Chapter 35

Aaaand into the third phase of the story! - a day late. Let me know what you think!

They all just stood there. Kate's face broke out in a smile.

"Oh my God. You're here! You're all here!" Hurley walked over to Walt, hugging him, Mike walking to Kate. She looked over his shoulder to Jack. Smiling. Then her eyes dropped, and her smile faded. He followed her gaze, looking down to Sawyer's hand which was still through the stretcher.

"No... no no... is he...?

"No, not yet. He's still alive. Are we close to the hatch?"

"Yeah it's right here... what..."

"It doesn't matter, we need to get him in there..." Sayid and Jack started walking, fast. As they drew level with Kate, she looked at Sawyer, a gasp filling the silence.

"Oh my God. What the hell happened to him?" Jack looked at Sawyer's face – the only thing that could be seen – seeing his bruised eye, cut on his cheekbone and the bruise on his temple. With everything else, he had almost forgotten about the state of his face. He didn't have the energy to explain, or tell her that what she can't see is much worse. They walked past Hurley, his face going pale at the sight of Sawyer.

As they walked through the trees, Jack saw the door to the hatch. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Mike opened the door, holding it for Sayid to go through. It was like hitting a wall of cool air. Jack struggled to manoeuvre the stretcher until they got to the wide main room. Looking to the left he saw John walking towards them, Rose coming from the right. They stood and stared.

"Rose, where's the medication?" Jack and Sayid slowly lowered the stretcher. As Jack turned to follow Rose, he saw Sayid use the blanket to keep Sawyer's torso covered.

"There's a massive storage room over here, it's got everything... I have no idea how it got here but I aint questioning it. What do we need?"

"We?"

"I was a nurse..."

"Really? Well, we need painkillers. Lots of painkillers. And antibiotics, as much as you can. And... a thermomotor."

"I'll get them. What happened...?"

"Later." He walked away, back to the rest. Walt was holding Sawyer's hand, Mike and Sayid sitting down. John and Hurley standing off to the side, watching it all. Kate standing by the door, not sure what to think. Jack bent down beside Sawyer's head. He checked his pulse; it was fast and weak. His temperature was high. Jack looked up at Mike.

"I think you guys should go to the beach."

"Everyone is at the caves... 'cause of the storm..." Hurley looked between the two men.

"Ok. Go there. Everyone. Except Rose."

"What? Her?" Kate looked outraged. Jack didn't know why, but he didn't have time for it.

"Yes. She was a nurse. I need her help."

"She thought he'd walked away. She didn't care. She didn't want to find him! And now you are going to let her stay and act the hero..."

"He is dying!"

There was silence, until Walt sniffed. John spoke.

"Hurley. Take Walt, Kate, Mike and Sayid to the caves. Now."

"I'm not leaving him..."

"Kate, now," John was standing, looking at Sawyer.

Without another word, Kate turned and left, not looking back. Sayid stood looking at Sawyer, then followed.

"But dad..."

"Come on son, we need to go now. Say... say goodbye..."

Rose watched as Walt turned to look at Sawyer. He bent his head closer to his.

"Goodbye Sawyer," he leant in closer and whispered, although everyone heard him, "thank you for looking after me... for saving me." He let go of his hand, stood up and walked to his dad, both leaving and not looking back. Hurley followed them.

"John..."

"I need to stay. I'll man the button, and help you carry him."

Jack just nodded. Rose put the thermometer in Sawyer's mouth, flinching back when she put her hand on his head.

"Oh my God. How... what happened?"

"For now, this stays between us. This will... be hard to see..." Jack looked at them both, Rose now kneeling on Sawyer's left, John as his head. Jack took hold of the blanket and gently pulled it off.

Rose felt sick. She looked at Sawyer's chest. The burn was a mix of red and blue, it spanned the width of his chest, travelling around to his back. The centre burned into his flesh, she could see his bone. She had to look away.

"How the hell did that happen?" John was staring at Sawyer, frozen in place, unable to look away.

"Electric taser... long story... we need to focus on... Rose? I know this is hard, but I need you. He needs you. We need to focus on...oh my God..." Jack stopped talking, it made Rose face him.

"What's wrong?"

"His temperature's 1-0-4. His brain will be boiling in his skull. We have to cool him down now. John, turn the shower on, as cold as you can make it. Rose, help me. We need to cover the burn, it can't get wet... what painkillers have we got?"

"Morphine... strong morphine."

"Really?" Jack snapped his head up, "Morphine... how...?"

"No idea, but it's in phials. With syringes. Here..." She gave him a waterproof sheet and tape, "To put over the burn. I'll get the morphine." John walked back in while Rose left.

"John, help me sit him up," Jack saw the hesitation on his face, "You won't hurt him, he's too far gone. He won't wake up. Just help." John grabbed Sawyer's shoulders, slowly lifting him. Rose returned, watching at they sat Sawyer up. She watched as Jack covered his burn, pulling Sawyer towards him, leaning him against his own body. Sawyer's head lolled backwards, Jack grabbed it, gently placing it on his own shoulder. Rose walked beside John, seeing the scars on Sawyer's back, seeing the red and blue-ness of his burn wrap around to his torso. Then it was gone, covered by the sheet.

"Right, get him in the shower, now. John grab his shoulders," Jack lifted Sawyer's feet and quickly walked to the shower that was on full blast. It was ice cold as Jack walked under it, he moved around, getting Sawyer lying in the middle of the spray. Jack felt the water sting his sun burnt skin and felt his teeth chatter. But he stayed with Sawyer, making sure he was cooling down. Rose stood with the morphine, watching as Jack pushed Sawyer's hair off his face.

"Here, the morphine. Before he wakes up..."

Jack turned around to take what Rose offered. He prepared the syringe, taking Sawyer's arm.

"Do you know if he's allergic?" Rose had the sudden thought.

"He's been in pain for two weeks now. He needs this Rose, I can't put him through any more without it..." Jack glanced at Rose, seeing her nod in response. He tried to find a vein, but he was struggling.

"What's wrong?"

"He's hardly had food or water since... since it started..."

"How much is hardly?" Jack just glanced up at John, not saying anything.

He managed to find a vein, quickly injecting the morphine. Nothing changed.