Chapter 39- Asthma Attacks

As the night wore on Shannon got worse, followed by Hope. Boone and Ben-Ben tried their best to keep them calm, but it wasn't working. Jack looked through the supplies, in a futile attempt to help them. "Just try to breathe. Breathe," Boone said and Ben-Ben took his sister's clammy hand in his.

"Easy, Hope. Don't go where I can't follow you," Ben-Ben pleaded, carding his other hand into his sister's dark red hair.

"Oh, gee, thanks, Samwise Gamgee," Hope said coughing, wheezing, and laughing at the same time.

"Come on, Hope, work with me here," Ben-Ben said, noticing Sun watching them before she walked away. ben-Ben then noticed Sawyer as he walked to the waterfall.

"Boone, can you watch Hope along with Shannon?" Ben-Ben asked.

"Sure," Boone said as Ben-Ben stood.

Ben-Ben and Jack walked to Sawyer. "Give me the inhalers. Now," Jack said, gripping Ben-Ben's shoulder.

"Heck, I was wondering when you were gonna stop asking nice," Sawyer mocked. Jack then hit Sawyer hard in the face.

"Dad, don't," Hope wheezed.

"Well, it's about time, Cowboy. I've been telling you since day one, we're in the wild. Didn't think you had it in you," Sawyer said as Jack hit him again, splitting Sawyer's lip.

"Is that all you got?" Sawyer asked. Jack looked around, his eyes falling on Hope, and shook his head. Sawyer then looked around.

Ethan watched in shock the next morning as Hope and Shannon wheezed violently. "Help! Dad, they're not breathing!" Benjamin shouted, holding Hope's hand. Shepard ran to them.

"The attacks are getting worse," Boone Carlyle said as Shepard got down, touching the girls' shoulders.

"Shannon? Hope? Listen to me. Look at me. Look at me. You need to listen now. This isn't just the asthma. It's anxiety. It's in your head," Jack said.

"Yeah, right, Dad, Your failed attempt at bedside manner's not helping. Hope, pray. Remember what Father Titus said about praying. We can fight this if we pray," Benjamin said, making the Sign of the Cross.

"Okay, that'll work also. Hope, Shannon, nod your heads. Breathe in," Shepard ordered.

"Praying is good, but she needs her inhaler," Boone complained as Benjamin said the Lord's Prayer softly in Latin. Ben had said the children didn't speak Latin outside of church. This was probably taught to the children by their priest.

"Breathe in through the nose. Slowly. No, no, no. In through the nose. Like this," Jack said, demonstrating as Shannon's breath caught.

"Dad, Hope's calming," Benjamin said to Ethan's relief as Hope's sharp gasps started to stop.

"That's good. Shannon, in through the nose," Jack said.

"Come on, Shannon. Pray. I know I was. I couldn't say anything because of...the...asthma. But...God...hears...unspoken...prayers," Hope said in a broken wheeze. Shannon then slowed.

"Yeah. Listen to me kids. You've got your breath. Yeah, your color's coming back. Do both of you feel it? It's passing," Jack said, laying on hand on Hope's sweaty forehead, the other on Shannon's arm.

"Yeah," Shannon said.

"Okay, Shannon, Hope. Again. In through the nose. All right. Just keep doing that. Keep breathing like that. That's perfect. Good job," Jack said, standing up. Boone and Benjamin joined him.

"Dad, we still need to find the meds. Me and Hope can pray, but Father Titus said to me at Confession once that God will do His part, but he expects us to do ours," Benjamin said.

"All right. Stay with your sisters. I'll be right back," Jack said as he ran to the cave entrance.

"Wow, man. That was awesome. I mean, that was like a...Jedi moment," Reyes said as Ethan and Jarrah followed Jack.

Ben watched as Shepard and Jarrah came out. "Jack! What will happen to Shannon and Hope if they don't get their medicine?" Jarrah asked the question that Ben feared. "Then we have to make Sawyer give it to us," Jarrah said, answering his own question.

"Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do. Hope won't agree to me beating up Sawyer, but that's why I didn't say anything in front of her," Shepard said.

"No, not you. Hope would be furious if you did it. Me. I served five years in the Republican Guard. I told Hope that last week. She would understand if I do it to save her and Shannon," Jarrah said.

"She won't. I know my daughter. Her favorite Bible verse is 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. I've heard her quote it a million times since she was eight years old and her Sunday School teacher taught her and her brother the Beatitudes. But I thought you were a communications officer," Shepard said as Ethan came out of the cave.

"Part of my training entailed getting the enemy to communicate. Just give me ten minutes with him. He'll give us the medicine. Is that a yes?" Jarrah asked.

"For my daughter; yes. My daughter will take me to task for this, but I can't watch her die. I love her too much. And I promised their mother that I'd keep them safe when she died giving them to me. Most fathers don't deliver their own children, but I did mine as I wasn't their father when they were born," Jack said.

"Yes. Hope told me she was adopted and her father's name," Ethan said.

"Yeah. I want Hope to get well. This asthma attack will make me a liar to Rebecca Linus it Hope dies," Jack said as they walked away. Ben followed them from a distance. Ben looked back as Benjamin came out of the cave.

"Dad, wait!" Benjamin shouted, running to Jack.

"I thought you were staying with Hope, Jack said, touching Benjamin's shoulder.

"Michael, Sun, and Boone are watching her and Shannon. Dad, where are you going?" Benjamin asked.

"We're going to try to get the medicine from Sawyer again," Jack said.

"Dad, he's not going to give it up. He's a scummy toad. You beat him up and he still didn't give it up. Hope and Shannon could die for all he cares. If it's not for his benefit, it's not his problem. With that being said, Dad, how are we gonna get Sawyer to give up the medicine?" Benjamin asked, a lost look in his eyes.

"We'll think of something, son. Sayid has an idea," Jack said.

"I'm coming with you. Hope should be okay. Sun said she has an idea for a treatment for asthma. She wan't to try it on Hope and Shannon if we don't come back with their medicine," Benjamin said.

"Okay, Come on," Jack said as they walked away. Ben followed them at a distance. He couldn't really do anything for Hope, but he could see what his son did.