Chapter Six: Lost and Found

"Kate, are you ready to go?" Jack asked from outside Kate's tent early the next morning. The sun was already high in the sky, beating down on Jack, who was already forming tiny beads of perspiration on his forehead. He was grateful for the few water bottles he packed in his bag for the trip. Though the trip itself he wasn't looking forward too. Violet had been missing for about a week now, and he and Kate had searched the jungle daily ever since. Jack wasn't sure how many more times he could return to camp with no more information than when he left. Violet's disappearance was killing him, but he wouldn't let on to Kate. She was already in low spirits since Violet was taken. But Jack would not give up. Whatever the Others wanted with Violet, he wasn't about to give her up without a fight.

Kate emerged from her tent, swinging her backpack over her shoulder with sad eyes. This had been a daily routine for the last week. It was beginning to feel like they going in circles with their search for Violet. Kate felt as though they had searched the entire jungle, finding nothing, but as helpless and hopeless as she felt, she couldn't give up either. Not when Violet's life was at stake. Not when it's my fault she's out there. She thought to herself as she stared at Jack.

"I'm ready. Let's go." She said quietly as the two of them headed toward the jungle. Some of the islanders stared at them, seemingly questioning why they were still searching for Violet when she had already been gone for a week. Kate had heard the whispers that were going around the camp. Some thought Violet was dead, some thought the Others would eventually send her back like they did Claire, others decided not to talk about it at all.

Kate didn't care what any of them thought. She wouldn't accept that Violet was dead. If the Others had wanted Violet dead, they would have just killed her on the beach. It wouldn't be the first time the Others had come in and killed someone while everyone else was sleeping.

No, they wanted her for something. I just wish I knew what. Kate thought to herself as she trudged into the jungle with Jack on her heels. It took them a good half an hour to reach the clearing they had left the day before, and the half hour was silent, both deeply submerged in their own thoughts and feelings. They walked around, looking for footprints, or clues of the Others passing through, but Kate knew finding a footprint was beyond impossible at this point. It had rained a few times already this week, washing away any hopes of finding a trail. Still, Kate hoped maybe the Others slipped up somehow, maybe leaving another of Violet's things along the way, like a shoe, or anything that could help them find her.

The silence was eating away at her, and finally, she could no longer contain herself.

"What do you think they're doing to her?" She asked, still inspecting the ground for clues, but she could feel Jack's inquisitive eyes on her.

"Sorry?" He asked. Kate finally turned and faced him, sighing.

"The Others," she said, "What do you think they're doing to Violet?" Jack stared at her for a moment, and then shook her head.

"Kate, don't." He said. She looked at him with daring eyes.

"Why not?" She asked, feeling defensive.

"Don't do this to yourself. We don't know what they're doing to her, but there's no point living in the hypothetical. If we sit here trying to imagine what Violet's going through, we'll be no help to her. Once we find her, and bring her back, she can tell us, if she wants to." Jack replied. Kate sighed, knowing Jack was right, but she couldn't help but wonder. Claire had no memory whatsoever of what they had done to her when she had been taken, so what they had done to her must not have been pleasant. And then there was Charlie. Kate shuddered as she still had nightmares of finding Charlie hanging by a vine around his neck, left for dead by the Others. Why they wanted Violet, Kate didn't know, but she wasn't about to rest until she found her, and had her safely back on the beach.

"I'm sorry Jack." She said finally, as she lowered herself onto a small log, taking off her backpack for a break. Jack joined her quietly.

"For what?" He asked casually. Kate sighed.

"I know I haven't been myself this past week, but Jack, I don't think I could forgive myself if we don't find her. It's just killing me." She admitted. Jack nodded his understanding. He understood more than he let on.

"I know Kate. I want to find her as much as you do, but we have to keep our heads about it. We can't fight these people if we don't." He replied, and was silent as Kate nodded slowly. She stared at her folded hands in her lap.

"Hey," Jack spoke up, "We will find her, okay? I promise." Kate sighed, and finally looked up at Jack with moist eyes.

"Jack, one thing I've learned from all of this; you shouldn't make promises you may not be able to keep." She said quietly. Jack opened his mouth, about to say something in response, when they heard rustling in the bushes. They both jumped to their feet to see Shannon walking into the clearing with Sayid hot on her tail, both far enough away not to notice Jack or Kate. Kate wasn't overly surprised to see the two of them together. They had been spending a lot of time together, and had definitely taken their relationship to the next level. Sayid had mentioned their relationship a few times, but today, for some reason, Shannon looked worried. Kate couldn't even puzzle it out, everything happened so quickly. Sayid was trying to calm Shannon down, who seemed upset about something when the sound of a gunshot echoed through the clearing, causing everyone to instinctively fall to their knees.

Kate didn't dare to move, as fear paralyzed her body, but as she removed her hands from her head, and carefully looked up, she saw Sayid, cradling Shannon's body in his arms, as he cried out in shock. Kate saw the blood on the ground, and knew it was Shannon who had been shot, but it was what she saw beyond Sayid that shocked her. A group of people, staring at the sight in front of them, and a woman standing in front, still holding her gun closely, surveying the scene in front of her. For a brief moment, Kate thought these people were the Others. She was about to run forward, demanding they tell her where Violet was, and what they were doing to her, but from beyond the woman, she saw three familiar faces emerge. Her stomach sank as Jin, Michael and Sawyer stepped forward.

It had taken every bit of strength Jack, Michael and Sawyer could muster to drag Sayid back to the camp, away from the woman who shot Shannon. Sawyer gave her the short version of what had happened, but Kate still couldn't believe there had been survivors on the other side of the island, where the tail end of the plane had landed. Part of her felt disappointment. She had thought for a short moment there, that she had found the Others, and was that much closer to finding Violet. The woman who shot Shannon, whose name was Ana Lucia according to Sawyer, thought they were being followed by the Others, and when she fired her gun, she thought she was killing one of them. No matter how many times Jack tried to explain this to Sayid, his anger was overpowering. He wanted nothing more than to get his hands on Ana Lucia.

Jack was with Sayid now, keeping him calm, and far away from Ana Lucia, as the other survivors began setting up camp on the beach. There were still so many questions running through Kate's mind, as she sat on the sand near the water. Sawyer hadn't explained everything; there hadn't been time. Why weren't Sawyer, Michael and Jin on the raft? What happened? Where on earth was Walt?

"Hey." Kate looked up to see Michael lowering himself to the ground to sit with Kate. Kate managed a small smile. God, he looked rough. What exactly had he been through this past week?

"Michael-" She started to say.

"Jack told me they took Violet." Michael said suddenly, and Kate felt her heart skip a beat, feeling that familiar sickness in her stomach everytime she thought of Violet.

"Yeah, they did. That night, after you guys left." She replied, remembering every haunting detail of that night. "We've been looking for her everyday." Michael's pained expression seemed to show even more hurt, if that were possible, as he stared ahead at the raging sea.

"They took my son too." He said finally, as he shook with anger, teeth clenched. Kate looked up, wide-eyed.

"What?" She asked.

"While we were on the raft, we saw lights. A boat. We thought we finally found rescue, but it was them. They grabbed Walt, tossed a bomb on our raft, and took off with my son, leaving us for dead." Michael replied, still visibly shaken. Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing, but she knew Michael's pain.

"How did you find the other survivors?" She asked.

"We washed up on shore after the bomb destroyed the raft. We washed up on their beach. They thought we were the Others, so they took us captive until they realized we were from flight 815. They wanted us to take them back here, because they didn't feel safe on their side of the island." Michael sighed. "I think part of it was that they didn't believe there were other survivors."

"When did they take Walt, Michael?" Kate asked. Michael still had tears in his eyes, and Kate could feel her own coming on, as she thought of Violet.

"That night, after we left." Michael replied. Kate's stomach sank.

"Michael, they were both taken the same night. Violet and Walt. The Others came and took both the kids the same night. Why? There has to be a reason why they wanted the kids." She said, feeling her mind racing.

"Who knows what they're reasoning is? They're sick people. I want my son back. I am going to find him! Even if it kills me." Michael's determination was inspiring, a father's love for his son. He was absolutely serious and it was evident in the way he spoke that he would take any risk necessary to get his son back. And though she would never admit to it verbally, it was the same way she felt about getting Violet back. Kate still couldn't understand why she felt just as passionate as Michael was for Walt, for a girl that wasn't even related to her in any way, but she couldn't deny this was the way it had been since day one. A protective nature she had only experienced once in her life, and that had backfired on her. Why all of a sudden did she want to rescue and take care of a fourteen-year-old girl?

"I want to find Violet too. And Walt. Jack and I have been searching the jungle for the last week. The only thing we've found so far is Violet's bracelet. The Others have left no tracks to speak of, no clues that would lead us to Violet. But we can't give up." Kate had heard Jack say it so many times, but she knew it was true. She couldn't give up; not when Violet was out there somewhere, depending on her and Jack to get her out, before they did something to her. If they haven't already.

"I won't give up, Kate. It took me years to get my son back, and now that I have him, I'm not going to let him go again that easily." Michael confessed as he stared at the ocean. Kate nodded.

"Then I guess we keep looking." She replied, and let out a sigh. "I just hope that wherever they are, they're together. I just hope they aren't alone."

Note: I have made a fan fiction trailer for this series, so if you are interested in seeing "Violet" for the first time, and her life before and after the plane crash, and how she was taken by the Others, you can view it on at comment on Youtube on what you think :) Thanks for all your reviews and for reading about Violet :)

God bless