Title: The Aftermath

Summary: The only thing scarier than life on the island, is life after the island.

Words: 4,018

Author's Note: I've been wanting to write a LOTF fanfiction like this for a while now but I haven't had the time or the inspiration to do so. This will be a chapter fic that I will try to update as soon as I can, however I make so promises.

Chapter One

The boat ride was long and surreal, but so was the island for that matter. Ralph stayed away from everyone and spoke only to answer the officers questions. He watched and observed the other boys. Life was so drastically different now and that scared him almost as much as the thought of the island.

The worst part about the ship wasn't all that, it was the night. The night was when Ralph was in the same room as the other boys and in very close quarters, close to Jack and to Roger. Nighttime was when you heard a thousand young screams and cries. Ralph hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the whole trip. His eyes were drooping and his feet dragged behind him as he slowly walked across the deck.

They had made it back home and the sun had never shined any brighter. The sky was so blue and bright and yet a hesitant grey clouded the air around him. The boys piled off the ship one by one into families and desperate embraces.

Ralph felt himself subconsciously rise up on his tiptoes as he scanned the crowd for a familiar face. There it was, that hair he knew so well. Her brown curls bouncing frantically as she scurried through all the people, running. Ralph began to push through the crowd. He ran right up to her and then stopped. Her arms were clutching his forearms and they were both just staring at each other. Ralph look down at his toes with a shaky breath.

"Ralphie you're so skinny, oh my god," she exclaimed sounding angry but yet so gentle. His older sister, Laura. She looked at him in a way he had never seen before and it made his cheeks from warm and made the familiar wetness return to his eyes. "Dad's not here right now but Michael's waiting for us at home, okay?" Her voice was so delicate and Ralph hated how she looked at him like he was younger than when he had left. At the same time however, this was the most comforting thing in the world.

As the first tear fell from Ralph's eye he allowed himself to be pulled tightly into his sister's warm embrace. Her arms were so much stronger than he remembered her arms to be. Maybe it was the fact that he lost almost all of his body weight, but he felt so small. He crammed his head into her neck as he began to cry a little harder.

He'd held everything together on the island, didn't cry once until the ship came. After that he didn't cry at night on the ship with all the other boys, not a single tear. Yet, here he was, wrapped in Laura's arms like a child sobbing. He didn't even mind as he was lifted off his feet and wrapped his legs around her waist. She was so much taller and stronger and it made him feel safe for the first time in so long.

"Want to go home sweetie?" She asked him gently as she ran her hands gently through his wiry hair. He nodded into her neck as he continued to cry, slowly less and less. She adjusted him so he was propped on her hip before walking up to the naval officers.

"Thank you so much for rescuing my little brother," she spoke so sincerely and the officer have her a humbled smile.

"Whatever I can do to help," he said voice musty and firm but loving.

"The same goes for me, if there's ever anything I can do, I'll always be here in town," she explained, rubbing circles in Ralph's back as she did so. He wiped his eyes but still struggled to catch his breathe, feeling a safe security on Laura's side. He allowed for the sleep to lure him close.

"I actually could use some help with one little favor," the officer spoke unsure.

"Anything in the world," Laura nodded.

"There's a boy who does seem to have any family in town and needs a place to stay until they return," he explained. Laura nodded.

"Of course, we have room, he can stay with us," Laura spoke in a more authoritative tone that reminded Ralph of his mother, who had died when he was very young. Feeling fragile and young in her arms reminded Ralph even more of his mother and it was a bit overwhelming. The whole day was terribly overwhelming.

"Jack," the officer called as the familiar redhead came rushing over to the officer. "This nice woman tells me you can stay with her until your family returns."

"Thank you so much," Jack said sounding almost as afraid as Ralph felt. Jack didn't really notice the, now asleep, figure of a boy in the girls arms. He was still in a panic from the shock of not seeing his family and from being back in civilization.

"You can stay with us for as long as you need. Jack, right?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank you so much," he said nodding desperately.

"My name is Laura, I'm Ralph's sister," she introduced herself while carefully adjusting her sleeping little brother.

"Ralph," the name fell off Jack's tongue soft and almost inaudible.

"Come on, let's get out of here and you can tell me a little bit more about yourself. Home is just down the street,"she instructed as she led him down away from the crowd of crying parents and children, the officer waving to Laura from a distance.

"Our father is in the navy and is out of town at the moment so it's just us three and Michael. Michael is studying at Uni right now but living at home with us. We have a spare bedroom you can stay in, I'll make it up for you," she went on speaking to subconsciously try to distract the boy from wandering thoughts of the trauma he'd just been through. "You have any siblings?"

"I had a younger sister, but she got in a car accident four years ago with my Mum," Jack explained in monotone.

"I'm so sorry. Our mother passed too, cancer," she told. "Is it just you and your father?"

"Yes."

"Well, you can stay as long as you need to," Laura said for probably the thousandth time. Jack nodded with a faraway look in his eyes.

They finally walked up the cobblestone to a tall and thin brick home with a lot of windows. Laura led Jack up the steps as she fumbled around trying to get the key out of her pocket where Ralph was resting. She managed to get the key and unlock the door in not too much time.

"Come on inside, it's getting a bit snippy," she said pulling both boys inside.

"Laura? Ralph?" came a deep and worried voice. Then came a tall dark man running down the steps of the entryway. "Ralph?"

"Ralph's asleep," she hushed him. "I'm going to take him upstairs. This is Jack, he's going to be staying with us until his father gets back to town," Laura exclaimed as she went up the steps. The man, Michael, ran a hand through Ralph's hair as he passed by on the steps before meeting Jack downstairs.

"Jack, my name's Michael. It's very nice to meet you," he said sticking his hand out. Jack stared at the gesture before hesitantly shaking his hand. Michael observed the boys tentative actions.

"Can I get you something to eat, you look like a fella who could use some food," Michael asked cautiously leading Jack into the kitchen.

"Yes please, anything would be nice," Jack spoke with such sincere thankfulness that it made Michael chuckle a bit. He as well, wasn't going to try to ask about the island just yet. Michael the fridge and pulled a big tub of soup that he began to heat up over the stove. When it was warm he pulled two bowls out of the cupboard and ladled soup into each. He passed on to Jack and held the other in his own grip. "I'm going to take this up to Ralph, you just stay here, alright?" Jack nodded.

Ralph stirred around in what seemed to be his bed, this conclusion causing him to jump out of his skin.

"Woah buddy, you're okay. You're home," Michael comforted placing his hand on Ralph's bony shoulder and leaning him back against the headboard. Ralph's shoulders shook at he stared up at Michael. "Hey." Immediately Ralph's arms were thrown around his neck and he chuckled as he pulled Ralph close. He hadn't hugged his brother in so long and it felt so good to know that he was okay and alive and in his arms. He had thought he was dead for months and now here he was, almost looking the part, but alive.

"It was awful Michael," he slurred fisting his small fingers into Michael's shirt. Michael's fit hands clutched Ralph's head and his back and he gingerly rocked him back and forth. Michael had never been one for lovey docey moments like these and Ralph was so shocked at the affection. Michael didn't even care that his act was dropped, he simply cared that his baby brother wasn't dead on an island.

"It's okay, you're safe now," Michael said pressing a kiss to the young boy's forehead. Ralph could help the silent tears on his cheeks and again felt flustered and embarrassed by them. Ralph never cried, it was simply something never did. Now it seemed like it's all he was ever doing. It was worse when his brother saw him crying than his sister. His brother was always so strong and authoritative and his sister had been the comforting one all his life. Sitting there wrapped up in his brother crying, he felt so safe yet so vulnerable and it made the whole situation all the more devastating.

"Ralph, hey, look at me please," Michael said taking Ralph's chins and turning towards his own. "You are okay, you're home with me and Laura and we're not going to let anything happen to you again," he promised. Ralph nodded wiping the last of his tears away as he settled down against Michael.

"It was bad," Ralph spoke voice sounding like a child but his eyes looked the opposite. "The island, it was... They killed them."

"What? They killed who?" Michael asked his grip tightening substantially on Ralph.

"Piggy. They killed him and Simon too," Ralph stuttered feeling the urge to cry again but he held the tears in. He knew if he started crying he would never stop. "And me."

"What do you mean 'they killed you'?" Michael questioned confused.

"They, well, they almost did. Then that g-guy, from the navy, found me-, us," Ralph explained panicked.

"Why would they try to kill you Ralphie?" Michael asked.

"B-Because I'm weak," Ralph spoke near silently.

"You are not weak. Ralph, you survived months alone on an island with no adults, food, shelter, and you're only twelve. I'm so prod of you," he tone reminded Ralph of the way his father spoke to him when he left to get on the plane. Ralph cringed at the thought of the plane. "You hear me?" Ralph nodded. "Want to eat some soup?" Michael asked carefully resting Ralph's skinny body against the headboard as he reached for the soup.

Ralph gave a look of disgust towards the chicken noodle soup. The idea of food made his stomach churn. He had thrown up so many times on the island and the ship and the thought of eating actual food, which should have been comforting, made me was to be sick again.

"No thanks," Ralph returned to staring down at his lap as he pulled the warm blanket tighter around him.

"Are you sure? You don't even want to try one bite?" Michael asked hopefully. Ralph wanted desperately to say yes and not disappoint his brother but he was worried about getting sick and crying, again.

Instead of answering Ralph just stared tiredly up at Michael and let his shoulders fall comfortably. The warmth of the bed and being back in his own home were finally kicking it and it felt amazing. Everything was exactly where he'd left it in his bedroom. His favorite book was still on his night stand next to a plastic army man and a small clock. The light was dimmed and flicked every ten minutes, just like it always had. The curtains still dragged at the ground and the window made a distant pattering sound as the rain slowly fell from the sky.

"What happened there?" Michael asked gently brushing his fingers over the scar on his hands. Ralph shrugged.

"The jungle hurts," he said softly. Michael nodded.

"One of your friends is downstairs. He's going to stay with us until his father is back in town, I hope you don't mind. You know your sister, always having to take care of everybody," Michael explained.

"Who?" Ralph asked hesitantly. Anyone but him, anyone but him.

"Jack, I think is his name," Michael stated.

"Okay," Ralph said with a shaky breath. He wouldn't cry again, he wouldn't cry. "I think I'm going to sleep again. C-could you go?" Ralph hated the way his voice broke.

"Yeah, I can go. You going to be alright Ralph?" he asked voice like Laura's, filled with concern and a gentle comfort. Ralph knew the moment Michael left the room he would break, which is exactly why he wanted him to go. Ralph nodded. "Goodnight little brother," Michael said patting his head and reaching for the light. Ralph's eyes went big.

"Light on?" Michael asked. Ralph nodded as his eyes filled with unshed tears. He was so embarrassed and so afraid even though he knew his brother loves him. He had let everyone see him cry, his brother was treating him like a baby, Jack Merridew was going to be living with him, and all Ralph really wanted was his mother. He wasn't going to sit there like a littlun and cry 'Mommy', even though he sure was tempted.

"It's alright Ralph," Michael said one final reassurance. They all sounded so sincere, which only made them burn worse. He closed the door to Ralph's room and left Ralph alone with his semiconscious thoughts and water eyes. Ralph curled in on himself and went as deep into the mattress as his tiny frame could manage. Being home never felt this empty.

Jack had always been an early riser in the morning. He was up when the sun awoke and was quick to get out of bed. Laura had brought him something of Ralph's to sleep in and it was tight and uncomfortable but he was still grateful to be out of his island rags. The pants stopped above his ankle and the sleeves before his wrists. Jack realized, you never truly know how much taller you are than someone until you try to fit into their pajamas. If not for Jack's gaunt frame, he might not have even been able to button them up.

He flicked the light on as he tossed his feet onto the ground. His feet felt so heavy as he walked slowly over to the window. Pulling the curtains aside he watched the world around him. Cars driving down the street, people rushing about. It was nothing like the island. Boys woke up whenever they pleased, or whenever Jack told them, and never worried about working or life outside the island.

Jack was trying to block parts of the island out of his head, mostly about the last month. Especially the last day. He knew he was villainous and caused a great deal of his own pain, but he felt the weight of the world resting on his shoulders for his attempt at the boy down the hall. Simon's death had been different, everyone had participated. Piggy's, that was Rodger. Ralph, that was all Jack.

The night before Jack had pressed his ear the wall between bedrooms and felt his heart shatter at the words Ralph spoke to Michael. Has he really caused all the boys so much trauma? Jack had been a different person on the island. Sure, he's always been arrogant and controlling, but never like he was on the island. He wasn't a killer, he didn't enough other's pain. He didn't get a thrill from seeing someone hurting, he simply craved attention and thought he had known best. If nothing else, the island had humbled in as it put his world in a whole new perspective.

Jack let the curtain fall back into place as he searched down the hall for a bathroom. He took a shower and let the warm water rush down his face. It felt so amazing to be clean again, only physically of course. He wrapped a towel around himself as he left the steamy bathroom.

"Good morning," Laura gave him a smile as she tiredly emerged from Ralph's room. "Do you need something to wear? Maybe something bigger this time?"

"That would be lovely," Jack nodded.

"I'll get you something and we can go get you some more comfortable clothes today, alright?"

"Thank you so much," Jack answered grateful.

Ralph hadn't slept very well that night and woke up feeling groggy and upset. He scratched the top of his head and carefully put his feet on the wood ground. It was freezing under his bare feet and he hissed. He was used the cold mornings but that didn't mean he enjoyed them. He pulled socks on and wrapped a robe over himself before heading downstairs.

The steps took a little while to get around because of the lack of sleep and food in Ralph's system. Once downstairs he heard chatter coming from the kitchen. It sounded like Laura and Michael and it almost made Ralph smile.

"Good morning, I made eggs," Laura said with a hopeful smile as Ralph entered the kitchen. Seeing Jack sitting at the table have Ralph an uneasy feeling in his stomach and he sat at the other end silently. Laura reached over his head, placing eggs and orange juice down in front of him. The plate taunted him.

Michael and Laura sat on either side of the table carrying on conversation about something in the news as Ralph stared down at his plate. He took a few glances over at Jack who was spinning his fork around in the eggs, taking a very small bite every now and again. Ralph just watched, something reaching near the fork before changing his mind.

"What are your thoughts on school boys?" Michael asked Ralph and Jack. Ralph coughed.

"School?" Jack asked.

"Well you two have already missed a lot of school and we don't want you falling too far behind," explained Laura. Ralph had been waiting for this conversation since he got home. His family had always been very pushy about schoolwork and education. Ralph knew that having just recovered from being in a plane crash and deserted on an island wonder change that.

"Would we just hop right back in after missing half a year," Jack questioned.

"Yeah, that's where we were thinking, maybe it would hurt to just repeat your years over again," Michael suggested. Ralph dropped the fork he had finally worked up the courage to hold.

"What?" He exclaimed. It was the first word Jack had heard him speak since the island.

"I know, getting held back won't be fun, but you've missed a lot," Laura explained. Ralph ran his fingers through his hair and then settled on resting his cheek in his fist.

"Not fun? That's an understatement," Ralph spat angrily. He typically wasn't one to get frustrated with others, he'd always been the rational, sweet one of the family. His little outburst came as a shock to everyone at the table.

"You'll still have your friends, just not in your classes," Laura tried. Ralph shook his head.

"No," he said firmly. "No."

School had started about three weeks later and Laura and Michael had decided Ralph and Jack would each be held back. Jack wasn't too upset, seeing as how he'd be new to the school so it wouldn't be as obvious he was held back. Ralph, however, was devastated. The school was small and news traveled fast. Ralph had never had many friends and now he wasn't sure if he'd ever make any more.

Ralph had one real friend, Daniel. He however would be moving on to year nine while Ralph would remain in year eight. The only positive was that Jack would be in year nine, not with Ralph.

The two walked to school silently and about ten feet apart. The school was only a block or so down the road so the journey wasn't difficult.

Ralph's class had been on a field trip the day they'd gotten on the plane and Ralph had been the only one from his whole school to leave on that particular plane. He knew some other boys had left from his grade but not many. He was sure that this would all out an even bigger target on his back.

The school looked bigger than it had before Ralph left. The lights looked a little darker and the smiling faces of kids in the hallway looked a little less cheerful. Ralph didn't acknowledge Jack as he began the trek to his locker. It was the same one he'd had last year and it was right next to his friend Daniel's. The brunette rushing to scramble his things together as always.

"Hi," Ralph said softly. At first, he thought Daniel might not have heard him but then the tall boy turned and looked at him with a wide smile. He couldn't help but grin a little. Daniel dropped his book into his locker and pulled Ralph in for a hug.

"You idiot, I thought you were dead," Daniel exclaimed keeping his hands gripped to Ralph's forearms as he pulled out of the hug.

"You don't seem surprised to see me," Ralph added his voice still very soft and not like it had before he left. There was a tone of hesitant fear that lulled in his throat.

"You're the talk of the school man," Daniel explained.

"Everybody knows?" Ralph practically whimpered.

"Hey, it's okay, a lot of people think it's actually pretty cool. Surviving a plane crash and all," Daniel added seeing Ralph's panicked eyes. Daniel had always been like another brother to Ralph. His friendship had confused Ralph because Daniel had a lot of friends and lead the sports teams and didn't have much in common with Ralph. They had been friends since they were young and Daniel had always looked out for Ralph. If not for Daniel, Ralph wasn't sure if he'd have any friends.

Ralph nodded and began fumbling with his locker. He felt the eyes of Daniel hot on his neck has he struggled his the lock. Each time he look over Daniel would continue scavenging through his locker looking for books. Ralph tried the combination again.

"First day of school and neither of us can get to our books, would you look at that," Daniel said always trying to keep conversations light and spirits happy. Ralph have a small fake smile that masked the internal frustration that he couldn't even work a locker anymore. "We could just go to class and explain to Mr. Brewer that our books were in a tragic accident?"

"I don't have Mr. Brewer," Ralph explained.

"What? He's the only year nine teacher silly," Daniel teased lightly. "Who else would you have?"

"Mrs. Williams," he said simply, quietly.

"Oh," Daniel spoke unsure of his next words that wouldn't set off his friend.

"Yeah," Ralph said kicking his locker with his shoes as the combination still wouldn't work. He ran his hand down his face in frustration, clutching his chin and mumbling. "Stupid locker."

"Stephen is in your class," Daniel tried.

"Stephen is your friend, not mine." Daniel sighed.

"Is there anything I can do?" the brunette asked.

"Yeah, watch out for Jack," Ralph warned before giving up on his own locker and heading down to class. Daniel stood silent watching as Ralph left his sight.

Author's Note: What'd y'all think? Should I continue this or just abandon it? Leave a review with ideas, comments, suggestions, anything!