I Hate To Wake You Up To Say Goodbye
Prologue

Disclaimer: Lost is owned by: J.J., Damon Lindelof, Touchstone & ABC. No money being made.

A Special Thank You To: GreenTeaHoney. My Beta was swamped and GreenTea was kind enough to beta the first chapter for me. (I know it wasn't easy, so thanks.)


AN 1: Munyemo ~ Means: My Only Wife & I love you. It's an African endowment for one's wife.

AN2: Puerco ~ Means Pig In Spanish

AN 3: The poem Julian is reading is T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, and all rights to the poem belong to whomever is taking care of his legacy.

Now On To The Story!!!

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Othersville ~ September 22, 2004 ~ 2:05am

Dominic Keynes woke with a start. Not knowing what had roused him, he reached for his gun on the nightstand. He wondered to himself when he had become a 'shoot first, ask questions later' type of guy. Feeling the empty half of the bed next to him, he realized Jules was gone and that was why he had awakened.

Setting the gun down, Dom headed towards the living room. Once there, he saw Juliet standing in front of the window, staring at the stars. Whenever there was something on her mind, she could be found here.

Dominic walked up and stood behind her. "I didn't mean to wake you," Juliet Burke said softly, leaning back against Dom's chest.

"Can't sleep when you're like this," he responded, voice rough from sleep. They stood quietly for a few minutes before he spoke again. "Ready to tell me what's on your mind, Jules?"

"There's nothing -" she began, but Dom cut her off before she could finish.

"Don't lie to me," he interjected, but he then softened his words with a kiss to Juliet's forehead. Against her blond hair, Dom murmured, "Please just tell me the truth."

"Something major is about to happen on the Island, Dominic." This had to be really serious; Juliet rarely called Dom by his first name. "I don't know what it is," she continued, "but it's going to change life as we know it."

Dom turned his attention back to the stars, hoping desperately that she was wrong, but knowing in his heart she had spoken the truth.

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Oceanic Flight 815 ~ September 22, 2004 ~ 5 ½ Minutes Into the Flight

Though her eyes were still screwed tightly shut, Eva could finally feel the pressure on her chest letting up. "Ladies and Gentleman, this is the Captain speaking. We've reached cruising altitude." She could feel Zee grab her hand; Eva loved flying, but take-off had never been her friend and Zee knew that. Eva kept her eyes shut as she listened to the Captain. "The flight attendants will be around shortly to take food and beverage orders. Enjoy your flight and thank you for flying Oceanic Airline."

As soon as she heard the 'ding' from the 'Unfasten Seatbelts' sign, Eva's eyes popped open and she reached under her seat for her laptop and handbag. "What are you doing, Eva?" Zahara Nxumalo asked her wife. "We're on vacation. You're supposed to be taking it easy."

Taking a few deep breaths before she answered, Eva said, "I know we're on vacation, Zee. Am I not allowed to e-mail our children and balance the checkbook?"

"I'm sorry," Zahara replied while playing with the bangles on her left arm. "I'm just worried about you."

Eva moved her arm just out of Zahara's reach so she could boot up her computer. "You're just scared I'm going to embarrassed you."

"That's not true, Munyemo!"

"Don't call me that," snapped Eva Horton-Nxumalo. Reaching into her handbag, she removed an i-Pod and dropped it into Zahara's lap. "Just leave me alone. Put your i-Pod on and go to sleep."

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Camille LeBeau pulled out her journals, files and a map of Los Angeles. She was praying this woman, Eloise Hawking, would be able to help her find her uncle. From the moment she had started looking for her Uncle Luc a year ago, it had been one setback after another. After the loss of her boat in Fiji, Camille had started to wonder if she would be able to keep her promise to her mother after all.

"First time going to America?" Looking up, she saw a man smiling at her, a very handsome man, in fact.

Camille suddenly found herself at a loss for words, even though he had asked her a simple question. The silence seemed to stretch on forever before she was capable of answering. "Yes, it is," Camille said in a shaky voice. 'You would think a man never talked to me before' she thought to herself.

"Way to go Bone-Head," the blond sitting next to him said, disdain dripping from her every word. "You sure know how to pick 'em."

"Shut up, Shannon." Turning his attention back to Camille, the man said, "Don't pay any attention to my sister. By the way, my name's Boone."

"Camille," she stuttered embarrassingly. This was clearly not her day. Scratch that, it definitely hadn't been her year.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Camille," he smiled. Next to him Shannon laughed, but he just ignored her. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you going?" Boone asked, pointing at the map.

"L.A. Well, obviously. I'm looking for a church, actually." Camille flipped through her journal hurriedly, searching for its name, and then clarified, "The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels."

"Maybe we can find it together and have lunch afterwards," Boone said with a hopeful smile.

Throwing caution to the wind, Camille replied, "I would love to."

Reaching into his jacket pocket, he handed her a business card.

Boone Carlyle
COO
Carlyle Weddings
(213) 555-2323

This trip was looking better and better already.

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Veronika pushed the call button for a flight attendant yet again. If she had to listen to the man behind her any longer, she was liable to turn around and stuff her purse down his throat.

"Come on now Red, the Big Bad Wolf won't bite you." Had the guy really just said that? "I'm a Southern Gentleman, after all."

'That's it, I've had enough,' Veronika thought. She turned around in her seat and addressed the blond man behind her. "Excuse me, sir?"

"Well hello there, Mamacita," he said, giving her the once-over. "I've been looking for you all my life."

Veronika didn't know how it was possible that someone could be such a jerk. "Could you please keep your voice down?"

"Oh, I can think of whole lotta things I'd like do for you, but keeping my voice down ain't one." Sitting up further in his seat, the man grinned widely and said, "Now tell Papi what you really want."

"Listen, you Trailer Park Trash Reject, you're going to sit back, shut up and act like a good little boy."

"And if I don't?"

"I'm going to stick my size 7 Manolo Blahnik so far down you throat, you'll be having rubber for breakfast for the next year!"

Sitting back in his seat, he muttered, "See what happens when you try to be nice to the ladies."

"Puerco!"

Veronika looked up to see a flight attendant standing next to her. "How can I help you ma'am?" Great, she came now.

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"Ready to tell me why we had to come to the airport separately?" Claire Littleton asked her sister Corey.

"I needed to drop a few things off before we left, because I'm taking that leave of absence from school," Corey told Claire, hoping she would just drop the issue.

"You told me you did that a week ago, Corey." Obviously not. "So where did you really go?"

"The school called and told me that I was missing some paperwork." Corey heard Claire sigh and knew her sister didn't believe her.

"Whenever you're ready to tell me the truth, Corey, I'll be there for you," Claire said. If it only it was that simple.

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The 'Unfasten Seatbelt' sign had been on for hours now, so Callie couldn't help but notice the person sitting next to her hadn't removed her seatbelt yet.

"Are you okay?" Callie Georgeston asked the curly-haired teenager. The girl grabbed her chest and turned around to look at Callie. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's okay, my mind was a million miles away," Natalie Shepherd replied with a small chuckle. "What was the question again?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Callie pointed at the girl's lap. "I noticed you hadn't taken your seatbelt off yet."

"I'm not really into flying." Playing with the gold locket around her neck, Natalie admitted, "Actually, this is only my second time on a plane."

"Wow! My mom and I fly all the time." Callie's mother opened her eyes after hearing her daughter mention her. "This is my mom Anna," Callie introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Natalie said. Callie's mother gave them a warm smile before closing her eyes again.

"So, Callie, what do you like to do for fun?" Natalie asked.

"Nothing's better than sitting around playing my g..."

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"Let us go then, you and I, / When the evening is spread out against the sky/ Like a patient etherized upon a table; / Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets . . ."

For the third time since he started reading, Julian Bertram - Delacroix was pulled from his thoughts by a kick to the back of his chair.

"Dad, we're bored!" The older child told his father again. Julian had heard this conversation several times already.

"Please, Chris," the boy's father responded tiredly, "you guys have books to read."

"We've read them all," the child informed his father. A smile flitted across Jay's face. Of course kids that age would be bored with their books already. He was surprised they'd held out so long, actually. Julian and his brother had had attention spans of approximately five minutes, back in the days.

Julian decided to at least try and help the beleaguered father. It was the nice thing to do, not to mention the only way he would be able to get back to his book, it seemed.

"Excuse me, sir?" Jay turned around and asked.

The man behind him looked up sharply, preparing himself for a confrontation. "Look, man, I'm sorry. I'm trying my best back here."

Julian shook his head and smiled brightly. "No need to apologize. I completely understand."

"Sorry. I'm just a little tired," the put-upon father told Julian, running a hand through his black hair. "Name's Brad."

"Julian," he answered back with a handshake. "Well, Brad, I was just going to suggest maybe asking one of the flight attendants if they have something to entertain the kids."

"That's a great idea." A few moments later one walked past, and Brad called out, "Excuse me?"

"Yes, sir, how can I help you?" the flight attendant queried.

"I was wondering if maybe, you guys might have a coloring book or something I could give to the boys?" Brad answered.

"Sorry, but we don't have anything like that," she said with a fake smile and then walked away.

"It was a thought. Sorry it didn't work out," Julian said with a rueful shrug.

Brad replied, "It's okay, at least we tried."

"How old are your boys?" Julian asked.

"Chris is seven," Brad nodded towards the little boy sitting next to him, "and Owen is four." Owen who was sitting in his father's lap, smiled shyly before hiding his face in Brad's neck.

Before Julian had a chance to respond, a woman who had been sitting a few rows ahead walked towards them.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be nosey but I overheard your conversation with the flight attendant." She handed Brad two coloring books, crayons and two 'Hot Wheels' cars. "I always buy little things at the airport to give to my children, and nieces and nephews. I think you need them more than I do."

"Thank you so much," Brad said, while reaching for his wallet. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing," the woman replied. Brad was ready to protest. "You owe me nothing. I have two children and I remember what it was like to fly with them when they were younger. I just hope it helps," she said with a warm smile.

"Thank you -- "Brad stopped short, realizing he didn't even know her name.

"It's Eva." And with that she headed back to her seat.

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Flipping through his pictures, David Alexander stopped when he came to one of Uluru in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. It had been a truly an eye opening experience, spending time with the Aboriginal people. He couldn't get over how blessed he was, to win an all expense paid trip Australia.

"Hey Dude, nice rock," the heavyset man next to him said.

"Thanks, but it's more than just a rock," David replied.

"Okay, a really big rock," the man said with a confused look on his face.

David explained, "Uluru and the surrounding land have a huge spiritual significance for the Anangu Aboriginal people. According to legend ancestral spirits formed Uluru." He hoped the other man would understand.

"A big spiritual rock."

"Yeah, 'a big spiritual rock'." David laughed, knowing the other man truly meant no harm. "By the way, the name's David."

"Hurley."

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"Excuse me," the blond running down the aisle said. Abigail Lewis followed his progress for a moment

"Guess he really had to go," the older lady next to her said.

Abigail couldn't help but giggle. "When you gotta go, you gotta go," she responded. The two women looked at each other and started to laugh.

The plane started to shake with some light turbulence and their laughter stopped. Fear instantly shows on the older woman's face. "What's your name?" Abigail asked, hoping to take her mind off what was going on.

"Rose."

"Well, Rose, my name is Abigail."

"It's normal," the man sitting across the across the aisle from them said.

"Oh, I know. I've just never been a very good flyer," Rose said. "My husband keeps reminding me that planes want to be in the air."

"Well, he sounds like a very smart man.," the man said, trying to reassure her.

The plane started shaking again. "Well, ladies, my name's Jack."

"Rose."

"Abigail." As she introduced herself, Abigail grabbed Rose's hand, and the other woman squeezed back. "Don't worry it's going to be over soon," Abigail assured her, praying it was the truth.

"Ladies and gentleman, the pilot has put on the fasten seatbelt signs. Please return to your seats and fasten your seat-belts." The flight attendant announced.

"Well, we'll keep you company until he comes ba..." Jack never got to finish his sentence; the plane suddenly dropped dramatically.

Screams filled the cabin and Abigail saw people flying from their seats and hitting the ceiling. Once the oxygen masks started coming down she knew they were in trouble. She let go of Rose's hand and pulled on a mask.

Their masks donned, Abigail and Rose reached out for one another again. Hands clasped tightly with Rose's, Abigail closed her eyes and started to pray.

'I'll never see my sister again,' was her last thought before the darkness swallowed her.

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September 22, 2004 ~ 6 Hours Later

A cell phone rang. "Cobra," someone answered.

"It's Widmore," a cold voice responded.

"What do you want?"

"Approximately six hours ago, Oceanic Flight 815 dropped off the radar. My people tell me that finding this plane will give us the location of the Island."

"When and where?"

"You have twenty-four hours to get to Istanbul. No burkah needed, just a scarf and long overcoat."

"Who's my contact?"

"Captain Gault. He'll meet you at the airport."

"Anything else?"

"You know the rules. He's to be kept alive until he's off the Island." And with that, the connection was cut.

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AN4: I just wanted to thank everyone again for their OC's. If you didn't see you characters don't worry; they'll show up soon.

If you have any ideas or scenes you would like to read; please feel free to e-mail me and let me know.

DiorNicole