Okay, this is just a short update, just because I feel like doing it. But, you may find a few answers in it!

Chapter 48
Locke worked feverishly by the starlight, digging around the rounded outline of the Shark Station hatch; the island was speaking to him, sending sparks shooting through him, giving him energy to burn. It was urging him to hurry; there was something there he needed to find before the others returned. Something the island needed him to keep away from them. They didn't understand the power of this place; Eko did, but he was losing faith in it, John could tell. He was crossing over; their separation was almost complete.

He could see things, but they weren't clear; the future was hazy and clouded; he was only allowed glimpses of the things to come and what he saw terrified him. Phantom wheelchairs rolled through the jungle and he was attatched to machines that pumped his kidney as he screamed in agony; something wanted to destroy the island and he dug faster to find what he needed to stop it from happening. This was why he had been brought to the Island, to save it.

There were two forces on this island; one light, one dark. At this moment the dark side was in control, as it had been for so many years; since the island's reincarnation it had held the reins in its hands, and though those hands had changed the rule had remained the same. But light was creeping into the jungle; something had called to it and it had come, bringing the Island's second death with it. Unless he could stop it.

This is my destiny, he thought. I am supposed to do this. This Island is beautiful, it has made me whole. I can do everything I have ever wanted to, I am a man again. I can't let it be taken from me. I can't go back; I won't go back.

He dropped the crude log shovel and fell to his knees, digging frantically with his hands; his fingers scraped against metal and he smiled as he redoubled his efforts, barely even noticing when his fingers started to bleed.

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Rise, fall. Rise, fall. Sawyer lay next to Kate, watching her chest moving as she slept; her mouth was open a little and her hands were curled into balls against his chest. He wanted to touch her, to feel her heart beating against him, but he needed to go; Vincent padded into the clearing, chuffing softly as Sawyer scratched his ears gently. "Hey." He nodded to Kate. "Stay with her. I'll be back soon." He pulled himself away carefully, rising to his feet with a trace of regret; Vincent moved into his place, curling up in the warm spot next to Kate. Leaving her was like physically leaving a part of himself behind and it was almost painful to turn from her sleeping body; as he did he said, "Watch her, Vincent."

Vincent growled softly and Kate stirred, putting her hands on his coat and snuggling up to him; Vincent raised his eyebrows at Sayer and chuffed quietly and Sawyer softly laughed, "You just keep your paws to yourself, Casanova." He let his gaze linger on her for another second then he melted into the jungle.

Eko was waiting for him in the dark; Sawyer could sense his smile though he couldn't see him in the shadows. "Ah, James, I knew you would be coming. You took a little longer than I expected."

He could feel Eko grinning and he chuckled. "Yeah, well." He shrugged, grinning in the dark; she was hard to leave behind.

"You are ready to know a few things, I think. Shall we walk?"

Sawyer fell into step behind him; his feet carried him automatically in the dark. "What's going on, Ed? How come I can suddenly do all this stuff? Healing Kate? Talking to animals?"

Eko smiled. "Drawing water from thin air?"

Sawyer smiled. "Hmmm. You do know everything. No hidin' stuff from you, huh?"

"James, if you wanted to you could turn your mind into a clean slate and even I could not read it." He sighed. "You have abilities you have not tapped yet, as do we all." They walked for a few seconds before he continued, "Our brains are complex organs, James, the possibilities for its use are endless, but unfortunately, as a species we have not yet learned to make full use of our minds; ninety-five percent of our brainpower goes unused, wasted. Some of these things, these powers lie dormant in us all. But there is something special about you, your powers outstrip us all; the Cloud knew it and chose you because of it. When you looked into it, when you touched it, it fired your mind and allowed you to use those things inside of you."

Sawyer was quiet, disgesting that for a minute. "What's so special about me? Why not Jackass, or Sayid? Or Locke? Hell, why not you?"

"Because we were not chosen. This is your path, James. Something called to you and you answered, though you may not have known it." He hesitated, "You are here for two reasons, James. The first was Katherine. You saved her, and in doing so you saved youself. You found salvation in her, yes?"

Sawyer nodded, smiling; just thinking about her filled him so that he felt whole, complete. "Yeah, I did."

Eko smiled. "Yes. Without her, without being a complete man, James, you could never have prepared yourself for what lies ahead. But be warned, James, any dissention between you is a hole in your defenses. And those holes will be exploited to the fullest."

Sawyer didn't like the sound of that. "Holes in our defenses? We going to war or somethin'?"

Eko stopped; Sawyer felt him tense in the darkness as he said, quietly, "Yes, James. That is exactly what we are going to do."

His heart stopped as he stared in Eko's direction. 'What, we're gonna go against Them? That's never gone too well for us as I recall-"

Eko cut him off, putting his hand on him in the dark. "No, James. We are not going to war against Them. We are going to war against It."