Chapter 63

Locke found the trail just inside the tree line; one set of smallish footprints led off into the jungle to the north and the three of them set off, following it as quickly as they could. They felt a peculiar sense of urgency, as if it was extremely important that they find this person before anyone else did.

Locke wanted to know what they saw, what they felt. The Cloud was the door between worlds, it was the wrinkle in time that allowed someone to pass through to another dimension, an alternate universe. The surveillance room was beginning to make sense- it detected ships on the real world horizon, then it called The Cloud to bring them through the door. But why? What was it scanning for? What did it want? Where did it come from?

Not that the person they were looking for would have any answers to those questions; they would be like a newborn, weak and helpless; and that was why Locke had to find them first, the Island needed them whole and alive.

Jack and Ana were quiet behind him; they were going at a fast pace and the air was almost dripping with moisture; it was like breathing through a sponge. Rain was coming. John picked up his pace even more; he didn't want to lose the trail if it rained, though he supposed it didn't really matter, the Island would show him the way. But he still preferred to do it on his own if he could; why else be whole if he couldn't use it?

His urgency was justified as Bluebeard stepped out of the trees before him; Jack and Ana both had their guns out in a flash, training them on the man, he shook his head and smiled. "Put your gun away, Jack. You too, Cortez." They hesitated and the man laughed with exasperation. "Do it. I ain't alone."

Jack glanced at Ana and nodded; she slowly uncocked her gun and stuck it in her jeans as Jack did the same. "What do you want?"

Bluebeard cocked his head, eying Jack with a grin. "Actually, Jack, this time it's about what you want." He held out his arm and a woman was shoved from the bushes into his hands; she was bound and gagged and absolutely terrified. "I believe you're lookin' for her."

Locke smiled. "Well, we may be. It depends on who she is."

"Who she is? Well, John, the only way to get an answer is to ask a question. So, ask her." He reached up to the woman's mouth and roughly jerked the gag down, making her eyes water with pain as she stared at them, begging for help. Jack started forward but Ana stopped him, shaking her head; patience, Jack.

With the gag off the woman was gasping deep lungfuls of air; she looked at Locke and said, panting, "My name is Cassidy. Megan Cassidy."

Glancing warily at Bluebeard he said to her, "Where are you from, Megan?"

She was still terrified and her voice shook as she said, "Iowa." Glancing around at everyone with guns she said, almost hysterically, "Why are you asking me these questions? Let me go!"

Locke smiled reassuringly at her, and he said, "I know you are scared, Megan, but I just need to see if you are who They say you are. No one is going to hurt you, just please answer my questions and everything will be okay." He held her eyes, smiling gently, and she relaxed just a little, her breath easing in her chest. "Okay?"

Bluebeard was a little insulted. "John, why would you doubt me? I know you need this woman, Our Island needs her, so we are givin' her to you." Leaning in close he said in a low voice, "John, we're on the same side now. You need this woman, that's why the Island brought her here. Take her." Thrusting the woman into Locke's arms, he grinned at them all. "We'll be seeing you again soon. Good luck." He melted into the trees.

Locke quickly cut the ropes holding Megan's hands; she rubbed her wrists painfully as the blood flowed back into her arms. "Who are you people?"

Locke smiled. "I'm John, that's Jack, and Ana-Lucia. We're survivors of a plane crash, Oceanic 815, we've been here almost two months." He was a little curious; she didn't look like the type of woman who would be working on a fishing trawler. "What were you doing on a fishing boat?"

She shrugged. "I needed a fast ride, they needed fast cash." She looked a little sorry. "I don't suppose they need it now."

Jack rolled his eyes. Great. Another criminal, just what this place needed. "What happened to your boat? How did you wreck?"

"Jack, right?" He nodded. "I don't know, Jack. I was in the cabin and everything went black; next thing I know I'm facedown in the sand. No injuries, either, though the boat looks like a trailer park after a tornado. I checked it out, one of the guys was dead, in the cabin. The other was fine, he was just out cold on the beach."

Jack broke in. "Where is he?"

She paled a little. "We had set up a little campfire on the beach. They were brothers, you know, and he was really torn up, just sat and stared into the fire. We heard this...roaring, I guess, and it was coming closer so I ran but he...he didn't and it got him."

"Did you see it?" Jack was in her face, eager.

"I didn't really stick around to be the after dinner mint, you know. I hauled ass." What an idiot, she though to herself. "I ran into the jungle and everything went black, next thing I know I'm being shoved into your little circle jerk."

Locke and Ana both stared at her, then Locke glanced at Ana, asking her opinion. She nodded slowly; she was telling the truth. Enough of it, anyway. Locke smiled. "Okay, Megan." She was glaring at him a little and he smiled. "I'm sorry. You will find that things here are not always what they seem; sometimes caution is necessary."

She relented. "Yeah. So how many of you survived?"

"Originally, seventy-five. But we're down to...what is it now, Jack?"

He was surprised to realize that he didn't know. It was too much to keep track of anymore. "Forty-something, I think."

Megan froze, chilled at the numbers. "What happened to them all?"

Jack hesitated, then sighed. "We don't know."

-----

The path through the jungle was shorter than gping around to the beach so even at their leisurely pace they reached the red site before Locke and the others.

It was only ruins; stone columns and crumbling rock were obscured by vines and jungle overgrowth. A small picket fence circled it and a quaint stone path led up to the door, which was hanging crazily open; the roof was full of holes and as Kate walked through the overgrown gate to the ruins she could see birds flittering in and out of the rafters.

She reached the door and smiled; Eko came behind her and he touched his crucifix, smiling peacefully. "A chapel," he said, "is a good sign. God is with us." he pushed the sagging door gently and it swung the rest of the way open. It was a small church, with a half-dozen pews and a tiny pulpit.

Sunlight beamed softly through the gaps in the rafters and Kate noticed a small stone fountain set into one of the walls; sunlight was streaming down on it, casting it in a golden haze. She was drawn to it; it was like a painting; the stone fountain amid the ruins bathed in golden sunlight; all that was missing was the sparkling water. "Sawyer, come here."

He went to her, immediately and she hugged him, pointing to the fountain. "What?"

"Could you fill that fountain?" She was a little embarrassed to ask; it was a silly request.

Sawyer smiled and shrugged. "Your wish is my command." He touched his hand to the base of the fountain; the stone was still cool in the warm sun.

Kate watched in awe as it slowly filled and the little stone spout began to pour water into it. "You're amazing, Sawyer."

"I know, I know." He loved to make her smile; hugging her around the waist he savored the grin on her face, happy in knowing he had put it there.

Eko came up, nodding. "Ah, the Baptism Pool." he smiled sadly at it for a few moments, then dipped his fingers into the cool, clear water, crossing himself as he whispered his prayers.

Finishing his supplications he glanced at them, wrapped together and so in love it made his heart sing to see them. He glanced at the pool, bubbling happily and he smiled. "When someone is anointed with water from this pool, their sins are cleansed and they are born again, to start a new life with God. Jesus was not baptized until he was thirty; John the Baptist cleansed him in the river Jordan and when he was done God spoke to the crowd and told them that Jesus was His Son. Then, and only then, did Jesus' ministry begin."

"I was baptized when I was a baby," Sawyer said, grinning at Kate. "I've got pictures of me in a white dress, being sprinkled with water." She giggled at the image and felt a sudden pang of regret that she would never actually get to see those pictures.

Eko smiled and held out his hands as tiny speckles of rain began to fall; he said, "Baptism is also a marriage, of a person to God. Marriage and baptism are similar, you know; the bride and groom have joined to form a new reality, a new person, and neither of them are what they were before. They are in covenant with one another and when it is how it is supposed to be, they are forever faithful and loyal to the other." Kate and Sawyer weren't even looking at him; they were completely focused on each other as they stood together, eyes locked.

The rain was falling steadily, now, but the sun still shone brightly; it flashed across the water creating a million little rainbows that danced along the walls; within seconds they were all soaked, but they didn't care. Eko touched them both on the shoulder and smiled. "Are you ready to start your new life?"

They didn't look away from each other, but Sawyer nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Kate's. Droplets of water hung from her hair, dripping into her eyes; he reached out and tenderly pushed her hair back from her face.

Eko was gone. The rain was cool and warm at the same time; it pattered pleasantly on the leaves and the stones as Sawyer kissed Kate, gently, lovingly, pulling her wet body to him he hugged her tight and she returned it. They stood together, the warm sunlight dappling them as the cool rain pitter-pattered their shoulders.

Pulling away from her he held her so he could look into her eyes as he cupped his hands and dipped some water from the pool; she smiled. Yes.

He dripped the water from his hands over her head, slowly, and as it drizzled down her face he kissed her, whispering against her lips, "I love you, Kate."

She felt renewed, reborn; her fears and worries faded away as she dipped her own hand into the pool and she anointed Sawyer with it, kissing him sofly as she whispered, "I love you too, James."

He kissed her and it was different; it wasn't the same as before. The rain stopped and steam rose from their bodies as the sun beamed down on them, casting them in a golden halo of light.

Happy Skate Day