A/N: This is the edited version of this chappie, just so you all are aware :))

A/N: The last chappie…tear. This makes me sad. I cant say for sure when I'll post again because I have to finish my next novel by January.. Thanks to everyone who read this story; it really means a lot. I do not own Lord of the Flies, but I am ordering a custom tee shirt that says 'It's a Jack thing'. I have no life.

The ocean breeze had never felt so refreshing. I hadn't quite emerged from the jungle yet, but I was near enough that I could see the glistening sand of the beaches. "Ralph!" My voice was shaking with panic. I needed to fin him now, right now. I didn't think I could handle another second away from him.

"Jack." A croaked whisper broke through the dull roar the island always seemed to give off. I whirled around towards the sound of the voice, and there he was, lying in the grass and mud with his arms wrapped around himself. I was at his side in seconds, dropping down, running my hands all across his lithe body.

"Jack, what happened?" Ralph asked me, trying to sit up. But he only gasped out in pain and fell back down, bounding against the ground.

"I...I tripped," Ralph muttered, gripping my arm tightly, leaving fingerprints I my skin. "My ankle." I followed his gaze down his leg, choking at little at the unnatural angle at which it was bent. It was clearly broken. Ralph winced as I tried to touch it, then outright cried in all his agony. Hot tears spilled down his cheeks. Sighing a little, I used my thumb to wipe them away.

"We have to go," he groaned. "Roger..."

"I killed him," I whispered, the severity of the words hitting me full on. Roger was dead. I had killed him. Oh, God...

Ralph did not speak, just watched me with a pained expression that shattered my heart on impact. I felt the sting of tears welling up in my eyes, but fought hard to keep them from breaking free. "Oh, Jack," he murmured. With gentle fingers fisted in my wildly tangled red hair, Ralph pulled me down to him in a delicate kiss. My hands on either side of his face, I let myself fall into the moment, moaning as I slipped my tongue into his mouth. Ralph bit down lightly on the tip, pulled away and giggled.

"Ouch," I said, but there was no conviction. And I was grinning too, because nothing, no one could stand between us. It's exhausting, Roger had said, always getting what you want. But I had never felt more awake, more alive. Leaping to my feet with some of that savagery I'd never quite lose, I smirked down at Ralph.

"You're so damn adorable when you're helpless," I told him. Then I scooped him up into my arms, held him to my chest, and started off towards the platform.

XXX

We'd barely stepped into view of the others when they started calling us. I clutched to Ralph, carrying him with ease. One of the hunters reached us first, and he was holding in his hands a little blue flower.

"Something's happened," he murmured quietly. "Something bad. I can feel it."

I was in no mood for, well, anyone. "Go blow the conch," I commanded, glancing at Ralph to see if he might interject. He was obviously too distracted by his pain. "We're calling an assembly." The hunter nodded, absently, like maybe he hadn't really heard me. Placing the flower on Ralph's bare chest, he hurried away. I could only shake my head, because nothing around here ever made any sense.

Ralph wrapped his fingers around the stem with a small smile, as if somehow it eased the pain. "How are you doing?" he asked a little breathlessly. I couldn't quite believe he was actually worried about me, when he was the one with a broken ankle.

"Fine," I assured him. Ralph wiped at some blood clinging to my chest; I hadn't even noticed it was there. Roger's blood, probably. A slight pang went through my heart.

When we reached the platform, I laid Ralph upon the sand, smoothing his fair hair away from his face. As he cried out against the pain in his ankle, I ran my fingertips gently over his chest, tracing circles over all the curves and contours. "Shh," I murmured. "I'll take care of you."

But by then the others were gathering around, and a hunter was holding the conch out to me like it bore the weight of the world. I took it from him, silently smiling my thanks. I hovered at Ralph's side, resisting all urges to clutch his fragile body to me. Running my eyes over the crowd in a headcount, I cleared my throat and rose to my feet. "Ralph's been hurt," I told the others. A series of emotions played out on their dirty faces. Some fear, some worry. Piggy stared with wide eyes at the blonde boy, and I felt a chill rush through my veins. "He cant walk, cant even move. So I-"

To my great surprise, Ralph cut me off. My mouth opened and closed a few times, like I wanted to remind him that I had the conch but just couldn't. "Jack is going to be in charge till I get better," he said. That caused a full uproar to break out. I tried to pick apart what they were saying, but in the end only stood in silence. For once I had nothing to say.

"Hey!" Ralph shouted to silence the bunch, then lay back down as he cringed. I watched him nervously from the corner of my eye. The boys around us closed their mouths.

"There's one more thing," I said softly. My gaze dropped to the ground, taking in the grains of sand and feeling even smaller. "I, um...I mean, we... Roger's dead. And I was thinking we could maybe have a sort of burial for him, because he truly was my best friend."

I looked down at Ralph, and he was smiling. And even though it looked kind of painful it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. "That sounds really nice," he said. I knew he meant it, and that meant perhaps more to me than anything else ever had. Setting down the conch, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. It had turned hysterical by the time I knelt beside him, pulling him to me in a sort of hug. And even though everyone was watching, I didn't care. We were here; we were alive and together.

Ralph laughed along as he hugged me back, his hot breath tickling my ear. "I love you, Jack."

Pulling away enough to look him in the eyes, vibrant blue against pale green, I smiled. When I spoke, it was loud enough for everyone to hear me. "I love you too, Ralph. I love you too."

Our island paradise had never seemed so beautiful.

END