VI.

"My head is killing me."

He spun around and saw her clutching the side of her head with one hand. A look of mild panic spread across his face before a small smile broke out.

"Want some aspirin?"

He produced a small bottle from the side pocket of his backpack and upon seeing her nod opened the top and poured one into her outstretched hand.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand as the sun beat down upon the coast. He mumbled something that sounded like 'don't worry about it' as he rummaged around for his notebook that he carried with him at all times. She noticed this and decided it was of good a time as any to inquire about it.

"What's that?"

He looked up at her, almost blinded by the light.

"What's what?"

She tapped his bag with her foot. "The binder, or book, or whatever it is you write in. What's it for?"

He took it out, dusted off the imaginary dust from the front cover, and opened it up. She took this gesture as an invitation to sit down, which she did.

"It's just... you know, formulas and stuff. Nothing that you would find terribly interesting."

She raised an eyebrow at him in mock surprise. "Really? I see. Come on then, teach me some physics stuff. It's not like I've got anything better to do on this bloody island."

He smiled at her interest in his studies but shook his head. "No, really, I'm not in a state to be teaching much of anything."

Her smile faded slowly. "Oh."

"Have you been improving any lately? You know, remembering things?"

She was genuinely curious, unlike Miles who only asked to torment him. He liked that she cared. It felt... nice.

"Actually, kind of. I remember things in flashes sort of. So... well, I write them down in the back of this book."

She nodded and flashed him a little smile. "If you don't mind me asking," she said, a hint of nervousness in her voice, "what kind of things do you remember?"

He looked up at the leafy canopy that hung above them and then out at the ocean.

"Nothing much, small things... birthdays, phone numbers... the kind of things that aren't exactly useful on a deserted island."

She laughed and nodded in agreement, gazing at the tattered notebook that lie only inches away from her. She was curious... did she make the list?

"Do you remember anything about life before this place?"

She tried to say it in a casual manner but it didn't exactly come out the way she had hoped. He picked up on that too.

"Actually... a little, yeah."

She didn't want to get her hopes up too high only for them to come crashing to the ground seconds later.

"Oxford University, 2001. Board of Directors supper. The guest speaker was Harvey Kulkin and he was wearing red and blue plaid."

She beamed at him. "Amazing! I can't believe you... you remembered."

He managed another small smile and opened up the book to the last page, full of illegitimate scribbles and formulas which were half finished. Addresses, phone numbers and names of famous physicists litter the messy lines. He points his finger to a section boxed in by rows of ink and her eyes follow obediently.

It is here on this page she also sees her name, Charlotte Lewis.