Title: FeverCh. 9/9

"Keep an eye out for Charlie," Jack said as the three of them moved through the jungle. Sayid had suggested Hurley return to Rousseau's camp with them, but the big man had refused.

"No. No way, Dude. Not going back to 'death camp'," he said.

"We will have to rely on you to know if anything has been disturbed," Sayid said to Kate.

Kate looked at the Iraqi. "I'm not really looking forward to this," she admitted.

They continued walking cautiously. Even though Rousseau was gone, her traps had most likely survived her. The jungle had become shadowy. It was hard to tell through the trees, but the sky seemed to be darkening.

"Looks like we're in for a storm," Jack observed.

Sayid picked up the pace. "We should try to get to Rousseau's camp before it rains and disturbs everything," he said.

They had come to the place where the French woman's original shelter had been. Remnants of the structure still littered the ground from the explosion.

"It isn't far from here," Kate told the two men.

The trees thinned a few feet ahead and the camp was clearly visible. Kate stood back, surveying the landscape, trying to compare the picture in her mind with what she was seeing now.

"It looks about the same," she said. "Nothing different that animals couldn't be responsible for."

Jack began walking the perimeter searching for anything significant.

Sayid looked around from where he stood. Spotting the fresh mound of dirt he moved closer. "Is this where you buried her?" he asked. He knelt, smoothing the dirt with his hand and looked up at Kate.

"Yes," Kate said, joining him. She gasped. "But we didn't do that," she pointed to the flowers someone had scattered at one end of the grave.

"Who would leave flowers?" Sayid wondered aloud. "Perhaps whoever shot her came back?"

"Hey, look over here," Jack stood near the abandoned fire at one end of the camp. He was holding something up for them to see. As Kate drew closer, she could see it was a jacket. A dark blue jacket, with a hood, just like the one Charlie always wore.

Turning to Sayid she said "Looks like you were wrong. That's Charlie's. He was here."

Sayid took the jacket from Jack. "You didn't see this when you were here with Hurley?" he asked Kate.

"No, but we were pretty freaked out at first, especially Hurley."

Kate walked over to where Jack had found the jacket. "Look at the ground here," she said, bending down. Jack and Sayid crossed and crouched next to her. "Someone walked around here, not Rousseau."

"Are you sure those aren't mine, Kate? I wasn't exactly watching where I was going." Jack said.

"Too small to be yours. And not the type of shoe you have on either. Look at the tread... this is a sneaker," She looked at Jack. "Charlie always wears sneakers."

"Maybe he surprised her, came up from behind," Jack suggested. "If he had a gun ... Kate... where was the body from here?"

Kate stood and took several steps forward. "Here," she said.

"She was lying face up, right?" Sayid asked.

"Yes," Kate said.

"Could she have been shot in the back, then rolled over?" Jack asked.

"I suppose...but there was a big hole in her chest."

"A blast from a shotgun makes a small entry hole and a larger exit wound," Sayid said almost to himself. "I should have thought of that before. He surprised her. She never saw him coming."

The wind had picked up and began to scatter debris and leaves over the clearing. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

"I think we should head back now," Kate said. "We don't know where Charlie is. Claire could be in danger."

"Charlie wouldn't hurt Claire," Jack began.

"She doesn't want anything to do with him, Jack. If she rejects him there's no telling what he'll do."

"Kate is right," Sayid said. "We should go back."

A light rain began to fall. Jack rolled up Charlie's jacket and stuffed it into his pack. He took a last look around the camp. "Alright," he said. "Let's go."

They hadn't gone far when the rain began in earnest. By the time they reached the camp, they were all soaked to the skin. Everything was strangely quiet. At first, Jack assumed the rain had driven the others into the caves, but then he heard a muffled sob. "Shhh," he turned to Kate and Sayid who were already searching the clearing for the source of the sound.

"Over there, the infirmary..." Sayid said, pointing. The three of them crouched low and made their way toward the cave.

"Looky here, Wyatt Erp," Sawyer's voice rang out. "You and I both know you ain't gonna shoot me. Gimme the damn gun."

"Maybe I will shoot you, you bloody prat!"

"Charlie, please!" the sobbing came from Claire.

Kate looked at Jack, eyes wide. "What do we do?"

Sayid dashed across the open area in front of the infirmary. Jack and Kate followed, staying in the shadows. From the new position, they could see Charlie, but not Sawyer or Claire. Charlie held the rifle to his shoulder, and Jack saw the musician's arm shaking.

"He doesn't have control of that gun..." Jack hissed.

Sayid stood. "Charlie!" he called. Charlie whipped around, amazingly keeping the gun level, there was a flash of movement and the gun fell from his hands as Sawyer crashed into him full force. Jack jumped forward and grabbed the rifle, quickly disabling it. Claire stumbled out of the infirmary. Clutching Aaron, she walked unsteadily to Kate.

"That was really stupid, Sawyer," Jack snapped. "The gun could have gone off . You could've gotten Sayid or any one of us killed."

"You're welcome, Jackass." Sawyer growled, rubbing his still healing shoulder. Sayid stepped in and together the two men yanked Charlie to his feet.

"You shot her," Sayid spat, inches from Charlie's face. "You killed Rousseau."

Charlie said nothing.

"He shot her to save me."

Jack turned. "John? Where have you been? What are you talking about?'

"She, Rousseau...was threatening me with her gun," Locke said. "I went to talk to her. Find out what she knew about these others...where they might be. I wanted to try to help Michael get his boy back. I thought she would trust me what with going to the Black Rock and all. But.." he held up his hands in a shrug. "She said I was one of them. She picked up her gun and she would have shot me. But Charlie here shot her first."

Sayid let go of the musician and pushed him away. Charlie stumbled. "Do you believe me now?" he asked looking at Claire helplessly.

"It doesn't matter," Claire said. "You took drugs. You lied to me. I don't want you anywhere near my son." Kate put her arm around the young mother and led her away, Sawyer at their heels.

"Why didn't you just tell us what happened, Charlie?" Jack asked.

"Like you would have listened!" Charlie was practically shouting and a crowd had gathered now that the danger appeared to be over. "I had to find Locke out in the bloody jungle...I had to have him tell you...you'd never have believed me."

"Good thing you just happened to be headed to Rousseau's camp with a gun, wasn't it?" Jack said. "What were you going to do?"

Charlie stared at Jack for a moment. "I...I wasn't going to Rousseau's," Charlie hung his head. "I was going to the plane. I saw Locke and followed him. He helped me before...I thought maybe..."

"We'll help you, Charlie," Jack said. "I told you. You want to quit...we'll all help you."

"It's all out there though," Charlie said. "I know where it is Jack, I can't stop bloody thinking about it," he glanced sorrowfully after Claire.

"Burn the plane," Sayid suggested. "Burn the plane and the heroin with it."

"That's just my thought, Sayid," Locke said. "I'll do it. Jack, okay by you?"

"Yeah. Yeah. That's what we should do," Jack nodded, surprised to find himself actually agreeing with Locke.

"Well, what needs to be done should be done," Locke said with a nod. "I'll do it now."

He picked up the rifle. "Just in case," he grinned. "Never know what you'll find in the jungle."

"Charlie," Jack said. "Why don't you bunk down in the infirmary? That way I can check on you. Do you have anything you want to give me?"

Charlie stared at the ground for a long minute, then picked up his pack, reached inside, and handed Jack the broken statue. Jack tipped it and four bags of heroin fell into his hand. He looked at Sayid. "Wait here, okay?"

"Come on," Jack said to the Englishman, "I'll give you something to help you sleep." Charlie followed him into the infirmary.

Jack came out moments later and handed Sayid the drugs."If we ever needed any for a medical reason, this would be plenty. Put this somewhere, okay? I'll come to you if we ever need it. The fewer people who know where it is, the better."

"All right," Sayid said.

"So, Charlie really shot Rousseau?"

Sayid turned to find Shannon behind him. "Yes. But not for the reason we assumed," he began walking away from her, toward the cave, leaving an uncomfortable Jack staring after them.

"Then why? If he didn't do it for Claire, why did he kill her?" Shannon fell into step beside him.

"Locke went to talk to her. She pulled a gun on John, but Charlie shot her first. He saved John's life." Sayid's tone betrayed no emotion.

Shannon grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry about earlier. That was a shitty thing to say to you and I felt awful all day," she looked at him, with tear-filled eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

Sayid pulled his arm away and continued walking, his mouth a grim line. "It seems we have the same disagreements over and over. I can forgive you, but will you be repeating it to me the next time we argue?" Reaching the entrance to the cave, he stopped and turned to her. "I am not sorry that I stopped you from shooting Locke. I won't apologize for that," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "There are things in the past that should remain there. That is one of them, but there are others. Will you let them stay there?"

Shannon blinked hard and met his gaze. "I can try to do that," she said.

Sayid pulled her to him and kissed her mouth softly. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.

"Are we okay, then?" she murmured, pulling back and looking into his eyes.

"I hope so, yes," he said. "We are okay." He took her hand and they walked into the cave together.

Jack left Charlie sleeping in the infirmary and sat wearily by the fire. He stared into the flames and let the heat sear the days events from his mind. Kate sat down so quietly he hardly heard her.

"How is Claire?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," Kate said. "Sawyer's with her."

"That bother you?" Jack studied her face.

"No, why would it? He's reading People magazine to Aaron. Some article about Jen and Brad," Kate grinned. "Think they'll stay together?"

"Jen and Brad?" his forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Oh, you are hopelessly out of it, Jack," Kate laughed.

Jack smiled. "Yeah, I guess I am. I was never very good at chit chat, Kate."

Kate leaned forward, so close he could see the tiny flecks of blue in her green eyes. "Who said I wanted to talk?"

Her lips met his, softer than he had imagined, then she pulled away. They sat quietly together for a long while, their arms barely touching. Jack felt the emotions he tried so hard to keep in check washing over him.

"Charlie is asleep in the infirmary," he said.

"Guess you'll have to find somewhere else to sleep," Kate flashed a beguiling smile.

"Guess I will."

Kate got up and reached for his hand, pulling him to his feet. She guided him past the infirmary and headed for the trees.

"You up for a walk to the beach, or is it past your bedtime?" she teased.

"I think I can make it," Jack smiled at her. "Suddenly, I'm not that tired."