Disclaimer: I don't own Lost, seriously if you think that, you really need some serious help!

Author's Note: Wow! I didnt' think this story would go on for so long. 19 Chapters, my longest story yet. So a huge thanks to all those wonderful readers and reviews. Your awsome!!

Riding On The Wings Of An Angel

Chapter 19: Brother's Keeper

Who says I'm my brother's keeper?

Someone Else:

Ana's voice shot out amongst the hushed whispers, "Listen up everyone," She started to speak, knowing that people would automatically turn to listen, "we've been walking for two hours already, and" She glared at a group of people lagging behind her. "We are going to take a break. Twenty minutes, everyone meets back here. There's a stream just beyond the trees here, I suggest you fill up on water now, we don't know when we will come upon a stream next."

The group of wary travelers stated to turn away, when Ana's voice once again rang out startling them, "Stay in groups, none of us gets taken. I don't want to have to leave anyone behind." Ana turned away her face shrouded in a mask of determination, the appropriate look of a leader. But when the shadows moved and she thought no one was looking, her mask cracked and fear and worry shone through. Only one person ever saw this, his name was Mr. Eko.

"Ana, we need to talk." It was Eko; his skin glistened with sweat in the heat, outlining his muscles. Showing off the strength he had, some thought of him as a protector… others thought of him as a threat.

"Not now." She stated firmly and started to turn away.

Eko grabbed her arm. "Yes, now." His voice was calm, yet somehow managed to relay a dangerous edge to it.

They moved off to the edge of the group before Eko spoke again. "We shouldn't have let them go, Ana."

"We had no choice, he wasn't ready." Ana responded cryptically.

Anger flashed on Eko's face briefly, "And what of the girl?" He asked harshly.

In this, Ana placed her hands on her hips, and brought herself up to her full height and bitingly replied, "I said before, we had no choice."

Ana turned away from him and Eko stated his voice softening slightly, "Ana, we always have a choice." With that he turned and left.

X X X X X X

Kate:

"You never told me you had a sister." Jack contradicted Kate's statement.

"Jack, believe it or not, you don't know everything about me." Kate rolled her eyes. A new feeling of hope had spread its wings inside her.

Jack adjusted the straps on the backpack he was carrying, "I know, it just surprised me, that's all."

Kate looked at Jack suspiciously, "Right! And you weren't at all surprised that I had a son. Before…" A shadow pasted over her face a moment, then disappeared and a mocking grin appeared.

"Well…" Jack mumbled, "Okay, maybe that was a bigger surprise than you having a sister." He smiled, defeated.

Kate playfully punched Jack in the arm and Jack mocked crippling pain, they both laughed. Suddenly their eyes met, and she felt herself moving closer to him…

"Jack. Kate." Sayid interrupted from up ahead.

"Hey! Bonnie and Clyde, Mustafa over here thinks he's found something." Sawyer called out annoyed, his voice held an edge, he caught Kate's eye, disgustedly before turning away.

Jack and Kate let out a collective sigh, "Perfect timing, huh?" Jack chuckled.

"Always." Kate agreed, only slightly disheartened.

X X X X X X

Sayid:

"This trail appears to branch off into two directions." Sayid was explaining. 'In about two seconds Sawyer is going to say something very stupid… Then I will punch him.'

"Really?" Sawyer snorted. "How'd you figure that?"

'Ha! I knew it. Can I punch him now?' Sayid silently questioned himself.Kate squatted next to Sayid, 'Maybe not.'

"Most of the people went this way." Kate pointed down an obvious trail, littered with footprints and half-eaten fruit.

"Yes," Sayid agreed, "and only two or three went this way." 'Maybe now?'

"Why'd they branch off?" Jack spreading his arms out questioningly, "Wouldn't it be safer to stick together if they thought someone was coming after them?" 'How about now?'

Sawyer guffawed, "Obviously they aren't very smart."

Kate and Jack looked at Sawyer with exasperation, before Jack asked, "Whatever you say Sawyer?" Jack turned his back on Jack and gave Kate a look.

Sayid's mind was wandering, 'I know who would go off by himself even in the face of danger, this person also has an IQ of about 45…' At this thought Sayid let out a little snort of laugher that no one heard but Sawyer who gave Sayid a suspicious look, '…Sawyer with his playboys.'

"Hello! They packed the booze." Sawyer said like it was supposed to mean something profound.

'Of course Sawyer would come up with some way to bring up the booze again.' A look of utter misery passed over his face. 'Can I punch Sawyer yet?'

Sawyer made a sound of disgust at their stupidity, "And not the meds." He directed this statement towards Jack. "And what idiot don't take the meds and the booze." Sawyer finished.

"Sawyer." Kate protested saying his name and glaring at him. He could be so childish.

'Please, please, please let me punch him.' Sayid stood up from the footprints, "We have to split up." Sayid was silently praying, 'Maybe I will get my chance to knock the living shit out of Sawyer if I have to pair up with the bastard.' With this though, Sayid gave Sawyer a chilling grin.

X X X X X X

Sawyer:

'That weird Iraqi keeps givin' me strange looks… I think he might be gay.' Sawyer shuttered at this thought and took a few steps away from Sayid. 'And he keeps snortin', what does he think he is? A horse?'

"Sawyer!" Kate protested his name. God, how he liked getting under her skin.

Sawyer gave her a sexy grin. "How 'bout you and me leave these losers and go find us some lost-a-ways?" Sawyers proposed in what he assumed was a way no women could possibly pass up.

Kate looked at Sawyer.

Kate looked at Jack.

Kate looked at the paths.

Kate looked at Sawyer and shattered his fantasy, "Actually, Jack and I are taking this path." She stated bluntly before turning away to consult with Jack. Sayid made another snorting-horse noise.

Sawyer just stood there.

And stood there.

And then he opened his mouth.

But then he closed it.

"What the hell?" Sawyer finally spoke.

But nobody heard him, or maybe nobody cared. 'They've just heard me use that phrase too many times, that's all.' Sawyer justified to himself.

Then he realized that Kate had chosen the path, which only two or three people had walked down. 'Now that just don't make sense.'

"Uh, Freckles think you gotta a little mixed up." Sawyer pointed down the well worn path, "See I thought we were gonna go get us some tailies, not some freaks who decided to explore and see what Jumanji might throw their way next." Sawyer cynically pointed out.

Kate didn't even look up, 'She just can't stand the sight of my handsome face without being able to make-out, that's all.' Sawyer grinned to himself. "Sawyer I know which path I am taking," Kate's irritable voice replied, whipping the smirk off Sawyer's face and replacing it with a scowl. "You and Sayid are taking that path." Kate pointed to the well-worn path, still without looking up. Sawyer kicked a mango rind and sucked in his breath angrily. 'What the hell! Does she got a stick stuck up her ass!'

"Damn it girl! I ain't gonna go anywhere with Ali Baba over here!" Sawyer raged. 'How could she do this? Women! They see a doctor and they get their panties in a knot.'

Kate rolled her eyes, watching Sawyer out of the corner of her eye, "You don't like it Sawyer, then you can just turn around and go back to camp." And if that wasn't bad enough. "See if I care."

'Ahhrrrawwhhh! !!!$$#…! She had no heart. Where there should be a heart there is none! I swear, maybe Jack should check that out, he is the doctor after all. Maybe she is the walking dead!' "Why," Sawyer seethed would I go back?" Then continued, "I came to help-"

"Loot."

"What?" Sawyer hissed.

"You came to loot," Jack elaborated and Sawyer's face turned a shade of rouge in anger, "Loot n.(noun): To pillage, spoil, to steal; to rob especially during or following a catastrophe-"

"Jackass!" Sawyer took a step towards Jack, "You want a piece of me?" 'Who did he think he was? Just some doctor who couldn't get along with his dad and had a god complex, that's who!'

Kate and Sayid stepped forward at the same time. "Stop!" Kate screamed. 'Wow. She actually looked upset.' Sayid smirked at him and Sawyer scowled back. 'Now he's just giving me the creeps.'

Sawyer glared at everyone one last time before stomping off to his backpack, hauling it up and stared to march down the trail. "Damn you to hell, bunch a…" Sawyer's cussings trailed off.

X X X X X X

Kate:

"Sayid, are you sure you're going to be okay… with him?" Jack asked, concerned. "I don't want to have to be stitching anyone up."

Sayid gave a sly smile, "Not even Sawyer?"

"No." Jack relied firmly.

Sayid went solemn, "I know… limited supplies." He had heard it all before.

"But it would be nice…"

"Jack!" Kate admonished. "Sawyers not that bad." Sayid and Jack simply stared at her. "Fine!" Kate threw her hands up in the air before wandering off to her nap sack. "We should get going."

When Kate was out of earshot, Sayid asked, "How's she doing?"

X X X X X X

Jack shook his head in exasperation before replying, "Who really knows? She seems better…" Jack's voice trailed off as Kate moved out of earshot. It really peeved her off when people talked about her like that.

Oh she knew they thought they were doing what was best for her. Protect weak Kate. Watch over poor Kate. Make sure unstable Kate doesn't hurt herself.

It annoyed her to no end. No it more than annoyed her. Annoyed was a mosquito biting you on a relaxing summer day. This was a ten on the richter scale with massive aftershocks to boot. No, she was way past annoyed. She had been looking after herself for years. How could some stupid plain crash turn her whole independent routine so upside-down?

She'd been through hell and back.

Twice.

'Come on Kate! Wake up, smell the flowers… or whatever they say. Time to get back to the real world. Reality sucks, everyone knows that. You know that. So what's the deal? Too scared of what you might see in the mirror?'

"Shut up you little…" Kate froze. Deer caught in headlight style.

"Whine one more time and I'll make…" The man's voice faded off again, and Kate suddenly realized with an overwhelming sense of relief that the man's anger wasn't aimed at her.

Slowly she looked around for Jack and Sayid. They were nowhere in sight. Of course. When you need and big, tough man with muscles to match, he's not there. 'Isn't that just typical.'

'Wait! Did I just refer to Jack as a big tough… Aww, forget it, it's hopeless.' Kate stopped the pondering that would end in denial anyways, right away.

"Let go…." A soft, terrified squeal, jerked Kate into alert mode. "Leave-"

A man's voice yelped, anger resonating off of the trees in all its glory.

But the man's anger wasn't what Kate was feeling. A rage boiled in her. Simmering to a full out volcano erupting temper tantrum. One more word and Kate was getting ready to leap out of hiding. Somehow she had managed to creep to a spot and was crouching behind a large grouping of ferns. From her vantage point she peeked out tentatively, confirming the sight she knew was there. It was worse than expected.

"Kate…" Jack's hissed voice startled her from behind and she shot him an undeserving glare.

Jack was whispering something to her. She gestured to him, she didn't understand.

X X X X X X

Jack:

"Just wait." Jack was desperately trying to get Kate to understand him without getting the attention of a certain madman.

Kate started to move forward slightly.

Frantically, Jack called just a tad louder, "Kate! Kate, just wait, Kate…"

She may have heard him, since she paused briefly in her pursuit, but she gave no other indication since a moment later she had moved her hiding place to a tree closer to the commotion.

Jack's voice was getting hoarse from having to yell in a whisper. "Damn it! Kate, can't you ever just listen!"

A sharp scream shot out and then chaos erupted in a blurred haze or order, one event after another, a sequence in a perfectly logical order of events.

Yet it just didn't make sense as he watched her seem to move in slow motion, out from behind the tree, across the dirt path, and out of sight, every movement charted, sorted and stored in all its horrifying clarity for later analysis. The noise came later like the thunder after lightning, making its way from the event.

The sound was so loud, that at first Jack couldn't identify the sound. It sounded like a sonic BOOM. The great wall of China falling. A nuclear bomb exploding in his own backyard.

Then everything speed up faster, making up for lost time perhaps, and the sound.

A gunshot.

Damn!

X X X X X X

Thanks for reading. Okay a little thanks to my favorite writters, Phoenix-Talon and BiteMeTechie, their writting is so Damn good that it actually makes me want to write and finish my stories. So if you want to read some hilarious stuff go check them out!!

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