Chapter 29

Hey. Here's the next. We are moving slowly into the third part of this story. Let me know what you think!

The sky outside was getting darker. Jack woke abruptly, not noticing he had fallen asleep unit he remembered his dreams, or more accurately nightmares. Sayid and Mike were doing their own thing. But Walt was next to Sawyer.

"Hey, what you doing?"

"Nothing… I just…"

"What?" Jack looked at Walt, seeing his face look conflicted as he turned towards him.

"He's really warm."

"What?" Jack didn't know what he meant, then he looked at Walt's hand, seeing it on Sawyer's arm. "Wait, what?"

"He's really warm…. Like warmer than before. It that normal?"

"Emmm… let's wake him up first, then we'll see…Sawyer? Sawyer wake up," Jack put his hand on Sawyer's right arm. Walt was right, the heat was strong, "Sawyer, wake up man come on."

"Is everything alright?" Mike had come over, sitting beside Walt, waiting for Jack's answer.

"He's warm, he has a temperature, I need to wake him up. Sawyer…" Jack put his fingers to check for a pulse, his wrist being grabbed in response. The strength was weak and he yelled in pain. "Hey, it's ok. It's ok. It's just me. Just breathe."

"What's happening?"

"Nothing, it's fine, I just wanted to check on you. How are you feeling?"

"Emmm…" Sawyer looked at Walt, seeing his scared face, "I'm good doc."

"Sawyer… you're warm, I need to check your…"

"I'm fine, just leave it."

"Sawyer, I need to…"

"Walt," Sayid had come closer to them, "I need some help to find more fruit, can you come with me?"

"I want to stay…" Walt looked at his dad.

"No, son on you go, help Sayid," Mike helped Walt stand, watching as he walked away, glancing back at Sawyer, who nodded at him.

"Ok, he's gone, cut the crap," Mike watched as Jack started taking the blanket off, slowly revealing additional red marks spanning further around Sawyer's chest, to his back, like thin wire of red. "Oh my God, what the hell…"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not, Jesus, how are you conscious?"

"Sawyer, how long have you been feeling like this?"

"I'm fine doc…"

"No. You're not. You're warm. You have an infection. This isn't new... how long have you been feeling like this?" Jack and Sawyer's eyes met.

"I don't know… a couple of hours… maybe more."

"Damn it. Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's ok. Don't worry about it."

"Sawyer, this is serious… you should have told us."

Only silence followed. Sawyer looked at Mike, who was staring at him. But not his face, but at his chest. It occurred to him, he hadn't looked at his chest yet. Hadn't seen what they all had seen. The thing that caused Walt to freeze in fear. Without thinking he started to look down.

"No!" Jack grabbed his chin and pulled it to face him. Sawyer was caught off guard, he jerked his head away, fast. "Don't look at it!" Jack didn't notice the reaction, just that he didn't want him seeing the state of his body. He grabbed his chin again and held it.

"Don't touch me!" Sawyer saw red. He pulled his face away, Mike grabbing his shoulder to balance him. Jack was angry, not really knowing why. He opens his mouth to say something else, about how much Sawyer should be grateful for the help, but then he looked down, seeing Sawyer's hand shake and realised he wasn't going to say it.

"Are you ok?" Mike looked at Sawyer, whose eyes were shut, head laying back and breathing hard. He nodded in response.

"I'm sorry," Jack looked at the man in front of him. He was pale, sweat glistening on his forehead. "Hey, I'm sorry. Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"You didn't. Just don't grab me… I don't like…"

There was silence, Mike and Jack just looked at each other, both remembering what they saw in the cage, on Sawyer's back.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want you… seeing it. Not right now. You have an infection."

"Don't worry about…"

"No. We are worrying about it. This… this is a problem."

"Where's the kid?"

"He's not here. But we need to focus on you," Mike put his hand on Sawyer's.

"We need to get you out of here."

"No doc, we can stay until…"

"We can't, we need to get you back to the hatch… any longer and there'll be nothing we can…" Walt and Sayid could be heard at the entrance to the cave. Mike got up to meet him, but Jack looked at Sawyer. The look on his face suggested that waiting so long they couldn't help might have been what he was aiming for.