Thank you so much for the good, constructive reviews. Inspiration hit today so here is another chapter. It has once again a lot of actual LOST background to fill in to set everything up but after this chapter, you will see more original material. This chapter as the last is just a set up to place Faith amongst the characters of our lovely show. Enjoy the update, personal remarks located at the end of the chapter.

Chapter Two: The Pilot Part 2

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"You keep asking if there's anything."

"Pardon me for appearing desperate," Charlie spat, "but before the pilot was ripped from the cockpit, he did say that no one's gonna find us unless we get that transceiver working -- so, is there anything?"

"No." Jack and Faith stated firmly at the same time. She rolled her eyes as Jack looked over and smirked, picking up the pace as he continued to fidget with the radio.

Faith eyed Jack as he continued messing with the radio knobs. "You break that, and I'm gonna be upset I came all this way for nothing."

Jack smiled and clutched at the radio with steady hands. "I just hope we can get this thing to work."

She nodded, "And then we can get the hell out of here." Faith glanced over her shoulder. "So what's the story with you and Kate?"

"Excuse me?" Jack glanced back at Kate too, noticing her deep in conversation with Charlie. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen you two together." Faith grinned. She looked away from Jack and studied the trees around them. "She's sweet on you, anyone can see that."

He chuckled. "I don't see that but even if it was true, it's not exactly like I'd go around advertising it."

"You say that now but underneath any granola type dude, is one just dying to put today's headline on the front page."

"What's a granola type dude?"

Faith made the sound of a whip cracking, her hand flying up, and she laughed as he pushed her playfully with a shake of his head. Kate's conversation with Charlie had ended, Charlie distracted by some kind of daydream and Faith glanced over her shoulder to find the brunette's watchful gaze locked on her, her eyes dull and lips flattened.

Had Faith looked sooner she would have noticed Kate watching her long before that.

&&&&&&&&

When they finally made their way back to the camp, they were stopped short at the sight of a fight in progress. Immediately, Kate and Jack ran towards the group that had gathered around the two men throwing punches, but Faith lagged behind, sticking her hands in her back pockets and she glanced over at Charlie who remained unmoved.

"You not gonna run over there too?"

"Seen one fight, seen them all right?"

She chuckled looking back towards the group and watched as the taller of the two swung and missed. His misguided attempt allowed his opponent, a longhaired Arabic man, to land a punch firmly into his stomach, and both fell to the ground, rolling as they continued to fight.

"Hey! Break it up!" Jack was successful in pulling the two men apart.

Faith smirked noticing the taller of the two had been the man she had asked earlier for a cigarette.

Snarl on his face, he shoved Jack away. "Get off!"

His next lunge ended up with Jack restraining him again as an African American male subdued the other man.

"Son of a bitch!"

The words continued between them, the tall man snarling and cursing as Jack tried his best to keep the peace. Finally it was the African American that made them quiet down.

"Look, my kid found these in the jungle."

Faith moved forward following Charlie as the group zeroed in their attention in on a pair of handcuffs in his hands. She ignored the two men as they started to argue again, eyes flicking down at the handcuffs then up to study the people around her.

Jack said nothing and she shifted, watching out of the corner of her eye as Boone appeared beside her and looked to Jack.

"You guys found the cockpit? Any survivors?"

Faith glanced at Kate and Charlie but they all shook their heads and Boone frowned at their hesitation. Kate headed off with the radio without another word at the same time Charlie disappeared and Faith squinted against the sun.

"Find anything else?"

Jack and Faith locked eyes.

"No." Jack shrugged. "Nothing useful."

"Why are you guys both caked in mud?" Boone was looking back and forth between them. "You look like you've been rolling around in it while Charlie and Kate are hardly dirty."

Faith glared at him. "Maybe we found a slip and slide, why are you asking so many questions?"

He took a step back, opening his mouth as if to respond and she was well aware of Jack smirking from beside her. Boone shook his head, snapping his jaw shut just as an African American woman came up to them.

"Doctor, the man with the shrapnel … I think you should take a look at him."

He nodded. "Sure thing."

Faith gave her best friendly smile at the woman then glanced to Jack. "A man with shrapnel? You gonna need any help with that?"

"No, thanks, I got it."

"Bet you do Doc. Catch ya later." She patted him on the back, moving to her way up the slope of the beach.

"Hey, uh, wait up!"

She rolled of her eyes but turned back to see Boone running to catch up. "Yeah?"

"I don't know your name… And seeing as how we, uh, we're going through luggage?" Boone pointed towards the huge pile of suitcases and personal belongings. "I was gonna keep an eye out for your stuff."

She looked back at him. "Don't hold your breath; it's only one medium sized bag. I doubt it made it."

"You never know, just gotta have a little faith." He smiled brightly and extended his hand. "I'm Boone Carlyle."

She smirked and shook the offered hand. "Faith Lehane."

"Imagine that."

Faith turned walking away from him again. "Yeah, imagine."

"I'll let you know if I find anything!" Boone yelled after her.

"You do that!" She didn't look back this time, simply waving over her head as she continued up the beach. As she made her way past Kate presently talking to the Arabic man, the woman turned her head, catching her eye as she passed. They glanced at one another and Faith cocked an eyebrow seeing that Kate's eyes were still dull and watchful.

Faith changed directions and headed straight for the both of them, stopping a foot away. "What's up?"

"Sayid says if we can get this to higher ground, we can get a signal. Higher ground like that."

Faith followed the direction Kate pointed and whistled under her breath at the sight of the looming mountain. "Piece of cake." She glanced between the two of them. "I can do it in no time."

"We're going as a group." Kate held the radio tighter to her chest.

"Okay, then I guess we're going as a group."

Sayid looked to Kate but nodded moving off to collect some items and a backpack. Faith kept her gaze on the other woman.

"Anyone ever tell you that you look familiar?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Goodie. I'm famous." Faith smiled smugly as Sayid returned, flinging the backpack onto his shoulders.

"You might want a backpack to carry some water."

"How about…"

"I'd like to come with you."

Faith stopped mid-sentence glaring at the blonde woman who suddenly appeared and she sighed as she saw Boone making his way up from behind his sister.

"Shannon!" He snarled. "She's not going. She doesn't want to go."

"The hell I'm not! You don't know what the hell I do!"

Faith's lips twisted as they continued to bitch at each other and she leaned forward, snatching the water bottle out of Boone's hands. Faith thrust it at Sayid. "Here's my water. I don't do backpacks."

She glanced over just as Charlie joined them as well. "Well, this is turning into a big ol' boy scout trip isn't it?"

Shannon glared at Charlie. "You're going, aren't you?"

He grinned and nodded eagerly. "Yeah. Are you?"

"Yep."

Boone let out a loud sigh and thrust his hands out. "Fine, I'm going too then."

"Whoopee." Faith muttered motioning Kate and Sayid onward. "Now that we've all established we're one big happy family, let's get on with it." They nodded in agreement and began to walk away.

"….she's actually really nice."

She didn't turn around to see whom Charlie was talking about.

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Almost out of the range of everyone back at camp, Faith noticed from the corner of her eye the latest tag along to the group the same time as Kate did; the tall man from the fight earlier.

"You decided to join us." Kate commented.

"I'm a complex guy, Sweetheart." He replied before taking lead in front of them.

"Strange. I would have figured you're more like a simple asshole."

He swiveled his head to glare at Faith and she shrugged.

"What? I don't know what else to call you. Marlboro Man? Is that better?"

He grunted turning his attention away from her completely. Faith snorted and shot Kate a look as she noticed the woman was watching her again.

"What?" She squinted. "There something on my face?"

"No." Kate looked away, picking up her pace and she joined Sayid, the two talking quietly as he motioned back and forth from the mountain to the radio in his hands.

"How long is this hike gonna take?"

Hearing Shannon questioning Boone a million times behind her, she wasn't surprised at seeing Boone quicken his pace to come up beside her. Charlie seemed however happy by this move, too eager to oblige Shannon's incessant mumblings.

"You're not really related to her, right?"

"Stepsister." Boone grumbled. "She drives me crazy."

"And yet, you still look out for her. That's what's crazy."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No." She answered quickly. "I'm one of a kind." Faith bit at her bottom lip. "Or I used to be."

"Used to be?"

She ignored him. "You Mommy's son or Daddy's?"

"Mother's." It looked like Boone was about to ask her another question when the group stopped, all eyeing the tall cliff that loomed ahead of them.

"We are so not climbing that."

"Yes, we so are." Faith grumbled back at Shannon. She motioned to the branches and rocks that were scattered up the cliff. "Looks like we're doing a bit of rock climbing." She glanced to her right. "You first Marlboro Man."

"Why do I gotta go first?"

"Cause if you fall then I'll know it's a sign to find another way around." Faith quipped. "Unless you're chicken and Boone here needs to do it instead."

"I ain't chicken." He snarled at her. "And the name's Sawyer."

"Whatever you say Marlboro Man." She smiled sweetly. "What are you waiting on?"

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"These guys never quit." Faith muttered, rolling her neck as Sayid and Sawyer argued about the radio and she surveyed the open space around them. "They should get married or something, and then they'd have a reason to fight all the time."

Boone turned towards her with a smirk. "What are you-"

"Shh, be quiet." She held up her finger and stopped moving. "Don't say anything."

The tall grass around them shifted, heavy breathing suddenly close to them.

Charlie shifted nervously beside Shannon. "It's coming towards us, I think."

"I said be quiet!" Faith barked. "Are you deaf?"

The grass in front of them began to part faster and faster, the breathing getting louder and heavier and immediately Sayid and Kate took off running, shouting at the others to move.

"Go!" Boone shoved Shannon backwards as Charlie took off as well. "Come on!" He motioned at Sawyer and Faith, both still standing with their attention to whatever was running towards them. "Come on!"

He began to follow after Shannon and hesitated as he looked back and spotted Faith moving closer to whatever it was heading for them. Hearing Kate scream for them to move, he panicked, running up behind Faith at the exact moment Sawyer pulled a gun form the waist of his pants and pointed it at the grass just as it parted.

Faith reacted at the sound of the gun going off, shoving Boone to the side as Sawyer emptied the clip of the gun into the animal when it burst through the grass. It groaned loudly, falling in a dead heap at their feet and Faith looked over to see the rest of the gang coming back, shocked looks on all their faces. Boone lay on the ground panting heavily.

"You alive?"

"Yeah." He gasped. "I'm alive I think."

Faith helped him up to his feet as the group began to crowd around Sawyer, all eyes locked on the dead animal. "What is it?" She asked pushing past them to get a glimpse of it. "What kind of animal is it?"

Kate was closest to her, looking down at the bleeding, white bear. "It's a POLAR bear." She eyed Sawyer backing up. "Where did that come from?"

"Probably bear village. How the hell do I know?"

"Not the bear -- the gun."

"I got it off the U.S. Marshal."

Sayid scoffed at him. "You found a gun on a U.S. Marshal? Yes, I believe you did. You knew where it was, because you were the one he was bringing back to the states. Those handcuffs were on you. That's how you knew there was a gun."

"Piss off."

They began to argue again, Faith inching closer to Sawyer but before she could react, Kate was faster and snatched the gun away, directing it at him with a steady hand.

"Does anybody know how to use a gun? I want to take it apart."

They all visibly relaxed, and Faith watched Kate eject the magazine clip with ease at Sayid's instructions, quickly emptying the chamber and hand the clip to Sayid while tossing the gun at Sawyer.

"He could still hit one of us with it." Faith muttered gesturing at Sawyer who was gripping the gun, eyes locked on Kate. "And then someone will have to make him eat it."

The threat was unmistakable but he merely smirked nodding at Kate as he reached out to grab her arm as she moved away. They exchanged low words; Faith picking up random segments.

He released her, Kate stepping back, and Faith eyed him before letting out a sigh.

"If you're done playing macho cave man now, how about we get this radio to higher ground and get back to camp. I'm bored as hell." She turned moving past the group and reluctantly they began to follow, all glancing towards the polar bear as they passed.

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Faith bent down to pick at the grass as the group continued to talk amongst themselves. Talk? Continue to argue was more like it. They huddled around the radio, fidgeting with the knobs and occasionally she could hear the static. A voice came over it but she remained on her haunches, staring out into the vast jungle.

"Sixteen years... and five months. That's the count."

Faith finally stood, eyeing Sayid as she crossed her arms. "What? What count?"

"Yeah." Boone squinted. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"The iterations. It's a distress call." Sayid answered glancing at each of them and he leveled his gaze at Faith. "A plea for help, a mayday. If the count is right, it's been playing over and over for sixteen years."

"Shit. You're sure?" Faith questioned. "That long?"

Charlie turned looking out at the island just like Faith had done moments before. "Guys ... where are we?"

Faith couldn't help herself and she motioned over to Sawyer. "You heard the man, this is Monkey Island, the one right next to Polar Bear Village."