BEDSIDE MANNER
Charlie watched from a distance as she bent over at the waist, her hand flat against a tree for support, and dry-heaved once, twice, three times before retching on the ground in front of her. Kate was sick. She needed help. He didn't remember yelling for help, but Jack was there in an instant, by her side, holding back her dark wavy hair and muttering something to her Charlie couldn't quite hear. He could see her nod, attempting to stand shakily, the murmur of Jack's voice constant through the cool night air. And then he watched in horror, as she collapsed at the doctor's feet.
Sayid watched the leader they all looked to reappear the instant they reached the shelter of the caves. In a barely controlled voice, Jack ordered him to help him ease her down on the airplane-cushion bed, ordered Charlie to find people who knew what she had eaten in the last 24 hours, ordered Sun to get water and towels, and ordered the gathering crowd to stay back. Sayid admired the way he took charge of the situation, but was also keenly aware that his strong powerful voice had adopted a slight wavering tone, thick with the effort of emotional control. Looking back to Kate's pale face and Jack's frantic attempts to revive her, Sayid realized the normally collected doctor had forgotten one other order—to not let personal feelings cloud judgement. And then he heard him swear for the first time since the crash.
Libby watched the difference in his bedside manner as he gently pressed cold wet compresses across Kate's flushed skin to alleviate her raging fever. His attention was slightly more focused when he was with her. His resolve creased his brow a little deeper than usual at her pained sighs. His stubbornness was that much more agitated when he couldn't help her. His touch was that much more tender when his skin brushed hers. Maybe it was because it was her job as a psychiatrist to notice the imperceptible changes in human behavior. But one glance at the curious onlookers around her told they had noticed the difference too.
Sun watched the minutes pass slowly on her watch long after everyone had gone to bed. The blazing fire now burned in faint orange embers and Hurley's rumbling snores filled the darkening caves. Everyone was at peace—except for him. Kate's fever had only intensified as the night grew old, and he had not once left her side. So Sun had stayed awake to keep an eye on his condition. She helped him refill water bottles from the cool spring running through the caves. She saved him a plate at dinner and talked him into eating, if only for Kate's sake. She mashed eucalyptus for him to soothe Kate's ragged breaths. From her corner next to Jin's sleeping form, she watched him, knowing sleep would not find him that night.
Jin watched him try to figure out how to express his gratitude, as he rifled through the grey backpack packed with her things. But even though the language barrier was at times frustrating, Jin didn't need any explanation or crazy hand gestures. He could see a picture of himself when Sun had been injured reflected at him in the man before him. The same desperation. The same intensity. The same devotion. For a moment, Jin wished he could tell him denying what he knew to be true would only hurt them both. But that would be for another day, and maybe a few more of Sun's dictionaries.
Locke watched something he never would have expected. The dark haired man sat quietly by his patient's side, his hand closed around her pale fingers, his eyes swollen and red, his jaw quivering with barely controlled emotion. After a few moments, he closed his exhausted eyes, brought her hand between his and bent his forehead to their clasped hands. And that's when Locke saw it. The almost imperceptible movement of lips in prayer. He couldn't make out what was being said, but he had the surest feeling that the man of science had finally found some reason in faith.
Sawyer watched the relief flood his tired eyes, as he glanced back and forth between the Tylenol bottle in his hand and the Southerner standing in front of him. Before the doctor muttered some sort of sentimental thank-you, Sawyer shot off some remark about the beach being a little lonlier without Freckles bopping in and out of his tent. The slight jealous rise he saw flash in his hazel eyes told him that even though they had found some sort of understanding for each other, this offer was only another ploy for the "may-the-best-alpha-male win" stand-off to pick up and continue right where it had left off. And then he turned on his heel, letting his suggestive comment run wild in his rival's head.
Hurley watched yet another Jedi moment unfold its magic in the caves as a flurry of activity whirred around his seat by the firepit. After three days of non-stop retching and sleeping, somehow the doctor had convinced his patient that keeping food down was really in her best interests. If the tension wasn't so high from the past days of not knowing the fate of one of his fellow castaways, Hurley might have teased Jack about them needing to get a room, as everyone really didn't need to see him spoon-feed her like a baby. Instead, he just smiled, shook his head at their obliviousness to the feelings between them and went back to watching his own fish cook over the fire.
Claire watched his shadow pace behind makeshift screen they had set up in the hatch for privacy. His patient had only been awake for a little over a day and the idea of her being out of his sight for more than a second was making him as nervous as… well Claire didn't know what as. She thought it was rather sweet, he cared so much. Back and forth he strode, pausing to question every so often whether she was all right. Claire smiled at her friend's green eyes rolling slightly at his concern, before yelling back that it was only a short shower and he should be lucky they had let him wait outside instead of back at the caves. Then the pacing would continue and the two women shared a laugh.
Ana Lucia watched with a hint of jealousy as the two strolled casually along the beach. She wobbled slightly on unstable legs, leaning heavily against his sturdy frame for support. But recovery excuse or not, it was all the same to Ana. She watched as she motioned for him to lean close, that she had to tell him something. Then he laughed a full-belly laugh at whatever the brunette had said and then responded with a comment that left her in a fit of giggles. Ana couldn't help but notice that out of all of the castaways, only Kate could get such a response out of Jack. It was like she held the secret password that only the two of them knew and Ana felt the twinge of jealousy spike as she realized that she was just one of the people on the outside not about to be let in on their inside joke.