"I don't know where he went. We all just kind of took off." Sawyer cracked. "How do we know he didn't?"
"We don't." Sayid realized. He looked at Kate. "He shouldn't be far. We'll leave the door open and our packs on the stair just incase he comes back. But for now I think we should move on without him."
The other members of the group nodded. Kate looked at each of them.
"Okay." She agreed.
The brunette took the first few steps down the staircase into the dark abyss, followed by Sayid, and the rest, behind him.
Kate didn't know what she expected to find down there but it had to be something worthwhile. People didn't just leave doors in the ground without having them leading somewhere, or protecting something.
She was frightened and her heart was racing but she just knew they were doing the right thing.
She was going to find Jack.
000
"Dead?" Jack asked with uncertainty and shock all mixed into one.
"Yes…dead." Boss repeated. "Boy, there was nothing you could do to stop it. Don't feel badly like I know you do."
He was right. Jack did feel badly. He had noticed something was wrong with her when they had first met but he didn't say anything. If he had stopped her and asked a few question, maybe she'd still be here.
The doctor could feel is anger rising. It was all coming to him. Everything that was going on. Missy, the sick room, why Lindsey was in such poor condition. And Jack also realized that he knew Boss.
"What's your real name?" He asked after moments of silence.
Boss looked at him with a quizzical stare. Then he smiled and chuckled. "You're the first person to ask me that. I don't know why other people always call me 'Boss'?" The man put his hands on his hips. "To answer your question…it's Jonathan."
It hit him.
"Jonathan." The doctor repeated. "You're from the beach. You're one of us." He thought out loud between the two of them.
"No, I'm not." Jonathan said with all seriousness. "I'm not one of your kind Jack."
The man from flight 815 nodded. "You are killing them aren't you." It was more of a statement that a question. Jack knew he was killing the rest of the others.
"Yes." The 'other' man replied with a fiery gaze. "How did you know?"
Jack stared right back with the same intensity. "I suspected it, but I wasn't positive until I saw Lindsey this morning." He took a step forward. "You're poisoning them. With what?"
"What?"
"What are you putting in their food?" Jack's voice was rising.
There was a pregnant pause before he spoke. "Mercury." Jonathan answered simply.
Jack just shook his head. Mercury was one of the most lethal elements known to man. They were all going to die. Everyone in the sick room was going to die sooner or later from the poison.
"You know…I liked Lindsey. I'm sorry she had to be the first." Jonathan sighed and refocused on Jack.
"What about Missy? She died before Lindsey."
For that, the dark haired doctor received a heated glare from the man standing opposite him. "She knew to much."
Jack was discussed. Why was he murdering all of these people? Why would he do this?
Confused and unclear Jack asked. "Why?"
"Why what?" Jonathan didn't understand.
"Why are you killing them? What did they do to deserve this?" He said straining to keep his anger under control.
Jonathan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Jack, I'm going to tell you a story." He turned around and made his way to the wall behind him. He sat down against the concrete barrier with a noisy exhale. "We crashed on this island just like you did. Only, we weren't on a plan, we were on an ocean liner. You know, one of those fancy shmancy floating hotel things?"
Jack nodded with new interest.
"Well, there was a bad storm and we ended up here. There was a good handful of us. A lot of adults; some kids. Things seemed pretty okay besides the fact that no one was looking for us. I was proclaimed leader of everything. All the hikes into the woods were run by me, and I was in charge of keeping the peace, and making sure we had food and water for the next day."
'Sounds like me,' Jack thought to himself. "Go on." He encouraged.
"That's it. That's how we lived for long time. Years actually. Then we found this place. And there was a guy just like me. A guy who was in charge of all these people…who were dying. And you know what? He was the one killing them all."
Jack maintained a look of disgust through all of this. "You still haven't answered my question. Why?"
"I'm getting there." Jonathan told him somewhat annoyed. "What I was going to tell you is that…that man told me the same story I'm telling you. We're the islands protectors and every once and a while they bring in some new recruits. I still don't know everything about this place and frankly, I don't think I was meant to. That's why you're here."
"So, you're telling me that you are murdering these people because someone told you that you had to." Jack summed.
Jonathan nodded. "Yep. And when the time comes. I'll kill myself along with them all." He paused and looked at Jack with wise eyes. "It's all a dark twisted game, Jack. We just players who can't figure out the rules."
The dark headed doctor leaned against the wall behind him but didn't follow Jonathan's suit by sitting down. This was a lot of information all at once.
"Then why did you need me?" He asked still at a complete loss.
"We didn't. Someone wanted a doctor…I knew you were so I brought you here." Jonathan sighed. "I don't want them to know that I'm killing them."
Silence settled between the two.
"Go be with Lindsey. I'm sure the girl is scared to death." He told the other man, not realizing the irony of his statement.
Jack looked at him with sick eyes. Then he just nodded slowly.
000
"Where are we?" Shannon asked holding on to Sawyer's arm.
"I don't know. It looks like an addition to the hatch, maybe." Kate explained. "Look this has the same concrete walls and the piping system runs along the ceiling like it does in the hatch."
There was only silence as the group's response.
The brunette leader of the group led them all down a hallway - a very long hallway, and occasionally they would come across a door but dared not enter.
She had no idea where she was going but something told Kate what turns to take and what doors to open. She was following her heart more than her gut at this point.
Shannon and Sawyer were quietly talking to one another in the back as Kate's thoughts drifted off.
"Shh!" Sayid suddenly interrupted. The couple was quiet and they all listened intently for what seemed like a minutes.
That's when they heard it. A voice.
The fugitive once again ran. Only this time she was following something; running towards it instead of away from it.
She turned the corner swiftly, just in time to see Jonathan.
"Jonathan!" She gasped. He looked at her with sorry eyes.
000
"Lindsey?" Jack asked as he kneeled in front of her like he'd done only an hour before. "Lindsey, are you awake?"
The rest of the others crowded around her as soon as Jack walked in, knowing that something was wrong if the doctor was back.
"Yeah." She said weakly. "It h-hurts." She whispered, barely audible.
"I know." He told her and wishing he could do something to help ease her pain. Jack just slipped his hand in hers and stroked her hair, trying to make her comfortable.
There was a long silence where only the breathing of others could be heard, while Lindsey rested.
There was a clatter coming from across the room. It wouldn't have been loud had the room not been so still but the sound of walking startled them all.
Jack's head snapped up to see the only person he had wanted to see in three days. Kate.
Sayid followed her as well as Sawyer and Shannon. He soon realized they were here to take him home.
His friends didn't say a word. They just stood there waiting to see what would happen.
Finally she spoke. "Is she pretty?" The brunette headed girl in the bed asked, her eyes closed.
"Who?" Jack asked, returning his gaze to the dying woman.
"You said…I l-looked like s-some…one you knew. Is sh-she pretty?" Lindsey was weak and her breathing was labored. It wouldn't be long.
Jack lifted his head, still holding Lindsey's hand, and looked at Kate. "Yeah." He answered simply. "She's beautiful."
The corners of the Lindsey's lips turned upward. One, lone tear found its way to her cheek.
Then her grip loosened on Jack's hand…and she was gone.
It took Jack a second to realize what had just happened but he still let go of her hand and carefully laid it on her stomach.
After another hushed moment he rose, slowly and found his way to Kate.
She looked at him with sad eyes as if to say 'I'm so sorry.' But he didn't want her pity. He just wanted her.
Then with careful, deliberate moves he traced her jaw line with his fingers before taking her whole face in his hands and bring his lips down upon hers.
She took him willingly. She was so happy he was alive and well that tears stung her eyes.
He broke the kiss and laid his forehead on hers like he had before.
Tears pricked at the corner of his own eyes as he whispered to her, "I love you."
She waited so long to hear that. The tears fell with a smile. They fell daintily onto her cheeks and she whispered back to him, "Let's go home."
A/N: That's the end. Thanks for being such great readers. You guys totally rock! This story wouldn't be here without any of you. This fic is yours! Review and I'm serious about the whole challenge thing…I don't have an idea of what to do next! You've made it fun! Love you all!
Katy
