Riley, Kate, Shannon, Boone, Charlie, Sayid and Sawyer. The seven of them, after wasting most of their time trying to send a message to anyone who could pick up through the transmitter, were making their ways back to the beach. The silence that clouded them followed for most of the journey. While it didn't take them long to reach the point where they got a bar, it seemed to be taking them longer to return to the beach.

"It's getting dark." Boone broke the long silence.

"Way to state the obvious..." Riley muttered under her breath.

"Then pick up the pace." Sawyer declared.

"Hick." Riley heard Boon mutter.

"A little louder?" Sawyer demanded.

"We should make camp." Sayid changed the subject, quickly.

"What... Here?" Shannon asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, here."

"I'm not stopping." Sawyer declared, continuing towards the trees. "Ya'll have a nice cook out." Riley stopped beside the other five as she watched Sawyer walk closer to the trees. She glanced at Kate with widened eyes as Sayid rolled his.

"Excellent. Walk through the jungle in the dark."

"Afraid the tress are gonna get us?" Sawyer asked Sayid as he sopped at faced them.

"No." Sayid shrugged. "What is knocking down the trees will get you."

"If you're so worried about me, how bout you give me the clip back?" Sawyer raised a brow as he pulled the empty gun out and waved it at Riley.

"Put your gun back in your pants, Sawyer." Kate demanded.

"Look..." Riley sighed, moving forward slightly. "Sayid's right... If you keep walking, you're not going to make it to the beach."

"Yeah, why's that?"

Riley sighed deeply as she bit her lip and looked towards the trees. She hated the way she felt about whatever it was that lived in the jungle. She hated how scared she felt when she even thought about it. She had no idea what it was or even looked like. And as much as she didn't particularly enjoy Sawyer's company, she didn't want him to end up like the pilot. "Just... Trust me." Riley muttered.

⁂

"This is Australia." Riley watched intently as Sayid dropped a rock onto the grass by the fire they had built. The seven of them were sat fairly close together around the fire as Sayid stood in front of them. "This is us." He declared, holding a branch with the end lit.

"Nice stick." Sawyer sighed.

"Shh."

"Two days ago, we take off from Sydney." Sayid began, walking around the rock with the stick. "We fly along the same north-east route every commercial airliner bound for Los Angeles does. Now the pilot said he lost communication with the ground, Correct?"

Riley nodded as he glanced at her, Kate and Charlie. "Around six hours in. He turned around and headed for Fiji" She added.

"So we changed course..." Sayid began again. "Regrettably, no one knew we changed course. The turbulence hit... We know the rest."

Riley watched as he put out the fire on the end of the branch using the ground. "The pilot said we were over a thousand miles off course." Kate spoke from beside her.

"Yeah, but... They'll find us." Charlie said as Sayid took a seat on the ground next to Shannon. "They have satellites in space that can take picture of your license plate."

"If only we were all wearing license plates." Much to Riley's surprise, this comment didn't come from Sawyer but rather Sayid.

"Aren't you the pessimist..." Charlie trailed off.

"Basic photography, point and shoot." Sayid began. "Satellites can shoot, but they must be told where to point." Riley took this as his apology to Charlie. Charlie nodded to indicate that he understood. Although she usually enjoyed it, she hated the sudden silence that overcome the small group.

"Okay, really enjoyed the puppet show. Fantastic." Sawyer spoke up causing Riley to glance at him. "So, we're stuck in the middle of damn nowhere. How about we talk about that other thing?"

"What're you talking about?" Riley asked with a sigh.

"You know that transmission Abdul picked up on his little radio."

"Who's Abdu- Sawyer!" Riley hissed as she saw him looking at Sayid. "Must you be so hostile all the damn time!"

Sawyer merely glanced at her before continuing. "The French chick that said, 'they're all dead.' The transmission's been on a loop for... How long, Sweetcheeks?"

"Sixteen years..." Riley muttered.

"Right." Sawyer nodded slightly as he looked into the fire. "Let's talk about that."

Silence. No one wanted to remember that someone had sent a broadcast out sixteen years ago. No one wanted to think about the endless possibilities that happened to that poor French girl.

"Well, we have to tell the others when we get back." Boone declared.

"Tell them what exactly?" Shannon hissed to her brother.

"What we heard."

"You didn't hear anything, she did. How do we know she isn't lyi-"

"Do you really think I'd stand there and lie to you all?" Riley interrupted, loudly.

"Well, we don't really know yo-"

"And I don't know you!" Riley exclaimed.

"No one's going to tell them anything." Sayid declared, over the top of the pair. "To relay what we heard without fully understanding it will cause panic. If we tell them what we know... We take away their hope and hope is a very dangerous thing to lose."

"So we lie." Kate and Riley stated together.

"Let's just get some rest..." Sayid declared.

The seconds passed into minutes while the minutes turned into hours. Riley was surprised to feel sleep wash over her the second hour in. While sleep came to her almost as soon as she had the courage to close her eyes, she could still feel and hear everything that was going on around her.

It wasn't until she heard someone moving around that she was suddenly fully awake. She kept her eyes closed just encase it was someone changing but opened them slightly when she felt them lean over her. She panicked when she felt someone touch the side of her trouser and pull something out of her pocket. She thought for a moment on what she had in her pocket that could possibly be of use to someone before she remembered the gun.

Riley kicked her left foot out quickly causing whoever it was to fall to the ground like a sack of potato's. She sat up and threw her body towards whoever it was causing them to shout out.

"Get off me!" Riley glanced down to see Boone.

She glared at him as she let him up. The other five had also jumped up at the commotion. "What're you doing?" Riley demanded.

"What's going on?" Sayid asked.

"This little perv' was touchin-"

"No I wasn't!" Boone exclaimed. "Well... I wasn't touching you like that! I'm standing guard."

"Sorry, I didn't know standing guard meant touching people when they slept!" Riley hissed.

"You heard what they said is out there." Boone declared, looking at Sayid. "I wasn't touching her like that."

"You took my gun off me, boy?" Sawyer looked more shocked than annoyed.

"Please, he's never even held a gun, he doesn't believe in guns. He goes on marches." Shannon exclaimed.

"Give it to me." Sayid demanded.

"Oh, yeah give it back to Aljazeera, he'll protect us!" Sawyer butted it.

"Aljazeera's a network." Charlie informed him.

"I'll keep the damn gun." Boone said.

"We should give it to her!" Riley looked around to Shannon who had her hand pointed at her. It took her a few moments to realise what she meant as she noticed everyone looking at her.

"Yeah." Charlie nodded. "Riles should hold the gun. She knows how to handl-"

"Exactly!" Boon interrupted. "She knows how to use guns! She'll shoot us in out slee-"

"Who do think I am!" Riley demanded, taking a step towards him. "You really think I'm so cold hearted that I'd murder you all in your sleep?"

"Well, you do murder peo-"

"SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY!" Riley screamed as Kate pulled her by the arm away from Boone. "I may be from a different country but I worked with people from yours... You know what? I don't want to hold the stupid gun... Give it to Kate."

"Wha-"

"Kate's holding the gun." Riley shrugged. "End of." Riley watched as Boone sighed before walking slowly towards her and passing the gun to Kate who grabbed it unwillingly.

Riley pulled herself away from everyone who was looking at her. Most were giving her pity looks but she didn't want there pity. She sighed as she placed herself back on the ground and faced away from the six.

"That was out of order." Charlie whispered. Riley knew he must have been talking to Boone as Kate and Sayid agreed.

"I don't like ya'll and even I think that was out of line." Sawyer muttered. Riley heard them all retake there spots as silence fell once more. It wasn't that she couldn't but Riley didn't bother sleeping once more. She lay awake until light began to shine upon the ground.

Once the sun did rise, the seven of them set off once again for the beach. Riley didn't speak one word to any of them as she lead the way. She merely returned Charlie's small smile and Kate's nod before ignoring everyone.

Once she did break through the trees, Riley walked over to where most people were crowded around looking panicked.

"They're back!" Someone exclaimed, setting eyes on Riley.

Riley waved slightly before waiting for the others to catch up to her.

"What happened?" Claire asked as the other six stopped beside Riley.

"As you and the others know," Sayid began, loudly. "We hiked up the mountain in an attempt to help the rescue team locate us. The transceiver failed to pick up a signal. We weren't able to send out a call for help. But we're not giving up. If we gather electronic equipment, your cell phones, laptops, I can boost the signal and we can try again. But that may take some time, so for now, we should begin rationing our remaining food."

Riley looked around at everyone who looked to be either, annoyed or disappointed. She couldn't help but fell annoyed herself. She and the other six had just went out of their ways to try and get help... A little gratitude would've been nice.

"If it rains," Sayid continued. "We should set up tarps to collect water... I need to organize three separate groups. Each group should have a leader. One group for water. I'll organize that. Who's organizing electronics?"

Riley sighed as she moved out of the clutter of people. She didn't feel as though she wanted to be around people. She knew what Boone said was not true. She would never, ever kill anyone in cold blood. But she couldn't help but wonder if others thought about her the same way Boone did... Did they all think she would murder them in her sleep?

"Riley, how'd it go?" She looked up as she bumped into Jack and Hugo.

"Alright... As Sayid said, we didn't get anything." Riley lied.

"Dude..." Hugo muttered as he sighed. "You should stay clear from that Kate chick."

"Hurley!" Jack hissed.

"What?" Riley asked as Hugo quickly disappeared over to the others. "What does he mean?"

"Nothing." Jack muttered. "So... No signal, huh?"

"No... Yes..." Riley sighed.

"Is it a no or a yes?" Jack asked.

"Let's walk back to your patient." She mumbled, glancing back to make sure no one was following. The pair walked back to where Jack was keeping the guard. Riley waited a few moments before she began with a sigh.

"We couldn't send out a signal... Another signal was blocking it. The other signal... We heard it. It was a distress call from a French woman. She said that the others were dead... That something had killed all of them... She said that she was alone on the island. It been playing for sixteen years..." Riley whispered towards the end.

Jack sighed as he looked back at the group. "Why didn't you tell them?"

"Sayid said he didn't want to take their hope away... I agree." Riley shrugged.

"Anything happen... With Kate?" Jack asked.

Riley watched him for a moment. She watched the emotion flash through his eyes. "No." She stated. "Why?"

"No rea-"

"Hugo has a different option." Riley pointed out.

"We found... The man with the shrapnel. The handcuffs... We think she's the one they were on. We found some paper with her mugshot-"

"Then get rid of it." Riley shrugged. "I know... I was the one who said the cuffs were on an officer. I was sat three seats from Kate..."

"You didn't think to say anything?"

"Well, no. It's not my business... For what it's worth that man was treating her like she wasn't human... The things he was saying. Look, all she's been to me is nice so, I don't see why we should tell anyone. It's not like they won't pick up on anything... Just let her tell them in her own time. It's not something you come out with when you don't no someone is it?"

"Alright..." Jack nodded after a few minutes.

Riley noticed that they had walked to the shrapnel guy and back again. She looked around as everyone busied themselves doing something. "Anything you need me to do?" Riley asked.

"Well, the officer isn't getting better unless we get some stronger antibiotics... I looked in your kit and took the pain relievers." Jack said.

"That's alright... But I thought we've been through everything?"

"What about the luggage in the overhead compartments?" Jack asked, looking at the plane wreck.

"Have the bodies been cleared out?" Riley grimaced slightly.

"No.. I'll handle i-"

"No." Riley interrupted. "I'll do it. You'll be needed if he wakes up again."

"Alright then." Jack nodded, putting a hand on her shoulder before leaving.

Riley sighed deeply as she made her way towards the wreckage. Her legs almost begged her to turn around and run. She didn't want to have to see the multiple bodies that were currently inside the wreckage. But she had to. She didn't want to put this job onto anyone else. Riley didn't want the others to see the bodies within. She had seen bodies before so it wasn't anything new.

She grabbed an empty bad and a flashlight from the top of an electrical pile before entered the wreckage from the bottom and manoeuvring herself towards the many bags. Choosing to start from the bottom and make her way upwards, Riley took a seat and crossed her legs. She began unzipping bags and searching through them for anything useful.

As the time passed, Riley began to feel somewhat calmer. She felt as though all the pent up frustration she had since landing on the island was beginning to go away and after an hour, she didn't mind being on the island so much. She had filled the bag up around half way with medicine she had found and while she wasn't a doctor, she was certain some of these were strong.

Riley jumped from her spot on the ground as she heard movement to the left of her behind some pillars that had fallen. She swore under her breath as she rubbed her elbow. She looked around for a moment before continuing on with her searching. As she was unzipping a blue bag she heard movement again and was certain she didn't imagine it.

Ever so slowly, Riley pushed the bag away from her and stood up, pointing the flashlight in front of her. She slowly moved forward as her eyes took in everything in front of her.

She jumped and almost tripped on someone's luggage as another light turned on. She looked up into Sawyer's face who grinned down at her from where he was perched with the light on his face. "Boo."

"What the hell is your problem!" Riley grumbled as she brushed some hairs out of her face with her palm. "What're you doing?"

"Trick-or-treat. Same as you." He grinned as he climbed down and stood a few feet in front of Riley.

"You're stealing." Riley rolled her eyes.

"You call it what you want, Sweetcheeks."

"What do you have in the bag?" Riley asked, nodding at the bag.

"Booze, smokes, a couple Playboys." He grinned once more before nodding down at her bag. "What's in yours?"

"Medicine." Riley said. "Jack needs so-"

"You the Doc's PA now?"

"No. I'm helping. I've got nothing better to do." Riley said as she turned and sat back on the ground, cross-legged. "Do you do this when your home too? Steal from the dead?"

"Sweetcheeks, you got to wake-up and smell the gull crap here." Sawyer began, going through some more bags. "Rescue ain't coming. You're just wasting your time."

"Looking through some luggage?" Riley raised a brow at him. "How am I wasting my time?"

"The doc's trying to save a man, who last time I checked, had a piece of metal the size of my head sticking out of his bread basket."

"So, what say you, Sawyer?" Riley sighed, turning towards him as he leaned against a pillar looking down at her. "You think Jack should just let the man die?"

"How many pills he gonna use to fix him up?"

"I don't know?" Riley shrugged.

"The Doc's not looking at the bigger picture. He's still back in civilization." Sawyer shrugged.

"Right... And where are you?"

"The wild, baby!"

"Please don't call me that again." Riley muttered under her breath.

"Speaking of the wild... What that kid said to you... No one else is thinking it."

Riley had to process what he said for a moment before she even realised. She glanced up at him slightly as she wondered why he even bothered saying it. "What do you..." Riley began slowly. "Never mind. I know people's not. I guess he was just angry he couldn't hold the stupid gun."

"Stupid gun, huh?" Sawyer chuckled. "You're the only one on this island who knows how to use a gun better than the rest of us... I would've been happy to let you hold my gun, Sweetcheeks."

"It's not even your gun." Riley snorted. "Belongs to the cop."

"Touché." Sawyer mumbled before he picked up his bag and walked away. "See you soon, Sweetcheeks."

"Not if I can hep it." Riley mumbled to herself.