Baby Blues, Missing and Motherhood

Kate knew what she had to do, she stayed in the woods looking around, and then she spotted a sharp branch hanging from a tree. She walked over to it and tore her shirt sleeve leaving bare skin on her shoulder, she used the branch to give herself a nice deep scratch, and she then ripped her trouser leg doing the same thing. Kate took a deep breath pulled her hair band from her neatly tied hair and put it in her pocket, she used her hand to mess up her hair and then stumbled through the woods back to camp.

"Kate!" called Hurley rushing to her side and holding her up, "Kate what happened?"

"I was…walking and then out of…nowhere these people…just grabbed me, I struggled and managed to get away," she said crying.

"Did you see Shannon?" Sawyer yelled not caring about Kate's so called injuries.

"Why would I have seen Shannon," she replied coldly.

"Because she's missing along with Claire's baby, so if you've seen them tell us," he said grabbing her shoulders, Kate looked scared at Sawyer's outburst.

"Hey Sawyer let her go," said Jack defending Kate and pulling Sawyer off of her.

"You all think you know her," Sawyer said pointing at Kate he turned and headed towards the woods before turning back, "but you don't." With that he walked into the woods looking for Shannon.

Claire was sitting on the sand clutching her stomach, how she wanted her baby back. She hadn't spoke t anyone not even Charlie she knew it wrong he was doing everything to find her baby boy he didn't deserve the silent treatment.

Jack patched Kate up and inspected her further to make sure she was ok.

"So Kate you wanna tell me what Sawyer meant?" asked Jack packing his stuff away and looking at her.

"It doesn't matter it's in the past," she said looking away.

Jack knew there was more she weren't telling him but he left it…for now.

"Am I free to go?" she asked.

"Sure."

Kate left the medical tent and nearly walked straight into the mystery man himself, Locke.

"Oh I'm really sorry," said Kate looking up at him.

"That's ok but we need to talk," he said calmly taking her arm and guiding her away from the others.

"Get your hand off me! What the hell are you doing?" she protested.

"Listen I want you to look at that young woman over there and think about what you done and if it was the right thing to do," he said looking at Claire.

"I don't know what you're talking about now if you don't mind, I'm very busy," said Kate smugly looking at him and walking away.

"Kate all secrets will eventually come out nothing stays hidden on this island," he said to her retreating form.

Kate sighed a breath of relief but Locke was right secrets didn't stay a secret for long. They would all know what she had done soon enough, her pace quickened she needed to get her story straight, Sawyer had seen through her lies but then he always had.

She didn't know where she was walking to she just needed to get away the police were after her, Sawyer probably wanted to kill her, she had shot him and then left him to get caught, left him with nothing no money and no future. Then she noticed the police car in front of her, two officers stood facing her with their guns raised.

"Katharine Austin freeze!" one shouted.

"Put the case down and lay face down on the floor," the other said.

Kate did as she was told and the officers approached her one picked up the case while the other cuffed her.

"Katharine Austin, I'm arresting you for the bank robbery in New Mexico, you do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not answer when questioned for something which you later rely on in court anything you do say may be given as evidence."

"Hey Danny look at this," said the other police officer showing him the money in the case.

"That's a lot of money for one person Kate," said Danny smiling at her and looking at his partner.

"Yeah well it was supposed to be shared," she said angrily.

"But that went out the window when you shot him, come on get in the car," said Danny opening the door and letting her get in.

Sawyer wandered around the trees for what seemed like hours, Shannon was nowhere to be seen, he knew Kate was behind it but no one would believe him, he couldn't for the life of him figure things out, a rustling in the bush behind him made him jump up and turn around.

"Who's there?" he said calmly.

"It's me," Charlie said stepping out from behind the bush.

"What are you doing in there and why are you sneaking up on me."

"I wasn't sneaking up on you I was on my way to look for Claire's baby when I heard a noise, which was you, "he said defensively.

"Well I'm looking for Shannon. Do you wanna go together, you know safety in numbers," said Sawyer looking at a heartbroken Charlie.

"Ok sound like a good plan," said Charlie heading further into the woods.

Sawyer followed Charlie and they both walked in silence thinking of the people they wanted to find the most.

Shannon looked around, her arms were tied behind her back and she had a vine wrapped round her middle holding her tight against a tree.

"Look please I don't know what I've done but please let me go," she begged looking around.

"If you don't keep quiet the nasty monster will get you," said a little girl appearing from behind a tree holding an orange ball.

"Who are you?" asked Shannon her voice quivering.

"I'm Emilie," she smiled sweetly.

"Emilie! Where are you?" yelled a man now appearing form where Emilie had, "I thought I told you to stay away form this place."

"Sorry Ethan I came to get my ball," she said.

"Not that I don't think your conversation is great and sweet, but can you please let me go?"

"No we can't this was part of a deal you need to stay here," Ethan said approaching her, "Emilie go back to camp."

"Ok," the little girl said skipping away, "bye lady."

"What do you want with me? What deal?" Shannon asked the creepy man approach her.

"The deal is nothing to do with you, well of course it's about you but that's the beauty you wont be around long enough to find out the whole truth," he said right in front of her now.

"Ethan, Danielle says she wants you back at the camp now," said Emilie skipping back towards Shannon and Ethan.

"Ok Emilie, I'm coming," he said following the little girl, "have a nice night princess."

He walked away laughing and Shannon was once again alone.

"You can't just leave me here!" she called, "my boyfriend will be looking for me, you'll be sorry if anything happens to me!" she had tears falling down her face, "Sawyer please find me, I need you to find me."

"This is hopeless!" yelled Sawyer kicking a log that was by his feet.

"Have you been out here all night?" asked Charlie looking at an exhausted Sawyer.

"Yeah but I can't go back not without Shan."

"Look if we go back, we can come back out here later when we're rested," said Charlie trying to convince himself as well as Sawyer.

"Yeah I guess you're right," said Sawyer looking at him.

They both headed back towards the beach, Sawyer couldn't work out this feeling inside of him that Kate was behind all this trouble.

Claire was sitting on the sand still looking at the calmness of the sea; Kate watched her and couldn't stop the guilt washing over her. That's when she saw Sawyer and Charlie come out of the woods, her breath caught in her throat and she turned to head into her tent, she started to walk but Sawyer had already spotted her, he rushed over to her.

"Where are they?" he yelled grabbing her shoulders and spinning her round.

"Where are who?" she asked slightly scared.

"Shannon, and Claire's baby!"

By this time everyone had heard the commotion and gathered round.

"I don't know what you're talking about, please get off me," she begged.

"Sawyer let her go," said Jack once again sticking up for Kate.

"Listen Doc you don't know her the way I do and I know she is the one behind all this trouble, Shannon going missing and Claire's baby," he said looking at the others.

"Listen Sawyer there is nothing that says anybody took Claire's baby or Shannon," said Jack looking at Sawyer, "now let her go."

"Whatever Doc," he said letting Kate go, "but I'm telling you now, if anything happens to Shannon or that baby you're going to be sorry."

Kate had tears falling down her face; Sawyer turned on his heels and walked away from the others. Kate looked around at everyone and then at Sawyer's retreating form. She wiped the tears from her eyes and ran after Sawyer.

"Sawyer!" she yelled, "Sawyer!"

"I have nothing to say to you," he said turning to face her.

"Sawyer please I don't want to lose you."

"Lose me, sweetie you lost me when you shot me in the leg."

"That was an accident and you know it," she said pointing at him, "look you and I we're great together."

"Yeah we were great together, but I'm with Shannon now you need to get over that."

"Sawyer I'm sorry I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"Kate what do you mean?" asked Sawyer.

"I just wanted us to be together and Shannon was in the way," said Kate looking up at him.

"What did you do to her?" he asked looking worried.

"I did a deal, they would take Shannon for me and I would get Claire's baby for them, after I did it I felt awful but I can't go back on it not now."

"You bitch!" yelled Claire who had been walking past with Charlie.

"Claire…" Kate began; all of a sudden she was lost for words.

Claire walked over to her and slapped her straight in the face, "where is my son and my sister?"

"Look I know where your son is but Shannon I have no idea," she said holding her face, "Claire I never wanted to hurt anyone I only wanted Shannon out of the way."

"Listen I don't care what your reason was but you hurt me twice so you fix it, where is my son?"

"When you go into the woods just there," she pointed, "you need to go straight into the middle and there's a hut on the left, the woman who has your son is in there."

Claire and Charlie started off towards the hut, Claire turned back round "Sawyer you find Shannon!"

Sawyer looked at Kate, "I really don't know where she is."

"Well you're gonna help me find her," said Sawyer taking her arm and walking back into the woods.

"Sawyer please hurry I need you," said Shannon quietly still tied to the tree.

"Who's Sawyer?" asked Emilie skipping back towards Shannon.

"He's my boyfriend Emilie," said Shannon looking at her, "so what are you doing out here with me?"

"Danielle just got this new baby and he keeps crying it's so loud," she said sitting down on the floor.

"A new baby wow that sounds nice, look sweetie could you untie me please I'm really scared," Shannon said hoping the little girl would be kind enough.

"I would because I think you're really nice but I'd get in trouble from Ethan," said Emilie looking at her.

"So how long have you been here?" asked Shannon, she didn't know why but this little girl felt special to her.

"Not very long I don't think but this is my home now I like it here."

Shannon and Emilie continued their conversation, she found this girl so easy to talk to that it made her think about her own little girl, when she got off this island she was going to see her if it was the last thing she did.

Claire and Charlie had reached the hut, suddenly she was nervous her breathing quickened.

"Are you ok Claire?" asked Charlie looking at her.

"I'm fine I just want him back in my arms."

Just then a loud baby's cry could be heard from inside the hut, the baby wouldn't stop crying. The door to the hut opened and the woman with long dark hair and baggy clothes walked out.

"What's wrong Danielle?" asked Ethan approaching her.

"That brat of a baby won't stop crying," she said annoyed.

"Well let him cry for a little while I'm sure he'll stop," Ethan said walking away from the hut with Danielle.

"Now's our chance come on Claire," said Charlie taking her hand and leading her out from behind the bush where they were hiding.

They both went into the hut and there he was her little boy lying on a blanket all wrapped up.

Claire went over and picked him up, "it's ok sweetie mummy's here," she whispered, "Charlie lets get out of here."

Charlie nodded and opened the hut door, he looked around before stepping out and making sure Claire was out safely with her baby.

They managed to get out of 'the others' camp and back through the woods to their own camp.

"Claire, oh you got the baby back," said Hurley greeting the three of them.

"Jack!" called Claire, Jack walked out from his medical tent and was shocked at what he saw, "can you check him out please?"

"Of course Claire bring him in here," said Jack gesturing to his tent.

Back in the woods Sawyer and Kate were looking for Shannon.

"What did they say to you?" he asked looking at her.

"They just said I didn't need to worry because she'll be gone by morning," said Kate looking at the floor.

"Did it occur to you that if she died I still wouldn't want you."

"It did but I thought if you remembered how great we were together and then with Shannon out of the way you'd think about us being together again," Kate explained not even looking at Sawyer.

"Kate, you and I are in the past, Shannon is my present and hopefully my future, she makes me feel special even with my terrible past."

"Then lets find her fast."

They continued searching and soon came upon two voices talking together, they looked through the trees and there was Shannon talking to a young girl.

"Shannon!" Sawyer said rushing to her side and taking the knife from his back pocket cutting her loose.

When Sawyer had come out Emilie had jumped up and backed away.

"Sawyer," Shannon said throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him close to her, "thank god you're here."

"Come on lets get you out of here," he said taking her hand.

Emilie just looked at them she was losing her best friend.

"Hey Emilie, we had a lot of fun but I need to go back with my boyfriend, I hope to see you real soon," said Shannon smiling at her, it was true she really did hope to see Emilie again just without being tied to a tree and scared half to death.

"Can I come with you?" she asked sweetly.

Shannon looked at Sawyer and he smiled.

"Of course you can, come on," Shannon said holding out her hand. Emilie took her hand and they all headed back to camp. Shannon held Emilie's hand all the way back as well as Sawyer's, she glared at Kate but never said a word.

Once they reached the camp they were all exhausted, but everyone greeted them asking who the little girl was.

"Emilie!" a lady with long blonde hair shouted.

"Mummy!" she screamed letting go of Shannon's hand and rushing to her mum's loving embrace.

"Thank you so much for finding her," the lady said.

"That's ok she found me," Shannon laughed.

Soon after Claire and Charlie came out of Jack's tent carrying the baby, whom they still hadn't named.

"Shannon!" Claire called.

Shannon looked over at her and ran to give her sister a hug.

"Oh my god Claire I thought I'd never see you again, you had the baby."

"Yeah I did he's a boy," Claire replied nearly in tears.

"He's so gorgeous, what have you called him?" Shannon asked as the little boy took hold of her finger.

Claire looked at her son, "Aaron," she said looking up at Shannon, "Aaron Charlie Littleton."

"That's beautiful," said Shannon smiling.

"I hope you don't mind Charlie, it's just you've done so much for us, you delivered him and you got him back for me and I thought this could be our way of saying thank you."

"Claire I'm honoured that you would have my name as your child's middle name," Charlie said smiling.

Claire handed him baby Aaron and he sat down on the sand talking about everything. Claire smiled and sat down with them joining in.

Shannon headed back to Sawyer and hugged him.

"What's this for?" he asked surprised.

"For finding me, I was so scared," she said.

"I would never have left you out there on your own."

"I know," she said kissing him on the cheek.

"It was a nice thing you did bringing that little girl back with us," Sawyer said placing an arm around her shoulder.

"I know, she's a great kid."

Everyone felt pleased now everyone was back where they belonged, they sat round the campfire talking and having tea. Once everyone had finished they settled down to sleep. Claire stayed awake watching Aaron and Charlie; they were both cuddled together under one blanket.

Sawyer and Shannon decided on a walk to the sea before heading to bed.

"Shannon you've been really quiet, what's wrong?" he asked not bearing the quietness no longer.

"Sawyer there's something I need to tell you…" she said looking up at his concerned face.