Chapter 3: Working the plan
Disclaimer: I don't own LOST
A/N: ok here is the next chapter!
Charlie and Hurly talked in hushed tones so that no one could hear them. Charlie saw that Eko was coming near them
"Charlie. Are you ready to work?" Eko asked.
"Um. Can I take the day off? I am a little busy with something today. If that's ok with you of course." Charlie said.
Eko looked disappointed. "Sure Charlie. Whatever you need to do. If you change your mind, you know where I will be."
"Yeah." Charlie watched him walk away.
"Dude why have you been helping him with that building?" Hurly asked him.
Charlie just gave him a look and continued. "Do you really think that Ana will play along with it?"
"Sure."
"No I'm not so sure.. maybe I should just bribe her to go the beach with me and then from there I'll play it by ear." Charlie said.
"Yeah you could play it by ear I suppose.." Hurly said not too confidently.
Charlie watched Claire from afar. She was with Sun.
"Looks like Sun is getting early mommy advice." Charlie smiled.
"Dude you need to focus here alright?" hurly said." Charlie! Snap out of it."
"Sorry." Charlie muttered.
"So you want to play it by ear or what?" hurly asked
"Yeah I'll play it by ear. Should I go now? She's at the hatch.."
"Yeah go now. I'll be with Libby watching for you." Hurly said.
"Ok." Charlie and Hurly got up.
"Good luck man." Hurly said and he walked away.
"Right. Good luck." Charlie said and began walking towards the hatch. He started thinking of things to say but as soon as he entered the hatch he forgot them.
"Play by ear." He muttered to himself. He looked around the hatch. Locke was on the bed. Charlie quickly avoided that room and went into the other room.
"Need something Charlie?" Ana asked, leaning against the door opening.
"Uh.. um.. Where's Jack?" Charlie asked.
"He's busy right now." Ana said, and she walked to the kitchen area. Charlie followed her.
"So what's happening down at the beach?" Ana asked.
"Well Bernard tried to build a SOS sign yesterday." Charlie said.
"Oh yeah? How did that work out?"
"No one wanted to help so he didn't do it." Charlie said.
"Kind of sad huh? Despite the Others and all of the dangers no one wants to get off this fricken island." Ana said.
"Yeah." Charlie said.
"Look Charlie do you need something or are you just going to stand there all day? I am busy."
"What are you busy doing? You don't seem to be busy at all." Charlie said.
"I'm busy with that guy." Ana nodded towards the armory.
"Right. You just have to watch him all the time even though he is locked up with no way to get out… Sure you are very busy."
"What is your point man? I could be doing better things right now than talking to you."
"Fine. You don't have to be so mean all the time. You know you could try being nice for once and some people might start liking you."
"Are you implying no one likes me?" Ana got into Charlie's face.
"Uh… Yeah. What are you going to do about it?" Charlie realized that saying this was a mistake as Ana just seemed to get madder.
"Look if it makes you feel better, everyone hates me too." Charlie added.
"Oh yeah." Ana relaxed. " I heard you tried to kidnap that girl's kid. What's up with that?"
"That girl's name is Claire and I wasn't trying to kidnap Aaron."
"Oh yeah? Then what exactly were you doing?" Ana asked.
"I was baptizing him." Charlie said quietly realizing how stupid that sounded.
Ana laughed. "Right. Baptizing him. You shoulda had Eko do that."
"Claire did. She had him baptize her and Aaron."
Ana just shook her head.
"What?"! Charlie asked.
"Nothing Charlie.."
"Look Ana.. I was thinking.. ever since we got back from that hike you have stayed here the whole time." Charlie said.
"Yeah and?"
"Well don't you want to have a change of scenery? Like go to the beach?"
Ana looked thoughtful. "Nah… someone has to stay here to watch Gale."
"Oh come on Ana. Have some fun for once. Locke is here.."
"Locke can't even take care of himself much less take care of Gale."
"Then I'll find someone to watch the hatch for you. "
"Ana!" Locke called from the other room.
Ana walked into the room and Charlie stayed in the other room. Charlie was not going to be in the same room as Locke.
"Ana you need a break. Go to the beach with Charlie." Locke got up. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of things here."
Ana seemed to be unconvinced. "Yeah ok. But I'll try to get someone in here to help." Ana walked back to Charlie and Locke followed her.
"Hi Charlie. How are things going with you?" Locke said with that creepy smile.
"Don't play dumb with me Locke. You know perfectly well how I am doing. "Charlie glared at him.
There was an uncomfortable silence and Charlie just got angrier. He wanted to punch that guy's eyes in so badly.
"Ok." Ana said, breaking the silence. "I'm ready if you are."
"Yeah I'm ready." Charlie said and they walked out of the hatch.
Step one: Get Ana out of the hatch: Completed.