A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry this update has taken a bit longer than usual. I've been pretty busy lately, and not in the best mood to be writing. One thing you should know before reading this chapter is that the Henry Gale that appears in my fic isn't the same one that's on the show. See, I started planning out plots for Henry after seeing his first appearance on the show, so I really didn't know much about him. And yes, his name really is Henry Gale in my fic, so just disregard anything that happened on the hike to find Henry's balloon. Anything important about Henry will be revealed as my fic goes along, so I think this is about all I need to tell you for now.

Thanks for reading my fic guys and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I still don't own it…

All The Right Reasons

Chapter 13: The Deal

The silence of the room was deafening, biting at the back of Jack's skull and ringing in his ears. He could hear the frantic pounding of his heart within his chest, feel the burning of his blood pumping through his veins. Everything was so surreal, as Jack felt himself being thrown through another metal door. The light was blinding, almost possessing a whiteness to it as it dimmed his vision and through him into a haze.

His heart pounded in his ears as he was shoved roughly to his knees, the ropes that bound his wrists tightly behind his back biting into his flesh with a vengeance. Gritting his teeth, he winced as the ropes burned against his already raw skin. Jack felt as though he was choking on his own breath, coughing as he fought just to draw in air.

As the room began to settle, his vision clearing, Jack realized he was far from alone. The two men that had brought him here were standing just behind him, as though ready for any sign of movement on his part. He was surrounded by a line of men dressed similarly to the two he had already seen. He looked at them all in confusion, the realization that they looked nothing like the men that had captured him dawning on him with an odd sense of curiosity.

Any notion he had had of considering what that fact could mean evaporated from his mind when his eyes fell on the man standing directly in front of him, emerald green eyes cutting into Jack's vision like a knife. He knew without so much as a stray thought who this man was, knowing right away at seeing the mass of flaming red hair and the long white lab coat. It had been the same man from his cell.

Swallowing hard, Jack met the man's hard gaze, feeling himself inwardly recoil. The thick sound of the man's chuckling filled Jack's ears, ringing in his head. He felt a wave of anger wash over him at the sound, unable to rid it from his mind.

"I have to say, Jack, I never saw this one coming," the man spoke, voice gruff and dry as he spoke with an amused chuckle, "I always took you as one to take orders, obey them. And they were simple. I was clear. No question what I wanted from you, Jack, none at all," again he chuckled, but a sort of seriousness washed over him in an instant, his emerald eyes gaining a menacing glint, "But you still didn't listen. I told you to bring the boy and she'd go free. Simple as that. But you just didn't listen. And now you'll pay. You'll pay for that, Jack."

Jack felt the two men at each side of him shift and his entire body tensed. Every inch of him still ached from his last try at defiance. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. So he stared in a doomed silence at the man, feeling the bitter strings of defeat slowing wrapping around him.

"And so I asked myself Jack, just what I should do with you," there came that same old grin playing at the edges of the man's mouth, the white of his teeth glinting in the stark light, "Of course my first thought was of the girl…" he paused then, stopping to fix his gaze on Jack.

Jack felt his body tense as he stared the man down, "Don't hurt her…" as much as he had wanted to sound firm, his voice came out with a rocky, shaking texture.

The man just laughed, an amused smile playing at his lips, "I have no intention to," he voiced harshly, eyes never breaking from Jack, "What I wanted from her, I already have. But perhaps that isn't a relief to you, Jack? I don't need her now. Whatever happens to her, its of no consequence to me. Disposable, I think is a fitting word…"

"You said you wouldn't hurt her!" Jack yelled, voice coming out in little more than a low choked growl. He nearly jumped then, unconsciously fighting at his bonds. He felt his heart race wildly within his chest, blood rushing to his face in a fury.

"And I'm completely aware of that, Jack and have every intention of keeping my word," the grin that twisted at the man's lips threw Jack's mind into a whirl that he could hardly have imagined, "But I'm not the only man here, now am I?"

Jack let out a strangled yell, mind falling into a frantic chaos as he was unable to say anything he was thinking. He started to force himself to his feet, stumbling as he fought at the ropes that were biting into his skin. His blood burned as it rushed through his veins, his heart pounding wildly within his chest, resounding in his ears. His pulse roared as he fell forward, flat on his face as he clawed at the floor, grasping for anything to pull him to the man.

Everything was happening so fast, his racing anger consuming him, he hardly heard the tiny click as the man snapped his fingers, hardly felt strong arms pull at him from each side. Jack was jerked back into reality as he felt a sharp kick land in his side, the boot clad foot digging into his ribs with a sickening thud.

He was pulled back to support himself on his knees, his head jerked roughly up to stare at the man once more as his attackers again stepped away. This time Jack didn't break away from the man's gaze, only met it with an intensity he hadn't known he possessed. His breathing came in rough gasps as he fought for air, the force of the kick having knocked the wind out of him.

"You're familiar with Oxymetholone, aren't you Jack? Top notch doctor like yourself probably uses it in some form everyday," the man spoke with a newfound seriousness, the wild amusement no longer present in his face, "For the sake of the lesser minds here, why don't you explain it, Jack? What is Oxymetholone for?"

Jack was silent for several agonizing moments, feigning a need to catch his breath. In reality, he couldn't have been more alert as the wheels turns in his mind, consciousness jumping to a thousand places at once. Seeing the insistence in the man's stare, Jack hardly dared not to speak up.

"It's the main anabolic compound in steroids…" Jack's voice was weighed down, the resistance that had formerly been there pounded out into nothing. His voice wavered as he spoke, mind traveling to all the things this change of conversation could mean.

"Very good, Jack," the man had a false praise to his voice, gaining a mocking tone, "Now I'm sure you've done your homework, so you've probably read some of the theories out there on the effects of Oxymetholone in its pure form. And you'll also know that as far as modern science is concerned, its entirely impossible. But all that aside, Jack, I'm proud to say that through my own vigorous studies, it has been achieved."

"Now unfortunately, its not been tested for human use. I'm a busy man. But I have played with it, Jack and do you know what I found?" the pride was unmistakable in the man's voice. In just that instant, it was almost as though he were speaking to a friendly colleague, bragging about his work rather than threatening a prisoner, "Hostility. With just a tiny dosage on a lab rat, that much was obvious. And do you know what happened when we put him back in his cage with the other rats? He tore them apart. Every last one of them. He killed them all Jack, and it only took him a matter of minutes."

Jack swallowed hard, but continued to listen. He was being given an option. That was all this had ever been and he knew now that he had to know everything. All of the risks, every single aspect of the deal. He had to listen now, as much as he just wanted to hum loudly, yell, scream or just anything to block out the man's voice.

Before he knew it, the man had taken a step closer to him, bending down so that he was suddenly eye level with Jack. He could feel the intensity pouring from the man's emerald orbs, bearing down on Jack with an unspeakable force.

"So Jack, I'm leaving you with a choice," the man just smiled then, though it was far from an amused one. Jack swallowed hard, wanting so desperately to pull out of the emerald gaze, "You can comply, follow orders from here on in, and she'll remain as she is. Or, you can continue to act as you have, fighting me at every corner. But I promise you Jack, you will pay. And not only you. She will pay just as surely as you will. Perhaps more."

"Give me a reason Jack, just one tiny show of defiance, and I will make you my first human test of Oxymetholone. And you know what I'll do then, Jack? I'll put you back in the cell with her," the harshness was ever present in the man's voice, his eyes alight with a malicious amusement and a smile so grizzly that Jack couldn't tear it from his racing mind, "So yes, Jack, I won't lay a hand on her. But you will. What happens to her, that's up to you now, Jack…Do I make myself clear?"

He couldn't focus, couldn't force his mind to land on any single thought. If he did, all he could picture was her and a cold look of horror on her face meant only for him. A look of repulsion, of fear and a look that he wouldn't soon forget. It was several moments before he could make himself even think of responding to the man, to even consider snuffing out any notion he had had to throw himself at the man.

After a moment, he nodded his head, eyes clamped tightly shut with the idea of blocking out those menacing eyes which he knew would hold a look of triumph. He wished he couldn't hear the man's sick laughter as he chuckled at Jack's response.

Opening his eyes after several moments, Jack attempted to look anywhere but at the man, but there was nothing he could do to avoid it. He saw the man turn to the side, to the two men that had brought Jack here in the first place. There was a look of utmost amusement written in his emerald eyes, his wisps of fiery hair flicking to the side as he threw his head back in laughter.

"Take him to the exam room, base level," the man barked an order before Jack had even acknowledged that he was speaking. Jack blinked, wondering what else could happen. Somehow though, all he could see in his mind was an ever vivid image of Kate, a look of utmost horror written in her soft features, "Dr. Gale will be in need of a new subject with the girl out of commission. And Jack," the man's attention had suddenly fallen to him again, forcing Jack from his thoughts as the man's gaze bore sharply down on him, "Don't forget our deal. I would hate to have to keep my word."

"Has he said anything?" Locke questioned, hand on his hip as he gazed at Sayid. The man was leaning his frame against the wall of the cave, standing just to the entrance. He looked thoughtful for a moment, emitting a small chuckle that was far from amused.

"He has said plenty, though none of it useful…" Sayid responded after a moment, shaking his head in obvious frustration, "I don't know what to make of him. None of what he says strikes me as a lie, yet he won't answer anything that truly matters."

"Well what has he said?" Locke asked curiously, raising an eyebrow as he continued to watch the man before him who was now pacing like a caged tiger.

"He says that his name is Desmond, that much is probably true," Sayid said tentatively, speaking slowly as though there was something on his mind he was hesitant to voice. After a moment though, he continued, "He also says that he is a survivor of a shipwreck. He has no knowledge of the whereabouts of his ship, and won't discuss any of it further. The man is unaffected by any of my usual tactics," Sayid paused then, a haunting gleam of menace glowing in the depths of his eyes, slowly drifting to the surface. It sent a chill down Locke's spine.

"Mind if I give it a try then?" Locke asked, speaking carefully as he gauged Sayid's reaction. His lips twisted into the smallest of smiles and he watched as Sayid returned his gaze, eyeing him skeptically.

"I can't see that it would do any harm…" Sayid responded with a sigh, shaking his head in frustration, "Go ahead, but don't give him any unnecessary information. It is highly possible that he is one of them."

Locke nodded, mind running over everything that was about to happen, "And where will I find you when I'm done?"

"I'll be nearby," Sayid responded, voice breaking as his lips stretched into a wide yawn, "Its probably best that I get what little rest that I can." He clapped Locke on the shoulder, nodding supportively to him as he made a slow walk in the direction to the other side of the caves. Locke watched as the man approached Shannon, body slumped over in obvious exhaustion. Smiling, Locke watched as she fussed over Sayid, immediately ushering him into a nearby cave.

Hesitating only for a moment, Locke made his way into the cave, passing through the narrow entrance as his mind jumped to all that he might ask the man once he reached him. Locke couldn't begin to explain it, but he felt drawn to this man. Even through the fear that had pierced him at being held at gunpoint, Locke had seen that this was a man he needed to get to know. It was the same pull that had drawn Locke to the hatch, made him so obsessively willing to do anything to find out more about it. It was a feeling Locke could only describe as the pull of fate, the instruction of the island.

"Ah, I was wondering when I'd be seeing you again, brother…" came a ragged reply, the man's voice cracking. Locke's eyes fell on Desmond, who was hunched back in the farthest corner of the cave, enveloped by shadows.

Stepping closer, the dim torchlight from the mouth of the cave visibly washed over the man's dark form, exposing him to the light. He looked like a mess, hands bound before him, the ropes obviously cutting into his wrists. His face was badly bruised, his right eye shifting from a deep shade of purple and beginning to yellow. Though the rest of his body was completely covered in the odd jumpsuit he was wearing, Locke knew just from looking at the condition of the man's face that Sayid hadn't stopped there.

There was nothing that could make Locke understand how Sayid could bring himself to do this. First with Sawyer, then with Henry Gale. And now this man called Desmond. Locke didn't blame Sayid by any means. He had done what was necessary. In war, no soldier would ever hesitate to act the same and the way Locke saw it, every one of them was currently in a state of war with these mysterious Others. There was just no other way to look at it if one hoped to stay alive.

"It's all nonsense, he says…" Desmond's voice cracked, that same wild gleam shining in his broken eyes. His tumble of brown curls fell in a tangled mess down in his face, "And maybe it is…but you, you'll listen…you'll hear me out…"

"What did he say was nonsense?" Locke asked, brows furrowing as he looked on in confusion at the man, unsure of how to take this sudden outburst.

"The button…its all about the button…" there was a maniacal glint to his eyes, a terrible edge to his cracked voice, but Desmond pressed on in a rush, "It's got to be pushed, I say to him…"

"What button?" Locke asked, eyes widening in sudden curiosity.

"The button, brother…in the Swan…" his voice was desperate now, raspy with a kind of panic. Locke could only look upon him in confusion, "Every 108 minutes, its got to be pushed…"

"What are you talking about?" Locke questioned, every ounce of his attention focused on Desmond.

"Listen to me, brother!" Desmond all but yelled, somehow gaining back his courage as his voice broke from exhaustion, hands trembling within their binds, "It's been well over sixty minutes. The button must be pushed! You have to push it…"

"Why do I have to push the button, Desmond?" Locke asked and was shocked when Desmond's entire body shook with fury, eyes alight with a panicked frustration.

"There's no time for that, brother! We're all going to die…every last one of us, if that button's not pushed!" Desmond shifted wildly, eyes blazing as he stared Locke down.

"And Sayid, he thought this was nonsense?" Locke asked, not yet ready to believe the man. If anything, this threw Desmond into an even more desperate frenzy.

"You don't understand, brother! Its got to be pushed! There's no time!" Desmond howled, looking for all the world like he was going to break into a thousand pieces at any moment. Something about the man's behavior caught Locke's attention, made all of his wild claims somehow believable. The island brought this man to you, John, a voice resounded in his head, echoing on and on like a mantra.

"And this button, if I press it, will you promise to tell me everything you know?" Locke asked, feeling the need to bargain with this man. He knew in the pit of his stomach that Sayid would not remain sleeping for long and that the first thing he would do would be to continue to interrogate Desmond. The island had brought this man to Locke, and he couldn't allow him to be ruined by Sayid.

"Yes, just do it!" the man pleaded, eyeing Locke as though he was his only possible savior. Locke nodded, feeling suddenly electric with energy, adrenaline coursing through his veins like wildfire.

"Where am I supposed to find it?" Locke asked quickly, preparing himself to take mental notes of everything Desmond said, "What am I supposed to do?"

"You need to run due north from here, just the way you came. Pass through the clearing where you found me and go about a hundred yards. You'll find it then. A big metal door," Desmond explained, wild eyes struggling for composure, though it was obvious he wasn't going to be able to calm down, "Once inside, you'll be in a tunnel. Follow it on through until you're in an open room. Look for a computer. It'll be the only one there. You have to enter the code. 4 8 15 16 23 42 and then hit execute. Again, 4 8 15-"

"I think I've got it…" Locke cut him off, running over the instructions in his mind.

"You've got to hurry, brother!" Desmond all but yelled, eyes begging Locke to just leave, "Remember, 4 8 15 16 23 42 execute!" he called after Locke's retreating form.

Jack's mind was in a blur as he was again roughly forced into a room, this time the door meriting a code to be punched in. There was a crackling of an intercom just above the door, the static screech echoing through the long hallway.

"Send him in…" came a cracked voice over the intercom, the static all but drowning out his words. The large metal door in front of him immediately slid open, disappearing into the wall. He was thrown forward, back aching form the whiplash feel of it and felt his legs reluctantly move forward, stumbling into the room.

He was thrown immediately to the floor, body slamming into the cold metal with a sickening thud. Jack's face collided with the floor, skin burning as he slid to a stop. He hadn't realized he wasn't breathing until he started again, his eyes darting open as a wave of realization hit him. Jack's mind only began to clear as the sound of the metal door sliding open and the closed again met his ears, the two men leaving him there.

There was an idle clicking sound, the only noise in the room aside from his own ragged breathing. It was an insistent pecking, one that sounded so utterly familiar, so simple, yet Jack couldn't place it. Jerking his head painfully to the sound, Jack's eyes fell on its source.

Further in the room, a man sat on a tall backed stool. He was facing a computer, his fingers pecking away at the keys as he logged some kind of information. The man didn't seem to acknowledge Jack, but kept his interest firmly to the computer.

Jack took this tiny instant of peace to take in a long breath, gulping in air as though it was his last. He took in his surroundings then, seeing it all for the first time. The room was much like the other rooms, but there was something very different about this one. Jack tried to make sense of it. It was as though this one was somehow more civilized.

The walls were whitewashed, and the entire room had a sterile feel to it, the scent of bleach cleaning in the air. There were countless contraptions strewn around the room. Some round and wiry, others box shaped. There were monitors very similar to ones that Jack had used as a doctor, though some of them seemed very outdated. To his surprise though, most of the machines were of the newest lines, many of which of a like Jack had never seen.

His eyes fell on a shelving system that lined the far wall. It was stocked with hundreds of bottles, all labeled. Jack assumed they contained pills, but who knew in this place? Also on the shelves was a series of syringes, more than outnumbering the pill bottles. Give me a reason Jack, just one tiny show of defiance, and I will make you my first human test of Oxymetholone. The man's words rang clear in Jack's mind, weighing on him. He didn't want to think of what might be in those syringes.

"Hello again, Jack," he nearly jumped as he heard his name being called, the sound of the man's voice splitting the air.

Jack jerked his head up and to the desk where the man sat. He drew in a sharp breath when he realized who it was.

"My name is Dr. Henry Gale, but you already know that…" Gale voiced, a small smile twisting across his lips as he took a step towards Jack. He pulled a clipboard off a nearby desk and then continued the rest of the way, closing the distance between himself and Jack.

Jack wanted nothing more than to just sink into the floor as his eyes followed Henry Gale, glaring daggers at him. The man was walking in a small circle around Jack, looking him up and down as he occasionally scribbled something down on the clipboard.

"I can be a sensible man, Jack…" again Henry's voice split the air as he finished what he was doing and came to a stop directly in front of Jack. He looked down at Jack, his green gray eyes bearing down on him in interest. Henry nodded his head, pointing with his pen to Jack's wrists. Jack flinched, scooting back several inches across the floor, "These bonds, they won't be necessary. Dr. DeGroot has already given you the proposition?"

Hesitating for a moment, Jack met the man's gaze, glaring intensely at him. Gritting his teeth, he nodded. His face held a stone cold expression that seemed to do nothing more than amuse Gale. The man turned away from him briefly, reaching up to one of the shelves Jack had previously been studying. He took a syringe and one of the bottles into one hand, turning back to face Jack.

"Oxymetholone," Henry confirmed, nodding to the bottle. It was clear and filled to the brim with a transparent, yellowish liquid. Jack eyed it cautiously, unable to rid his mind of that same image of Kate, "I think its only fair that I warn you now Jack, that my orders are to give you a full injection at any sign of a struggle."

Jack continued to eye the bottle, never letting it leave his gaze even as Henry placed it back up on the shelf and turned back to face him again.

"I will also warn you that if necessary, I'm armed," Henry's eyes bore a menacing glint as he patted his side, pulling back the long white lab coat just enough to reveal a black leather holster with a handgun securely attached, "Any struggle would be foolish, Jack. It will only cost you in the end. Your friend Kate wasn't too quick to learn that."

"What the hell did you do to her?" Jack's voice came out in a low growl, finally asking the question that had been plaguing him since he had first set eyes on her in the cell.

"Now that is a question I would much prefer to answer as we go along, Jack, as you will be experiencing much of it yourself," Henry replied curtly, once again turning away from Jack to move back to his desk. He had his back turned to Jack, so that Jack never saw the amused grin that stretched over Henry's face, "But the thing you ought to know, Jack, is that you're not asking the right questions…"

Jack sat, dumbfounded at Henry's response, mind jumping to too many thoughts at once. A fury burned within him that whatever he was sure to suffer, Kate already had. That he would sit through it all, knowing that not so long ago she had been through the very same. As calm and collected as Henry seemed, much more so than this man Henry called DeGroot, Jack knew that he was still the bad guy. Henry was just as much to be feared as this DeGroot and was probably capable of much more anyway. There was just something about him, perhaps just the stone cold look in his eyes, the gray glint there, that sent an involuntary shiver down Jack's spine.

"As I said before, Jack, I can be a sensible man," Henry said again, reaching into his desk to pull out a small pocket knife. Jack eyed him suspiciously as he approached and shifted uncomfortably as he knelt down in front of him, "These bonds, they won't be necessary. You've been warned. You know the consequences. Just remember that."

Without another word, Henry swiftly cut the ropes that were securely binding Jack's wrists. The bindings fell loosely to the floor, revealing two pink rings of raw skin around his wrists where they had been. Jack rubbed at the soreness there, flinching at the sting.

As he continued to rub at his wrists, gritting his teeth, Jack spoke up again, "What do you want from us?" Henry chuckled, turning back to face Jack.

"Well, Jack, when it was only her, our intentions were very simple," he replied, turning back to his work as he continued to speak to Jack, seemingly uncaring that he was turning his back on an entirely unrestrained prisoner, "She was a hostage, a bargaining chip if you will…all I wanted from her was what I want from you now. Cooperation," Henry paused, that same menacing gleam returning to his eyes as he continued in an almost mocking tone, "Now what DeGroot wanted from her, that was entirely different…"

Jack felt his blood run cold at this last explanation, not letting the menacing tone go unnoticed. Everything about Henry told Jack that what he was saying and what he meant where two completely different things. Clenching his fists at his sides, Jack felt an anger sweep through him, his arms shaking.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he couldn't help that his voice shook as he spoke, his entire body trembling against his will. A dread like he couldn't begin to explain washed over him as Henry just laughed, gazing upon him with a kind of sick satisfaction.

"What it means Jack is that Dr. DeGroot has his ways and I have mine," Henry explained, voice thick with amusement as his gray eyes bore into Jack's stare, "I prefer to keep strictly to business. Time moves quickly, Jack, and science can't be made to wait. On the other hand, DeGroot has a love for amusement, for entertainment that doesn't pertain to his work…He loves science and is as devoted to its advancement as much as the next man in our organization, but he has other desires, other needs…"

It took a moment for Henry's words to dawn on Jack. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, knocking him in the chest and nearly bowling him over. His eyes widened, and after that everything came to him in a blur, eyes burning with a fury as he forced himself to his feet. Jack was almost unaware as he rushed Henry, throwing him roughly over the desk as they both slide and hit the wall. The impact shook Jack, throwing him off just enough for Henry to gain his bearings.

"You bastard!" Jack yelled, an uncontrolled fury coursing through him, gaining full control of his mind. His hands went to Henry's neck, his entire body forcing him further against the wall and preventing him from moving.

To his shock, Henry just laughed, a knowing smile washing over his face, matching the amusement that was alight in his eyes. It all happened so fast that Jack barely had time to register it before it was all over. There was a prick at his neck, followed by a persistent sting. Looking down, he saw a syringe sticking there, impaled into his neck.

Stumbling back, Jack let Henry drop to the floor, falling several steps away, eyes wide with horror. Cringing, Jack jerked the syringe angrily from his beck, dropping it to the floor as he jerked his head to the Henry's desk. There was an empty spot where Henry had left the Oxymetholone. Horrified, Jack realized what he had been injected with just as he stumbled, falling back slowly.

A kind of drowsiness was washing over him, his vision becoming hazy and confused. As he fell to the floor, he could see Henry standing over him, watching him slowly blink as his head spun. He made no move to protest, unable to fight if he had wanted to as Henry stepped behind him, lifting him up by his torso and dragging him across the cold metal floor. Jack was hardly aware as Henry opened the door of a closet like structure that he hadn't noticed before.

He was forced inside as Henry hastily slammed the door behind him. Jack heard the click of a lock as his head fell down onto the floor, slamming against it with a thud. The room was set up like an interrogation room. There was a potted plant in the corner and a table and chairs towards the center. Other items were scattered around, but Jack hardly noticed them.

It felt like an icy cold that spread through his system now, branching out through his bloodstream. Everything about him felt suddenly chilled, numbing him all over. It took only a few more moments for Jack to lose awareness completely. He never fell into a darkness, just lay on the floor with his eyes wide open, unable to comprehend anything.

Locke's heart pounded with excitement, complete and utter anticipation as he stepped from the tunnel into the open room, just as he had been instructed. The picture before him now was nearly indescribably as none of the words that came to Locke's mind could truly credit it. It was like something out of an old science fiction movie, something so unreal yet here it was.

Stepping into the room, Locke's immediately shot up, following the ceiling. His breath caught in his throat, eyes wide at the sight of it. It was in the shape of a dome, yellowed glass panels, reinforced by thick bars of steel to separate them. Wires ran all along the ceiling, along with copper colored piping that ran all along the walls, some all the way to the cement of the floor.

Eyes scanning the room, Locke found it was packed with a series of machines and other contraptions. Two of the big box shaped devices had big wheels atop them, turning slowly around, probably powering them. There was a wide assortment of tiny lights coming from just about everything in the room. Any color imaginable, and Locke could see it blinking from somewhere.

The main lighting itself was lacking. It was all very dim, providing very little into the room. It all seemed so artificial, so fake. He couldn't quite explain it, but everything about the place was just so familiar. He felt a familiar pull, drawing him in further. And it was only then that the thought crossed Locke's mind that something like this, something so obviously man made didn't just spring up out of nowhere in the middle of the jungle.

He was pulled almost immediately from his thoughts as a screeching alarm pierced the air, blaring seemingly from every corner of the room. Locke jumped, body going suddenly alert as his head jerked to each side. He fell into a sickening awareness that he had come unarmed aside from his usual hunting knife. Anyone who could be in a place like this was probably better armed.

"It's been well over sixty minutes. The button must be pushed! You have to push it…"

Desmond's voice rang clear in Locke's mind. He was here for a reason. He had known it from the start, from the very moment that he had seen Desmond in that clearing. Whatever the alarm was, it could wait. It had to wait. This button was what he was here for. Fate had brought him here and if it meant to never let him walk out, then that was just the way it would have to be.

Without taking a second thought, Locke darted for the desk that sat in the center of the room, a rather ancient looking computer atop it. Of everything in the room, the computer was perhaps the oddest. Desmond had put so much value in it, claiming that everything depended on it. And Locke believed him. He still did. But even with his faith, Locke had to admit that if anything, this computer looked worse than one that could be purchased at a yard sale. It was incredibly old, outdated. It looked like it was on its last leg.

Again Locke pushed the doubt from his mind, still believing that this was his time. This was fate, and since when did fate have to be pretty? Boone's death was fate. The plane crash and all those who lost their lives, that was all fate. And what was so great about that? What was so attractive about all of the death and destruction that was the face of fate that day? But it was fate none the less. Destiny.

Gazing expectantly at the rounded black screen of the computer, Locke saw a blinking green line. Setting his mind to task, Locke positioned his fingers over the keys and carefully entered in the code, mentally checking it over twice just to be certain it was correct. Eyes locked to the screen in utter determination, Locke hit the execute button, mentally begging for something. Some sign, just anything.

There was a flipping sound and Locke jerked his head up to see a series of numbers on the wall. They were flipping over repeatedly, making the loud clicking noise he had heard. The alarm immediately came to a stop, the room falling into a looming silence. The numbers stopped then, landing on a solid 108:00. Locke saw it then, understanding what it was. A clock.

"Every 108 minutes it's got to be pushed…"

That must be it then. A countdown clock for the computer, for the button, Locke mused, suddenly falling into a kind of understanding. Stepping away from the desk, Locke found himself lost in a kind of satisfied awe. Halfway in a daze, he stepped away from the computer and just took in the room.

For what must have been well over an hour, Locke searched through the entire place. He had found a pantry full of food and all kinds of supplies that would be invaluable to the rest of the survivors. There was a kitchen, holding everything from a fridge to a sink. Down the hall from the kitchen there was a bathroom, something Locke was certain everyone would be more than grateful to have, but the icing on the cake was the shower. To think, an actual shower! Locke couldn't remember the last time he had had a good hot shower, just letting the warm water wash over him.

Everything about the place was a mystery. In a way, it had a very closed in feel, almost like a prison. The concrete walls that covered most of the place were far from welcoming, but Locke thought that the rest of what it had to offer more than made up for that fact.

Stepping back into the main computer room, Locke saw something he had failed to notice before. It was an unlit hallway that had attracted his attention, one that looked somehow different from everything else. There was only a moment's hesitation before Locke was walking straight to it, wanting nothing left unexplored. If he was going to bring Sayid and the rest here, he had to know it himself first.

Grabbing a flashlight Locke had found in one of the desk drawers he made his way into the hallway, immediately enveloped by the darkness. He had only walked a few steps before he felt and saw a huge difference in this part of the place. It was considerably colder, so much that the chill came as a shock to him. Locke could feel a kind of dampness about the air, and it was only intensified as he heard water dripping from the ceiling.

Coming around a tight bend, Locke's boot clad feet met dirt, and he almost stumbled as he stepped off of the concrete floor. He was blinded by a sudden light. It was much brighter than the light anywhere else in the place, even the electric lights. And it had a more natural feel to it.

As his eyes adjusted, Locke looked up to find the source of the light and saw that he was looking up into the clear blue sky, shaded by the canopy of trees that marked the jungle. That was when Locke's eyes scanned along the concrete walls that led up the tunnel, falling onto a rusted ladder that only came halfway down from the hole in the ceiling, breaking off several steps down.

Locke dropped the flashlight, nearly stumbling over as his eyes locked onto the broken ladder. Eyes wide, Locke braced himself onto the wall of the tunnel, fully needing it to keep him from falling flat on his face from the shock of it all. The hatch. His hatch. He was here. He had finally made it.

A smile like Locke had never had graced his face, stretching wide across his lips as his eyes twinkled in the warmth of the sunlight. He raised both hands in the air, clamping his eyes tightly shut as tears of utmost joy began to stream down his face. His body collapsed to the ground, face pointed to the heavens, sitting on his knees and just soaking it all in. He was home.

A/N: Well, what did you guys think? As I said before, just disregard whatever is shown about the Others on the show because mine were planned early on in season 2. Chances are they won't be remotely the same. Oh, and I'm sorry there weren't any Kate scenes in this chapter. Don't worry, she should be back by next chapter! Anyway, as always I really love to read your feedback, so please review. I'd really appreciate it! Any questions or concerns are welcome and I'll do my best to answer. Thanks again for reading! Look for a new chapter sometime later this week.