Jack stood at the edge of the beach camp, watching the world as he knew it go by. Ellie stood timidly a half-step behind him. All the way from the hatch she had been full of life, excited to be out of those few rooms and enjoying the fresh air. She'd been like a little kid, running left and right, straying repeatedly from the makeshift path, even trying to climb a tree before Jack sternly reminded her that it wasn't such a good idea given that her shoulder still hadn't had a long enough time to heal. They had chatted all the way there; Jack had been quite pleased when Ellie struck up the conversation. Ellie was totally at ease with Kate and had been for days, but with him she had still seemed slightly reserved; so when she asked him when his birthday was, he had grinned as he answered her. They had laughed and joked and made fun of each other all the way to the beach, but as soon as Ellie felt the sand scrunching underneath her trainers she had fallen silent. Now, surveying the beach camp it was as if all of the work which Kate, and he, had put in had gone to waste.

"You ok?" He asked her,

"Yeah of course." Ellie snapped. "Sorry. It's just, I guess I was under some stupid illusion that they might be here. I know you and Kate said you didn't recognise their pictures but...I don't know. I should just accept that they're gone and get on with my life. Sorry." She looked up at Jack and tried to grin, but the doctor recognised her fear.

"Worried they won't like you?"

"A bit. You didn't at first." She answered, her eyes back on the beach.

"Who says I do now?" Jack joked, trying to lighten the mood. To his immense relief, Ellie laughed.

"Ok. Let's do this." She said, setting off purposefully down the verge to the camp. Jack followed and spotted Kate filling water bottles. He grabbed Ellie's wrist, careful to avoid her scars, and led her over. Kate looked up at the sound of footsteps on the sound and saw the two approaching figures. One she recognised easily as Jack, but the other...it took her a few seconds to realise that the teenager grinning at her was Ellie. She grinned back and hugged her, eyes casting a thousand questions to Jack over Ellie's shoulder.

"We thought we'd take a walk." he shrugged in answer. Kate held Ellie at arms length.

"You ok?" She asked, concerned. Her gaze took in the still healing cuts and scratches over Ellie's face and arms. The ominous bruise from her dislocated shoulder was fading and now lurked out from under the sleeve of her t-shirt, a pale shade of green.

"I'm more than ok." Ellie answered, her grin not leaving her face. "It's so good to be out in the air again. Even if I do have sand in my shoes already." Kate laughed, and Jack smiled to see them both so happy. It was quite strange to see how well they got on, despite being practical strangers. And now Ellie had gotten back to what he presumed was her normal self, they actually looked quite similar. He watched them laughing together as Ellie removed her shoes and socks and wiggled her toes in the sand. Was that a burst of pride inside his chest? He didn't have a chance to think more about it, as he noticed Sawyer coming up behind Kate, an empty water bottle in his hand. As usual he was shirtless, and Jack could have sworn he saw Ellie do a double take as she saw him.

"New friend there Freckles?" He asked jokingly, leaning into the water trough to fill the bottle.

"Sawyer, meet Ellie." Kate answered, barely turning around to address Sawyer face-to-face. Sawyer stood to his full height and looked at Ellie.

'No way,' he thought to himself, 'No way is this the kid that washed up. She had looked so...awful...and now she looked like any other teenager.' He realised Kate was waiting for him to say something, and Ellie's eyes were flickering worriedly between Jack and Kate.

"Nice to meet you Driftwood." He finally said, stretching his hand towards her. She took it, her small hand enveloped in his. Surprisingly her handshake was firm, as if she was used to meet-and-greets. As they shook he noticed the faint white lines decorating the inside of her wrist. She saw him looking and hastily dropped her hand.

"Driftwood?" She said, her left eyebrow raised sarcastically.

"Yeah, you know, cos you washed up?" Sawyer explained, as if he were addressing a four-year old.

"Yeah, I get it. It's just that, from what Kate told me, I was expecting something more original." Ellie quipped. 'I'll show him who's the child' she thought obstinately. Sawyer guffawed loudly, clearly finding it hilarious that this tiny teenager was brave enough to play him at his own game. Jack and Kate looked at each other, both amused at Sawyer meeting his match in Ellie. Ellie turned towards Jack.

"Where now?" she asked. "I'm bored of this guy." The corner of her mouth turned up in a secret grin as she looked at Jack.

"Well actually I have to go see some people..." Jack answered,

"Do some medical stuff. Ok. Go be brilliant. I'll take a look around?" She looked at him for permission.

"You could come with me? I can introduce you to some people?" Kate interrupted. Ellie looked from Sawyer to Kate.

"Only if you promise they're more interesting than this guy." She gestured to Sawyer, who looked annoyed yet amused at the same time.

"I'll do my best." She answered, picking up her filled water bottles and leading Ellie across the beach, leaving Jack and Sawyer stood together. Sawyer watched Jack as he stared after them.

"Bet you're lovin' this ain't you Doc?" Sawyer asked.

"She's a good kid," Jack answered, but Sawyer shook his head.

"Not what I meant, though you're probably right."

"So what did you mean Sawyer?"

"Playin' mommies and daddies with Freckles. Right up your alley ain't it." Sawyer looked across the beach, to where Kate was introducing Ellie to Rose and Bernard. Rose envoloped the girl in a warm hug, and Sawyer noticed as Kate seemed to swell with pride. "Seems she don't mind neither."

"Whatever you say Sawyer." answered Jack, walking in the direction of Claire's tent. He hadn't checked on the baby in a few days. Sawyer watched him leave, then swiped his hand through the cold water in the trough.

It was only as Jack reached Claire's tent and saw Charlie playing with the baby while Claire tidied away his things that he actually registered what Sawyer had been saying. 'Do I really think of her as my daughter? And Kate as my wife?' he questioned himself. Turning his head to watch Ellie jumping waves with Vincent the dog, and Kate stood 'sinking' on the waterline that he realised. In a way, he did.