Chapter 5 : Sooner Than You Think

Sweat was running down Jack's face. It was hot and the weight of Kate in his arms was making him tired. Sun was walking stiffly beside him as they reached the camp. Heads turned as they walked past tents.

"Let's put her in my tent." Jack said. Sun nodded and ran ahead to open the sheet that was covering the inside. Jack swooped in and placed Kate down.

"Do you need anything?" Sun asked. Jack looked around.

"My leather bag is here, but I didn't have all the medicine, it was down in the hatch." Jack said as he made Kate comfortable.

"Okay," Sun said as she knelt down on the other side of Kate. Jack had pulled out his leather bag and began digging through it.

"I have no idea what we will need, but we may have to go down the hatch again and see if there is anything salvageable." Jack said as he pulled out a green bottle. He took the bottle and poured a bit into Kate's mouth.

"What was that for?" Sun asked as Kate coughed but settled down.

"It was for pain, just in case." Jack said. He went for his bag again and looked up at Sun who was staring at him in awe.

"Don't worry Sun, she will be okay," Jack said. Sun nodded and looked at Kate's face. Jack only hoped that he was right and he didn't know what to do if he lost her.

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Jack's head was banging. He was sitting on the floor in a small, cold, and dark room. He estimated that he had been in there for about two days, since the large man with the fake beard had interrogated him. He asked many questions like "What do you do for a living?" and "What is your relationship with these people?". It was hard, but he knew he had lied through the questions. He didn't know whether they had believed him or not, maybe they were punishing him. But all he knew was that he was in a small room left with little water and little food, which resembled mush. There was a tiny knock at the door and a crack appeared. Bright lights shone in and Jack immediately covered his eyes.

"Jack?" It was a voice he had never heard.

"Who is that?" Jack asked the figure opened the door and slid in.

"I am Alex, I am with the people who took you." She said. Jack uncovered his eyes to see a young, teenage girl sit down in front off him.

"Where is Kate?" He asked intently. "Where is she?" Alex looked at the wall and then back at him.

"She is fine, you do not have to worry about her." She said and she took a glance at the door. "But the other man, Sawyer is it?" Alex asked as Jack nodded. "He is not doing to well. He will not co-operate." Jack watched as she looked at the door again.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Jack asked. Alex looked at Jack.

"Doing what?" She asked.

"Looking at the door." Alex's eyes turned scared.

"If they know I am in here, they won't be happy." She said talking faster. Jack was very confused.

"Then what are you doing here?" Jack asked. Alex sighed and got up.

"I shouldn't have come.." Alex started as she headed towards the door.

"WAIT! Please.. Wait." Jack said desperately as she touched the door. Alex stopped and turned around.

"What?" She asked. Jack stopped breathing hard and looked to the ground.

"Is she really okay?" Jack asked. Alex smiled and nodded.

"Yeah she is." Alex said. She opened the door and before she left she stopped one last time. "You may see her sooner than you think, and you will be happy." And with that, Alex left the room leaving him to think for himself.

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Sawyer ran up the beach when he heard of Kate and Jack's arrival. He immediately walked over to where Kate's tent was and opened the flap. There was nothing. Sawyer groaned and turned to Claire whose tent was set up beside Kate's.

"Uh.." Sawyer started as he noticed Claire was feeding Aaron. "Do you know where Jack and Kate are?" Claire looked up and smiled.

"Yeah," she said, "I believe they went into Jack's tent." Sawyer nodded and took off for his tent. He stopped outside the tent and peered inside.

"Hey." He said. Two heads looked up. It was Sun and Jack, Kate was lying between the two, sleeping which is what it looked like to Sawyer.

"Hey Sawyer." Jack said. He then looked back to Sun.

"So do you think you can get those herbs?" Sun thought for a second.

"I should be able to find them." Sun said. She quickly got up to leave.

"I'll be as fast as I can." And with that she left. Sawyer then took the chance to come in.

"How is she doin' doc?" He said as he knelt beside her. Jack exhaled.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know what is wrong." Jack said as he removed a few bottles from beside Kate.

"Do you know what caused it?" Sawyer asked as he touched Kate's hand. Jack, who was not paying any attention to Sawyer responded.

"I think I do. The others." Jack said. Sawyer retreated his hand.

"The others? Those bastards did this?" Suddenly he said looking angry.

"I remember, when I found her, that she had many needle marks in her arms. She was drowsy, she didn't know what they had done to her. She also had punctures in her back." Jack said as he cleaned up the rest of the bottles.

Of course, only he would know about those wounds Sawyer silently thought.

"What were those bottles for?" He asked eyeing Jack suspiciously.

"They were to flush out her system." Jack said. "Whatever was in there, it should be gone in a day or two." Sawyer nodded. Jack looked up at Sawyer.

"Could you do something for me? I mean Kate that is?" Jack said. Sawyer looked down at Kate's silent face.

"Depends what it is doc," he said with a smirk on his face.

"The hatch. No one has been down there, since the explosion Charlie talked about. Could you go down there and see if there is any medicine, or anything salvageable?" Jack asked. Sawyers smile faded.

"You mean your sending me for cleanup duty doc?" Sawyer said.

"No." Jack replied as he looked down at Kate's face.

"I need more meds... just in case." Sawyer looked at Jacks worried face.

"Fine." Sawyer replied, "But I get to take someone with me." Sawyer stood as Jack nodded.

"Take whoever." Jack said and with one last look at Kate, Sawyer left.