Chapter Seven: The Moth
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Faith hoisted the bag strap up onto her shoulder and adjusted the weight accordingly before she paused. She cocked an eyebrow at Locke as he approached. "You know, it's funny, I don't remember my bag being this heavy the last time we went out."
"That's because it wasn't." Locke smiled at her and adjusted his own bag. "I added a few extra items in for our hunt today."
"Well thanks for letting me know ahead of time."
He studied her for a few minutes then motioned to the other bag at her feet. "Want me to get that?"
Faith smirked and she bent down, easily slinging it onto her shoulder. "We hunting elephant now or something?"
"Have you seen an elephant lately?"
Faith rolled her eyes. "Smart ass." He grinned back and she nudged her head towards the cave entrance. "You ready?"
"Almost, hang on."
He turned and she followed his gaze, spotting Charlie sitting against some of the cave rocks with his guitar in his lap. It seemed he was having problems focusing, his skin sweaty and as she watched, he swore under his breath as he missed a chord change and wiped quickly at his eyes.
"Charlie!" Locke called out and was ignored. "Charlie. Let's go for a walk."
Charlie shook his head, pausing to look up momentarily from his guitar. "No, thanks, Locke. I think I'm gonna stay in today."
"Come on. Fresh air will do you good."
Faith snorted as the man just stared back and she reached out flicking Locke lightly on the ear. "Come on L-Man, he's too busy playing himself a lullaby." She glanced over at Charlie. "You change your mind, come find us." Faith waited until Locke gave up on Charlie and followed him as he left the caves.
She stayed behind him a good length as they journeyed deeper into the lush jungle. "What was that about?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean with Charlie. You wanted him to come with us. Why?" Faith pushed aside a branch. "Not like he can kill anything with that guitar of his and with him going through withdrawal, I'd say his reflexes aren't in tip top shape."
Locke paused on the path, shifting slightly to glance at her from over his shoulder. "How'd you know about Charlie's drug problem?"
"I'm a good guesser?" Faith shrugged. "I know what power withdrawal looks like, that's all. It kind of gives it away, the whole sweating, loss of sight, and paranoid nervousness thing. You can tell he's got the itch just by looking at him."
"He's a good kid." Locke returned to his position forward and continued leading them. "He just needs guidance, that's all."
"And you're the man to do that?"
"I just want to help."
"Sometimes I wonder why." Faith studied the older man. "I mean, in general, everyone here seems to have taken to helping each other, especially Jack. He's running around like Superman without a cape. I've only seen a handful of people like that who play the whole selflessness, giving routine."
"And who are those people? You don't talk a lot about where you came from, like where you grew up for example."
"I told you, around." Faith shrugged and jumped over the log he had just cleared. "Parents and Iove, well, let's just forget those term yo. I didn't even know it existed till I met Buffy."
"Buffy?" Locke glanced at her again but kept walking. "Interesting name."
"Yeah, kinda messed up right?" She chuckled. "Someone I knew back in California, that's all. Had a sweet life: parents, sister, boyfriend, the whole nine yards. Friends even. All the shit I've never had."
"You have friends Faith." Locke stopped as they cleared a line of bushes, bringing them out into an open area of forest. He shifted his bag off his back and lowered it to his feet. "Everyone wants to get to know you but you've only hunted and slept since we got here." He glanced towards her. "And you hardly do the sleeping part."
"Well aren't you just observant." Faith smirked and lowered her bags as well. "What can I say, I'm a simple woman. Sleep, eat, hunt, all part of survival." She shrugged. "Take, want, have. That old game. Don't worry man, I'm five by five, promise." She glanced around. "So what are we doing? Let's get this party started."
Locke chuckled but nodded. "Okay then. Open up your bag."
At first she eyed him cautiously but nodded and reached down for her backpack.
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Charlie glanced around as he cleared the bushes but he saw nothing. "Locke? Faith?" He stopped as he heard an animal squeal. Spooked, he turned to look around and jumped as he heard the squealing grow louder then before. As soon as he glanced over his shoulder, he saw the giant boar rushing towards him.
Charlie freaked out, running as fast as he could towards a hill of rocks, the boar close behind. He stumbled as something snapped at his feet and Charlie jumped up on the rocks just in time to see a trap spring up, the net wrapping around the now struggling boar and lifting it high into the air.
"Nice work, Charlie."
He spotted Locke as the older man came out from behind a tree, tying the rope holding the net up to a tree branch. His tone was dry when he responded. "I'm glad I could oblige."
"You should be." Faith stepped up from around the rocks, hand ready on her knife. "You make excellent bait."
"I don't bloody care about your bait or what you do." Charlie refocused his eyes on Locke and noticing the stern gaze, Locke stopped smiling. "What I want is my bloody drugs."
"Didn't you willingly give those to him?"
Locke shrugged as he retrieved his knife from his belt. "I'll let you ask me for your drugs three times Charlie. The third time, I'm gonna give them to you. Now, just so we're clear, this is one."
Faith kept her eyes on Charlie as Locke slit the boar's throat, watching as the younger man flinched and looked away. He glanced at her and then turned as he caught her eyes.
"Bugger this, you crazy old man." Charlie threw Locke another look then turned and began to head back in the direction he came, muttering the entire way.
When he disappeared, Faith glanced back at Locke. He was concentrating on the boar, knife carving away in a steady grip.
"I just realized I never ask you if you want to do this." Locke cocked an eyebrow as he glanced up and motioned towards her knife. "There shouldn't be a problem for you to use that if you want. Seems like it will cut through about anything."
The vampire glanced down at the dead body then back at Faith. "Was that part of the plan?"
She rolled her eyes. "You know, I didn't think to ask. Mayor said it was a job and I held my end of the bargain. Unless you want to join your buddy here, give me the damn keys so I can get the package off his arm."
"There's no key, I couldn't find anything."
Faith let out a heavy sigh but nodded and reached back to pull out the Jackal, smiling as the vampire's eyes grew leery and he took a step back.
"That won't cut through steel." He gestured down at the chain going from the briefcase to the cuffs on the dead creature's body.
"You're right, it won't." Faith nodded. She bent down over the body and lowered the knife. "But it'll sure as hell cut through bone."
Faith shook her head quickly. "No, you go ahead Locke. I'll keep a look out."
"Suit yourself." He went back to carving the fur away from the dead boar and she turned to place her back to him, eyes scanning their surroundings.
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Faith spotted Charlie the moment he came back. A couple hours had passed and Locke was still working on skinning the boar, his shirt sweaty and stained with blood. She kept her arms crossed and eyed Charlie as he approached. He seemed to be oblivious to her, his attention focused completely on the older man.
Locke didn't even look up. "Something wrong, Charlie?"
"Yeah. Jack." Charlie nodded and Faith's eyes narrowed. "He's, uh ... there's been an accident at the caves. Jack's trapped in a cave-in."
She interrupted Locke quickly. "What happened?"
"Not sure exactly." Charlie shrugged. "One minute we were talking; the next, the whole thing just collapsed."
"Is he alive?"
Charlie nodded again. "A bunch of people are there right now trying to get him out."
"Why aren't you?" Locke paused as Charlie looked away and he lowered his knife from the boar carcass. "This isn't about Jack, is it?" He wiped his blade on his shirt. "This is the second time you've come to me for your drugs Charlie. Ask me one more time and it's yours."
Charlie was silent and he bit nervously at his bottom lip, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. Grunting, he kicked at the ground. "I hate feeling like this, all this pain. I just want it to go away."
"I know Charlie but it's the struggle to survive that makes you stronger. I want to show you something." He glanced at Faith. "Will you do me a favor?"
She glanced at Charlie but nodded.
"I left a bag of my supplies and some of my knives back at the beach. Would you fetch those things for me and take them back to the cave for roasting the boar later?"
Faith nodded. "Sure thing Boss." She glanced one more time at Charlie then turned and headed back towards the directions of the beach.
She paused just beyond a hedge of bushes, listening to the two beginning to talk.
"Struggle is nature's way of strengthening things Charlie, of strengthening you. If moving past something and evolving into a better version was easy, the moth would never know truly what all it could be."
Faith grunted as she shoved through the tree branches and disappeared.
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Faith shifted a piece of luggage to the side and smiled at finding Locke's silver case that held his knives. She hoisted it up and tucked it under her arm as she began to look for his other bags.
"Looking for anything in particular?"
She paused and straightened as she recognized the pregnant blonde from day one. "Just gathering a few things for Locke."
"Ah, right." The Australian woman motioned towards the case and nodded. "You'd need his knives to hunt after all."
"Exactly." Faith looked away and began to move around the bags again.
"I'm Claire Littleton, I don't think we've met."
Faith straightened again, her eyes landing on Claire's stretched out hand, and she dropped the knife case momentarily to shake her hand. "Faith Lehane." She quickly released Claire and motioned at her stomach. "Due any day?"
"Hopefully not," Claire chuckled. She rubbed her hands over her enlarged belly. "But I don't really have a choice in the matter now. Do you have any children?"
Faith snorted and let loose a dry laugh. "Me? No way. I'm afraid I'm not fit for motherhood."
"I thought that at first too." Claire paused. "Oh," She giggled, "The baby's kicking! Want to feel?"
"No." Faith shook her head and stepped back. "I mean, no thanks, I just… Yeah, no."
Claire nodded and started to say something else when a flare went off behind them and they both turned to see Shannon as she lowered the lighter in her hand.
"What's going on?"
Claire shrugged. "Sayid said he could track a signal with the transmitter from the plane by using rockets or something." She shielded her eyes as she looked up into the sky. "I just hope whatever he's planning works."
"Yeah." Faith replied slowly. "Let's hope." She paused at seeing Shannon look their direction, the girl's gaze catching hers. Shannon's eyes narrowed and she quickly turned her back to the two of them, continuing to talk to the young girl sitting with her on beach towels.
"What in the world was that about?"
Faith shrugged and turned her attention once again back to the luggage. "Don't know, don't care."
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The moon was out as she returned to the caves, offering only limited light and she had no flashlight or torch. It didn't bother her but she took her time as she walked.
A snapping sound caught her attention from behind and she whirled pulling out her knife.
"Whoa there darlin'." Sawyer raised his hands and eyed the blade pointed towards him. "No need to get all slice and dice on me."
Faith snorted lowering the Jackal and she tucked it back into her belt. "What are you doing out here?"
"Scavenger hunting, what does it look like princess?" He grinned. "I'm on my way back to the beach."
She watched him but nodded, taking in how he eyed the blade on her hip. "You went with Sayid then I'm guessing. Did it work?"
"How the hell should I know? I ain't seen him since we split up." Sawyer looked around. "The Doc still alive?"
"How the hell should I know? I ain't seen him all day." Faith shot back.
Sawyer smirked and nodded as he chuckled and motioned towards her. "That's a fancy little knife you got there. You find that on the plane or does it belong to Mr. Clean?"
"It belongs to me so don't get any ideas. This baby," She patted her hip, "isn't an item on your scavenger hunt list."
"I wouldn't dream of stealing from a lady."
"Well, I'm sure they appreciate that but you come near my shit and I'll show you exactly how fancy it is up close." Faith cocked an eyebrow. "You sure you're gonna make it all the way back without a flashlight or someone holding your hand?"
Sawyer growled and turned away. "Don't even know why I bother with you damn women."
Faith grinned and moved in the other direction. She made it back to the caves, glancing around at all the inhabitants as she placed down Locke's belongings by his other things. Her eyes caught sight of Kate and Jack talking, the doctor laughing as Kate adjusted a makeshift sling around his arm. She wasn't surprised, everyone knew Superman could survive falling rocks.
She glanced away to find Locke standing at the fire, the boar positioned above it and he was brushing it with a leaf, coating the skin with juice as it cooked. Charlie came up beside him and she watched as Locke handed him a small bag. Faith frowned but remained where she was and her eyes widened as Charlie tossed the bag into the fire.
She smiled and her eyes caught sight of the moth flying towards the top of the caves the exact moment Charlie did.