Author's note - sorry for the huge delay, that was like forever. I was under extreme pressure from school but it's all better now. Three day weekend! Plus I had to conceive of where I want to go next with this story because the main antagonist is really really upset. But yeah, enjoy, there's some trouble lurking up ahead. And I know I know smallville's not going anywhere for my story but just be patient, I'm sorry it's taking so long.

By the way, I mention a condition that Jackson has and I'm not making it up. Obviously in the show Jackson doesn't have it but I have this kid in my automotive class who was in a car accident or something and this is what happens to him when he sits up straight and everything. So, I'm not totally an 'inventor'.

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"That's a nice brother you have," Daley told Jackson sarcastically after Rodney had just up and left. Rodney was under a lot of pressure, but that didn't mean Jackson didn't intend to kill him when he saw him again.

Jackson shifted his body weight, wincing as the chains moved on his wrists. They had spent a good deal of time attempting to unchain Jackson. They'd even gone back and made an attempt to find the other key that Jackson had dropped, but it just wasn't happening. Jackson had tried to break the branch but either the branch was too strong or he was too weak, it both led to one thing. He now had bloody wrists.

"What are we going to do?" Nathan asked pacing. "What about Eric and Taylor?"

"And Beaver," Jackson added.

"You don't think leaving them was a bad idea?" Daley asked Nathan.

"Maybe if we had taken them with us things wouldn't have gone so badly," Nathan mentioned.

"How do you figure?" Daley asked.

"I don't know!"

Jackson glanced over at Melissa who was sitting on the ground a few feet away, leaning against a tree with her knees pulled up to her chest. She really didn't look good, but Jackson didn't think he wanted to know what Creu had almost done to her.

Jackson stretched uncomfortably. When he was younger he had gotten into a street fight and someone had pulled a knife. The doctor used a lot of big words to explain his situation but it all meant the same to Jackson. Something happened to his vertebrae or whatever in his back. But all he knew was that when he sat up straight his back would go into these intense aches. It felt the same when he moved a lot for a long period of time or stayed standing for long amounts of time. The doctor had also told Jackson that if he got another concussion he'd probably die. That was three concussions ago.

Now that Eric and Taylor wasn't there, there was no one to point out how long it'd been since the last time they'd eaten or had any water. "What are we gonna do?" Daley repeated the question, hoping an answer lied in there somewhere.

"Guys, just leave," Jackson told them but Daley and Nathan erupted in an argument of refusal. "We're all hungry. And there's no food or water here. There's some back at camp though. So go, it's not like I'm going anywhere."

"We can't just leave you here," Nathan told him. "Alone, chained to a tree. That's not a good predicament."

"You're telling me," Jackson mumbled as he stretched again.

"I'll stay with him." It was Melissa who was now right beside Jackson but he couldn't say when she'd stood up or moved.

Daley and Nathan seemed to both hesitate as though they were thinking the same thoughts. "Are you sure?" Daley asked.

Melissa nodded. "I can't go back if you do anyways. Everything hurts. So I'll stay."

Still they seemed hesitant. "Alright," Daley eventually said, regaining her confident voice. "Well if we're going lets go. We'll be back real quick with food and water." She caught herself before she told them to stay there and not move.

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"Hey," Taylor said loudly but Carl ignored her anyways. "We're moving too fast."

"We don't have a lot of time," Carl told her.

"Yeah well, you won't have a choice when Beaver drops dead because he can't breathe," Taylor told him.

"It makes no difference to me." Carl shrugged.

"Tough break, dude," Eric told Beaver. Beaver had begun to walk slower as though it suddenly came hard to him so Carl told Taylor and Eric to give him a hand. Taylor walked ahead of them, beside Carl and Eric half supported Beaver but it was difficult walking like this in a wooded area.

"Where are you taking us?" Taylor demanded.

"You talk too much, little girl," Carl told her between clenched teeth.

"Look, mister -"

"Shh, we're here," Carl said suddenly. They had left the forest behind them and now they were on the shores of the island once more.

Eric gasped loudly. "This is better than Christmas," he whispered.

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Jackson tugged hard on the branch but wasn't far enough down on it to break it. When did Rodney get so smart? Jackson gasped quietly as the cuffs bit bitterly into his flesh. He didn't know how much longer he could stand without going crazy.

He glanced over at Melissa. She was sitting again but she was closer to him now. "Melissa," Jackson began.

"I'm fine," Melissa told him. "He didn't do anything. You guys showed up in time. We really don't have to talk."

"Yes we do," Jackson told her. "You shouldn't have been in that situation. It was stupid of me to get you involved."

"There wasn't much you could've done to prevent it, Jackson," Melissa mumbled. There was, of course. He could've not stolen from his brother to begin with. Jackson was quiet for a moment. "I don't blame you, Jackson," Melissa told him quietly.