'It's strange,' Ellie thought as she reclined on the sand, 'how you can be so happy, and then something totally unexpected comes along and destroys your life so much you don't want to live. And then just as suddenly, something else could turn it around again. It doesn't feel normal, but it is. This is my life'. She sat up straighter and pulled on her socks and shoes. She had something to do.
Jack and Kate were sat a few feet away, chatting with Claire and Charlie. Aaron was lying on the sand between them all, giggling at something only a baby could ever find funny.
"How's she doing anyway?" Charlie asked them, remembering Ellie's first day on the island, how terrified and broken down she had been. Jack glanced over at Ellie, and answered -
"Surprisingly well. She laughs a lot, and she's talkative. Just not about her past."
"Are any of us?" Kate interposed, and the foursome exchanged looks. They knew what she meant, everyone had secrets - why should Ellie be forced to tell hers? Aaron started crying and Claire lifted him up to her chest, making quite shushing noises. She and Charlie stood in unision; Claire gently bouncing the baby while Charlie stroked the back of his head. The cries didn't stop and Claire smiled apologetically.
"Sorry guys," she said, before turning and walking back to her tent. Charlie followed, making a 'what can you do?' gesture with his hands. All the same, he looked happy. Kate turned to Jack, but he wasn't looking at her.
"Where'd she go?" Jack asked and it was then that Kate noticed that Ellie was no longer sitting on the sand. In fact, there was no sign of her anywhere on the beach.
"I don't know. She was just there." Kate said, allowing Jack to help her to her feet. They looked around them, searching for the turquoise t-shirt she was wearing. Nothing.
"Ellie!" Jack called out, "Ellie?" Kate clutched at his arm
"She was right there, Jack. Where did she go?"
"Sawyer?" Ellie rapped her knuckles on the tree branch which was serving as Sawyer's tent pole. A grunt issued from within, and she pulled aside the blue tarp. As her eyes adjusted to the change from bright sunlight to virtual darkness, she could just about make out his figure, sat in an airline chair. He was reading a tattered book; what she had no idea as the front cover was missing.
"You want somethin' Driftwood?" Sawyer asked, and Ellie jumped. She had been so interested in Sawyer's makeshift home that she hadn't noticed him talking to her
"Um. Yeah, I did." Ellie answered, blushing. Standing there, under his gaze, it made her strangly uncomfortable. He gestured for her to take a seat on the floor. She refused with a shake of her head, and finally remembered why she had left the beach to see him. "I wanted to apologise. For earlier." Ellie tried not to notice Sawyer's eyebrows raise practically to his hairline. "I get sarcastic when I'm nervous. And, you know..." She made a tiny shake of her wrist, to demonstrate her point. Sawyer made a barely noticeable nod.
"Yeah, I get it Driftwood. S'none of my business what you wanna do." His eyes returned to his book, clearly he thought they were done. Obstinately she sat cross-legged on the sand next to him. Sighing he put down his book.
"What now?"
"I also wanted to thank you. For finding me," she elaborated, seeing confusion fleet across his face.
"Look, Driftwood, if it hadn't been me it would have been some other guy. I didn't do anything special so I don't need no thanks"
"But it was you!" Ellie interuppted, exasperated. "Jeez, first I try to apologise and you cut me off, and when I'm trying to thank you, you won't accept it!" Sawyer held his hands up in mock defeat. Ellie continued,
"If it had been anyone else, I would be in their tent thanking them. But it wasn't anyone else, it was you. So I'm thanking you. So just say 'you're welcome' and I'll go." She got to her feet and stood in front of him. Sawyer picked up his book, and tried to pick up where he had left off.
"Fine." Ellie said, disappointment lacing her voice. She turned and was about to leave the tent when she heard Sawyer's gruff Southern drawl;
"You're welcome." Ellie smirked, but didn't look back. Instead she reached out and pulled back the tarp.
"See you around Sawyer." She said, before leaving his tent.
She was just there." Kate said, allowing Jack to help her to her feet. They looked around them, searching for the turquoise t-shirt she was wearing. Nothing.
"Ellie!" Jack called out, "Ellie?" Kate clutched at his arm
"She was right there, Jack. Where did she go?"
"I don't know Kate. She must have just gone for a walk." Jack answered, trying to control the feeling of desperation clawing at his chest. Kate's fingernails dug into his forearm; she was terrified for Ellie.
"ELLIE!" he yelled as loudly as he could.
"What?" came the teenager's voice from behind him. Both Jack and Kate spun round and saw Ellie standing there, with a puzzled look on her face. Before any of them could say a word, Kate swept Ellie into a tight hug. Ellie's expression changed from bewilderment to pain.
"Ow!" She winced and immediately Kate released her grip. Jack sprang into action, casting his doctor's eye over Ellie.
"Are you hurt?" he asked her anxiously,
"Duh...my shoulder? What's wrong with you two?" Ellie took a step backwards, looking from Jack to Kate, and then back again.
"Where did you go?" Kate asked, and if Ellie wasn't mistaken there was an angry tone to her voice.
"I went to talk to Sawyer, what's the big deal?" Ellie answered, staring back at Kate. 'What the hell is going on?' she thought to herself, 'Who do they think they are?'
"You should have told us, we were worried," Jack told Ellie, seeing the look on her face.
"Why? So you could come with me, hold my hand?" She snapped back sarcastically. "I'm not a child, I can take care of myself."
"Ellie we were worried about you! We didn't know where you were, anything could have happened to you!" Kate tried to reason, laying a hand on the teenager's arm. Ellie shrugged it away, angry now.
"And why should you care if it had? I don't need constant monitoring and taking care of! I'm not a child, I'm not your child so for God's sake stop acting like you're my parents!" Jack and Kate were both taken aback by Ellie's sudden outburst. They stared at her; eyes shining with tears of anger and sadness combined, flushed cheeks. Her shoulders were shaking and her breathing was quick and shallow. She gulped.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, before turning on her heel and running as fast as she could, across the beach and into the jungle. Jack and Kate barely had time to look at each other before they set off after her.