"What do you mean, the blood isn't yours?" Claire asked, "Did someone get hurt?"

"No," Kate wheezed, "It's not like that, I'll- I'll explain later." Claire fell silent. She could tell that Kate wanted to tell her, but it wasn't the time. They rounded another corner, dragging Charlie's limp form between them. Charlie's breathing was becoming shallow, and the realization that he was fading stabbed into Claire like a knife. She quickened her pace.

From time to time, Claire heard the faint, churning sound of Jack, her brother, in some part of the compound, mingled with screams. She smiled at the thought, brother. Technically half-brother, but that didn't matter to Claire. She had a family, one that she had to protect.

Claire led them on, without direction, one hand planted firmly on her gun. Her footsteps pounded against the floor in rhythm with her heartbeat.

"We... we need to find... the others," Kate gasped, "Sawyer, Desmond, we need to find them."

"What we need is to get Charlie out of here," Claire countered. Why couldn't Kate understand? She led them around another corner, tilting her head warily. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"Claire? What's wrong?" Kate stepped around into the next hall and nearly dropped Charlie. Claire felt him slip from her grasp also, before she caught him again.

They were holding hands, smiling at her welcomingly. Both were soaking wet, dripping water onto the floor in cold, sharp splatters. Sun had blood spread on the front of her shirt. The imaginary knife in Claire's gut twisted, and she gasped as the wind was knocked out of her.

"Hello, Kate, Claire," Jin said as he smiled; the smile didn't quite reach his eyes, which seemed... sad. Claire eyed Kate and saw that tears were streaking down her cheeks.

"We can show you the way out," Sun said beckoning to them with a wide smile and over-bright eyes. Claire stepped towards them, one hand outstretched limply. Charlie groaned. No, they're dead, they drowned, dead is dead... but Charlie came back, he did, maybe they... Claire thought.

"Claire no!" Kate shouted, "Don't trust them, Eloise is using them!" Claire paused, her brow furrowed. Kate's eyes were wide and fearful, filled with tears.

"What are you talking about Kate? Is this about the blood?" Kate nodded. She was crying so much now that her chest heaved and she clutched her ribs with a shaking hand. Claire steadied her breathing, looking away from... them.

"This place, it bridges the gap between living and dead. Eloise has being using them-," she gestured to Jin and Sun, "-And others like them, to get information," Kate said. She eyed Jin and Sun, then looked away quickly as if the sight would burn her.

"How do you know this?" Claire asked, her eyes focused on Sun. They seemed like they wanted to help. They were good people. Doubt filled her, and Claire couldn't understand why Kate didn't trust them. They weren't like... him.

Claire stood by a tree trunk, extending a hand to lean against it. She was breathing hard, her breath coming in sputtering gasps. Her heart was ready to burst from exertion, her lungs ready to shred to pieces. Were they still following her? Had she managed to evade them? A twig snapped and her eyes darted to the source. She was unable, for now, to run. She gripped the waxy bark, waiting, crying. They were going to take her back, test her, hurt her, tell her that she was infected.

The noise expanded, leaves rustling in a path towards her.

It was him. Her friend. He stepped out from behind the trees, disguised as Jack this time. A hot, burning anger spread in her chest, and she screamed at him, told him to go away. He had come that night to her as Charlie, and he had betrayed her. He had led them to her. He had let them torture her. She could still hear the rain falling and the excited shouting.

He didn't leave. She glared at him, but said nothing, her voice gone.

"I didn't betray you Claire, they did. They abandoned you to rot here alone, without your son. They didn't try to find you. All I've done is try and help you." He smiled, and she felt her anger seeping away, her sanity. No, she assured herself, he pretended to be Charlie, it was him. It was him.

"You're lying!" Claire yelled, "It was you, you led them to me!" He shook his head and hatred boiled in her blood. "You wanted them to test me!"

"That wasn't me Claire. I wouldn't do that to you. I promise." No, he's lying, she thought, he's just like the rest of them. Claire was certain of it. It had been raining, she could remember, she wasn't going crazy, she wasn't losing her mind. She wasn't infected. Everyone had betrayed her, even him. He had said he was her friend. All she had left was Aaron, and he was waiting for her. He was probably crying back at her camp, missing her. They were meant to be together, just she and Aaron.

"Go away!" She screeched, "Aaron and I can do just fine without you! I don't want you here!" He turned and left, and she smiled, she was free, and she wasn't crazy. Aaron was waiting for her.

Claire shook her head slightly and looked again at Jin and Sun. Is this all in my head? Am I going crazy again?

"An old friend told me," Kate replied, "I... I killed him four years ago." Claire turned to Kate at this, contemplating her. She'd become quite adept at telling when people were lying, interrogating the 'others', and Kate showed none of the signs.

"And what if he was lying?" Claire said, her voice low. Kate shook her head, unable to answer, and looked at the floor. What if she imagined it? Claire wondered. Kate slowly raised her eyes to Jin and Sun.

"I'm sorry," Kate said, "For everything that happened to you. For your daughter. But... you need to leave."

Sun smiled again, but this time it was sincere, relieved. "We'll see you there." In an instant, they were gone.

"We need to find the others," Claire whispered, wiping tears from her eyes with the heel of her hand, "Charlie, he can't, he can't be here anymore."

The room spun as she looked for a way out; the walls blurred together, all the same, no differences, mocking her. Which way do I go? I need to get out of here, Charlie can't be here...

Claire turned to Kate, "Which way did you come in?" Again, Kate shook her head, pushing stray hair out of her eyes.

"It all looks the same to me, I can't tell which direction I came from." She glanced around and a frown spread across her face, her eyebrows scrunched together. "I think it was that way," she said, pointing to hall on their left. Claire looked down a hall that seemed like all the others. It was their best bet.

"Let's go." They turned the corner. Claire's eyes darted around frantically, floor, walls, ceiling; searching for an exit, for more guards.

A door creaked open. Claire's hand shot straight to her gun, her fingers meeting metal, warm from her constant grip. Her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, Charlie felt heavy, dragging her arm down, a burden.

"Kate! Claire!" A voice yelled. Claire's head snapped up, and a flare of pain spread across her neck. It was Desmond. He was standing in the entrance to a small room, the door parted slightly. "Get in here," he beckoned, waving his hand for them to follow. Desmond's eyes rested on Charlie.

"Is that him? Is he alive?" Desmond asked, his eyes wide.

"For now, he keeps slipping in and out of consciousness," Kate answered, "Desmond, take Charlie. I'm going back for Jack." Claire rolled her eyes at Kate falling back into her familiar pattern. Kate stepped away and gasped, her hand shooting to her chest.

"No, Kate you should stay here and wait," Claire said softly, "You're injured."

"I have to go back for Ja-"

"Kate, get in the bloody room," Desmond growled, "Jack can take care of himself." Kate sighed, gazing down the hall, obviously too exhausted to argue. Claire looked at Desmond and gestured to Kate. Desmond moved forward, keeping the door open with one hand, and took Charlie from Kate's shoulder.

Claire and Desmond pulled Charlie into the room, Kate following a few paces behind, clutching her ribcage. The room was a supply closet, filled with medical supplies on pristine shelves. Claire wondered if any of it was used on Charlie. Desmond propped Charlie against the wall. Charlie let out a soft groaning sound.

Claire squatted next to Charlie, putting two fingers on his neck, beneath his chin. His pulse was faint and slow; his chest rose and fell in shallow intakes of breath.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. I should have believed you. I should have known it was really you.

"His pulse is weak," she called out, "And his breathing isn't very steady." She turned, and saw that Desmond was tending to Kate, his eyes reflecting concern.

"How badly are you injured?" Desmond asked Kate.

"Not that bad," Kate replied, "I can manage." Desmond frowned, but said nothing. "Where are the others? Jack, Sawyer, Ben?" Desmond shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"Jack is clearing the building of Eloise's men," he said, "Sawyer found me, set me free, but we got separated, I-I think he was going to find the two of you. I hid in here. I don't know about anyone else." Claire stood on shaking legs, and touched her fingers to the wall in support. A weight had settled onto her shoulders.

"We can't stay here," she said, "It isn't safe, what if they find us?" Kate nodded her agreement and Claire smiled in thanks.

"We have to find everyone else," Kate said, "We were supposed to meet back by the gate, so we work our way there." Claire looked to Desmond, who massaged the back of his neck.

"I'm not so sure we should go. Charlie looks very ill." Anger spiked inside her body, and Claire glared at him, her hands shaking. Desmond had been the one who convinced him to flip that switch. He had been the one who watched Charlie sacrifice himself.

"We need to get Charlie to Jack, okay? Waiting here could make him worse." Claire said, she walked over and bent down beside him, running a hand through his ashen blonde hair. Don't die Charlie, I just got you back, don't die. He was here, right in front of her, yet so far away. You have to wake up Charlie, don't give up on me now.

"I saw him... Sawyer." Claire said, "Well not exactly, I heard him. He came on the speakers overhead. He said Jack had exploded."

Charlie coughed, "speak... hers."

"What? Charlie?" Claire shook him a little, her eyes widening. "What did you say Charlie? What did you say?" Kate sat next to Claire, and the effort made her grimace.

"Speakers... Eloise on the speakers... talking to me," he mumbled. "She wants the island. Probably took him."

"We should go now Desmond!" Kate said, "We've lost track of Ben, Swayer, and Jack... we have to get them and get out of here. Charlie isn't going to make it." Claire looked to Desmond, her hopes suffocating.

"Right, let's go," Desmond said finally.