I left my book at the hatch. My Steinbeck novel. So, when midday comes and I start to get bored with all of my new free time, I start the hike over to my least favorite place on the Island.

When I get there, the front door isn't properly shut. I pull it open and walk down the corridor, voices carrying down the hall. Jack, Locke, and Ana Lucia are in the living room. Jack is talking. "Michael's back, though. What happened here?" he nods to Ana's forehead.

"My fault," Locke says from the couch. "I left the tap on in the bathroom sink and Ana wiped out and hit her head on the bathroom counter. And I'm sorry, again."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Ana says.

"Michael's back?" I ask. When did he get here? Where is he?"

"We just got back with him. Kate and I went to talk to his people," he nods at Gale's prison. "But they never showed up, just Michael, passed out."

"Is he okay?"

"Jack, I think he's waking up," I hear Kate say from the bedroom.

Everyone follows Jack into the bedroom, which becomes cramped quickly with six people in it. "Hey, Michael," Jack says, bringing him round.

"Jack?"

"Hey, man."

"Wait a minute," Michael says, disoriented. "How did I get...?"

"Wait, try to take it easy, okay," Jack says, pushing him back into the pillow. "You're back in the hatch. We found you out in the jungle last night."

"Oh, my head," Michael exclaims, grabbing it.

"Welcome back," Locke greets.

"Hey, John," Michael looks at all of us and starts his story. "I found them. After I left I hiked North back to where we were," he's referring to his and Ana's trek from the other side of the Island. "I hiked to the beach, followed the shore line. A day later I saw one."

"What did he look like?" Locke asks.

"He was dirty, worn clothing, no shoes, simple. Just like the rest of them."

"Like the rest of them?" Jack says, confused.

"Yeah, his people, the Others. I followed him back to his camp. They live in tents. Canvas tents and teepees. They eat dried fish. They're worse off than we are."

"How many of them were there?" Kate asks.

"I counted twenty-two."

"What about their boat? The one they were on when they blew up the raft?" I ask.

"I didn't see it."

"Did you see Walt?" Jack asks.

"No," Michael answers, looking down. "But I know he's there."

"What about everyone else they took?" Ana asks him. "Cindy? Did you see any other kids?"

"No, no, no kids, no. But I think they were in the same place as my boy," he pauses then turns back to Jack. "They have a hatch."

"How do you know that they—,"

"There's a set of metal doors leading underground. What else could it be?"

"And you think that's where they're keeping the kids?"

"They keep it guarded 24/7. Two guards, two guns. And two guns is all I saw. They're barely armed. Most of them are old and half of them are women. I wanted—I couldn't save him. So I came back to tell you that we can take them. As soon as I get my strength back, I will take us back there. And we are going to get my boy back."

Jack and Locke make a plan to get the guns back from Sawyer and Michael sleeps. Ana watches Henry. I passed on everything. I heard Hurley complain the other day to Charlie that he wasn't "in the loop". I hate being in the loop right now. I just want a break. Libby, Claire, Sun, all of my friends that are living in this sweet state of ignorance. I'm so jealous.

"Hey," Kate says, walking up to the couch where I'm sitting. "Mind if I sit?"

"Knock yourself out."

She sits and resumes talking. "Are you alright? You seem kind of…"

"I'm fine, just tired."

Kate smiles. "I know you and I aren't that close, but I consider you a friend, Tia." Wow, this comment shocks me. I had no idea she felt that way.

"You do?"

"Yeah, and if anything's wrong, you know you can tell me, right?"

I've only told Claire, but things like this do need to be talked about. "I had a pregnancy scare yesterday."

Kate looks shocked. "Was it…"

"Boone's? Yeah. But I got my period. I'm okay."

"Oh, thank god! I mean—,"

"No, no, thank god," I agree. I hesitate before telling her the next part. I want it to be just for me, but at the same time, I want someone to tell me I'm not crazy. "I was sitting at Boone's grave yesterday, thinking I was pregnant, and then it started to rain."

"Yeah, I remember."

I tell her about the shifting tree and then the bright sunlight. Kate eyes me with a look that's hard to detect. Pity? I knew I shouldn't have told her. "Tia, trees can move like that."

"But I went back this morning, and it was back to normal, facing away from the grave." This was a bad idea. I should have kept it to myself.

"I saw a horse," Kate says.

"A what?"

"A horse. A large, black horse in the jungle, right after the guys on the raft got back here."

"That's weird. Where did it go?"

"I don't know, but the really weird thing is that I saw the same horse before. The first time I was arrested, right after I'd gone on the run, this horse saved me from the marshal. He stood in front of the car we were in and made it crash."

"I guess we're a pair of crazies, then," I joke.

She laughs and nudges my shoulder. "Jack and Locke are going to get the guns from Sawyer."

"Yeah, we are," Jack says, entering from the computer room. "Kate, can I talk to Tia for a second?"

She looks between us and grins. "Sure. I'll go check on Michael."

Jack sits down on the coffee table. "You were right," he says.

"I usually am," I joke. "But what is it this time?"

Jack nods toward the vault. "About him. When you and Sayid brought him here and Sayid did that stuff to him. You told me that building an army means we're at war. You were right."

"About being at war?"

"About what it takes to be at war." He pauses, then continues. "When we get the guns from Sawyer, I'd like for you to be there. As a peace keeper."

I nod my head. "Sure thing. But when you guys do whatever it is you're gonna do with those guns, I don't want to be a part of it."

"Really?" Jack says, surprised. "You always want to be in the think of the action."

"Hurley calls it 'the loop'. But, yeah, not on this one. I've been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. I need a break."

Jack's face starts to redden. "I heard what you told Kate. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I stand up and slip my boots back on. "Are we ready to go?"

"We need someone to stay here with him," Jack says, motioning to the vault.

"I'll do it," Ana volunteers.

Jack nods his head. "Let's go."

"Sawyer, put the book down," Jack demands, approaching Sawyer's tent.

"It's not a book, it's a manuscript. I'm about to be the first and only guy to find out who done it. I think I've got it figured out. Cool your damn jets and walk around the coconut trees; I've got, like, ten pages left."

Jack wrenches the manuscript from Sawyer's hands and hold's it on front of him. "Hey!" Sawyer yells, reaching for it.

Jack throws it into the fire at Sawyer's feet. "You want to figure it out?"

Sawyer manages to grab most of the paper out of the flame. "What is your problem, Doc?" he yells in Jack's face.

"It's time to give us the guns back."

"You burn the ending of my book and now you want—,"

"Where are they, James?" Locke cuts in.

"You too, Brutus?" he says, bitterly.

"Just take us there, Sawyer, alright? Quit playing around." Kate says.

"Can it, Freckles." He looks between Kate and myself. "What, did you bring them along for a sympathy vote? Why don't you two just go play in the jungle, huh?"

Jack takes the gun out of his pants, and I follow, drawing mine. "Take us to the guns, now."

Sawyer reaches behind his back and smirks with displeasure. "Ah, that bitch. She stole my damn gun. Ana Lucia."

"Why would she need a gun?" Jack asks.

"Jack, I need to tell you something," Locke says.

"What, John?"

"That bump on Ana Lucia's head? The one I told you was from her hitting the tap in the bathroom? She went to give Henry food this morning and he tried to strangle her. I lied."

"She's gonna kill him," I say.

"Kill who? Who the hell is Henry?" Sawyer asks, confused.

We ignore him. "We need to get back there," Jack says, starting toward the hatch.

"No, wait Jack. Maybe we should let her do it," I suggest, just wanting to be rid of our problem.

"If she does that, then we have no leverage," Locke argues.

"We have no leverage now. You heard him. He's nothing. They'll never trade him for Walt."

"Could someone please explain G.I. Jane's nonsense right now, cause no one is getting anywhere near the guns until you do," Sawyer says.

Kate explains Henry Gale and about how Michael came back to camp last night, filling Sawyer in.

"Ya'll didn't tell anyone about this?" Sawyer asks Locke, Jack, and I.

"No," Jack answers.

"Good. 'Cause I'd have killed him way sooner than this." Sawyer starts walking into the jungle. "Ya'll coming or what?"

The sun has set completely as we walk to the hatch. "What were you thinking, John?" Jack asks Locke who's still supported by his crutches.

"Jack, leave him alone," Kate says.

"No, Jack, don't leave him alone."

"Shut it, Sawyer," Jack says. "If Ana hadn't lifted your gun we wouldn't—,"

"Well, ain't that swell, Gimpy McCrutch over here covers up that the Artist Formally Known as Henry Gale tried to strangle your little amiga, and suddenly it's on me when she goes vigilante."

"How about you go back to the beach?" Jack tells him.

"Will you two just shut up. This is both of your faults," I say to them.

We've reached the hatch door and as Jack makes to open it, it opens on its own. Michael stumbles out, unable to keep his balance. I shine my light on him and see blood protruding from his bicep.

"Oh my god, Michael!" I exclaim, dropping down beside him to check the wound. I know this kind all too well.

"He shot me," Michael says.

"Who?" Jack asks, holding his light for me as I check Michael's arm.

"He's gone. He ran out."

"Jack, I need—,"

"Yeah, I know, Tia. Let's get him inside first." He bands down to pick up Michael. "You go, I've got him."

"Let me help you." Mr. Eko has arrived, coming out of the trees.

I run inside and for the first time I realize I don't know what Jack did with the medicine. He kept it in the hatch with the guns and the Virgin Mary heroin statues. Then Sawyer raided the supplies. Then Jack won the meds back in a poker game. Where's he keeping them?

I get inside the hatch and the first thing I notice is Ana Lucia's body, laying on the couch, her eyes wide open, a bullet hole in her chest. Kate runs over to check the body. On the other side of the room is a tuft of blonde hair I know all too well. I run over and crouch down over Libby's body. There are discarded blankets around her with bullet holes in them. Two holes protrude her stomach. Her eyes are closed. I hear footsteps and Michael's heavy breathing "She's dead," I hear Kate say.

I make to check Libby's pulse but, splat. Libby's eyes open and she coughs out a ton of blood that hits me right in the face, covering the front of my body. Jack is beside me instantly. "Okay, we've got to get her up. We've got to get her to the back room, okay?" I nod and he and I lift Libby as gently as possible and move her to the bedroom.

"She's in shock," I say, noticing the signs in Libby's wide eyes and stiff, unconscious arm movements.

'I know. Here, keep pressure on this," he instructs, holding gauze on her stomach.

"Jack, this is above my skill level. Can you do anything?" he doesn't respond. "Jack?" I ask again, louder this time.

"I heard you," he answers. "Keep pressure on her, okay?" Jack gets up and leaves the room. That's what I call a walk of defeat. There's nothing we can do to save her.