They almost dropped the table, clearly jolted out of whatever deep thoughts they were thinking. Gently, they lowered whatever Charlie was lying on – a table? – to the muddy ground and looked down at him anxiously. Charlie was suddenly aware that his chest felt as if it here on fire and every time he breathed in, intense pain shot up his body. Nice. He gritted his teeth.

"What happened?" he said again, trying to clear his raspy throat. He felt as if he were being choked. He was reminded unpleasantly of a noose… Ethan… Claire… where was Claire? How long had it been since… whatever had happened?

"You don't remember?" Sayid asked with a small undertone of bitterness under his concern.

"All I remember – " Charlie said, clenching his jaw "-Is that bloody lunatic throwing a hissy fit and now – my chest hurts like a m – "

"You were shot." Sawyer said flatly. "She shot you." His expression confused Charlie. It looked angry, careless and worried all at the same time. Then what he'd said registered into Charlie's mind.

"What?" She shot me? What? Where? He tried to sit up and see, but immediately, all went black.

Jack was sitting on the beach having a moment to himself finally. He watched the clouds go by with impressive speed. The wind whipped around him and he felt suddenly cold. Kate appeared before him, smiling broadly. Her eyes were brimming over with bright tears, her face streaked, but still she smiled.

"Why're you crying?" Jack asked, concerned.

"I just missed you so much." Kate said, leaning forward and putting her warm hands on both sides of his face lovingly. But once she touched him, her grin left. She frowned accusingly at him.

"Oh." She said coldly. "I thought you were someone else." She backed away from him as if he had a disease. Jack was bewildered. "What do you mean? Kate…"

"Help!" Kate suddenly screamed at him. "Jack! Jack!"

Jack woke with a jump, someone was roughly shaking his shoulders. The real Kate stood before him, panic in her eyes. Jack realized foggily that he'd been dreaming. Still in the confused state of a sleepy child, he said, "What? What's going on?"

"Charlie's hurt. Really bad." Kate said, gasping for breath. "You have to come now."

Jack stared down at the wound on Charlie's chest. There was dried blood everywhere. That was good. That meant the bleeding had stopped. But what… he looked at it intensely… was he mistaken or was this a gunshot wound?

"What happened?" Jack said, his voice deadly calm, looking coldly at Sayid, who stood on the mouth of the cave. Sayid said nothing, his eyes darting around as if he hated to look Jack in the eye.

"What the hell happened?" Jack's voice shook slightly with anger. Sayid stepped forward tentatively. "I think you can guess. I went back… with them. I thought if she felt threatened enough…" he stopped, and now looked steadily at Jack.

Jack looked at Sayid, then at Charlie with disbelieving rage. "You're saying you went back to Danielle to find information that would protect us?" He shook his head violently, feeling utterly hopeless. "Sayid, I can't do this. I don't have the proper equipment, I don't have a staff. He's lost a lot of blood." His head started throbbing, and he put his hand to his forehead and squinted. Slowly he lowered it and glared at Sayid, feeling the most hatred he'd ever felt in his life. "You were trying to protect us. Yeah. Sure."

"You as good as killed him." He said almost inaudibly. But he knew Sayid heard.

"You're not going to try and – "

"Of course I'm going to try!" Jack shouted. "But things aren't looking good, okay? Just get out."

He turned back to Charlie, and waited for Sayid to leave.

Jack had to get the bullet out, but losing more blood was potentially fatal to Charlie. He knew he had to get the bullet, but couldn't seem to make himself do it. He stood poised over Charlie, holding a scalpel in one hand. But he couldn't do anything. He wasn't in a hospital, he was in a cave on a deserted island. There was a slight difference. He thought bitterly. And then there was the fact that he'd never operated on someone he knew, let alone someone he liked. Let alone someone he knew who had someone else who loved him maybe a hundred feet away.

He couldn't do it.

"Oh, my God."

Shit. Probably the least preferred person on the island entered the cave at just that moment. Claire had just rushed in, pale and scared. Tears were already glistening in her eyes as she approached Jack and Charlie.

"Charlie." Claire whispered, horror-struck. She looked up at Jack fearfully. "Was he really shot? Is he going to be okay? Oh, my God." She grasped Charlie's limp hand and closed her eyes.

Jack was about to snap at her to leave, he needed to concentrate, but any frustration died on his lips as he saw her lamenting figure over Charlie.

"You shouldn't be up so soon." He said dumbly instead.

She looked up at him like he was crazy.

Jack rubbed his head again, his headache was turning into a migraine. Not the best working conditions. "You can't say a word." He said. Was he telling her she could stay through the surgery? No! But he heard himself say firmly, as if he let this happen all the time, "You can't distract me at all."

Claire nodded bravely.

And Jack made the first incision.

She was probably breaking every bone in his hand. She loosened her grip a little. She looked at Jack for a moment. She saw blood and a little knife. She quickly focused back on Charlie's face. She felt like she was going to throw up. Charlie. Don't die. I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. I was just so afraid of being left out in the cold again. I'm protective of myself now. But now I see how much worse it could be. Even if you hurt me. Don't die. I need you more than I've ever needed anyone. I don't know what I would do. Charlie. Don't die.

It was oddly comforting to have Claire with him as he performed the surgery. He didn't know why, but her presence made him less nervous. The bullet was almost out… He couldn't believe it. It was over. It had gone well. He pressed a bandage over the wound. He'd done it. No staff, no hospital. He managed a weak smile. Success. The rest was up to Charlie.

A couple of hours later, Claire still sat beside Charlie. She refused to move. Softly she whispered fears and promises. Her shaking hand was interlaced with Charlie's and she would not let go. She watched his expressionless face.

Slowly his eyes opened and he looked surprised and confused. Claire let out a gasp of happiness.

"Charlie!"

"Claire! Where the heck's your stomach?"

Claire smiled through salty tears. "Are you calling me fat?" she joked as she held his hand so thightly that he winced a little. But she refused to let go.