A/N: My apologies for the delay but this chapter as you can tell by the length took some time. At this point, I am going on HIATUS with this until probably February when Lost Season Three starts back up. It will give me time to dwell, plot and be able to wrap up this story by the end of Three. Thank you for all the reviews so far. I hope you enjoy 42, please review, and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Chapter Forty-Two: Live Together, Die Alone

Desmond's boat was floating offshore, deserted and taunting from where it road the waves. Faith glanced down the beach to find the man in question still drinking, completely surrounded by bottles. Most were empty. She snorted then turned back to gaze at the boat.

"We should use the boat."

"Do you know how to sail?" She slanted her gaze towards Sayid standing beside her. He shook his head. "I don't either."

"I automatically assumed that talent would be part of your packaging as well."

A corner of her mouth tilted upwards in amusement and her eyes met his to find him already smiling. "I sure do love compliments." Faith glanced back down at Desmond. "I suppose one of us should ask him nicely to borrow it."

Sayid's eyebrows rose and he shifted to look at the drinking Scot too. "Or we could just take it."

"How come every time I try to play nice you remind me it's not as fun as the alternative?" She chuckled, "We could do paper, rock, scissors. I'm really good at that game." At his blank look, she shoved him lightly on the shoulder and made her way down the beach.

Desmond was finishing off another bottle as she approached and he barely glanced up when she finally came to a stop in front of him. "Go away. I want to be alone in my snow globe for now."

Faith frowned but plopped down beside him. "Sorry, no can do Brotha. I need your boat."

"For what?" He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity. "So you can float around in circles too? With my directions, I should have arrived in Fiji in a week but nooooo." Desmond shook his head. "Not with my luck on this bloody island. You always wind up back in the same spot, a freaking snow globe I tell you."

"Maybe I like floating in circles. Whether I get your permission or not though, I have to use your boat."

"Making some daring plan to visit the hostiles are we?" He tilted the bottle up to his mouth then angled it towards her. "Shot of courage?"

Faith grabbed the bottle and took a swig.

"Did you view the tape I gave you?"

"Did you?" She handed the bottle back then nodded. "Yeah, I watched it, didn't like what I saw. It brought up some interesting questions and gave me a few answers." Faith gazed at the boat. "Was there a girl at the hatch when you arrived there?"

"No." Desmond swished the liquor around in the bottle, watching it go round and round. "We pushed the button. Other than that, there was no outside interaction, no other person like the type that was mentioned in that video. I was right though, she's like you?"

"You say that like you know what I am."

"I only know what I do from what I saw in the video." He took another deep gulp from the bottle, finishing it and then tossed it onto the sand at his feet. "Jack tells me you're still pushing the button."

"I'm not pushing anything anymore. What I'm doing is taking your boat and going to the North shore of the island with Sayid. We're following the group that's headed out to get Michael's son back."

"Good luck with that."

"We need you to drive the boat."

He chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not doing anything Sistah. You and Sayid are on your own."

Faith opened her mouth to object when she caught sight of Jack and Michael with the others heading down the beach. "Hold that thought." She jumped to her feet and made her way towards them, ignoring anything Desmond replied after her.

Michael barely glanced at her as he walked past with Jack but Jack nodded and she replied in kind, no words needed to be spoken. Her eyes lingered on the shotgun strapped across Michael's back, still not saying anything when Kate and Hurley slowly made their way past her.

"If that ain't a face of serious concern, I don't know what one is."

Sawyer had stopped beside her, a shotgun strapped across his back as well. "I'm touched you noticed." She motioned at the gun. "Be careful out there, I know how you can get."

"You don't have a damn clue who I really am Fire Cracker." Sawyer was smirking as he spoke. He shrugged. "But if you ever really want to know, all you gotta do is ask."

"As tempting as that is…" Faith rolled her eyes then glanced at the group departing. "Better hurry and catch up or they'll go in Die Hard style without you."

"You ain't gonna give me a kiss for luck or nothing before I go?"

Faith nodded after a moment's hesitation. "Fine. Close your eyes." She watched him do as she asked with a wide smile on his face. With a roll of her eyes, she walked past him back down the beach.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Faith stood by the inflatable raft they were going to use to reach the boat and glanced slowly between the three people standing opposite of her. Her eyes drifted from Sun to Jin then back to Sayid before she looked back at Sun. "No offense but this is a rescue mission, not a field trip."

"You need someone who knows how to sail a boat and Jin does." Sun motioned at her husband. "I have to come along to translate."

"Great." Faith looked down the raft to find it stacked with guns and supplies. "Is there something else going on I don't know about? Do we really need this many guns?"

Sayid continued stacking the supplies. "You seem to have forgotten who we're up against."

"And you seem to have forgotten exactly who I am." She smirked as he looked up. "Yes, I'm aware of how cocky that sounded and no, I'm not taking it back."

"Faith, my… belief in you is unwavering but I want to be prepared. We don't know how their true numbers or what to expect when we get there. I just want to be careful." Sayid straightened and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

Faith didn't shrug his hand away and she tried to ignore her uneasiness by keeping the smirk on her face. "You were going to say your faith in me weren't you?"

Sayid smiled back and dropped his hand, glancing over the supplies again. "We should go. If there's anything you must get or do, now would be the time."

Faith shifted to say something to Sun but stopped at the sight of Locke talking to Desmond. "I'll be right back." Not waiting for a response, she headed towards them and Locke nodded his hello as he spotted her.

"I hear you're going after Walt."

She glanced down at Desmond who was smiling and softly singing under his breath. "Blabbermouth." She shrugged as she switched her attention back to Locke. "Yep, is this the part where you tell me you're coming too? People love doing that around here."

"No," Locke chuckled, "I'm not coming. I was just talking to Desmond about the button and how I believe it's a social experiment about control."

She cocked an eyebrow and glanced back at the Scot who was now lying flat on his back, still humming but louder this time. "You do realize he's drunk right? Big words might be a problem."

"I think he got the jest of it. We're going to see what happens tomorrow when you don't push the button."

"Be my guest though I think Eko might have a problem with that now. Is he at the hatch right now?"

Locke nodded. "I'm sure we can come to an understanding."

"One that involves blows I bet." Faith smirked, "Your problem Locke; just don't make too big of a mess while I'm gone." She cleared her throat. "I need a favor from you."

"Name it."

If she was surprised by the intensity of his response, she didn't dwell on it. "It's about Ana-Lucia. I'm on my way to check on her now while I get supplies and my bag from the hatch but while I'm gone…"

"I'll look after her."

"Don't make me some half-ass promise Locke because you're solely fixated on this button issue. With Jack gone, I need someone who will look after her. I need her alive, she's no use to me dead."

He frowned at her phrasing but nodded. "I promise Faith. Desmond and I will both take turns taking care of her tomorrow."

Locke and Faith both directed their attention to Desmond who had fallen silent, now lying on the beach with his eyes closed and a hand clenched around the neck of a liquor bottle.

"Yeah, that's comforting."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was a relief to find Ana-Lucia sleeping comfortably. Eko had only greeted her with a short hello as she passed, not even really looking up from the computer. She took note that the papers he had taken from The Pearl were now spread out on the desk but seeing the serious expression on his face, she had elected not to say anything.

Faith shifted away from the lower bunk bed to gather her things, locating her bag and random supplies in the bottom of the closest. She slung her bag onto her back then reached for the pile of weapons. A few seconds later, a quick look in the mirror had her smothering unexpected laughter. She had not only strapped the crossbow to her back but positioned one of Locke's hunting knives on her left hip before adding Steve's katana to her other side. Without looking, she knew there was a stake was in her bag as well.

"I freaking look like Rambo." Faith frowned as she continued to stare at her reflection. The mood was serious, everything about what was going on couldn't be labeled as anything but that and she still found that she merely wanted to laugh. If she was being honest with herself, the truth was that she was tired. Thank God for the time being honesty was the last thing on her to do list.

Everything seemed too surreal, events and coincidences colliding that in the past wouldn't have fazed her in the slightest. In the past she knew there was a job to be done, a mission that wasn't questioned, only preformed and she had not let her consequences affect her, had not even dwelled on them enough to care. Buffy had changed all that. The island had changed all that. She had changed and in more ways than one. Something was coming, had been since the first day they had arrived on the island and maybe now she would get the answers she wanted.

"Well, don't you just look like the very image of peace!"

Faith didn't move, the reflection of Mayor Wilkins meeting her eyes in the mirror. "You're not welcome here."

"Of course I am." The First chuckled. "Oh wait, you mean by you. Pity." It slowly shook its head. "You just don't get it do you Faith? You always were a little slow."

"Thanks for the reminder."

The First ignored her sarcasm, glancing slowly over at Ana-Lucia. "Looks like she might make it after all. Imagine that." It smiled at her using the Mayor's face. "Guess everyone in your life doesn't die or leave you after all."

"If your point was to come here and annoy me, congratulations; you can go now."

"No reason to get snappy Faith; I only came to give you a few words of advice."

Faith wrapped her hand around the handle of her knife, cursing inwardly at the inability to use it. "I don't want anything you have to offer, especially not your advice."

"Of course you do!" The First laughed, "You always did in the past! I was like a father figure to you wasn't I? I can be one again, all you have to do is say please."

"You may do the walk and talk but you're not anything like him." She turned away from the mirror. "You do have things in common though, you both like to blow hot air and act like what you have to say is important. Well, newsflash, it's not." She snapped. "Now get out of here before I really lose my temper."

The image of the Mayor smirked. "And do what Fire Cracker? Insult me some more? Sticks and stones, sweetheart, sticks and stones." The First looked at Ana momentarily. "You're starting to piece together the puzzle and as much as it pleases me, I can't help but notice you seem to be having a problem with what you're learning."

"Great, now you're a shrink too."

"I tried to tell you before Faith, about why you're here but I've come to realize I like watching you figure it out. You slayers are all the same, you take whatever is tossed at you and run with it. No questions, no objections… Well, in the past I mean, before Buffy. You remember that don't you? The jealousy you felt about the fact she was always the one that mattered."

"Get to the point!"

"You don't always have to be second in line Faith." The First smirked. "And lucky for you, here's your chance. You see, you and I both know that your little friends aren't going to find Walt and they're definitely not going to find the Others unless they're supposed to. I think though that the question that's bothering you the most is how did things escalate to this? I mean, you had a hostage here, you could have tortured him like the real Faith I know would have and avoided all of this…"

"That's not who I am." Faith shook her head and edged towards the bed to shield Ana cautiously. "That's not me anymore."

"I know and it's a real pity." The First shrugged. "But look on the bright side, you're no longer the fall back, Ana's not going to die, and Michael might actually get what he's willing to kill for."

"Michael didn't kill anyone."

"Tell that to Libby."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The sailboat cut through the ocean waves without resistance and Faith remained frozen where she stood, staring out at the passing shoreline. Jin was standing comfortably behind the wheel, Sun occasionally conversing with him but spending a lot of time throwing up over the side.

"You haven't spoken a word since we set sail." Sayid took a standing position beside her. "Is there something on your mind?"

She tore her eyes away from Sun. "Add that to my extra long list of why I'm never getting pregnant."

"You're avoiding my question."

"I sure as hell am."

"Faith…"

"Don't, alright?" She briefly looked at him before settling her attention back to the island. "There are some things I don't want to talk about, even with you."

Sayid slid his hands into his pants pockets. "When Shannon died, I didn't want to talk to anyone, all I wanted was to make someone pay." He cleared his throat and neither of them moved. "But then I realized even if I got what I wanted, I still wouldn't have the answers I needed. Sometimes the answers you want aren't what you get Faith."

"Did you know about Michael?" She turned to face him. "You said you suspected that maybe he wasn't being honest with us, did you know he was the one who let Henry go?"

Sayid glanced over to see that Jin and Sun were busy talking. He remained where he was, his voice low. "I suspected he had been turned by his actions and the fact he only wanted a certain number of people going with him. That's why I suggested we follow behind." Sayid gazed down at her. "We both knew what he had done Faith. Michael loves his son and would do anything to get him back, even kill. Do you blame him?"

"Are you saying you don't? He killed Libby! He almost killed Ana! Innocent people were hurt Sayid!"

"I never said either way, I'm asking you Faith. Michael has done something horrible, something almost unconceivable and right now, he's out there with our friends."

She turned away from him. "Believe me, when I see him again, I'll let him know exactly how disappointed I am."

"Faith…" Sayid reached out to capture her chin, tilting her head so their eyes met again. "I feel as if you're lost inside yourself, almost like every day that passes you're losing who you are to this image of what you think people expect you to be. There is more to you than that… and you don't have to do this alone."

"Well that's why you're here isn't it?" Faith smiled shakily. "You're the backup cavalry."

"I'm being serious."

Her eyes flashed against the brightness of the sun. "I am too, I'm Batman and you get to be Robin."

Sayid chuckled, the moment broken and with a long sigh, Faith extracted herself from his touch. She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at the wheel to find Sun watching them curiously, her husband quietly talking and not even noticing she was hardly paying attention.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

She wasn't sure how many hours had passed when Jin yelled something in Korean followed by Sayid's name that had all of them at full alert. Faith's eyes followed the direction of Jin's finger and her eyebrows rose at the sight of a broken statue in the distance.

Sayid caught the binoculars Jin tossed his way. He muttered something as he looked through the lenses then tossed the binoculars to Faith. "It is a foot… with just four toes."

She grunted and focused on the toes. "Hot damn. So, where's the rest of the statue?"

"Good question." He shaded his eyes against the sun, continuing to stare in bewilderment at what they had found. "And better yet, if there's more to it, exactly how big was it? That foot looks to the size of trees surrounding it."

"Just when you think this place couldn't get any weirder..."She raised the binoculars again to zero in on something lingering in the distance further down the island. "We're almost there."

Sayid took the binoculars back to take a look. "It's the rock Michael told me about, the one near their camp. We should go to shore on the raft and climb those rocks for an overview before we go into the camp."

"Agreed. Sun, you and Jin stay with the boat." Faith nodded as she reached down to grab her bag and the crossbow. "This shouldn't take long but if we don't come back in an hour…" She looked up to see Sun gazing at her in worry, "Then just wait longer, you're not leaving my ass here you got me?"

That made Sun smile, her body visibly relaxing for the first time since they got on the boat and she nodded quickly. "And what about Sayid?"

"Yes. What about me Faith?" He slung the rifle Danielle had given him weeks ago over his head and adjusted the strap across his chest before looking at her expectantly.

"Do I even have to dignify that with an answer? Seriously, shesh. We'd miss you of course. I know I'd be really upset about it for a day or two." Her grin gave away the fact she was teasing. Faith quickly shifted to begin untying the raft. "Let's go, daylight's burning."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The camp was completely deserted. Shelter after shelter had been left abandoned and empty. Faith kicked another door, crossbow ready against her shoulder, and she sighed as she yet again came up with nothing. She glanced over her shoulder to find Sayid looking around a frown on his face as well. "Anything?"

"No. No one's here."

"Don't tell me we missed the welcoming party." She muttered as she glanced around the campsite slowly, stopping as soon as she spotted the metal doors Michael had mentioned. She didn't have to dwell over it; the Dharma symbols on the door were clear as day.

Faith strode towards the doors with Sayid at her back and she slung her crossbow strap on her shoulder, Sayid still gripping his rifle for cover. "Here goes nothing." She swung open the doors, stepping back in surprise to see another set blocking her way, this one with a key hole in the very center of the large door. "And let's see what's behind door number two shall we?"

"I think you need a key."

She hesitated, studying the lock curiously. "I've seen this pattern somewhere before. I just can't remember…" Faith shrugged off her bag, unzipping it without a sound and as Sayid watched, she lifted the small box she had found in the hatch from the inside. Carefully, Faith opened it to extract the single key from on top of the photos and for a minute, she dangled it in front of Sayid. "A wise person once said, every lock comes with a key."

"And who was that?"

"I'm not sure." She turned back to the door. "But for now I'll take the credit for it."

The key fit perfectly and Sayid gripped the rifle comfortably as the hatch door opened with a loud groan of resistance. Faith quickly hurried to place the box back in her bag and zip it before shifting to grab her crossbow again. "Shall we?"

The corridor of the hatch was small and short, the end leading to a staircase that went down. Faith followed it with Sayid at her back, each of them careful to check any cervices and corners for anything out of the ordinary. The staircase led to a small room that was completely pitch black and Faith dropped her bag, rummaging through it to lift out a spare flashlight. It took her a few seconds to find the room switch and she smirked as she momentarily blinded Sayid with the light.

"Faith."

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. It's right beside you."

Sayid reached for the switch and within seconds, the room was lit in a florescent glow. Faith blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted but as soon as they did, she found herself taking a step backwards in shock. She found she couldn't tear her eyes away from what was in front of her, still reeling to the point she didn't even know what to say.

There were a total of six cells, each with glass panels for viewing the inside and the other three walls were made of concrete. The crossbow lowered unconsciously at the sight of the numbers that appeared at the top of each individual cell.

"Hot damn." She blinked again, letting her eyes trail down to the end where a cell hardly even looked used, the number forty-two carved into top. "I say again, hot damn."

"Faith, what's going on?" Sayid moved to stand beside her, his own curious gaze lingering on the rooms. "What is this?"

"This is where they kept us."

Immediately, Sayid and Faith both had their weapons up and ready, trained on the figure of Morana Jackson in the doorway. If she seemed nervous about the gun and crossbow pointed at her, it wasn't obvious. Her dark gaze was merely focused on Faith.

"They kept us here during training." Morana stepped down off the final stair. "So they could monitor us and make sure we were taking our medication. The experiments mostly happened elsewhere but occasionally…" Her eyes drifted to the numbers. "We no longer had names, only numbers."

"And forty-two?" Faith gripped the crossbow. "Who had the sick honor of being that number?"

"No one had that number." Morana shook her head. She smiled softly as if remembering something. "We waited so long, so very long for you but you never came. Others came before, others that were my number too but they faded away. They never came back."

"What were they trying to do here?"

"Make everyone better, what else?" Morana's eyes flashed dangerously. "To make a better world. Dharma cares for nothing but improvement and protection."

"So they picked up girls like you, sold them pretty lies and then did experiments on them." Faith lowered her crossbow but didn't release her tight grip on it. "You showed me that using the needle. Why?"

"Because you have to know your role, why you're important…" Morana looked down at the last cell again. "Why you were important before the program was abandoned."

"Abandoned?"

"The funds ran low, interest wavered. The Initiative pulled away so Dharma began to abandon the stations, abandon the people in them. They didn't care what happened to them, as long as they remained quiet. They were given the island, these people you know as Others."

"What happened to the other girls?"

"They were considered collateral, some were killed." Morana's face was filled with momentary pain. "Those of us that were lucky were taken in by the abandoned ones. They cared for us, fed us, made us family."

Suddenly Faith wanted to spit the foul taste from her mouth. "Family? They made you family? These people tested on you like you were lab rats Morana!"

"Stop."

"Morana, that's your name. Not four, not eight, it's Morana Jackson." Faith took a step forward, the crossbow now at her side. "So what then? They take you in; give you things in exchange for what? Security? Why did you need me to see these things? It was you that night in my dream with Walt at the pier, you were helping him, weren't you?"

"For a time. I thought the others wouldn't notice; I needed you to understand. It was never the intention for anyone to get hurt but the others that survived your plane crash… they weren't meant to."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sayid stepped forward, his gun still raised. "What are you saying?"

"You were not part of the plan. You should have died." Morana's face was blank as she looked at him, ignoring the gun pointed at her face. Her gaze returned slowly to Faith. "You were the only one they wanted at first."

Sayid and Faith both exchanged a look. "At first?"

"Other uses have been found for them, for survivors like you. He makes them work, makes them dig holes and build things."

"Who?"

"Benjamin." Morana's smile was faint. "You know him as Henry." She glanced between them slowly. "And now thanks to Michael, he has more bees for the hive to work now, including your doctor. Jack is very important to Benjamin."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Faith stepped forward almost bringing them toe-to-toe. "Bullshit."

"I don't know!" Morana sneered. "I only do and know what I'm told."

"And did they tell you to come here?"

"They knew you would come, it was necessary to draw your attention away from your friends. I'm afraid you won't be seeing them again for a very long time. Benjamin has plans for them."

Faith's grip tightened on her crossbow. "And what about us?"

"I do not know about your friend here but since you have come, the program must be completed. They want you to come peacefully, as you should have in the beginning and fulfill your destiny here."

Faith let out a bark of laughter. "You're out of your mind if you think I'm doing that. I want my friends, I want Walt and I want them now."

"I can only give you one thing." Morana lifted her hand to show the Jackal resting comfortably there. "The decision is yours whether I return peacefully or not."

Faith took a few steps backwards. "We don't have to do it this way."

"I'm afraid we do."

"Fine." She shifted to catch Sayid's eye and tossed the crossbow, not looking when he caught it and kept his gaze on Morana as he lowered it softly to the floor. "But regardless of how much I don't want to beat you into the ground, that knife is mine and I'm getting it back." Her hands remained by her sides, her fists clenched. "I also owe you for that kick in the hatch; trust me when I tell you I'll enjoy getting even."

"It is an honor to fight you Faith." Morana stuck the Jackal into the knife holster along her back. "I'm just sorry you can't see the right way to go about this."

"I'm pretty certain this is it." Faith swung with everything she had, fist landing squarely on Morana's nose before the other woman could even contemplate moving.

Morana reeled back but in a split second was on the attack. She rushed straight at Faith and it took a simple grab and roll maneuver to propel the blonde's body cleanly over her head. The move sent Morana sliding across the floor and as Faith flipped herself back onto her feet, Morana did the same.

Faith ducked the blow intended for her head and landed a solid kick to Morana's chest, sending her stumbling backwards to hit the concrete wall so hard that her head hit with a dull thud.

Sayid made the move to step forward but Faith waved him away. "What's the matter Morana?" She smirked as Morana rubbed at the back of her head. "You seem a bit rusty compared to last time."

Morana shoved from the wall and this time she was successful in connecting a blow to Faith's side, not missing the opportunity to grab a chunk of Faith's hair and land a solid punch to her face. She slammed her knee into Faith's side to send her back a few steps.

Faith moved right to avoid the next blow, grabbing Morana's shirt again to deliver a solid head butt before shoving her away. It was easy to miss the next swing, the other woman's equilibrium still unbalanced, and Faith shook her head as she grabbed the clenched fist and wrenched Morana's arm back painfully. Morana screamed and dropped to her knees.

"I'm really disappointed." Faith bent her arm back even more and landed a quick blow to Morana's face with her fist. "Last time you moped the floor with me, now you can hardly get a good hit in."

Sayid's voice was stern as it cut through the air. "That's enough Faith!"

She didn't even look at him. "I think Morana will tell us when it's enough." She smirked and punched the whimpering woman again, "Won't you Morana?" After another punch, she loosened her grip and shoved Morana forward, watching as the woman collapsed onto the floor.

Sayid stepped forward, his eyes still on the other woman. "As you can see, the plan has altered Faith. They're not here, we have to return to the boat." His dark eyes flickered between the two of them. "She obviously does not desire to fight you."

"Could have fooled me." Faith snorted. "Just because she's a quitter doesn't mean she didn't come looking for a fight." Blood was pouring out of Morana's nose and mouth but Faith merely straddled her to yank the Jackal from her hip holster. "This…" She grinned, "is mine."

"We must return to the boat."

Still gripping the Jackal comfortably, she took a step back. "What do we do about the girl scout?"

Sayid glanced back down at Morana, her shoulder shaking now as she coughed and spit blood out of her mouth. "That decision is up to you Faith."

"Fine." Faith leaned down and ignored the woman's cry of pain as she jerked her to her feet. "You're coming with us."

"I will not be a hostage." Morana jerked her arm free and wiped her hand across her face, the blood smearing along her fingers. "I can't go back with you, they'll kill me."

"If you don't do what I want, I'll kill you and trust me, I can make your final moments very interesting." Faith turned away to grab her bag, "Not to mention very painful."

"Benjamin said you would be difficult." Morana's smile was cold but uncertain. "They told us that was why you were important, you were a Chosen One, one of the first to be called. Your blood is pure." She looked down at her coated fingers. "We are only substitutes, nameless soldiers."

Faith straightened, her bag in one hand and the knife in the other. "What are you-"

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." The woman lunged forward to swipe the other blade from Faith's holster, turning immediately towards Sayid. He aimed his gun towards her and Morana swung her forearm to collide with his gun hand. She managed to land a solid punch to his gut, causing him to stumble back from the force and the gun went flying from his hand.

Faith dodged the gun and shoved Sayid to the wall, turning eighty degrees with the Jackal just as Morana leapt again. The Jackal slid easily into Morana's gut and their eyes locked at the exact moment her warm blood spilled all over Faith's hands. She jerked the knife free as Morana's body crumpled, tossing it without a thought to be able to gather the injured woman in her arms. "Shit! You idiot, what were you thinking? Don't you die on me!"

Morana began to cough blood, her hands pressing against the wound that was flowing profusely. "You must listen to me." She clutched at Faith's hands that had shifted to help her, the blood spreading between their fingers. "There are others."

"Others like us?"

"Yes." Morana coughed again, the blood splattering Faith's shirt. "You must help them. Please."

"We'll help them together. Just stay with me."

The smile on the blonde's face was one Faith had seen in the photo from the box, one of happiness and certainty. "You… are the Chosen One. Help them. Help."

"Faith, we must go. Now."

The light had died from Morana's eyes, her fingers lax and her shoulders no longer shaking but Faith continued to stare down at her.

Something suddenly roared outside, the sound so loud it almost shook the room. "Faith!" Sayid placed a hand on her shoulder. "We have to go!"

"I'm not leaving her here." She rose to her feet, not even noticing how much blood covered her clothes and body.

"Faith, we don't-"

"She's part of me! I'm not leaving her!" Faith shoved her bag at him, grabbing the Jackal to slide it into her holster. "Lead the way, go!"

He glanced down at Morana but then nodded, slinging her bag onto his back before retrieving his gun. Grunting, Faith slipped her hands under Morana's body and lifted her from the floor.

Whatever was going on outside, the noise increased and with firm steps, Faith followed Sayid up the stairs to greet it.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The roaring sound continued to explode in the background of the campsite as Faith followed Sayid back to the raft. She couldn't see anything but the sound was familiar, much like the supposed monster they had first heard days after arriving there.

Sayid scanned the area with his gun firmly trained to their surroundings, his feet quickly carrying him past the shelters. "Do you see anything?"

"No! Keep going!" The urge to look behind her was almost too much but Faith marched on, Morana's body clutched firmly in her hands.

They made their way down the rocks and Sayid climbed onto the raft, shoving their stuff in it before reaching out to take Morana from her.

"Faith!"

She stopped moving at the sound of the alarm in his voice, spine stiffening at the sound of something growling behind her. "No chance that's just my imagination is it?"

"Move!"

Faith twisted around to see what was behind her and her eyes widened at the sight of the cloud of dark smoke hovering above their heads. It growled and snaked above them, obviously intent on her and she knew without a doubt it was the smoke creature she had seen before in the woods with Eko and Charlie.

"Faith! Move!"

It reacted immediately and violently, a curl of smoke wrapping around her waist to jerk her clear from the raft. Faith cried out as its grip tightened, lifting her and suddenly the entire smoke cloud engulfed her. It filled her nostrils and her mouth, gagging her, and Faith squeezed her eyes shut as a bright light suddenly lit up the sky.

Faith went tumbling into the water and it swallowed her just as greedily, her vision going black as she slipped into unconsciousness.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Her gaze lingered on the open ocean, the water lapping at her feet, the sand shifting between her toes. Faith wrapped her arms tightly around herself and closed her eyes, inhaling the salt deep into her lungs. She felt the warm hand touch her hair, fingers drifting through the long strands and for a minute she embraced the delusion that she was somewhere safe, protected and free of any burden she had known of the past.

"There was a time when you fell I thought you were never going to get back up."

"I almost didn't." Faith inhaled the air through her mouth. "All I wanted was to fade away, forget, block out anything that mattered. I just wanted…"

The hand lowered, fingertips brushing her shoulder until the caress drifted away, lost in the breeze that rolled free from the ocean.

"Peace? That doesn't exist for people like us. There's always going to be some other demon to fight, some mystery to solve and when it comes to that moment, we're the ones people flee to for help."

Faith reopened her eyes and turned her gaze towards Angel. "What if it's not enough, the desire to be good? The darkness that lives inside me, it's there every day, each time I look in the mirror. What if I still succumb to that?"

"You fell into the darkness once Faith and you came back. No matter who you are, there's always that thin line. But it's not about battles; in the end, it's not about winning or losing. It's about whether or not you press on, if you willingly choose to continue. That's what matters."

She inhaled again slowly. "This is a dream isn't it?"

"Consider it a helpful message."

"And what just happened to me? Was that a helpful message too?"

"You're connected to this island Faith, you know that now. The energy here, it's a part of you, a part of the Slayer lineage. Buffy saw it before, the essence of evil when she needed to fight the first but she denied it. I'm afraid you weren't given that choice."

"Don't worry Angel, I'm used to having limited options." She smiled weakly at him. "Even though it's not really you, it's good to see a familiar face. Tell everyone I'm alright."

"Good luck Faith."

The fingertips drifted down her hair once more and then were gone, the image of Angel disappearing from her mind until there was nothing left but sand and water.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Faith came wide-awake to find herself on the boat. The concerned faces of Jin, Sun and Sayid hovered above her and for a minute, she blinked up at them. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was in a pinball machine." She grunted as she rose up on her elbows. "How long was I out?"

"Almost an hour." Sayid helped her climb back to her feet. "We set sail as soon as we could but the island, there was this light…"

"Was anyone hurt?"

Sun shook her head. "No but you must sit down Faith. We don't know what happened to you. You could be seriously injured."

"I'm fine." She scanned the boat quickly. "Where's Morana?"

Sun shot a look at Sayid and cleared her throat. "Down below in the cabin. I cleaned up the blood and wrapped her body in some of the sheets."

"Good, thank you." Faith nodded. "Let's put as much distance between their camp as we can. We need to set a fire and try to signal Jack and the others." She pushed past them to go below, ignoring Sayid's watchful gaze.

The boat cabin was spacious but small and Faith spotted Morana's covered body on the spare bed as she entered. Sun had wrapped her carefully from head to toe, even covering her face, and at that moment Faith was grateful.

A shudder wracked her entire body and Faith turned away to swing open the bathroom door, throwing up immediately into the toilet. She stayed in a hunched over position for several minutes before flushing it and shifting to splash some cold water on her face. Her hands gripped the sides of the small sink and face dripping with water, Faith looked into her reflection.

She blinked as she stared face to face with the image of the First Slayer, the woman's solid black eyes and painted face staring back at her. Faith blinked again and her own face returned but the dark black eyes remained.

"You're connected to this island Faith, you know that now. The energy here, it's a part of you, a part of the Slayer lineage. Buffy saw it before, the essence of evil when she needed to fight the first but she denied it. I'm afraid you weren't given that choice."

She watched as a half a second later, her normal shade of chocolate brown returned. The transition made her hands clench and the sink ripped clean off the wall.

Faith moved from the bathroom, her eyes locked on Morana's body again.

"They told us that was why you were important, you were a Chosen One, one of the first to be called. Your blood is pure."

"Faith?"

Sayid approached her from the stairs and she flinched as she felt the warm palm of his hand clasp her shoulder. He shifted so he could see her face, eyebrows furrowed and his eyes filled with worry. "Are you okay?"

"I killed her."

"Morana made a choice Faith. She was trapped between what she knew was right and what she had been told. It's not your fault."

Faith gazed down at her hands. "Even with water, the blood's still there, you know? It never goes away. I can't get the blood off my hands."

He took her hands in his; her attention glued to the action, and shifted her to face him. "I'll help you wash it off, I promise."

"You can't. It never comes off. I am Death."

His grip tightened on her hands as she looked up to gaze at him, her eyes black again. "Faith… What's happening to you?"

She blinked quickly, the brown color returning. "You can't say anything to anyone Sayid, please." Embarrassment flooded her system as she suddenly began to cry, shoulders shaking. "Her blood, it's all over me. Oh God, I killed someone. Oh God."

Sayid caught her as she collapsed, holding her against him and he rocked them as she continued to cry. "It's okay Faith. I'll help you." His gaze lingered on Morana's covered body. "I won't let you face this alone."

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