Also, many thanks go out to Richard Starkey for writing review #2! you rock my socks, as well :)
and i checked out your story, it's wicked good! i really like it
"What the hell is a damn panic attack, Doc?" Sawyer asks, annoyed that he had been disturbed by Jake's screams.
"It's a type of disorder," he begins, "that happens really randomly. They normally last between 2 and 8 minutes, which is probably why Jake's didn't last as long as it looked like it would've."
"Is that as bad as it can get?" Hurley wants to know.
Jack shakes his head. "It can get worse. They always seem to be brought on by nothing, but have varying levels of severity. I think Jake's was pretty mild."
"So…he could break out in one of these things any time he wants to?" Claire says, cradling Aaron.
"He doesn't want to. It just happens. That's why it's a disorder. He has no control over it."
"Damn it, now he can wake up the whole camp with that mouth of his!" Sawyer snaps, exasperated.
Claire shoots Sawyer an icy glare. "This kid's got a disorder, Sawyer. You should feel bad for him, at least, not get mad that he'll wake everyone up."
"You should talk. You're the one with the damn baby. Well, I guess now he can take a break and this kid can take over, huh?"
"Shut your mouth."
"Why dontcha shut it for me?"
"Dude, step off," Hurley says, stepping between Sawyer and Claire, even though it was highly unlikely that Claire was going to pick a fight with Sawyer.
"Uh…Sun, why don't you stay with Jake for a little while, okay?" Jack asks. Sun nods. Jack stands up and ushers Sawyer, Hurley, and Claire out of the tent.
Jake is sitting there, knees pulled up to his chest, staring at the tent's entrance. Sun quietly sits down next to him.
"Does that always happen to you?" she asks.
He nods.
"It must be hard. Not having any control over something like that. I'd never be able to manage it." She smiles a little. Jake grins a bit.
"You get used to it," he tells her. "I mean, it's just as scary each time, but you get used to the fact that it'll come at any moment, I guess you could say."
Sun nods. After a short pause, she says, "You have beautiful eyes."
He looks at her, his cheeks flushed. "Thanks," he says shyly.
"I've never seen eyes like that before."
"Not many people have. At least, that's what they tell me."
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
She raises her eyebrows. "Really? Have you been living on the island alone?"
"Sometimes." His eyes take on a faraway look.
"What do you mean?"
"Like, I don't know, sometimes there are people with me. Sometimes I'm alone. Sometimes there are people that I…hate…with me. Stuff like that, I guess. I don't know."
"Which part of the island did you come from?"
"A lot of places. I don't know." It all looks the same to him.
"Well, you're always welcome here, Jake," Sun assures him warmly.
He looks up at her and grins timidly. "You remind me of someone," he tells her.
"Really?" Sun asks, flattered. "Who is that?"
"My mom."
Charlie stifles a yawn as he and Hurley sit around one of the many fires lighting up the beach. "I'm so bloody tired," he mutters, resting his head on Hurley's shoulder.
Hurley pulls his shoulder away, causing Charlie's head to come down on the sand with a thud. "Dude, don't go there," he warns as Charlie straightens himself.
"I've already gone there. I've gone there and come back," Charlie teases, grinning, knowing that he was making Hurley uncomfortable.
"Dude, that's disgusting," Hurley tells him. "I should slap you for that."
"Heh."
"I thought you liked Claire, dude."
Charlie goes silent, his grin gone. "I do like her," he says softly. "I don't know if she likes me."
Hurley snickers. "We could do a little matchmaking around here," he says, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Where is she?"
"Hurley, no!" Charlie yelps, jumping up. "You better not…"
"Claire!"
"Hurley!" Charlie yells, kicking him. "Shut up!"
"Okay, okay!" Hurley laughs. "I was just kidding, dude. Relax." Charlie sits back down, his chin in his hands.
"So…" Hurley says, trying to start a new conversation, "you met that kid yet?"
Charlie shakes his head. "Nah. Have you?"
"Haven't really talked to him, but I could show you who he is."
"What's his name again?"
"Jake, I think. He had some panic attack today in the tent."
Charlie's eyes widen. "Was that the bloody screamin' going on? That was him?"
"That was him."
"Damn it."
Hurley yawns, not bothering to try and stifle it. "I'm so bloody tired," he mutters, resting his head on Charlie's shoulder.
"Hurley!" Charlie yelps, jumping up again. Hurley laughs at him.
"Now you know how I feel," he says. "Not very good havin' some dude put his head on your shoulder, huh?"
"Okay, okay, no, it's not. Can we just drop it, please?" Charlie asks.
"Yeah. Whatever. Sure."
Sun and Jake walk out of the tent together. They go down to the ocean, and walk along the shoreline, letting the icy water wrap around their feet.
"Where is your mother?" she asks.
Jake shrugs. "I don't know."
"Was she on the island with you?"
"For a little bit. Then she just disappeared one day."
"Was it just you and your mother?"
"My best friend was with me, too. He's…somewhere."
"What is his name?"
"Ari."
"How long has he been missing?"
"A long time. I don't really know."
"You know, there's a chance that we could find him," she tells him.
He turns to her, and his eyes seem to glow like neon in the darkness. "How?"
"We have two trackers at the camp, and I believe they could help you."
Before Jake can answer, Jin comes running down to the pair and beings talking to Sun in Korean. His voice gets fast and angry, and every so often, he gestures at Jake. Sun shakes her head and explains something to her husband. Jake stares at the couple, wondering what the hell they were saying.
Finally, their conversation ends. Jin nods slightly at Jake, and hikes back up the sand to the fires.
"My husband," Sun explains. "He is very…protective."
Jake nods. "Uh…what were you saying about the trackers?"
"Oh, they can probably help you find your friend, and your mother, hopefully."
"Would they…uh…go into the jungle?"
"Yes. They would probably want you to go with them, as well."
Jake's eyes widen. His eyes avert from her and fix themselves on the sand before his feet.
"Jake? Is something wrong?"
"I can't go back in there. They'll find me if I go back in there. They'll find me."
Sun watches him, waiting for an explanation. "Who will find you?" she asks after a few minutes.
"Them."
"You don't have to worry. They'll keep you safe. As long as you stay with them, they won't let anyone hurt you," she promises him. "We can ask them about it tomorrow, if you would like."
Jake pauses, thinking the offer over. Finally he answers.
"Yeah. Ask them tomorrow."