Chapter 10- First Night

"Ana I don't think it's a good idea!"

Kate couldn't help but eavesdrop…its not like the caves were big or the voices low. Who could blame her? Beside her Sawyer crept up. She very much doubted he was even questioning his right to spy on Jack and Ana Lucia.

"What? Are you my doctor now, Jack? Are you my therapist? You think I'm having flashbacks? You think-"

"I think I'm your husband and I know you better then some idiot psychologist charging you two hundred bucks an hour for something I can give you for free!" He ran a hand over his short cropped hair, "I think you'd be too anxious to be right, Ana. I don't want another accident."

"Just say you don't want itchy fingers near a trigger. It's more honest then 'accident'." She pointed a finger at him, an inch from his eye, "One hair on their heads is touched, and you and I are going to have serious issues."

"Ana, I just don't want you over-reacting…"

"And I don't want you under-reacting! Don't want you losing the guns like last time!"

"Lost?" Jack bellowed, "Lost! Sawyer stole them! Stole them!"

"At least he did something, Jack! He didn't sit around debating the logic of it! He did something! Even if it was wrong! Even if it was selfish and stupid, he did something!" They were in each other's faces like boxers in a ring.

"Maybe you want him to do something again?" Jack's face was red, his voice straining against the emotions.

"It's more then you're doing! I bet he's going to make sure his kid's safe! And trust his wife!"

"I'm protecting my kids, don't you ever say I'm not protecting my kids, and she's NOT his wife! They aren't married!"

Ana's face was dangerously dark, "Sure you took notice of that real quick, didn't you Jack?"

From where she was standing Kate bit her lip. She didn't exactly have a great track record with marriages (which is precisely why she never let Sawyer consider the thing, even though it wouldn't have been legal anyway) and she hated the thought that her relationship was a thorn in another couple's side.

Sawyer sidled up next to her and squeezed her shoulder; it was his way of saying that she shouldn't worry about it.

There was a pause in the fighting as both sides took deep breaths. A few paces behind them their kids were doing expert jobs of pretending they were occupied with something other then the elephant in their living room.

"If she were asking for a gun would you give it to her?" Ana snipped accusingly.

"What?"

"Kate, if Kate asked for a gun would you give it to her."

"No." Jack shook his head, "No one is in the right state of mind to have a loaded weapon in their hands right now. We're all tired, frazzled, worried and scared. Semi-automatics don't work into that equation."

"Tell that to the man who saved us last time, Jack! When we were scared, sick, hungry, tired, dehydrated and cornered. Tell it to the man that gave us the guns…"

"Don't go there, Ana!" Jack's eye twitched. He never had a twitch until he got married…somewhere his father was laughing at that twitch, "Don't go supporting the lunacy of some ego-maniac-"

"Hey!" Sawyer called over the small closure of the caves, "The Sheriff says that you two are disturbing the goddamn peace…so can it and let's hit the hay!"

"Sheriff!" Jack was about to go off again but Ana had thrown herself onto her nest of leaves and tarp, leaving Marita and Chris to put their arms around their dad and coax him to calm down.

Kate rolled her eyes at Sawyer, "You just love being a Sheriff."

"Yes m'am, I do! Get me a shiny badge, a big gun…a pretty lady." He pulled her close and whispered against her ear, "The lady's love the gun."

Pushing him playfully against the chest she snorted, "Like your gun impresses me anymore."

He quirked his eyebrows, "That so, Freckles? Want to trade in the old horse for a sassy new colt?"

His tone was light, he was past insecurities of losing her and instead pinned her against the cave wall and proceeded to remind her of why she liked her old horse just fine. It wasn't until Sam violently cleared her throat behind them that they recalled they were in a public place.

"Um, you're scaring the kids." She sung her head at the youngest pace children who were watching with a mixture of disgust and curiosity.

"It ain't scaring them, its teaching them… don't they wanna know where babies come from?" Sawyer kept a light teasing tone with Sam, his public displays of affection with Kate never failed to invoke a gagging response from Sam (who has lost a lot of sleep because they were a bit loud in bed and was not prepared to accept that her parents were actively sexual creatures).

"Dad, we all know you're a stud muffin…can you stop flaunting it, detach yourself from mom's neck and come to sleep?" Sometimes Sam wondered if she was really the parent of two very naughty children who hated to go to sleep and were constantly caught doing everything but.

The Pace's were the only relatively normal family. They were putting the kids to bed, tickling and teasing and kissing them until their eyes were closed. At least they appeared normal. Normal if Charlie didn't keep his bloodshot, tired eyes wide open and if Claire didn't jump at every rustle in the jungle.

It seemed to the teens that they were finally seeing the trauma that the island was to their parents. They finally saw the deep scars left from their experiences. Aaron was the oldest of five, as such he rarely got special attention from his mother because she was preoccupied with the rest. But tonight she checked on him as frequently as Adah and kept asking if he was alright. There was something in her eyes, something deep and troubled…primal. Claire was in a corner, and prepared to lash out at whomsoever tried to touch her children. Charlie was little better and judging by his tendency to overcompensate and jump to conclusions, Aaron was pretty happy he didn't have a gun.

In the caves the sound of falling water and the aftermath of their adrenaline-rushed day lulled everyone asleep. Even the paranoid parents, the twitchy Charlie and the hawk-eyed Ana-Lucia. The lumpy sweatshirts and musky, moth eaten blankets were poor bedding, but after the high of chaos the calming spell of sleep was too inviting to refuse. The parents, who had been so intent on keeping vigil, were all sound asleep now. In some part of their minds they rationalized that Dharma was gone after the terrible exposure from last time. They were so tired they didn't have time to wonder at how unusual it was that they all basically fell into island-mode (sleep-on-rocks, eat-mangos and wipe-ass-with-leaves). In some minds, Kate and Jack specifically, it was as though they had never left the island. As though they had just woken up from a long nap and found new people in their camp.

Most of the night was quiet… it wasn't until after midnight that they came.

Sam was sleeping peacefully when she was violently jogged from her dreams by a hand clamped over her mouth and another trying to pin her hands. Her screams were muffled but she screamed and kicked out her legs, trying to free her hands. Kate and Sawyer stirred when they heard the muted cries and pounced on the figure who was on their daughter. Sawyer immediately relied on brute strength while Kate used her head-butts and groin kicks to great effect. As Kate yanked Sam away from the figure she examined her, her pulse tripled, her panic blurred her vision, but she forced herself to focus on her daughter. Looking her over, once, twice, and again she only found four long scratches down one cheek.

Panting, Sawyer ran up, "You alright?"

"Fi—"

"HELP!" Claire shrieked, another figure had Ewan in his arms and was dragging him off to the jungle, someone else was trying to get to Adah but Aaron was fighting them.

Sawyer dashed off to help Claire while Kate kept one arm firmly around her daughter. That is until Sam saw another figure sneak up behind Aaron and try to gag him. Then she sprinted out of Kate's hands and flew at the man, tackling him. Charlie proceeded to whack the other man with a large stick. Aaron fell beside Sam and helped her subdue his second attacker when Marita screamed. She was thrown over someone's shoulder and halfway into the jungle when Ana-Lucia smacked the person full in the face with a large stone. Jack and Chris were a few feet away fighting with someone else, but they froze dead when Ana smacked the man in the face.

It was a thud like a watermelon falling on pavement from a balcony.

Marita was splattered with blood and, crying, crawled to a tree and hugged its trunk until her mother made to hit the man's face again.

"No, mamá. Por favor no lo hagas! Dejalo ir!" (1) Marita cried, near hysterics, and reaching out for Ana to hold her.

Ana abandoned her victim and threw herself into Marita's arms. A shrill whistle sounded and suddenly all the attackers disappeared into the night as swiftly as they came. Chris chased after one, shouting for him to come back and fight, but Jack found him and held him back.

"Let them go, Chris…let them go."

They made their way back to the caves where Ana proceeded to run up to Jack and push him hard in the chest.

"OVERREACTING! OVERREACTING! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, JACK!" She was crying as she screamed and instead of letting him hold her she pulled Chris to her and cradled both her children's heads on her shoulders, as though she could protect them from the world.

Marita was frightened, visibly shaken. She had never seen that raw, violent side of her mother and it frightened her beyond words. It scared her that if she hadn't screamed stop, Ana Lucia would've killed Marita's would-be abductor with only her hands and a rock.

Claire, meanwhile, was absolutely frenzied over her children. She was trying to hold all five at once and only managed in hugging the two girls, as the boys clung to her and Aaron put his arm around her, trying to comfort her. Charlie was fussing over the children as much if not more, and he kept picking up one of the younger ones and looking them over for injuries. Then he'd turn to Aaron, tears in his eyes and pet his cheek as though he were a little boy again.

Sawyer and Kate were fussing over Sam's cheek but she kept pushing their hands away. She seemed nearly unconcerned at the attack, even though her mother was physically shaking over it. Sawyer had an arm around each of his women and was holding them close, but Sam shrugged him off. This wasn't the first raid Sam had lived through.

As she pushed herself away from her family she realized she had something in her hand, and was clutching it so tight that it was cutting into her palm.

"This must be theirs." She said.

Although she'd spoken quietly the whole camp turned quiet as a graveyard and all eyes turned to her. Sam opened her fingers to reveal a small, white, laminated rectangle.

"It's a nametag." She said, "Dr. Neil Murtag."

Jack walked over to her and studied the nametag.

"Christ…" He exhaled, "The Dharma insignia's on this."

All the adults paled as Jack pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, "It makes no sense."

"What doesn't?" Claire peeped up.

"Nothing." Jack seemed to shake off the thought he'd been having until Ana walked up to him, realizing he knew something.

"Jack," Her tone was firm, no nonsense, "Tell us."

"Their shoes." Everyone gave him a look as if to say 'Jack's finally gone off the deep end', "They were wearing surgical booties."

"Jack, did you get hit in the head or something, mate?" Charlie asked.

"No, they were wearing the paper bootie covers that go over your shoes in surgery. And they smelled like the surgical soap we use, it has a very distinctive odor if you're used to smelling it. Like lye and Dial with a touch of…"

"Thank you, Doctor Demento, but can you please tell me what the hell this has to do with a bunch of Dharma goons trying to take our kids?" Sawyer growled, getting frustrated with Sam's distance and Jack's existence.

"I don't know, Sawyer." Jack shook his head, "But I'd like to know why thugs dressed in surgery gear are coming to take our kids. And I'd like to know why Dharma is involved…and I'd like to set up a watch with guns from now on."

"Papi, no dejes que regresen, por favor, no dejes que regresen." (2) Marita mewled as she burrowed her head into Jack's shoulder and started to cry again. Rubbing her shoulder and shushing to her, Jack looked over at Ana, "You were right…and I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

She nodded but wouldn't smile, "I'll take the first shift."

"Mommy, why is this happening? Why are we here?" Keely cried as she clutched at Claire, Seth put an arm around her as Claire shook her head, "I don't know, baby…but I won't let them hurt you."

Charlie was cradling Adah as Ewan started taking a few steps away from the group. Something about him was more serious and emotionless then he'd ever been in his whole life, something was afraid. Aaron noticed and went over to him but the minute he touched him Ewan flinched and pulled away. When Aaron tried again Ewan shook him off and ran to sit down beside the water fountain. From across the camp Sam motioned to Aaron to stay put. She sidled up to where Ewan was sitting and he turned away from her when she sat down.

"Did they hurt you?" She asked gently.

"No."

"Lucky."

Curious at her response he turned and saw her cheek. With childlike awe he reached up a hand to touch it, "Does it hurt?"

"No….are you afraid?"

"No." He stuck out his chin but it wobbled with restrained tears, she opened her arms and said, "It's okay to be scared."

He didn't crawl into her arms, but he did sit closer and let her smooth his hair with her fingers, "You should get some sleep, Ewan. It'll make you feel better."

Ewan shook his head violently, "What if they come again!"

He broke into tears then, afraid to sleep, afraid to be taken, and afraid to stay awake and face them again. Sam pulled him against her chest and continued to stroke his hair. Clearing her throat she sang gently.

"Sometimes the world is on your shoulders

And it's always raining in your head

You can't even think straight

Or go to bed…"

Ewan recognized the song as one of his brother's…but the way Sam sang it was just like a lullaby. Her voice was surprisingly good, deep and gentle like the waves on the ocean and she never hit a false note. It seemed to the boy that she was an angel singing him to sleep. He wasn't the only one listening, slowly but surely everyone turned and listened to her.

"Forget all your worries, let them fall out of your head,

I swear nothing will harm you when you climb into bed

Give me your all so it's all out of you

And there's nothing left to weigh you to

This world that can cause so much pain,

Think of the rain on the rooftop, Or the hum of a song,

The pulse of a heart…"

Sawyer and Kate shared a secret smile as Sam sang, proud of her. Marita stopped sobbing against her father and closed her eyes, focusing on the music as though it were an oasis in the desert. The Pace family was the most taken aback by the action, but all were hypnotized. This was a remix gone right.

"So let your body rest

Leave this world and all its mess

Go where there is serenity

It's such a simply destination

If you follow one simple instruction

Close your eyes

Close your pretty eyes

Release yourself in sighs

Let your soul flow free

As you lay down with me

Just Close Your Eyes…"

As she crooned the last part her audience wanted to applaud, but realized it was the wrong moment to do so. Smiling at the looks of praise she was given and blushing as though to brush them off, Sam picked up the sleeping Ewan and carried him over to his parents. There she looked Aaron directly in the eye.

For a moment he didn't know what to say, "That was-"

"Naked in a crowd." She gave him a small smile and he squeezed her arm, a thank you and a truce.

She walked back over to the fountain and stared at her reflection absently. Within a few minutes she saw one join her. Turning her head she nearly bumped noses with Christian who shyly smiled at her. He reached past her and touched a clean rag into the water then held it up, "Can I have a look at your cheek?"

Without a word she turned her head to give him access, as he gently wiped the dirt from it he asked if she was alright.

"Better now." She smiled at him before returning to her parents, who cooed over her and watched her sleep the rest of the night, as they had when she was born, just to make sure nothing stirred her again.

TBC

(1)Spanish line translates to- No, mommy! Please don't! Let him go!

(2) Spanish line translates to- "Daddy don't let them come back, please don't let them come back."

- thanks to Christina for the translations!

Author's Notes:

Once more, thank you Butterfly! My most loyal pest! (love you!)

Hehehe, most of you didn't guess actual Others from the spoiler I gave you! Bwahahaha! Evil I am! Evil!

What do you think?