Chapter 6

A/N-the character of Jordan, Matt's little sister, is the OC of my amazing friend Jackie (jacquelin825). When she created Jordan, she asked if she could borrow Matt as Jordan's big brother, as she felt he'd be the perfect big brother. I of course said yes, and gained some amazing backstory for Matt in return

"What the hell was that?" Kate asked, hurrying across the sand to join the group.

"Nothing I've ever heard before," Matt said, glancing around as the other survivors moved closer together.

"I'm going to go find out," Jack said decisively.

"I'm coming too," Matt said.

"Matt, I just stitched you up yesterday," Jack said, turning to face him. "I really appreciate the offer, but you need to rest."

"It wasn't an offer," Matt said, flashing Jack a smile. "If you try to leave without me, I'll just follow you. And if my head starts hurting, or God forbid, I pass out, and I'm all alone…"

"You do not play fair," Jack laughed.

"I'll come too," Kate said, smiling at the two men. "If Matt passes out, I can always toss him over my shoulder and keep going." Jack laughed even harder, and Matt shook his head, a grin lighting up his eyes.

"I think you may have met your match, Matt," Jack grinned, patting Matt's shoulder.

"Oh, it's on now," Matt said to Kate, eyes twinkling. "I'll just have to out hike you."

"Don't push yourself too hard though, please," Jack said to Matt earnestly, and Matt nodded.

"I promise," Matt said, and Jack smiled.

"I'll help you guys get some packs ready," Claire said, taking Matt's hand and pulling herself up. As Jack and Kate headed towards the luggage piles, Matt turned to Claire.

"Claire, am I crazy, or did Jack step in front of me when we heard the noise?" Matt asked quietly.

"Kind of like he was instinctively protecting you? Yep, definitely happened." Claire winked at Matt, giggling as he grinned. "Someone has a crush…"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Matt said, fighting a losing battle to keep the blush off his face. "Besides, he was acting really weird when I got back with the food."

"That was my fault," Claire said apologetically, laying a hand on Matt's arm. "I was teasing him about having his arms around you while you guys were asleep, and he seemed really freaked out."

"Who was freaked out?" Jack asked, coming up next to them with a backpack.

"You, with spiders," Matt said quickly, with a forced chuckle.

"Hey, that was privileged information!" Jack bantered back, eyes full of laughter. "Not fair! Especially coming from someone afraid of flying."

"Ouch!" Matt laughed. "Tell a guy a little bit about yourself…"

"You guys ready to go?" Kate asked, stepping in between the two men.

"Packs are ready," Claire said, smiling. "There's water and food in there, but don't be gone too long. Be careful."

"We will," Jack said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. Get lots of rest, ok?"

"She will," Charlie said, coming up behind Claire, a tray of food and a bottle of water in his hands. "Just give me a second, and I'm coming with you." He walked with Claire to settle her into a more comfortable spot.

"The pairing up begins, huh?" Kate said, eyes on Jack, who's hands were on Matt, brushing back his hair to check the stitches on his forehead.

"Alright, I'm clearing you for a hike," Jack said, handing Matt a pack with a smile. Matt saluted with a laugh, and followed Jack into the woods, Kate right behind them, Charlie not far behind her.

***

"Where were you heading, by the way?" Jack asked Matt, as he settled onto a rock, Kate having slipped further into the trees for a restroom break, Charlie resting in a shady spot a few feet away. "I never got to ask you with that whole plane crashing thing."

"I was going to see my little sister, Jordan," Matt said softly. He stopped, shrugging off his pack and reaching into his back pocket. Extracting a wallet, he pulled out a well-worn picture and handed it to Jack. "I had to take a trip, clear my head from the…from the divorce, but we still talked on the phone every day."

"You two must be really close," Jack said, studying the picture carefully.

"We are," Matt said, a smile playing across his lips. "When our parents died, I pretty much raised her. We've gotten through some really rough patches together. I miss her so much," he added in a whisper, and tilted his head back towards the sky, tears catching in the corners of his eyes. "She must be worried sick."

"Hey," Jack said gently, his fingertips lightly touching Matt's cheeks, scooping up the tears and carrying them away. "We're going to get rescued, ok? And then we'll go have a beer, and you can introduce me to your sister. We'll have some really funny stories to tell her, right?"

"Right," Matt said, turning his cheek into Jack's hand. "Like how I had to save you from that monstrous daddy longlegs."

"I never said we'd make up stories," Jack said with a laugh, and Matt smiled. "There's that smile I love-" Jack pulled his suddenly shaking hands back, and Matt's breath caught in his chest, and they stared at each other until the distinct sound of rattling leaves sent them to their feet.

"Everything ok?" Kate asked, glancing from one to the other.

"Everything's fine," Jack said quickly, hurrying up next to her as they started to walk. "Where are you from, Kate?" Matt stayed where he was for a moment, watching the two of them hike away, then with a deep sigh, followed them. He didn't say another word until they found the plane.

"Shit," Matt breathed out, staring at the wreckage in front of them. Hearing noise from his right, he turned, to see Charlie already almost at the plane. "Charlie, wait, it might not be safe!" Matt took off, reaching Charlie right as he climbed into the plane.

"Matt! Don't go in there!" Jack yelled, hurrying after him, Kate right behind him. Jack reached out, grabbing Matt's hand and pulling him down before he could climb in. A groan suddenly sounded from the cockpit, and Matt and Jack exchanged glances, carefully climbing in together.

"He's alive!" Jack yelled, finding the pilot still in his seat. "Hey, it's going to be ok, I'm a doctor and we'll get you fixed up." Looking around the cockpit for materials, Jack asked, "Do you know where we landed?"

But before the pilot could answer, he let out a scream, and disappeared through the now-shattered glass of the cockpit window. Matt and Jack reached for each other, heads down, running towards the open door. "Kate, Charlie, get out!" Matt yelled, and heard pounding footsteps from behind.

The four leaped from the plane and kept running, frantically shoving through trees, faces scratched, no attempt at direction. Finally, they stopped, panting and gasping for breath.

"Everyone ok?" Jack asked, doubled over. Yeses came from Kate and Charlie, but nothing from Matt. "Matt?"

"No," Matt said softly, and the other three followed his gaze, to the pilot's body stretched out in a tree, limbs splayed, corpse almost rendered in half.