October 2005

"Please, I just want to bury my wife in peace," Sayid's voice rings out from the television, full of sorrow. Nadia died last week, run over by a car. I never read gossip about the Oceanic Seven. Never watch us on TV. But Sayid…I want to be there for him in his time of loss. And I can't.

January 2006

"Almost thirty minutes now since the start of this high-speed chase. We still have no information about who's driving this vehicle. Jeff, can you tell us where the chase started?" I'm holding my niece Eliza, babysitting for Gil and Sonja as they take a day for themselves as I watch the news.

"We're getting reports that the pursuit began near the La Brea area, then travelled to a warehouse in the district south of the ten freeway."

"Can you see how many people are in the car?"

"It would appear to be just the one, the driver. We're not sure if that's the owner of the car. What you're seeing here are pictures of the ten freeway, south of downtown."

"Is that a Camaro, Jeff?"

"Yes, yes it looks like a vintage early 70's model."

The news crew has a helicopter over the chase, and I recognize that Camaro all too well. What the hell is he doing?

I grab my phone out of my pocket, maneuvering around Eliza and I open the contact number labled Kate Austen. But I don't dial. I can't bring myself to dial.

August 2006

Oceanic Seven Survivor Kate Austen: 10 Years Probation. No Jail Time the newspaper read, front page, showing a picture of Kate wearing dark sunglasses, walking into a courtroom.

Well, good for her.

September 2007

"Hello," I say, answering my phone.

"Ms. Tia Samuels?" an unknown voice asks.

"Yes. How can I help you?"

"This is Dr. Bill Stillman at Santa Rosa Mental Institution. I believe you know one of our patients."

"Um, Dr. Stillman, my brother was released from Santa Rosa almost three years ago. Maybe you've pulled the wrong file."

"I'm sorry Ms. Samuels, this isn't about your brother this is about our patient Hugo Reyes."

"Wait, Hugo Reyes is a patient in your ward?"

"Yes, and he is refusing to take his required medication."

"Can't you, like, slip it into his food or something?"

"With all due respect, Ms. Samuels, I don't think you understand the gravity of this situation. Mr. Reyes has demanded to see you before he takes his meds. I'm afraid I had to concede. Let him see you."

"Doctor, I live in Sacramento—,"

"I understand that this may be an inconvenience for you, but I would appreciate it if you came. As would Hugo."

"Hey Hurley,"

"Hey, Tia."

I sit down in the wooden chair next to his bed. He's playing a game of chess with apparently no one.

"Why aren't' you taking your meds, Hurley?"

"How come you're gone all the time?" he asks.

"Well, Hurley, I run a business. And everything that happened with Kate, that fight we had, I guess I just started to distance myself."

"How come you're not wearing it?"

"Wearing what?"

"Boone's necklace."

I reach up and touch the bare skin of my neck. "Um, I don't know. I guess I just didn't put it on this morning."

"Yeah, Boone says you haven't been wearing it for a long time."

"What?"

"You heard me," he says.

I take a deep breath. What is he doing? Maybe he really is crazy. "Hurley, Boone is dead."

"I know. But he visits me sometimes. Charlie too. Actually, a lot of dead people."

"Hurley, what are you talking about?"

"Charlie visits me the most. He likes to sit with me on that bench out there," he says, pointing.

"Okay, Hurley. Why do dead people visit you?"

"I don't know. But Boone's been visiting me because he wants to send you a message." Hurley turns his head to me. "He wants to stop. Stop the company. Stop cutting yourself off."

I feel extremely uncomfortable. "Hurley, this isn't funny."

"I'm not joking, dude."

"Hurley, why are you doing this?"

"Because Boone asked me to."

"No, Hurley. Everything I'm doing. I have a plan. And you have to trust me."

"Maybe if you actually told me what your plan was, dude."

I take a deep breath. "Okay. Sun and I…our fathers were business partners with Charles Widmore. And Sun…she thinks he's a link to Benjamin Linus."

"Why do you want to get to Ben? I thought he was on the Island."

"No, not anymore. She found him. He was spotted outside of a church here in LA."

"Why do you guys want to find Ben?"

"Because Sun blames him for Jin. And I've lost everyone but her. I have to help her." I stand from the chair. "Take your meds, Hurley."

I walk out of the building, escorted by Dr. Stillman. When I'm outside my car, pulling my keys out of my purse I see something in the reflection of the glass behind me. A pair of familiar, striking blue eyes. I turn around quickly. He's not there. He'll never be there.

October 2007

"That's it, Tee," Donny says, bringing me a plate of pasta.

"What's it?" I ask, taking a large bite and skimming over the pictures. The teenage face of Walt Lloyd is printed on it.

"The business. You said you were gonna disband it. You said that two years ago. And now, it's taken over your life."

"It has not."

"Tia, what did you order for lunch?"

"Risotto," I say, looking down at the pasta. "Oh."

"Yeah. You've got a problem. What happened to you out there? Ever since you've gotten back, it's like you're a different person."

"Donny, you hadn't seen me in a year and a half. I'd been to war and back before I was even in the crash. I went through stuff you can't even imagine. Then the crash…it was awful. Everything that happened there…I just want to forget it."

"That's what you say every time it's brought up. That you just want to forget it. But I don't know what you want to forget."

I grab the folders of Walt taking another bite of pasta and standing. "I've got to go. I'll see you later. I'm flying to New York tonight."

I landed in JFK Atlantic early in the morning and I make my way across Manhattan to P.S. 154. There he is. My old friend Walt Lloyd. He's no longer that gangly ten year old Boone and I snuck off to throw knives. He looks so adjusted. So good.

And if Ben is back in town, I can't let him get to Walt.

I notice Walt spot something across the street and leave him friends, walking towards it. I follow his walk over to a man in a wheelchair.

What the hell is he doing here? How is this possible?