A/NUm... Nothing to say except I hope you enjoy this chapter. I had fun writing it. Thank you again for all the feedback and for reading the story. Please review if you haven't lately. It gives me an idea as to who is still hanging around or if you even like it. That's always a good thing to know. :) You guys that have been reviewing almost every time or every time I update, you deserve the biggest cookie and a plaque or something, you completely keep me going. Without you, there would be no Faith Tabula Rasa fic at all. It's appreciated from the very depths of my soul. Here's to you.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Collision
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"Golf is accuracy."

"Golf is boring." Faith glanced up to see everyone staring at her. She shrugged as if apologizing then went back to messing with the hangnail on her index finger.

Kate continued to taunt Jack while Hurley and Charlie looked on, both men occasionally heckling the doctor as well.

"Fine." Jack chuckled. "I accept your challenge. Three holes, whoever hits the ball the farthest will have bragging rights." He flashed Kate a smile then turned his attention quickly to Faith. "You sure you don't want a piece of me too?"

Faith froze, looking up again to see him waiting for an answer, and for a split second, she shifted her gaze to Kate. The look on the other woman's face could probably be labeled as jealousy but it fled just as quickly as it appeared, Kate blinking as she raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah Faith, let's show him how it's done."

"I haven't played golf since… never so I doubt there'd be much I could show him, golf-wise that is." Faith ignored Charlie and Hurley snickering behind them, but her eyes still watched Kate. She knew that teasing the woman was a little bit shallow but it was just too easy an opportunity to pass up.

Kate grunted and turned her attention back to Jack. "Let's do this then."

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Charlie wasn't aware of Faith glaring at him until Hurley hit him on the back of the head. "Bloody hell man, what are you-" He stopped his rant just as he fixed his attention to where she stood with her arms crossed over her chest and a stern look on her face.

"Hurley, man, take a walk will ya?"

He didn't argue with her and began walking the other way towards the beach. Kate and Jack had long disappeared over the hill towards the forest, Jack searching for the ball he had managed to lodge deep into the trees. Kate had taunted him the whole way and Faith could still hear the woman's voice as Jack continued to search the weeds and bushes.

Charlie shifted on his feet, glancing around nervously before he looked back at Faith who had continued to glare. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it."

"You haven't done anything yet."

"That's right." Charlie straightened. "I haven't."

"Did you happen to miss the yet part?"

"And who made you a bloody psychic?"

"I had a nice, long conversation with Claire today." Faith paused. "Okay, so it was nice for her and not very long but that's beside the point."

"Is everything okay? Is Aaron-"

"Everything's fine, Aaron and Claire aren't the problem."

"Are you trying to say that I am?" He pointed at himself, frowning. "That's ridiculous!"

"Man, signing all those adoptions papers was a bitch wasn't it?"

"Wha-"

"Oh, that's right." Faith chuckled. "You never adopted Aaron; he's not your son, he's Claire's." She sent him a scolding look. "I get that you care about Aaron Charlie, and you care for Claire in a way that's nauseating, but when it's all said and done, you're just some stranger she met because of a plane crash."

"I'm not sure what you're getting at! I care for Claire and the baby…"

"And it's real touching, especially the part where Claire feels threatened by the fact you seem happy about ordering her around when it comes to Aaron. She's new at this whole mother thing and half of it is finding out what works and what doesn't on your own. She doesn't need you hassling her on top of things."

"What would you know? Do you have any kids?"

"I'm pretty sure I know a whole lot more about responsibility then you do." Her eyes flashed but she managed to keep her voice low. "She knows you care about her Charlie, she appreciates you being there but some things a woman has to decide on her own, especially a single one when it comes to her baby."

He seemed hesitant. "Did she… Did she ask you to speak to me about this?"

"No. I decided to stick my nose in it, no point in beating around the bush. We both know Claire's too sweet of a person to say anything to you about it or else she would have a long time before now." Faith shifted her attention to the woods to see that Kate and Jack had completely disappeared. "It might be a good idea for you to start giving Claire some space." Faith turned away back towards the beach and immediately Charlie followed.

"You won't try to turn her against me will you?"

She glanced at him as they walked and the vibe of insecurity and worry hit her like a strong wave. "No Charlie, only you can do that."

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Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Locke lifted his eyes up from his crossword puzzle, his eyebrows raised.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Faith met his gaze openly, not even pausing as she continued to hit the end of the pencil on the table. Tap. "Is this bothering you?"

"What's a ten letter word for yes?"

She chuckled and tapped it one more time before she pushed away from the computer. "I don't see how you can stand being coped up in here all the time and on top of that doing crossword puzzles. Sometimes it reminds me of…" Faith bit at her bottom lip and tossed the pencil onto the table beside him. "Never mind."

"What?" Locke laid his own pencil down, still focused on her. "Reminds you of what? Prison?"

"I was gonna say a library but sure, that works." She grinned as he started to apologize. "I'm teasing ya, lighten up." Faith stuck her hands into her jeans and shrugged. "It was harsh man, just sitting there day after day and doing nothing but thinking about what I'd done. Sure, three meals a day, a TV, the occasional movie and weights, sometimes that's all a girl like me could ask for but at night, all I had were the thoughts you know?"

"What exactly did you do?"

"I thought we already skimmed over this chapter in my book."

"No," Locke corrected, "You said you had made a mistake and someone ended up dead, you didn't say how or why."

He was right. She licked her lips but nodded. "A couple years back I was doing my thing with the Buffy chick I mentioned before… I slipped up." She shrugged again. "I ended up staking a guy who was coming to us for help. I tried to blow it over and lay low but Buffy, man, she wouldn't have it." Faith chuckled. "Leave it to B, always trying to do what's right. I never could stand that before, had major issues with the whole good girl routine."

"Is she like you? A slayer?"

She nodded. "She was the original chosen one until she died the first time."

If possible, Locke's eyebrows rose even higher and Faith couldn't help but laugh.

"It's a real funny story. See-"

The entrance door to the hatch slammed open and they were facing it as Jack and Kate stumbled in, a body held between them. Faith wasn't sure what surprised her more, the sight of them or the tall dark-skinned man that followed.

"Get some pills and some alcohol!" Jack ordered. "And some gauge patches, anything. Go, go!"

Kate rushed off leaving Jack with most of the weight and the other man moved up behind them to take her place.

"No." Jack shook his head continuing towards the bedroom. "I've got him."

Faith moved forward at the same time as Locke, both following Jack as he stumbled his way into the bedroom and finally managed to reach the lower bunk bed. Just as he was about to lie the body down, the warning sound for the countdown went off.

"Locke, the button." Faith snapped her fingers and didn't look to see him disappear as she ducked down beside Jack to help. Her eyes went wide at seeing the man's face, his shirt soaked in blood. "Sawyer?"

Jack ignored her, bending over to begin stripping off the ruined shirt and Faith stepped out of the way just as Kate returned with her arms full of medical supplies. She watched them for a few minutes before glancing around and took note that the new arrival was missing. The alarm had stopped beeping as well.

Casting one more look at Sawyer, Faith ducked back into the hallway.

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It didn't take her long to find him or Locke, both men standing by the gun closet. As she approached, their conversation cut off and Locke glanced over, scratching at the top of his head.

"We have a problem."

Her reaction was instant. "How big and how do I kill it?"

Behind Locke, the man's eyes studied her, his facial expression never altering from a look of calm.

"And who the hell are you?" Faith took a step forward. "Did you do that to Sawyer? Where are the rest of them? Michael, Jin? Where is Walt?"

"Faith, calm down." Locke met her halfway, his hands up. "You have to listen to me, there's been an accident."

"Yeah Locke, I'm not blind!" She pointed over her shoulder. "Did you happen to miss Sawyer coming in here with a bullet wound in his shoulder?" She focused back on the larger man. "I want answers."

"I am Mr. Eko and I am sorry for your friend."

"That's not good enough. What happened?" Eyes flashing, Faith shoved Locke out of the way and stepped up close to Eko. "Where are the others?"

He stared down at her, once again his expression not changing.

"Faith, Shannon's dead. Mr. Eko said-"

Locke hadn't even finished the sentence when she reached out and grabbed Eko by the shirt, slamming him against the wall.

"Faith!"

She felt Locke's hand land on her shoulder and without looking, she reached out with her left to grab his wrist and twist it back. Cursing, Locke fell against the gun racks the very moment she let him go. Faith kept her eyes on Eko as she yanked him forward and then slammed him into the wall again. "Where?"

"Stop, that's enough Faith!"

A different pair of hands grabbed at her this time but she allowed Jack to pull her back, her eyes still glued to Eko. Jack yanked her out of the closet, throwing her a sharp look before he turned to eye the stranger.

"What is going on?"

Locke rubbed at his wrist as he pushed away from the rack. "There was an accident in the woods when they were bringing Sawyer back and Shannon was shot."

"Is she-"

"She's dead Jack."

"And the others? What about Sayid?" Jack glanced between the two of them. "What about them?"

"Who shot her?"

Jack glared at her again but Faith simply glared back.

"The Arab man is fine, as are the others, but I am afraid Ana-Lucia is too scared at the moment to let them go. She is afraid-"

"Did you say Ana-Lucia?"

It was Faith's turn to throw a look at Jack. "You know this bitch?"

"Faith!" Jack shifted his attention back to Eko. "You're gonna help us get them back or we're going to take these guns," He motioned to the racks in the closet, "and do it ourselves."

"Please." Eko spoke calmly. "She thought she was protecting us from the others on the island. She did not know that Shannon was one of your people."

"Yeah, I can see exactly how you'd mistake Shannon for an island crazy." Faith snarled. "Jack, let's go before she kills somebody else."

"I told you it was a mistake." Eko moved away from the wall. "Enough blood has been shed today. If you wish to get your people, I will help, but only Jack may come. Jack and no guns."

"Do we look stupid? You can't honestly think that–"

"Okay." Jack nodded. "Let's go then."

"Jack!"

He waved her off as she opened her mouth to speak again. "He's right Faith. Shannon's dead, Sayid's being held hostage and the last thing we need is for a war to break out."

"Jack!" A voice came closer from down the tunnel. "Jack!"

They all shifted their attention towards the living room area, Eko even following slowly behind, and watched as Michael appeared with Sun right behind him.

"We've got a problem man." Michael panted. "Like big."

"I know; we're coming." Jack nodded. He turned to point at Faith, "But you're staying."

She bit back her scathing reply and nodded, shooting one more look at Eko before backing up a few steps. "If you're not back in thirty minutes, I'm coming after you."

Jack reached out to squeeze her shoulder as he passed. "Help Kate look after Sawyer. We'll be back as soon as we can."

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Faith stopped as she reached the closed closet door and she turned to march back once again to the opposite wall. She had been pacing since Jack and Eko left the hatch.

"You're gonna make yourself nauseas."

She didn't even look at Locke sitting on the couch. Faith touched the wall and turned around. "Mind your own damn business."

"You're a lot stronger than you look."

"Then I guess now you'll think twice now about grabbing me." Halfway, she placed her hands on her hips and finally stopped. "You were talking to the Eko guy before I showed up."

"He said he's a survivor of the plane crash too. Four other people are with him."

"And he's positive they were all on the plane too?"

Locke nodded. "Not at first, they had an Ethan too for a while. They started out with twenty-three people including children and within two weeks, the Others had taken most of them."

"Taken them where?"

"He didn't say."

"And now Sawyer's injured and Shannon's dead." Faith ran her hands over her face. "How did this happen?" She growled. "I didn't even see it coming."

"You couldn't have stopped it Faith, don't blame yourself."

"You don't know that."

"Do you really think you're going to be everywhere 24/7? It's just not possible, even for you."

Faith dropped her hands to her side. "I know. Doesn't mean I can't try though."

She glanced over just as Kate came out of the bedroom. "How is he?"

"Stable." Kate flopped down on the sofa chair opposite of Locke. "He still has a bit of a fever but the medicine Jack gave him seems to have helped dull some of the pain."

"Did he say anything? Anything at all?"

"He's mumbling but that's about it."

"Sit down Faith."

"Don't tell me what to do." She narrowed her eyes at Locke. "I know you're trying to help or whatever but just don't alright?"

He nodded and glanced over at Kate. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She cleared her throat. "When he wakes up, he's gonna need water and some food."

"Go ransack the food pantry and see if there's anything in there you can give him." Faith nudged her head towards the back. "I'll look after Sawyer while you're gone." She quickly looked her over. "While you're at it, take a shower or something too, you're starting to smell."

The comment brought a small smile to Kate's face, one as if saying she knew what Faith was trying to do and Kate nodded, pushing up from the chair. "Okay. Be back as soon as I can."

Faith watched her go then glanced back over at Locke. "The button?"

"I'm on it."

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Sawyer lay there shirtless, drenched in sweat, and randomly muttering to himself. She sat by the bunk and watched him, eyes occasionally drifting past his face to zero in on the bandaged gun wound.

"He dug it out himself." Michael spoke up from behind her. "The bullet I mean."

Faith continued to stare at the white bandaged, blood already seeping through the gauze. "What happened?"

"They took my boy."

Her gaze went to Michael's immediately. "Repeat that?"

"There was another boat." Michael watched Sawyer. "We thought it was a rescue boat and it turned out to be them, the Others."

"Everyone thought they were coming for Aaron…" She whispered. "But they were coming for Walt."

"Sawyer tried to stop them, he had a gun, I guess Jack gave it to him just before we left, but they were faster." He nodded. "They blew up our raft and took Walt right out of my hands."

"I'll get him back Michael, I swear it."

He tore his gaze from Sawyer and locked eyes with her. "Why? Why help me?"

"It's not about you Michael, it's about Walt. Despite how you feel about me and no matter how dangerous you think I am, I like Walt and I don't want to see him hurt. He's just a kid."

"I think I seriously misjudged you."

Faith grunted turning away to look at Sawyer again. "I'm used to it."

"Before they came, Sawyer told me about you, said you weren't actually the one who was handcuffed on our plane. Is that true?"

"What does it matter now?"

"I just want to know why you'd do that, why you'd admit to something knowing full well how I or anyone else would react to it." He was still staring at her. "It's like you actually want people to not trust you."

Faith glanced over her shoulder at him. "No, I wasn't handcuffed to the marshal, Sawyer wasn't lying to you. Kate can do a lot of good here, more than she thinks she can, but that won't happen if people look at her like she's dirt. Me, I don't mind so much." She turned away again. "For a man who doesn't like to talk much, Sawyer sure does have a loud mouth."

"The people that Jack's coming back with…" Michael cleared his throat. "Their leader, I guess you'd call her that, Ana-Lucia? She killed one of them."

"How?"

"I don't know. She went out with him exploring one day to see what we could find out about where we were. She came back and he didn't."

"Is she a problem?"

"I don't like her if that's what you're asking but no, I don't think she meant to kill Shannon. Before we even came close to camp, there were five of them excluding us." Michael backed up from the doorway. "Cindy, the airplane stewardess that made it, she was taken right from under our noses. Whoever took my son, they took her without a struggle. They mean business."

"We'll get them back one way or another."

"Even if it means war?"

War. War is coming to your door.

She kept facing forward. "You can count on it."