Chapter 6
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As the sun rose over their new resting place. Jack woke up, his back aching from leaning on the bars. He looked over at Sawyer, he was still sleeping. Sayid was sitting with his eyes open, staring at the building not far from them. Mike was standing, pacing back and forward at the barred door.
"He is still asleep." Sayid had obviously been watching Sawyer. Jack nodded, feeling both men's eyes on him as he crawled over to Sawyer's head. His skin was looking better, his breathing more even. He almost looked peaceful. Jack raised his hand and felt his neck. His fingers had barely made contact when Sawyer's hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. He tried to pull away, but the grip on his wrist was strong.
"What's happening?"
"Well, I was checking your pulse again. How do you feel?" He felt the grip loosen and Sawyer's eyes start to open.
"Better."
"Good," Jack put his fingers to his neck. His pulse was slower and stronger, "Chest feel better?"
"Yeah," as he tried to get up, Jack put his hand on his arm to help. "World's worst hangover though."
"You'll feel like that for a while. Your heart rate is still a bit erratic, but it's getting better. We need to keep it that way, you need to relax."
"Somehow, I don't think that is an option," Sawyer was looking past Jack's head. As all men turned, they saw Ben walking across from the building, carrying a tray of food. As he got closer, Jack, Mike and Sayid stood facing the door.
"Morning. Thought you'd be hungry. How are you feeling James?"
No one spoke, Jack turning slightly to look at Sawyer, who was looking at Ben with anger. By the time Jack looked back at Ben, he was opening the gate and stepping in.
"I have brought you a selection of breakfast snacks," he walked with purpose in between Jack and Mike, resting the tray beside Sawyer on the bench, "I will be back soon."
"Where is my son?"
"He's fine. We're looking after him."
"I want to see him. Now."
"All in good time Michael. For now, you should eat, keep your strength up." With that he turned, walked out, locked the gate and began walking back to the low building.
"God damn it!" Mike shouted and slammed his hands against the bars once Ben had vanished through the door.
"Mike, relax."
"How can you tell me to relax Jack? How? They have my son. Who knows what they are doing to him right now..."
"He said Walt would be fine."
"And you believe that? These are people we know nothing about. We know nothing, but they seem to know everything. Our names, our jobs. And who the hell is James?"
Silence followed, broken by Sawyer.
"Me. That's my real name."
"Ohhh, oh right. Of course. Because why would we know that? Why would we know who we rescued and dragged through the trees? Why would that matter?"
"No one asked you to do that. I would have been fine..."
"No, you wouldn't. Sawyer, you could have died," Jack thought it would be best to stop this argument before things got out of hand. "We can't let this happen. We must stick together. It's the only way we'll be able to get out, get Walt and get back to our island. So, let's eat and think. Eat this, it'll help," he handed a bowl of fruit to Sawyer.
"I don't want it."
"Eat it," Jack couldn't be bothered arguing. As he turned away, he saw Sawyer put a piece of fruit into his mouth. "Walt will be ok. We'll made sure of it. We won't let them hurt him."
"How do you suppose we do that? We're in here. He's in there. We don't know what they're doing."
"Jack," Sayid's voice was drowned out by Jack's response to Mike.
"They came for him. They wanted him. We were all just in the way. You heard them say it."
"Jack."
"And you're ok with that? We don't know why they wanted him. For all we know it's for a human sacrifice."
"Jack!"
"Aw... it won't be that. You need to relax."
"Jack!"
"What Sayid?!" Jack didn't notice how loud they had been arguing. He turned around to see what Sayid wanted, seeing him looking not at him but at Sawyer. Just in time, Sawyer grabbed the large bucket by the side of the bench and held it as he vomited.
"Crap." Jack knelt down in front of Sawyer as the latter bend double over the bucket. He put his hand on Sawyer's shoulder, surprised when he didn't throw it off. He looked up at Sayid, now knowing why he was trying to get his attention, looked at Mike, who no longer wanted to argue. They were silent as Sawyer regained his sense of self, sitting back against the bars behind him. His skin was white and clammy and his hand shook as he moved his hair off his face.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah Doc, I'm great. Told you that fruit was a bad idea." His eyes are closed but he smirked, quickly turning to a grimace.
"Just breath, you'll be ok. Mike, hand me that water," the bottle from the tray appeared on his shoulder. It was the only one, something Sawyer was against as he tried to wave it away.
"No, it's all we got. Best save it."
"You were electrocuted and almost died; I think that is something to use the water on. Here, take it." But as he reached out for the bottle, his hand was shaking violently. He closed it into a fist and put it down by his side. "Here, I'll help." Jack reached forward and tipped the water into his mouth. He could tell Sawyer was not happy about it, but he needed to drink.
After a few seconds, Sawyer started to choke, doubling over yet again. Jack put the water down and put his hand on Sawyer's shoulder to steady him, looking up at Sayid and Mike as he did so.
"We need to get out of here. Now. There's no point in waiting. We need to get out, get Walt and get back to the camp. How, is a different story."
"I have been trying to work out where we are. Apart from knowing we are on another island, there is nothing here that can tell us much more. Without knowing what we are up against, it is going to made escaping difficult," Sayid looked Jack in the eyes, unblinking.
"Try impossible. We don't know where Walt is. I'm not leaving without my son."
"No one is expecting you too. I said we would all leave together, and we will."
Jack looked at Mike, then Sayid, eyes settling on Sawyer, still looking ill and with his eyes tightly shut. They needed out, but Sawyer wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
