Disclaimer: No owny.

Authors note: A product of a fever and writer's block. (Just got over strep, that's what took this one so long.) I know the end doesn't "flow" but I'll explain it all later. XD Oh… and there's not much JackxRalph this time… sorry about that.

----------

Roger walked back to his cave in silence, plotting his next move. He knew Eric would hate him for it, but he had to try that kiss out on someone, before the real show; before he got to force it on Ralph as one of the final steps… or were they stages? His whole revenge plan seemed to be unraveling before his eyes. He didn't want Jack anymore. Jack was done, Jack was boring. Jack would never be his. But Ralph… Ralph was the perfect mix between Eric and Jack.

He walked quickly along the shore, and into his cave. The sun was below the horizon, not that he wanted to watch it go, anyway. He was looking forward to sleep. He felt the final battle coming soon.

He wanted to make sure he was in the best condition he could be. He laid down, closing his eyes. He was starving, and he felt a weird heaviness in his chest, but nothing could stop him now. Not when he was so close to braking Ralph.

----------

Jack didn't call the party off, but many of the boys were more tired than they thought. Jack was laying on the ground, curled in a ball, pretending to watch the boys dancing. Ralph was leaning back against a tree at Jack's side, his eyes closed. The boys were dancing, but solely because Jack was watching, and even still some began to fall out of lines. Jack knew they were tired, as was he, so he stood up.

"Bill, attend the fire. I'm going to sleep." Many of boys nodded and found spots around the fire, some cheered, and Bill, who was dancing more lively than the rest, seemed happy enough to watch the fire. He brought over a stick, with fire blazing on one end, and gave it to Jack.

Jack took Ralph's hand and pulled him up so he was standing, and led the boy into the cave.

When the pigskin door was shut behind Ralph, and the only light was from the stick Jack had in his hand from the fire outside, he wasn't surprised when he felt Jack's body against his, hugging him tightly. Jack threw the stick down, on top of the group of sticks one of the boys put in their for their night fire, then wrapped both arms around Ralph's waist, pulling him close.

Then Jack sat down, and pulled Ralph with him. Jack kissed him lightly on the lips, his hands rubbing slowly on Ralph's back. Ralph closed his eyes, and kissed the other boy back for a few seconds, before Jack pulled away.

"We made it through another day."

Ralph just nodded and laid back. The older boy crawled on top of him, and kissed him once more. Ralph's hands went around his body to his back, and he ran his fingers lightly over the flesh, grinning as he felt Jack move to his touch.

A few more seconds, and Jack moved off of the boy, but put his head on his chest, his eyes lined with Ralph's brand. He felt jealousy ping through him. He should make up a brand, and put it on Ralph, so people don't get the wrong idea, that Ralph belonged to Roger. He wondered how to make ink, so he could get a sharp thorn and tattoo something into Ralph's body.

He thought he should tattoo all the boys! They all belonged to him!

Ralph's chest rose unevenly and knocked Jack back into reality. If he branded people, he'd be no better than Roger. And who said brands were only skin deep? They were all branded as hunters, by what they loved, and Ralph was branded to Jack, because who he loved.

"You alright, Jack?" Ralph said quietly, his hand going to Jack's back, letting it rest there.

Jack nodded. "Yeah."

Both boys remained awake, thinking their separate thoughts, (though both about Roger,) for a while. However they stayed quiet, pretending to sleep. Eventually, an hour or so later, the two fell asleep cuddled together.

----------

'Another day,' Ralph thought to himself. 'Another day in the life as the chief's paranoid playtoy.' He grinned. If they ever got rescued, he'd write a book and call it that. It had a nice ring. Another day in the life as the chief's paranoid plaything. Well, was it too long? Maybe he should just get a tattoo on his arm that said, 'I'm Jack's bitch.'

Ralph smiled and managed to wiggle out from under Jack without waking him up. He wondered if he should go outside. He was really thirsty, and must be the guys who bring Jack's water to him weren't awake yet. Ralph peeked outside. The sun was rising, making the color of the sleeping boys' skin dance. Ralph grinned and stepped out and climbed to the very top of Castle Rock, just on top of the cave the two boys slept in.

He smiled and felt at peace. The sun was rising; it was going to be a beautiful day. He could hear birds chirping, and the waves were crashing peacefully. The words 'sweet salvation' popped into his mind, said by Simon's voice. Ralph looked around, worried for a second, that Simon, mangled and enraged, had somehow managed to live, and was going to kill them all for what they did.

"Paranoid." He said to himself, shaking his head as he watched the sun rise.

"Whacha doin'?" Jack's voice was groggy, obviously just woken up. "You woke me up, ya'know. With your crawling on top of my head."

Ralph smiled as Jack made his way up, slipping every few steps in his tiredness. Finally he made his way to the top and sat down next to Ralph, rubbing his eyes.

"'S a beautiful sunrise, eh, Ralph?" Jack said, looking off into the burning ball. "It's peaceful now, but its rays could kill us someday. My father said that you get UV rays from the sun and they give you cancer. He said to always wear sunscreen or else." Jack giggled, like his father was an insensible child. "Also, the sunburns, though we're all past that now."

Jack laid his head on Ralph's shoulder, looking out into the sun. "Not to mention the fact that it's going to be really hot today. It's coolish now, but the sun's not all the way up there yet." He pointed to where the sun would be around noon. "That's when it gets hot. Everyone gets so tired and sticky. Blood boils when it's that hot.

"You know, like the calm before the storm."

Jack's words were said lightly, to wake himself up and make conversation, but Ralph couldn't help but feel uneasy. Like this would be the last sunrise he'd see before the storm hit. And who knew how bad the storm would be? Who knew if he'd survive?

Jack kissed Ralph's neck, slowly, letting each one linger. Ralph closed his eyes, moaning softly. Every time he wanted to damn the island into oblivion, every time he wished this never happened to him, every time he asked, Why me, went away in moments like this. He knew he would never have known Jack had it not been for the island, and although for a long time, he wished Jack would just leave him alone, life without Jack would have been horrible.

And now he had the feeling that something was going to tear them apart.

"Why are you so quiet, Ralph?" Jack said, nuzzling his cheek against Ralph's shoulder. Ralph put his arm around the other boy, sighing. "You can say anything to me." Jack said, "I want you to say everything to me."

Ralph looked at Jack. He couldn't ever remember him being so… like this before. He kissed the top of the boy's red head, and said, "Let's go get something to drink."

Jack nodded and stood up, pulling Ralph to his feet. As they walked, Jack mumbled more about something. Hunting, Ralph thought, but he couldn't pay attention. He still had that feeling. The, 'it's the last day of summer holiday and I've got to go back to boring ole school tomorrow,' feeling.

Jack obviously didn't feel the same, he went babbling on, Ralph only listened for words that might be important, like, "spear sharpened at both ends," or, "Oh, look, there's Roger." But they never came. Jack was talking about… his father now. About how he and his mother met, or something.

The path got narrower, and Ralph was forced to go behind Jack. Jack seemed so comfortable. He kept rambling on. Ralph realized Jack hadn't grabbed a spear. Must be Ralph was just paranoid. Roger would never attack here, in broad daylight, with Jack right there.

"If you make a sound, I'll slit your throat." Came a whisper from behind, and Ralph felt a blade, not a spear, but an actual blade against his throat. He closed his eyes, his mind screaming for Jack to notice, but Jack went off, talking to himself, still not completely awake from the night before.

Roger pulled Ralph off to the side, his hand was still pushing the blade against his throat, like he honestly wanted to kill him, but something was holding him back. Roger let Ralph go, but quickly turned him and pushed him against a tree. All Ralph could think was, 'Oh, God. I'm going to die.'

"What'll you do this time, Roger?" Ralph whispered, trying to appear to be calmer than what he really was.

"Shuddup." Roger said, pushing the boy harder, his shoulder pushing around the thin tree, it perfectly fit between his shoulder blades. Ralph closed his eyes, and winced, but refused to call out, even though Jack could still hear him.

"I want it, Ralph. No more games, no more being cute. You feel things when I kiss you. You want it, too. So don't play innocent anymore." Roger's fingers traced over Ralph's shoulders and chest, hungrily.

"Why haven't you killed me yet, Roger?" Ralph whispered again, eyes remaining closed.

"I intend to… but I want to completely demoralize you first. I want you to beg for death, and I, being the generous person I am, will grant it to you."

Ralph swallowed hard, hurting his throat, and watched Roger.

"Kiss me." Roger whispered. "Kiss me back, like you mean it."

"No." Ralph whispered back.

"Hmm." Roger said. "Then I'll just have to take what I want from you by force. You like that, don't you? You like it when I force you into things."

Roger's hands ran lower on Ralph's body. He played with the elastic that was holding up what was left of Ralph's shorts, before moving his hand down, over the material. Ralph winced and tried to back away, but the tree was there, he pushed Roger. But Roger grabbed his wrist and spun him down to the ground, so Ralph was on his stomach. He tried to crawl away, but Roger got on top of him, laying over him.

Ralph only relief was that their shorts were still on.

He still fought, rocking back and forth, he tried to get the other boy to roll off of him. His rolls were desperate; Roger grabbed the other boys hands and held them behind his back, so he couldn't fight.

Roger leaned forward, his chest against Ralph's back and groaned in Ralph's ear, "Mmm… see I knew you'd like it."

"Get off me." Ralph said, but even his voice sounded defeated.

"Kiss me." Roger replied, kissing Ralph's neck, slowly.

Ralph didn't say anything; Roger knew he was close to giving in, so he started to move against him, grinning. Ralph tried to turn him over again, whimpering slightly. Roger let an exaggerated moan out, to show Ralph he wasn't going to stop. Ralph did nothing again, so Roger brought his hand up to Ralph's back, rubbing it slowly before he started to pull down his shorts.

"Okay! Okay Roger! You win!" Ralph flipped himself over as Roger took his weight off the other boy. Ralph's cheeks were a bright pink, in embarrassment at what he was saying.

Roger sat in front of Ralph, watched the blonde boy's cheeks fade to pale, and put a hand on the side of the other boy's neck. Roger was hesitant, he ran his thumb over Ralph's jaw, and Ralph looked away, angling his head the other way. Roger pulled the boy closer, so their foreheads were touching. How many times had he seen Jack and Ralph do this? This was what Ralph liked…

"Don't look so sad. Don't you realize it's the same?" Roger smiled, his dark eyes piercing Ralph's.

"What's the same?" Ralph whispered.

"It's the same to kiss me, as it is to kiss him. It's only fair. Once it was me and him, without you. Then it was you and him, without me. Why can't it be me and you?"

"What about Eric?"

Roger smirked. "I always have room for one more…"

Roger pulled him in the rest of the way, and kissed him. Ralph's jaw fought a little with Roger's tongue as it pushed against it for entrance, but the fight didn't last. Ralph's tongue sat idle as Roger's pressed up against it. Roger got mad and broke their kiss. "Use that tongue of yours. You love using that."

Roger's lips pressed against Ralph's again. This time, however, when Roger's tongue pressed against Ralph's, he felt Ralph's press back. It was full of malice, and he obviously didn't want too, but he was doing it. To Roger, that was progress.

"Ralph?" Jack's voice was quite a ways away. Roger bit, lightly, on Ralph's bottom lip, before moving away, locking his dark eyes, to Ralph's.

"Took your boyfriend long enough to realize you were missing."

"Go—." Ralph whispered, but before he could finish, Roger was pushing against him again, actually pushing, this time, deepening the kiss to the type a gawky teenage boy would give his girlfriend in the back seat of a drive in movie. Ralph kissed him back, putting his hand on the side of Roger's face, angling him differently. His eyes shut, and his pushed back. Roger moaned softly and backed away, looking Ralph in the eyes again.

"Goodbye." Roger said, a strange smile on his face, as he stood, dropped the knife, and ran off. Ralph couldn't be sure if Roger smiled, a genuine smile, or if it was a cocky smirk, but whatever it was, it made him feel different. Still underpowered, but he felt safe for a little while. All he had to do was please Roger to keep living… but how long could he be forced to do that? His heart was already heavy, feeling strange about kissing Roger when he was Jack's.

Ralph stayed, kneeled as he was, facing the tree that had pinned him. He picked up the blade, and ran his finger over it, and his finger began to bleed.

"Ralph? Are you okay?" Jack ran over, now seeing the tanned body in the green. He kneeled down beside him.

Ralph nodded. "Isn't this yours?" He turned and faced Jack, holding the knife out too him.

Jack took it and nodded. "Yeah. Wonder how it got here." Jack grinned and put his arm around Ralph. "You scared me, though. Why didn't you answer when I called?"

"I must have zoned out… sorry." Ralph forced a smile as Jack stood and forced Ralph to his feet.

"I know your worried Ralph, but I don't think you've got to worry. It's a bright new day, and I've got a good feeling about it. Sorta like… like it's been raining for days and days and now it's finally stopped, you know. It feels like the end of the storm."

Ralph smiled, taking comfort in the fact that Jack didn't know what he'd done. How would he react to that? How would anyone react to seeing their lover, and their past lover making out in the trees? Ralph didn't have a past lover, but he knew he'd be furious if he saw Jack and Roger kissing in the trees. And what if Jack was right? What if things got better? There was no need to tell him.

Jack led Ralph down the path, next to him, even though there wasn't enough room. "Let's go get that drink."

----------

Roger knew he had a smug grin on his face, he could feel it, even if he couldn't see it. Why shouldn't he? Ralph opened up a whole new void, just then, in the realm of torture and sadism. If Ralph would willingly kiss him, what else would he willingly do with Roger? What could he stand unwillingly?

Roger put his hands on his head, walking comfortably through the tangled mess of vines. The scratches from the random thorns that hung all over their living area didn't bother Roger. He simply dismissed the pain as a minor annoyance and kept walking. His dark eyes, for once, were alive with life.

"Roger!"

The boy turned around slowly, grin still across his lips. He knew the voice, but he still wished it was Ralph, begging for more.

"What is it, Sammy?" Roger grinned.

Sam threw the spear faster than Roger could react, in his smug, lazy mood. It pierced the flesh, on the left side of his chest. It didn't stay, it fell and blood started to come out. Roger looked surprised. "Sammy, what'd you do that for?"

Sam ran and picked up the spear, tackling Roger as he did so. He pinned Roger down, as the sadistic boy was too surprised to fight back, and pushed the spear in the same hole. He gripped the spear in both hands and used his weight to shove it farther, not to kill Roger yet, but to drag out the pain, to drag out the death.

"You stole my brother from me. You stole his heart… and you treat him like…" Sam twisted the spear, and Roger groaned. "You treat him worse than you'd ever treat a pet dog. And still he loves you. And then you go off with other boys… and you do things with them and still, my brother would love you."

"Ralph?" Roger gasped, his hands now on the spear, trying to force it out as Sam pushed it in.

"Yes. Ralph. You brand him and force him to do things with you that you could get willingly from someone else. I hate you, Roger." Roger was gasping for breath, his eyes wide as he made pathetic attempts to push Sam off him with bloody hands. "You deserve a more painful death than this."

Sam's eyes were distant as he pushed the spear the rest of the way down, through the blood and whatever other organ could have been there. He didn't know; he didn't care. He felt Roger stop moving from underneath him, but his rage wouldn't calm down yet. He took the bloody spear out, and stabbed and stabbed the corpse. He stabbed in revenge of his brother; to kill the lover that was unfaithful. He stabbed in jealously; for Roger had the heart that he wanted, even in death. And he stabbed to know what it felt like, to take the life of another; to be solely responsible.

When he had no more reason to stab, he looked down at the blood and flesh, and smiled. There was only one word to describe how he felt: righteous. He stood, took one more look at the boy only one person would miss, and walked to the ocean, to clean off his hands.