Author's note: You guys absolutely amazed me with the number of reviews to chapter one! This was just a little thing that occurred to me one day, and that first chapter was so short, and so I really appreciate all the interest. I wouldn't have even thought to continue this so soon if it hadn't been for all the review emails filling my inbox. I hope this chapter lives up to what you were expecting.
Laura – I've addressed the 'why couldn't they just use a boar?' issue in this chapter. Thanks for pointing out the idea!
Again, as a disclaimer, I don't own these characters and mean no infringement.
And again, your feedback means the world to me.
Test Subject
Chapter Two
Sawyer was sprawled out on the jungle floor surrounded by fallen fruit when Jack found him.
Jack wondered if he'd ever felt as relaxed as Sawyer looked, leisurely enjoying his breakfast.
He guessed not. Certainly not today.
"Something I can do for ya, Doc?" Sawyer drawled.
Jack shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away.
They'd been on good terms lately, but that didn't mean Jack enjoyed having to come to Sawyer for anything.
"Yeah, there is," Jack answered seriously. "You said you gave me all the meds?"
Sawyer looked him over, then nodded.
"Every last little pill. If I'd ever been the Boy Scout type I'd tell you 'Scout's honor'." He paused, tipped his head thoughtfully. "You and me both know that me and honor aren't thick as thieves anyway."
Jack had no interest in small talk.
"I'm not just talking about pills."
"Then maybe you ought to specify what exactly it is that you are looking for."
"Epipens."
Sawyer's eyes narrowed as the word registered.
"The allergy things?"
"Automatic injectors for epinephrine."
"Comes in a little plastic tube?" Sawyer smiled again as Jack sighed. He didn't really mind Jack anymore, but having something to hold over his head was always a joy.
"You have one or not?" Jack asked, tiring of this.
"I might."
"Plane that size, I'd say you should have a lot of them."
"Sorry, never did get around to finding every last bit of loot in the wreckage."
Jack squinted up at the sun for a moment, thinking.
He didn't want Sawyer involved in this, but if ever there was one sure-fire way to get Sawyer to hand something over…
"It's for Kate," Jack admitted, and almost immediately Sawyer was on his feet.
"Kate?"
"Yes."
"Freckles?" Sawyer asked, shocked, as though Jack couldn't possibly mean the Kate, the one they both cared more about than either was willing to admit.
Jack only nodded, and Sawyer shot him an accusing glance.
"She needs 'em? Then what the hell are you standing around chatting for?"
Sawyer took off toward the beach, and Jack was right behind him.
Sawyer ducked into his tent and found what he was looking for so quickly that Jack didn't even have time to follow him in before Sawyer was out on the beach again, holding out three adult size Epipen injectors.
"She okay? Where is she?" Sawyer asked, clearly rattled by all of this, as he handed the supplies over.
"She's fine," Jack admitted, a little bit ashamed to have tricked him.
But he hadn't lied. Not really. This was for Kate.
"What the hell do you mean she's fine? Either she needs the injector thing or she don't, Doc! Which is it?"
"It's a preventative measure, Sawyer."
Sawyer stared at him for a long moment, but it was clear a weight was dropping from his shoulders.
He took a deep breath after a moment, apparently more relieved than angry.
"So what's she allergic to?"
"Hopefully nothing," Jack replied absentmindedly, his focus on checking the expiration dates of the Epipens.
The distinctive sound of a Sawyer scoff of mock astonishment made Jack look up, and now Sawyer looked distinctly pissed.
"Then they're not really for Kate then, are they?" he asked in a low tone.
"Oh, they're for Kate," Jack assured him.
"Got some explainin' to do, then, Dr. Jack."
"It's a long story."
They looked at each other for a moment, and it quickly became clear that Sawyer wasn't going anywhere without information.
"You'd hear soon enough," Jack finally said, as much to himself as to Sawyer, deciding to come out with it. "Kate volunteered to try some of the meds Desmond had in the hatch, so we'll be able to use them when we need them."
"And you're just fine and dandy with that?" Sawyer asked, shooting Jack an incredulous look.
"No. But we need the meds, and we're going to be careful, and…" He paused, then shrugged a little bit. "It's Kate," he added simply, as if that said it all. "Have you ever tried saying 'no' to her?"
Sawyer sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes.
The man had a point.
…
Down the beach from where Jack and Sawyer stood contemplating the situation, Kate slowly approached the small infirmary tent Jack had set up for Claire yesterday.
Kate needed to see her, to remind herself that she had a good reason for what she was about to do.
Last night it had all made sense to her, but in the harsh light of day it seemed more risky, and it felt like she had more to lose.
It scared her more than she would ever admit to anyone, especially Jack, and she needed a reality check like only the island's currently injured could give her.
"Hey," she said quietly, greeting Claire with a gentle smile as she sat down next to her in the sand. "How's the leg?"
"Hurts, but I'll live, or so Jack tells me." Claire's tone was light, but the pain and strain of the last twenty-four hours was written all over her face.
"Kate?" Sun's distinctive voice came from right behind Kate, and Kate turned to face her and found that she had Aaron in her arms.
"Hey," Kate said, her eyes on the baby. "How's he doing?"
"He is okay," Sun told her, "But I need to go to the washroom. Could you take him for just a little while?"
Kate looked around briefly, wondering just what time it was and whether Jack was waiting for her, but nodded.
Sun gently placed the baby in her arms and left, and Claire reached over to brush her hand over his head.
"Hi, Sweetheart. Mummy missed you last night."
"Sun's had him all night?" Kate asked curiously, and Claire nodded.
"She's been great. I'm kind of stuck at the moment."
"Good practice for her, I guess."
"Yeah, it is." Claire looked from the baby to Kate and back again. "You seem tense, if you don't mind my saying so."
"Just never been good with kids," Kate told her, not wanting to worry her with the knowledge of what she was doing today, but even as she said it she found herself smiling at Aaron as he grinned widely up at her.
"Could have fooled me," Claire said. "Hey, did I ever thank you?"
"For what?" Kate asked, genuinely confused.
"For him. For Aaron. For helping me the night he was born."
Kate shrugged.
"Not in so many words. I think we all got focused on Boone and the funeral…"
"Yeah, I guess we did," Claire agreed. "I guess we kind of lucked out, in a way, being away from here when all of that was going on. When he was dying. I guess it was pretty awful."
"I was here for a while, before I found you," Kate shared thoughtfully, thinking that the memory of it was probably exactly the reminder she needed today. "It was pretty bad. He was in agony, and Jack was getting desperate."
Claire sighed, taking the baby's tiny hand in hers.
"At least something good came of that night. And for the record, I'm thanking you now."
Kate nodded in acknowledgement, then looked down at the baby again.
She looked up a moment later to see Claire shifting position slowly and painfully, and though it wasn't an easy thing to watch, it was exactly why Kate was here.
"Jack and I have a plan," Kate told her, wanting to reassure her friend but reluctant to give her details. "We're working on finding pain meds. You should know that."
"Hurry up, will you?" Claire teased good-naturedly, but she didn't bother to press Kate for details, and that was just fine by Kate.
They sat in a comfortable silence until Sun returned for the baby a minute later, and when Kate had handed Aaron over she stood up and brushed off her jeans.
She took a deep breath and set her sights on the path that led to the hatch.
"I'll see you later," she told them both distractedly.
She just hoped that was it true.
…
"Why can't you just use a damn boar or somethin'?"
Sawyer had insisted on following Jack to the hatch, and his questions were starting to wear on Jack's nerves.
"'Cause a boar can't talk, Sawyer."
"And Kate can," Hurley added unnecessarily. Both he and Sayid were nearby, having been recruited to help.
Now they were only waiting for Kate herself.
"You need her to talk all through this?" Sawyer asked, and Jack nodded.
"I need to know how she feels."
They were all quiet for a moment, but then Sawyer started up again.
"It's insane to risk one of our two decent trackers," he muttered, not willing to admit that it bothered him on a much more personal level than that.
"We're not taking any more risks than we have to," Jack said, again convincing himself as much as Sawyer. "We're going to take it slow. I'm going to give her small doses. We've got the Epipens in case of an allergic reaction. I'm going to keep a close eye on her…" Jack ran out of things to say, and they were again plunged into silence, waiting.
But silence had never sat well with Sawyer.
"Some secretary," he muttered, glancing at Hurley. "Guy can't even spell 'bodies'."
"Dude, not cool," Hurley said quietly, as though genuinely hurt and surprised by the comment. "I'm doing my part, Man."
"Speaking of which, what exactly is your part?" Sayid asked Sawyer pointedly. "Must you be here?"
Before Sawyer could come up with a retort, Kate walked purposefully into the room. A look of surprise came over her face as she noticed Sawyer.
"What are you doing here?" Kate asked, her tone neutral.
"I was just asking him the same thing," Sayid said, but Sawyer didn't budge from his place against the far wall.
Undeterred, Kate fixed her gaze on Jack.
"What did we decide to start with?" She asked. Her tone was carefully strong and confident, but they all heard a slight tremor running through it.
"Not so fast," Jack told her, naturally falling back into the familiar doctor role. "Take a seat." He gestured to the couch. "Before we do anything I have to get down some of your medical history."
Kate looked less than thrilled at that, but after a moment she slowly made her way over to the couch.
"I doubt my presence is necessary for this portion of the experiment," Sayid said, excusing himself and heading for the air lock door, appreciating the need for privacy.
Hurley watched him go and turned to Jack, holding out the notebook and pen that had mysteriously appeared in the hatch not long after Locke and Eko had gone searching for the man who wasn't Henry Gale.
"Dude, I can take notes or you can, totally up to you. Or, uh, her. Or you?" Hurley wasn't sure.
"I've got this," Jack told him. "I'll come get you guys later."
Hurley nodded and was soon gone, and both Jack and Kate turned to look at Sawyer expectantly.
Despite the unease evident in Kate's expression and body language, Sawyer couldn't excuse himself.
"Payback's a bitch, Freckles," he told Kate gleefully, taking a seat on the arm rest furthest from her seat on the couch and crossing his legs, just to give the effect of settling in. "You sat by and laughed when I was getting tested for my spectacles, didn't ya now?"
Jack shot him a slightly disgusted look, but Kate only looked miserable, and didn't seem focused on him.
It hadn't occurred to her that she would have to open herself up to anything like this.
Answering questions about her past hadn't been part of the plan.
Sawyer being there didn't really matter much, she decided. She had no intention of telling Jack anything that Sawyer or anyone else couldn't hear.
Some things were just buried too deep.
"What do you need to know?" She asked, her wary eyes meeting Jack's serious ones.
"For starters, have you ever been seriously ill?"
"No."
"Ever had surgery?"
"No."
"Ever been prone to dizziness or fainting spells?"
Kate hesitated here, opening her mouth to say something and then stopping, and then starting again.
"Not for no reason," she finally said, and unconsciously started nervously running her fingers over the fabric of the arm of the couch.
"What does that mean?" Jack asked, the doctor in him curious while the friend in him felt vaguely concerned.
"I only ever got dizzy or faint when I was sick, hurt… whatever."
Kate half-shrugged and met his eyes, silently asking him to drop it.
Jack nodded and quickly looked down at the notepad in front of him, only to disguise the fact that this troubled him.
It really didn't have anything to do with what they were doing today, but it was an odd statement. Had she often been sick, or hurt, or 'whatever'?
"Okay," he said, and drew in a deep breath, moving on. "Have you ever had trouble with your blood pressure, or anemia, anything along those lines?"
Kate shook her head in the negative, and he glanced down at the pad of paper again.
"You're sure about having no known allergies?"
This time she nodded.
"Ever take recreational drugs?"
Kate looked up with a tiny, amused smile, and Sawyer smirked.
"Knew it," he mumbled victoriously.
"Just pot, just a couple of times, when I was… maybe eighteen, nineteen," she clarified.
"Just this, just that. You sure 'bout that, Freckles?"
"Anything out of the ordinary come of that? Any reaction everyone else wasn't having?" Jack asked Kate, completely ignoring Sawyer, and she shook her head again.
"Okay, the most important thing is your history with prescription drugs," Jack said, meeting her eyes again. "Anything specific you can remember?"
"Well… for an ear infection, when I was a kid."
"Standard penicillin?"
She shrugged, unsure.
"And no side effects or problems that you remember?"
"None." Another little shake of her head accompanied the answer, and then she hesitated almost unnoticeably before continuing. "When I was sixteen I broke my arm."
"How?"
A flicker of painful memory darkened her features for the shortest of seconds, but she shook it off and forced what passed for an embarrassed smile.
"Fell out of a tree."
Jack nodded again, his eyes hitting the paper again.
There was more to it than she was saying. He could see that, and he wondered if Sawyer could, too.
But it didn't really matter. At least not from a medical standpoint.
He had to stay professional here.
"They must have prescribed painkillers," he prompted, and Kate nodded.
"I can't remember the name, but the doctor definitely called it 'Percocet's baby brother'. I always remembered that."
"Oxycocet?"
"Could be." She rolled the word around in her head for a moment, thinking back. "It's been a long time."
"Don't worry. The ever-important question remains --"
"No, I didn't have any side effects," Kate filled in for him, knowing the question before he asked it. "No weird reaction of any kind."
Satisfied with that, Jack took a moment to look over all that he had already written down, and then turned to Kate with one final question, his expression half serious and half teasing even though it was a standard question.
"One last thing, Kate. Is there any chance at all that you could be pregnant?"
Sawyer's head snapped up and he fixed his gaze on Kate along with Jack's.
She shook her head, her unambiguous expression firmly indicating that there was no chance.
Both men liked that answer.
"Okay. Then I guess we're ready to get started." Jack turned to Sawyer. "That just about ends the 'turnabout is fair play' portion of all of this, don't you think?"
"You tryin' to kick me out, Doc?"
"Can you send in Sayid and Hurley on your way out?"
Sawyer opened his mouth to start what would inevitably be a long and pointless argument, but before he got started his eyes fell on Kate's face.
She was scared, so nervous sitting there quietly on the couch that her hands were nearly shaking. She was trying but failing to hide it, and the very fact that she didn't seem to be paying any attention to the brewing chaos got to him.
She was in no place to deal with breaking up yet another fight.
And damn if he was going to be the one to make this harder.
Of course, that didn't mean he had to admit he cared.
"Guess I can tell when I'm not wanted," he tossed out indignantly, and then he headed for the door.
Left alone for the moment, Jack sat down next to Kate.
"You okay?"
"Mmmhmmm." She didn't sound the least bit convincing, but the forced smile appeared on her face again.
"You don't look it."
Before she could come up with an answer, Sayid and Hurley were back.
"Time to get this show on the road?" Hurley asked, reaching for the paper and pen Jack had abandoned.
"I'm ready when Kate is," Jack told him, and Kate nodded and pushed herself up off the couch.
Jack led the way to the bedroom, and Kate stood in the doorway for a moment, flanked by Hurley and Sayid, looking at the bottom bunk.
"You want me to lie down?"
"Probably a good idea," Jack told her, and she slowly lowered herself onto the bed.
"You should know that I've never really liked being anyone's patient," Kate warned him, and he offered her a warm smile.
"So far you're doing all right." He turned to the array of pill bottles and assorted bottled liquids on the table next to the bed, and she turned her eyes toward Sayid.
"Feels weird. It's been a long time since I've been in a real bed."
"In all the time you've spent down in this place, you've never slept here?"
Kate shook her head.
"Slept out there, on the couch, sometimes. This room always seemed reserved for the sick or dying."
Before any of them could stop to think about the meaning of that statement too thoroughly, Jack selected a single pill bottle and sat down on the edge of the bed.
His physical proximity was a comfort, and Kate forced herself to take a few deep breaths and relax, staring up at the bottom of the other bunk above her.
"Hurley?" Jack called without looking over at him, focused on the bottle of pills in his hand.
"Yeah?"
"Take this down: two-zero-nine-eight-five-eight. That's how the bottle is labeled."
Hurley nodded and made a note.
Jack reached out and gently took Kate's wrist in his hand. Her eyes followed the movement, and then met with his.
"Just taking your pulse," he assured her, even though he was sure she had figured that out.
The slight physical contact was nice, despite the circumstances.
"Hurley, take this down. Heart rate seventy-two beats per minute."
"Is that normal?" Kate asked, curious and concerned, and Jack nodded.
"Just fine."
"Jack, is there anything in particular you'd like me to do?" Sayid asked, happy to help but unsure of exactly what he was doing here.
Jack reached for the three Epipens on the table and held them out to Sayid.
"Hold these." Jack's expression was gravely serious. "Everything should be fine, but stay here, stay ready. I might need you. You're backup."
Sayid nodded, satisfied with that, and took up a position standing against the wall, out of the way but available.
"I'm only going to give you half of one of these," Jack told Kate, and she said nothing, her eyes locked on the pill bottle in his hands.
"Kate?" Jack waited for her to turn her gaze from the pills to him.
"Yeah?" she asked, confused.
"You okay?"
"Yeah." She nodded haltingly, and he took one pill out of the bottle and used a butter knife to cut it in half on the table by the bed.
"Hurley?"
"Dude?"
"Make a note that we're giving her half of one of these."
"Got it."
Jack had previously set out a glass of water, and suddenly there was nothing left to wait for, no way to stall and prolong this.
"Sit up a bit," Jack told Kate quietly, and she did as asked, supporting her body on her elbows.
He handed her the glass and the half of a pill, and she looked at it for just a moment before popping it into her mouth and taking a gulp of water.
She lay back down, and they were all tense and silent.
Ten seconds passed, then twenty.
"You feel okay?" Jack asked.
"Fine." Her voice sounded a little bit unnatural, but they all wrote it off as a stress reaction.
Jack reached for her wrist again, taking her pulse.
"No change," he said when he was done, looking over his shoulder at Hurley, and Hurley made a note. "Been about a minute," Jack added, and Hurley amended the rough notation.
They repeated this process a few times, his fingers rarely leaving her wrist for more than a moment, and then only to shine a flashlight in her eyes and take a close look at them.
The fourth time he took her pulse, he noticed a change and held his breath for a few seconds as he made sure he was right.
"Hurley, five minutes in, heart rate slowing down slightly. Approximately sixty-six beats per minute."
"Dude, that a bad thing?" Hurley asked, but before Jack could answer, Kate reached out and grasped Jack's arm.
He couldn't help noticing immediately that her grip was weak.
"Jack, I… it's…" Her speech was uneven, slightly slurred, and he took her face in his hands, looking her over intently.
"Kate? What? What's happening? Does anything hurt? How do you feel? Talk to me."
"I just… I feel kind of…"
"Kind of what?"
Her eyes rolled back until all he could see of them was white.
And just like that, she was unconscious.
…