Chapter 38
The sun was high over the clearing; it was hot and sticky even in the shade. They all were sitting around, resting; Jack and Ana sat together beneath a tree while he filled her in on what they knew about Danielle and her experiences on the island, though that wasn't a lot. Ana pitied her, especially since she could relate to the loss of a child; Jack finished and she stared at Danielle for a minute before standing and walking over to where she was leaning against a tree, cleaning and inspecting her rifle.

Danielle smiled slightly as Ana's shadow fell over her and she looked up; Ana sat lightly beside her, smiling as she said, "So, you're the French chick." Danielle didn't answer, she just inclined her head a little in assent, and Ana continued. "I'm Ana-Lucia." There was still no response, but Ana plugged on; she wasn't especially good at interrogating people, observation was more her strength, but she could do it if she had to. "The thing in the jungle, the security system? What is it?"

Danielle smiled. "You just said it. A security system." Her fingers worked on the rifle as she spoke; Ana was good at handling weapons but this woman held the rifle like it was an extension of her, expertly taking it apart while barely looking at it.

Ana smiled patiently. "Yeah, I got that. But what is it?"

Laying the rifle aside Danielle considered the question. "It is a means for the Island to get what it needs while keeping out what it does not."

Ana smiled. This one was a challenge. "What does it need?"

"Goodness."

Damn this woman was cryptic, but the word struck a chord. "Okay, what does it not need?"

Danielle smiled sadly at Ana. "The rest of us."

Ana considered that for a minute; she stared at the ground, trying to equate what Danielle said to what she had learned from Goodwin. "So the monster is here to keep the 'good' people here and get rid of the 'bad'?"

"It's not a monster."

"Then what is it? I mean, is it like Godzilla? Or a dinosaur? A robot?"

Danielle smiled, craziness glowing softly in her eyes; Ana was a little wary and she tensed as she leaned forward. "It is none of those things. It is nothing you can comprehend because it does not exist in your reality."

Ohhhkay, Ana thought to herself, she's nuttier than a damn fruitcake. She shook her head. "I don't buy that. I've heard it, so it exists." She waved her arms around at the jungle. "And this is about as real as it gets. So what exactly do you mean?"

Danielle smiled, and she spoke as if she were explaining something to a child. "This Island is not real. Not as you know reality, as I used to know it. We are not in the real world anymore; we are outside of it, clinging to the edges."

Good Lord, Ana thought, she's about fifty-one cards shy of a full deck. "That still doesn't tell me what it is. How do you know? Have you seen it?"

She hesitated. "No." Standing, she picked up the rifle; this interrogation was over. She paused and looked down at Ana, her eyes still glowing insanely. "Do not wonder about it too much. Sometimes not knowing is better." She gestured to the jungle. "This is your life now. You should use your energy to preserve it." She turned and walked away, leaving Ana sitting by the tree.

Well, that had been useless. And a little freaky. Ana shook her head, glancing at Jack as he rose and came to sit beside her. "What was that about? Learn anything useful?"

Ana snorted. "Nah. She's on a one-way trip to Looneytown." She glanced at Kate and Sawyer, who were together on the other side of the clearing. "Maybe we shouldn't listen to her, you know, about the vaccine and stuff. I don't trust her, and not just because she's crazy; she's not telling everything she knows."

Jack shrugged. He agreed that Danielle was off her nut; sixteen years alone, losing her daughter, murdering her whole team- they shouldn't be listening to her but they didn't really have a choice did they? It was the only way they could get the answers they needed to save Michael and Walt. "I don't trust her either but we don't have any other option." He glanced at Kate and Sawyer too, smiling a little. "You worried about them?"

Ana followed his gaze; Sawyer was sitting against a tree trunk and Kate was curled up on his lap, arm in the sling, her head nestled against his shoulder and his arm wrapped protectively around her waist, holding her to him. Vincent was stretched out next to Sawyer; it was too hot for even him to play. Ana shook her head. "Nah. Eko's goin' with them, they'll be fine." She looked back at Jack, who was still gazing at Kate and Sawyer; he felt Ana's eyes on him and he turned to her, smiling. "I'm more worried about us going digging with Frenchy."

Jack laughed. "Yeah. That worries me a little too." He smiled at her, almost shyly, but there was something under it; Ana smiled as he pulled out an empty water bottle, shaking it gently. "I'm out of water. Wanna help me fill my bottle?"

Ana snickered; her eyebrows raised as she said, "Fill your bottle?" Her smile disappeared as Kate and Sawyer stood and walked into the trees in the direction of the stream. "Never mind." She nodded at the jungle behind Jack and he glanced back in time to see Kate melting into the bushes. He frowned and Ana felt a stab of irritation; it was always Kate.

Jack turned back to her and grinned wickedly; her heart rose as he winked at her and said, "I sure hope they don't sit on that rock."

Ana laughed, shaking her head. "Forget sitting. I hope they don't do anything else on that rock."

-----

Her shoulder was throbbing gently; she couldn't get comfortable, not even in Sawyer's lap with his heart beating sofly in her ear. Her constant fidgeting finally got on his nerves and he whispered, "You thirsty? Locke said there's a stream just through there, I can go get us some water."

Her hand clenched on his shirt as her shoulder spasmed a little. She was tired of sitting still; if she moved around maybe her arm wouldn't bother her so much. "Yeah. I'll go too." He helped her up, then stood; picking up her pack he unzipped it and took out her bottles, putting them into his. He slung the bag over his shoulder and took Kate's good hand, leading her into the jungle. Vincent glanced up briefly as they left; chuffing gently through his nose he laid his head back down, keeping his eyes open in the direction they had gone.

The trail was easy to follow; it had been trampled down from everyone going to get water and they walked slowly, leaning against each other, fingers entwined. Kate was happy; before her talk with Eko she hadn't fully realized the absence of her empty loneliness; she had barely been away from Sawyer long enough to notice a difference, other than when the Others had him and she hadn't noticed much of anything for those three days. Now she felt full; the darkness had no room to exist so it dissolved into the light.

The stream was burbling and Kate noticed it was deep enough to wade into; Sawyer had the same idea and kissing her quickly he started pulling off his shoes and socks. Kate watched him as he pulled his t-shirt over his head, the muscles in his chest rippling, his hair falling into his eyes; She couldn't take her eyes away from him.

"Want me to put it back on, Freckles?"

She blushed and grinned as he caught her looking. "Why would I want you to do that?"

His dimples flared. "Why, so you can watch me take it off again, sweetheart."

She nodded. "Okay. Put it back on." She sat down on the edge of the rock, and smiled at him. "Or would you rather help me take mine off?" He moved towards her, but she held her foot out, waving it at him. "Shoes and socks too."

He squatted in front of her, taking her shoe in his hand he untied it slowly, his other hand stroking her ankle as he pulled the shoe off, dropping it carelessly beside him. He stripped her sock off next, letting his fingers slide gently across the bottom of her foot, tickling her; she giggled, a little breathlessly. Only Sawyer could make taking off shoes and socks an erotic experience. He repeated the process with her other foot, then leaning forward onto his knees he unbuttoned her jeans, kissing the space between her shirt and waistband before slipping them down and off.

He rose to his feet, pulling Kate with him; he swept her legs out from under her and swung her up into his arms as she shrieked and laughed. "Put me down, Sawyer!"

He carried her out into the middle of the stream and smirked at her. "Okay, Freckles." He dropped her unceremoniously into the water.

She spluttered to the surface, her shoulder burning as the cold water hit it. Trying to shove the pain aside she grinned at Sawyer; it came out more like a grimace and he was beside her instantly, looking concerned and guilty. "Shit, I forgot about that. You okay?" He helped her up, turning aside as she winced again.

"Yeah," she said, breathing hard as the pain tapered off. "It's okay." She slogged out of the water and sat gingerly back on the rock as Sawyer followed her, looking sorry. She tried to ease the sling off; it was uncomfortably heavy when wet and pulling on her arm painfully.

He helped her slide her arm out, then laying the sling over the rock to dry he kissed her gently, brushing the wet hair from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kate. I just wasn't thinkin'."

She laughed. "Wow, Cowboy, two sorries in one day?" she said softly. "Sure you're okay?" She kissed him back, her tongue seeking his as she lifted her hand to his face, caressing his stubbly cheek. "I know you didn't mean it. Don't say sorry unless it's something you should really be sorry for." She looked at him pointedly, grinning a little.

He chuckled, then said, "I don't know what you're talkin' about."

Kate eyed him, eyebrows raised. "No? Well, I'm sure it will come to you eventually." He sat on the rock next to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning his head on her shoulder; his warm skin against her chilly wet body made goosebumps raise on her arms. "Until then I'll just take those two sorries and save them for later, when you need them." He glanced up at her and she tapped his cheek gently. "And I am almost positive that you're gonna need them."

He grinned up at her. "I'm sure I will too, Freckles."

-----

Night had fallen and everyone was asleep except for Locke and Eko; they sat a distance from each other, the sparks pulsing between them.

"This is where we part ways, John." Eko sounded a little sad.

"I think it is just for a little while, Eko. We are destined to meet again soon." John smiled across the fire.

"Yes. I believe it is crucial that we come together again." They sat silently for a few minutes, absorbing the island's pulses, then Eko spoke again. "You are a well read man, John. Do you know the Epic of Gilgamesh?"

John nodded. "Yes. It's the oldest story known to man. I'm a little fuzzy on the details of the book though."

Eko nodded. "Yes. The oldest story ever told. Many parts of it are missing as it was written on clay tablets which have broken and been lost forever." He smiled. "Gilgamesh was the King of Babylon thouands of years ago. Being two-thirds God and one-third human, he was a strong king, a forceful king, but he was oppressive and harsh to his people. They prayed to Anu, the God of the Sky, to help them and in response to their prayers he created a wild man, stronger than dozens of wild animals, wilder than the wildest beast of the forest. This man was named Enkidu, and Gilgamesh heard of his power and he was afraid. So he sent a prostitute to Enkidu, to weaken him. He fell in love with her and instead of weakening him she increased his strength a dozen times."

John nodded. "Yes, I remember now. They meet finally, and fight, but it is a draw, and they both retreat; Gilgamesh to his walled city and Enkidu to the forest."

Smiling, Eko leaned forward as the lights flashed around him brightly. "Then they were both confronted by the same problem; a forest demon that threatened both the safety of the city and the wild forest. Enkidu and Gilgamesh decided to join forces in order to battle the demon; the battle raged for days until finally the demon of the forest was defeated and the people saved; but as he died he cursed them both, that they should never find peace or happiness as long as they lived."

John smiled and lowered his arms, rubbing his forehead in chagrin. "Refresh me- did they ever find peace or happiness?"

"Nobody knows, as that was one of the tablets that were lost." He hesitated and glanced over at the people sleeping around them. "In the end, John, it is not going to be you or I that save them. You know that."

Smiling, Locke scanned the sleeping people too. "Yes. I know. And while I have faith in the end, I am not too sure about the means." He hesitated, staring at Eko. "Good luck, Eko. I hope this separation is a short one."

Eko nodded, staring into the fire as the sparks faded into the night. "I do too, John. I do too."