Chapter 13 (Timeline 1): Whiskey
It felt oddly reassuring to once again be stepping over the threshold of Benjamin Linus's house. This time however, things were different; power had shifted in her favour. It felt strange to be the one with all the answers. With all the secrets.
"The bathroom is just through there," Ben said hopping nervously from one room to the next, giving her a very different tour from her first.
"And where will I be sleeping?" she asked innocently.
"Alex is going to clear out the spare room. You can stay in my room for the meantime."
"Sounds cosy."
"Obviously, I'll take the sofa," Ben said, the colour rising in his cheeks.
"Obviously," Dawn smiled. "Hey, any chance you still have that bottle of Scotch?"
Ben stared at her for a moment before giving the briefest of nods.
He walked into the kitchen and pulled the bottle out from under the sink. Dawn couldn't help noticing the slight tremble in his hand as he poured. He swirled the golden liquid around in the tumbler before passing it to her.
"Thanks."
She drank it down in one. He raised an eyebrow.
"Another?"
"Sure."
He poured again.
"So, Dawn, how exactly did you get to the island?"
"I was on flight 845."
"That's impossible," he frowned. "Your name wasn't on the manifest."
She glared at him incredulously.
"So I'm not here?"
"So you're not supposed to be here."
Ben poured them each another double.
"Well, here I am for better or for worse. Cheers!"
She leaned forward and knocked her tumbler against his.
He allowed himself a thin smile, the effects of the whiskey washing over him.
"What I want to know is, what happened just before you came crashing through the jungle?"
Dawn's features darkened as she turned to gaze out the window.
"You told me not to say," she said softly. "You told me it would all be okay. That we'd be together again."
Her hand rose to her face. Ben's eyes widened as he realised she was crying.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm not really sure what the etiquette is here."
Dawn let out a laugh. "You could pass me a tissue."