Abi.x.
Kate woke with a sudden start, her head was throbbing painfully. She blinked blindly in the fading light. She was still in the jungle but lying on the floor. She sat slowly up as a wave of nausea hit. Then she remembered. She had gone to retrieve wood for Jack, but where the hell was Jack, and Charlie. Kate stood slowly, rubbing the back of her head to find a large dry patch of blood. She began to run back the way she had come (or thought she had), she had to find Jack and Charlie.
"He won't survive" a cold voice reached Jacks ears and he stirred, he must have let himself fall asleep. He looked around to see Ethan standing above him.
"I said he won't survive!" Ethan laughed, "I only dragged him along for my own amusement" Jack looked at Charlie's unconscious form on his lap. "But you doc," Ethan continued, "I brought you for a reason" The doctor looked up suspiciously.
"I need your medical expertise" Ethan smiled, "There is a baby to be deliver yet" Jacks eyes widened with fear. Claire was here and Ethan wanted the child.
"But I cant help you without medical supplies?" Jack exclaimed calmly. Ethan's face brightened into an evil grin.
"That's why I'm sending you back to get some supplies" he replied. Jack did not like the sound of this, what was he up to.
"What's the price?" the doctor began to reason with the idea.
Ethan bent down to his level, "You get supplies and return within 24 hours and tell no one, or I'll kill one of your survivor friends" he laughed
"And Charlie?" Jack questioned.
"If you return I will set him free, not that he'll be alive by then" Ethan stood again. "You have 24 hours from now!"
Jack stood slowly and gently moved Charlie from his knees, he moaned weakly. "hold on Charlie?" Jack whispered and followed Ethan out of the room unwillingly. He was lead down a corridor and up some stairs. His eyes then met the familiar forest.
"Your camp is in that direction!" Ethan pointed south. "24 hours!" he reminded Jack "24 hours or one dies and neither Claire or Charlie will see the light of day again" Jack turned to face him,
"You do anything to either of them..." he threatened.
"Don't worry, Claire will be fine, dunno bout Charlie though"
Jack held himself back, no matter what he was not about to let anyone die, he had 24 hours and he would make it back no matter if it killed him. He took off south at a sprint, he didn't know how far camp was but what he did know was that he was going to get them back, Charlie and Claire, and he was going to find Kate...
Locke wheeled quickly around drawing his knife sharply as a figure stumbled into the clearing, it was Kate.
"Kate?" Locke ran to her as she collapsed into his arms.
"Where's Jack?" Boone looked back to where Kate had come from expecting to see Jack appear.
"He's gone" Kate exhaled "We found Charlie and now there both gone"
Locke lowered Kate to sit on the floor. She was soaked, head to toe, her hair stuck to her forehead, it was obvious she had been running. Locke noticed the dried blood on her head.
"What happened, how was Charlie?" Locke asked urgently.
"We found Charlie hanging from a tree" Kate began to sob, "he was dead, but Jack revived, he was getting hypothermia so I went to find some wood to make a stretcher" she paused, deep in thought "I must have been knocked out, and now there both gone"
Boone looked from Kate to Locke. Kate's eyes were filled with worry and fear.
"We need to get you back to camp?" Locke sighed. He lifted Kate into his arms and began to walk back with Boone in follow.
When they returned it was almost dark and the camp was quiet, but there presence seemed to cause much attention.
"Where you been man" Hurly came up to them noticing Kate's unconscious form in Locke's arms "Where's Jack"
"Jack's gone" Locke whispered, "We'll start a search part in the morning, for now Kate needs some rest and a little space" He took Kate to Jacks small cave off the main area where he kept his supplies He placed her on a number of blankets. Boone fetched a cup of water and Locke poured it into Kate's mouth and she stirred.
"How long has it been?" she looked around the cave, "did you tell anyone?" She sat up taking the water and sipping it herself.
"Just Hurly" Locke cried. Kate rolled her eyes, she knew for well how bad Hurly was at keeping something to himself. "I'll leave you in peace for a while" Locke said, he patted Kate on the shoulder and left with Boone.
As he left Sayid entered, limping into the cave.
"Welcome back" he said, slowly sitting next to her, "Hurly said Jack has not returned, what happened?" Kate placed her cup on the floor and covered her shoulders with a blanket.
"We found Charlie" she cried softly. Sayid nodded, realising in the tone of her voice something was wrong. "He was dead" she paused, "Ethan had strung him up a tree by his neck, luckily we got him down and Jack brought him back to life." She stopped. Sayid stared at her intently.
"I wonder what he wants" he exclaimed, "Why would Ethan want Claire"
Kate shook her head, "I don't know but now he's took Jack and Charlie" Sayid's eyes dropped to the floor, he sighed loudly. Just as he was about to speak again he heard a commotion in the main camp. Kate and Sayid looked up.
Suddenly a figure appeared in the entrance, it was Jack. He was breathing heavily, he coughed and spluttered and ran to his cupboard of supplies taking no heed of Kate or Sayid.
"Jack?" Kate cried, "Jack what the..." Jack turned around noticing Kate.
"Your ok?" he coughed. He steadied himself on the wall of the cave. Kate noticed his hands where shaking.
"Jack what happened, where's Charlie?" Kate stood.
Jack opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He staggered back loosing his balance and passed out.
"Someone get me some water" shouted Kate cradling Jack in her arms, "someone help?"