Request

Chapter Six

Neither Shannon nor Sayid recognized the ground they were covering as they followed Boone, and Sayid was beginning to get the feeling that they were being misled.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Shannon said as Boone broke off piece of branch from a low cut tree.

"Know a better path?" Boone shot back as he through the bark onto the ground.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Sayid sighed as he moved a branch out of his way.

"No," Boone said, "I know exactly where we're going."

"Then why are we nearly four miles south of where we were before?" Sayid said.

"Look, I know where I'm going, all right?" Boone insisted.

Sayid let Shannon catch up with him before whispering, "He has no clue where he's going."

"What?" Shannon said, staring after Boone.

"Look at him," Sayid said, "he's nervous. He's setting us up."

"Setting us up?" Shannon repeated. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Misleading us," Sayid explained, just in her ear, "he doesn't want us to find something."

"So what're we going to do?" Shannon asked as she continued watching her brother ahead of them.

"Get some answers," Sayid said quietly, "find out what he doesn't want us to know."

Shannon considered it. Truthfully, she'd love to find out where Boone and Locke went everyday, and what they knew that everyone else didn't, and what they were clearly making sure no one else knew.

"How?" Shannon whispered.

Sayid looked ahead, watching as Boone changed paths, thinking it over.

(Space)

Jack paced the sand not far from Sawyer's tent. It was around eleven-thirty, and everyone had gone to bed. Maybe not to sleep, but at least to bed. He had thought that he'd chose wisely by telling Kate to wait for him to return at the caves, but when he heard her voice behind him, he figured he should've known he wouldn't listen.

"Jack!"

Turning at his name, Jack spotted Kate running to him.

"Don't do this," she said as she grabbed onto him before falling.

He held on to her, both to help Kate to keep balance, but also because he felt he needed to.

"Did the good angel switch shoulders?" Jack said playfully, but stopped when he saw that she was serious. "What?"

"I don't want you to do this," Kate began, "I don't want- need- anybody to protect me. I haven't for four years, and I don't now."

"You don't need to make such a big deal out of this Kate," Jack said, finally allowing her to let go.

Kate looked at him.

"We're stranded on an island, Jack," Kate said, everything's a big deal."

Kate looked back towards the beach where a few lingered to go to bed.

"Especially to these people."

Looking over towards Sawyer's tent, they both watched as Sawyer left, heading towards the jungle where they both new he hid a stash of supplies. Jack turned back to Kate.

"Follow him," Jack told her, "make sure he gives me at least ten minutes."

"Jack-"

"All I have to do is go in there, and steal the plane back," Jack sighed, "whatever it may mean to you."

Kate gave him a small smile of appreciation.

"Thanks," she said.

Jack looked to where Sawyer had headed off.

"Go."

But it was Jack who left first, quietly sneaking towards Jack's tent, and Kate stood there for a moment, staring after him..

"You killed the marshal's brother?"

"He attacked my father," Kate said, quickly defending herself.

She sat on the bed of the hotel room she rented in Vegas. Kirstie was pacing the room. Forget that date.

"Did you ever find out why?" Kirstie asked, crossing in front of the mirror.

"I did my research," Kate admitted, "but all I could ever come up with was an old debt."

"What about a con deal?"

"No," Kate said, refusing to consider it, "my father would never-"

"He worked in the army, right?" Kirstie said. "What if sometimes he stayed longer than he had to?"

"But he didn't," Kate protested, "it's more than that, I know it is."

"Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself that more than facing the truth," Kirstie said, wiser for her words.

"Stop trying to act all smart," Kate said, "maybe I can find something out on the date tonight."

"You mean the date you were supposed to go on thirty minutes ago?" Kirstie said, eyebrow raised.

Kate's eyes widened as she realized what time it was.

"Oh damn," she muttered.

Grabbing her purse, Kate headed for the door.

"Hey," Kirstie said, making Kate stop and turn around.

Kate waited for her to say something.

"Don't do anything stupid," Kirstie said, offering Kate a small smile.

"I won't," Kate promised, and after returning the smile, headed out the door.

Jack knew Kate had finally left by the sounded of her footsteps disappearing into the forest. Taking a deep breath first, Jack opened the flap of Sawyer's tent, and was about to enter, when Sawyer stepped out.

"Well, well, well," Sawyer said as he stepped forward, forcing Jack to step back, "which is it? Sleep walking or taking a midnight stroll?"

"You just left," Jack said, continuing to back away.

"Tent flaps work both way," Sawyer said with a grin of pride.

"Sawyer, if you would just give me the plane-"

He was cut off as Sawyer landed a punch right to his nose, causing Jack to double over in pain. As Jack clutched his face, blood poured out of his nose, not even giving him a chance to fight Sawyer off as he felt himself begging pinned back against a tree.

"You know, I was right about you from the beginning," Sawyer growled in Jack's face, "you're nothing more than an amateur hero."

A million thoughts rushed through Jack's head, but worries of Kate's whereabouts overrode his worries for his own behalf, and as Sawyer hit him a second time, Jack knew that he was standing by a losing battle, and had no choice but to scream, praying that someone would hear him.

(Space)

Boone stopped at a sudden movement of leaves.

"Guys.." Boone said slowly, "did you hear that?"

The night air was silent as Boone glanced around. Nothing. The leaves rustled again.

"Guys..?"

And darkness took him as he felt himself being banged on the head.

(Space)

Sayid lowered the branch as he stepped forward, examining the unconscious body in front of him.

"You didn't..kill him..did you?" Shannon answered, overreacting.

"No," Sayid said, throwing down the branch.

Shannon bent down with him as he checked her brother's pulse.

"Just knocked out," Sayid assured, "and it'll only be for a few-"

Sayid was interrupted by a loud, desperate, cry for help. He looked at Shannon.

"Was that Jack?" He said in confusion.

They listened for more, but when they heard nothing, Sayid stood up, Shannon quickly following.

"Where are you going?" Shannon said, stopping Sayid before he turned.

"Do you think that someone would scream for help at midnight for no reason?" Sayid said to her.

Shannon didn't answer him, but just gazed at Sayid, trying to tell him with her eyes that she didn't want him to go- or to be left out here alone.

"What about-" Shannon started, nodding down towards the unmoving Boone.

"Tell him that we were attacked," Sayid said after thinking about it.

"And you just left me here?"

Bending down, Sayid lifted Boone a little and sat him up against a tree, checking for any blood. There was only a little, but afraid to take any risk, he ripped off the sleeve of Boone shirt, and gave it to Shannon.

"Make sure the bleeding stops," Sayid said, handing the cloth to her.

"What if it doesn't?" Shannon said, worried.

"It will," Sayid reassured, then lowered his tone, "listen, Boone's trakking's off, we're only a few miles west of camp. Follow that trail there-" he pointed it out, "-if anything happens. But try to wait until he wakes up."

Sayid let his hand trail against Shannon's cheek, which she accepted before turning down a selected path.

"Wait!" Shannon called after him.

Sayid stopped and turned around.

"What do I tell him?" Shannon said. "About you?"

"Tell him I went to get help," Sayid said.

They shared their usual parting gaze when finally, Sayid realized that time was getting away from him, and turned, leaving Shannon alone with her unconscious brother.

(Space)

Sayid could guess that he was an hour from the caves when he ran into Kate, who was frantic.

"Sayid!" She gasped in relieved. "Have you seen Jack?"

"No," Sayid said, just about equally out of breath, "but I heard him-"

They were cut off by the sound of talking. Sawyer talking.

"That's-"

"Shh!" Sayid hissed, and paused before he slowly moved forward, Kate following right behind him.

The sound of Sawyer's conversation grew closer, and he was obviously just beyond a bush that Sayid pushed out of the way. Both Sayid and Kate stopped at the site before him. Sawyer was talking, but not to someone. Or at least not to someone who was talking back. He was talking to Jack, who was not in the best of positions. In fact, it was hard to tell if he was even alive. Sawyer had somehow managed to knock out Jack, and tie him up against a tree. From what it looked like, he was trying to recreate Sayid and Jack's torture scene, without the bamboo and knives.

"What are you doing?" Kate demanded, still frantic, before Sayid could stop her.

"Oh," Sawyer said, acknowledging their presence, "look who decided to join us."

Sayid tried t stop Kate from stepping closer to Sawyer, but failed.

"Have you lost your mind?" Kate said, looking in disbelief at what Sawyer had done.

"Freckles," Sawyer said, rubbing a sore knuckle, "I lost my mind a long time ago."

Neither one had noticed that Sayid had beant down beside Jack's, whose head was tilted to his neck.

"He's still breathing," Sayid informed Kate, relieved himself.

"What, you think I'd kill him?" Sawyer smirked.

Sayid answered him with a punch to the jaw, which sent Sawyer down, and the impact of his head hitting the ground knocked him out cold. Both Sayid and Kate stared at him for a moment before rushing back to Jack. Sayid lifted Jack's head, and was relieved to find that Jack only had a few bruises to the face. Tapping a clear side of his face lightly, Sayid tried to get him to wake up.

"Jack," he said softly, "Jack..Jack, wake up."

He repeated the action several times while Kate sat back in the sand, head in her hands, praying to herself. That was when they heard a soft grunt cueing that Jack was awake.

"Thanks God," Kate sighed, almost smiling in relief, as was Sayid.

They gave Jack a moment to try and clear his vision, which obviously wasn't easy for him.

"Can you understand me?" Sayid began.

"Yeah.." Jack mumbled, barely audible.

Kate sighed in relief again.

"Do you remember anything?" Sayid asked next.

"I remember a plane.." Jack began in the same hoarse voice, "and a crash..and an island."

Sayid glanced at Kate, and she nodded, knowing what he was about to ask.

"Remember this?" Sayid said, letting Kate move into Jack's view.

Jack tried to smile a little but failed miserably.

"Yeah," he said instead.

They sat in silence for a moment, giving Jack the chance to regain his senses back. Remembering he was still tied up, Sayid moved to untie him, and as he began the process, Jack's memory began to slowly come back.

"Sawyer-" he muttered.

The way he said it equally scared both Kate and Sayid. Though only one word, he said the name all in confusion, hatred, and even..fear? It left Sayid wondering not what Sawyer had done to him, but said to him.

"He's out cold," Sayid said, then turned to Kate, "we need to get him back to the caves as quick as possible."

"What about him?" Kate said, nodding towards Sawyer.

Sayid looked at Sawyer, who was still unmoving on the ground with dried blood stained on his chin.

"I'll deal with him," Sayid said, grim, he looked up at Kate, "get him back to the caves, and try to help him the best you can."

"I'm fine," Jack mumbled in protest.

Kate could've almost smiled- even half dead Jack still tried to play hero, but truthfully for the looks of it, Jack looked anything but fine.

"You're going to be fine," Sayid corrected, thinking along the same lines as Kate.

"Kate," Jack mumbled.

"Yeah?" Kate asked as she glanced towards Sayid.

Jack didn't say anything, but instead Kate saw him try to bring something forward he had been holding behind him before, and her heart fell when she saw what he was trying to give her: the toy plane, but instead of its usual, childlike glow, it was broken into two pieces, right below the wing. She knew there was no way that Jack could see the sadness that fell over her face, but somehow, he could sense it.

"I'm sorry," Jack muttered.

"It's not your fault," Kate said, trying to hold back tears.

And Sayid understood. This had been some kind of game that Jack and Kate had been playing together for no telling how long. None of this was Jack's fault. Of anything, it seemed to be Kate's. He was protecting her against someone, or something. Jack was innocent. Sayid was lost in thought until he found that he had finished untying Jack, and stood up.

"Can you take him?" Sayid asked to Kate.

"Yeah," Kate nodded, "I'll be fine- we'll be fine."

Sayid moved towards Sawyer, when something occurred to Kate.

"What are you going to do with him?" Kate said, convincing herself that she shouldn't be worried for Sawyer.

"I think I might give him a taste of his own medicine."

From the way he said it, Kate couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

(Space)

Alex woke up that night, surprised to find that she wasn't in the caves. The last thing she remembered was coming down for water, and getting into a conversation with some young woman from New York. Had she fallen asleep? But Alex had no time to ponder this as her mind was overtaken by questions being asked around her.

"What the hell happened?"

"Who did this?"

"Is he okay?"

"Will he be all right?"

Lifting her head, Alex echoed the questions back to the nearest person. She wasn't sure of his name, but she knew he was always taking care of the pregnant girl, so she figured he couldn't be that bad.

"What's going on?" Alex asked him as she sat up.

"I don't know," the man- Charlie, she suddenly remembered as his name- said.

Charlie walked towards the commotion, and Alex finally got a good look at what was going on. She wasn't sure of her name either, but a woman who looked to be in her mid twenties had rushed into the caves, practically dragging along Jack(he had later introduced himself that first day), and was sitting him down on a rock as she was swamped with questions.

"Just give me some space, okay?" She said finally.

"Can I do anything?" Charlie asked her as he looked at Jack in horror.

"Yeah," the woman nodded, "go get me a cloth, and some peroxide, and hurry."

"Kate-"

The woman, obviously Kate, looked up, glaring as to wondering who would interrupt her right now. Under the circumstances, Alex personally couldn't blame her.

"Never mind," said another survivor Alex didn't know.

She made a mental note to get to know more of the castaways, or at least learn names. A few minutes later, Charlie returned with a wetted rag and a half a bottle of peroxide. Before letting the medicine soak onto it, Kate dabbed Jack's eyebrow with water. Feeling the cold liquid against his skin, Jack jerked awake, causing the survivors to subconsciously jump back.

"Your fine," Kate reassured him, "you're back at the caves."

Jack tried to stand, knocking Kate's hand away, looking down instead of making eye contact. Or maybe he didn't want anyone to see how out of focus he was. The attempt at standing failed, and Jack practically fell back down onto the rock.

"I'll just go-" Jack began, but was cut off by Kate.

"What?" Kate said in confusion. "No, Jack-"

"I'm fine," Jack insisted.

"No," Kate said, shaking her head, you're not."

"No really-" but as Jack tried to stand again, he felt his heart skip a beat.

He then felt his throat close in on his, and Jack lost all sense of focus as he felt himself falling- both down and into darkness.

Author's Note: (slowly comes out) Um..all I have to say is..I warned you guys. I did. I told you it be bad. Man, three unconscious castaways in one chapter- like a broken record. Don't worry..it's not the end of Jack. Just remember what I said about not having the heart to kill off anyone. Not even the kid. Jack's going to be fine, after a while. As well as Sawyer and Boone, who, at least I think one of them, will return to scene next chapter. Question: would two coma/dream experiences be too much for one fic?

Btw- I think I should get credit for not going insane over that chapter. I felt a little uneasy about writing it, but finally decided it had to be done, as much as I hate to see poor Jack hurt. I mean, I had those scenes bouncing around in my head for weeks, months! Okay, so that doesn't exactly make me sound good, but I mean, you get these ideas and when you finally get to write them you're all relieved. Next chapter will be hard though, especially with what happens to Sawyer. It's not all that bad, so don't worry!

I also have to say- YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! I almost cried at the reviews I got! At least two saying it was the best chapter I've written! I didn't like that chapter very much, but apparently, it wasn't that bad! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I'm sorry I don't reply to each reviewer, because that would be what I would say to everyone. I mean, I've been praised for my work before- but not like this. Not that I'm saying I don't like my other reviewers. So once again, THANK YOU and I promise you, you'll like the ending, or at least if you're a Jater you will! Yall rock!

Until next time..

October Sky