Chapter 16

A/N: As always, the wonderful Mia belongs to the insanely talented littletonpace Apologies for the shorter chapter, but it's a buildup to later events I am also rearranging the timing of some of the events that actually happened on the show, as evident here and in other chapters.

Matt woke up slowly, muscles limp and satiated, body wrapped tightly in Jack's arms. "Good morning," Jack murmured in his ear, and Matt turned his head to receive Jack's kiss.

"Good morning indeed," Matt said, grinning languidly as he turned his whole body, pressing up against Jack's. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've just had the best night of my life." Jack intertwined his fingers with Matt's, kissing him again.

"I'm that good, huh?" Matt teased, rolling over so he was on top of Jack. "You're pretty damn good yourself."

"Maybe we should keep practicing though." Jack bit his lip, laughing as he wrapped his hands around Matt's lower back, pulling him in closer. The tent flap suddenly opened and Mia's voice sounded.

"Yep, pretty much the hottest thing I've ever seen," she said unabashedly, grinning as she stared down at the two startled men. Jack and Matt both blushed, and scrambled for their clothes.

"Mia, I think the customary response would be an apology, and leaving while we get dressed?" Matt offered up, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, see, nope," Mia responded with a laugh. "Cause your ass is even more gorgeous naked."

"Hey, hey!" Jack protested, shaking his head, a laugh escaping his lips. "That ass is for my eyes only." Pulling his boxers on, Jack suddenly got a wicked glint in his eyes. "And besides, I seem to remember making a certain promise, about if anyone disturbed us…?" Grinning, he ran forward, grabbing Mia around the waist and slinging her over his shoulder, making a break for the water. Matt pulled his boxers on and followed, his laugh trailing them as Jack ran into the ocean and threw Mia in.

She emerged, sputtering, laughing, as Matt joined them in the water. "It's not my fault!" Mia protested with a laugh, dodging Matt's joking attempt to dunk her. "I could have walked in there anytime of day and you guys would have been doing it! You can't say no one can ever come talk to you!"

"Doing it? Really?" Matt shook his head, unable to fight off a grin. "Mia, I didn't realize you were twelve."

"What, would you rather I say?" Mia bantered back, eyes sparkling. "Sex? Sex sex sex sex, Matt and Jack had hot hot sex?"

"Did not need to hear that!" Claire's protesting voice came from the shore, where she held Aaron, hands over his ears.

"If you'll excuse us, I think we're going to get back to doing it," Jack grinned, wrapping his arms around Matt from behind.

"Once you go Matt, you never go back, huh?" Mia laughed at the blush that spread across Matt's face, but then her face grew serious. "I actually came to say goodbye. The raft's leaving."

The men glanced over, their eyes falling on the now-completed raft, and the people scrambling around it, filling it with supplies. "Mia…" Matt trailed off, simply taking her hand and walking with her and Jack over to the raft.

Kate joined them, Claire and Aaron right behind them. Claire and Kate each hugged Mia tightly, before Jack stepped up. "Be careful, ok?" he said, wrapping his arms around Mia. She returned the hug, smiling softly as he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

Then Mia met Matt's eyes, and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, almost lifting her off the ground with the force of his embrace. "I'm going to come back for you," Mia whispered. "You're my best friend, and I'm going to get you rescued."

"You're my best friend too," Matt said, "and once you get us rescued, our families are going to have a giant barbeque, ok? And we'll look back on when we were trapped on this island and we'll laugh about it, and you'll tell terribly embarrassing stories about me." He laughed softly, kissing Mia's forehead softly before releasing her.

"I'll see you soon," Mia promised, brushing an errant tear from her cheek.

"You will," Matt assured her, blinking back tears of his own. Squeezing her hand, he watched her join the others on the raft. Jack moved behind Matt, wrapping his arms around his waist. Matt leaned back into Jack's chest, hands wrapped around Jack's. Everyone waved and cheered as the raft pushed off into the water, and began to sail away.

A noise suddenly startled them from behind. Turning quickly, they spied a woman coming out of the trees, hair ratted, face strained. "Danielle?" Sayid said quickly, starting towards her.

"The Others are coming," she said simply, staring down those remaining on the beach.