Chapter Thirteen: Special

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"I'll bet ya four mangos you're wrong."

"That's a stupid thing to do when I know I'm right."

"No," Sawyer shook his head, "You're not."

Faith couldn't stop chuckling as she continued carving at her mango with a knife. "I'm right, you're wrong; you're just gonna have to face reality."

"There is no way in hell the Punisher could beat the Incredible Hulk in a fight, you're crazy!"

"Of course he could." She grinned as she turned and watched Sawyer toss his fruit peelings onto the sand in front of him. "People think just because the man was a fighter against evil that he was some kind of damn saint. The Punisher wasn't a nice guy and if he didn't have to, you better believe he didn't fight fairly. Against the Hulk, well how does anyone usually beat a giant, smelly beast?" Faith questioned, "You wait until he's distracted before you come up behind him and stab him in the heart. In other words, he wouldn't fight him as the Incredible Hulk; he'd kill him while he was still Bruce Banner."

Sawyer chuckled and shook his head. "Gee Fire Cracker, since you put it like that… Maybe I should watch my back around you when it gets to be that time of the month."

"And don't you forget it." Faith pointed at him with her knife. "Now, where are my mangos?"

"Damn women."

She grinned as he tossed her the one he just peeled and she caught it easily with her right hand. "Don't worry, I'll get my other winnings from you later."

"Bet you will sweetheart."

Faith stared at him from his slouching position on the airplane seat. "Only one man has ever called me sweetheart before."

"Oh yeah?" Sawyer glanced up at her, squinting against the sun. "Is he as good looking as I am?"

She paused to toss a chunk of mango in her mouth, chewed slowly, and answered him with the fruit still in her mouth. "He's dead now." Faith swallowed and glanced around to avoid making eye contact with him. "Why do you give people pet names anyway? Is that some kind of fetish?" Faith put another piece of mango in her mouth then tilted her head to grin down at him. "Does it get you off?"

Sawyer laughed loudly as he shook his head and stood up from his seat, dusting the sand from his pants. "Lots of things get me off Fire Cracker but that ain't one of them."

"Pity." Faith extended her other mango towards him and smirked as he stared at it a split second before cocking an eyebrow. "Well? I'm not gonna stand here all day."

Chuckling under his breath, Sawyer reached out, his hand completely bypassing the mango, and his fingers wrapped around her wrist in an attempt to pull her towards him. He barely had time to react before Faith dropped the mango and turned her arm so that she grabbed his wrist and was able to duck under his arm. Sawyer cursed as his arm was twisted behind his back and a swift kick in the back of one knee caused his entire body to buckle.

"Damn Fire Cracker, I was just…"

"About to make a mistake." Faith grunted as she released him and stepped back, watching as he slowly climbed back to his feet, the sand covering his knees and the bottoms of his pants legs. "Watch your hands…" She eyed him, "Or maybe that's another one of your fetishes?"

"Keep throwing a guy around like that and he might grow to like it." Sawyer growled rubbing at his arm. "Where in the hell did you learn to do that?"

"Defense class."

"Yeah, right."

Faith shrugged and glanced down at the fruit by their feet. "You can have that one." She shook the mango she had managed to keep secure in her left hand. "This baby's mine." Faith paused as she spotted Jack headed up the beach with the silver briefcase in his hand and nudged her head in his direction. "Think he sleeps with that thing?"

"Wouldn't doubt it." Sawyer snorted. "I think I spotted the key for it hanging around his neck earlier."

"Either that or Jack has a diary he doesn't tell anyone about." She popped another piece of mango into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully as she watched Jack stopping to talk with some survivors she didn't recognize. "Whatever is in there, it's important enough for Jack to not want anyone else to have it." She swallowed and paused to lick at her fingers. "Care to make another bet Sawyer?" Faith turned her head towards him and raised her eyebrows questioningly. "You win and I'll throw in some mangos for you, minus the sand."

"You must think you have me pegged as a betting man."

"Oh, I have you pegged alright." Faith tossed what was left of her fruit into the bushes behind his tent. "And I can say that with confidence especially since I found handcuffs in your tent the other day."

"Hey now, the marshal had an extra pair on him and I thought –" Sawyer grunted as she turned away and began making her way up the beach. "Hey, where are you going? What about our bet?"

"I have something I need to do." She threw him a look from over her shoulder. "You'll be there when I get done right?" Faith turned back around. "Not like you have anywhere else you gotta be at the moment."

Sawyer continued watching her walk away and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Not like I got the damn key for the cuffs anyway." He glanced towards his tent and frowned as he noticed several things were suddenly missing. "Son of a bitch!"

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Faith was careful as she followed a good distance behind Jack. She tapped her fingers against her leg, watching him carrying firewood and fought the urge to simply knock him out and take the key. Finding the briefcase would be the easy part.

Patience never really was her strong suit.

She finally picked up the pace as she spotted Charlie and Michael on the path, both men heading in opposite directions.

"Hey, Jack, you see my boy when you were out there?"

"No, he was at the caves."

"Yeah, he took his dog for a walk." Michael snorted, shaking his head, "I told him to stay close as usual. If you see him…"

"I'll tell him to stay put."

"Thanks."

Jack nodded and stopped walking as he spotted Faith behind Michael.

She grunted under her breath and approached, Michael catching sight of her as well.

"Hey Faith, you seen my kid?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "Do you know where he is?"

"I haven't seen him all day." Faith raised her hand, showing him two fingers. "Scout's honor."

"Seen Locke or Boone?" Jack questioned.

"Nope, but if Walt's missing…"

Michael let out a huge sigh. "Then he's probably with them." He swore and immediately marched past her down the path.

"Want me to come with?"

"No. I don't need anymore trouble."

Faith scowled even though she knew he couldn't see her and she waited until he disappeared to turn back around to eye Jack. "What?"

"He doesn't mean anything by that."

"Sure he doesn't. And I'm the queen of England."

"How's your head?" Jack chose to ignore her obvious sarcasm. "You've been banged up a couple times since we crashed and have yet to come see me. You're not invincible Faith; you could get an infection if you don't get cuts and wounds treated properly."

"Your concern is touching Jack really, I can see why you became a doctor." Faith came closer to him as she slid her bag within reach, and seconds later zipped it back up. She wiggled the bottle in the air. "What's this worth to you?"

Jack frowned as he leaned closer. "It's Ampicillin. Where'd you get that?"

"I took it from Sawyer. What's it worth to you?"

"Shouldn't the question be, what is it worth to you Faith? You obviously want something."

"Smart boy." Faith lowered the bottle. "I want to trade, this for something I know you have that I need."

"You're turning into a female version of Sawyer." Jack chuckled, shaking his head as he turned to continue back up the path. "What makes you think I have anything you'd want?"

Faith followed him closely as she tossed the bottle from left to right. "Probably from spotting that key around your neck… and the briefcase you were carrying around."

"No." Jack stepped inside the caves and dropped the wood onto a huge pile. "No deal, there's nothing in there you'd be interested in."

"I know it was the marshal's briefcase Jack and I know for a fact that it had things in it that belong to Kate so don't play dumb when I ask you about it. One clip of ammo in exchange for medicine someone might need isn't too much to ask."

"Yes. It is." Jack stepped closer in order to keep the conversation between them and he glanced around before glaring down at her. "You really expect me to hand you a gun and let you go running off into the jungle alone after some crazy Frenchwoman?"

"Honestly? Yeah. But I wouldn't be alone; the human packrat is coming along." Faith smirked. "Besides, I hate guns so I'd only use it for extreme emergencies. Promise."

"Someone could get hurt or killed, and to be honest, I don't trust Sawyer not to try anything funny when you two are alone."

"I appreciate the concern but I can take care of myself."

"The answer is no Faith, I'm sorry."

Faith growled but nodded and he was surprised as she tossed the bottle at him. "Fine. We'll play it your way for now..."

"Faith…"

"But when the time comes and I really do want something from you Jack? I won't ask you. I'll just take it."

Jack clutched at the medicine bottle. "I'm not your enemy Faith."

"We'll see about that."

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Faith closed her eyes as she listened to the ocean lapping at the shore. She continued to keep them shut as she felt the breeze lift up from the waves and her skin tingled, fingers moving ever so slightly.

It was calm and serene; the very idea of it sending her back to the time when Buffy had described to her what Heaven had felt like.

She was on a cloud, nothing but air and peace. At first, it unsettled her, threw her off balance and spit her out. She didn't like it, the sensation of her skin feeling as if it was burning. Maybe it was just her imagination… maybe it was what she had coming to her. What bothered her most was that she couldn't tell which.

Faith turned quickly and released her knife from her grip. It embedded into the tree inches away from Boone's face, and he gazed at her in shock from where he stood when she finally opened her eyes.

"Impressive."

Faith grunted as Locke came around from the other side of the tree and she moved forward to retrieve her weapon, running her eyes over the blade before she slid it back into her belt.

"What do you want?"

"I thought maybe you'd like to talk."

Faith glanced over at Boone. "With your padawan-learner here?"

Locke looked at Boone as well and nudged his head. "Go ahead Boone and check on the hatch, I'll be there in a minute."

The younger man seemed apprehensive about what to do, the look of surprise still on his face when he looked at Faith but finally he nodded and was gone a second later.

Faith turned away to look back out towards the ocean, crossing her arms as Locke moved to stand beside her and watch the waves as well.

"I keep expecting to look out and see a boat on the horizon."

"I keep expecting to wake up and find myself back in Sunnydale."

"What's there?"

"Nothing now." Faith shrugged. "Nothing but dirt and old memories."

"You seem upset with me, as if something's changed."

Faith glanced over to find him watching her closely. "Something has changed Locke. Your little obsession with whatever that thing is in the ground, that hatch, is going to get someone killed."

"You don't know that."

"I've come to realize that when I get a bad feeling about something, I'm usually right." Faith shook her head. "I've got a bad feeling about this place Locke. There's something not right about this island."

"I have a feeling too Faith but it's not a bad one. We were meant to come here, we were meant to crash on this island, each and every one of us that survived was meant to for a reason. What's that reason? I don't know but I believe in second chances and that chance for me? For us? It's in the hatch, I just know it."

"And if it's not what you're expecting?"

"It will be. I know it."

"You better be right. I'm not above beating up old men in order to feel better about myself."

Locke chuckled but grew somber almost right away. "I want you with us Faith, we can't do it without you." He glanced towards the trees in the direction Boone had gone. "It took some time to win over Boone but he's finally seen what I have and he knows I'm right. You're special. I want you to be there with us when we open it."

"And what are you expecting when you finally do?" Faith smirked, "Confetti and balloons? Perhaps a giant cake with a banner that says, surprise, we were just kidding about you being stranded and left for dead?"

"Hope." Locke smiled. "I'm expecting to find hope."

"For a minute there I thought you were gonna say faith." She muttered turning her attention back to the ocean, "Was definitely gonna have to beat you up then." Faith watched the sky beside Locke for a few minutes in silence before she cleared her throat. "So what happened?"

"What?"

She looked back at Locke and motioned to her face. "You have dirt on your face and your arms are scratched up. So what fun activity did I miss?"

"Walt." Locke looked back at the ocean. "He ran off and we found him in the jungle hiding in a tree."

"Hiding in a…"

"A polar bear was trying to get to him from the outside."

Faith's eyebrows rose immediately. "But he's okay right? Walt is fine?" She bit the inside of her mouth so she'd stop talking, her eyes glued on his face.

"He's fine. Michael stabbed it with my knife and the bear just… took off."

"Polar bears… Strange isn't it?" Faith snorted, "You'd think someone has them here for a reason."

"Who knows, maybe we'll find out in the hatch."

"You and your damn hatch." She scratched at her forehead. "When are you going to tell Jack and the rest of the dream team that you found a World War 2 bunker?" Faith chuckled at the look he gave her, "Kidding… about the name, not the actual… Just answer the damn question."

"When we finally understand what it is."

"It's a damn hatch in the floor of the jungle on an island that's in the middle of nowhere." Faith replied immediately, "We both know there's people on this island that have been here for god knows how long, and that whatever is in that hatch, it's probably theirs. I highly doubt they're going to like us playing in their sand box very much."

"They already took one of us, almost killed Charlie, Faith." Locke shook his head. "I'd say they're past waiting to get mad until a good enough reason comes along." He turned from the ocean. "Are you with us or not?"

"Why do you want me there Locke? Tell me that."

"Because I can't do it without you. Since we landed on this island, you're the only one that's believed in me, the only one that's been brave enough to do what needed to be done."

"Know what I think?" Faith snorted, "I think you're starting to sound like an old perv. Sorry John but I'm all fresh out of cheerleading outfits."

"That's not it, I promise." Locke reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I need your help; I want you there. You're like a daughter to me."

"The answer is no." Faith's eyes grew cold and she stepped back, his hand falling away from her completely. "I don't have a father…." She turned away from him and began heading towards the jungle, "And you'll never be anything more than just another stranger that tried to get too close to me."

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"You're like a daughter to me."

Faith continued to stare into the fire, watching the flames as they danced in the air.

"I don't have a father…."

She threw another stick into the burning pile and the wood was enveloped in sparks of red and orange.

"You're the only one that's believed in me, the only one that's been brave enough to do what needed to be done."

Faith glanced down at her belongings and reached out, finger sliding along the smooth blade of the Jackal, the light from the fire bouncing off it. Her face was reflected in the glow and for a moment Faith gazed at her features: messy hair, dirt-covered cheeks, tired eyes.

"You'll never be anything more than just another stranger that tried to get too close to me."

Not too long ago she would have blamed it on being a slayer but now there wasn't much left of that old life. She wasn't sure she was ever going to return to it, ever going to get off this island. Maybe this was it; maybe this was her destiny.

In her mind she knew that was a lie and telling herself that lie didn't make things any better either. She didn't want to settle for a lie. She didn't want to settle period.

Faith glanced down the beach to gaze at the other campfires, spotting Walt sitting with his father not too far away. Michael looked up as he handed his son a small box and she was surprised when he nodded towards her.

She responded in kind then looked away, back towards her hands. Slowly she slid the blade into her bag and zipped it up.

"Penny for your thoughts there darlin'?"

Faith didn't look at Sawyer as he squatted to take a seat next to her. "I don't have any pennies."

"Ah, true." Sawyer chuckled, "But you do have that pretty little knife."

She slid her gaze to his, finding him watching her with a sly grin. "I'd be more than happy to show it to you up close."

Her response only caused him to laugh again and he shook his head. "You sure do know how to talk dirty to a guy and no, that's not a fetish of mine neither."

"Of course not, why confuse a fetish with plain fun."

"Exactly." Sawyer glanced past her. "I see Michael and Walt kissed and made up."

"He's just worried about his son growing up here, that's all."

"Tell me about it, word going around is that he's planning on building a raft and sailing out of here."

Faith looked back at Michael and Walt as well. "Not a bad idea… if you got what it takes."

"He just might if someone decides to help him."

She chuckled and glanced back at Sawyer. "Let me guess, that someone with the stuff to help him might do it for a price."

"Don't forget everything comes at a price sweetheart." He motioned down at her bag. "About time you gave me back that stuff you took don't you think?"

"No." Faith blinked. "You took it from someone, I took it from you, vicious cycle really."

"Then you might as well tell me about that bet from earlier. Guess I'll just have to win it from you, I'm competitive by nature."

"Of course you are, you're male." Faith smiled but shook her head. "When I'm doing playing Sawyer, you can have your toys back. Until then, you're just gonna have to sit there and look pretty."

"If you were anybody else…"

"Then you'd have no one to talk to, now would you?" She stared at him straight in the eyes, the smile remaining on her face. "I guess sometimes you just have to settle with the cards you've been dealt."

"You're a mighty tough woman to figure out."

"Puzzles wouldn't be any fun if they were simple."

Sawyer smiled back. "One thing I have figured out about you though Fire Cracker, you're doing your damned hardest to make people not like you, and the way I see it, well hell darlin', no one here much likes me to begin with. I guess that makes us the perfect match then don't it?"

"This is starting to turn out to be a really cheesy Trojan condom commercial." She rolled her eyes. "But you're right…" Faith stood up, grabbing her bag and she slung it quickly over her shoulder, "People here don't really like you at all."

She watched as emotion flickered across his face but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, a deep frown etching itself permanently onto his lips. "Keep doing that and your face is gonna stay that way." Faith fixed her bag. "I'm heading back to the caves."

"Good luck getting any rest there."

She paused, eyebrow raising. "Why is that?"

"You mean to tell me that you didn't know?" Sawyer grinned, tilting his head back in a cocky fashion. "Of course not, people here like Jack don't really care much for keeping you in the loop. No wonder you don't care much about-"

"What did you mean by that?" Faith barked loudly. The sound echoed and several people looked towards them. "Tell me."

"Easy Fire Cracker, easy." Sawyer kept his gaze on her, expression somber. "The pregnant woman that's been missing? They found her."