No Recognition
Chapter One

Note:I rewrote this chapter. It used to contain a character I created named Sam, but after some negative feedback and some thinking on my part, I decided to take her out. I feel the story is going to be MUCH better without her. Thanks for the feedback! Anyway, this story is going to be about four chapters. Maybe. But it won’t be that long.
Setting:The Island, not too long after Charlie’s “death.” (He does not die in this story)
Here’s the rundown: Charlie doesn’t remember a thing past arriving in Australia to see Liam. He will be found in the Looking Glass, alive, and is taken back up to the Island. He doesn’t remember Claire, Aaron, or anyone. Meanwhile, he starts to wonder why he ever did some of the things he finds out he did on the Island.
Characters:Charlie, Desmond, Hurley, Jack, Claire, Sayid probably a few other appearances.
Disclaimer:I used to own Sam before I took her out (fan shout out!) But now I own nothing.

I’d suggest you read this chapter, even if you read the original first chapter.

---

Desmond tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It had hardly been a day since the events in the Looking Glass. He looked up into the darkness of his tent and rolled over onto his side and groaned. Sleeping would be useless.

Sitting up, Desmond pushed off his blankets and pulled on his shirt. He stood up and left his tent and stepped outside. The sun was peeking out over by the edge of the ocean, creating a mix of purples and yellows in the sky. He gazed out at the ocean for a few minutes. He finally felt at peace now that the visions had left him, but he still couldn’t forget him. He couldn’t forget Charlie, and he doubted he ever would.

Desmond had pulled Charlie out of the water within minutes of his drowning by pulling on his scuba gear and entering through the broken window. He had drug him out of the moon pool and onto the dry, cold floor. He had tried to resuscitate him. Tried to save him one last time.

But nothing had worked.

Desmond had stayed down there for hours, pacing and crying. Trying to find out what he could possibly do with the body. He didn’t want to bring him back up to the beach. Desmond felt he had neither the physical or emotional strength to do so. But Charlie also didn’t deserve to be left down in the Looking Glass alone.

But that was what Desmond had ended up doing.

He wasn’t sure what else he could do. Bringing Charlie up would’ve been too painful for everyone, but it would’ve provided closure. Leaving him down in the station would’ve upset people as well, but at least that way they didn’t have to see him.

When Desmond came up alone no one said much.

Claire had turned away, tears in her eyes. Hurley had stared at Desmond for what seemed like ages before storming away down the beach. Jack demanded answers like he usually did.

After that, everyone was unusually quiet. There was no talk of a memorial service. And if anyone ever talked about Charlie it must’ve been in private because Desmond never heard a single word spoken about him since. That was what truly troubled him. He wanted Charlie to be remembered for what he did. Instead, people chose to ignore or deny that it ever happened. No one seemed to want to realize the fact that someone they had done nothing for had done so much for them.

Desmond sat down in the sand and held his head in his hands. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do with himself. Even with the visions gone for good, his life was still a jumbled mess. People were going to notice. Penny would notice when they were rescued. There was always going to be a part of him that wouldn’t return back to normal.

---

“We need to bury him.”

Jack looked up at Hurley and sighed. “You’re going to have to talk that over with Desmond, Hurley.”

Hurley frowned. “Hey, I’m not talking anything over with Desmond. Besides - last time I checked we didn’t consult him for anything.”

Jack sighed and stood from where he had been sitting outside his tent. “It was hard for Desmond to watch Charlie die. He left him down there for his own reasons. I don’t want to make him anymore upset.”

“Haven’t we known Charlie longer than him?” Hurley pointed out.

“Yeah…” Jack admitted a little uncomfortably. “But Charlie and Desmond were close. I don’t have the right to go up and tell him what to do. I didn’t know Charlie like Desmond did.”

“Jack, Charlie and I were a hell of a lot closer than he and Desmond were,” Hurley argued.

“Well, then you’re going to have to take this into your own hands.” He looked back at Hurley. “Ok?”

Hurley rolled his eyes slightly and walked away towards his tent. Everyone was up and about and doing their daily thing. Eating, hanging up clothes to dry, chatting. It was like nothing had ever happened. It was like Charlie was still there…because no one ever noticed him when he had been, either.

The only person that looked different was Claire. She was sitting outside her tent next to Aaron’s crib. Her arm was draped over the edge of the crib as Aaron played with her fingers and gurgled. She was just staring down at the sand, her expression not revealing any of her feelings.

Hurley sighed and walked over to her after a brief inner battle. He wasn’t sure if he should really confront her. But everyone needed comfort, even if they thought that they didn’t.

“Doesn’t this freak you out?” Hurley muttered as he lowered himself down next to her. “I mean, him not being here and everyone not doing…anything?”

They weren’t exactly words of comfort. But it was all Hurley could say.

Claire looked up at him, her breath caught in her throat. “Hurley, I want him back.”

Hurley felt his eyes sting with tears and he looked away. “Claire…”

“Not like that…I just…his body. I want his body here.” She pulled her hand out of the crib. “Didn’t Desmond say that he had pulled his body out of the water? Couldn’t he go back in and bring him out?”

Hurley let out a sigh of relief. “Good. So I’m not the only one that’s crazy. I tried telling Jack but he told me to talk to Desmond myself. I can’t do that.” He looked at Claire pointedly.

Claire shook her head, dismissing the idea. “Neither can I.”

---

“Absolutely not.”

Hurley sighed. He and Claire were standing in Sayid’s tent. Sayid had slept in that morning for probably the first time, and was still having difficulty waking up.

“C’mon, man,” Hurley prodded. “Desmond hardly knows you, you hardly know him…it’s a fresh start.”

“There’s something obviously wrong with him if neither you, Jack, nor Claire want to speak with him. So why would I be the one to do it?”

“…Because you’re Sayid?” Hurley answered as if it was so obvious.

“Look,” Claire put in. “There’re reasons why we don’t want to talk to him.”

“I know it’s because he was with Charlie when he died,” Sayid said quietly. “And it’s a sensitive issue. And you have a grudge against him. And that makes it just as bad for me as well. Charlie was my friend, too.”

“Sayid…you don’t want Charlie’s body to stay down there, do you?” Claire asked.

“Not at all.”

“If you don’t talk to Desmond, it will. Because none of us think we have the strength to do it. We’re not like you, Sayid.” Claire looked at him pleadingly. “Please?”

---

Sayid approached Desmond. He was still sitting on the beach, looking out into the ocean like he had been all morning. Sayid sat down next to him. There was only silence for a few minutes.

“What d’you want, brother?” Desmond asked quietly.

“Desmond, quite a few people aren’t happy with where Charlie is right now.”

Desmond turned and glared at him. “And you think I am?!”

“No,” Sayid responded, surprisingly calm. “But many of us would feel better if you had brought his body back up to the Island to bury.”

“I was down there alone,” Desmond choked. “I couldn’t do it by myself.”

“I understand.” Sayid squeezed his shoulder. “But people are willing to help you bring him back up. Today would be best.”

“Like who?” Desmond asked, looking up and peering at him against the morning sunlight.

“Claire. Although I don’t believe we should bring her down there. Hurley would. Jack might.” Sayid paused a moment. “…I would.”

“Claire’s not going,” Desmond said as he stood up. He suddenly seemed energized; like there was another purpose for him now. “Hurley won’t be able to fit in the boat, much less swim quickly.”

Sayid hid a smile.

“Jack won’t be coming with us,” Desmond continued without an explanation. “So it looks like it’s you and me, brother.”

---

Sayid tossed his backpack into the small boat. Grabbing the oars, he examined them and then looked over at Desmond quizzically. Desmond was also hauling his backpack into the boat.

“May I ask why this one has blood on it?” Sayid asked, turning it over on the other side.

Desmond looked at the oar. It was his blood. Charlie had hit him over the head with it after Desmond had offered to go into the Looking Glass for him. Charlie wouldn’t let Desmond take the plunge for him. Even after all the pain Desmond had put him through.

Desmond pointed at the gash on his forehead and jumped into the boat. Sayid followed in after him.

Sayid didn’t wonder why such a physically strong person could be so emotionally wounded. He was the same way. People saw him as substantial and practically invulnerable. Claire had that morning when she said that she and Hurley “weren’t like him.” She saw Sayid as a corrector of all mistakes; someone she could count on. If she continued on like that, she would most likely be greatly disappointed. Sayid had managed to get Desmond to go down to the Looking Glass one last time, but he had seemed eager to, regardless. Sayid figured he had wanted to, but now someone had given him a reason.

Desmond now knew he wasn’t alone when it came to loving Charlie. That alone gave him a reason.

“What’s going on?”

Desmond and Sayid looked up to see Jack walking towards them.

“We’re gonna bring him back up,” Desmond said softly, not meeting his eyes. “I want to.”

“I know, and I’m glad you do,” Jack responded. He climbed in the boat despite their questionable looks. “And I’m coming with you.”

Sayid looked at Desmond and raised his eyebrows. Desmond contemplated a moment and looked at Jack steadily.

“It’s dangerous for just the two of you to go,” Jack explained. “You’ll need an extra person incase something happens.”

“It was just Desmond and Charlie in the Looking Glass. And now we have a signal,” Sayid said. He already knew what Jack’s comeback was going to be, but he wanted to stand up for Desmond who already seemed near his breaking point. The last thing that Desmond wanted was for Jack to be there.

After all, it was obvious Desmond didn’t care much for Jack. Charlie had told Desmond all about the various people that had helped him along on the Island, such as Locke and Eko. These relationships had ended after a fight and a death. Charlie described his relationship with Jack as brief. Jack did the occasional checkup, but when Charlie did the slightest thing wrong Jack would become irritated and not even try to hide it, and then eventually explode. Charlie needed something solid. Jack should’ve recognized this and not been so impatient.

“Yeah, and look how that ended up,” Jack responded to Sayid.

Sayid ignored him and looked at Desmond apologetically, wishing he hadn’t brought up the subject.

But Desmond didn’t even seem like he had heard him. He was looking out at the water, a thoughtful frown on his face and his eyes firmly fixed on the horizon.

---

It didn’t take long for the three of them to reach the spot in the water that hung above the Looking Glass. Even though Jack and Sayid had never been there, they could still sense something haunting about it. The water seemed disturbed. There was a certain air around them that made them shiver, even in the tropical climate.

Desmond stood up in the boat carefully, steadying himself so he wouldn’t tip them all over. “Which one of you is going down with me?”

“I will,” Jack volunteered immediately.

Sayid frowned. “I‘ll be going too. Like you said, Jack…something may happen.”

Jack didn’t respond to what he said. “Go in first, Desmond. Sayid will go next. I’ll follow him.”

Desmond looked like he was about to dive in, but then he paused a moment and looked back at them.

“You should know that this might be a little…hard.”

“I was in the National Guard and Jack’s a doctor. I believe we’ll be fine.” Even as the words escaped Sayid’s mouth, he knew they wouldn’t ever be entirely fine after this experience. “I think you should be more concerned about you.”

Desmond sighed and looked down into the water. He had been unconscious at the time, so he wasn’t aware that this was the exact same process Charlie had gone through during his last few moments above the surface.

Desmond dove in.

---

Desmond emerged through the moon pool and climbed up the ladder, gasping for breath. When he stood on the solid ground, he turned around to wait for Sayid’s head to pop up above the surface. But instead of Sayid, he saw Greta’s pale ghostly body floating eerily facedown.

Desmond sighed and turned away, all of the memories flooding back to him. Bonnie was there as well; her slender body lying limp on the floor. Her mouth was slightly open, stuck in the position it had been when she was whispering her final words.

Desmond was about to turn back to the moon pool to check to see if Sayid was coming up when he heard a sound.

Footsteps in the room Bonnie and Greta had raced out of upon Charlie’s arrival when they shot at him like madwomen.

Idiot!Desmond thought angrily. He hadn’t even thought about the possibility of someone else being down there now. He had brought no gun…no weapons.

He was about to dive back through the moon pool to get out as quickly as possible. But as he jerked around, he noticed that the spot he had left Charlie’s body at was bare.

Desmond’s eyes widened and he looked towards the room. Well, of course. Whoever this person is must have moved him.

…But not the girls’ bodies?

Desmond had left Charlie’s body right by the door to the control room. He had went through the port hole, drug him out, drug him back in through the moon pool, tossed him on the ground next to the door…and then nothing. Not a single breath had escaped his lips that had still been warm from life.

Sayid burst through the moon pool. Hhe climbed up the ladder and rubbed the salt from his eyes. Jack followed soon after.

Sayid’s eye caught Greta’s body. “…What happened here?”

“Shhh!” Desmond hissed. “Listen!”

Sayid and Jack stood still and listened as they took in the Looking Glass’ surroundings. It looked like an underwater dungeon. But they hadn’t expected much less.

The footsteps came again briefly and then stopped.

“Someone’s down here?!” Jack exclaimed. “Desmond, we don’t-”

But Desmond was already racing towards the room on the other side of the station. There was a large door that he hadn’t noticed before because it hadn’t been open the first time. Now it was.

Just as Desmond was about to race inside, he heard someone running from within the room. The door slammed in his face just as he was almost inside. He stopped, in shock.

This had happened before.

Sayid raced forward. “Desmond, what’re you doing?! Someone’s in there! One of them!” Sayid wasn’t sure if he had ever felt so panicked. But he wasn’t really surprised at how vulnerable he felt without a gun.

Desmond didn’t listen to him. He pulled open the door and raced inside.

This room was much more home-like like the Swan had been. But everything still seemed like it was inside a steamship. The walls were a cold, metallic grey. The furniture looked stiff and old. Nothing looked lived in. Everything looked dead.

But there was at least one person still alive in the Looking Glass.

Charlie was sitting huddled in the corner; his head in his hands and sobbing.

-LOST-

“And if he loves me, then why does he leave?

Don’t say goodbye like you’re burying him

‘Cause the world is round and he might return.”

-Just Like The Movies

Regina Spektor

That should be our moto!

Next chapter soon.

How did you like this rewritten one?

PS - Has anyone seen the preview for Vantage Point? It has Matthew Fox in it...I want to see it. Not for Matt, but because it looks interesting. I swear to God...Matt looks the same in ALL his movies. And he always has the same expression on his face. Always. Mouth hanging open, eyes wide, and screaming at someone. Classic Jack :)