Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Ben and all of the other Lost characters do not belong to me. Also, all song lyrics belong to their respective companies. Lyrics are italicized.

Lyrics: "Original Sin" by Elton John

Chapter 22-Original Sin

"Oh, it's carnival night

And they're stringing the lights around you

Hanging paper angels

Painting little devils on the roof"

"Where have you been?" Isabel asked when they had returned to the village and settled into Ben's house.

They were in Ben's bedroom. Ben way lying on his side still sore from his operation. A grimace graced his face. M'Lynn sat beside him and Isabel stood at the foot of the bed, her expression stern.

"Up until a few hours ago I was locked in the basement downstairs." M'Lynn answered.

Ben found her arm and squeezed it. He'd already taken in her cuts and bruises. "I'm sorry M'Lynn."

"It's not your fault Ben." She assured.

Isabel crossed her arms in front of her, "You should have told me you knew M'Lynn was on the island Ben."

"By the time I got to the Hydra M'Lynn had disappeared from the beach camp. I didn't want to tell you until I knew where she was."

"Why not?"

Ben took a weary breath, "I didn't want to raise your hopes. I didn't want you to lose her twice."

Isabel's expression softened. She came around the bed and sat next to M'Lynn and Ben.

"You old softie." She chuckled as she bent down and kissed Ben on the cheek.

M'Lynn smiled as Isabel looked at her, "Don't you ever leave us again!" she said seriously.

M'Lynn nodded, "I won't".

"Promise?" Ben asked, gazing up at her from his pillow.

"Oh the furnace wind

Is a flickering of wings about your face

In a cloud of incense

Yea, it smells like Heaven in this place"

She felt like the three of them were in school again making pinky promises on the play ground.

"Absolutely." She answered.

Isabel stood, "I'm going to leave the two of you alone for now. I want to make sure the doctor is settled."

M'Lynn followed her to the door. She saw the tears in her old friend's eyes and had to fight back her own. She threw her arms around Isabel and hugged her tightly.

"I'll find you later and we'll go say hello to Kelvin." Isabel whispered.

"Okay." M'Lynn said remembering what Desmond had told her about Kelvin's fate.

"I can't eat, can't sleep

Still I hunger for you when you look at me

That face, those eyes

All the sinful pleasures deep inside"

M'Lynn closed the bedroom door after Isabel and turned back to Ben. She raised a questioning eyebrow to him.

"I suppose you want to know about the surgery." He mused.

"You could have told me you were sick when you were in the hatch."

"I didn't want you to worry."

"I'm sure. I do want to hear all about that and why Jack is here but I was thinking of another question."

Ben sighed as if he knew what she was going to ask. "Alright." He said slowly.

"When I found Mikhail he told me something that stuck with me. He told me about a woman you had brought to the island, Juliet."

"A dream will fly

The moment that you open up your eyes

A dream is just a riddle

Ghosts from every corner of your life"

"M'Lynn." Ben started.

"Wait." She stopped him. "I don't need to know why you brought here her or what has gone on between the two of you. The only thing I need to know is if you are together right now, if you love her."

M'Lynn turned away not wanting Ben to see her tears.

"Come here please." He said quietly.

M'Lynn walked slowly to the bed and kneeled next to it so her eyes were level with Bens.

"Up in the balcony

All the Romeo's are bleeding for your hand

Blowing theater kisses

Reciting lines they don't understand"

Ben swallowed, "When you left M'Lynn, I was lost. I didn't realize how much I needed you until you were gone. Then, when Ethan informed me that you had moved on I tried to do the same. I found Juliet and came up with a way I could bring her here under the guise of fixing the islands fertility problems. Once she arrived no one missed that she bore a striking resemblance to you."

M'Lynn tried to move away from the bed but Ben caught her hand and pulled her back. He didn't release her hand.

"I tried!" he said forcefully. "I really did, but no matter what I did, no matter how much I tried to force my feelings to change I couldn't replace you with Juliet. It's always been you M'Lynn, always."

"Tell me how, you know now, the ways and means of getting in

Underneath my skin,

Oh you were always my original sin

And tell me why, I shudder inside, every time we begin

This dangerous game

Oh you were always my original sin"

M'Lynn smiled through her tears, "So you're not in love with her then?"

"No." Ben smiled as he struggled to sit up. "I'm in love with you."

Ben pulled her close and M'Lynn melted into his arms.

"That was a really good answer." She said, her head resting on his shoulder.

Ben chuckled, "I'm glad it was to your satisfaction. You believe me right?"

"Of course I do Ben." M'Lynn said sitting up to look into his eyes. "Why do you think I worked so hard to get back here, back to you? I wouldn't have done that if deep down I truly believed you had moved on."

"You've always had such faith in me, even after what I did to you." Ben whispered, carefully moving a stray hair from her face.

"Because I love you Ben and I believe you are a better man than you let yourself believe."

Ben smiled and patted the space on the bed next to him. M'Lynn climbed in beside him and he wrapped his arms tightly around her as if he would never let go. M'Lynn hoped he wouldn't.

"Oh you were always my original sin"