes. "Where did you get this?" Jack turned and asked Desmond directly.

"It was Kelvin's. It was in the bunker. I took it with me when I left ... to find a place to hide out," Desmond explained.

Claire strolled up and seeing Desmond, a new face, asked what was going on.

"This is Desmond, Claire. He's the man that was in the bunker," Locke told her. "Desmond, this is Claire," and not wanting to ignore the baby, "and this is Aaron, Claire's son."

Desmond smiled a warm smile at Claire and Aaron. "You were down there for three years?" she asked him.

"Yea, three long years ... "

Claire blushed a little and smiled back at Desmond.

Jack reached out and took ahold of Locke's arm. "Let's go somewhere to talk about this privately, John." Locke, looking a bit confused slowly nodded his agreement.

"Claire, could you keep Desmond company while Jack and I take care of something? Desmond, okay with you?"

The two nodded their yeses but never took their eyes off one another.

Jack and Locke walked away from the camp and into the jungle a few yards. When they were sure they were alone, Jack began to question Locke about the map, Desmond and how the two had come across each other.

"I tracked him, Jack. I knew he couldn't have gotten too far."

"You just went after him without telling anyone? What if something had happened to you? We wouldn't have know where you were or where to look for you."

"Jack, no offense but I don't think I need check in and out with anyone. You let him go and I didn't think that was a good idea. There's a lot he can tell us."

Jack was quiet for a moment as he thought on what Locke had just told him. "Well ... I do admit that might be the case. He must know more than he told us in the short time he had. But what about this map?"

Jack and Locke looked at the yellow piece of paper with the hand drawn map on it. Clearly there were six bunkers but it seemed there were more than six hatches. "Are all of these bunkers under ground, John?" Jack asked.

"I don't know yet. I haven't really asked the details yet."

"Well, I think it's time that our 'brother' tells us more about what he knows," Jack told Locke as he began to head back to where he had left Desmond with Claire. Suddenly he stopped and turned to face Locke. "One thing ... "

"Yes, Jack?"

"Where did you say you found Desmond ... by his boat?" Locke nodded. "And yet he told you he found the bunker through this map?" Locke nodded again. Jack thought for a moment. "Well, doesn't it seem odd to you that he knew where his boat was and yet he says he only found the bunker by following the map?"

Locke stared long and hard at Jack.

"What are you saying, Jack?" Locke asked. "Are you saying he knew where the bunker was all along because it's by his shipwrecked boat?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

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