Time-Line Setting: Sometime in season two, after Collision but before The Hunting Party.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. I am not affiliated in any way, shape or form with anyone who does.
"Jack!" Jack was bolted out of his already restless sleep by the sound of a woman shouting his name. He stood up, his head spinning and bolted in the direction of the sound. He had only just left the caves when a nervous Sun came sprinting towards him. "Jack! It's Jin, he's hurt." Jin followed Sun, holding his arm in his hand and speaking angrily in Korean. Sun replied curtly and then faced Jack, "he's hurt his arm."
Jack walked the few steps towards Jin and took a hold of his left arm. He inspected it for a few seconds before sighing heavily. "It's only a scratch Sun, he'll be fine." He realised that he sounded patronising but he didn't care anymore. He had almost managed to get into a peaceful sleep for the first time in over a week and it had been disturbed for nothing but a scratch. He traipsed back to camp, leaving Sun and Jin to bicker among themselves.
He had just laid his head onto his make-shift pillow when a shadow was cast across his face. He toyed with the idea of pretending that the intruder wasn't there but he eventually forced himself to look up, "yes Kate?"
"Sun says you didn't help Jin when he was injured."
"It's only a scratch. Jin's fine and he knows it, Sun's just paranoid."
"You could have told her that. She was scared Jack." Kate's voice had taken on her high-pitched disapproving tone and Jack knew that he wasn't going to win his argument with logic. He hated to admit defeat but it seemed essential in order to get rid of her.
"You're right Kate. Tell Sun I'm sorry." She left, satisfied with herself, and Jack rolled over, trying to get comfy on the cold floor. He closed his eyes again and tried to block out the sounds around him. It wasn't easy, especially seeing as it was the middle of the afternoon, but he knew that if he waited until evening he was going to collapse.
He assumed that people on the island had the same view that he had of his father when he was a very young child. He was the magical doctor, he could fix you. Because he was magical he didn't need to eat or sleep, if there was one emergency after another he would get up and deal with it without complaint or signs of stress because that is what a doctor did.
And that was what everybody expected of Jack.
It had been a maximum of three minutes before he heard someone saying his name again. He stood up this time, failing to see the point of lying down if it was never going to lead to actual relaxation.
"What?" He snapped the word and Charlie took a step back.
"What the bloody hell was that for? I just came to get my medication!" Jack pointed at a black bag which Charlie hurried to and began searching. "I can't find it," he called and Jack clenched his teeth. "Oi Jack! Did you hear me? I said that I can't find it." Charlie stormed back to Jack and snarled, "are you going to help or what?"
Jack stumbled to the bag, finding it harder than it had ever been to force his legs to move. In about ten seconds he had located the right medication and handed it to Charlie who snatched it and left.
Jack looked around at the castaways, realising that he was in fear that at any second another person was going to come and take up his time. He felt his stomach clench at the idea. He was scared that he had begun to see everyone on the island as a patient, rather than an equal. He shuddered and looked at trees which marked the start of the jungle.
Making his decision, Jack grabbed a few pieces of fruit that lay around, a bottle of water and he went into the jungle.
After walking for half an hour he found himself in a grassy clearing. It was quiet, and secluded and absolutely perfect. He sipped some more of his water and lay down on the ground. As he listened to nothing but the sound of birds calling and trees rustling, he was asleep within seconds.
Back on the beach night had fallen. The survivors had all fallen asleep, none of them were aware of the danger that was slowly creeping towards them.
Silently, carrying flaming torches, the Others were coming.