RP3 Part Two "One Year Later"

A few hours had passed and Richard finally left Sophie alone. Ben waited a few more minutes just to make sure no one was about still.
He headed for the door and knocked on it, just like Richard had done earlier and stood there waiting for an answer.

"What you forgot now?" said Sophie chuckling opening the door and revealed Ben standing there infront of her. Her smile dropped and fear came to her eyes. Ben started to smile but Sophie went to shut the door. But Ben put his foot in the way blocking the door. She ran into the house and Ben went in. Terrified she grabbed the first thing she could find. Which was a knife and pointed it at Ben.

"Whoa easy with that Sophie." Ben said standing infront of her.

"Get away. Your not taking her from me." she cried, still holding the knife trembling in fear.

"I'm not here to take Molly away from you."

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"Because loosing you made me realise how much i really need you Sophie. Both of you." Sophie stood there still holding the knife her grip had loosened but she was still scared. "Look what i've done to you." Ben choked up "All i can ask is for your forgivness." he sighed.

"You only hurt me again. Like you always do."

"Not this time." Sophie knew he really meant it. He was welling up too. "What had gone on with ben these past few days." she thought in her mind. Dropping the knife it crashed on the floor. Sophie went up and held him. Both standing there for a long moment just holding each other.

Pulling away from there embrace Ben put a finger under Sophies chin to make her look up at him. Moving his finger he carressed her cheek. Sophie smiled softly.

"You look tired." he said.

"Molly didn't have a good night last night."

"Is she ok?" Ben ask concerned.

"She's fine."

"Why don't you go and rest. I can watch her." he said.

"No......." sophie mumbled sitting on a chair.

"You don't trust me do you?" he asked.

"I never know with you Ben. I need to regain my trust. Afterall you threathen to take my child away from me."

"I know...."

Ben crouched down beside. "I won't take her." he took sophies hand. "Get some sleep Sophie. If not your going to make yourself ill. If it helps i'll sit on the bed with you. Then you know where i am."

"Ok...." Sophie agreed as ben pulled her up and took her to bed.

Mel could only look on helplessly as Cameron dragged her out of the village. The faces of the survivors watched her curiously but none of them did anything. They'd seen her murder Ethan in what they thought was cold blood. She wasn't going to get any help from them.

"Now." Cameron whispered into her ear harshly. "You're going to take me to my men."

He pushed her into the jungle while keeping his gun at her back. Mel thought of Ben who she had just left behind. She felt it in his kiss that he was saying goodbye to her. That he had released her. And Bella, her sweet little daugther. What would happen to her if Mel was gone? Ben would take her, that was for sure. Mel knew she would rather be dead than see her daughter raised by her unintended rival, Sophie.

Mel glanced around frantically for a chance to escape, but Cameron had his men surrounding her. She knew he also had some out of sight, scouting the way ahead. She was reminded all too well of how Richard had captured her not long ago and tried to sacrifice her at the Temple. Last time, Ben had come to her rescue, and even though mere moments ago he had told her that he would find a way to save her, something deep down inside of her told her that he wouldn't.

Lauren turned around and took one, last lingering look at John. He looked sad to see her go as he mouthed “goodbye” and smiled at her. She smiled back wistfully and then left the hut.

Cameron had Mel’s upper arm in a painful grip and hauled her back towards the village. Lauren saw the crowd of villagers stood silently watching as Cameron marched angrily past them. She allowed her vision to lose focus and stared stonily into space, refusing to lower her eyes as if she had anything to be ashamed of or cared whether they all hated her or not.

Lauren swallowed against the painful knot in her throat, and stared at the ground as he pulled Mel towards him ordering her to take him to his men she had killed. Lauren knew what it was like to get on the wrong side of Cameron. Too many times had Cameron directed his rage at her in the past, and she knew exactly what he was capable of.

They walked quickly through the jungle, Sharp stones cut through her thin shoes and cut and scratched against her bare feet as she struggled to keep up. She knew there wasn’t much longer left until they reached their destination. She concentrated on the floor, hoping this would all be over with soon.

Finally, they came across the spot where Mel had killed her friends. They were lying in a pile on the floor, covered in blood. Lauren gasped and felt light-headed as she saw her old friends, and remembered how close she was to joining them. She glanced over at Mel and saw a tear roll down a cheek.

“Right”, growled Cameron, “Now it is time for you to meet the same fate as my people you murdered in cold blood” he spat in Mel’s face, as she winced visibly.

He looked over towards Lauren and motioned her over towards him with a smirk on his face.

“Lauren… you stood and watched as this woman killed your friends, now you can get your revenge” he challenged her with a smile. She looked down at the gun he was holding in his outstretched hand.

Lauren gulped, “Cameron, I-I”
“Do it!”, he roared.

She took the gun with trembling hands, staring at it, terrified. She looked up at Mel, who looked just as scared as her, as she looked around for a way to escape.

“Now!” roared Cameron, making them both jump.

Lauren slowly raised the gun with shaking hands and pointed it at Mel, and fumbling she put her finger on the trigger. The fear consumed her and it felt like an eternity that she stood there, summoning the courage to go through with it, her heart pounding hard in her chest.

She sighed and shook her head, dropping the gun to her side.

“No”, she said, as Mel looked up in surprise and confusion.

“For too long Cameron, I have just followed your orders, without question, and acted like your puppet. Well, maybe I don’t want to be your puppet anymore.”

“What are you talking about you stupid girl?” Cameron roared, and marched towards her furious.

Lauren raised the gun and pointed it at him. “Don’t come any further, step back Cameron” He didn’t move. “I’m warning you, I will shoot you if I have to”, He obeyed her and stepped backwards, still smiling, taunting her, as he knew she couldn’t do anything with all his men around to protect him

Lauren stood there facing everyone, as they watched in confusion. Lauren’s legs shook as she tried to keep calm, trying to think of her next move. What the hell have you just done? She thought to herself as she desperately tried to decide what to do next.

Emma watched in horror as Mel was dragged away from the village by Cameron and his crew. Not one of the village's inhabitants moved to help her. Shocked, Emma turned to Jack. "Shouldn't we do something? He's going to kill her, and nobody's lifting a finger!"

"Mel isn't terribly popular at the moment," he admitted. "They've probably given up on her."

"But Jack, they're going to kill her, and then they'll come back for you and the other Oceanic survivors. We don't know what these people are capable of! And Desmond has gone after Mel. He's not armed, Jack. He could be in big trouble."

Jack understood. "You're right," he said. "Let's go."

**********

Jack and Emma trailed Cameron, Mel and Lauren from a distance until they spotted the group surrounding the bodies of the men that Mel had killed. They were surprised by the scene that greeted them. Mel crouched on the ground in fear, while Lauren pointed a gun, not at Mel but at Cameron.

Jack motioned for Emma to stay silent and hidden. They hadn't been watching long before Emma heard something rustling in the trees behind them. She turned to look behind her just in time to see Desmond, with a bow and arrow that looked like Rousseau's, release an arrow that shot past Emma and lodged into Cameron's shoulder. He toppled over instantly, shrieking in pain. Lauren looked around in confusion, startled by the unexpected turn of events.

Desmond had a crazy look in his eyes. He charged with his bow and arrow right into the middle of the stunned group. "Let Mel go," he demanded. "Or we'll make things very unpleasant for you and your men."

Emma looked at Jack fearfully. There was no way this could end well. Jack seemed to share the same fear. Together they watched and waited to see what would happen next.

Emma instinctively moved to get up and run after Desmond and Mel but Jack held her back firmly. "Don't, Emma," he whispered. "Don't let any of them know that we're here. It's safer to just slip away."

Emma was torn; part of her was seething with jealousy over Desmond's heroic rescue of Mel, but another part of her recognized that Jack's reasoning was the best course of action. Together they slipped away from Cameron and his crew and disappeared into the jungle.

When they were a safe distance away they could talk normally again. Jack proposed they return to Emma's shelter on the beach to regroup. Returning to the village immediately might not be the best idea, considering Juliet's angry outburst and the possible return of Cameron and his crew. He trusted that Desmond and Mel would warn the villages other inhabitants of the danger the boat people represented to them.

Emma and Jack arrived at the beach, exhausted and hungry, around dusk. After they ate and rested, they took a playful, romantic swim in the ocean, which served as a prelude to a long-desired and vigorous lovemaking session. Afterwards they watched the sun go down over the glittering ocean.

Now, relaxed and content, Jack finally broached the subject that both had been studiously avoiding. "Emma, I've made my choice, and I've chosen you. I told you that right away. But I still haven't heard you say that you've chosen me. How long are you going to make me wait? What exactly are your feelings towards Desmond?"

Emma sighed. She had been dreading this conversation.

"I choose you, Jack. I've never felt that I had Desmond's love completely, that he's always held back for one reason or another. But with you, it just feels very natural and easy. But you have to understand, I've loved him for a very long time, and those feelings don't just disappear over night. I am yours completely, Jack, but it might take some time to fully get over Desmond."

Jack nodded. He wasn't pleased about it, but he knew time would heal Emma the same way it would heal Juliet. He put his arm around Emma and held her as they watched the sun go down.