Ana was sat in front of the now dying out fire. She held a small bottle of tequila in one hand, she'd snuck it out of the hatch when Jack wasn't looking. She had been sat there for hours. Alone. She knew not many people liked her on the island. She was Shannon's killer. Shannon's murderer and she always would be in the eyes of the islanders.

And frankly it didn't bother her one bit.

She had never been accepted. Not even in the police. She was the captains daughter. She was the trigger happy cop who lost her temper at any given moment.

It must have been hours into the night. But a fairway away from daybreak. So she didn't expect anyone to be up. Except someone was. Footsteps got closer behind her and before she knew it she felt someone land gracefully on the sand next to her.

Jack looked at her face and he sighed inwardly. She looked drawn and weary and big black rings skirted around her brown eyes. He'd been watching her. Every night for the past two weeks she had been doing this. She would sit there until the fire had burnt out and then she would retreat to her shelter on the outskirts of their camp. Away from everyone else. Ever since Michael had shot her and almost killed her, this was her routine. He had wanted to say something earlier, the very fist night he saw her sat there looking tormented. But he couldn't. For some reason the woman intrigued him.

He remembered the pain in his heart as he beat the life back into her body, pounding on her chest hard and breathing life into her unfunctional lungs. Why he was so scared to lose her he didn't know. He had never really got to know her, just some harmless flirting before the flight. But as soon as he saw her. That day. She was leader of the tail section and an instant connection was set between them. He thought that she could understand the pressure's of leading the survivors. That she was someone he could talk to. And she was. Over the course of a few weeks he had began to confide in her about everything.

He found himself getting more and more drawn to her all the time. Always wanting to be near her, always wanting her company. He remembered the surge of jealousy in him when Sawyer revealed that he had slept with Ana-Lucia.

He wanted to rip his head right off his head at that very instant. But he didn't. All he cared about was making sure that Ana would survive this. That she could get over it and then maybe he would have the chance to say what he really wanted to say.

"How you doing" he asked kindly resting his weight back on his hands his eyes flicking between the orange flames. She just shrugged her shoulders her eyes still gazing into the flickering fire.

"Better, not in that much pain you know, those drugs you been giving me have actually worked Doc" she laughed lightly finally turning to look at him. She had never really noticed how handsome he actually was.

"I didn't mean physically, I meant emotionally" he asked again knowing that this could go either way. She could confide in him, or she would lash out and tell him it was none of his business. He knew it was a risk but he didn't care, if he never tried he would never know.

She didn't answer him. She just sat there her eyes going back to the fire. Why does he have to be so caring she thought inwardly. She wanted to tell him, tell him everything and she knew she could tell him. But something held her back. The same thing that held her back her entire life. She was independent. Fiercely independent and revealing these details would only make her vulnerable and weak. And she did not want that, not now, not when she was barely clinging on to reality.

"I couldn't help but notice" he began trying to coax her to answer him. "That there's already a scar from a bullet wound on your chest" he said and he instantly got a reaction from this. Her whole body winced at this but she tried to keep he composure. "How'd you get it" he asked his voice pitch perfect. Slowly he moved slightly closer to her so their arms were now brushing lightly past each other. He thought she would pull away from him, from the contact but was surprised when she didn't. Lifting her other hand she put the tequila bottle to her lips and downed the dregs throwing the glass bottle to one side.

"I'm a cop, these things happen" she answered simply her head turning towards him now.

Jack nodded happy he had finally got a reaction. But he wanted to know more. "How did this thing happen then" he asked again continuing to pursue the matter. Maybe, just maybe she can open up to me, tell me about her and I can tell her about me he thought considering that if he opened up then she would follow suit. But this was Ana-Lucia and she did not follow suit. She was her own woman. A free spirit and a born leader not a follower.

"Got called to a house, there was a burglary going on, so me and my partner, we went in" she began her voice quiet just incase there were other camp members listening. She didn't want them to know. Hell she didn't even want Jack to know but something told her that she could tell him. After everything he had done for her she thought that it was the least she could do to repay him. "Suddenly this kid bursts through the door and I pointed my gun at him, my partner had gone around the bag so he hadn't seen this guy, he starts yelling and saying that I was wrong and that he was only a student and that he wants to show me his ID" she continued her eyes fixed on Jack's face. She looked although she was in a trance.

Jack's eyes began to widen in shock. He Knew what she was going to say yet it still hurt to know the pain that this woman had felt, had been through, this woman he cared for deeply.

"By letting him do that I gave him enough time to reach for his gun and shoot me, before I could even react he shot me four times, twice in the chest and twice in my stomach, straight through the hollow points of my vest, all I can really remember from there on is hitting the floor, and at that point I thought I was dead" she finished numbly her eyes glazing over a little. " He shot me here, here, here and here" she added as she pulled her top up revealing her tanned stomach and surely enough he could see the faded scars of the bullet wounds. She then dropped it back down and pulled the top of half of her top down and again he could see another two bullet wounds, one dangerously close to her heart. Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing or what he was seeing. He'd always thought she was tough, that she could take care of herself, and to get shot four times and walk away from it certainly proved that. But he knew that the incident had disturbed her deeply and he could there was more to it. Jack didn't know what he was doing but slowly he extended his hand and put it over Ana's giving it a light squeeze. She didn't pull her hand away. He didn't even think she knew he had done it.

"But the worst thing was" she continued after a few minutes silence. "It wasn't being in a coma for two weeks, it wasn't dying twice on the operating table, The worst thing was the fact that he killed my baby, he failed killing me but he may as well have, because he killed my baby" she choked out her breath hitching as she finished the sentence. Her head hung limply on her chest. It took Jack only two seconds to work out what she meant. She was pregnant when she had gotten shot.

What are you doing letting your guard down Ana she screamed mentally at herself as she rubbed one hand wearily across her face keeping the other under Jack's large warm one. Come on you can do this, he wants to help, you want help so let him the other voice yelled countering the firsts.

"I'm sorry" Jack managed to get out after a few seconds. He couldn't imagine how painful that must have been for her. He could tell the scars from the incident ran deep and maybe that was what made her so hostile. She was afraid of getting hurt.

"What" he began and took a long gulp before he continued. "What happened to him, who was he" Jack asked his body even closer now so their arms pushed together not brushing like before. Suddenly he saw a flash of menace in her eyes, a flash of hate and fury. He'd seen it in her before, but this time it actually frightened him.

Her big brown eyes gazed into his as she pulled her knees up to her chin. "His name was Jason McCormack, he had a few priors, nothing really serious until me" she began as she turned her hand over and squeezed Jack's just to make sure he was really there, that she was really confiding in someone other than a shrink for the first time in her life. "They brought him in, I'd just finished shift when my mother, who was the captain of the L.A police department called me in to say he'd confessed to it, his finger prints were all over the gun that was used, but I told them that it wasn't him" she said her brow creasing in confusion over her decision at that time. Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. He would have thought she wanted justice.

"So they let him go" she said running a nervous hadn't roughly her hair. It was out of the bobble she usually wore it in and her curls hung loosely down past her shoulders. "I followed him for a week, every where he went I went, so one night he went to this bar and I followed him there, I'd had a few drinks and everytime I looked at him my hatred grew" she uttered and Jack just studied her ever exchanging facial expressions. One minute she was confused, the next angry, and the next she looked lost. " He walked out of the bar and to his car which was parked at the top of an empty car park, I followed him up there and called him out, he turned around and all he said was I know you" she continued. Here she was, about to tell Jack that she was a cold blooded killer, he would hate her for definitely after this. "So I pulled my gun from my pocket and shot him, three times, then I walked over to him and shot him another two times in the head" she said spitting the sentence angrily.

She studied Jack's face and thought he was going to leave. She was expecting the feel of his warm skin on her hand and arm to disappear and everything would be cold again. But he didn't. He simply lifted his other hand and put it to her cheek caressing it with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry for what he did" he said again. How could he hate her for that. She was hurt, he killed her baby, almost killed her. How could he hate a grieving woman. He couldn't. He found it physically impossible to hate this thing of beauty sat before him. No wonder she was guarded, no wonder she never wanted to be vulnerable.

He didn't leave she thought to herself her mind going into shock, she was sure he would turn and run in disgust of the cold blooded killer in his sights. But he didn't. He simply put his hand on her face. That small motion, that movement ignited something within her. Hope, Redemption, love. All these emotions stirred up inside her at the fact that somebody cared. They didn't judge her, they didn't run in fear, they comforted her.

"How can you be so calm" Ana spluttered leaning her cheek into Jack's hand. Jack just smiled his hart melting smile and sighed.

"You were grieving, I can't imagine how painful that must have been physically and emotionally" he cooed quietly wanting to console her.

"I'm a cold blooded killer Jack" she said again wishing he would hate her, that he would run away in disgust at her. It would make things a lot more easier for her. She didn't know how she would be able to pull up that tough girl façade again now. Not in his presence anyway. She had let her guard down and let him in. Ana-Lucia never let people in.

"No you're not, don't ever think that, people do crazy things when they're grieving Ana, why should your situation be any different" Jack reassured wanting to help her as much as he could, trying to show her that she was not the monster she thought she was. In the last few minutes he had seen this woman in a new light. She wasn't the machine, the heartless woman who worked on auto pilot. She was a human being, with a beating but broken heart and a scarred mind.

"Why are you here Jack, why aren't you disgusted with me, I'm bad, everything I touches go bad, you shouldn't have saved me when I got shot, I don't deserved to be saved" she said the fight gone from her voice. Jack pulled his hand away from her hand and placed both now firmly on each side of her face shaking her head lightly in his hands.

"Everyone deserves to be saved Ana, everyone deserves second chance's, you looked for redemption and got it, even though you killed someone it does not mean you should be condemned to death" Jack said his voice firm and not liking the way she was talking. This was not the Ana he knew. She did not seem like the type to give up. She kept on fighting. She fought this far but why did she want to stop now.

"I can't do this anymore Jack" she choked as tears pricked at her eyes and her voice broke. Before he knew what he was doing he bundled her up into his arms so he was cradling her, her head buried deeply into his chest as sobs racked her frame. He had never seen her so vulnerable. And he couldn't wait to see what she would be like in the morning. Shamed, scared, embarrassed.

He held her like that in complete silence. It was about time she let it all out. She was one of the only people who had managed to really keep t together. He ran his hand through her thick brown hair and whispered a few reassurances into her ear every now and then. He'd wanted to touch her. To feel her body this close to his for a while. But not under these circumstances. Not like this.

As her breathing evened out he got up to his feet carefully trying not to disturb the sleeping woman in his arms and he headed to her shelter quietly. As he looked down at her sleeping form he watched her face in awe. She looked peaceful and all the hurt had gone, the pain had gone, the defensive look she always had on her face had gone completely. She was at peace when she slept.

Before he knew it he had clambered into her shelter and was placing her down gently onto her makeshift mattress. Brushing the hair's off of her face he sighed as he drank in her beauty. He wanted to kiss her there and then. But that wasn't him. He didn't want to take advantage.

Just as he turned to leave though he felt a small tug on his hand and he quickly turned around to look at her. When he looked at her face she had one of desperation.

"Please stay" she asked her voice quiet, why did she want a man around, she had coped without them in her life, but there was something about him, the link between them, the bond was stronger than ever and she wanted him to stay, if only for that night.

"Sure" he smiled back at her and he carefully laid down next to Ana. As soon as he lay down she snuggled into his chest and he instinctively wrapped a protective arm around her waist pulling her closer. He breathed in her scent and smiled. He could get used to this. Holding her.

"Thank you" came her husky voice which was slightly muffled by his shirt.

"For what" he answered as he looked down at her their eyes meeting in an instant. A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips. She felt secure. Now she had finally got it off her chest it felt like a massive weight was lifted off of her broad shoulders that she always thought could hold everything. And it was all thanks to Doctor Jack Sheppard she thought to herself.

"For listening, and for caring" she mumbled back as sleep began to overcome her. He smiled as he rested his head on her's.

"Anytime Ana, Anytime" he promised knowing that no matter what he would stick to his words.

So first chapter don't know if this is a one shot or if im gonna carry it on. Review if you liked :D