A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed.Last chapter wasn't my best, and I felt alittle off with it, but your reviews cheered me up. So without waiting any longer, here is...

Chapter 2: Flower Crushing

The previous night's cold had vanquished into an unbearable humitidty. With my knotted hair tyed up high above my neck and a water bottle in my hand, I made my way towards the forest, in the direction of Sawyer.

"Yo, Kate, hold up a sec," I heard Hurley's unmistakable voice from behind. I turned and saw the man jogging to catch up with me, his blue tshirt sticking to his body.

"Hi, Hurley. What do you need?" Holding out my water, Hurley wasted no time in thinking over the offer, gulping down half of the bottle's contents in a matter of moments.

"Do you, maybe, want me to take over your shift at thehatch? You seem to always be doing it, and I'd just thought you'd like the break."

I knitted my brows. "Did Jack ask you to do this?"

Hurley's eyes became wide. "No, no. Why? Did he say something?"

I shook my head.

"I just, wanted to do some stuff, is all," Hurley's voice trailed off to barely a whisper, his head hung low on his neck.

Fearing the man's entire body would explode from all the blushing he was doing, I quickly told him it was alright and allowed him a hasty getaway. A part of me wondered what Hurley was up to, but the more reasoning side assumed he was dealing with privacy issues and wanted the extra hours to be by himself.

Walking into the jungle, I contemplated over what I would do once I found the cowboy. If I automatically went into seduction mode, he would know I was messing with his head. I had to be sneaky. Had to start off slow.

Passing by the garden, I saw that Sun was back at work. Most of the islanders assumed the gentle woman would stay far away from the crime scene, but I knew she'd return. The qualities in Sun shocked me at times. Her gentleness, the way she loved Jin, her small way of helping the camp with her growing food. There were times I looked at her and wished I could be her and have someone love me the way her husband loved her.

Without pausing to say hello I passed by, choosing instead to look at the thick trees surrounding me. All of us had grown accustomed to where each flower was blooming and where certain roots were planted, so when I saw a small pink and white flower about a half a mile away, my mind tried to remember where I had seen it last.

As I neared the flower, I wondered for a second, if Sun could plant more like them. They truely were gorgous. It had four elongated pettles all together, with the tips being shaded a dark magenta, then becoming softer, until, in the very middle, attached to the root, it became white.

I crouched down, thinking over the best place to pull it up, when one large black boot crashed down upon, breaking apart the jungle's creation.

Closing my eyes, I stood, knowing who the flower killer was.

"Howdy, freckles. Were you lookin' at that thing under my foot?"

Without opening my eyes, I answered. "Yeah, but that's okay. I'll find more someplace else."

"Aw, shucks, isn't that nice. Why you being so nice to me today? Is it 'cuz you want a gun, or just wanting Sawyer?"

I opened my eyes and met his baby blue ones. I expected upon agreement that it wouldn't be easy, but didn't register how large of a challenge I was facing. "No matter how hard you try, Sawyer, you can't make me not like you."

"What you gettin' at, Sweet Cheeks?" Sawyer eyed me skeptically. With a short twist of his right ankle, he crunched the flower petals to a million pieces.

"The conversation after last night. The one where you made it blaintly obvious you love people hating you." Sick of seeing God's piece of art ruined, I turned and began trecking back to the beach. Sawyer, curious enough as to where to conversation was leading to, followed suit, dragging his foot in one last attempt to destroy the plant.

"Well as long as I got as a friend, I'm hunky dory, now ain't I?"

"I know you too well, Sawyer. You're just the kid in the back of class trying to give the teacher hell," I contemplated, crossing my arms and watching the man's reaction closely. "But eventually, the teacher willget fed up and send him to the principal's office."

"Or," Sawyer smirked. "He just getsinto the teacher's skirt and she never botheres him again."

"Your missing the point," I replied, shooting down his smile.

"And what's that?"

"That I can only handle your actions for so long before I stop bothering to be friends."

"Or," Sawyer pointed a finger a me. "I could just sleep with you and I'd never have to worry about you again."

My temper wanted so bad to respond to that comment with one of my own smart-ass responses, but Jack's image appeared in my mind and I knew I couldn't. I remained silent for a moment, intentionally letting Sawyer think I was contemplating the idea.

"Good analogy, Daisy. I'll have to remember that offer." Upon finishing those words, Sawyer walked ahead, leaving me to stare at his back.

"What's it from this time?" I asked as the beach came into view through the tangle of bushes.

"What is what from?" Sawyer asked impatiently, stalking over to his tent.

"Daisy. I haven't heard that one before." Setting down my near empty water bottle, I took a seat next to the man, staring at one of the survivors trying to play tick tac toe in the sand.

"Haven't you ever seen the Dukes of Hazzards?"

I focused my attention back to the job at hand and nodded slowly. "You think I'm that Daisy? Wow, the island must be getting to you."

"Well, lets put you in some daisy dukes and try it out," the southerner smiled maliciously. Feeling that was my cue to leave, I rolled my eyes and stood up.

"You know, usually women wait until after the sex to leave." I ignored the comment and told him good-bye, walking through the sandtothe the tic-tac-toe player.

"You still owe me a visit to the principal's office, teacher!" I heard Sawyer call from his place. Praying no one had heard the remark, I walked briskly over to the older man.

"Need competion?" I asked sweetly, sitting down across the make believe board. The man looked up and I recognized him as Bernard, one of the fateful Tailies.

"Sure, my wife seems to be doing laundry, so I'm left to play alone."

"I'd be happy to play. Just know I can make a mean X." Laughing, Bernard made an O in the center box, a smile on his lips.

"So that man over there, the gun warden, do you like him back?" The question was asked simply, just a mere conversation starter, but I felt the usual anvil fall unto my heart when the question arose.

"I-I don't know, honestly. There's so many complications, I don't think I want to get involved."

Bernard eyed me from above his lowered lids. "All I am saying is, beach weddings are nice."

My eyes shot up higher than I realized they'd go.

Bernard wasted no time in continueing. "Whether it be with a gun stealer or a doctor, either way it would be very lovely."

"Um, sir, I understand that you and your wife are unbelievingly in love, and I get that you want everyone to feel those same feelings that you two experience, but...I'm not getting married on an island with people I've known for two months."

"I married Rose six months after we met, and I didn't see her nearly as often as you interact with these men."

I felt my head shake slowly. I wasn't sure whichidea scared me more, the idea of getting married, or the thought that'd we would be on this island long enough to secure such feelings.

"Bernard, I appreciate the thought, but I really do hope we're not here long enough for something that permanent to occur."

Placing another O in the bottom right hand corner, I saw the man draw a shaky line through all his O's. "Look's like your pretty good at this game."

Smiling, the man nodded in humble thanks at my comment. As I wiped away the game board and its imaginary pieces, Rose walked up from the forest, carrying with her a bundle of fresh clothes.

"Hi, Rose, how was laundry?" Bernard called to his wife, placing a soft kiss on his wife's lips before she dissapeared behind their shared tarp.

"Oh, it's the same. Laundry is laundry, no matter how you look at it," Rose responded, peeking her head around the corner. "Hi, Kate, how are you doing?"

"I'm great, thanks," I sent a smile to the woman, adding her to the list of women I wished to be like. She was right there underneath Sun. "Hey, Rose, while you were at the hatch, did you see Hurley acting...I don't know...weird?"

Rose returned to the open, letting out a breath of relief at having the load in her arms gone. "I saw him for a brief moment, then he was gone. But, as a matter of fact, he did act alittle rushed. Like he had to have get out a' there, and quick."

I frowned slightly. "Thanks, Rose." Glancing back and forth between the husband and wife, I could tell they wanted some privacy, so I stood up and offered Rose my position at the game. "I'm warning you though," I told Rose as she sat down. "He's one tough competitor."

Moving my feet systematically through the sand I heard Bernard's voice and turned around.

"Don't forget what I told you, Kate. Anything's possible on this island."

Thinning my lips and giving a short nod of my head, I continued on to the Hatch, convincing myself I was going to check on Hurley, when deep inside I knew I was hoping to see Jack.