The End of the Block (open)

[Ben Linus]

Ben smiled sadly at the expected reaction he had gotten from her. She was sweet, and innocently naive at times, despite all her experience in the scientific field, or perhaps because of it. He paused and listened to her words, every one of them, each one priceless coming from her. He didn't say as much, it was never good to reveal your feelings like that, but he did indeed feel it. She was one of the few really truly good ones left, and Ben had a feeling she would have to be brought in to the inner circle. Richard had been opposing the idea, but Ben felt it was time Richard learned his place. Starting now.

"Claudia, I do have cancer. It's just something I know. I'm okay with it now. Especially now. I know I'll have you to support me through it. At least I think you will." He smiled and nodded at her before continuing. "There are things happening here Claudia. Great things. Not all of which are known to you. Not that we were dishonest, but unless you know the right questions to ask, well, there are just some things that the human mind cannot conceive of really."

Ben cleared his throat and continued on. "I know you have a hard time believing in Jacob like I do. Like Richard does. But that is only because you don't know all of the secrets of this island yet... But if you'd like to know, I'd love to show you 'Dia."

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia felt like she had just been punched in the stomach, it was all nearly too much to take in. Ben being sick, his offer to unlock every door she'd been knocking on for years, the chance to remove the chip and retrieve information her parents sought to hide, it was just too much even for her mind. She was barely hanging on to the tears resting heavily behind her eyes, and one thing made it impossible to control herself, she had not been called Dia in years, not since she arrived actually.

She quickly wiped the four tears that dripped down her cheek and opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again. She was angry at herself for crying over the fact that Ben had called her a pet name, when he had just made available the keys to life as she knew it. The secrets of the island were hers if she wanted them, either Ben meant it, or she was going to die, but she couldn't believe Ben would kill her. She met his eyes and appraised his face and body scientifically. She took a quick step forward bringing herself close enough that she was now invading his space.

Ben Linus looked down at her unmoving, his pulse was uneven, he seemed to be perspiring just a bit, but it was hot, and now her body heat was adding to it, his weight shifted once from left foot to right, she couldn't see it, but she felt it under her own feet, he was nervous, all signs yelled to Claudia that he was in fact lying to her. She met his eyes. She just didn't feel like he was lying. She yelled at herself in her head feelings mean nothing...unless your an antelope and then instinct allows you to feel when you're being hunted..... She rambled to herself, which made her accidentally smile and break the tension, except it didn't really break the tension.

Claudia accidently relaxed her shoulders, she was standing too close to Ben as it was, and Ben was just not someone you stood too close to, but now her shoulders and chin were just about pressed to his chest. She tried to take in air, to back away, but there was simply no air to breathe, and her feet stayed put. Crap, she thought, I'm going to die. Claudia let many memories play for her in flashes, her family, her adventures, her projects all called her name and sang their songs quickly in that long moment as she smiled at Ben. Then it was Ben's turn, she saw him pull her own bruised body from the boat, heard him fight for her behind the closed door, watched him assign her to new job after new job, Ben had been the one to save her, and even it meant her own demise she knew she was now going to say yes, and she would tell him so. Even if it meant her life, Ben would know she wished to hear all he had to tell.

"I would very much like to know Ben. I want you to show me," She stood up on her toes and her bottom lip brushed against his.

[Ben Linus]

Ben watched as she ran through the scenarios in her mind, as he knew she would. He shifted his weight to keep her unsure, but she only moved closer to him. Unexpected, perhaps, but not unwelcome by any means. He could now feel her cool breath blowing against his butoned shirt, the air sifting in through the small openings and causing his bare skin to be covered in goosebumps. She was standing so close now he could almost feel her body pressed to his. Then a simple whisper, and then a simple kiss. It made Ben's wide eyes go even wider. She thought he was lying and going to kill him, and yet, she was ready to make the sacrifice for him.

Ben pushed himself back mentally, trying to figure out what had just happened. He wondered why she had chosen that course of action, so unlike her. Thoughts swam through his head. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything suddenly, something had intoxicated him in a way nothing had except...

Annie...

No. No time to think about her now. Annie was gone, and Claudia was here. Claudia was, for lack of a better word, his. She was his and willing to do whatever he asked. The thing is, there was nothing more he wanted than to repeat what had just happened. He stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her deeply and quickly, before parting lips, leaving his nose pressed to hers.

"Come with me then. There is much."

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia had no idea what Ben was saying, was he speaking German, no she knew German, Farsi perhaps, no she was well versed there as well, maybe Ben had a language up on her, well she'd have to fix that, whatever he had just spoken she'd figure it out......then she did. It was like her brain had a delayed reaction, which made her own eyes widen slightly. She nodded her head slowly in response to Ben's words. She would have followed him nearly anywhere he led before, now there was no stone on this earth that would remain untouched or turned if he commanded, or asked....or suggested.

She stood with her head tilted still slightly to the side, Ben's nose still touching the tip of her own. She could have just stayed still in the quiet of the warm night, in Ben's dining room for days and been completely content....but realizing Ben still had a protective arm wrapped tightly around her she did not stand still. She placed her hands at the base of his neck, felt his hair against her fingertips and kissed him one more time. She had no idea what she was doing. She pulled away an giggled a wickedly contented laugh, which she had never done in her twenty eight years on this earth, she had no idea where it came from. She could not control it though, the voice in her head told her it was useless to try, but then again the voice sounded like it had had a few too many dharma beers, which were hiding in the cellar, so she didn't trust it...much.

One thing Claudia could not deny was, whatever this was it was sure to be trouble, not that she minded, she had rarely been in trouble, and it seemed like a welcome study in human behavior if anything. Claudia was usually compliant atleast outwardly so she was surprised to find trouble sounded like a small alarm in her head. It was like a rhythmic buzzing radiating from her pocket to her head....hmmm strange. No stupid her love drunk brain yelled. It's the alarm. Claudia grabbed Ben's hand and fished the little black box with a series of tiny lights on it. One was flashing. "It's a really old tracking device, it had stopped working..b b but it works now apparently...and.....well, the bear is on the move, and uh he's moving fast."

[Ben Linus]

Ben was brought back to reality, or as close as you could get to it on this island, by the word 'bear'. He would never forgive Karl for being so stupid, for letting the bears escape. Especially now. One of them had already gone silent since the crash and Ben could only assume it had been killed. He grunted as he pulled away from Claudia. They would have to stop it somehow. He moved to his bookshelf and pushed it aside quickly, revealing an entrance to a secret basement room. He looked back at Claudia. "Well, here's secret number one, then." He went through the door and ran downstairs to his secret office, which contained yet another door, but he was not concerned with this right now. He opened the second drawer of the desk and found what he was looking for. Pulling the darts and tranquilizer gun from the shelf, he ran back up the stairs.

"Where is she? We'll have to move quickly, I don't want our team going to the Hydra to be interfered with. And there's still a chance we could take it back alive, I think, if we're smart." He walked over to her and put a hand in the small cup of her neck, smiling. "I'm sorry." He smiled. "When this is over, you and I will talk things over, I'll give you all the answers you want. You are ready, Claudia, there is no denying it anymore."

With that, Ben walked to the door and began to pull it open, turning to face the younger woman. "You should stay, I don't want you to get hurt, and this is something I can handle on my own."

[Claudia O'keefe]

For a moment Claudia stood there in the secret room staring at Ben, and she wanted nothing more, honestly questions she had once had didn't matter right then, something she'd been searching for, for a long time had been found and that was all she needed. The small black box flashed again within her hand shaking her from her stupor. She didn't want Ben going at the bear alone, but under no circumstances would she defy his wishes. She knew Ben could in fact handle the bear on his own, she just didn't want him too. She found it slightly aggravating that suddenly she was so soft about seemingly everything, but she let it pass quickly.

" I'll stay if you like, but we both know I'm an asset to you. The bears wont hurt me Ben..." she stopped mid-sentence, why the bears wouldn't eat her alive was a long story as well, Claudia had a lot of those. " If you lead north, the bear will follow, your scent is familiar and that way, if you tranq' him he'll be near the caves and far from anything, or anyone else. I think, I don't know where all of them are.

Claudia flung her own bag over her shoulder, she was trying to calculate another fifty equations in her head as usual, working out questions and answers one by one , if Ben wanted her to stay behind she'd wait in her lab and watch from there, and fix what she could. She wanted to grab him and hang on for dear life, but there wasn't time and that was of no help to anyone but herself so she nodded and watched the man...the most amazing man she'd ever seen, or would ever know.

[Ben Linus]

Ben looked at her as she spoke. He knew she wanted to come, knew she wouldn't do anything he asked her not to. The conflict was swelling in her. But she was right, the bears wouldn't touch her, and they both knew that would come in handy. "Ok, let's go." Ben said quietly. "Get your hat."

He led her outside and into the darkening night which had unsuspectingly settled in around them while they had been in a world where all that mattered were lasagna and lips. He felt her footsteps even though he could not hear them, and they moved north in to the jungle to try and head the bear off. As they did, Ben spoke.

"We've taken some of the survivors from the tail section of the plane. A group, Tom's leading it, is bringing them to the Hydra. These are good people, the people worth saving, as far as we're concerned. The people Jacob wants saved." He was breathing heavy but he pushed ahead anyways. To his left, he heard the crashing and breaking of branches. Too close, too soon. They were nowhere near the caves yet. Everything seemed so surreal to Ben, how could this all be happening so suddenly. The kiss, and now facing his own mortality. It was all making no sense.

"We've got to do it now, Claudia. Come on, you know what to do."

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia started running as Ben spoke, they were not nearly close enough to the caves to do the bear or themselves any good. Ben was right. She took note of everything he said, Tom had a group of crash survivors, Jacob had wanted it so, and Ben looked worried. She felt guilty as she ran, she was selfish in allowing herself to become tangled amidst Ben's long list of responsibility, she frowned at herself and calculated the where and when the bear would emerge on the pair. She was leaving Ben hidden hoping he would get a good shot off if the bear came after her running. He would likely catch her, she had a chance, Ben might be hurt and that wasn't an option.

She shouted as she ran. " Hide Ben, I'm going to get as close to the caves as possible, take the shot when you can." Her heart raced and her feet smashed lightly and quickly into the damp mud of the jungle floor. Suddenly before she realized it her footsteps became six. Large padded paws ripped up earth behind her and she could feel his hot breath on her back. Inadvertently she gave a little yelp of surprise that a gargantuan polar beast was perhaps seconds from tearing her limb from limb.

Claudia darted left and just as she hoped, the bear followed. They pushed through trees and brush unaware of the damage the rough foliage was doing to either. She felt a swipe at her back, the animals sharp claws grazed her skin and she yelled, but she kept running. The bear could have taken her down, but he was letting the game play out, she didn't see it quite like this in her head, but she was alive so she'd take it. Fifty paces and she'd be just outside the rocky cliffs that formed well explored caves. She forced her body forward and then without warning she was on the ground. The great polar bear towered over her, and his claws pinned her shoulders. Her chest heaved as she was pushed hard into the rocks beneath her. There was a deafening growl and then she would swear for all of her days the bear looked at her, looked her straight in the eye and let her be. He snuffed twice and sat low near her. Claudia was sure she was going to pass out.

[Ben Linus]

Ben nodded and suddenly she was gone from his side. He watched her admirable as she cut back and forth, confusing the polar bear as best she could. He moved into position to take the shot... just on the other side of this tree... NO! She was down! The bear had caught her in a rage of white fur and claws. Ben bolted towards her and the bear, forgetting the tranqs in his hand, ready to beat the bear to death with his bare fists if something had happened to Claudia.

He approached and saw her on the ground, and at first he feared the worst, but then he saw the rise and fall of her chest and the bear sitting close, protective of her. The bear sensed him however, and reared back and snarled as if to attack. Ben acted quickly, an attribute that had helped him reach this position in the first place. He shot and connected. Shot again and the bear was down on the ground, unconscious. He stood there, incredulous at his own quickness, for a moment fancying himself a Gunslinger like that in the King novel.

He stepped over to Claudia, careful to give the bear a wide berth, and leaned down to her. It reminded him of the day they had met. He took her head into his lap however, and realized everything was different between then and now. Then she had been a stranger, something to be feared. Now she was his, something to be loved.

"Claudia, are you ok? Where did he get you? We should get you back, Juliet or Ethan should look at this as soon as possible, you're going to be fine, okay? Trust me." He didn't feel the tear from his left eye, but knew it was there all the same. A rare occasion worth marking down later in his journal. But that was neither here or there. "Claudia, speak to me."

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia felt the sting of the scratches from the polar bear who now lay still at her side, she felt the slight trickle of her own blood on her now cold skin, and she knew it wasn't too serious. She'd probably need a few stitches, and she'd hope for Ethan's handiwork, he was not as gentle as Jules, but his stitches were precise and would leave much less scarring. She heard Ben's voice through the darkness of her heavy closed lids. Maybe she'd just keep them closed and stay under the big pale moon that hung above them in the dense jungle. Whether she bled to death or not was of no consequence it would surely be the best night of her life.

She forced her eyes open at that silly thought only to be scared senseless. She had never seen Benjamin Linus cry and his face was so close to her that his tear drop ran from his cheek and splashed onto hers. She was overcome, there was no other way to put it, so she just started speaking quickly,"The team from the hydra should be able to handle the bear on their way back, as long as their errand wont take too long, actually you should radio for Goodwin, he's good with the bears....and Karl is banned from bear duty, even cage cleaning, well he could clean the cages now to get them ready, but he could mess that up too, but then again, it might keep him away from Alex for the night, anyhow I think we've got 35 minutes with the bears weight, and size....."

She reluctantly looked at Ben and took a breath. She leaned up with a slight squeak of discomfort and wrapped her arms around Ben's torso. " I'm okay," she lay her head against his shoulder and wondered if the scratches on her back were deeper than she calculated previously. She felt tired as she breathed in the scent of Ben's skin, the heavy air of the jungle and the fur of her own hat. Perhaps she'd just sleep for a moment....NO! either the voice in her head or Ben yelled it, she would never be sure, but she snapped awake at the call. "Maybe we should get back home Ben," she said softly before trying to stand.

[Ben Linus]

"NO!" Ben yelled as he watched her eyes close. They snapped back open and fluttered momentarily, then she was back with him, trying to stand. "No, no just stop, Claudia. I'll take care of you, just stop." Ben scooped Claudia up into his arms and cradled her against his chest. She was so small already, and like this she seemed nothing more than a small child. Ben felt another tear and blinked it back, pulling out his walkie as he started running back towards camp.

"Tom, I need three men to double back towards the caves, we got one of the bears. No Tom, now! We've only got about thirty minutes until the damned thing wakes up again. Ethan, come in, report... Ethan I need you to come back here and stitch up Claudia, she got scratched... I don't care what you tell them just GET BACK HERE NOW!"

Ben turned the walkie off, knowing his orders would be followed to a t. They had to be, it was how the island worked. He was the leader, they were his followers. "Claudia," he said, turning back to the bleeding girl and noticing his sleeves were covered with her life, "it's going to be okay, you'll be fine. Trust me, okay? Just trust me."

Ben ran and ran until he could see the edge of the jungle. He burst through into the clearing that marked the edge of their territory, nearly running through the sonar fence, which he quickly turned off and turned on before continuing on his way. Soon enough they were back at his house, where Ben laid the near fainting girl on a table, grabbing some scissors to cut away the remains of her tattered shirt. There was a knock at the door.

Ethan.

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia was not worried, she trusted Ben with everything, not just her life. If he said she would be alright then he would make it so. Getting to the place of 'alright' might not be so pleasant as simply having Ben run through the jungle with her body in his arms, though that was the thought she kept ever present in the front of her mind as she was heaved onto the table that she had eaten on no more than an hour before.

It wasn't until Ben cut her shirt away that she saw how much she was actually bleeding. Strange, she thought, it didn't seem that bad to her. She lay still on her side, noticing Ben still had hand on her hip as a knock came from nearby. " It doesn't really hurt Ben, I'm sure I'm going to be fine." She didn't want Ben to answer the door, but few entered his presence without permission, so she knew it had to be done. She nodded to him, and he was gone. If she had just stayed here like Ben had suggested at first, none of this would be happening. She wouldn't be bleeding, she wouldn't be forcing Ben into emotion which she was still guilty over, Ethan's work with the survivors, whatever it was, wouldn't be interfered with...the list went on. Claudia hid her face against the table and wished for it all to just be over.

"If you hadn't been there, it would be Ben in your place now," she heard the voice clear as day, and shuddered. She didn't know exactly where it came from, she simply presumed it was of her own doing, but at the moment she was in no place to question what it said. The statement assuaged a bit of her bad feelings, which unfortunately finally made room for the searing pain of her wounds to flood through every piece of her being. Luckily Ethan seemed to get to work quickly, she bit her own finger hoping to cancel out the pain of the needle with Ethan's grasp. She put on a brave face and held back the tears, keeping her eyes focused on one thing and one thing alone, Ben's eyes.

[Ben Linus]

Ben practically ran for the door. He yanked it open and saw Ethan standing there, as he had hoped. "It's bad," he mumbled under his breath to Ethan's questioning face. "She's bleeding badly, can you help her?"

"We'll see." Ethan said simply, walking past Ben to the table with his sewing kit in hand. He examined Claudia briefly and then moved to the kitchen, finding clean dishtowels and soaking them in a bottle of peroxide to clean the wound. He pushed the stinging towel into her back and then cleaned it with another one dampened in water.

After an hour or so, Ethan had finished most of the delicate stitching, Ben uncharacteristically if she was okay every three minutes or so, assisting whenever possible. As soon as he was finished, Ben pushed him aside, pulling a chair next to the table and watching her uneven breathing, wanting to take her hand in his and yet not daring for fear of disrupting some bodily process that was keeping her alive. He had promised her life. He had done that only once before, and he had ended up being deemed a liar.

"Claudia..." He whispered softly. He wouldn't let her die. He promised himself, and he promised her, silently. He wondered if she heard.

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia felt as if she were sleeping underwater, and it was anything but unpleasant. If in that moment someone asked would she like to stay in this place forever, Claudia might have given a resounding yes...until she heard Ben whisper her name. Then there was only one thing to be done. Get back to Ben plain and simple. She struggled to get her eyes open, and found she was laying still on the table, but now on her stomach. Ethan was gone, only Ben was at her side, and though in a great deal of pain she smiled.

Ben Linus had been her saviour in every way possible, and for that, and just because of who he was, she'd be eternally faithful. She was not the type who would ever say so in words, but with Ben words were not always necessary. Every time Claudia breathed the hard table, and her fresh stitches sent wave after wave of pain from head to toe. She lay her head in Ben's open palm on the table.

" I think I'd rather go home than the medical facility, if that's all right with you...with a walkie, I could just cal for what I need, and I have a lot of the same supplies that they do, and its a well documented fact that patients heal quickly in environments in which they feel comfortable..." she spoke quickly as always, but much more softly than her usual tone.

She couldn't quite read the expression on Ben's face, but she hoped he wouldn't make her go to their version of a military like sick-bay. It was very white and grey, like a medical area on a ship, it gave Claudia a strange feeling, so she stayed away from it as much as possible. She had so much to do anyway, the sooner she could get back to her work the better, and more important to Claudia, she'd only be two doors away from Ben. If she recovered at home, she'd see his lights come on, know when he came home, and perhaps, if she were lucky, hear him play the piano like only he did. She absentmindedly kissed his palm as her head still rested in it, hoping he'd say yes to her request.

[Ben Linus]

Ben shook his head as she finished her little speech. She was always overcalculating, always unassuming. "No, no you're not going anywhere tonight. If you're ok to be carried, I'll bring you to my bed. I'll take the couch down here." He got a nod from her and without a word he scooped her up into his arms again, although this time in relief instead of panic.

He carried her up the creaking stairs. The house was new enough that not all the little creaks had been worn in. He brought her to his room, which was very plainly decorated, and laid her down in the spot next to where he usually slept.

"You just call me on the walkie if you need anything, I'll be right downstairs." He took her hat off and brushed away the hair covering her face to kiss her forehead, before laying a single cool sheet over her still topless body. "I'll uh, have some clothes brought over from Alex's room by morning, just try to get some rest, Claudia."

He smiled and turned to leave the room and let her get some rest.