Lost Video Island

[mistojen]

SurReality TV: The Challenge
A/N: For entertainment only! Any and all questions/comments about your character should be addressed immediately in order for me to make the necessary changes. Thank you and enjoy!

Four covered military trucks rumble down a dirt road in procession, shattering the peace and quiet that had, moments ago, permeated the air on this small deserted island. The gravel crackling under the tires and the collective roar of the engines flushes a small flock of birds from their resting spot in the bushes that line the road. At the end of the road there are three well-oversized huts, two of which are larger than the other, but equally sized to one another. The hut on the right is clearly marked with the sign of females, while the one on the left is marked with that of males. In the center looms the smallest of the three. A giant sign is posted in the middle of its roof for all to see, labeling it the Community Room.

In each of the four vehicles, four blindfolded people sit–-two men and two women. All are aware that they are not alone, but none knows who shares the occupied space.

The first vehicle slows as it comes closer to the huts, drawing out the already half-hour long journey. Inside, the silence is broken.

“...are we there, yet...?” asks a small female voice. She bites her bottom lip and grins, hoping for some sort of response so that she might get to guess who is in the vehicle with her. Her name is Aislynn and she hails from Zephyr Cove, Nevada.

The tall man sitting beside her turns his head to the voice reflexively, although he can’t see her. “I sure hope so, sweetness; my ass is going number by the second,” he replies with a grin.

“Sawyer?” another female voice asks. She has an Australian accent and she sounds fairly certain, despite the question in her voice. Claire Littleton reaches back and scratches her head just underneath the blindfold, where the hair underneath it has become sticky and itchy with sweat from the heat.

“That you, Mamacita?” Sawyer asks, laughing. He rolls his neck in a circle and grins at the fantastic cracking sound it makes.

Aislynn can feel her eyes widening under the blindfold. There’s just no way, is there?!

“Who else is here?” Claire asks. “Kate?” she tries.

“If you’re talking about me,” Aislynn answers meekly, “I’m not Kate.”

“I was talking about you,” Claire says, “who are you, then?”

Aislynn feels her face redden slightly as Sawyer’s arm brushes across her chest as he stretches. Her cheeks burn harder when he apologizes. “It’s okay,” she replies dumbly, not really knowing what else to say. “I'm Aislynn,” she adds as an afterthought to Claire.

“Aislynn, like, from LVI?” asks a new male voice that sounds as though it’s across the truck from Aislynn.

“LVI?” Claire and Sawyer ask simultaneously.

Choosing to ignore them, Aislynn nods. Then, she remembers that this new voice can’t see her. “Yes,” she finally says. “Who is that?” she asks the voice.

“Hey Ais!” the voice says excitedly, happy to be in the presence of a “familiar face.” “It’s Colin!”



Charlie Pace fidgets in place. He’s frustrated by the fact that he can’t see anything and, worse, that it’s so damn quiet in here. No one has said a word and it has to have been at least twenty minutes since he was blindfolded and loaded into the back of this truck. He was the first, he thinks, because the truck stopped three more times, briefly, but hasn’t stopped again since. “How many of us are in here?” he asks, finally, curiosity getting the best of him.

“Is that you, Charlie?”

Reflexively, Charlie turns his head and frowns when it doesn’t help him see any better. “John?” he asks.

“Who else is in here?” John Locke asks.

“I’m here,” Sun replies.

“Sun?” Charlie guesses.

Sun nods. “Yes.”

“Is there anyone else?” Locke asks, stretching and flexing his toes in his boots absently.

Ruth can’t believe her ears. It must be some sort of mistake. Or even, perhaps, some sort of crazy coincidence. There’s just no way that she’s really sitting in the back of some truck with Charlie Pace, John Locke, and Sun Kwon. “Uh...there’s...me...” she stammers, unsure of how else to reply.

Ever the popular response, Charlie asks, “Kate?”

“...no...” Ruth replies slowly, still too confused and in the process of trying to take it in to correct him.

There is a short pause. “Shannon?” Locke asks incredulously.

“Shannon’s dead,” Charlie replies, annoyed, as if it is the stupidest thing he’s ever heard. Truthfully, it is the stupidest thing he’s ever heard.

“My name is Ruth,” she says quietly, finally recollecting herself.



“Ow!” Jen shouts, shoving the person beside her. “Jeez; watch it!” She gently massages the back of her head where the person has just punched her, probably while stretching their arms and not realizing her close proximity.

“Sorry,” a male replies sheepishly. “I didn’t realize you were sitting so close.”

“I didn’t realize you were sitting so close, or I’d have warned you ahead of time to watch it,” Jen says bitterly.

“Calm down, you guys,” another male voice replies. “I’m sure it was an accident.”

Jen rolls her eyes beneath her blindfold and crosses her arms over her chest. “That didn’t make it hurt any less,” she retorts.

“Who’s all in here?” a fourth voice, this one female, asks.

There’s a long pause in which no one speaks.

“Fine,” the fourth voice says, as the woman cracks her knuckles.

“You shouldn’t do that,” the male voice belonging to Jen’s assailant says, “it’s not good for your joints.”

“Okay, I’ll start,” Jen says finally, overcome with curiosity. “Hi. I’m Jen, and I just got punched the back of the head.” She grins a little as she says it, no longer angry about the blow to the head, and the grin is evident in her voice.

Prodded by the forgiving sound in Jen’s voice, the person beside her speaks next. “Hi. I’m Jack, and I’m sorry I hit you in the head, Jen,” he says.

A short pause is followed by general laughter. When it dies down, the woman across the truck from Jack speaks. “Hi. I’m Steph, and I’m a knuckle-cracker.”

More laughter fills the air and then the last person speaks. “Hi,” the guy says, following their lead, “I’m Warren, and I’m a Chronic Peace-Keeper.”

“Hi, Warren,” the two girls deadpan and both begin to giggle.



Letting out a sigh, Marcus drums idly on his thigh with his fingertips. “This sucks,” he mutters.

“You’re telling me,” a female voice beside him says, “we’ve been in this truck forever and we’re totally blindfolded!”

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Marcus sighs again.

“You’re kidding!” a second male voice cries out sarcastically. “Here I thought the world had just been engulfed in blackness,” he added with mock relief, “I’m glad to hear it’s just a blindfold, though. I wasn’t quite ready for the Apocalypse.”

Beside him, a woman snorts in effort to halt her own laughter. “You’re funny,” she says, almost without humor. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Paul,” he replies.

“I’m Kate,” she says.

“I know a girl named Kate,” the other female replies vaguely.

“Good for you,” Marcus replies, this time not bothering with the effort against rolling his eyes beneath the blindfold. “I’m Marcus,” he announces.

“Nikki,” the fourth girl says. “Gosh, we’ve been on the road a long time...”

Paul sighs and frowns. “I know, like, we’re in a truck or something,” he replies, making himself sound as ditzy as he possibly can.

“I know!” Nikki replies with a gasp, the mockery in his voice lost on her. “I wonder where we’re going...”

“We’re probably on the road to idiocy,” Marcus says with a stifled chuckle.

“You think?” Nikki replies curiously.

“Oh, at this rate, Nikki,” he replies, “I’m pretty sure of it.”



The first of the vehicles slows to a stop.

“Hey, do you think we’re finally here?” Colin asks, stretching his arms over his head.

“God, I hope so,” Claire replies with a groan. “My legs are completely numb.”

“Your legs and my ass, Mamacita,” Sawyer jokes, grinning.

“Count me in for numbness, too,” Aislynn says, laughing. “I hope we’re here...”



“Hey, easy!” Jen snaps as someone leads her out of the vehicle roughly. “I don’t need my epitaph to say that I was killed falling out of some truck in the middle of East BF.”

Jack laughs and rests a hand on her shoulder after groping the air trying to find it. “I won’t let ‘em rough you up, I promise,” he says.

“Oh sure,” Jen laughs. “Thanks.”

Warren is led out of the truck next, and last, Steph. The four of them are walked up the rest of the road, past the other players of the game, some of whom are still in the process of being unloaded, and into the center hut.

Inside, though the four of them still can’t see it, there is a gigantic touch-screen television in the middle of the room. Surrounding it are two matching sectional couches, a few random recliners, three love seats and a coffee table just in front of the center love seat. All of the furniture is arranged with perfect symmetry.

Just in front of the television, there is a large table with sixteen jerseys laid out side by side. Each jersey has a name on the back and there are two different colors. Eight of them are red; the other eight are blue.

Steph, Warren, Jen, and Jack are walked up to one of the sectionals and are gently guided down to sit on it.

“Well, that was exciting,” Steph jokes, eliciting giggles and laughter from the other three.



The rest of the players, too, are slowly led inside and guided down onto the couches.

“Ooh, softer seating!” Nikki croons.

“Oh, my God...” Jen mutters under her breath, raising her eyebrows and scrunching her nose with irritation, getting a snort of laughter from Jack.

When the last of the players, Claire, is sitting down on the second sectional, a voice from the television speakers fills the room.

“Welcome, players, to Sur-Reality TV: the Challenge,” it says. Kate, Sawyer, and Jack instinctively look up sharply at the familiarity of the sound of the voice. “You are here to compete for a grand prize of one million dollars.”

“Hell yeah!” Sawyer shouts, quickly forgetting the chill that ran down his spine at the sound of the voice.

“You will be split into two teams that have been chosen randomly. When I read off your names, please come forward and take the jersey with your name on it. Half of the jerseys are red, while the other half are blue. The color of yours is the color of your team. After the teams have been revealed, you will go to the respective male and female huts to claim your beds and unpack. Socialization may take place during or after unpacking, but not before. All of your luggage has already been transported to the sleeping quarters. Tomorrow morning at ten o’clock, I will give you your first assignment, here in this room.”

“A lot of talent he assumes we have, if he thinks we can even walk by ourselves, let alone find a shirt with our name on it while blindfolded,” Ruth says sarcastically, shifting herself to be more comfortable.

“Maybe they’ll let us take off our blindfolds,” Nikki offers.

“Oh, you think?” Sawyer retorts.

“Maybe,” she says again. “I hope so.”

“...are you kidding me, right now?” Jen asks loudly, purposefully heavily lacing her words with annoyance.

Before Nikki can reply, the voice speaks again. “Now, please remove your blindfolds, but do not begin to converse.” The voice pauses for a moment and everyone takes off their blindfolds, looking around at one another. Some clearly recognize one another, while others look totally lost.

“Nikki,” the voice calls out, and she stands, strutting across the room, almost comically so, and then back again, settling down on her spot on the couch between Marcus and Paul, red shirt in hand.

“John.”

Locke stands and, too, retrieves his shirt–-this one, blue–-and resumes his seat.

“Sawyer. Jen. Ruth. Jack. Steph. Charlie. Aislynn. Warren. Paul. Claire. Colin. Kate. Marcus. Sun.”

When the group is finished, they can see that the Red Team consists of Jen, Marcus, Aislynn, Warren, Nikki, Charlie, Claire, and Sawyer. On the other side of the coin...Locke, Sun, Colin, Ruth, Jack, Steph, Paul, and Kate are now assigned to the Blue Team.

Slowly, everyone rises and, looking around at one another, but willing themselves not to speak, makes their way into their respective sleeping quarters.
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avatar: Plastic!Winchester Theater by anteka @ LJ; icon by me
sig by AlcoholicPixie

[marcus]

Awesome! I loved all the obvious things Nikki kept saying. Hilarious. Really looking forward to the rest of this fic.
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It's official - Aislynn is 36. Add a 0 to the end of that and you've got a full circle.

[mistojen]

Glad you're liking it so far.
_________________
avatar: Plastic!Winchester Theater by anteka @ LJ; icon by me
sig by AlcoholicPixie

[SuperKC]

LOL this is hilarious so far. Looking forward to reading more.

[Aislynn]

*bouncing off ceiling*

I'm SO stoked that I'm on the same team as NIKKI!!!! Like, totally no way!!!!!

Okay, so actually I meant stoked to be on Sawyer's team. But you knew that already, right? Woo-hoo! A most excellent beginning and I'm really excited to see where it's going to go from here!

[mistojen]

Y'all knew I had to poke fun at Nikki. I mean, it's a given. If there was ANY other living female among the Losties, I'd have used them instead, but seeing as how Shannon, Libby, and Ana are dead and God only knows what's going on with Rose, I had to go with Nikki. Our island is fulla boys Guess that shows who dominates the target audience for Lost this season...

I'm glad this is getting a good response so far

Ais, I thought you'd like that. I put all the Lost boys in a hat, and pulled them out putting them in two separate piles, then did the same with the girls, then the LVI guys and the LVI girls and when I was finished I opened all the slips of paper and knew it must be destiny that you and Sawyer were on the same team

NOTE TO LVIers IN THE STORY: Pay attention to what team you are on--you will need to know this when it comes time to vote after a game.

ETA: Aislynn I'm pretty much in love with your new siggie Hey! Is Ben wearing a BATHROBE?!
_________________
avatar: Plastic!Winchester Theater by anteka @ LJ; icon by me
sig by AlcoholicPixie

[mistojen]

A/N: I'll post this because I can't sleep and have nothing better to do, but I will hold off on the following piece until more people have read what's already posted. I only have three pieces finished because I actually can't write anything more until we get interactive, so be patient with me writing while I'm patient with you reading, k?

Thanks


“That voice was weird,” Nikki says as the girls file into their hut. There are eight beds, lined up against two walls facing one another, four on each side.

“I know that voice,” Kate replies suspiciously, “but I can’t place it precisely. That bothers me.”

Jen flops down on the bed of which her bags have been placed at the foot. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” she says, sprawling out luxuriously, “we’ll find out soon enough.”

“It’s not really fair that you guys all know each other and we don’t,” Steph points out as she sits on the edge of the bed across from Jen’s, where her stuff has been put.

“I think we must, though,” Aislynn points out, “you know?”

Ruth enters the room last, behind Claire, and nods in approval of the theory. “I agree. It doesn’t make sense if we don’t.”

“Well,” Jen sighs as Claire sits down on the bed on the right side of her own, “none of your faces ring a bell to me.”

“I know one of the guys,” Aislynn says in reply, opening her bag and beginning to unpack a change of clothes. She feels dirty in the clothes she sat sweating in for the nearly endless ride in the back of the truck to get here. “We know each other. We must.”

Steph cocks her head to the side slightly and raises her eyebrows.

“How do you know the guy?” Ruth asks, taking Aislynn’s lead and beginning to unpack.

Aislynn shrugs. “We know each other from a forum we belong to.”

“LVI, or something?” Claire asks as she takes her sandals off, “is that what you said?”



“Move it, Webster,” Sawyer says, shoving Marcus to the side a little roughly. “I got the bed by the door.”

Marcus makes a face behind his back. “Fine,” he mutters, taking up his things.

“Easy,” Warren says, furrowing his brow. “All you had to do was ask.”

“Mind your business,” Sawyer spits.

“What’s your problem, man?” Colin asks as he picks his own bag off the floor and puts it down on his bed to unpack. He is located at the other end of the opposite wall from where Sawyer has taken over the bed by the door.

“My problem is I been put in Kiddie Corner,” Sawyer says, turning his head to show Colin his sneer halfway through the statement, “y’all don’t belong here. Hell, it’s prob’ly past your bedtime.”

“Hey!” Colin and Marcus shout defensively at the same time.

“Whoa, whoa,” Paul interjects as he sees Sawyer round like he’s about to approach the two younger guys forcefully. “Let’s just calm down, all right?”
“Seriously,” Warren adds, rolling his eyes. “You’re acting like a bunch of girls,” he adds under his breath as he turns his back to Sawyer to retrieve his own bag from the floor.

“‘Scuse me?” Sawyer asks bitterly.

Warren looks up at him and raises his eyebrows innocently.

“You got somethin’ to say, Hoss?” Sawyer asks.

“Cut it out,” Jack mutters as he unpacks his bag on the bed beside Warren’s.

“He’s got a point,” Charlie interjects, “you’re being a real wank, you know.”

“You know what I think?” Paul asks.

“Nope,” Sawyer replies, “but I’m sure you’re going to share.”

“You’re right,” Paul shoots back, “I am. I think we all just need to take a nap or something. We’re all really tired and irritable and–”

“Oh yeah,” Sawyer spits, “Naptime in the Kiddie Corral is really going to fix it.”

“Sawyer,” Jack says forcefully. “Leave ‘em alone.”

“They’re just kids,” Charlie agrees.

Marcus and Colin exchange looks of annoyance.

“We’re all here for the same reason,” Locke finally speaks up as he sits down on his bed on the other side of Warren’s. “Shouting at one another isn’t it. Let’s get some rest or some food and relax. There’s a reason they’re here, too, James,” he adds, looking at Sawyer, “everything happens for a reason.”

Jack rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Jesus, John, will you give it a rest? It’s a game.”

Locke looks over at Jack and frowns, but doesn’t reply.

“I don’t know about you guys,” Colin finally says, this time a smidgen on the timid side as he glances sideways at Sawyer, “but I’m starving...there’s got to be food somewhere.”



“You’re LVI-Aislynn?” Jen asks, sitting back up and looking over at her. “Really?”

Aislynn pauses, looking like a deer in headlights. “Um...yes?”

“I’m from LVI, too!” Jen replies excitedly, grinning. “I’m Jen, by the way,” she says.

“Hey, I’m from that forum, too,” Ruth speaks up, “my name’s Ruth.”

“So that means you,” Jen says, looking over at Steph, “must be Steph...you were in my truck, right?”

Steph nods and smiles. “I’m on LVI, too. Wow...well, then, I guess we see the connection.”

“So, all right,” Kate says, looking over at the girls she doesn’t know, “What are your names again?”

The LVI girls introduce themselves again and Aisylnn stands, stretching, and turns her back to them to change her shirt.

“I’ve seen reality shows like this,” Jen says, “and there’s always bangin’ amenities. Anyone up for a tour of the blind leading the blind?”

Nikki’s eyes grow wide. “You’re not putting those horrible blindfolds on again, are you?” she asks.

Jen looks over at her and blinks, dumbfounded. “What?”

“I don’t want to put that thing back on, thank you very much,” Nikki says matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest.

When Jen just stares at her, Nikki continues, “why can’t we just go take a look around?”

“That’s what she meant,” Sun says calmly.

“So why ‘blind leading the blind?’” Nikki asks.

Kate lets out a heavy sigh. “Because none of us has seen the rest of that middle hut, Nikki,” she replies. “It’s an expression,” she adds with a roll of her eyes.

“Wow,” Steph says, eyes wide, “okay then...”

Claire giggles a little and grins.

“I’m going to go take a look around,” Jen says, “without the blindfold,” she adds, looking specifically at Nikki, “would anyone like to join me?”

“I will,” Claire says, standing.

“Me too,” Ruth says.

“I’m taking a nap,” Steph announces.

Kate nods. “Amen, sister,” she laughs, moving her bag off the bed and laying down.

“Let us know if you find sustenance,” Aislynn jokes as she lays down on her bed, too.

Sun smiles and nods, laying down on her own bed.

Jen grins and winks at Aislynn. “Will do,” she replies and leaves the sleeping quarters with Claire and Ruth on her tail.



“Screw that,” Sawyer says as he walks past Warren, Colin, and Marcus as they crowd the refrigerator in the back room of the Community Hut, where the kitchen is located. “There’s a hot tub! Look at this!” he calls out over his shoulder as he disappears out the back door of the hut.

“Hot tub, really?” Paul asks, looking over at Charlie, who shrugs in reply.

“Who said something about a hot tub?” Jen asks, looking between Charlie and Paul as they whirl toward her voice.

Ruth and Claire are grinning as they stand just behind her.

“Sawyer said it’s out that way,” Paul says, pointing.

Jen nods her approval. “Thanks...” she lets the statement hang, raising her eyebrows.

“Paul,” he says.

“Thanks, Paul,” she replies. “Jen,” she adds, introducing herself and extending a hand. The two of them shake.

“I’m Charlie,” Charlie speaks up, looking her up and down and then turning his eyes to Ruth, Claire, resting them once again on Jen.

“Nice to meet you,” Jen replies as she pushes past him. “You guys can look for food if you want, but the hot tub sounds more appealing to me,” she says, looking over her shoulder at Ruth and Claire before heading outside.

Ruth, Paul, and Charlie introduce themselves to one another, and then Claire introduces herself to Paul.

“Hey!” Jen shrieks from outside before a huge splash rings in the ears of those in the kitchen.

Warren turns his head sharply at the sound and abandons the refrigerator, hurrying toward the door.

“What is it?” Claire asks, coming up behind him and looking over his shoulder.

Jen pushes Sawyer away and climbs back out of the swimming pool, located beside the hot tub, soaked to the bone and fully clothed. Sawyer laughs.
“You jerk,” she mutters, turning away from him and wringing out her hair. When she looks up, she sees that everyone in the kitchen is standing in the doorway. Her cheeks burn. “He pushed me...” she offers weakly.



“Did you hear that?” Steph asks, sitting up in bed.

“Hear what?” Kate asks.

“Someone screamed,” Aislynn replies, sitting up, too. “I heard it.”



“I didn’t push her,” Sawyer says as he climbs back out of the pool. “I threw her,” he clarifies with a grin, pushing sodden hair off his forehead. “Wanted to make sure the water was warm before I got in,” he adds with a wink.

“I hate you already,” Jen mutters, squeezing water out of her shirt and starting toward the door to the kitchen.

“Hey,” Sawyer calls, “don’t get all bent out of shape, darlin’; it’s all in fun.”

“F*** you,” Jen calls over her shoulder and passes through the group gathered around the door as they part to let her through.

“That was a jerk thing to do,” Claire says scoldingly. “You don’t even know her name, yet.”

Sawyer shrugs. “Just wanted to see if she was any fun...” he says almost apologetically. “She ain’t.”

Ruth rolls her eyes and heads back into the kitchen to look in the fridge.



“It’s probably nothing,” Jack insists, closing his eyes.

Locke looks over at him. “That was a scream, Jack...someone might be in trouble.”

“Doubt it,” Jack yawns. “If you’re so worried, go check for yourself, John. I’m tired.”



“We should go see...” Sun says, standing.

Aislynn and Steph have already started toward the door when Jen walks in, slamming the door behind her. She stops in her tracks so as not to plow over the other two girls.

“Whoa!” Steph says, biting her lip not to giggle. “What happened to you?”

“There’s a pool,” Jen replies bitterly and sighs, walking past them and opening her bag.

“Well, why didn’t you get your bathing suit?” Nikki asks, causing an outburst of laughter from the other girls that Nikki doesn’t seem to notice.

“Laugh it up,” Jen snaps.

“Whoa,” Aislynn says softly, “we’re sorry...”

Jen shrugs and pulls out a dry outfit, discarding her soaked tank top to the floor and pulling a dry shirt over it. She doesn’t seem to care that it’s already starting to soak through from her wet undergarment. “That Sawyer guy is a real jerk,” she mutters.

“Yeah,” Kate sighs adoringly, “he really is.”

Aislynn and Steph look over at Kate, confused.

“And that’s an admirable trait?” Steph asks.

“No,” Kate says.

“Just a Sawyer trait,” Sun provides with a smile.



“Sweet!” Colin says, opening the freezer. “Frozen pizzas!”

“Anything else in there?” Charlie asks, approaching with his arm draped around Claire’s shoulders.

Marcus, standing beside Colin, turns. “All kindsa stuff,” he says, “anyone else hungry?”

“What’s in the fridge?” Ruth asks.

Marcus shrugs. “Sandwich stuff, mostly, I think,” he replies vaguely, having not really gotten a good look before commotion at the pool.

“There’s, like, three ovens...” Paul points out, approaching the group, “let’s just pop in a bunch of the pizzas and then everybody can eat,” he suggests.

The group in the kitchen all exchange looks and then all eyes fall on Paul. He raises his eyebrows as if to ask them again.

“Sounds like a plan to me, mate,” Charlie replies.

“And I suppose you’ll want us to make it,” Ruth asks, nodding toward Claire.

Warren smirks. “Of course,” he replies.



Half an hour later, the whole lot of the players is scattered haphazardly in small groups throughout the living room, munching absently on the pizza as they get to know one another. The exception to the rule is Sawyer, who sits alone, people watching.

Aislynn looks over at him and frowns, feeling sorry for him sitting there all alone, but says nothing.

As Sawyer looks away from Kate with a scowl–she’s conversing animatedly with Jack, Colin, Marcus, and Ruth–he catches Aislynn looking. His scowl melts into a grin as she quickly looks away.

“Hey, you there...” he calls out.

Everyone stops talking and looks over at Sawyer with mixed expressions, some confused, others annoyed, and some just curious.

“Her,” he says, pointing at Aislynn and when only some of the group looks away again, he frowns. “Just her, mind,” he adds.

The last few people turn away from him and continue their conversations.

“Me?” Aislynn asks, raising her eyebrows and blushing slightly.

Sawyer nods. “I pointed atcha didn’t I?”

“I guess...”

Smirking slightly, Sawyer glances sideways at her as he turns his head slightly away. “Well, if you’re gonna make it hard, then never mind.”

“Make what hard?” Aislynn asks and elicits some giggles from Nikki and Steph. She ignores them and tries again. “What did you want?” she asks Sawyer.

He looks back up at her and shrugs. “Conversation, I s’pose,” he says vaguely.

Aislynn stares back at him, unsure of how to respond to this.

“So are you gonna come over here and talk to me or are you gonna sit there and stare at me, Sticks?” he asks.

Looking down at herself, Aislynn suddenly feels self-conscious about her shorts and blushes.

Jen pauses mid-sentence and looks away from Charlie and Claire, with whom she has been conversing. “Aislynn,” she calls.

Aislynn tears her eyes away from Sawyer and looks over at Jen who raises her eyebrows in response. Shrugging, Aislynn’s cheeks burn redder. Jen shakes her head and rolls her eyes amiably, nodding discreetly in Sawyer’s direction, mouthing, “well, go talk to him!”

“Oi,” Charlie says, tapping Jen on the shoulder, “finish your sentence.”

When Jen gives Aislynn one last look and then turns back to Charlie and Claire, Aislynn stands slowly and looks back over at Sawyer. Here goes nothing... she thinks to herself.



“So, anyway,” Warren says, “I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on it that the Jen and Steph in the truck with Jack and I were the Jen and Steph from LVI; that I already knew them.”

“Don’t feel too bad,” Jack says, shrugging, “at least you didn’t slug either of them.”

Paul laughs and shakes his head. “You hit one of ‘em?” he asks.

“He punched Jen in the back of the head,” Steph breaks in.

“Awesome,” Ruth laughs, “really smooth.”

“Hey, I was stretching!” Jack replies mockingly defensive. “It was an accident.”

Kate smiles and shakes her head. “You’re always so slick with the ladies, Jack,” she jokes.

“What sort of stuff d’you suppose we’re going to have to do in this game, anyway?” Marcus asks, changing the subject.

“I imagine we’ll be tested on our endurance...” Locke says, taking a drink from his glass of water, “among other things.”

“Whoa,” Steph says, looking down at her watch, “it’s already, like, midnight! We have to be ready for our first game in ten hours...”

“Wow,” Warren says, checking his own watch to confirm, “we should get to sleep soon, then.”

The rest of the people in their discussion circle nod in agreement and they slowly stand and file out of the room, heading to their respective sleeping quarters. Charlie, Claire, and Jen aren’t far behind.

Aislynn looks up from her conversation with Sawyer. “Where’d everybody go...?”

Shrugging, Sawyer just blinks. He doesn’t care where anyone else is at this point.

A clock on the wall catches Aislynn’s eye as she turns her head to look back at Sawyer. She stops and looks at it, squinting slightly to read the time, as the clock is all the way across the room. Her eyes go wide and she turns back to him. “It’s midnight.”

“And?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

Aislynn blushes a little and giggles. “And...we have our first challenge in the morning...”

“So?”

Laughing, Aislynn shakes her head. “So,” she says, “I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna need to get some sleep!”

Sawyer cracks his knuckles and shrugs. “I s’pose.”

Feeling slightly torn between staying and chatting further with Sawyer and getting enough sleep to be a valuable member of her team in the morning, Aislynn stands slowly. “Well...”

“Off to bed with ya, then,” Sawyer says with a smile. “So you can be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning.”

Biting her bottom lip, Aislynn nods. “Well, good night...”

“Night,” he says and watches her as she turns and walks out the door.



“It’s, like nine o’clock,” Jen complains, “and Nikki’s been in the shower forever!” She takes a bite of her bagel and flops down on the couch beside Paul.

He shrugs, looking over at her. “You’re just gonna get all dirty, anyway, probably,” he says, though he can tell it isn’t going to make her feel any better about not getting a shower. Girls always seem to feel like they need to look all clean and pretty, no matter what the task at hand, he figures. Paul makes a conscious effort not to roll his eyes.

“Claire and I took a bath in the pool,” Ruth offers, overhearing as she walks into the living room with a bowl of cereal in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other. “I left my shampoo and soap out on the picnic table, if you want to use it,” she adds, sitting down on one of the chairs.

Charlie looks up from his conversation with Claire, upon hearing these words. “You what?” he asks, “but everyone was awake!”

Ruth shrugs, taking a in a spoonful of cereal after setting down her orange juice on the coffee table. “We were in our underwear,” she replies with her mouth full, “no one saw anything we didn’t want them to see.”

“You know,” Sun says, looking up from her own breakfast, “that’s not a bad idea...”

Jen pauses, thinking it over and nods. “Thanks Ruth,” she says, standing and smiling.

“No prob,” Ruth replies, continuing to eat her breakfast.

When Jen gets to the kitchen, she discards the rest of her uneaten bagel and makes her way out to the swimming pool. Sawyer, Aislynn, and Kate are sitting together chatting over their breakfast, while Marcus, Jack, Locke, Colin, and Warren are enjoying a morning swim.

“Whatcha doin?” Steph asks, coming up behind Jen.

“Nikki’s hogging the shower, so I’m going to take a bath,” Jen says with a grin, turning to her roommate. “You in?”

“A bath? Where?” Steph asks. “In the pool?”

“Yeah,” Jen says, nodding and grabbing Ruth’s bath stuff off the picnic table, ignoring the looks of confusion she receives from the three sitting there.

“But there’s guys in the pool,” Steph laughs.

Jen shrugs. “So?”

Steph raises her eyebrows as Jen approaches the pool side and bends to set down the shampoo bottle and soap at the edge of the pool.

“Morning!” Warren calls amiably, as Jen stands again.

“Morning,” Jen chirps back and unties her night shorts.

Warren stops swimming. “What are you doing?”

“Taking a bath,” Jen replies casually as she pulls off the shorts and then discards her t-shirt.

“Whoa! What?!” Warren asks as Jen jumps into the pool.

Steph watches as Jen comes back up from under the water and pushes her hair out of her face. She can’t help but laugh at the expression on Warren’s face.

“I said I’m taking a bath,” Jen replies, turning from him and taking the shampoo.

Marcus and Colin turn, hearing the commotion and both go wide-eyed. “Hey!” Colin yells out, “what’s she think she’s doing?!”

Steph can’t help it. She’s got to get in on this. She follows Jen’s previous path to the edge of the pool and discards her own night clothes, jumping into the pool next to Jen, in just her undergarments as well.

“HEY!” Marcus yells, “you guys can’t do that!”

“Sure we can,” Jen replies, handing Steph the shampoo before lathering her hair. “You gonna kick us out of the pool?”

Marcus stares back with raised eyebrows, unsure of how to respond.




Sun walks back into the living room, fully dressed, drying her hair with a towel. She is the last to join the group as they wait for some sort of instruction for what will go on today.

“Any idea what we’re doing today?” Marcus asks Jack, who is sitting beside him.

Jack shrugs. “It’s almost ten,” he says, “we’re probably about to find out...”

As if on cue, the door behind them slams shut and everyone turns to the sound. A few gasps are emitted and the man at the doorway ignores them as he walks past the furniture and makes his way toward the center of the room. He stops just in front of the television.

“You,” Jack spits angrily.

“Welcome,” Benjamin Linus says, ignoring Jack as he addresses the group, “to Sur-Reality TV: The Challenge. I’m your host, Ben. Today, you will begin the competition with your first Challenge. There are two vans waiting outside to transport you to the first Challenge. You have ten minutes to board them or be left behind. I will meet you all there.”

The group stares at him as he simply turns from them and leaves the room again.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Sawyer says, sighing.

“Well,” Warren speaks up, “guess we’d better get going...”
_________________
avatar: Plastic!Winchester Theater by anteka @ LJ; icon by me
sig by AlcoholicPixie

[Aislynn]

[mistojen]

[Aislynn]

[mistojen]

[MovieGuy]

This fic = Brilliant. Can NOT wait for the next ep.

This already has gotten its own folder in the Fan Fiction section on my computer

[mistojen]

Awww, Colin, I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying it!!! Thanks for bookmarking me

I'll update again soon, but I want to give Paul, Ruth, Steph, and Warren a chance to read what's alread up first.
_________________
avatar: Plastic!Winchester Theater by anteka @ LJ; icon by me
sig by AlcoholicPixie

[Fan4Lost]

Here I am!! Sorry Im late again

hehe, this is sooooo coooool! Jack is totally hot for me. Sawyer is a jerk! I love it!!

*awaits next ep*

[mistojen]