( Sometimes knowledge was a burden. )

 

 

"The Island will take care of her now," he said, resting a warm hand on his shoulder.

"B-but I was sup-p-osed to save her!" Daniel choked out; he was still holding on to Charlotte's slowly cooling hand.

"It's not right to stay in an area surrounded by death. Come with me. You need rest," Richard urged.

He reached down and took him by the hand to help him up from the jungle floor. Dan allowed himself to be led, no longer caring if this was a friend or foe. He just felt dead inside. They used to say that that meant you'd left your heart in the grave. They didn't walk far, just until they had gotten to Richard's cabin. Dan turned his sad eyes around the room, taking in his surroundings: bed, desk, table, chair, and bookshelf. It all meant nothing to him.

"Why don't you go to sleep now? You'll need it for later."

He nodded his head and kicked his shoes off and placed them carefully at the end of the bed before climbing in under the sheets. Richard noticed that his back was to him, and he didn't even move around to get comfortable. He looked rigid, tense, and he was obviously wide awake. Richard sighed. If he couldn't get Dan to snap out of this, how would he ever get his journal to Jack with all its valuable instructions? He knew he was going to have to take action of the tender kind.

Richard got up from his kitchen chair and pulled it over to Dan's bedside. He reached out a steady hand and began to rub his back, trying to sooth him.

"She knew you loved her," his hand slowly moving down to his hip, "She knew you were trying to protect her and your friends."

Dan tensed and relaxed as Richard reached his hand around to his front side, cupping him through his pants. He gave a sharp gasp.

"You did a good thing, telling her how you felt instead of keeping it in."

As Richard gave a little squeeze, he saw tears starting falling down Dan's face.

"I need you, Charlotte," Dan whispered, holding Richard's hand where it was. Richard knew he was picturing the redhead.

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured him.

Few words were exchanged as he proceeded to unzip Daniel's pants to rub him through the cotton of his underwear, murmuring words of encouragement, until he came over Richard's soft, steady hand.

Poor Daniel was a shivering mess by now, but at least he seemed more relaxed. Richard knew that he'd be able to handle the next challenge the Island would give him. He felt troubled for the innocent scientist and knew that his problems were only beginning.

"You're people are looking for you," he said, standing back up to put his chair away and giving the man some room to breathe. He discreetly wiped his hand off on a dish towel.

"l-I don't know how t-to get back to where we were."

"I'll show you the way."

He started walking to the door when he heard Dan behind him ask, "D-do you have, uh, a pair of pants I could borrow?"

Richard turned back and saw that his face was red with embarrassment. It was probably the first time he had ever had sexual contact with a man before and probably his first time with a stranger.

"Of course."

After Dan was settled again, Richard led him back to where he knew the Oceanic people would be looking for their friends. Before Dan could even say good-bye, he had stealthily moved through the jungle so he wouldn't be found. Hiding behind a tree, he sighed. He knew Faraday wasn't the first and he surely wasn't going to be the last Richard would relieve, and yet he still felt sick to his stomach every time he had to do so. Sometimes knowledge was a burden.

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These things are always the hardest to answer, but I'll do my best to answer. The book that I have read the most times is Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, and I reccomend to anyone looking for an easy, but inciteful read. I read it when I was in grade school and I am satisfied every time I read it. I hope that you enjoy it! :)

 

( A Bad Penny Always Turns Up )

 

"Go back down below, love. Mum's fine," said Penny through her tears.

She looked back at the man holding the gun that was aimed right at her.

"Please," she begged, "Don't hurt my son. Do anything you like to me, but don't hurt Charlie. Please."

He hesitated. The boy was Widmore's grandson. And the apple never falls far from the tree...He cocked his gun. If he got a good shot, he might be able to get them both.

"Mommy?" he asked again, rubbing his eyes.

Ben lost his nerve. Who was he kidding, the child had never done anything to him. And he knew what it was like to lose a child. As the minutes passed, he began to lose his nerve. Twenty second...twenty-five...thirty...and bam! He felt a body ram into him and he was knocked to the dock. Desmond reapeatedly punch him in the face and anywhere else he could get his fists on. Then the fists stopped and he plunged into the water...

That was two months ago. Desmond had been taken to the hospital for his blood loss and the bullet wound to his left kidney. Until Desmond would be well enough to get an operation to remove it, he would have to be dialysis. Penny was out for revenge.

As she walked down the dark back alley she knew Ben resided near, she remembered the vow she had made to herself ten years ago: to never be like her father. It was bad enough she had to share the same name as him, before she was married, but now she was following in this footsteps. She was out to kill Benjamin Linus. But it wasn't like she was the only one.

She approached the unmarked door that she knew led to his living quarters and took a deep breath. She was really going to do this. She was really going to kill Ben Linnus once and for--

"Et tu, Penelope?" asked a voice behind her.

How had he known?!

"You tried to kill my husband and I," she said through gritted teeth.

"You're both alive aren't you?"

"Why me, Benjamin? You know I am nothing like my father!" she yelled into the cold New York air.

"Yet here you are, holding me at gun point. You wouldn't believe the number of times Charles has had me in the same position," he retorted.

Tears fell from her eyes.

"I just want you to leave my family alone. We are done with you and your mind games."

"You may be done with me, but the Island isn't done with you."

"Enough about the bloody Island! Stay away from me, my son, and my husband. Do you understand me?" she said, cocking the gun to get her point across.

He let out a sigh. "If only it were that easy. None of you have any idea what the Island has in store for you. But, fine Miss Widmore, I won't come looking for you again. But I gaurantee that you come looking for me in the near future."

She took deep breaths to even her breathing.

"You can put the gun away now," he smirked.

With that, he began to walk away into the night.

 

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 ( Read more... )</div></div></div></div></div></div>( It was nearly 2:30 when Sawyer snuck carefully back into his own house. )</div>
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