Something Unexpected

[failegaidin.livejournal.com]

Title: Something Unexpected
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Ben, Juliet, Jacob, mentions of Goodwin and Ethan
Summary: Set in Pilot, Part 2, but with spoilers through Season 3. 
A/N: Written for lostfichallenge #59: "you win."

            As he moved through the deep of night, Ben's mind drifted back to the past couple of days. The sudden appearance of the plane had cause a shockwave to ripple through his community, and he could almost hear the whispers of his neighbors as they wondered what was going on. But he kept his mouth shut, letting them ask their questions without giving them any answers. As far as they were concerned, he was just as confused as the rest of them.  

            He, of course, had known that the plane was coming. He had been warned a few days beforehand, and told to be prepared. So as soon as the plane had passed out of the their sight and smoke billowed from different parts of the island, he put his plan into action. Without hesitation, he sent Ethan and Goodwin to find the survivors and to make lists. He had seen the look from Juliet out of the corner of his eye – she was not pleased that he was sending her lover across the island. But he needed Goodwin out of the way, and this had been the perfect opportunity.

            At almost the same time, he had dispatched a messenger to Mikhail as well. He needed the man to pull up everything he could on the people on the plane so that he knew everything about them. All of his plans would fail if he couldn't maneuver the survivors straight into his hands.

            Ben entered the cabin slowly and quietly, not wanting to disturb Jacob. But he found him sitting in the rocking chair as usual, staring out the lone window and into the darkness outside.

            -You must take care of her-

            "Perhaps we don't have to yet."

            -She is a liability-

            "She can be brought around to our way of thinking. We did it before. We can do it again."

            -She no longer believes. She wants out. You cannot let that happen, Benjamin-

            "I know. I won't."

            -I want her taken care of-

            "Give me some more time. I can bring her back, I swear."

            -Your feelings are getting in the way, Benjamin. She has already chosen another-

            "Goodwin won't be a problem for much longer. Once he's gone, she'll have no one else to turn to. She won't be able to cause any trouble."

            -Ah. So that is why you sent him instead of someone else-

            "It will all work out, Jacob. I have everything under control."

            -You had better, Benjamin. Do not fail me-

            He had nothing to say to that. The promise and threat in Jacob's voice was enough, and the tone of dismissal told him that it was time for him to leave. As he picked up his lantern and moved toward the door, his thoughts turned to Juliet. Jacob was right – she was proving to be a problem. But he wasn't ready to get rid of her just yet. Something inside of him told him that she could still be of use to him.

           

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            Juliet stepped back into the shadows as Ben passed her on his way back to their homes. She had been watching him ever since he sent Goodwin off on that mission, waiting for him to reveal something about what was going on in that manipulative little head of his.

            She peered at the cabin that he had just left. Juliet had been on the Island for a long time, but this was someplace that she had never seen. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t figure out what Ben could possibly be keeping in there. He had brought nothing but a lantern in, and he had carried nothing else back out.

            Moving as quiet as a mouse, she moved forward, stepping over the line of ash without even seeing it. Nearing the cabin, she reached out for the handle, taking a breath before pushing open the door.

 

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            Ben didn't go back home. Instead, he circled around and behind, until he came at the cabin from an entirely different direction. There was just enough moonlight to let him see Juliet as she opened the door and slid into the cabin. He sighed and shook his head.

            "You were right, Jacob," he whispered. "You win."

            And with that, he turned back into the night, leaving Juliet in the hands of something she'd never see coming.