"Kate, it looks to me like you have a migraine", Jack informed her. Kate mumbled something in response.
"What was that?" Jack asked, leaning in closer to hear.
"I know," she repeated drowsily, "hate them".
"You've had migraines before?"
"Uh-huh"
"About how many would you say you've had, in your lifetime?"
"Too many." She moaned. "I don't want to talk anymore. Please".
Jack sighed and gave her another piece of ice to suck on. "I'll give you a minute, but then I need to ask you a few more questions." He stood and got a washcloth from the cupboard and then turned on the water in the sink, letting it run cold.
Sawyer approached and whispered harshly "Jesus, doc, can't you give her something, already? Can't you see she's suffering?"
Jack wet the cloth and nodded. "I can see that, and I will." He turned off the faucet and wrung out the cloth. "I just need to talk to her a little more. I don't want to give her the wrong medication, it could do more harm than good".
"Fine" Sawyer conceded. "But see if you can speed it up a little, won't ya?"
Jack rolled his eyes and headed back over to Kate. "I'm just going to put a cool cloth on you're head" he warned her, before placing it on her forehead. "Does that feel okay?" he asked.
"Mmm-hmm" she responded.
"Good," he smiled, "here, open up". She opened her mouth, letting him give her another piece of ice.
"Now, I need you to answer a few more questions" he said, adjusting washcloth. "Have you taken any prescription medication to treat your migraines in the past?" She gave a slight nod. "Can you tell me the names?"
"Lots."
"Just tell me the ones you remember".
"Topamax, Imitrex, umm . . . dihydroergo… ergo-something. I'm sorry" she apologized.
"That's okay, that's good. I know what you mean. Do you remember anymore?"
"Umm, Phenergan . . . Stadol . . . . I'm sorry. I know there were more, but I . . ."
"No, no" Jack assured her "you did fine. You did just fine". He gave her another piece of ice and removed the cloth from her head. He handed it to Sawyer, gesturing towards the sink.
"You haven't had any migraines since we've been on the island, right?"
"No."
"I didn't think so. So, have you been taking those medications the whole time?"
Kate gave a slight nod in response, trying not to aggravate her throbbing head. Sawyer returned with the washcloth and placed it on her head again. "Thanks" she whispered. Sawyer gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"Kate," Jack urged, "if you can tell us exactly where the medication is, I'll bet Sawyer would go get it for you, wouldn't you Sawyer?"
"No" Kate cried, curling up on her side again. "You can't".
"Why the heck not, Freckles?"
She took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's all gone"
"Shit" Sawyer mumbled.
Kate was crying now, but even in the dim light, Jack could see that there were no tears, another sign of dehydration.
"Hey, hey, hey," he tried to console her, "Don't worry. I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve." Kate sniffled in response.
"I'll back in a few minutes," he said, standing to leave. "Sawyer will keep an eye on you." He handed Sawyer the bowl of ice. "Just keep feeding them to her, one at a time, will you?" Sawyer nodded.
Sawyer moved closer and held a piece of ice to Kate's lips. She opened her mouth in response, letting him feed it to her. Something in his chest gave a little flutter; he wondered what that meant.
Kate sniffled again. She looked completely miserable, Sawyer thought, her brow wrinkled in pain. She shifted slightly. A whimper escaped her lips.
Sawyer reached for her hand and, to his surprise, she gripped it tightly. That strange sensation in his chest returned.
"Don't worry, Freckles." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Jack will be right back, and I think he'll have some good drugs for you. Pretty soon you'll be feelin' right as rain."
Jack returned, as if on cue. "Speak of the Devil" Sawyer muttered. He tried to remove his hand from Kate's, but she just held on tighter. He looked embarrassed, and Jack gave him a smile.
Sawyer shot Jack a glare. "So doc, you find the good stuff?" he asked, gesturing towards the small black case Jack held.
Jack nodded. "Kate, can you tell me if you have any allergies?"
When she didn't responded, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kate?" he questioned again.
"Cats" she finally answered.
Jack smiled. "Okay. How about to any medications?"
"No".
"Do you know if you've ever been given morphine?"
Kate seemed to think for a moment, and then nodded. "When I was twelve. I broke my leg" she explained.
"And did you have any problems? Any reactions to the morphine?"
"No."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah".
"Good. I'm going to give you some morphine. I think it'll do the trick for us. As soon as you're feeling better we'll get you to bed so you can get some good sleep. How does that sound?"
Kate nodded slightly. "Please".
"Alright" Jack smiled. "You just keep holding on to Sawyer's hand. I'm going to talk you through everything I'm doing".
Jack began by shifting her onto her back, which elicited another whimper.
"I'm sorry" he apologized. "I'm just going to cover your eyes," he explained, as he moved the washcloth down. "I need some light to find your vein." He turned on the flashlight and handed it to Sawyer, and then unzipped the case.
Sawyer watched as Jack drew a clear liquid into a rather large-looking syringe. Putting the syringe aside, Jack next picked up a tourniquet. After explaining to Kate, he tied it around her arm, just above the elbow. Sawyer suppressed a shudder. He was never a big fan of needles.
"Alright Kate, I'm just going to clean off your arm with a little alcohol" he informed her, before swabbing the area. "And here comes a pinch" Jack warned, as he inserted the needle into her vein and slowly depressed the plunger". Sawyer shut his eyes, but Kate didn't flinch.
"Good. You're doing great, much better than Sawyer". Sawyer opened his eyes and glared at Jack, who chuckled in response. "Almost done" Jack assured them both. "You've got great veins, Kate, even as dehydrated as you are".
Sawyer felt Kate's grip on his hand loosen.
"All done" Jack said, as he removed the needle and untied the tourniquet. He placed a cotton ball where he'd removed the needle, and bent her arm up to put pressure on it.
Kate let out a relieved sigh. "Are you starting to feel that?" Jack asked.
"Yeah" she answered, dreamily.
Her hand fell completely from Sawyers, and both men watched as her body relaxed. Jack reached for her wrist and took her pulse.
"What?" Sawyer asked anxiously.
"She's fine" Jack assured him. "Her pulse is slowing down. It was a little fast earlier".
Jack removed the washcloth from Kate's face and brushed a hand over her forehead. The tension that had been so obviously etched on her face before had now all but disappeared.
"How are you feeling?"
"Mmmm, good" she slurred. She opened her eyes for the first time since he'd arrived and looked at him in the dim light. "Thank you", she said, before letting them fall closed again.