No-one moved, no-one could move; it was as if they were all rooted to the floor. Ellie, a few feet away was blinking her eyes rapidly, as if she was trying to adjust to the light, and to where she was. She tried to sit up but winced as she put her weight on her injured arm. Colour drained from her face as pain shot through her. Jack, jumping into doctor mode, moved towards her. She shrunk backwards away from him, as if he was planning on hurting her.
"It's ok...I'm a doctor. I'm not going to hurt you," he said, holding his hands up to show her he didn't have any weapons. She didn't need to know that he carried a gun in the back of his jeans. He approached her cautiously and knelt down by the side of the bunk. Ellie huddled as far into the corner as she could reach; terrified and visibly shaking. "My name's Jack. Your shoulder was dislocated but we fixed it." Ellie's eyes darted from Jack; at whom she had been staring; and focused on Kate, Charlie and Hurley. Kate walked towards the bunk and crouched down next to Jack. Charlie and Hurley, still cemented to the spot, exchanged glances.
"I'm Kate. You don't have to be scared of us, I promise we aren't going to hurt you. You're called Ellie, right?" Ellie's eyes widened when she realised that they knew her name. "Ellie...I promise you're safe here. We won't hurt you. Do you understand that?" Kate looked at Ellie, her eyes connecting with the terrified girl's. They were a shining emerald colour, something neither Kate nor Jack had noticed before. Ellie stared back, and made the tiniest nod of her head. Kate gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Good. Now I'm guessing you might want something to eat or drink?" Ellie's eyes flickered to Jack, whose head had turned sharply towards Kate. "Ellie...? Are you hungry?" Kate rephrased her question? Ellie nodded. "Thirsty?" Another nod. "OK then. I'm just gonna go over there and find you something." Kate stood up, closely followed by Jack. She walked to the kitchen area and began opening cupboards, pulling out random boxes and cartons of food which had been stored there for those on "button duty".
"What do you think you're doing?" Jack's voice was an angry whisper. He caught hold of Kate's arm when she didn't answer.
"She has to eat, Jack." Kate answered simply, her voice also hushed,
"You can't be serious? You want to feed this total stranger...a stranger who could be one of them?" Kate shrugged his hand off her shoulder.
"She isn't one of them Jack, you know as well as I do. But she is a person and if we don't give her food or water she isn't going to do too well, is she?" Jack was silent. "And besides, maybe this will get her to trust us enough that when we ask her who she is, she'll be able to answer without being so scared she shakes!" Kate slammed a bowl down on the counter, making Hurley and Charlie; who had been standing silently watching Jack and Kate's discussion; practically jump out of their skins. Ellie too, over on the bunk, made a tiny yelp at the sound of the bowl hitting the worktop.
"Here..." Kate said to Charlie and Hurley, sliding the bowl, some fruit and two knives across the counter. "...make yourselves useful." She faced Jack, "You too" she said, handing him a glass and reaching past him to turn on the faucet.
"I don't get what you're trying to do here, Kate." Jack stood motionless.
"What I am trying to do..." Kate answered evenly, "...is get a terrified kid to trust me. And if you won't help me then I'll do it myself." She took the glass out of his hand and filled it with water. Holding the glass in her right hand and picking up the bowl; which was now filled with peeled slices of fruit, courtesy of Charlie and Hurley, she joined Ellie on the bunk. She placed the bowl in front of Ellie, who had now inched forward slightly, and was sitting cross-legged on the bunk, her arm held protectively across her lap. She took the glass of water from Kate, and cautiously held it to her lips, suddenly more thirsty than she had ever been before. She gulped down the water, and then handed the glass back to Kate.
"Thank you." She whisper, her tiny voice croaking out the words. Kate started at the sound of Ellie speaking, but recovered her composure quickly, and smiled at the teenager.
"You're welcome," she said, casting a glance over her shoulder towards Jack, who was speaking to Hurley and Charlie in hushed, urgent tones. Kate slid the bowl of fruit closer to Ellie. "Eat up," she said, "and then maybe we can talk." Ellie nodded as she picked a slice of mango between her finger and her thumb. She hesitated for a second before taking a bite. Kate smiled at her and went into the kitchen to refill the glass.