Disaster and Devastation

Panic. Everywhere Jack looked there was panic. People were screaming and people were running from the thing known as the monster. Jack, himself, really didn't know what to do. He knew that the caves weren't far. That was it…he could send them all to the caves.

"Hey!" He yelled for their attention. He didn't get it. "HEY!" He yelled a little louder. Another tree was ripped out from the ground, sending dirt flying over every person.

Jack resolved it was useless to try and speak to everyone at once. He went around to people who had clustered together and told them of the caves how far away they were and how to get there. They all nodded their heads in approval and understanding.

One by one the people left the clearing they were in. They monster once again did not show his face, unfortunately. But in the distance he could be heard. Jack was left alone in the niche of trees looking around. Someone was missing. Casey.

"Casey!" Was what he now called out. No answer from her scared him somewhat. He called for her again. "Casey!" Still no answer. Jack picked up the pace of his walking to a slow trot, still yelling for her. His eyes searched the now muddy terrain. The rain began to fall, hard heavy raindrops that blurred Jack's vision.

He called for her one last time, "Casey!" This time a figure stepped out from underneath a tree. The roots making a wall, thus cutting her from his line of sight.

She just stood in front of him, keeping her distance. Blood smeared her white T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was wet from the rain and she had obviously smoothed it back judging by the red tint that was no being washed away by the rain.

"YOU!" She screamed. She ran to Jack and pushed him backwards. "YOU were the one that lead us into this damn jungle. YOU were the one who'd rather save time! Now…now you're going to have to save a life. Come with me…now." She said forcefully.

She led him under the tree in which she had appeared from. There somewhat of an overhang shielded the two from the rain. Only there wasn't just two of them. Lying on the ground was a girl no more than eighteen lay bleeding and she was fully conscious too.

Casey kneeled at the girl's side. "Maggie, can you hear me?"

"It hurts Casey," she breathed while tears filled her eyes.

"I know. Just lie still okay. Jack's here too." Maggie didn't hear a word she had said. She was mumbling to herself.

"Maggie? Maggie listen to me. I'm going to fix this okay? I…am going to save you." Those words struck a chord with Jack. He had said the same exact thing to Boone before he died. He knew Casey was very serious about this girl.

Maggie slipped out of consciousness soon after Casey had reassured her safety. "You are going help me." She stood up to get medical supplies, or at least what she had out of her own backpack. "Jack I don't know what I'll do if she dies. She's been my voice of reason here on the island for the last month. She is eighteen. I will not let her go like this." Casey turned to him and looked at him square in the face. There were no tears in her eyes but her bottom lip quivered slightly. She was desperately trying not to cry.

Casey then turned away without saying a word to the male doctor and ripped the girl's shirt down the middle, revealing a puncture wound on her side and one on her leg. 'Look's like the monster didn't get as much as I thought,' Casey marveled. She took out a towel and cleaned up the wound on her side, then she moved to the one on her calf.

Jack didn't know what he was supposed to be doing. Casey looked like she had the situation under control. He put down his backpack and sat down his back resting against a tree root.

"Damn it." He heard a whisper. "She needs stitches and I can't stop this bleeding. Something was nicked."

"I have a sewing kit." Jack announced. "That's what I usually use for stitches."

"Could I barrow it? Please?" Casey looked up at him pleadingly.

"Let me." He pulled the little blue box with different colored thread out of his bag. "I'll do it for you."

Casey didn't reply. She just scoot down so that Jack had access to the leg he was stitching. Casey went to work on trying to stop the bleeding in Maggie's torso. Jack just sighed and smiled at the determined doctor by his side. She reminded him a lot of himself.

000

Jack finished before Casey had and waited for his next instructions. It was strange that he was taking orders from another person. He had been a leader for so long he'd forgotten what it's like to be below someone. He didn't want to intrude on Casey's concentration so he watched her intently.

Casey couldn't get the bleeding to stop to save her own life. She was starting to panic. But she knew she couldn't. She could not flake on Maggie now. Not when she needed her so much. Casey's clothes were drenched with crimson colored goo as well as her arms. Her hair had dried and was now hanging in her face. She didn't want to brush it out of the way because of how dirty she was.

"Jack," Casey suddenly called, "I need…I need your help." Jack sat up straighter to acknowledge her request. "I can't get the bleeding to stop. She's loosing too much blood. If we can't get in under control then she's…she's not going to make it." Casey moved and let Jack have her stop and she moved to his. In the limited space they had it was the best she could do.

She watched Jack work. He was so much like his father it scared her. His face when he worked was very serious, very stern. Jack was a handsome man, but boy if he wasn't trouble for her.

"This is going to be difficult to do with out opening her up. But I think I can do it." Casey nodded.

"Aimee, she couldn't be more perfect." She held the little girl in her arms. Casey smiled and cooed at the hour old infant.

"I'm glad we went with the c-section. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost her." The proud mother took her baby and kissed her forehead. "Thank you for all that you've done. You are a true saint!"

"I don't know about that. I'm just a doctor." Aimee smiled and went back to bonding with her child. Casey stared in wonder. The all-to-familiar longing settled into her stomach.

"Well, I have other patients to look at so, I'm going to head on out. I check in with you later." The woman nodded as Casey left the room.

"Nicely done procedure, Doctor Call. Couldn't have done it better myself." Someone startled Casey just outside Aimee's door.

"What do you want Doctor Shepard? My internship ended almost three months ago. Do you still have to follow me around?"

"No. I just like to see how my interns hold up once everything they worked for is achieved." The older doctor observed as the younger woman rummaged through files of discharged patients.

"I love it. What more can I say? I'm finally a doctor! Whoo-hoo." She said sarcastically.

"Doctor Call? A nurse in pink scrubs walked up to Casey. "The woman in room 16 is fully dilated."

"Good. I'll meet you down in the delivery room." The nurse disappeared into room sixteen and came out with a white stretcher holding a very pregnant woman with a supportive husband holding her hand.

Casey once again couldn't help but stare. She wanted it more than anything. She smiled slightly at the pretty picture. She had almost forgotten Doctor Shepard was there until he spoke again.

"I'm sorry you can't have it Casey." She fell back into reality.

"Can't have what? I don't know what are you talking about? I'm fine. I don't want anything. I have everything I've ever wanted." She snapped.

"You can honestly say that you never want a family?"

"Where are you going with this Christian? Frankly, I think you have no right to be telling me what I want and don't want. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a delivery to make." She started down the hallway to her intended destination. She could hear Doctor Shepard after her.

"My son is getting married this weekend. I'll be gone for a few days." He caught up with her.

"Congratulations." She said monotonously. "I'm sorry but you can't come passed this point." Then she shut the door that said 'maternity ward' in his face.

"Casey?" She was ripped from her thoughts as Jack sat back to talk to her. "I think she'll be okay."

"How did you do that?" She asked in disbelief.

"Do what?" He asked with a smile.

"Fix her so fast."

"That's the beauty of having a father as the chief of surgery." Jack chuckled and looked at the already healing Maggie. "She should be fine but I want to get her back to the caves."

Casey nodded and told Jack he could carry her without her injuries reopening. So, that's what he did. And they made it back to the caves without a hitch.

NEXT CHAPTER:

Maggie and Jack have a talk about Casey. Some things that Casey didn't want out are know public information. And a strange visit from Danielle may cost someone more than their time.