Author's Notes: Here's a new chapter for everyone's enjoyment. I'm going to try and get the story finished and the final four or so chapters posted before the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows next weekend. Therefore, updates should be every few days from now on.

Thank you to Gin for her review, and being the world's best beta! ♥

In addition, thanks to Angela for the review, I hope my reply helped clear some points up for you.

Enjoy...

Chapter Seven

The following day was a quiet and relaxed one for the group of people camping besides the Temple. Due to the ruined nature of the building, they'd given up their exploration of it completely, and spent the day chatting, eating what little food they had and napping.

Jeanie took the opportunity – and lack of work to do – doing what she loved best, exploring the forest. Nowhere on earth felt as calming to her as green woodlands, especially ones so close to a place that held so many happy memories.

Everyone seemed in good spirits, possibly due to the lack of anything important to do and because of no longer worrying about the crash survivors. The tranquillity had obviously had a good effect on Richard too. When they'd left, he was so wound up, so tense worrying about what Ben was doing, and what he had planned. However, since setting up camp, he had reverted to the carefree attitude Jeanie remembered him having in her twenties.

"You know what the only thing we're missing is?" Jeanie pondered, as she lay on her back on the grass, looking up at the clear blue sky. "Somewhere to go swimming. It's so hot; I could use a nice river to cool off in."

"Yeah, like I need to see you in one of your little bathing suits, running around all wet, when we're surrounded by everyone else," Richard teased.

"We are in the middle of nowhere," Jeanie reminded, with a wink. "And no one would miss us."

"Jeanie Henderson, are you suggesting we run off into the forest to have sex?" he asked, faking a look of utter shock.

"Honey, I'm suggesting nothing, I'm demanding," she stated seriously.

Richard blushed, and she clearly read the desire from his mind. She grinned to herself, loving the power she still held over him.

"But you have to catch me first," she added with a wicked smile, before jumping to her feet and streaking off into the woodlands.

Copper hair flew around her face, as Jeanie jumped over low fallen branches. Richard too had jumped to his feet at her suggestion and was not far behind her.

Finally, tiredness got the better of her, and Jeanie ended her game by slowing her pace. Richard soon caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist.

"I've got you right where I want you now," he whispered seductively in her ear.

She turned and covered his mouth with a fierce kiss, murmuring, "Or have I got you where I wanted you?"

The kiss grew more passionate, as the couple's hands explored every inch of the other's body, and slowly all clothing fell to the forest floor.

Trailing hot kisses down Jeanie's neck and to her chest, Richard lifted her up and leant her back against a large tree trunk. She tightly wound her legs around his waist as he entered her, and she let out a moan of pleasure.

As Richard thrust into her, Jeanie raked her long nails down his back, and a sexy growl escaped his lips. However, seconds later Jeanie's eyes snapped open and she pushed him back slightly.

"Are you ok, love?" Richard asked, brushing a lock of hair from her face, as they untangled their legs from each other and she dropped to the ground.

Jeanie remained silent, as she fell to her knees on the floor, her eyes fixed on a spot just beyond Richard's shoulder.

The intensity of her gaze and the fire filling her green eyes worried him, and he turned slowly to see what she was looking at. In the instant that he too saw what Jeanie was looking at, Richard froze.

A just foot away from them was Ben. However, he was different, and the couple wondered if the vision was real. Blood was seeping from their leader's head and his outline seemed to me made up of smoke. Suddenly the vision vanished, to be replaced by a billowing cloud of black.

Flashback

Jeanie had known from the moment that Richard had asked to see both her and Ben that something was about to happen. Something bad.

For most of the week, she'd been going out of her mind. She had constant headaches, and her telepathic ability was so intense now it was driving her insane. Jeanie couldn't pass anyone without picking up something from their mind.

Not asking any questions, and not wanting to be horrified by reading half-truths from his mind, Jeanie had obeyed when Richard told her to remain at the camp besides the temple. Whatever was about to happen, for her own good, Jeanie wasn't to be involved.

For hours, she waited patiently alone, her only company a few woman of the camp that she didn't know well enough to speak to.

As she lay in Richard's tent, Jeanie's head span. She could have sworn she heard a baby crying and then the sound of screams. Trying to shut off the noise, Jeanie laid her head down to take a nap. However, drifting off into a light sleep only gave her disturbing visions of people in gas masks.

A sudden noise awoke Jeanie and her eyes snapped open. All around her, she sensed danger, death and destruction. Feeling uneasy, she left the tent and began to walk into the forest. Nature always calmed her and she was most at peace among the trees.

As she walked into the denser overgrowth, Jeanie heard whispers that gradually grew louder. Soon the voices were so overwhelming that she held her head in pain and sunk to her knees.

Jeanie closed her eyes, and for a second everything went silent, until she heard the unmistakeable sound of her mother's voice.

'Jeanie,' it called.

Slowly she opened her eyes, and there before her was her own mother. However, Hazel Henderson looked all wrong. The woman's head was tilted to one side, her eyes were closed and blood seeped sinisterly out of her ears and mouth.

'Mama,' Jeanie cried, jumping to her feet and running towards the vision. However, it vanished before she reached it.

In the place where Hazel Henderson had been standing was a thick cloud of back smoke, which Jeanie approached with apprehension

'Mama?' she called again, but no reply came and tears filled her eyes. Her mother was dead and gone.

Jeanie sank to her knees and sobbed, feeling lost and afraid. Slowly, she walked back to the temple, needing comfort and love. Needing to be in Richard's embrace.

When she reached the camp, Jeanie found it filled with people, and there in the centre was Richard talking to Ben. Both of them looked grave, yet satisfied.

She ran into Richard's arms, and he instantly covered her with kisses.

'Are you ok?' he asked finally.

'Mama's dead,' Jeanie whispered with a shuddering sob.

'I'm sorry, love. It had to be done for us to live in peace," he explained and Jeanie read from his mind everything that had happened.

She saw the Island natives going to the Dharma barracks, complete with gas masks. She saw the poisonous gas leaked to all the workers, as the natives watched on with masks covering their faces. She saw everyone she'd known growing up at the Dharma camp lying dead. Her own parents lying dead.

' I am sorry, love,' Richard said again.

Jeanie sighed, ' I know it was all for the best., but they were my family at the end of the day. I know I never got on with my father, but my Mama..." she trailed off, breaking into tears again.

Richard tightened his embrace around Jeanie and gently stroked her copper hair from her eyes.

He lifted her chin, so that he could look into her green eyes – they were glistening with tears and showed the hurt she felt inside. Again, he felt guilty, because he'd taken her innocence, her childhood and now her family. All Richard could hope is that one day Jeanie would realize that what had happened was necessary for the survival of the Island, and that she'd never be truly happy while her father was controlling her life.

He also prayed the love he felt for her would be enough to console her grief. She meant the world to him, and he'd never let anything harm or hurt her again.

'Jeanie, I promise you everything will be alright. I love you, and won't let anything hurt you again," Richard whispered.

Due to her grief, Jeanie had a hard time taking in Richard's words and his confession of love. However, how he felt finally hit her, and the knowledge eased her sadness a little.

Slowly, she freed herself from Richard's embrace and turned to look at Ben. 'Are you alright?' she asked.

'I'm fine,' he shrugged. 'It's done and we're free.'

'And what about you father?' she asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

Ben remained silent and she read the disturbing truth from his mind. He'd killed his own father, and even worse, he could easily kill again given the right circumstances.

End Flashback

"Jacob?" whispered Jeanie, her gaze glued to the spot, where the black smoke was now fading. Then in an instant, her eyes re-focused and Jeanie snapped out of her trance. "It's Ben, he's close. I sensed danger."

"Jeanie, what are you on about?" Richard asked, pulling Jeanie to her feet. He knew she had an uncanny knack at reading minds and her frequent ability to sense when someone was close by, and in a situation like this, it wasn't a good thing. The vision of Ben, the appearance of the smoke and Jeanie's trance like state, worried him more than he could express.

"We have to get back to the camp...now!" Jeanie said in a tone so much unlike her natural voice that it was disturbing. "We're all in gave danger."