I'm so sad to see how long it has been since I last updated this. My writing muse just went away for quite a while, and I couldn't write anything. I got back into writing through my book blog, and missed these characters so much, I had to come back to them once I was writing again. If anyone is still reading this, I hope you enjoy the new chapter, and I promise that more is coming! (As always, Mia belongs to the wonderful littletonpace)

"Is there a chance we could talk in a more comfortable place?" Desmond asked, eyes quickly dating from side to side as Matt, Jack, and Mia crowded around him.

"Not when you pointed a gun at my boyfriend's head," Matt answered, crossing his arms tightly over his chest, glaring down at Desmond. "I'm a cop, this is an interrogation, and I'm considering you a hostile witness."

Now keeping his eyes glued to the door, Desmond pressed back against the wall. "Am I right to assume you crashed here as well?" he asked. "Because if so, I have information you need. Information that would warrant being let out of this room."

"Or you could just tell us, and we could not tie you up," Mia shot back, but Desmond shook his head, and Jack sighed.

"Out here for a sec," Jack said, and opened the door, making sure Desmond stayed inside as Matt and Mia exited. "Matt, if this guy was brought into the station because he held a gun to some stranger's head, and he had crucial information about another case, how would you handle it?"

"He held a gun to your head, not some stranger's," Matt growled, sending a glare back towards the closed door.

"Hey, I'm okay," Jack said softly, sliding his hand up to cup the back of Matt's neck. "I can't lie, I am incredibly turned on by your protective bad cop routine…" Matt laughed, earning a grin from Jack. "See, I'm fine, we're fine. And this guy might have some information that could help us get off this island."

Nodding, Matt directed one last glare towards the room holding Desmond. "Fine, but I don't have to like this."

"We're right there with you," Mia said, squeezing Matt's shoulder. Rolling his neck from side to side, Matt grasped the doorknob and reentered the room. Desmond eyed him carefully.

"Deal is, we move to a bigger room with a chair, you tell us what you know, and we take it from there," Matt said shortly. "I have to tell you, that's the best offer you're going to get. I'm not feeling very impartial right now."

"Fair enough," Desmond answered, nodding his head. "And for what it's worth, I am sorry for my reaction with the gun. It's been quite a long time since I've had any human contact, and you surprised me by crashing into my home."

"What made you come out of hiding?" Mia asked, as they escorted Desmond to the larger room, Matt carefully guarding him. "You could have come out while we were sleeping, done whatever you wanted then."

"I'm not a killer," Desmond protested, and his three guards noticed an involuntarily shiver seemingly go up his spine. "And I had to come out. I had to press the button. I thought that older man was going to do it, but he doesn't seem to understand the timing quite yet, though I do think he grasps the importance."

"Button? Why is pushing it such an emergency?" Mia crouched down next to Desmond. "What are you not telling us?"

"There's a film," Desmond said. "It explains everything. Let me show you."

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Matt sunk down onto the bed, sighing blissfully as he rested his head on the pillow. He stretched his limbs across the mattress, and Jack laughed.

"I can hear your joints popping, old man," Jack teased, sliding up next to Matt and dropping a kiss on his shoulder.

"Long few days, doctor," Matt bantered back, and Jack nodded, planting a matching kiss on Matt's other shoulder. He gently nudged Matt onto his stomach, digging his thumbs under Matt's shoulder blades. Matt moaned, his eyes fluttering closed.

"God, I love you," Matt murmured, his body relaxing into the mattress.

"You better," Jack grinned, fingers sliding down to Matt's lower back. "You're right, it's been quite an interesting time on the island recently."

"When is it ever not?"

"Valid point." Jack laughed softly, hands moving back to Matt's shoulders. "Do you believe everything Desmond and that film said?"

"It's just crazy enough to be true," Matt said, twisting slightly, pulling Jack down and wrapping his arms around him. "On this island, I only disbelieve things that seem too normal."

Chuckling, Jack rested his head on Matt's chest. "Fair enough. "

A knock sounded on the door. "Decent, boys?" Mia called out.

"Decent," Matt called back, sitting up, and Mia entered the room, pulling the door closed and flopping down onto the bed.

"Spoilsports," Mia said with a wink, and Jack and Matt laughed, settling back against the headboard. Looking back to make sure the door was fully closed, she leaned in. "Sawyer is settled in and asleep, thoughts on that creepy film?"

"We were just talking about that," Jack said. "How, at this point, on this island, nothing seems too strange to be believed. But an electromagnetic research station? Or is this all just part of a social experiment, to see how long we go on pushing a button that seems to have no real, tangible purpose except shutting off an alarm."

"So are we part of an experiment then?" Mia laid back on the foot of the bed, rubbing her hands over her face. "That can't be possible. Why us? How would they make sure they got us all on the same plane? How would they know we wouldn't just die, or never make it to this spot?"

"That's a lot of good questions," Matt said, "and I don't have any of the answers right now. And as much as I hate to admit it, I don't know how to go about getting those answers. Besides Desmond, there's no one to question, and he doesn't seem to know any more than what he told us. I've looked over the computer, but I wasn't in the tech division, so I don't know all the tricks of the trade. Even so, it looks like there isn't anything to hack. There seems to be one command and that's it."

"And Locke is all over that," Mia added. "He can absolutely be in charge of pushing that button. I don't want to find out what happens if it doesn't get pushed."

"Do you really think something would happen?" Jack asked, crossing his legs and leaning forward. "I just can't believe that that button is actually connected to something that could hurt us. Maybe that's the experiment, to see how long we'll go on pushing it like mindless drones."

"I personally don't want to take that risk," Matt said, resting a hand on Jack's arm. "We should do whatever we have to to keep everybody safe." Jack sighed, placing his hand over Matt's.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Jack said softly, and felt Matt's hand squeeze his back.

"That it doesn't," Mia agreed. "But I'm with Matt. Let's just keep pushing that stupid button until we learn anything that says we shouldn't."

"Have a little faith, Jack," Matt teased gently, planting a kiss on Jack's shoulder.

"Just for you, I will" Jack bantered back, leaning back into Matt's touch. "If it is an experiment, it brought us together, so I'm thinking I should probably be grateful."

"Instead of grumpy," Matt laughed, a soft smile on his face. "And that's really sweet."

"Aw, group hug!" Mia threw her arms around the two men, laughing. Pulling back, she gave each a kiss on the cheek before standing up. "I should go check on Sawyer, and we should all get some sleep."

"Tomorrow, let's take a look at the computer again, and do another search of the hatch," Matt said, stifling a yawn.

"Agreed," Mia said, waving as she turned out the lights. "Sleep tight, boys," she called back as she closed the door behind her.

Matt lay back down, wrapping his arms around Jack's waist as he turned on his side to join him. "Was that a real yawn, or just to get us some alone time?" Jack teased, running his hand down Matt's back.

"Why, did you have something else in mind than sleep?" Matt grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Because I can stay awake for that."

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A thump brought Matt and Jack out of a sound sleep hours later. Matt instinctively reached for where his nightstand would have been at home, holding a securely locked drawer and box containing his service weapon, but then remembered where he was. Climbing out of bed, he slid on a pair of pants and his shoes, seeing Jack beside him doing the same.

Walking carefully out into the hall, Matt gestured for Jack to stay behind him, against the wall, as they headed towards the source of the sound. The door to the room where Desmond had been resting was wide open, and he was gone.

"Some guard Paulo is," Matt grumbled, quickly breaking into a sprint as the sound of footsteps reached them from outside. Jack on his heels, the two men ran outside and into the woods.

Desmond spun around as they neared, holding his hands up in front of him. "I don't want to stay there anymore," he said, his voice close to pleading. "I've been in there for too many years, and I can't stay there anymore. I won't hurt anyone. You have my gun. I just want to go."

"Do you know a way off the island?" Jack asked, and Desmond laughed bitterly.

"If I did, don't you think I would have left here a long time ago?" Desmond said. He paused, eyes narrowing as he stared at Jack. "I know you. You were running. You were talking about your wife."

"Ex-wife," Jack responded automatically. "I remember that," he added softly. "We have met before. Do you think...?" Stopping, he shook his head. "It's coincidence."

"I'm not sure I believe in coincidence anymore," Desmond whispered, arms crossed across his body.

Jack turned to meet Matt's eyes, and Matt nodded. "Be careful," Jack called to Desmond, and Desmond raised a hand in thanks, offering a strained smile before taking off.