She stood in front of them all; they had taken no time to gather around to observe the scene- an unknown girl crying over even the sound of the waves. She shook. All over. For more reasons than one. There were more of them, and all stronger than her, and she knew much too well what each, even individually, were capable of doing.

But she believed she had what many of them wanted, more likely needed- answers. If only she would stop trembling, she'd be able to tell them. No, not them, him.

"Who are you?" Jack was saying. She stood with her arms folded behind her head, knees buckling, shaking her head to form a 'No'. She had been trained to hate and fear these people. "Please. Who are you? Are you…?" He had a gun. It didn't matter whether it was facing toward her or the ground as it was, it was still a gun. She had been trained to fear and hate them as well.

"Don't trust her." A powerful voice called out. "She's one of THEM."

Her she tried to protect her self by getting smaller. She put her arms in front of her face now. "Savages," she mumbled. "Savages."

"Just tell us what. Your. Name. Is!" Jack was demanding.

"We don't GO by names!" she yelled back suddenly. She sense people's reaction to the power in her voice. She paused, unsure if she should go on, then, "We go by numbers."

A sharp pain came from behind.

.4.8.15.16.23.42.

Alex woke to Zeke's foot shaking her bunk. "Today's your lucky day!"

She was up in no time. No alarm. No mass amounts of water applied to face in startling motions. No arguing with her elder. Not even any sleep in her eyes.

"You mean to say that he's going to come chasing for him today? And I get to help? Has he come close already? This is early for them, sir."

He paused and blinked at her. "You're a sixteen today."

She stood straight. "That means nothing more than on this day I may be referred to as my original name."

He smiled. "Yes. And you are right about Michael. You will help us out today. As a birthday right of passage… As for now, you are on surveillance duty in oh- one hundred hours." He gave a nod her way and then left the room.

Her smile faded. "Happy birthday to me."

.4.8.15.16.23.42.

She woke up in a start. Sand beneath her, ocean in front of her… Charlie beside her.

He wore his normal black jacket complete with hood shadowing his unshaved face. "Calm down. It's just me. I've been instructed to watch you slumber your little dreams away." His voice was sarcastic, as was his character, but his face said nothing, set as stone.

"Just you? You're a bloody rock god!" She quoted him defiantly in the best British accent she could manage. "Just you… sure." She internally scorned herself for being so rude, but the man just stared wide- eyed. "I realize you are all scared, but you could have at least let me come back to consciousness in the hatch."

His eyes became wider. "Who are you?" How do you know these things?"

She sat up, supporting herself by her elbows, so she wasn't so vulnerable, and smiled disgustedly. "You don't know anything, do you? No you don't." She said answering for him. "You're just a crack addicted Brit." And she wasn't here for him.

His jaw protruded forward. "I am not addicted." Alex sensed a hurt tone in his voice.

"Calm down, yourself," she sighed. "I don't even know what crack is. Much less a rock god." She smiled inside. Now she had him thoroughly confused, and conversely to his previous statement, he was saying, "How do you not know these things?"

She stood suddenly, feeling a full head on collision with dizziness and pain in her neck where the blow took place. She looked at Charlie with an expression that could have been a match for his earlier cold one. "I need to see Sayid."