Guys I finally finished my first chapter to my brand-spanking new story! I'm so excited but I'm worried because I don't think anyone will like it as much (is nervous). But there is a view guidelines
1) The baby is Kate's and LEO'S okay, LEO'S! Alright, I had to clear that up because I knew I was going to get people asking me on that one.
2) Next chapter will be the start of the flashbacks (because I know how y'all love 'em soooo much!)
3) Each chapter is an episode of Lost ripped apart and glued back together MY WAY! (with Locke's homemade glue (if I can ever stop getting high off it…) So they're rather long.
4) ETHAN'S IN IT!
Ethan: SA-WHEAT!
And he's evil!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these people, not even Ethan (breaks down and sobs uncontrollably) But the ones I made up are mine, like the baby, and the flashback people. And I happen to know a few people who would LIKE me to own the Lost characters, hee hee hee
Just Incase
Chapter 1
Victory
Hell. He always had mixed views about the place, not really considering it was genuine, but still believing enough that he could fear it. He had never been raised Catholic, he had never gone to church once, prayed before a meal nor even prayed before sleeping. And he was regretting that tenfold now.
If there really was a hell, if it had not been some horrific faux place, exaggerated to scare little children into being well behaved angels, this was it. Pieces of metal lay scorched on the beach, flames engulfing almost everything. People lay shocked, injured, and even dead in the sand.
Jack had saved as many as he could, bandaged wounds until there was no more clothe to soak the exuding blood up with. He'd given CPR until he was short of breath himself, constantly ignoring the stabbing, stinging pain that ripped at his side whenever he moved.
Finally there was no more to do, nothing else to do but get out of there, he couldn't handle it. The smoke was cutting off his breath, the people who were screaming in fright, in pain, being consumed by death. He simply went over the line, he wasn't afraid of the situation, he'd had years of practice as a doctor, but that didn't mean the factors couldn't get to him. He needed a moment to breathe.
That's where he was now, he'd walked through the thick foliage of the jungle, the leaves and vines entwining together like some synthetic web, trapping him on this island forever. When he had gotten untangled, he found himself on a somewhat secluded beach. No one was on it, but the cries for help could just be heard over the crashing waves.
He reached to loosen his tie, but then realized he'd used it as a tourniquet on a man, who was hopelessly pinned under the overpowering weight of one of the planes monstrous, mechanical wheels. It had taken four of them to get him out from beneath.
Was that before, or after the man got consumed by the engine that had a determined nature about it, as the last power jolted through it, it'd power up suck in mere pieces of paper and luggage that had ventured to close, then it sucked up a man and exploded.
Jack shook his head has he took off his suit jacket; he had to get his mind off of the poor soul who was shredded by the fan. He unbuttoned his dress shirt painfully, the dried blood plastering his shirt to his body. He thought about the pregnant girl, hoped her baby was okay, a plane crash definitely couldn't have done any good.
He threw his dress shirt over the tree, on top of his suit jacket that he was supposed to wear to his father's funeral, things had taken a drastic change and suddenly the eulogy was the least of his worries. What if no one came to rescue them? What if they were on some uninhabited island, undiscovered by the rest of humanity? How would they survive? Would he have to deliver that girl's baby? The last thing that was needed was a baby on the island.
He lifted the eccentric pure white shirt over his head; enthralled by how much blood had already permeated it. He placed it on the outstretched, butler like branch and marveled at the cut he'd received from the bamboo he'd awaken in. It lay seeping slowly; at that perfect angle so stitching it would be just out of his reach.
Perhaps another doctor was on the plane, even an obstetrician, who could deliver the baby. Jack shook his head, clearing it of the childish hope, reality sunk in, how many doctors were flying from Sydney to LA on the same flight?
About to release a sigh of grief he was halted by an obscure sound coming from close by in the jungle. He'd heard it before, many times, but not for almost five years now.
Quickly regaining himself, he began to scale the outline of the brush, listening as the noise got louder; he stopped as it seemed to be right in front of him. Silently he wished it wasn't what he expected.
The noise suddenly stopped and Jack paused from moving through the bushes. For a moment there was only the spectral serene silence of the trees looming over him. In a heart beat the noise had started up again, louder this time, and Jack pushed himself into it as he ran through the weeds, and creepers.
He came to a slamming halt at a tree, the monumental size of it indicated that it had been rooted in that very spot long before Jack was even an idea. He paced over cautiously, the tall grass rustling as he stepped with inexperienced footing through it. He placed his hand on the ridged bark that curled up. That's when he saw the noisemaker.
About two feet above Jack's head, where the trunk of the tree split in several directions, branches growing every which way. Some reaching out far further then any others, skimming the leaves of the other trees, when the wind blew they would knock leaves harmlessly off eat other, like monkeys grooming each other for mites.
In the support of the sprouting branches sat an infant airplane seat, the bottom fitting perfectly on the stump like a missing piece to the puzzle. Still in the seat was a screaming baby, no older then six-months.
The 'Y' shaped strap still wrapped around securing the baby, it was still buckled in. Jack immediately fumbled to disconnect the safety belt, the baby continued to cry, shaking tiny-balled fists, as it turned red faced.
He lifted the strap around the baby's head and delicately lifted the infant out of the seat. The green colored pajamas it was wearing were stained a dark gray color from the smoke shrouding the island, but the little yellow ducks were still clearly visible.
Jack did a swift but thorough investigation for injuries of the tiny human, and was for once relieved to find that besides a few miniscule scratches, there was no devastating damage.
It still bawled, but that was understandable, here it was only a few months old, and it was crying probably from separation from its mother so quickly, while others were crying on the beach because of the terror of the situation.
Jack leaned the baby against his chest, and placed a hand on its back to comfort, "Its okay," he whispered. Suddenly the baby stopped crying for a short minute, a single tear rolled from each eye down the slightly chubby, freckle stippled cheeks. Its glorious gray-green eyes held so much sorrow for someone so young.
"Where's your mom?" Jack asked softly, knowing that he and the baby were wondering the same thing. Had she even survived the crash? If she hadn't this baby wouldn't make it long, it was probably nursing still. So unless they found the diaper bag, or the mother, this baby would've been better off a casualty of the crash.
She was lost. Lost in the jungle with overpowering, superior flora. Trees as lofty as skyscrapers, creepy crawly vines and roots braiding across the ground making it difficult to keep a steady step. A select few would be capable of keeping their cool in this situation; those who practiced arborolatry and Tarzan were at the top of the list. Kate on the other hand was just above those who suffered from dendrophobia.
She paused for a moment, her hair tangled about her face, her clothes filthy and ripped. Her right hand held her left wrist gently; she had pulled so hard on the handcuffs to get free of them before the plane crashed that they'd left a bruise on her wrist, it hurt to move.
She had struggled to get free violently, the man beside her, the one who posed as a friend, then betrayed her had been knocked unconscious. Beside her, her baby, her daughter sat strapped in the airplane chair, screaming as the plane went down.
Kate had managed to get free on time; she placed the oxygen mask around her screeching daughter, and then one around the man who had deceived her and finally around herself.
The back of the plane had been brutally torn off while in mid air, the squealing of the metal being ripped apart was still fresh in her mind, she doubted it would be a sound soon forgotten.
She was torn from the plane, landing on another part of the island from what she could tell, no one was around her. She's been callously hurled at the trunk of a large tree, knocking her out cold for some time.
A few moments ago, she heard the crying of a baby, she knew it was her daughter, she knew the sound of her own daughter's crying even as it echoed through the empty, and tree crowded jungle. Kate hadn't been separated from her for the last fourteen months, she knew her daughter.
Now she had come to a clearing, the dirt barely covering the flora's hefty roots. She stepped across them and noticed a certain tree; it was approximately forty feet tall by her experience. But that's not what called her to it, on one of the highest branches of the tree hung a bright yellow tote bag, almost like a flag wavering in the wind. That was Kate's baby bag; she'd definitely need it later.
She scanned the area, making a mental note of where she stood, where the tree roots made natural steps in the ground. She sighed morosely she didn't know which way the crying had come from.
Tears gathered in her eyes, but disappeared as the whimpering erupted again. She literally flew through the trees, not noticing when they tore at her skin and clothes. She pushed her aching body as her heart struggled to pump enough blood to meet the demand that her brain was commanding.
She frayed limbs from shrubs as she broke through to a clearing with a solitary, elephantine tree, with an infant airplane seat thrust in the middle of the reaching limbs. Then she saw a man staring at her, like she was not of right mind, but she comprehended that it was a justifiable assumption, she had just torn through the woods like a bat out of hell.
Then she saw what the man had cradled against his chest, it was her baby, her perfect daughter, her gift from God. She was staring straight back at Kate, tears of joy crowded and blurred her eyes as she cried, "Nike!"
Jack looked at her cautiously; the looked to his shoes, before he remembered that he was still dressed in the respectful black shoes that he was supposed to be wearing to his dad's funeral.
The woman ran towards him and for a second he was confused and almost frightened by her. He looked down at the baby in his arms, and it was reaching towards her, beaming a wide grinned smile. She reached and gently took the baby from him, and cried tears of joy as she hugged it.
Kate collapsed on the ground, tears of rapture still flowing freely from her eyes. The baby laughed as her curls tickled the side of her face, "You had me scared so much," Kate expressed out loud.
"The baby's fine," Jack cut in helpfully, "I'm a doctor, I scanned for injuries," he informed relieved that someone else could take the baby, "I assume you know the baby?" Jack asked just checking.
Kate sniffed the giggled as she stood up cradling her daughter in her arms, "I should hope so, five months ago she was inside of me," she joked. Jack was agape; this woman looked barely capable of taking care of herself, never mind having a child. She looked far too young. Kate saw the change in his expression, "I can't thank you enough for finding her and keeping her safe, if you ever need a favor, I'm here to help you," she offered the turned to leave.
"I'm sorry," Jack blurted out, "I didn't mean to offend you," he stated truthfully. Kate held a weak smile, "Don't be sorry for thinking certain thoughts," she explained, "I've heard far worse things can you imagine, but it doesn't bother me."
Jack nodded and for a few seconds, they both just looked questioningly at each other, "Do you want the airplane seat?" Jack asked indicating the item that was still of use jammed in the tree, "Just to have some sort of support for him? Her?" he asked.
Kate smiled and moved closer, "Her, and that'd be a great help," she responded candidly. Jack reached up to the tree and slowly wiggled the seat free from the suction of the tree trunk.
"Oh my God," Kate explained moving next to him, "You're bleeding!" Jack looked to his side while still working the seat free, "It's no big deal, it just needs to be stitched, but I can't reach it," he stated desolately, then pulled the seat free.
"I could stitch it for you," Kate offered, "I mean I've only ever used a sewing machine, but if you tell me how to do it, I don't mind," she elaborated.
Jack nodded and smiled, "Thanks, I have a first aid and sewing kit on the beach," he told her pointing her in the direction.
Kate began to walk through the flourishing flora of the island towards the beach, her daughter had fallen asleep against her shoulder, and Kate was relaxed even in the situation to have her daughter safe.
Jack began to collect the items needed for stitching, while Kate strapped her baby back into the seat while she slept. Kate sat in the warm sand of the beach; it was so different from all the other beaches she'd seen. The sand so much softer, almost flour like.
Jack sat beside her, then poured alcohol in his wound, wincing as it sent a stinging feeling through his body. He handed the other half of the bottle to Kate who poured it on her hands.
She opened the sewing kit and tried to thread the needle, but her wrist was in too much pain. Jack noticed from the corner of his eye that Kate was having trouble guiding the thread through the miniscule hole of the needle.
"I can thread it if you want?" he offered, she nodded and handed the needle to Jack who threaded it with ease in seconds.
"You did that rather quickly," Kate stated as she pushed Jack's torn skin together with her left hand, the pain from her wrists creeping up and stinging so much that it was almost numbing.
"I've had a lot of practice," he joked. Kate smiled at him as she began to sew his skin back together. "You don't seem scared," she stated.
"I'm not," he replied, without a smidgen of arrogance, "I have this technique I've used since I was in Med. School," he stated as he looked to her again. She raised an eyebrow and he continued, "I just let the fear sink in for only five seconds. And then I regain control and just continue on."
"I wish I could do that," Kate sighed, "But I've never been one to handle overemotional feelings well," she explained.
Jack smiled, "I think you're doing just fine," he stated and looked back to her. She smiled the turned to glance at her daughter seeking comfort in her sleeping form. Jack smiled at the serenity that passed Kate's face by just glancing at her daughter, "How old is she?"
Kate kept her grin and turned back to Jack, "She's five and a half months old," she enlightened. She finished sewing and cut the string, then opened the first aid box grabbing a fresh piece of gauze and secured it over the stitches.
As she pulled away, Jack turned and hit her wrist, she winced in pain immediately and held her wrist protectively, "I'm sorry," Jack apologized. Kate shook her head, "Don't worry about it," she replied, she went to move but Jack stopped her.
"Does it hurt a lot?" he asked her taking her hand gently in his own examining it carefully, Kate nodded. Her wrist was swelling in size and had grown a deep purple color. "You sprained it," he explained desolately, "It looks like it got caught on something, maybe you were pulling it?"
"It got stuck on the seat belt when the plane went down," Kate lied. Jack nodded with a warm smile as he reached and got medical tape from the kit, "I'm going to wrap it up tightly so it'll set back in place, try not to over exert it," he cautioned.
Then he gingerly began to wrap the tape around her frail wrist, slowing down when Kate's breath hitched. Finally when he felt that the tape was satisfactory, he cut it with the scissors and returned it to the kit.
"Thanks," Kate replied quietly. Jack pulled on his t-shirt and sent her another warm smile, "Don't worry about it." Then he paused for a moment.
"What?" Kate asked getting up and walking over to her daughter who was still sleeping peacefully.
"I don't know your name," he declared bluntly.
She giggled, "I'm Kate," she replied shoving out her right hand, he grasped it gently, "I'm Jack."
She smiled and for a moment her eyes glistened in the sunlight from above, "And who is the angel?" Jack asked motioning behind Kate to her daughter, who did somewhat represent a cherub. Her hair was light brown in color and curly, he'd seen her eyes earlier, mostly gray in color with hint of green. Even at that young of an age, she looked amazingly like Kate.
"This is Nike," Kate introduced as she picked up the seat.
"Ah, now that makes sense," Jack spoke to himself.
"What makes sense?" Kate queried.
"You said 'Nike' when you saw me, I thought you were talking about shoes," he expressed truthfully.
Kate laughed, "No, that's her name," she corrected.
"So where are you two off to now?" he questioned.
"Well her diaper bag is stuck in the highest branch of a tropical tree, and I desperately need it, so I guess we're going tree climbing," Kate replied.
"Do you need any help?" he offered.
"I could use all the help I can get," Kate answered with a smile.
The jungle was so lush, she'd been hiking before out in forests with her dad, but it was never this thick, never this untouched by humans. Trees stood like blockades in every which way, making it almost impossible to walk a straight line, only a zigzag pattern would work. The bushels of ground dwelling plants grew so feral that some stood higher then Kate's hips.
The sun had lost some of its overpowering position from directly above the island by the time Kate and Jack made it back to the colossal tree. The dense roots used up much of the nutrients in the soil, making it impossible for floor plants to grow.
"This is the tree?" Jack gawked amazed at the tree, "It's got to be bigger then my apartment building," he exaggerated.
"I don't have to climb the whole thing," she stated as she switched the airplane seat to her other arm, "I just need to get to that branch," She then pointed to a leafless branch that looked anemic, with the yellow bag hanging off of it.
"You're going to climb this?" Jack asked cynically, "You just sprained your wrist, and you're gasping from the walk here," he announced.
Kate lowered her eyes and gave him an unimpressed smirk, "Look it's just been a while sense I've hiked through the wilderness with my baby in an airplane seat, besides I really need that bag."
"We can just go back to the beach and see if anyone is good at climbing trees," Jack told her.
"I'm good at climbing trees, and I'm already here," she argued as she set Nike on the ground as she slumbered, "Besides its getting dark, if I don't do this now, then I might have to wait until tomorrow and do you know how many times she's going to need to be changed and fed between now and then?"
"Okay, okay," Jack gave up, holding his hands up in surrender, "Do you need me to do anything?"
"Yeah, just watch her," Kate explained as she pointed to Nike sleeping silently. She then turned and gripped the hard bark of the ancient tree, climbing it swiftly, but efficiently.
The wind was cooler up in the tree, perhaps because the canopy of trees didn't raise high enough to capture the fresh air and turn it humid. She closed her eyes for a moment as a refreshing gust passed her face and sighed. To her left she could see the amazing sunset, it looked like something a famous artist would paint, all the colors blended into each other so well, it looked almost surreal. To her right the smoky wreckage of Oceanic flight 815 could still be seen burning, the plane's torn body glinting in the dying sunlight.
Kate looked out to the end of the rough, bulky branch she sat on. It grew increasingly thinner to where the bag rested, twirling in the wind. The branch might break if Kate put to much pressure on it to quickly, so she intermittently pulled herself across the ever size decreasing branch.
She could almost reach the strap as it fluttered in the wind; the sound it made reminded her of the flag that stood outside the hotel she'd have to walk past from work. Her fingers touched the strap, "Kate," Jack hollered from the ground; she rolled her eyes and placed her hand back on the limb for support as she looked down at him.
"What!" she shouted angrily at him, waiting for his answer so she could continue to grasp for the bag's strap.
"Be careful, the branch is bending a lot, to much pressure could snap it," he yelled up to her.
Kate rolled her eyes, like she already didn't know that. But he was after all kind to her, and not bad looking at all. She sighed and bit her lip, "Okay, I'll be quick," she replied.
She crawled further down the bough, and once again reached for the fastening, her hand skidded over the rough knitted material of it, "Kate," Jack yelled once again; she kept her stance and hollered, "What!"
At that precise moment, the bough cracked and Kate came tumbling to the ground. This hadn't been her first freefall out of a tree, nor her last. As several other branched zipped past her she reached out and caught hold of one about ten feet from the bottom. She wrapped both her around it, and held onto it like a child would monkey bars.
"Kate," Jack called underneath her she could hardly hear him over the solid pounding over her over excited heart.
"Yeah?" she huffed, her arms were starting to ache, but there was no physical way she could pull herself up.
Jack noticed this too, "You have to jump," he explained, "try and swing yourself towards me, then jump and I'll catch you."
Kate scoffed, "Are you serious, there's no way in…"
Jack interrupted her, "If you don't jump you're going to either land on your face, or on your legs, probably breaking one of them," He explained. She looked at him morosely, "Kate just trust me," he asked.
She nodded and grimaced as pain shot through her arms, "Alright," she agreed, and began to swing her body, "Tell me when," she declared as she kept her eyes closed.
"When," Jack exclaimed. She flew towards him with such grace that he was reminded of trapeze artists from circuses. He wrapped his arms around her waist, but the force she used to swing from the tree was too great and it knocked the both of them over and onto the ground.
Jack landed on his back, the air was knocked out of him for a minute or so, but he quickly regained himself. Kate lay on top of him, her head resting lightly on his chest. He moved a bit and groaned when Kate didn't move.
"Come on Kate," he told her as he shook her gently by the shoulder, "We'd better get back to the beach."
Kate didn't respond, and her body shook limply with his prodding, "Kate?" he asked in a more serious tone. When she didn't answer him he gently pushed her off of him and over to beside him. Getting to his hands and knees, he placed his hand on the side of her neck, to check her pulse, except he couldn't find one.
His eyes grew large and he placed his head to her chest quickly and didn't hear an intake of breathe, nor a heart beat.
"No," he shook his head and tilted back hers. Covering her mouth with his he began to perform CPR, breathing new air into her, then pushing on her chest willing her heart to begin again.
He looked over at Nike who stirred in the seat and babbled something in her sleep, "Come on Kate," he willed her as he pushed on her chest once again. He knew there was something off about her weakness and wheezing, her heart had been put through to much of a strain, and instead of relaxing, he let her climb trees.
He put his mouth to hers once again and then pushed harder on her chest, "Kate," he pleaded, "Come back now," he begged.
Suddenly she opened her eyes and began to cough frantically; Jack quickly sat her up and held her close as she coughed so she wouldn't choke. "Take deep breathes," he encouraged as he held her shaking body.
He heard her wheeze as she inhaled and exhaled, after a few moments her breathing finally regulated, "What…happened?" she whispered, her voice raspy.
Jack pulled away from her, but held her shoulders to steady her. Tears were at her eyes from coughing so hard. He looked to the side and saw the bag from the tree only a few feet away, kneeling over he grabbed it and brought it over to Kate, "Is there any water in this?" he asked her.
She nodded her head and pointed to a zippered compartment, Jack undid it and handed her the bottled water, "Drink it slow," he explained. Placing the bottle to her lips she took small sips until the burning in her throat stopped.
"You put your heart under to much strain," he told her disappointingly, "the fall from the tree and the impact of the ground knocked it out of rhythm and it stopped, you'll be fine by tomorrow, but you have to relax. That means no more tree climbing," he reprimanded.
"I'm sorry," she replied looking away from him at the almost purple sky, stars were starting to pop out of the dark canvas.
"You just scared me," Jack replied truthfully, "I didn't even have time to count to five," he added with a smile. Kate looked to him and smiled in return, "We should get back," he suggested as he stood up and brushed off his pant legs.
He reached down and held out his hand to Kate which she gladly accepted, and helped her to her feet. His hands lingered on her biceps one moment to long as she stared at him, holding an intense gaze until Nike woke up.
Her tiny sobs, made Kate look away and walk over to her daughter in the twilight, "I'm sorry, Sweetie," she apologized as she undid the seatbelt and lifted her out, "Your bum must be sore," she told her as she kissed the side of her face, Nike giggled and Jack smiled.
He picked out the baby bag and walked over to Kate, "You ready?" he asked her as Nike rest her head on Kate's shoulder, "Yeah," Kate agreed as she bent down to grab the seat.
"I got it," Jack offered as he grabbed it, "Remember you can't over exert yourself, with your wrist and your heart," he reminded in a nagging tone.
"I know, I know," Kate replied, "Don't over exert yourself he says," she told Nike, "apparently he's never been a single mother of a five month old."
"Single?" Jack asked then immediately regretted it.
"Pardon?" Kate asked naively, as she turned to look at him while they walked to where they assumed the beach was.
"Nothing," Jack shook his head, and smiled innocently.
"So you're a doctor huh?" Kate asked as she adjusted Nike against her chest. Jack looked over to her as they walked, the beach wasn't very far, they could hear voices and see fires that had been set blaze earlier, "Yeah," he replied as he held back a branch and let Kate past first.
"So are you any specific kind of Doctor?" Kate asked looking at him. He cocked an eyebrow and she giggled nervously, "You know like an ER doctor, or an obstetrician, or a surgeon or a…"
"I'm a spinal surgeon," Jack disclosed as they set foot onto the beach. It was almost completely dark now, and though millions of stars lit the sky, they were too feeble to do any good.
"You look pretty young to be a specialized surgeon," Kate replied, she then instantly bit her lip afterward. Jack watched this action and understood it as one of regret.
"I left high school a year early," he explained, harshness eluding his voice as he stopped and faced Kate.
"Well that would explain it," Kate answered as she reached and took the baby bag from him, "I've got to go change her, if you could hold on to the seat for a little while longer, that'd be a big help."
"Sure," Jack replied as he handed her the bag, "I'm just going to be over there," he announced pointing in the general direction of where some people were laying, "I have to check out a guy, who isn't doing to well," he enlightened.
"Okay," Kate replied gloomily as she turned and trudged a distance away from everyone else, she didn't want to have to bother them with dirty diaper smell.
Jack watched as he still held the seat in his hand, and couldn't help but break a smile as she talked playfully with Nike until he couldn't hear her anymore.
"There you are," a person called as they ran up to him, "I was looking for you," a guy in his early twenties explained, "That guy with the piece of metal sticking out of him isn't doing to good," he informed.
Jack remembered him now; he was the one, who was performing faulty CPR on the elderly woman, he looked at his dress shirt pocket and still saw about six pens gathered there. "Where is he?" Jack asked.
"We moved him over here," he enlightened as Jack followed him to where the man laid, bandages wrapped around his head, and a large chunk of shrapnel sticking out of his abdomen. "He hasn't woken up yet," he continued.
Jack set down the seat and felt his head, "He's burning up, I shouldn't have left for so long," Jack divulged as he placed his forehead in his hand.
"Hey don't beat yourself up about this man, you had to make sure your wife and kid were okay," he answered reassuringly.
"What?" Jack asked looking straight into his cold blue eyes.
"I saw you come out of the jungle with them, she's your wife right?" he asked unknowingly.
Jack chuckled, "No I just met her," he notified.
"Oh I'm sorry," he replied shaking his head.
"Don't worry about it," Jack stopped he realized he didn't know this guy's name.
"Boone," he shot out his hand and Jack took it, "I'm Boone."
"Jack," he replied back as he shook his hand.
"Listen, I'd love to help, but my inane little sister is out here somewhere, and I don't trust her for two seconds by herself," he explained.
"No problem, and thanks for watching over this guy," Jack said graciously as took a seat in the sand beside him.
"Don't worry about it," Boone replied as he scampered off to find his sister.
Jack sighed; he hoped they'd be rescued soon because there was no way that this poor man would be able to pull through without the help of modern day technology.
"Is he going to make it?" a small voice asked from behind him. Jack turned around and saw Kate cradling Nike against her chest. She had a pensive, but hopeful thought.
"Do you know him?" he asked Kate, the way she looked at him, she held some kind of feeling for him. "He sat beside us on the plane," Kate said sulkily. Jack looked at her, could she really have that much compassion for someone she had just met? Or was she lying. He then realized how nice she'd been with him and figured she was just one to wear her heart on her sleeve.
"Tomorrow, first thing I have to find the cockpit," Jack explained as he sat up and led Kate away from the poor man, "If I can find the transceiver that the pilot's carry, I might be able to send out and help the search party find us," he explained as they sat down in the sand.
"I saw the cockpit," Kate explained quietly as she clutched Nike close to her chest, "When the plane went down, the back of it ripped off, I was right there, the wind was pulling and I just held on to Nike with all the strength I had," Kate explained, "Then the front ripped off and I lost my grip on her and got throw out of the plane when we first hit. I landed by the cockpit."
"Kate," Jack looked at her with sympathy in his eyes, "Do you think you could point me to where the cockpit is?" he asked.
"If you're going to find it, I'm coming with you, there's no way I'm letting you go out there alone," She explained as she watched Jack start a fire, the way his hands worked so nimbly with the wood and how he stacked it perfectly, flicking the lighter, it lit almost instantly.
"Kate you have a daughter to worry about," Jack told her, "You almost died out there today by just climbing a tree," he explained as he sat back.
"I met a really nice girl when I went to go change Nike, her name is Claire and she's about eight months pregnant. I'm pretty sure if I asked her nicely enough I could get her to watch Nike for me, I mean there's nothing to it really, every 4 hours you just feed and change her. And if I'm out there with you, I'm sure you'll keep an eye on me," Kate replied sending him a garish smile.
He had to chuckled at her stubborn attitude, "and you're okay with leaving Nike here with some girl you don't know," he posed as he leaned back into the sand.
"She's not some girl, she's Claire, and she's eight months pregnant and where's she going to go? We're on an island," Kate pointed out, "Besides it's not like I've never had to hire a babysitter for her before."
"You've hired a babysitter before?" Jack questioned.
"Not to go partying, I've hired one, once and that was when my boss told me not to bring her into work because the inspector was coming buy," Kate shrugged it off, "I had to go in, I needed the money."
Jack sighed, "If you really want to come Kate, I'm not going to stop you," he told her point blankly.
Kate sighed and Nike ensconced herself closer to her chest, "I'm not a bad mother," Kate said simply as she stroked her daughter's hair, "I know what you think, that I'm young and irresponsible and that's why I have her, that she wasn't planned, that she was an accident and I ruined my life," Kate announced, "But you couldn't be more wrong, I wanted to have a baby, and she is my life. That's why I want to go with you to find the transceiver, because I don't want her staying here for long."
Jack nodded earnestly, "Okay," he replied.
Kate smiled, "What time is it?" she asked as she began to rummage through the yellow diaper bag that was so important to get, "I had a watch but it broke after the plane crashed," Kate explained.
"It's almost ten o'clock," he informed, "why?"
Kate grinned and pulled out a bottle, "She gets hungry by ten," Kate divulged simply, "Can you do me a favor and shake, this up?" she asked handing him the bottle, "Doctor told me not to over exert my wrist," she added mockingly.
He rolled his eyes and began to vigorously shake the bottled milk, until all the contents had mixed and looked almost frothy. "Here," he replied extending it to her.
"Give it to her," she explained as Nike reached out for the bottle, and grasped it expertly with her hands. Jack chuckled as she began to gulp down the contents. Though Nike was perfectly capable of holding the bottle herself, Kate still held her close.
"How is she? " Jack asked, he knew she was fine physically, but he didn't know if there had been any change in her behavior or mood do to the situation.
"She's fine, a little upset because when the bag fell, her favorite rattle fell out and is now lost, but other then that, she's fine," Kate replied with a smile, "I guess I have to keep nursing though," Kate sighed, "I just started her out on solid foods, this is the first week though. Someone told me not to introduce more then one food a week incase of an allergic reaction."
"If you found food from the wreckage like fruit or something, you could mash it, and then feed it to her," Jack explained as he put more wood on the fire.
"But that would seem like a waste of perfectly good food when she can just get it from me," Kate replied.
"That is also true," Jack agreed, "But just think of how immune to infection she'll be."
Suddenly the ground quaked and an excruciating sound bellowed out from the darkness of the forest. Kate looked over to Jack with a frightened glint in her eyes. Jack quickly got to his feet and stood before Kate examining the jungle that lay in front of them.
When the trees began to crash and sway, Jack swiftly helped Kate to her feet, and they gathered amongst the other terrified survivors. The screeching sound and throaty growls only grew in volume as the petrified people could only watch and stare as trees were tossed like pillows through the air.
Nike started to whimper, the deafening din disrupting her calm persona. "Shhh," Kate cooed to her gently, trying to settle her down. The monster stamped through the trees ripping them violent out of the ground scaring her even more.
"Did anybody see that?" Claire asked as she wrapped an arm around her stomach, her normally stoic voice, now shaking with fear.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Kate asked again. The sun had risen and heated up the beach quickly, the odor of the fires that burned through the night and into the morning filled the air, a good, deep inhalation was hard to come by.
Claire sat leaned her bag that was stationed in the sand behind her for support, she had tossed out on of the standard airplane blankets to make it more comfortable for her to rest, "I'm positive Kate, I have a watch, I'll feed her and change her in about four hours if you're not back by then," Claire retold the directions to make Kate feel more comfortable, "I'm sure she'll be fine, and it'll give me practice."
"Okay," Kate nodded a tad gloomily.
"You and your husband just find that transceiver thingy," she informed with a smile.
"My husband?" Kate asked her face portraying puzzlement. She stood a few feet in front of Claire, her hand braced on her hip and her posture slouched.
"The tall, rugged, good looking doctor," Claire enlightened as she licked her finger and turned the page in the diary, "I have to congratulate you on that catch," Charlie snickered.
Kate laughed nervously, "Jack's not my husband," Kate informed, "He's just a guy who wants to find the cockpit."
Claire pushed down her sunglasses a bit and looked over the rim of them, there was definitely some kind of connection between Kate and Jack, that she could tell existed and she'd never even heard a conversation between the two of them, "If you say so," Claire answered, though her voice held a steady tone of charade.
"Seriously, I just met him," Kate voiced, trying to convince Claire that there was obviously nothing between the two of them. He was a surgeon, and she, well she just wasn't his type. Besides doctor, and doctors usually married nurses.
"Well then," Claire began as she closed her diary and put it down beside her, "Does that mean he's up for grabs?" she asked cockily, her vibrant sapphire eyes glowing in the early morning sun.
Kate opened her mouth to respond but Jack cut her off, "You almost ready?" he hollered from a couple yards away. She kept her eyes on Claire, while holding a devious smile, "Yeah," she yelled back.
Kate crouched down to where Nike sat on the blanket playing with a teddy bear, "I've got to go for a little bit Angel," she disclosed to the five-month-old, "I'll be back in a little while, but Claire will take good care of you," she told her. She then scooped her up and placed a large kiss on her cheek and laughed when her daughter erupted into a fit of giggles.
"Where are you guys going?" Someone with a thick British accent asked. Jack stood up and turned dusting off his hands, "Kate knows where the cockpit is," Jack told with a sigh, "We're going to see if we can find the transceiver, it'll send out a signal, let people know where we are."
"Do you mind if I tag along with? There's nothing I can do here to really be a help, but maybe I can help you guys some how," he explained rubbing the back of his head.
Jack looked at him, anymore people would probably just slow them down, but the look in this man's blue eyes, he could tell he needed a break from the bleakness of the beach, just like Jack had yesterday, "Sure," Jack nodded.
The man smiled, his bright white teeth almost causing a distraction from his dyed blonde hair. Almost. Jack returned the smile and stuck out his hand, "I'm Jack," he introduced himself.
"Charlie," the man replied elated and shook his hand quickly. Jack smiled and then looked back to Kate who kissed Nike goodbye and was now walking towards them, her thumbs hooked on the beige belt loops that lined the tope of her cargo pants. She walked with such confidence, yet when she talked she seemed to lack it, "It must be hard to be separated," Charlie explained.
"Huh?" Jack asked broken out of his reverie, he turned away from Kate's approaching figure to talk with Charlie.
"I mean it must be hard leaving your daughter at such a young age, especially on an island. But it's good of you and your wife to look for the cockpit for the good of us all," Claire explained with compassion.
Jack chuckled and put his forehead into his hand again, "She's not my wife," he declared lightheartedly, "I just met her yesterday."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Charlie apologized with an embarrassed twitter, "I've just seen you guys together for the last little while and I guess I assumed, and well my dad used to say, "never assume because it makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'.""
Jack laughed and shook his head, "Don't worry about it." They stood in silence for a few minutes waiting for Kate to meet them, then just a few seconds before she was within hearing range Charlie asked, "Does that mean she's up for grabs?"
Jack looked at him once again and was met by a devious wholehearted smile, he was about to reply but Kate greeted them instead.
"Hey, I'm sorry about that," she apologized immediately, Jack had heard her ask for forgiveness so many times since he'd met her, it seemed like the action was almost mechanical, like it came naturally from her.
"That's okay," he replied, "this is Charlie he wants to come with us," Jack introduced him as he gesticulated towards him, "Charlie this is Kate."
"Nice to meet you," Kate smiled so sincerely, that her eyes almost took on a horseshoe shape.
"Likewise," Charlie replied with a smile.
It was nearing noon time and the jungle had heated up like a sauna. The wind blew in fresh air, but it was quickly destroyed by the canopy. It all seemed to be pieced together like an agrestal mechanism, the breeze wafted in clean, purified air into the crowded jungle, but then disappeared quickly, leaving the new air to become rancid, musty, and hot between the trees. The canopy of leaves and branches stood about, aiding by blocking the vibrant blasts of sunlight, but harmed because the atmosphere of the area underneath was heated tenfold, almost unbearable.
"Is it just me? Or is it like a bloody oven in here?" Charlie complained as the three of them strenuously trudged through the jungle, "Why is it so hot in here?" he asked as sweat slowly streaked down the side of his face.
"It's the greenhouse effect," Kate huffed, as she made her legs stretch to step in the dimples Jack made in the long grass as he walked, "basically the leaves from the trees create a kind of blanket, and the heat from the sun can't escape from underneath them, so it heats up," Kate enlightened as she turned back to take a look at Charlie, who gave her a stare of amazement, "Grade twelve geography was pretty tough," she added with a smile.
"Charlie, you're going to like this," Jack declared as he moved through an opening, Kate followed and soon after Charlie did. Kate stopped in her tracks, gawking at the large field, "Yeah I remember this," she divulged.
The three of them slowed their pace as they covered the large area of the field, the grass didn't grow as high here, and the cool breeze brought relaxed sighs. Charlie walked slowly, kicking tiny pebbles as he went, "Why would I like it here more?" he mumbled to himself, "We're moving slower and the sun is beating down on me now," he protested as he kicked another, that barely missed Kate's shin.
He then noticed a small white object lying on the ground. At first he pasted it off as garbage, but then he remembered that this island was supposedly uninhabited. Bending down he picked it up.
It was a white and pink colored rattle, complete with a tiny sheep on the top of it, and a lavender colored bow tied around the neck. "Kate?" Charlie called as he ran to catch up with her and Jack, "Kate," he gasped and she turned around.
Leaning over and breathing heavily, he regained himself and asked, "Is this yours?" as he held up the petite toy.
Kate's eyes lit up and she took the toy from Charlie, "This is Nike's favorite toy, I thought I lost it in the crash," She explained, then embraced Charlie, "Thank you."
"No problem," he assured, but Kate was still staring at the toy, "She shakes it all night long, and hits me with it, and," she paused for a moment, "Why am I happy again?"
Jack chuckled and she shoved the toy into her back pocket, "At least that'll bring her some comfort," Kate announced.
"Who is Nike?" Charlie asked as they continued to walk, now reentering the deep jungle.
"My daughter," Kate stated as she walked carefully over a log.
"You named your daughter after a shoe?" he questioned disbelieving as he stepped over the log.
"No, I named her after what the shoe is named after," she turned back and saw that Charlie had no idea what she was talking about, "Nike, the Greek Goddess of victory."
"We were going to write a song about a Goddess, not her someone else," Charlie revealed, while waving his hand in the air, "I can't really remember the name of her right now, but it had something to do with virtue I think," Charlie fumbled over his words.
"Now I know where I remember you from," Kate realized as she kept walking, she turned around and gave him a smile, "You're from Driveshaft."
Charlie smiled and blushed a little, someone had remembered him, "Yeah, I play bass and back-up vocals," he enlightened as he beamed.
Kate turned around but kept walking backwards at a slower pace, "My friend Beth would freak, she totally loves you guys, she even saw you live in concert in Sydney I think, last year, it was your last show."
"I remember that show, it was crazy, I think a few fires were even started," Charlie reminisced desolately, "I hope you and Beth didn't get hurt."
Kate laughed, "Don't worry Beth didn't get hurt and I didn't go," she said bluntly, by the look on Charlie's face she could tell she hurt him, "Oh not because I didn't want to see you," she smiled, "Because I was about four months pregnant at the time and I didn't a mosh pit would be much help."
Charlie smiled, "No offense taken."
"Guys," Jack called, "We should keep walking," his voiced echoes through the limitless trees.
"So," Charlie said as they caught up to Jack, "I'm a rock star, Jack's a surgeon, what do you do Kate?" he asked.
Kate looked at him and smiled, "I'm a waitress," she said sheepishly, "You guys are racking in six digit figures, while I'm barely making minimum wage."
"Well I bet you make a ton on tips," Charlie offered as they continued to walk, Kate caught eyes with Jack and he smiled.
"Well I did, but no one wants their food delivered to them by a seven month pregnant girl, so I moved to dishwashing," she divulged.
"Did you always want to be a waitress?" Charlie asked, both her and Jack sent him a look, "What, it's just a harmless question."
"No," Kate said desolately, "I was going Oxford for music."
"That's, a pretty good school," Jack commented.
"Couldn't you pay for it?" Charlie asked sadly he hated when people could you their gifts to their fullest extent.
Kate shook her head, "Nah, I got a full scholarship for playing the piano, but something came up with my sister," she divulged, the tone of her voice eliciting a vibe that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
But the conversation was put to an end, when the trio suddenly rounded the corner. Leaning weakly against several of the jungles strongest trees, was the cockpit of the plane.
The bright white metal of the once volacious plane, now reflected the rays from the sun that hung high overhead. The oceanic symbol had been scratched up by the unplanned landing, the back lined with jagged metal edges, glinting in the sun like serrated teeth of whatever rerouted the trees.
They solemnly walked to the opening and peered inside, people were still strapped in their seats, but no signs of life could be seen. The bodies were all a deathly ashen, some people were throw sprawled out across the floor, while others sat stiffly with rigimortus in their chairs.
"Let's just get this," Charlie began but forgot the object they were looking for.
"Transceiver," Jack reminded as he climbed skillfully into the first class area of the plane. Kate shot a saddened look at Charlie then followed Jack by gripping on to the seat's legs which were fastened into the carpeted floor of the plane with heavy duty bolts.
Charlie let out a small gulp and continued after her, gripping the exact legs she gripped, not wanting any unsuspected surprises.
Kate kept her eyes in front of her, not wanting to look at any of the casualties, thinking that it could've been her. She watched to see what legs Jack gripped and mimicked his movements, though he was checking for pulses as he went along.
He made it successfully to the front of the plane and Kate froze in her spot, she stared somberly at two cadavers. A mother and a daughter, their hands still wound together, gripping tightly. Tears gathered in her eyes, the little girl couldn't have been more the five years old, she probably didn't even understand about the plane crashing.
"Kate," Jack called her out of her enthrallment. She glanced over at him, hoping to hide the tears swarming in her eyes; she nodded and continued up the plane, gasping harshly.
Jack became concerned because of the occurrence yesterday, but then noticed himself huffing rather heavily, so he dismissed it. Grabbing the fire extinguisher, he began to beat the locked door of the cockpit unhinged. He could feel it starting to loose its strength.
He looked over to Kate who was leaned panting weakly against a wall. Charlie was slowly making his way up the bodies still. Jack gave on last harsh beat with the extinguisher and the door whipped open, a body tumbling out swiftly.
Kate let out a startled gasp and moved out of the way, Charlie did the same. The carcass toppled harmlessly down the extreme slant of the plane.
Jack looked back to Kate who let out somewhat of a wheeze that alarmed him, "Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded up and down quickly, "Yeah," she gasped, "You?"
"Fine," he stated still looking at her curiously, he didn't know her that well, but he hoped to God, she was telling the truth, "You don't have to come in here," he offered.
"No," she huffed, "I'd rather be in there, then out here," she explained. Jack moved out his hand, and grabbed her by the forearm, careful of her injured wrist. Looking at it for a brief second, he should've helped her climb, it must have hurt terribly.
He hauled her up, and slipped a hand around her back, helping her into the cockpit first. She rested her back against the wall just beside the doorway, "I'm going to stay out here," Charlie explained, "Look for survivors and what not."
Jack nodded and made his way into the cockpit, moving clumsily past Kate and into the copilot's seat. Outside of the windows only branches from the supporting trees could be seen. The only sound was the dull roar of thunder and the annoying pattering of the rain against the metal body of the plane.
"Great, it started raining," Kate sighed as she looked at him, still short of breath but hiding it rather well, Charlie had no clue, and Jack wouldn't have either if he wasn't a doctor.
He was about to ask her about it when she spoke, "What's this thing look like?" she asked as she wobblingly stood on her legs and leaned forward into the space between the chairs.
"Like a complicated walkie-talkie," Jack explained as he began to look under the seat he was sitting in. Kate leaned over the bruised and bloodied body of the pilot, ensconced awkwardly in his chair.
"How do you know so much about this plane stuff anyways?" she asked checking underneath the seat.
Jack chuckled, "I took a few flying lessons, it wasn't for me," he simply explained.
"A surgeon and a pilot," Kate giggled, as she checked beside the wall and the chair of the pilot by once again leaning over him, "Is there anything you can't d…" Suddenly the pilot awoke with a jut of energy and a fit of coughing.
Stunned, Kate staggered backwards unevenly, and would've made the same trip the copilot made if Jack hadn't caught her. His hand swiftly caught her bicep before she tumbled over, and pulled her securely back into the seated area.
Still holding her with one arm, he handed the conscious pilot a bottle of water that he choked on whilst he drank, Jack looked to Kate, her silvery-olive eyes connected with him for a brief moment, and for a modicum of seconds, he was stunned.
He let go of Kate's arm and turned back to the pilot, "Do you feel like anything's broken?" Jack asked as he checked his eyes, one had a horrible slash above it.
"No," the pilot groaned as he moved around, "How many survived?"
"At least forty-eight," Jack replied. He had taken the time to count as many as he could.
"Listen, we flew off course, six hours into the flight, all our equipment went haywire, so we turned back to land in Fiji and we crashed. No one knows we're here; we're at least one thousand miles off course," The pilot spoke quickly like an overly active reprobate in a church confessional.
Jack sighed taking in the information carefully, understanding it word for word, "Where's the transceiver?" he asked phlegmatically.
"There," the pilot pointed to the corner, Kate slowly crawled over and retrieved the object to Jack, who gave it to the pilot. After turning a few dials and pushing some buttons, static could be heard but nothing else, "It's not working," he explained.
Jack looked to Kate, her eyes dizzying with overwhelming emotions, he remembered her telling him she wasn't good at handling overemotional situations, and this one pretty much topped the cake, "Where's Charlie?" he asked her.
Her eyebrows knitted with puzzlement and she slowly made her way out of the small room. She stumbled out to where the boarding door and bathrooms were and peered around, only the fifty some odd dead bodies that had been there when they entered the plane were present.
"Charlie?" She asked quizzically.
The bathroom door flew open and smashed against the wall, Kate's heart did a leap in her chest and she quickly covered the pain. Charlie looked at her, with his enthusiastic azure eyes, "What are you doing in the bathroom?" her voice shaking with pain.
Suddenly, that heinous trumpeting sound from last night returned, this time so close, Kate thought it was scraping the skin off from the inside of her ears. There was a loud boom and the plane shook as a reaction.
"Kate," Jack called to her as he looked out, Kate looked over and saw that Charlie had already climbed into the cockpit, since when did everything move in a fast-forward motion.
She moved with speed, Jack grasped her arm once again, and a tremor ran through her. He pulled her up just as the monster decided to talk off and venture around the plane area for an investigation.
Jack fell against the space interposing the chairs, and steadily positioned himself in the space. One of his hands holding a cold, steel chair arm for support, while the other hung limply over Kate's left hip. She was pressed so tightly against his chest that he could feel each shudder of fear as it pasted through her. He could almost feel her heart over exhausting itself.
"It's right outside," she whispered timorous. The side of her face leaned against his as she braced herself, grabbing hold of the chairs.
"What's right outside?" The pilot asked as he switched seats, moving carefully to the opening that had been torn in the brutal landing. Full leaves from the trees stood outside and it looked almost as if the trees had torn the hole themselves.
"Shhh," Jack silenced politely as large, bulky shadows moved across the small side windows, darkening the cabin. He stood up lightly and slightly helped Kate make her way to the pilot's seat.
The pilot quietly put the transceiver on the next chair and stuck his torso out the slash in the plane. Kate counted almost four seconds before he was ripped barbarically from the gash. Kate screamed as a sheet of crimson spilt over the windshield directly before her, the raindrops dabbing at it lamely.
Then the plane roiled and churned as the giant outside slammed against it, the trio bashed against walls and windows, floors and furniture as the aircraft churned. It finally landed on the ground with a loud, sudden jolt.
Jack hit the left side, Charlie was thrown over a seat and Kate's face hit the ground. Her body froze for a moment, recovering from the sudden infliction; it was more then twelve seconds before she could inhale.
"Kate?" Jack called, she forced herself to sit up, "Come on," he explained motioning for her to follow him.
She sat up and dizzied a bit, then remembered the transceiver on the chair, grabbing it quickly; she followed Jack and Charlie as they ran through the rain. The mud hindering their wishes for a speedy get away. Jack was at least a block and a half ahead of her when she made it away from the plane, and the monster seemed less then a block behind her, but she couldn't bring herself to look back.
She watched her feet as she ran, making sure to avoid any lingering branches or any objects that could trip her that were incognito. When she looked up again she froze, there was a split of sorts. Two travelable trails, but she hadn't seen which one Jack and Charlie had chosen; their tracks had been washed away with the cascades of rain.
Another bellow from the creature made her make a rash decision and stick with the right trail; she scampered ineptly down the path, around large boulders, over fallen branches, between stationary trees.
She had to get away from the monster; she had to get back to her daughter. The only thing that kept flashing in her mind as she ambled was the mother and daughter holding each other stifling in the mausoleum that had once been first class.
"Where's Kate?" Jack heaved as Charlie stood bracing himself, his hands over placed on his legs. He had never run that fast in his life, he felt sick to the stomach.
"I don't know," Charlie gasped as he stood up, the rain pasting his short chop hair to his forehead, mixing with the sweat. His face was red from overexertion.
"What do you mean 'you don't know?'" Jack asked as he began to breathe appropriately once again.
"She was right behind me, but when I turned back she wasn't there," he explained, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
"We have to go back for her, we have to find her," Jack declared as he turned and began to walk back in the direction he'd just come from.
"What? Are you crazy, there's a certain gargantuan quality about this thing Jack," Charlie stated, "This place," he was cut off by the abrupt ending to the rain, "Something about this place, just doesn't add up."
"Charlie, she has a daughter," he said wearily, and kept walking through the chunky, form taking mud.
Charlie sighed and nodded in comprehension, then reluctantly followed Jack back the way they had come.
They took the other untamed trail, walking dazedly over large obstacles. The sun was once again shining and now sweat and rainwater couldn't be distinguished from their clothing.
Murky puddles of rainwater now puddle in the dangerously quick drying mud, taking on a hazy brown color.
"What do you think that thing was?" Charlie asked as he followed Jack and ducked under a low growing branch.
"I don't know," Jack replied solemnly as he kept walking, not wishing to talk much.
"Do you think the pilot's dead?" Charlie asked as he walked faster to catch up with Jack who seemed to have increased his walking speed.
"I sure hope so," he replied monotonously, and received a frightened look from Charlie, "I mean, with all the blood that splattered on the windshield, would you want to be alive?"
"I guess not," Charlie replied back softly. After a few more steps of unbearable silence he asked, "Do you think she's dead."
Jack stopped in his tracks and looked at the ground, Charlie gulped, "I didn't mean to bug you," he quivered.
"No, look," he pointed to the ground and picked up a shiny pair of metallic pilot's wings. He looked past them into the misty puddle and saw the vague reflections of the neighboring trees. But there was a bundle of something unnatural within the empty boughs of one.
He turned around and looked up into the tree, Charlie mimicked his actions and stood agog, "Is…" He paused and swallowed the bile taste that had crept up the back of his throat, "Is that the pilot?" he asked.
Jack nodded somberly, "Yeah," he answered. The body chewed and mauled, his face wasn't even recognizable, the pale blue uniform he once wore was in tatters and stained a dark mahogany color of dried blood, the rest of him was just permeated with blood.
"Come on," Jack turned away, "We've got to find Kate," he explained, then stepped on something awkward, looking down he saw it was the rattle Charlie had found earlier, except now it was filthy.
Jack bent down and picked it up, glancing at it a moment or two, he finally put it in his back pocket. Charlie sighed, feeling the grief that Jack did, and hung his head as they left the area.
"Guys?" a weak voice called, immediately they turned around.
Jack quickly moved into the middle of the small clearing, "Kate?" he asked, "Kate where are you?"
"In a tree," she informed, her voice was weak and shaky, she stumbled verbally over her words.
"Did the monster get you?" Charlie asked, and instantaneously received a daggered look from Jack.
"No, I climbed it to get away from it," she explained as she snapped off a small branch and let it drop to the ground, to indicate to them where she was.
"Kate, you can come down now," Charlie explained, as he and Jack moved to the trunk of the tree "that thing is gone."
"I don't think I can move," Kate's voice cracked as she spoke, "I'm afraid because of what happened last time I was in a tree."
"It's okay Kate," Jack comforted, "I'll come up and get you okay."
"What happened the last time she was in a tree?" Charlie asked confusedly, as he watched Jack approach the trunk.
"Jack, don't…"
"No really what happened last time?" Charlie pestered once again.
"Charlie, be quiet for a second okay?" Jack asked with as much curtsey as he could muster. Charlie looked at him for a moment, astonished at his mild outbreak, but then nodded in understanding, "Okay Kate?"
"Okay," she replied back faintly.
Jack gripped the bark of the tree and began to climb it, placing his feet in the large spaces between the swirling skin of the tree. He made it through the layer of leaves that blocked the view from the ground and climbed only a few feet further when he saw Kate lying on a branch.
"I don't want to move," she whispered, her clothes still doused in the rainfall, not bits of the tree back and smudges of dirt ran across her shirt. Her eyes were red with shed tears that she was glad he missed, she didn't like showing fault, especially in front of men.
"Its okay, Kate," his smiled warmed her as he stretched out his hand, "Just take my hand, okay?"
"Jack, it's my heart to," she whispered against the woody shreds of bark, then sat up unstably to look at him.
He slowly climbed onto the branch, and was silently grateful she had chosen quite a big limb this time. His feet dangled over the side, they were only about fifteen feet from the bottom, but it still seemed needlessly high, "It's hurting again."
Kate nodded, "it hurt in the plane," she divulged and waited for his scorning, which never came. Instead she felt his warm hand press against her neck as he checked her pulse.
The speedy, rapid thumb of her heart was a bit alarming to him, "You should be okay, but when we get back to the beach, I want you to relax," he told her, his hazel eyes burning into her.
"Okay," she nodded; the silhouettes of the leaves from the trees, making her look incredibly beautiful to him. He quickly pulled away his hand and dismissed all of those feelings.
He held her hand and together they climbed down the tree, though the harsh exercise made Kate gasp for breath by the end. Charlie helped her lean against the tree as Jack finished his decent down the trunk.
"Are you okay Love, you don't look too good," he divulged.
"I just need to rest for a sec," she sighed as she leaned against the tree, "I just get exhausted easily."
"Well then what about the bruise on your face?" Charlie asked as he walked away to stare at the pilot's carcass in the tree, like it were some piece of abstract art in the Louvre.
"Huh?" Kate asked as she pressed her hand to her cheek and winced, like a timed mechanism, Jack was instantly crouched beside her in the dirt, "How did that happen?" he questioned as he touched the coffee colored bruise lightly.
"I hit it when that thing knocked over the plane," she disclosed, "Don't worry it doesn't hurt that much," she assured.
"Well that's not what I'm worried about Kate," Jack began as he sat lethargically beside her, "I'm worried about the fact that Charlie and I got tossed around as much as you and we don't even have a scrap," he enlightened.
"Well I don't know how to explain that," she answered swiftly moving her eyes away, and then handed him the transceiver, praying that it would change the subject.
"The only way you'd bruise that easily, other then sickle cell anemia that I know you don't have because your wounds are healing fine, is if you've gotten hit in the face several times before," he concluded.
"Well I was known for my rugby skills in my finale year of high school," she countered with a feigned smile as she looked at him.
"I mean on a daily basis Kate," Jack replied somberly, and Kate looked away from him, to her shoes that were now completely brown.
"Guys, I don't mean to interrupt anything," Charlie began and they both looked over to him, "How does something like that happen?" he asked gesticulating towards the pilot's mangled body.
Alright, so you guys I really wanna know how I did, like seriously, I'm worried that it's not good enough (though I love it) so PLEASE REVIEW!