"It's not a lie. There was plenty of time. Melanie just doesn't remember it yet. We were together in the master bedroom when the turbulence hit. It was the greatest experience of my life and judging from her response, I think it was pretty damn awesome for her too."
Melanie's breath froze. Could it be true? Had she really done it with one of the brothers already? Was that why the name Alex meant something to her and Sebastian gave her bad vibrations? But which one had she been with? Which one was giving her the bad vibrations? The one she had slept with or the one she hadn't?
Her head was spinning again.
"If you fucked her -- and I don't believe you did -- then why are you pretending to be me? What the hell is with that?"
Sebastian stared at his brother across the shimmering tropical water.
"I'm not pretending." He said, very seriously.
"What are you talking about?"
"Have you gone crazy? I really am Alex. It's the accident. The plane crash. You were confused afterwards, very confused. Somehow..."
Alex dropped his harpoon and lunged at his brother, the two crashed into the water and struggled together, wrestling in silence.
Sebastian knew his brother well, but he hadn't expected this level of violence in his reaction. What he thought of as a white lie, an 'all's fair in love and war' game was obviously driving his brother crazy.
Melanie watched, transfixed as the two men thrashed silently in the lagoon. The water made their already slick muscles glimmer in the morning sun. They looked like two Greek gods battling on earth, two pagan spirits of the forest. They fell to the sandy bank of the lagoon and continued struggling. Once again, one of them seemed to be slightly more adept than the other and pinned his brother beneath him. Melanie tried to tell which was which, but the armband was lying on the ground beside them.
"Admit it!" The one on top shouted. "Say your goddamn name!" He held his fist above his brother's head.
"Don't do this, Sebastian." The brother below said. The brother on top drew his fist back, ready to strike.
"Stop!" Melanie shouted. "It's enough! Don't hurt him."
Alex remained with his fist poised, ready to strike.
"Is it true?" He said. "Did you sleep together on the plane?"
"I... I don't know." She faltered. "I don't remember anything."
"Goddamn it." He hissed, lowering his fist in defeat. "This is going to drive me crazy." He stood up and swept his dark wet hair back out of his eyes. "Melanie, you have to believe me, I am who I say I am, even if you can't yet figure out who's who."