Title: We Alone

Author: Aphroditetoo

Spoilers: None.

Rating: G.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, Alliance does.

Archive: RSY and DUSC. All others, please ask.

Challenge fic: RSY deserted island challenge proposed by Anna. Strand two characters that don't like each other much on a deserted island.

All feedback is welcome, and yes, even flames because that means you're reading! Aphroditetoo@aol.com

1

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Meg couldn't believe it. She was actually in the water. Wet. Warm. Salty. And, being pummeled with debris. Didn't this just beat all? What a rotten day! First, she was stuck on a light aircraft with Detective Vecchio's sister. Second, that damned wind shear had swatted the plane into the ocean like a giant child hitting a toy.

A wave splashed over her head, making her splutter and her eyes burn. A large piece of debris floated near. It was a seat. She grabbed it and pulled herself out of the water as much as she could. She could feel the current dragging at her feet. Her shoes were gone. Her toes were numb, despite the summer heat of the air. Small pieces of fiberglass dipped and bobbed on the surface of the slate grey water.

Where were they? The pilot and Francesca should be here, too, waiting for the sharks. She scanned the horizon. The setting sun painted the few clouds the full spectrum from red to yellow. It would have been beautiful, if she weren't sure she was going to freeze or drown as soon as the sun winked out.

A loud wail broke the stillness.

Meg jumped so hard that she lost her grip on the seat and had to flail wildly to catch it, before it floated away.

She pulled herself up and called out, "Miss Vecchio? Is that you?"

"No! It's the friggin' monster from the black lagoon!" came the caustic reply. "Who else would be out here, genius?"

Meg gritted her teeth. Perfect. Her last moments on Earth would be spent listening to that woman bitch and moan. Still, part of her was glad the younger woman was alive. "Do you see the pilot?"

"I don't even see you."

Meg sighed and raised one hand, waving it wildly.

"You stayed in your seat?" Franny's voice was incredulous.

"Raise your hand, I'll find you," Meg shouted. Craning her neck to see over the bobbing seat, she spotted the flash of gold dangling bracelets catching the orange sun. "Hold on, I'm trying to reach you."

Swimming sideways across the current, Meg reached her quickly. She shook her head in wonder. Of all the debris Francesca Vecchio could have found to float on, she had picked her own suitcase. It was amazing that the grossly overstuffed bag stayed afloat.

Franny smiled at her, unable to believe she was actually happy to see her rival for Benton's affections.

"Why are you grinning like that?" Meg demanded.

Franny shrugged.

Meg scowled. The woman was interminable. She hooked the seatbelt around the handle to the suitcase and fastened it. "Now our raft is twice as big," she said in reply to Franny's confused look. "We have to find land, if that's possible. We were approximately ten kilometers north west of Hawaii when the plane went down. Judging by the movement of the sun, I believe the current has carried us southwest."

"Away from Hawaii?"

"Indeed."

"Great! Just friggin' great! Just when I get to Hawaii for the first time in my life, and Benton's actually there, and THIS happens!"

"Miss Vecchio," Meg snapped. "I don't know of any major land masses before we reach the Philippines. There are a dozen islands, Johnston Atoll, for one, which has one of your military outposts on it, I believe, but none so large that we have a chance of reaching it."

The import of her words hit Franny. Her wide eyes glinted with the dying rays of the sun. "You...you mean, we're gonna drown, don't you?"

"If we don't freeze to death first."

"What about sharks?"

Meg only shrugged.

2

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The lap of waves against makeshift raft lulled the women to reflective silence. They shivered in the rising wind, lost in their own thoughts. Every so often Franny started, thinking a shark was nibbling on her toes. The raft was small and unstable, so both women trailed the lower half of their bodies in the chilly water.

In the sky, the full moon rose, frosting the whitecaps in lavender splendor.

Suddenly, Franny burst into tears.

Meg started and frowned at the younger woman. "What now?" she demanded with chattering teeth.

Franny sniffed. "I'm hallucinating. I must be almost dead!"

"What are you blithering about?"

"That." Franny pointed a dripping, numb finger. "I see Heaven."

Meg followed her finger and drew in a sharp breath. "My dear, you have spotted land."

Meg couldn't keep the smile from her face as Franny's face lit up. "You do know we must attempt to swim for it. If we swim cross current slowly, the current will carry us closer and we should be able to angle over to it."

3

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The morning dawned warm and breezy. Meg awoke to find herself partially entwined with Franny. She blinked into the diamond bright patchwork of morning sun that fell upon her face. With a groan, she closed her eyes. Every muscle in her body ached.

Gently extracting herself, she sat up. The beach was littered with shells, seaweed and the occasional fish. She rubbed her pounding head and brushed the sand from her legs, noting the scrapes and bruises covering them. She decided to explore and let the other woman sleep, but checked her for major injuries before leaving.

4

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Franny awoke alone. She shivered, thinking she should stop eating cookies in bed. The crumbs were so annoying. Then reality hit her. She sat up quickly. Horror swept over her. Plane crash. Floating. Freezing. Sharks nibbling. It wasn't a nightmare. She glanced around. Or maybe it was.

The breeze carried the scent of salt and fish. The palms nearby were dense and deafening in their dance with the wind. She shook the sand from her fingers, scowling when it stuck under her long nails. Then she ruffled her hair, a spray of sand and seaweed flinging out onto the breeze.

A moment of panic seized her when she looked around and realized she was alone. She jumped up onto her knees and spun around, looking in all directions. There. Meg was farther down the beach, picking at some sort of plants. Franny relaxed, then remembered her suitcase. She spied it down the beach, in the direction opposite the one Meg had taken.

With a small giggle of glee, she ran to it, flung it open and dug out her shampoo and hairbrush. She gave the waves a small look of trepidation before wading out and washing the sand from her hair and body. It amazed her that the shallow water close to shore could be so warm when the water they'd spent half the night in nearly turned them to ice cubes.

She was calmly brushing her hair when Meg returned.

"I found fruit," Meg told her, watching her. "Mangoes. And berries."

"Great. I'm starved." Franny grabbed a handful of berries and shoved them into her mouth, letting the red juice dribble from her chin in her ravenous enthusiasm.

Meg watched and frowned inwardly. How could anyone stand to just let juice dribble? She forced her eyes away. "I took the liberty of surveying the island. It's quite small, only a one or two klick diameter. No signs of human inhabitation. The island is simply too small. There's a plethora of birds, fruit and nuts to eat."

"What, no Club Med?"

Meg snorted. "I expected you to ask. Why you can't handle a single night in the wild, I'll never comprehend."

Franny tossed the remains of her fruit on the ground in disgust. "It was a joke, Your Worship! Lighten up! Or don't they have jokes in Canada?"

"Meg scowled at her, deciding to let the bait pass untouched. "If you've finished complaining, I found a small cave that would do nicely for shelter, and fodder for a signal fire.

Franny gave the other woman a grudging smile. "You really know a lot about this survival stuff, don't you?"

Meg shrugged. "Standard training. Let's go. We've a lot to do before dark. Unless, of course, you'd prefer to sleep here on the beach."

5

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Later, as the sun wavered above the horizon, Franny perched at the lip of the cave, swinging her legs over the long step down. She let out a satisfied sigh.

"More mango?" Meg called from inside the cave. She stoked the virgin fire into incandescent life.

"No." Franny stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Her every muscle was tired after a long day of supply gathering. "If I eat another bite, I'll explode." She brushed her disheveled hair from her eyes, more relaxed than she could remember being. "Are the sunsets always like this?"

Meg came out a plopped down beside her, wiping her hands on her dirty suit jacket. She peered up at the sky. "Yes." She watched the expand across Franny's face and sighed, looking out to sea. "You know," she began softly, "you did very well today, Miss Vecchio...helping. You did well and...I couldn't have gotten the cave quite so...homey without you."

Franny flashed her a broad smile. "Really?"

"Indeed."

Franny shook her head in disbelief, chuckling. Abruptly, she thrust out a hand. Meg shook it. "Truce?"

"Indeed."

The sun glided the leaves of the palms and tropical plants with gold, then slowly sank into the sea.

THE END