Wilson and the Whale

Summary: What happened to Wilson after he was lost at sea? This is that story.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the poor little Cast Away characters.

Wilson bobbed in the blue waves, feeling sicker by the minute. He saw the raft, with Chuck on it, drifting farther and farther away. Or was he the one drifting farther away?

"Chuck!" Wilson screamed. "Chuck!"

Chuck didn't stir. Damn him for being such a heavy sleeper!

"Chuck! Please! Oh god, Chuck!"

Finally, Chuck stirred. He slowly sat up, looking around.

"Behind you, Chuck!" Wilson called, panicking diminishing slightly. "Come on!"

"Wilson?" Chuck was instantly awake, head twisting as he searched for his friend.

"I'm here!"

At last, Chuck turned and spotted him. "Wilson!" He plunged into the ocean, and never was Wilson more glad that his friend had limbs. Chuck continued calling his name and giving him reassurances. He went back a bit, but Wilson relaxed again when he realized he'd grabbed the raft.

"Come on, Chuck!" Wilson cheered. "Come on!"

Chuck was obviously losing strength. His head went under several times, but he kept coming, and Wilson kept cheering him on.

"Wilson!" Chuck wailed, voice full of despair. "I'm sorry!"

Wilson's heart sank into his stomach. "Chuck?"

"I'm sorry, Wilson!" He turned and swam back to the raft. By then there were several meters between them, impossible to traverse.

"Chuck!" Wilson sobbed.

In the distance he could hear Chuck screaming apologies, voice so wracked with pain that it almost made Wilson forget his own.

"Chuck!" he cried. "Chuck!"

They called for each other until they could hear the other no longer. Wilson was lost at sea.

Wilson didn't know how long he floated in that vast blue nothingness. Time seemed to bleed together. After a while he tried to time the bobbing of the waves, but it was impossible. He followed the sun in its course across the sky. He slept fitfully.

He woke when he felt something move beneath him.

"Oh god," he uttered, voice breaking. Was now his moment of death?

Whatever was under him moved closer, the displaced water shifting him across the surface. He began to sob in earnest, fearful of his fate. He wanted nothing more than to just be back on the island with Chuck. They'd had it good there. Why did Chuck have to leave?!

Wilson dared a glance down.

He shrieked at the sight of a large eye blinking at him. The humongous creature turned and dived downward, its massive tail breaking the surface and creating white froth.

It appeared a ways away, its hulking mass cresting the water. There was a sound like a tree crashing to the ground, and a sprout of water arched into the sky before raining down.

Wilson stared in awe.

The creature approached again. This time Wilson was much less afraid. He was sure if it wanted to hurt him it would have.

It nudged him gently, but it sent him spinning around anyway, making him dizzy. When he finally slowed, he could get a good look at the creature's eye.

The eye held an old wisdom, and shone with kindness and amusement. Wilson wasn't sure whether it was trying to entertain him or itself. But as long as it didn't eat him...

The whale stayed with him for the longest time, occasionally nudging him as though it were a game. It might have been quite annoying had Wilson not been so scared of being alone. Since Chuck had abandoned him, Wilson couldn't bear the silence. Not that the whale spoke, but Wilson decided to give it a voice in his head. Did that make him crazy?

No, Chuck was crazy. Wilson was perfectly sane, thank you very much.

It wasn't until the whale nudged him and spun him did he see it.

"The island!" he cried. "How did you know?"

"Well, it's the only land around for miles."

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" Wilson said. He wished he had arms so that he could the whale a great big hug. He'd never been more ecstatic. Chuck was gone, and they'd never see one another again, but at least he was alive. He could live out the rest of his days in peace.

"I must leave now."

Wilson saw the whale moving back the way they'd come. "Wait!"

"I must move to deeper water. Good-bye, friend."

"Good-bye!" Wilson said, feeling an ache deep inside him. "Good-bye!" He hoped he would see the whale again.

As the current carried him closer and closer to the island, Wilson found himself thinking of ways to keep himself occupied. He didn't have arms or legs, so he couldn't do the things Chuck did, but he was sure he would survive.

He drifted a bit, the current turning him so that he faced away from his destination. He didn't see the looming rocks behind him.

There was a loud pop! as he made contact. His breath hitched and then whistled out in surprise as his lifeair poured out of him.

Wilson sank into the sea. Later, his deflated body washed up on the sand.

END.

A/N: Well, uh, thanks for reading. It was a bit morbid, but it was sort of crack, eh? XD