Title: Another Day, Brother - Chapter 7

Author: jbdean ©

Rating: G

Summary: Later that day.

The alarm was going off as Desmond pulled himself up from the sofa. He walked into the computer room and sat in the chair opposite the keyboard and monitor. Looking up at the counter, he slowly entered the numbers and then pressed the Execute button. The timer flipped back to zero and Desmond leaned back in the chair, letting his hands fall into his lap. He just stared at the monitor, watching the cursor blinking when he heard Kelvin making sounds in the bedroom ... sounds that weren't normal.

Desmond rushed into the bedroom and found Kelvin tossing in his lower bunk. Even from the doorway, where Desmond stood, he could see the beads of sweat on Kelvin's face and the whiteness of his knuckles as his hands clutched the covers. Desmond wanted to go to him, to try and ease the situation but he was afraid and that fear both guarded him and pained him.

Kelvin had done a lot for Desmond in the past year. He had rescued him when his boat ran against the reef, he had taken him in without knowing anything about him and treated him like a brother. He had shared his food with him, his companionship and, in what seemed like the end for Kelvin, he had thought only of himself and forbade Desmond from getting too close to him lest he share the one thing that should never be shared ... The Sickness. And yet, seeing Kelvin lying there in agony, Desmond felt he was betraying his friend by staying his distance. He needed him and yet Desmond could not bring himself to get closer than the door way.

Then, as if Kelvin was hearing Desmond's thoughts, his eyes opened and he turned toward his friend. Desmond stood perfectly still and watched as Kelvin's lips began to move. He was trying desperately to tell him something but Desmond couldn't hear him.

"I can't hear you, brotha," Desmond told Kelvin. "Let me come closer ... "

Kelvin began to shake his head violently, letting Desmond know that coming closer to him was not an option.

"I understand, Kel, but I can't tell what you're saying. I need to know what you're trying to tell me." Desmond explained.

Kelvin, as if getting strength from Desmond's determination, slowly raised himself up on his elbows and looked Desmond in the eyes. "You ... have to ... keep ... entering the ... numbers, Desmond. You can't stop ... never ... " Kelvin collapsed back onto his bunk, his face now as white as his knuckles.

Desmond stood watching Kelvin. "I will, brotha ... I promise you that. Savin' the world, right? You and me ... I won't let you down." Desmond felt the tears beginning to fill his eyes. He was sad that Kelvin was dying but more than that, he was afraid of being alone. This was nothing like sailing solo on his boat, nothing like it at all. He didn't know if he could do it alone but he knew he had to tell Kelvin that he would.

Suddenly, Kelvin was trying to speak again. Desmond took one step closer, wanting to hear but not wanting to make Kelvin strain again to speak. Kelvin turned to face Desmond and said, "Watch the film. It will tell you everything."

"The film? What film, Kel?" Desmond didn't know about an orientation film from DHARMA that was kept in the bunker.

"In the lock box, Des ... in the lock box ... watch the film and ... keep entering the numbers. Promise me ... promise ... me ..."

"I will ... I swear I will," Desmond replied as he crossed himself, for he knew Kelvin would be gone soon. "I love you, brotha," Desmond could no longer hold back the tears as they rolled down his cheeks. Kelvin stopped trying to speak and simply smiled at Desmond, confirming his love for him, too. And then he was gone.

It seemed like the exchange between Desmond and Kelvin had only been a few minutes and yet the alarm was sounding again. Desmond rushed into the computer room and quickly entered the numbers and hit Execute. Looking up at the counter, watching it flip back to zero, Desmond realized that being alone would also affect his ability to tell time accurately. He had no one now to balance things out for him. It was just him ... alone and for how long, he had no clue.

But for now, he had to figure out a way to lay Kelvin to rest and then he had to watch that film. As he stood, he wondered why Kelvin had never shown him the film before. And he felt that what it contained might just add to his problems instead of help them.

TO BE CONTINUED