Jack looked at him and gave him a weary smile. "Let's just say I'm glad I have the option to get off the beach," he said. "That raft has just been one long headache. And we're not even done yet."
"What's happened now?" Boone asked.
"Which story do you want first? The one where Michael got poisoned or the one where they're heading for Antarctica?" Jack asked, sitting down.
Boone looked at him. "What?"
"Sun doesn't want Jin to leave so she put something in his water bottle to make him sick," Jack explained. "Then he and Michael got their water bottles confused and he got sick instead."
"Is he okay?" Boone asked.
Jack nodded. "Yeah, he'll be fine," he replied. "But Sawyer jumped to the wrong conclusion about everything and felt the need to out Kate which is just one more problem we don't need around here."
"Out Kate?" Boone asked. "Out her as what?"
"Fugitive," Jack replied.
Boone looked at him. "Kate's a fugitive?" Jack nodded. "You never told me that."
"I didn't?" Jack shrugged.
"You know you didn't," Boone replied, looking annoyed.
"Maybe I didn't, why does it matter?" Jack asked.
"What did she do?" Boone asked.
"I don't know," Jack replied.
Boone gave him a look. "Please, as if you don't know, you guys are always off having secret little talks."
Jack looked at him. "Do you think that?"
"What did she do?" Boone repeated.
"Boone, I don't know," Jack insisted. "And quite frankly I am sick of people asking me that. I don't care what she did anymore, people wanna know they can ask her themselves."
"Right, I'll just get up and go find her shall I?" Boone said sarcastically.
"Whatever she did, it's not important," Jack said. "Everyone gets a new life here."
"But what if she's dangerous?" Boone asked.
Jack didn't really know how to answer that one, the thought had definitely crossed his mind. If he didn't know that she was a fugitive then he wouldn't think twice about trusting her, she'd helped out more than her fair share and she was always there for Jack when he needed her, but the fact was that he did know that she'd done something and he couldn't just forget about it. It was always nagging at the back of his mind and he was always second guessing himself when he was around her.
"I don't think she's a threat to us, Boone," Jack replied, hoping he sounded at least half convinced by his own words. And then he caught the double meaning of the conversation. Boone was jealous of his relationship with Kate and the reason he didn't trust her wasn't because she was a fugitive. He was about to say something when Boone spoke up.
"So what's this about Antarctica?" he asked.
Jack looked at him and smiled. "Arzt, he's a science teacher, he knows some stuff about the currents and the trade winds. Anyway, he said that the winds are shifting south and if they don't get that raft launched then that's where they're going."
"Are they anywhere near?" Boone asked.
"I don't know," Jack said. "Michael thinks they can do it but it's gonna be tight."
"I hope they do it," Boone said. "I wouldn't mind getting to a hospital right about now."
"Hey, you're doing good, the worst part is definitely over," Jack told him. "I mean look at you. I thought I was gonna lose you and now you're sitting up and you're totally with it. Tomorrow I think we should try and leave the tent."
Boone smiled at him. "I was just getting used to the sitting up part."
"Well, I am gonna make sure that your recovery is as fast as it can be so that means I'm going to push you," Jack told. "I have years of practice trying to free up beds."
"So you just want me to get better so you can get my bed," Boone stated light-heartedly.
"No, I want you better so I can get you into bed," Jack corrected.
Boone smiled at him. "I think I'd be okay with that."
Jack smiled back at him. "So, with that incentive in place, how about we try and leave the tent tomorrow?"
"Okay then," Boone accepted.
"Good," Jack said. "The leg is looking better," he told Boone, looking it over again.
"Yeah, it feels better," Boone admitted.
Boone was still going to need those crutches though. Jack was going to ask Michael if he could knock something up for him before he left but there was no way he was going to have time now. And Jack knew what that meant. He had to ask Locke.
"Jack," Locke said, looking up from whatever it was he was doing with those knifes. "What can I do for you."
"Okay, I just want to say one thing," Jack began. "I don't trust you. And I certainly don't forgive you. I still believe that you are at least somewhat responsible for what happened to Boone, no matter what he says."
"What does he say?" Locke asked, turning his attention back to his knifes.
"That's not important," Jack said. "I don't trust you," he repeated. "We're not making up here."
"Understood, Jack," Locke said. "Though not the best way to approach someone for a favour."
"How do you know I want a favour?" Jack asked.
"Why else would you be talking to me?" Locke shrugged.
Jack tried to resist the urge to throttle him. "Okay, so I need a favour."
"Ask away," Locke said, still not giving Jack his full attention which was just making Jack's fists clench more.
"It's for Boone," Jack began, hoping that would make Locke more willing.
"Uh-huh," Locke acknowledged.
Jack took a breath and really tried to forget how much he hated Locke right now. "He needs some crutches," he explained. "I was going to ask Michael but he's busy with the raft and he can't really take time out right now. And I know you're pretty handy, you did a great job with that crib for Claire's baby."
Locke nodded and finally looked up at Jack. "I can do that for you."
"Thank you," Jack said, attempting to make an exit.
"There's a condition," Locke said.
Jack spun around and gave Locke a distasteful look. But he knew that he was in no bargaining position right now so he had to go with it. "Name it."
"I get to give him them myself," Locke requested.
Jack stared at him. "Why?"
"I'd like to see the kid, check up on him," Locke explained. "I want to see how he's doing."
"He's doing fine," Jack told him.
"I'd like to see that for myself," Locke said.
Jack just looked at him again. He knew why Locke wanted to present Boone with the crutches. He wanted to show Boone that Jack had needed his help, he wanted to undermine him. And he wanted to make sure that he still had Boone under his control so that when he was better they could go off and do secret missions again. Jack could really, really swing for him right now. There was no way he was letting Boone go out alone with Locke again, it wasn't happening. Locke had almost got Boone killed and he wasn't about to let him do it again. But he knew if he wanted the crutches he had to give in to Locke's condition. Locke had him over a barrel and he damn well knew it.
"Fine," Jack said. "But I'm gonna be there too."
"Absolutely," Locke agreed.
Right, Jack thought, it was probably easier to undermine someone when they were actually there.
"Just let me know when you're done," Jack requested, turning on his heel again.
"I'll get right on it, Jack," Locke called after him.
Jack waved back half-heartedly and carried on along his way. He could really use a punching bag right about now.