WARNING WARNING WARNING
This chapter is TWENTY pages long. And believe it or not, I don't like the way it ends. In fact, I don't really like this chapter. I feel like I have let you all down HORRIBLY . I seriously hope yall can forgive me for the let down. The next chapter… I hope… will be considerably better.
Somehow, during the struggle the whacko French lady had managed to produce yet another dagger and raised it to stab Boone in the chest. Soon, all four were rolling around on the ground. Sawyer, Boone and Kate had their hands on her wrists, the daggers handle and her arms, so that she couldn't just drop it into Boone's chest.
They were grunting and rolling and nodding to one another as too which direction to roll but nothing seemed to work. Soon it was apparent to Sawyer that his right arm was weakening, as even months after the father, his muscle mass wasn't what it had been before. And, unfortunately for them all, the French woman seemed to realize that his right side was his weakness, as she shifted the daggers blade from Boone's chest to Sawyer who was on his right, Boone was in the middle and Kate was on Boone's left.
Sawyer cursed under his breath as his muscle clenched, tightened sharply and faltered, giving the French woman even more of an upper hand
Boone tried valiantly to steer her back to the middle, but she wouldn't budge.
Suddenly Sawyers arm completely gave out, which caused the other two to falter as well, which gave her the leverage and momentum she need to stab. She lunged down.
Kate screamed.
Sawyer screamed.
But it was Boone's scream that caused birds to be stirred and fly away in droves.
The fight ended just as suddenly as it had begun. Her body went limp, falling to the side revealing Locke, red faced, winded, and holding a home made club in his hands.
"LOCKE! Where the HELL have you been!" Kate exclaimed, trying to catch her breath.
"ForGET that! Good aim, ol'timer!" Sawyer declared as he checked himself for woundsbesides his pride, that is.
"I was hunting, actually, Kate. And I just so happened to see Hurley running down the side of the hill from my hunting ground. I decided to check it out... Boone..."
"What the..." Sawyer muttered finding no wounds.
Boone moaned, rolling onto his side, his hands shakily cradling his aching wound. They could plainly see blood gushing from through his fingers.
"Ah, JEEZ kid. Why'd you go and do something stupid like that?" He mock whined, dropping to his knees, tearing the sleeve off his shirt and applying it to his wound.
"Couldn't let you be the only one to leave here with a stabbing story, now could I?" He grit out between clenched teeth as Sawyer applied pressure to his wound.
"It was nice and stupid, not to mention awfully dumb. Your sisters going to have a fit, you realize that, right?"
Boone groaned inwardly. "Shut up!" He hissed sucking in his breath.
Locke and Kate were securing the woman, Kate called out. "Everything okay over there?"
"NO! Bitch stabbed Boone."
"It's a scratch." He called out weakly, yelping as Sawyer increased the pressure upon the gash. "A scratch."
"Yeah, didn't Mercutio say the same exact God damned thing... weren't his next words something about worm's meat?" Snorted Sawyer.
Boone regarded him for a moment before crying out as the pain increased and began to spread throughout his entire abdomen.
Kate looked at Locke. "Are you sure that you can manage her by yourself?"
Locke nodded. "She won't be coming around for a while. Go," he nodded over to the others. "Help Sawyer with Boone; carry his legs high, try to keep the wound as elevated as possible and HURRY." He urged.
"If you're sure…"
"Hurry, before he goes into shock!"
"Okay," she double tied the knot that connected her hands and feet and rushed over to Sawyer and Boone.
"We need to get him to Jack."
"Don't you think that Dr. Quinn had enough on his plate with Lardo and Omar?" He snorted testily.
"Do you want to have to be the one that tells Shannon that he brother died because you couldn't get over your petty jealousy of Jack?" She snapped.
"Point taken." he nodded. "She's a feisty one. Not as feisty as Spitfire over there... that one there... she must have eaten her Wheaties today."
Kate rolled her eyes, as she knelt down next to Boone. "It's going to be okay." She smiled warmly. "Just relax, and keep putting pressure on the wound while Sawyer and I carry you back to camp."
"Carry me?"
"Yeah! Carry him?" Sawyer mimicked incredulously.
"Look, either we carry him or he walks, goes into shock, and dies. In which case I will personally gift wrap you, and deliver you to Shannon. I'll even make a bow and stuff it in your mouth." She threatened him calmly.
He paused. "O-okee, Booneyboy." He turned to him with a smile. "Looks like we're gonna carry ya." He offered dryly.
"I'll take his legs, you take his arms. We need to hurry, but not so much that we jostle him a lot or trip on something." Kate instructed.
Sawyer saluted her as he got into position. "Yessir, lady, cap'n, man, sir."
"Shove off, Sawyer." She looked down at Boone who was in obvious pain. "Just hold on, this won't take long."
He nodded, grimacing only when they lifted him up.
Sawyer turned his head toward Locke. "Hey, Hunter!" He called out. Locke turned to him from where he was crouched next to the woman, preparing her for transport. "Thanks for the assist, it's appreciated." His gratitude was honest and heartfelt. It caused Locke to smile.
"You're welcome, I'm glad I could be of assistance to you hooligans." He added with a smile.
Sawyer shook his head in amusement. "See you back at the cave old man." He grunted, readjusting Boone. "Don't be a stranger, Stranger."
After a few seconds the trio had disappeared around the corner. Locke turned to the woman and smiled. "We better get going." He nodded to himself. "Before I have to knock you out again."
"What do... you mean?" Wheezed Shannon. "You thought... that Boone... was already... back here... You mean... he's still... out there..." she turned from Claire to Charlie.
"I'm sure he's fine, Shannon." Claire offered optimistically.
"Yeah," she shot back with a sharp wheeze. "And we all.. thought that Sayid... was going to ... be okay... on his own... and look how wrong... we were?"
"Love, if you don't calm down, you're going to have another attack." Charlie warned a bit frantically. "Besides, they'll be fine, just you watch." 'Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please.' He prayed.
Walt and Sun walked over to them.
"I brought Mrs. Sun over because, you know, I heard you breathing funny." He turned to Sun, made a rubbing motion over his chest and breathed in deeply, then pointed to Shannon. Sun nodded as she produced the eucalyptus concoction from her pant pocket and handed it to Shannon.
"Thank you," she breathed raspily, rubbing the herbs across her collar bone and upper chest, breathing in deeply.
"Thanks Walt." Claire patted the ground next to her. "Why don't you sit down for a bit?" She offered with a friendly smile.
He thought about it for a second before shaking his head. "Nah, that's okay, Ms. Claire. I think I'm gonna go sit by the entrance and wait for Mr. Dr. Jack and Mr. Hurley." He pausing, biting down on his lower lip, before asking. "Would it be okay for her to stay with you guys, so that, you know, her husband doesn't drag her off or something?"
Charlie, Shannon and Claire shared a meaningful look. "Sure, buddy," Charlie said quickly. He got up and dusted himself off. Then, with a smile, he motioned to Sun to the spot in between the two girls. She nodded, and sat down between them. "Okay. I'll join you and we can watch together."
Walt's eyes lit up. "COOL!" He exclaimed excitedly, as he and Charlie walked away.
After a long pause Shannon leaned heavily against the caves wall and let out a long sigh. "Claire?"
"Yes?"
Shannon paused, as she tried to collect herself but she only succeeded in becoming more upset. "I feel... I feel like I've been... stabbed."
Claire straightened, alarmed. "What!" She hissed. She looked at the young woman, her own heart sinking with each passing second. "It's going to be okay." 'It just HAS to be.'
Just as Charlie and Walt were about to sit down on a rock just outside the cave; Jack and Hurley rushed by.
"GANG WAY! BIG GUY COMING THROUGH!" Hurley shouted as they barreled through the entrance of the cave.
Charlie and Walt jumped to their feet, their jaws slack, and their face's pale.
"OhMeGawd," breathed Charlie.
"Mr. Sayid... He... He didn't look very good." Walt whispered shakily.
"Don't worry, Mate." He tried to reassure him. "I'm sure he'll be okay..." 'Eventually... I hope.' He added silently. "Let's go back to the girls, and keep the calm."
"Especially Ms. Claire and Ms. Shannon."
'Yeah, and me.' He thought morbidly.
Jack and Hurley caused a great stir as they barreled through the cave. "MOVE! GET OUT OF MY WAY! FRIEGHT TRAIN COMING THROUGH! MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!" Hurley hollered as a warning.
People gasped as they jumped out of their way. Charlie and Walt rushed to the corner of the caves. Charlie saw Sun and had an idea.
"Oh my God! Charlie! Did you SEE them?" Gasped Claire.
He shook his head solemnly. "Aye that I did." He went over to Sun and knelt by her, took her hand into his own and spoke in a soft, yet determined voice. "I know you can't understand a word that I'm saying, but we need you to help Jack."
She nodded, stood up and hurried out.
"At least she understood what you meant." 'I hope.' Claire added to herself.
Walt was sitting next to Shannon, rubbing her back soothingly. "Don't worry Ms. Shannon; Mr. Dr. Jack will make them better."
Shannon took little comfort from his words and let out a sob.
Michael stared wide eyed as Hurley slid down the wall of the cave and onto the floor in the sitting position.
Jack cursed under this breath. "Did I mention that he doesn't do well with the sight of blood?"
"No," Michael shook his head. "No, you didn't." He paused. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Jack thought for a second before answering with a nod. "Yes, clean the blood off of Hurley's arms and try and find him a different shirt." He instructed as he hurriedly cut the bounds around Sayid's feet and hands. He tried to unclench his fists, but they would not come undone. "The last thing we need is for him to wake up, see the dried blood, smell it, and then pass out again."
Michael nodded in agreement. "Got it." As he turned to get some water he nearly mowed down Sun. "Oh, sorry" his voice trailed off. "What are you" he started softly, but she looked over his shoulder to Jack and Sayid. "Oh..." he nodded. "Tell me if you need any help." He whispered so that Jack didn't hear him.
She smiled and nodded. "Thank you... Michael." She whispered slowly before approaching Jack.
Jack turned, saw Sun and smiled. "Hey," he greeted.
She smiled, turned to Sayid pointedly.
"Yeah he's" he caught himself, and shook his head. "It's not like you understand me anyway." He chuckled.
Sun grimaced inwardly, her heart wrenching in her chest with guilt. But Jack didn't notice as he was busy using the spring water to flush out Sayid's wounds on his back, chest and side. Sun watched for a few seconds, catching the drift of what he was going, as well as the urgency of his frantic pace and started doing as he was doing on his legs and feet as Jack had already cut the legs off Sayid's pants 2 inches above his knees.
Jack couldn't help but smile at this. "I guess some things transcend language," he muttered to himself as relief washed over him.
She watched him closely and noticed that something was unsettling Jack.
"C'mon Sayid, wake up, moan, do something, anything..." he whispered urgently as the water cascaded down his shoulders, through his long dark sweat drenched curls; that had grown considerably during his absence captivity, down his shoulders and now lean chest.
"Why isn't he reacting?" he asked himself sharply. He took a moment to sit back and look at Sayid, really look at him, and was hit by how tiny and skinny he looked. "He's lost a significant amount of weight and body mass." He muttered worriedly to himself. He didn't like how his once muscular form was now borderline skeletal. It worried Sun as well, he was going to be hungry when he regained consciousness, and God only knew how long it had been since his last proper meal.
After she finished drying and dressing the wounds on Sayid's feet she tended to his ankles; where there were deep cuts and burns that went all the way around his ankles from where he had pulled or been yanked around. Sun looked over her shoulder and noticed Michael rushing over with an XXXL t-shirt that presumably belonged to Hurley as well as water bottles, a wash clothe, and a dry towel.
She hesitated a second, as she finished bandaging his ankles, before standing up. When Jack shot her a quizzical look she pointed towards Michael and Hurley. He smiled and nodded his understanding before going back to work on Sayid.
Michael looked up saw Sun and was startled at first. "Oh, it's just you." He breathed a sigh relief as he carefully started to rinse off Hurley's blood stained arms.
"He was brave, yes?" She asked softly, as she startled to rinse off the other arm.
"Yeah, from the looks of it," he glanced over his shoulder at Sayid. "I'd say we're damned lucky that Hurley hit that ball as hard as he did and found Sayid when he did. I just hope it wasn't too late."
Sun nodded, inwardly praying for the young man. 'He has to make it, he just has too.'
After Michael stripped Hurley of his blood stained shirt Sun helped him lean Hurley forward.
"On three," he held up three fingers, "let go of him as I put this shirt over his head." The gestures he used to 'communicate' with her were almost comical; but she knew that it was merely a 'show' for the others. If only she could tell him how much his efforts warmed her heart.
"Okay?" He flashed the universal sign for 'OK'. She nodded her head in understanding.
'I will repay your kindness day, I swear.' She promised herself with a sad smile.
"Okay," he readied the shirt, "on one, two, three…" They both grunted as she pushed Hurley forward with all of her might so that he wasn't leaning against the call wall as Michael pulled the shirt over his head and put his arms through ht correct corresponding holes.
"Okay, now, easy does it… careful… careful…" they gingerly laid the bigger man down on his side, "…that's it… good…" He smiled; a warm pleasant smile. Sun put an airline blanket over him, and Michael had already placed an airline cushion underneath his head as a pillow. "Rest big guy, you've earned it." Michael said as he patted his arm.
They both walked back over to Jack; who was trying to stop the bleeding. Is wounds were clotting; thankfully, but there were so many that it was hard to get them done before shock set it.
"Can we help?" Michael asked.
Jack looked up and was about to answer when another commotion arose at the entrance of the cave.
"Move it or lose it. Stab wound coming through!"
"Oh GOD! Boone!" Sobbed Shannon.
They heard Sawyer curse under his breath at Shannon's reaction as he continued to run through the cave.
Jack stood up as Sawyer and Kate got closer. He could make out a limp body in Sawyer's arms and knew that it was Boone.
Sawyer laid Boone down a few feet away from Sayid.
"What the hell happened?" He demanded.
"Crazy bitch stabbed him. It's a long story, we'll explain later. Fix him first, Hero." Sawyer panted.
They had given up on carrying Boone as soon as he had passed out. They had freaked out when it had happened and Sawyer carried his limp body while Kate applied pressure to the wound.
Jack gingerly removed Sawyers blood strained sleeve from the puncture wound. "Damn, damn, damn." He cursed softly.
Shannon rushed over, her chest heaving, her face pale. "B-Boone." She whispered haltingly.
Charlie ran up and tried to lead her away. "Awful sorry about that mate's," he turned to Shannon. "Let the man do his job."
"N-no, no, I… I can't… I can't just… just leave h-him," she wheezed, her hands shook as she wrung them in front of her chest.
"Shannon!" Jack exclaimed suddenly. "You have to stay calm. Because if you have an asthma attack, then I won't be able to help Boone, do you understand?" He hated resorting to emotional blackmail, but he really needed to tend to Boone quickly.
Her face fell and her breathing became more labored and shallow.
'Oh, shit, I've just sent her into an attack anyway.'
Michael stepped in. "How about Charlie and I take her out for some air?" He offered gently.
"Good idea, I'll send someone out with an update as soon as one is available, is that okay Shannon?"
She nodded her head lamely as Michael and Charlie began to lead her away. She kept looking over her shoulder as they walked away, wanting nothing more than too run back and hold his hand and stay at his side.
Jack watched them as they left, as both Walt and Claire followed them out. 'Good, at least they'll have help keeping her calm' He looked over his shoulder and saw that Sayid was being attended to by Sun and surprisingly enough, Jin. He was thankful that Sun was around for her strength, compassion, her knowledge of herbal remedies, and her willingness to help others.
As he turned back to Boone, Kate and Sawyer he thanked whatever higher power had seen to it that she was there.
"Kate, would you get my sewing kit?"
"Got it," she read off to retrieve the kit.
Sawyer glared at Jack; as he nervously rubbed his bloodied hands against his pants.
"What happened out there, Sawyer?"
"I ain't gonna explain nuthin' to you, Doc Quinn," he growled
Jack could barely restrain an eye roll. "Amuse me; I'd like to know the circumstances surrounding my patient's current condition."
"Why? So you can blame me?" He demanded.
"Sawyer!" Kate snipped, as she handed Jack the sewing kit.
"Thanks," he took the kit and looked at the wound, his crude 'operating' room, and winced before starting examining the wound.
"Just tell him the truth."
Sawyer rolled his eyes. "I'd rather only re-live it once, so why not wait until he's done and Sticks is here too?" He didn't bother giving them time to answer, as he rose to his feet and walked away.
Jack turned to Kate. "Just tell me."
She shook her head. "He has a point; it should only be told once." She replied solemnly.
He shook his head and turned his attentions back to Boone.
Sawyer didn't go far; he hid himself in the shadows of the caves and watched. He walked around quietly to where Hurley laid, about 10 to 20 feet away from Jack Sayid, Boone, Kate and the Koreans. Rose; the woman who had quickly become looked upon as everyone's adoptive mother/grandmother, was sitting next to him, stroking his arm and humming softly. The Koreans were tending to Sayid, putting some concoction on the wounds that couldn't be sewn up after washing them off. Jack was examining Boone; applying why looked to be a tourniquet to wound before he started to sew up his insides, as Kate watched and talked.
"Didn't you momma ever teach you that staring is impolite?" Rose said, though she didn't look up from Hurley.
Sawyer jumped a little, spinning around, with his hand over his thumping heart. "Din't your momma ever teach you that startlin' the crap outtapeople right neither?" He shot back defensively. "Jesus, woman, you tryin' to give a man a heart attack?"
Rose smiled her pleasant congenial smile. "You never answer my question."
"Neither did you, and I asked you two!"
"Yes, but I asked you first." She added with a self satisfied smile.
He shook his head. "You've got me there." With a heavy sigh he answered her question. "I haven't had a 'momma' in over 23 years. She didn't teach me nothing of the like." He whispered sadly, looking away to avoid the pity in her eyes.
"And your father?"
"The same." He answered as he sat down beside her on a felled log that had been brought in for furniture.
She clucked her tongue sadly.
"I don't need your pity, o'lady." He snarled venomously.
"Oh honey, this ain't pity I feel for you. I'm just sad that any child should have to grow up without the love of their parents." She admonished softly, she dropped the one hand from Hurley's arm as her other hand drifted towards Sawyers back. She started to rub concentric circles in the middle and small of his back. He was tense; every muscle in his shoulders, neck and back was taut and hard with stress.
He tried to give off the air of annoyance, but Rose could tell that he thought it felt good. The message felt good, but the human contact- affection if you will, was ever better. He didn't know how long it had been since a woman had touch him without it being sexual. Couldn't remember the last honest affection he'd been given. He couldn't recall the last touch that had made him feel so safe and secure.
Oh wait, he could: his mother
He could feel his emotions welling up, the barriers that had taken years to develop; crumble like soggy corn bread. He had to pull himself together or he was going to crumble beneath her fingernails, as they scratched his back in a familiar—almost familial way. He rubbed his palm against his scruffy jaw gruffly, trying to suppress his raw, jagged, suffocating emotions. Trying to reel in his base human desire and need for human contact. "What happened to big boy?" He asked his voice thick and coarse with emotion.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as she glanced at Hurley's still sleeping form and shook her head. "He sprained his ankle."
"Most folk don't faint because of a sprained ankle." He snorted, his chin resting on the palm of his hand.
"True," she acknowledged. "But most 'folk' as you put it, hadn't just run down a mountain while carrying a close friend; who'd been badly hurt, in their arms, with a mentally unstable French woman on their heels." She counter pointed.
He nodded. "You've got a point there."
"And besides that, he had this thing about blood."
"Yeah?" He asked curiously.
"Uh huh," she nodded. "She doesn't do well around it."
"Oh," and then he snorted. "Makes ya wonder how he made it so far without fainting."
Rose let herself smile at this. "I heard that as soon as he set Sayid down and saw Sayid's blood on his arms he passed out."
Sawyer let out a low whistle. "Talk about good timing."
"Indeed." Rose felt a cold wind blow through the mouth of the cave and shivered. "Would you mind handing me those to blankets?" She politely asked, motioning towards the blankets that were sitting on the floor just a few feet away from Hurley.
With a reluctant sight he bent over and grabbed two of the blankets. Her hand slipped from his back to her own lap. He handed her the blankets and crossed his arms defensively around his waist. Where her hand had once laid on his back was now cold, he wished she would put her hand back, but dared not to say it out loud or make an overture to that effect.
She took the first blanket and draped it over Hurley. The second blanket she draped over her own lap as well as Sawyer's, when he didn't protest the action she patted his leg affectionately, leaving her hand there. "Thank you," she whispered sincerely.
"Wudn't nuthin'," he shrugged, turning his attention back to Sayid and Boone, trying to keep his mind off of the tumultuous feelings that Rose was churning up inside him. Rose followed his gaze toward Boone and she could have sworn that she could see the turmoil brewing in his eyes.
"What happened out there?" She asked softly.
"I got Boone stabbed." He answered reflexively heaping the blame onto his own shoulders.
"I don't believe that for one cotton picking second." She retorted without hesitation. "What happened? What really happened out there on that golf course?" she emphasized it giving his leg a reassuring squeeze.
"It don't matter."
"It does too."
"Jack-o already has me tried, convicted, sentenced and awaiting execution."
"The truth will set you free, young man. Now tell me the truth. The honest to God truth." She said with a stern, yet not condescending tone, as she shook her finger at him.
He sighed heavily, knowing that he could never deny a momma type personality. "The woman that was chasing Hurley was getting to close, but Hurley didn't realize it, and wouldn't have until it was too late. F" he caught himself about to cut and coughed to cover. "The crazy b" she looked up sharply and he grimaced. "Well, she is crazy, FreckI mean Kate and I were gonna tackle her, but Kate froze, while I tackled her. Before we even hit the ground she had pulled out this huge knife and we were fighting over itmainly I was fighting her not the get stabbed."
"She's strong, really strong, and my arm," he flexed his bicep weakly. "My arm ain't what it used to be, and it must have shown because she shifted all of her body weight to that side of my body." He paused thoughtfully.
"She almost had me; she was just about to stab me when Boone jumped her. He knocked the knife out of her hand but she started to strangle him. I couldn't overpower her by myself, and neither could Boone. So Kate and I jumped into the fray. But I'll be damned if she didn't pull out another knife and aim it ChiI mean Boone's heart." He snorted.
"You'd think that between the three of us that we should have been able to disarm her." He shook his head when Rose nodded. "We thought so too. And we all thought wrong. Between the three of us we wrestled the hell out of her. Kate had her hands on her hands, Boone had his hands on the knife's grip and I had my hands on her arms. But nothing worked. She was going to stab Boone in the chest. Heck, we were probably lucky that she didn't break his neck before we got involved." He closed his eyes, replaying how Boone had tried so desperately to disarm her and how Kate had tried to pry her hands from the knife to no avail.
"We wrestled around. We exhausted ourselves and that biwoman" he caught himself once more, "that woman acted like it was nothing." He snorted. "It was like, that was her warm-up. Be we were tired, we ain't used to that kind of combat, you know what I mean?"
She nodded her head, squeezing his leg once more.
"We-e-ell, she was winnin', royally whoopin' our collective abutts. Right about then my arm started to give out again; and she could tell becauseonce again she shifted all of her body weight and changed the aim of the knife towards me." His eyes glazed over as the scene replayed itself in his minds eye, complete with the earth shattering screams that he, Boone and Kate had let out as she had plunged the knife downward.
He shook his head sharply, trying to shake loose the memory and the screams. "Next thing I knew; crazy lady was on the ground unconscious, Locke was standing above us, Kate and I were on our feet and Boone," he let out a sigh of resignation. "Boone was on the ground, holding his side, moaning." He turned to her, his hair shading his eyes. "Do you see what I mean? Anyway you look at it"
"Now old on a second, honey." She interrupted him with a raise of her hand. "How did Boone get stabbed if she was trying to stab you?"
"He pulled it towards himself at the last moment."
"And, pray tell, young man, how is that your fault?"
He shook his head. "If I had been able to take her in the first place"
Rose clucked her tongue and shook her head. "He was trying to help you, can't you see that?"
"Yeah, and in the process he nearly got himself kilt." He growled.
"But he did that on his own free will, you didn't force him into it. He didn't have to, but he did. And whether he did it to save you or spare you the pain of yet another wound, or for any number of reasons, it doesn't really matter. All that really matters is that it's been done. And we can't change that, and I really honestly doubt that young Boone did it so that you could rake yourself over the coals…"
"But…"
"Ah, ah, ah. No buts. And when Dr. Jack asks you what happened out there, you had better tell him what you just told me, because anything else is a lie! You hear me young man?" She asked with a stern but gentle tone.
He hung his head and grumbled something underneath his breath.
"Excuse me?"
He groaned loudly. "Fine, okay, I'll do it. Happy now?"
"You'll tell him what you told me, word. for. word?" She asked undeterred.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell 'im."
Rose smiled, her hand squeezing his leg reassuringly. "Thank you." She beamed.
"I don't see the point. He's already made up his own mind." He grumbled, crossing his arms, leaning forward and resting his arms across his knees, successfully hiding Roses; she noticed it as well… and figured that he didn't want the others to think that he had gone soft.
Rose shook her head and decided against attempting to convince Sawyer that Jack was a good and fair man. "You'll see, Sawyer. Just you wait and see." She said instead as she patted his leg once more.
They sat in a companionable silence, with only the sounds of Hurley's light breathing, the crackling of the fire and the hushed hurried voice of Jack as he worked to mar the silence as they watched him frantically work over Boone. Out of the corner of his eye he could also see the Korean couple working hard on Sayid as well. But they both watched Jack intently.
Jack, for his own part, was working frantically cleaning, sewing, suturing, and re-cleaning, as fast as he could manage. Kate sat next to Boone, wiping the perspiration from his brow. They were both eternally thankful that Boone had stayed unconscious throughout the ordeal.
Jack wiped the perspiration from his forehead with the back of his arm as he continued to sew and suture and swear under his breath.
When he finally sat back on his heels after finishing the last stitch Sawyer stood up, pushing aside the blanket, and casting Rose one last look before striding across the length of the cave to where Jack sat washing his hands WHILE Kate washed of Boone's stitches and cover him with a blanket.
"How is he?" He asked curtly.
Jack hesitated.
"How is he?" He asked again, sharper this time.
"So far, so good."
"Meaning…"
"Meaning, if he stays lying still, and his stitches keep, he might be okay. If infection doesn't set in, and he rest until it heals, me might be okay." He trialed off in frustration. "Listen, these are by no means the most idyllic circumstances for would such as this to happen. But whoever kept him calm, convinced him to let someone carry him back, and applied pressure to his wound prevented him from going into shock; which is something that I couldn't have cured or fixedis the person that Boone owes his life to right now."
"Between the pressure that was put on the wound, the expedience that you two got him back her, and the fact that he was kept calm, which was a smart move because the more you panic the more your blood pumps, and the more calm you stay the less blood you lose, and the fact that wound didn't nick any main arteries or large blood vessels or organs, it's a miracle… a miracle that it didn't hit an organ…" He trailed off thoughtfully.
Sawyer regarded him for a moment before speaking. "I'm gonna go and get Sticks, I wanna know what to tell her when she starts bombardin' me with questions, so tell me the truth… is there a chance he'll"
"Honestly, from here on out, we have to take things day to day, hour to hour, moment to moment. There's no telling what is going to happen, and there's no way of telling what's going on inside his body healing-wise. But we're going to try. We'll have to work out some kind of schedule for people to sit with him until he wakes so that he doesn't strain himself. And even after he wakes up, someone's going to have to wait on him hand and foot until he's better; he's going to be on his back for at least a month, maybe longer depending on variables to numerous to even contemplate at this juncture…"
"So, in other words…"
"Right now, at this moment, he's going to be okay… we just have to take it from there." He thought about it for a second before nodding his head again. "It's the best way to put it…when you get her, if she has any questions, I'll be helping Jin and Sun with Sayid."
"Yeah, I got it." He muttered as he walked away, his hands shoved into his pockets, his eyes down cast, his mind reeling and trying to come up with the exact words to say to Shannon.
But words weren't necessary, and not because Shannon had passed out, and not because she looked into his eyes and understood, but because the moment he walked out of the cave was the moment that Locke came around the corner carrying the woman that had attacked them.
And at that moment Shannon looked up from where she had been sitting, with Walt, Michael, Claire and Charlie, breathing the best she could, and without even having to meet Locke's eyes, Shannon had known. She hadn't screamed or sobbed, but instead she lunged at her. Michael and Charlie had been sitting and scrambled to restrain her, but it was Sawyer that was able to get to her the quickest. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she lunged towards them and pulled her sharply against his chest. He hugged her around her chest, pinning her arms to her sides.
"Woah there cowgirl," he hissed as she struggled against him.
"Lil help here, please." Locke called out as Michael and Charlie got to their feet.
The woman was awake, and angry and trying her damnedest to get out of his grasp.
"Yeah, yeah, what you need?" Charlie asked, as Claire and Walt got up and stepped away from Locke and the crazy woman.
"Rope and a place to tie her up where we can make it so that her hands are not together and neither are her legs." He grunted at she struggled against his grip.
"Let. Me. GO!" Shannon ground out as she struggled against Sawyer's bear hug.
"Ya really want me to let ya go? Or would ya rather go and see how yer brothers doin?" He asked sharply as he pulled her even further away from the ruckus.
Shannon stilled her struggle against his arms and gasped softly. "J-Jack's done… he's done with Boone?" She asked her voice quivering as she spoke.
"Yeah, you wanna see him?"
"Yeah," she whispered, waiting for him to let her go, he did, but he put his arm around her waist and guided her back into the caves, but not before Shannon grabbed Walt and Claire by the hand and pulled them along. She doubted that either of them really wanted to be around the psycho lady, especially if she got loose.
She turned to Sawyer. "H-how is he?" Her voice hitched and he stopped suddenly.
"You ain't gonna have an attack are ya?"
"No, no, I just…" her hand absently rubbed her chest over her collar bone as she spoke. "I just want to know what I'm walking into… that's all."
"He's okay, for now, actually he's asleep." They turned were just about to turn a corner but Sawyer stopped her. He licked his lips nervously before he explained. "Listen, Jack said that it didn't hit any arteries or organs, and that we kept him calm enough and got him here quick enough that he was able to repair most of the damage; but darlin', this ain't no hospital. We gotta keep an eye on him and make sure he don't rip them stitches."
"But he's going to be okay…right?" She asked, her eyes pleading for some reassurance that her brother was going to be fine.
He put his hands on her shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. "I ain't gonna make no promises I can't keep. He said we gotta take 'is slow like, day to day, one moment to the next. Their ain't no guarantees, Shannon, but we're gonna try like hell to make sure he gets better, got me?"
She nodded her head wordlessly, tears pooling in her eyes.
"Okay, now be forewarned, he don't look as rosy cheeked as he did this mornin'." He warned her gently. She nodded her head and turned the corner.
He winced when she gasped, her steps faltering before rushing to his side and sitting next to him, her hand running down the side of his face gently as tears streamed down her face. "Oh God, Boone, what did she do to you…" She sobbed resting her forehead next to his. She curled up beside him, with her hand caressing his face as if she wanted to awaken him. But he didn't stir a bit.
"He looks so pale," and he did, but she didn't want to utter the other thought swirling around in her head. She didn't want to utter the fact that he looked dead. His pallor resembled that of the pallor her father had when theyBoone and herselfhad found him sitting at his desk, dead of an apparent heart attack in the middle of the night.
"Don't leave me, Boone." She sobbed softly, her lips brushing against his earlobe. "Oh God, don't let him leave me." She sobbed quietly as she pressed her lips against his warm skin. At least he was still warm; her father hadn't been when they had found him.
She pulled the blanket up around his torso, forced herself to pull herself together, set up and pulled his head into her lap. She stroked his forehead loving, brushing his messy bangs off his forehead as he slept.
Claire carefully sat down in front of her, giving her friends foot a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure he'll be alright mate." She whispered softly.
"He has to be… he just has to be." She cried softly.
Jack walked up with Sawyer, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there at that very moment. "Shannon, Claire," he greeted simply.
"Jack," she wiped her eyes, her hands stilled their toying with Boone's hair and she looked at him intently. "What now?"
Jack knelt down beside them and sighed heavily. "Rest and lots of it. I hope he sleeps through the night, the more he sleeps the more his body has time to heal. Once he wakes up he's going to have to basically lie around for a while. The less he moves the less likely infection will set it. He's going to need someone to take care of him. I realize that this might hurt his pride a little, but when it comes down to it, a bruised ego is a lot better than an infection that I don't have the tools to fight."
Shannon nodded. "Is there anything that I can do while he's asleep?"
"Yeah, water, every once and a while if you could lift up the blanket," he leaned over and picked up the edge of the blanket and pulled it up. "And kind of…" Shannon's sharp gasp cut him off. Both he and Sawyer looked up sharply and saw that Shannon had her hand over her mouth and was looking away from the wound.
Claire crawled over and started rubbing her back. Her eyes met Jacks over Shannon's shoulder. "I'll make sure that the bandage has been changed; and that the wound stays clean." She promised softly.
"Sorry, sometimes being a doctor can come back to bite me in the ass." He shook his head as he dropped the blanket. "I forget, not everyone is used to seeing… that."
He stood up and looked at Sawyer. "You said something about Locke…"
Sawyer nodded to the mouth of the cave but his eyes never left the trio on the floor.
Outside
Jack walking quickly over to Locke, Charlie and Michael. "Need some help?"
"Yah think?" Quipped Michael, grunting when the woman tried to kick him in the groin. "Yeah, help would definitely be a good thing right now."
"Aye mate, she's a kicky one." Grunted Charlie as he tried vainly attempted to hold her legs together.
Locke nodded as well. "If you could get some rope that would be helpful." He turned back to the other two men helping him. "Let's try and get her over here and tie her up."
They coordinated their efforts, moved her over between that were close enough that they could tie one of her arms and one of her legs around the base of each without straining her limbs arms or giving her enough wiggle room that she could possible get herself free. Since they didn't have any rope they used vines that had been tightly braided together.
Locke admired their handy worked as he Michael, Charlie and Jack stood back and watched the woman trying thrash and spit at them.
"Lovely woman, I'm sure." Charlie quipped with a roll of his eyes.
tbc... in the next chapter.
Sawyer does as promises under Roses watchful eye.
Jacks three patients wake up... but who first?
and I honestly can say, I haven't the slightest idea how to end this story :eyes are crossed:
please read and review
