Fever Ch. 2

Just before dark, Libby, with help from Kate and Hurley, brought Rose to the caves. It had taken all three of them supporting her to make the trip from the beach. They were all clearly exhausted, and Jack told the three of them to go and get some rest. He would need them later. He was examining Rose when Shannon came in.

"Um, Jack," the blond said hesitantly, "Sayid is asking for you. He says it's important."

"How is he?" Jack asked.

"He's being a pain in the ass," Shannon said. "A bigger pain than Sawyer, if you can believe that. I know he feels awful but it was all I could do to stop him from coming to talk to you himself. I promised I would bring you back."

Jack looked up when Shannon sighed. She was chewing on her lip as if she wanted to say something more.

"What is it?" he asked.

"He's not really making any sense."

"What do you mean? He's delirious?" He wished they had a thermometer so he could know exactly how high everyone's fever was.

"If that means you don't make any sense, then, yeah, he's delirious. He keeps talking about that French chick...something she told him that he has to tell you. I left him and Sawyer alone, can you come now?"

"Shannon, I need to see to Rose first. As soon as I'm done here, I'll come. Go on back. They shouldn't be alone. Do you need more water?"

"No, he won't drink it anyway."

"He has to," Jack looked at her, "You have to make him drink some water, Shannon, if he doesn't, as high as his fever probably is, he'll dehydrate."

"How..?" Shannon said, a slight whine creeping into her voice.

"I don't know!" Jack lost his temper and lashed out, "Just do it, okay? I can't be every where at once."

Shannon stepped back as if he had slapped her.

"Don't yell at the child, doctor," Rose said softly. "Go, help her. I'm not going anywhere."

Jack helped Rose sit up and gave her a bottle of water. "When I come back, this will be gone, right?"

"I promise," Rose smiled.

Jack turned to follow Shannon. Her long legs and anger had already taken her several yards ahead of him, and he hurried to catch up, grabbing her arm. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," he said.

She turned to face him. In the glow from the fire he could see her eyes were full of fear.

"If he dehydrates he could die, right?"

"He isn't going to die."

"Boone did. My mother and father did. People I love die, Jack."

There wasn't anything to say to that, Jack thought, guiltily. He put his head down and walked past Shannon toward the cave. When he got there, he could hear Sayid mumbling under his breath. As he moved to crouch beside the man he realized Sayid wasn't speaking English. Arabic. Great. Maybe if Jack talked to him he could get the Iraqi to switch back to something he could understand.

"Sayid," Jack said, bending closer and shaking him gently. The arm he grasped was hot to the touch, and dry. Sayid wasn't sweating. "Sayid," Jack said again.

Sayid's eyes fluttered open and he struggled to focus on Jack's face.

"Shannon said you wanted to see me," Jack picked up a water bottle and unscrewed the cap. "Drink this, all of it," he said, putting an arm behind Sayid's back to help him sit up. "When it's gone, we'll talk."

Jack helped Sayid scoot to lean against the cave wall. "The water," Jack told him again, "Drink it all."

Sayid's hand trembled when he took the bottle from Jack so the doctor held it until he had taken several sips. Jack looked over his shoulder at Shannon standing in the doorway, watching. Evidently Sayid didn't want her to hear what he had to say, or he would have told her already.

"Check on Sawyer. Give him some water or juice. We'll be fine here." he said to her.

Shannon hesitated, but after a moment she walked to the other side of the cave and bent over Sawyer.

"Okay," Jack said, "Let's finish this so you can tell me what's so important." He held the water again, but Sayid was able to take it and drink the rest on his own.

"When I was first captured by Rousseau," Sayid began, "She talked about the others in her party getting sick...after they had been to the black rock." He leaned his head back and took a breath, struggling to concentrate. "She told me it happened after two months, how long have we been on this island? I no longer trust my calculations."

Jack thought for a minute. "Sixty days, I would guess."

"Two months," Sayid said.

"But this sickness," Jack said. "Didn't she mean crazy sick? Insane?"

"Perhaps, but what led up to that...how it manifested itself, I do not know." Sayid closed his eyes.

"Sayid," Jack spoke sharply. "Stay with me for a minute." But the man's eyes remained closed.

"Someone should find her." Sayid mumbled. "Find her and ascertain." His eyes shot open and met Jack's "Watch any one who is sick," he said. "And do what you have to do."

Jack eased Sayid back down onto the mat. The water would help, but the fever was still too high. There had to be a way to bring it down. He walked over to where Shannon was tending to Sawyer.

She looked up, "How is he? Tell me the truth."

"He still has a high fever. I've got an idea, but I need your help."

"What can I do?"

"Do you know where we keep all the clothing we're not using?"

"Yeah, in the tunnel in back of the infirmary,"

"Yes. I think I remember seeing a heavy robe, you know, like the kind they give you at a really nice hotel?"

"Someone stole a robe?" Shannon gave a small smile, "Okay, What are we going to do with it if I find it?" she asked.

"Take it to the falls and get it soaked. Bring it back in here and we'll wrap him up in it. It isn't as good as an ice blanket, but it will have the same effect, I hope."

As Shannon got up to go, Sawyer reached out and grabbed her hand, "Hey, Sticks," he said, his voice raspy, "Thanks for the water and all. I know you'd rather be takin' care of Omar over there."

"No problem, Sawyer," Shannon said. Then impulsively she leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Get better, okay?"

Jack worked his way from Sawyer to Sayid and back again, waiting for Shannon to return with the robe. Sawyer seemed to be holding his own, but Sayid was getting worse. At one point the dark man was shaking so hard it was difficult for Jack to hold him still. He continued to mutter in Arabic, and Jack could only make out an English word every now and then.

Just as he was about to go and look for her, Shannon appeared in the entrance to the cave, dripping wet and holding one end of the robe, heavy with water. Jin followed her, grasping the other end.

"It was too heavy wet, and I didn't want to drag it." Jack thought he heard a catch in Shannon's voice and he listened closely. There it was again, a slight rasp as she breathed. The last thing they needed was for her to have an asthma attack. He took the robe from her.

"Sit down. Breathe, Shannon, in and out...slow...calm down, okay?" Shannon nodded and sat. Jack watched her struggle for a moment, then seeing she seemed to have it under control, turned back to Sayid.

Jin motioned to Jack. "I...can... help." he said.

"OK," Jack said. "Come over here." He walked to Sayid and lifted him up again. Sayid groaned and his arms flailed as he tried to push them away. Finally, with Jin's help Jack wrapped him in the wet robe.

"That should help to bring the fever down," Jack touched Shannon's shoulder. "Are you alright now?" He listened, but couldn't hear the rasping any longer.

"Yeah, I think so." Shannon answered.

"Good. Go change out of those wet clothes. Sawyer is sleeping. Jin will stay with Sayid until you get back. Come and get me if there's any change. I'll be checking on Rose and Claire."

Jack glanced at Jin. Pointing to Shannon, who was kneeling beside Sayid now with her back to them, he made a tapping motion beside his eye. "Watch her, okay?" Jack put a hand on his stomach and breathed heavily. Jin nodded his understanding, and Jack left to check on the others.