My writers block is gone and I now have the entire story planned out. Some of you may be dissappointed by what has to happen. I'm telling you, it HAS to!!! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, that's okay, you'll find out in the coming chapters. The beginning of this chapter is a flashback, if you were confused.

Enjoy!!!

R&R, and remember, all advice/requests/criticism is welcome :)

Flashback Sound

Michael walked lazily through the woods toward an undetermined destination. The plane had crashed 3 days before and so far things kept getting worse.

It had only been a week since he had taken Walt back. Bonding with his son wasn't easy. He knew he should have been there for him, but something had held him back.

Maybe it was the fact that he was still in love with her. She had stolen his son from him. But his son was just an excuse to see her.

Michael pondered this as he traipsed through the jungle. Did he ever actually care for Walt?

"Michael…" his name was so quiet it almost got lost in the wind.

He jerked his body in the direction of the voice. It was high pitched and caring and sounded strikingly familiar. He wondered if he was hallucinating.

"Mike… over here…" he heard it again, now he knew he wasn't. He thought he say something move in the distance. "Susan?"

Flashback sound

"Michael, why are you working with these people?" Jack questioned, "If we don't live together, we're gonna die alone."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" he said, glaring at Sawyer who was still kneeling on the ground helplessly.

"Just bloody tell us!" Charlie screamed, only caring about Claire.

"I found her…" Michael whispered, tears coming to his eyes.

"Who's 'her'" Sayid asked

"My wife…" his voice barely above a whisper.

"Well congratulations! Now where is she?" Charlie pleaded, his 'she' referring to Claire.

"Charlie calm down, please. We need to find out all we can" Jack silenced him

"You don't understand….she died. Two weeks ago" Michael's voice became weaker as the tears started flowing more freely

"Well then how is that at all possible?"

"I told you… the others"

-----

"Are they back yet?" Kate asked, walking over to Locke.

"Oh they won't be back for quite a while" he responded, not looking up from whatever he was doing.

"How do you know?" she asked, truly curious, but also concerned about Sawyer who wasn't yet fully healed.

"Just a premonition I guess" he said carelessly, "Care to play?" Locke pointed down at his creation, a backgammon board with white and black stones as pieces.

"Umm…" Kate hesitated a glanced around. She knew Jack and Sawyer wouldn't want her hanging around with Locke, but they wouldn't be back soon so she lowered herself to the sand, "Sure"

"Ever played before?"

"A long time ago. I used to play with my husband" Kate said, surprised that she had revealed some of her past.

"Husband?"

"Used to"

"I see"

"Do you?"

"No"

They both looked at each other with a smile and then burst out laughing. It was nice not to have to worry about being judged all the time Kate thought.

"So what about you? What did you do before we uhh… fell from the sky?"

"Well… I mostly just sat around" Locke chose his words carefully, trying not to lie but not reveal too much at the same time.

"I meant what kind of work..."

"I worked for a box company. Although about a week before we left I got a call from some lottery winner asking if I wanted to come work for him out in LA. I guess he's wondering where I am" Locke cracked a smile as he glanced up at Kate. "So what about you, what did you do?"

"What did I do?" Kate repeated, an edge to her voice

"I meant what kind of work" he quoted her in a somewhat mocking tone.

"Oh… I was a runner" she looked down at the board for a while before she answered, choosing her words carefully.

"Like track and field?"

"Something like that…"

Locke's eye's seemed to glaze over for a moment and he lost all focus. Kate looked at him for a while and then he blinked and stared back at her.

"What was that?" she asked, a bit concerned.

"Do you have any plans tonight, Kate?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Tonight… do you have any plans?"

"Well I was thinking of going coconut shopping, I'm totally out of milk. And I heard about this new club over on the intersection of Beach and Jungle. But I think I could pencil you in" She said with a grin.

"Great… I'll pick you up at seven"

"I don't have a watch"

"Me neither"

"Well okay then…"

"Okay…"

They both stared at each other for what must have been five minutes, when Kate finally broke the silence.

"What just happened?"

"It's not like I just asked you out, Kate. You're what? Thirty years younger than me? You just… look like you need some company"

Kate couldn't keep the smile off her face. She loved being with Sawyer, but he wasn't at all compassionate or caring. Locke wasn't a romantic interest but he was sweet and she didn't know much about him. Maybe dinner with him would make her happier for a little while.

"Thanks" she said, still smiling.

-----

At sundown, Locke walked over to Kate's tent, dressed in his nicest khakis. Kate stepped out, dressed equally as nice in a red halter top and dark jeans she found in a suitcase that wasn't hers.

"So where are you taking me?" she asked, excited for their fake date.

"I heard about this new spot, I thinks it's called 'The Shore'" he joked

"Sounds splendid" she loved being able to joke around and not have to worry about being sexy and cute.

"Splendid indeed"

They walked and made small talk for about fifteen minutes, walking along the shore, when Kate spotted a small blanket with two airplane meals sitting on top of it.

"How did you get those?" Kate asked excitedly

"I saved them… I thought they might come in handy, I guess I was right"

"But I thought they were all gone on the first night?"

"Like I said, I saved them"

They talked about life before the island, what high school was like, their many bad experiences and everything else while the sun went down and it got hard to see one another.

"Kate!" a voice shouted from the direction of their camp, "Kate where are you?!"

"I'm over here, what's wrong?" Kate glanced at Locke for an explanation. She was surprised by his expression; he had known something was going to happen.

"Kate, we need you! Now!"

"You knew?" She hissed at Locke in disgust, "You knew something was going to happen tonight, is that why you brought me here? So that I couldn't be found?"

She didn't wait for an answer; Kate stood up and followed the voice to where Charlie was standing. He grabbed her hand and pulled back to their beach.

"Charlie, what's going on?"

"It's Sawyer"

"Is he okay?!" Kate asked, now terrified

Charlie stopped and looked at Kate with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen, "I don't think so…"

No, they did not go on a date, it was like Charlie and Claire's almost lunch date, they were just getting away from the beach!!! I hope you enjoyed :) p.s. yes the chapters will typically be of this length from now on, no more super short chapters!!! YAY!