A/N: Sorry guys, I originally meant to have this chapter up yesterday night, but I just wasn't feeling it. If it makes you feel any better, I'm working on Chapter 26 as we speak (or read and write). Plus my attentions been diverted as I've just become the owner of a precious new bunny, who is now the light of my life.
Also, an actual, genuine Author's Note: I've gone back to the original omniscient narrating style because with 5 or 6 main guy characters, the 'he' get's pretty confusing. Oh, and if Kate seemed a little OOC in the last chapter I blame it on the pregnancy (her not mine (because I'm not with-child) but the next chapter should make up for that.
Once again, thank you for reviewing, it make the writing all worth while.
Left Behind
Chapter 25
Possibilities
"It's been twenty minutes," the clearing is too quiet, he hears the incessant tick of his new watch as a humid wind undulates the grass. The sun is higher in the sky than it should be, their original plan was to be out of the Barracks by eleven, his watch says it's ten-thirty but the sun's position is directly over them making him wonder if this watch is wrong too.
Hurley stirs, letting his backpack hit the ground as he turns his arm over to check his watch, "Dude, it's only been eighteen minutes."
Jack shakes his head and sets his jaw, "They should've been back by now."
Shrugging it off, Hurley takes a few scuffling footsteps forward, "Maybe Kate got involved in a really interesting conversation with Locke."
He's still shaking his head and his fingers twitch at his side aching to grab his gun and rush off into the jungle, "She didn't want to do this. I shouldn't have made her do this. She hates Locke."
"Everyone hates Locke, Man," Hurley's reply is still calm, though darkness diffuses over his facial features. Jack remembers how Hurley reacted when Claire died and how he swore vengeance on Locke in an extremely uncharacteristic manner. He nods in agreement, choosing not to provoke Hurley's rage.
The harsh sound of cracking sticks and footsteps echo from the jungle and soon foliage by the clearing begins to rustle. Hurley's head shoots up while he fumbles with a gun. Jack's gun is already aiming at the disturbance, keen eye focusing, just waiting to see even an inkling of Locke.
But his eyes find Sawyer not Locke and the other man doesn't even have to utter a word because all other concerns disappear when he sees Kate in his arms.
"What happened," there's panic in his voice, something he's usually able to repress, but she's squeezing her eyes closed in pain and clenching her teeth. Sawyer slowly drops her legs, allowing her to keep her feet on the ground, but supporting her with a hand on her back. The action ignites distrust in Jack and immediately his hand replaces Sawyer's.
"I think I'm in labor," Kate's words are hot breaths that he feels on the side of his face. Her eyes dart frantically until they meet his, "Jack, I'm in labor."
He faces her and his hand starts to stroke her hair in order to comfort her, "You're not in labor."As she shakes her head in disagreement, her hair bounces and tears streak her cheeks, "You just need to relax," his thumb wipes away new tears and flames of anxiety burst inside of him when she's hot to the touch.
"Doc?" Sawyer juts a thumb back to the fence.
He nods as his hand grasps underneath Kate's shaking arms, "All we have to do it make it through the fence."
Kate tries to pull away, but he tightens his grip on her slick skin. She shakes her head, "No."
"Yes," he interrupts her protests and presses his forehead against hers. The action seems to quiet her so he continues, "We just need to get to a safe distance, and then we'll rest. Okay?"
"Doc," Sawyer calls and beckons with a wave of his hand, "fence is down."
Kate's green eyes that no longer contain their usual shimmer and at the puffy redness that accompanies her crying. She sucks in a jagged breath and answers, "Okay."
The already tight muscles in her back tense as his arm slides around her for support. He slows his pace to almost infinitesimal steps in order to walk with her. They're almost at the fence when her breath hitches again, her hands dig into her abdomen and she cries out.
"It's okay," his breathes comfortingly even though he knows it's a lie. All the events Kate's endured while being pregnant on the island are compiling to stress her to the point where she's entered into premature labor. He's holding on to the shred of hope that she isn't dilated, something supported by the fact that her water hasn't broken yet.
Kate's arm hooks around his neck but as she gasps, her body seems limp. He catches Sawyer's grim eyes again; the man's lips are pursed so hard they've lost color. "I gotta talk to you."
Jack's response is an incredulous laugh, "Does it really have to be now?"
Sawyer doesn't answer; instead he gestures to the jungle and starts to walk away.
"Kate, can you sit down?" she nods her head against his neck, and follows his body as he bends towards the ground, "Hurley?"
"I'll sit with her, Man."
He finds Sawyer in a small alcove in the tree line pacing back and forth with a sour expression. The other man rubs his chin and lets out a sigh, "You know what's going on with her?"
"Premature labor brought on by stress," he blathers out the answer because it's a medical fact; it's a remnant from his days as a surgeon. He used to be able to remove himself from these types of situations.
"Brought on by stress?" Sawyer raises an eyebrow with doubt, "Jesus Doc, use your head."
Jack's eyes squint, wondering if he misheard the other man, "What?"
"You and I both read all those medical files about island pregnancies. We both know what happens by the sixth month--"
He doesn't bother for Sawyer to finish, because he already knows it isn't true. "It's impossible."
Sawyer leans forward, his eyebrows raised as he questions nonchalantly, "How's that?"
"Well for one thing, Kate definitely would've been showing symptoms if she hadn't been entirely affected by now." His heart sounds loudly in his chest due to Sawyer's blatant waste of time.
Sawyer crosses his arms and leans his back against a hollow tree, "And you don't think that whatever Juliet did could've just postponed that?"
"How—"
"I read a lot more than you think."
Taking a moment to actually consider Sawyer's option, Jack tries to play out all possible outcomes, but only one manages to wedge itself. Ben is lying, Sawyer is the father and Juliet messing with their genetics only managed to deflect the drastic situation a few more months. He swallows his dejection for the moment and instead worries about Kate, "So you think--"
"She's dying Doc."
As he opens his mouth to speak his lower lip trembles, because if Sawyer is right, they have no time. His face grows hot as his hand rubs over the muscles in his neck. Then a familiar sound in the distance drowns out his thoughts. He and Sawyer exchange brief glances before running back to the clearing just on time to see a helicopter approach the island.
"Kate?" She's still on the ground with Hurley who is nice enough to offer up a hand to relieve her of some pain.
"I'll carry her," Sawyer steps forward, his jaw set and his eyes lowered in focus, "The clearing is only an hour or so away. We can get there quicker if I do."
A twinge of jealousy hits his heart; he can't help Kate if they get stranded here again. He can't even help Kate walk because his shoulder is still bruised. It seems only right that Sawyer should step up; after all there is a possibility that this is his baby again. Without verbal recognition, Jack lets his head nod as he stares at the ground.
"Well good," he can hear the sarcasm dripping from the other man's voice, "Now that that tough decision's been made, you think that we can actually make it through this fence that I had to go through Locke's personal items to get the code to?"
As Sawyer approaches Kate, who's crushing Hurley's hand, Jack turns back to the woods for any final signs of danger. The shock of seeing one barely registers before a gunshot rings out and he falls back hard, his head hitting the dry dirt. His shoulder feels wet, but then turns numb and as he's trying to figure out what's happening, he hears the gun cock again.
Next Chapter - Oh boy, three people you thought you'd never see again resurface. Someone dies and the killer is not who you would expect someone unexpected is rescued (more people are rescued but this one is really shocking). Feed me with your intellectual speculations!