Shaking by orli

Summary: After "Confidence Man" " before "Raising of Another". Sawyer tries helping someone other than himself. Charlie P.OV. Don't know much about withdrawal or accents so just pretend : ).

"You lookin' a little shaky. ," a voice he didn't know was there tells him. He jerks his head over his shoulder, and Sawyer's standing there staring at him.

"Not now, alright? I can't talk now," Charlie answers as he tries to stop the shaking. He can't concentrate and the pain's wracking his body in waves.

"There a reason you're shaking like you just got off a caffeine high?" Sawyer asks.

"Yeah! I'm in pain! Alright! Back off!" he pulls his sweat soaked jacket tighter around his body and curls closer into himself. He doesn't know how long he's going to be able to stand this or how long its going to last. He groans, crying out loud in pain and frustration from not being able to stop this.

"Helps if you focus on something else." Charlie looks up, and there's no grin on his face this time.

"Like what?" Charlie asks because he wants to know desperately. He's sick and willing to listen.

"Fear… survival." Charlie turns around again, still clinging at his jacket.

"Thanks," and he can't help but sound bitter. Fear. Survival. Like he wasn't already scared about how he was going to survive theses withdrawal attacks.

"The water… your family… Claire," Charlie's stopped shaking for a moment. He nods.

"She is my family." There's still bitterness there. Betrayal as he remembers his brother. "No one and nobody for 16 years. Except us! Everyone on this island is family now."

"You wanna be in the caves if we get rescued?" Sawyer asks incredulously.

"They're safer than the beach."

"You call that little cave-in 'safe'? You really want to bring her there?"

Charlie looks down at his legs, thinking. "Yes. She'll still be safer there than out here."

Sawyer down looks at him again and Charlie looks up, both thinking the same thing. Safer with him. Sawyer smiles, and Charlie realizes he's not shaking anymore.