Sayid carefully examined the large lump on Aly's head.
Kellie chewed at her acrylic nails in worry, constantly in Sayid's way as she hovered over her sister.
"Kellie, please, sit down." Sayid sighed, clearly frustrated. "I believe she will be fine, though I do suggest there are no more rash decisions on either of your parts."
Aly's eyes fluttered open, and once she was able to focus, she glared at Sayid. "Douchebag." She growled.
Sayid shook it off and stood, dusting his hands. "You will be fine, Aly." He nodded.
Aly rolled her eyes and winced over the deep rooted pain that made her want to tear her eyes from her sockets. She groaned, brining her palm to her head as Sayid walked off in Claire's direction where she was sitting with Charlie, cooing to Aaron.
"Claire?" Sayid asked. "What exactly is a 'douchebag'?" Sayid asked. He spoke English extremely well, but is American slag was far from perfect.
Claire blushed a little as Charlie laughed so hard he grasped his stomach and rolled over on his side. Hearing Sayid say "Douchebag" was a pleasantly humorous surprise.
"Well, um..." Claire turned even redder as she noticed Rose to her left, awaiting the explanation with a smirk on her face. Claire stood, whispered in Sayid's ear and he gasped, looking at Claire in shock.
"Why would she call someone that?"
"Cuz she's a naughty little troll." Charlie laughed.
Sayid stared at him and Charlie quickly regained his composure then stood.
"Right then, back to the hatch, yeah?"
"Yes." Sayid answered, positioning his backpack and walking towards the jungle with Charlie close behind, Richard & Ted taking notice and following along as well.
--------------
Earlier that Day...
Kate was exhausted, the physical distress she endured at the hands of the Others was taking its toll and her muscles ached. She couldn't wait for a hot shower and she was almost tempted to force Sawyer to give he a back massage but she knew asking him to touch her would get her into a tricky situation, especially if alcohol somehow became involved.
Jack and Sawyer were losing their strength and speed as well and Alex was far ahead of them, zooming off not realizing they were so far behind.
"Aw, Shit, where'd she go?" Sawyer asked.
Alex emerged from over a small him with a smile.
"Sorry." She shrugged.
Kate smiled, "Its okay."
"Slow down, short-shit, we weren't lucky enough to be playin' for the other team durin' all this. Unless you want me to shoot you with a couple of those darks so you can sympathize with us a little here."
"Sawyer..." Kate groaned, giving him a look.
"No, don't give me THOSE eyes." Sawyer exclaimed, "We've been with this kid for some time and sure, she rescued us but she hasn't enlighten us with anything so far. Kinda fishy to me, don't you think?"
Alex seemed a little hurt that whom she though were newfound friends were now not so trusting of her.
"There's too much to explain right now." Alex sighed.
"Well, then...why us?" Sawyer asked, stopping and watching Alex. Kate and Jack continued walking but finally stopped when they realized Sawyer wasn't going to move until he got his answer. They couldn't deny the fact the same question was heavy on their minds as well.
Alex swallowed, then looked at Kate who stared at her with a desperate need for an answer in her eyes.
"It's not just one reason, there's a lot to it!" Alex exclaimed.
"Seems real fishy you've been so helpful yet when we want answers you ain't speakin'."
"Look, I'd prefer to talk about all this when we get back to your camp."
"Nuh-Uh, Sugar, I don't work that way, how do we know you didn't just help us out so our camp could be ambushed, huh?"
He had a good point and Alex nervously surveyed the surroundings.
Alex sighed as Kate and Jack walked back to her and Sawyer. She walked a few feet away and sat down on a damp, rotting log.
"There's a lot you don't know, and a lot I'll have to explain, IN TIME. This island...there's...there's so much about it that I don't even know everything and honestly they don't even know that I know all that I do."
Kate sat down next to her.
"They do give me a lot of responsibilities...well, Tom does. He raised me...and well, I started to find things, here and there that made me curious and like any kid I snooped around looking for answers. For years I've had to pretend that these are my people and I care about them and that I'll do anything to help them, and them capturing you three is my escape. They've tried to hide everything from me, including my mother."
"So, you know?" Kate asked.
Alex nodded. "I know she's here, that's all really..."
"You goin' up for an Oscar here kid, if not, then skip the family crisis and get to the good shit, why us?"
"They want Kate, well, want her the most. Run tests, its her mind they want, her abilities. They've wanted her from the beginning, but knew the best way to harness her mental abilities was with the emotional aspect that comes from you two, but then they realized there's things about you two they want to test too. They prefer children, that way they can mold us into whatever they want, but you three interest them, they didn't tell me this but I think they want you three for some sort of genetic experiment..."
"Genetic experiment?" Jack asked.
"They'll test you three to try and make a good combination...uhm...they want your kids."
Three pairs of eyes went wide and Kate's mind scrambled to try and figure out why she was so wanted, what her abilities were and how they knew any of this and she didn't.
"No, shit..." was the only thing Sawyer could say, which was a lot more then Jack and Kate could as they stood in silence.
-------------------------------------
Kellie dug through the bags, trying to find some clothes for she and Aly to change into.
Aly's arms were folded across her chest and her eyes narrowed in anger.
"Aly..."
"Dont. Say. ANYTHING." Aly growled.
Kellie squeezed her fist so hard that one of her nails broke. She stood up, ripped open the flap of Sawyer's shelter and stormed out. She had had just enough of her sister. She had been Aly's shoulder to cry on their whole lives, but at times this also meant Aly would take all her anger and frustration out on Kellie as well.
Hurley was half asleep when Kellie camp stomping over, her feet bare and her clothes still wet, area's of her skirt covered in sand and dirt.
"Dude...uh...do you, need your dog or something?" Hurley asked, sitting up and then giving a yawn.
Kellie plopped herself down next to Hurley and sighed.
"You're my...well, you seem nice and I'd like to eventually consider you a friend." Kellie smiled.
"Uh..okay, can we make friends when I'm not exhausted and traumatized, if that's cool with you..." He realized Kellie wasn't going anywhere and sighed.
"How have you guys done it...you know, lived here and not killed each other...or even simply survived...you're lucky." Kellie nodded.
"I don't count this as luck." Hurley sighed.
"She's so hostile..." Kellie sighed.
"Not to be mean but, dude, you're her sister...why are you acting so surprised?"
"I'm not her sister." Kellie sighed.
"Huh?" Hurley seemed rather confused.
"I was adopted, she doesn't know...I mean that's not excuse for my shock over her hostility...but its weighed so heavy on my mind these past few years that I've become distracted...I just don't know how to deal with her and its very hard. I'm...I'm sorry to annoy you like this...but please don't say anything."
"Uh, no problem." Hurley shrugged, he wasn't exactly sure why a girl he had barely met was pouring out her feelings and emotions as if he was Dr. Phil, but as much as he didn't want to admit it, he kind of enjoyed the company. "You don't know what you've got until its gone." Hurley said, his eyes dropped at the memory of Libby but the girl next to him took the words to heart.
"Yeah, you're right." She sighed. "Thank you." Kellie smiled, as she stood up, dusted herself off and walked back to Sawyer's shelter.
"Uh...no problem?" Hurley called out. He didn't expect her to have an epiphany over a simple quote but he shrugged it off and laid back down, quickly heading back to sleep.
----------------------------------
Earlier...
The foursome walked quietly, every gear in their minds turning wildly at what Alex had said, and Alex was left to ponder everything else she knew and if she was really doing the right thing, she knew if she was caught again, she wouldn't be embraced by those who raised her, she would most likely be punished. But she really liked Kate and wanted more than anything to meet her mother and find some way to use her knowledge of the island to get the rescued.
"One more time..." Sawyer began. This was actually around the fourth time he had said it, but Alex still turned to look at him as they walked and he spoke. "Want our kids...?"
Alex nodded. "That's what I think."
Sawyer stopped her. "Yeah okay, but...kids means someone gets lucky. Did they figure that into the equation because Chastity over there ain't exactly giving it up."
Kate didn't even bother to make a remark, roll her eyes or even giggle. She was confused, and extremely terrified of what the Other's could pull next. She knew very well that they had the advantage on the island and if they wanted her they would get her. But why didn't they take her the first time they had her?
"Wait." Kate said, stopping and turning to Alex. "When I followed Jack, Locke and Sawyer, they had me. They had me then why didn't they just keep me?"
"They wanted to." Alex said. "But they made a bargain, Tom regretted it, but then he figured that they could forge a better plan in order to get you...and Jack and James."
"Sawyer." He growled. "You don't get to call me James."
Alex sighed then looked back to Kate. "They knew Michael would do anything to get Walt back, so they made a list and he followed it."
"Then they won't give up." Kate sighed. "They won't give up on trying to get me then."
Sawyer caught the look in her eyes and knew she was going to do something rash.
"You've risked a lot saving me, Alex." Kate said, placing her hand on the girls shoulder.
"Hey, we ain't One Hundred Percent sure that she ain't still playin for the other team, Freckles."
"She is. They had us, why loose us?" Kate looked at Jack, worry forming on his face. "I'm going back to the dock, and turning myself in."
"Freckles, don't start talkin' crazy. You have no idea where that dock is."
Before she could even reply, she took off, and sawyer without hesitation followed, diving at the girl and tackling her. She tried to escape his grip on her back couldn't, he rolled her over, pinned down her wrists and stared her in the eyes.
"If I have to tie you to myself, then so fuckin' be it, sassafras. But you aren't goin' nowhere. Not if I can stop it."
"Sawyer, please. I'm doing the right thing. PLEASE."
"Then I guess I'll use the same excuse. I'M doin' the right thing. You run off, I'l follow you, and you can try your hardest to stop me, but you should know best I'm one stubborn asshole."
Kate couldn't help but smirk when she looked in his eyes, filled with determination. He smiled a bit at her smirk and loosened his grip.
"My ass is killing me now, thanks." She laughed. Sawyer got to his feet and extended an arm to Kate to help her up, he flung her up quickly and she felt a little overwhelmed being in his arms, even for a brief moment.
He eyes quickly met Jack's and she dusted herself off and walked ahead of Sawyer.
"Hey, I've got many ways to ease a sore ass." Sawyer smirked.
Kate turned and gave him a teasing smile as the foursome started back off towards camp, back home.