Juliet stood behind the glass wall, plate in hand, staring through the window as Jack sat back against the far wall. He looked defeated. Red and downcast eyes stayed fixed upon the floor. He had hardly even reacted when she entered, saying she had brought him another sandwich, that it was time for lunch. Not that he would notice. Time seemed to run differently when you were locked up, alone, no ounce of hope left within you. Juliet knew because she had found herself in the same place, not so long ago.

She pulled open the door, entering the hallway, taking a deep breath before she entered Jack's cell. He hadn't moved. Juliet didn't expect him to. That hope he had just the other day had vanished the moment she broke him, gotten him to give up. She didn't really want to do it, she had to. It was her duty, Ben had reminded her of that, and she had to fulfill it. But she felt like she knew this man, the broken being before her, and she felt sorry. Sorry that she had made him this way.

"Here's your food, Jack." she said lightly, placing it on the table. The door closed silently behind her. "I even managed to get you a pickle. Sorry, I couldn't find any potato chips."

Her smile matched her mood, somber. She wanted a reaction from him. A nod, a blink, any recognition that he noticed her, cared of her presence at all. But he gave one, and Juliet did not know why she cared so much. She stared down at the plate, the bread still steaming, four colored toothpicks sticking up from them. A sigh almost escaped her throat, but she wouldn't let it. She turned to leave instead.

"Does your cook make anything else but grilled cheese?"

Juliet froze, surprised, looking behind her at Jack. He had barely moved, a simple shift of his head, his eyes locking on the table. She was disappointed he was looking at her, but then… why did she care? He was a prisoner, plain and simple. You are not supposed to fraternize with them. But then again, a little talking wouldn't hurt.

"He's not much of a cook."

Finally, she was permitted a smile. It was a small, hidden one, but a smile nonetheless. That had to account to something. Maybe she didn't break him too much after all. Yet, he needed to stay broken. Ben wanted to make a proposition later, and she didn't want to affect it. If she did, she didn't know what he'd do to her. She was the only other one with access. He'd know she had either screwed up earlier, or had screwed it up when he wasn't watching.

"It's not like you can simply hire a new one, right?"

Juliet only smiled, her heart beginning to beat a little faster. She couldn't give too much away. That was a part of their rules for outsiders, especially pertaining to these crash survivors. Do not tell them a thing about our past. But Juliet had broken that rule already. Almost everyone has. It was hard too when it was so real to yourself, and so mysterious to the people around her.

"So you aren't going to talk or what?"

"No." Juliet said off-hand, and then she snapped back into attention, speaking again more confidence. "No. My mind, it's just on other things."

Jack didn't say a thing, just tilted his head at more of an angle, and then stared down at the ground. She watched him for a second or two, deciding it was time to leave, and turning to do so. But something held her back. Again she was there, hand lightly touching the handle. Looking back at Jack, that defeated look still prominent on his face. She couldn't help it. She was beginning to feel sorry for him. Juliet found herself beginning to care for him. But wasn't it supposed to be the reverse? Wasn't the captive supposed to fall for the captured? Then why was the opposite at work here?

Don't think like that, she told herself. I'm not "falling" for him. I just have compassion, unlike the other people here.

Juliet almost left him alone. Instead, she turned to look at him, inwardly cursing the stupid decision she was about to make. Pulling the taser from her pocket, holding it up so Jack could see it, she stepped closer to the panic button on the wall.

"You need to eat, and Ben would kill me if I left you as unresponsive as you are now. He wants to have a chat with you later, and he needs your fullest cooperation." Juliet gave him a warning look when he finally looked up, eyes locking on to hers. "You can't eat on the floor, it may not seem like it, but we are civilized. You stand, and walk to the table. Sit on the far side. I'll be there." She pointed to the chair across from his. "If you make any sudden movements--" Tapping the taser off-handedly. "--you know what will happen."

Jack didn't move at first, but he slowly stood, making his way to the table. He sat, eyeing the grilled cheese warily. Juliet moved closer, glad he wasn't attempting to strangle her as before, sitting down. The grilled cheese was too far for him to reach, so she slowly pushed it across the table, freezing what it was close enough to him. He could've easily gotten it from there, but she stay leaning, keeping her fingers lightly touching the plate.

"You should eat."

He finally reached over, fingers lightly brushing against hers. Fire raced up her arm, turning her cheeks slightly red. She retracted her hand, slowly, trying to figure why that happened. Could she actually be attracted to him? No. He's the prisoner, she tried to remind herself. But still, the thought remained. I am attracted to this man. A chill ran up her arm just thinking about it, either from fear or that attraction, Juliet wasn't entire sure. Watching him again, more carefully, she sat back in her chair.

Jack was still eyeing the food, but as she watched, he finally took a bite, then another, that one with more vigor. She knew he was hungry. Sitting in a cell all day could do that to you. Along with the constant torture of not knowing what really going on, what your kidnappers had planned for you. And they had a lot planned. She smiled lightly, seeing as he was done, looking a little better.

"I'm really sorry about this, Jack." she said softly, before she could stop herself.

His eyes widened, as did hers. She stood sharply, making her way to the door.

"Wait."

The single word froze Juliet in her tracks. She turned to look at him, those big blue eyes staring at her in concern. Why couldn't she resist those eyes? A woman could get lost in those eyes. Jack must've seen her staring, because he gave her another weird look before continuing.

"What did you mean?"

Juliet desperately fought to compose her thoughts, trying to get back into the dominant role. She was in charge here, not him. She had all the answers, not him. He only knew as much as she'd let him. Only she knew her thoughts, Jack had no idea. The thoughts finally got her heart to stop beating so fast, and she finally locked eyes with him again. They did not suck her in.

"I only meant that I felt sorry for you being here. You've been behaving well, and we have many more… nicer cells."

Her excuse sounded lame event to her. Juliet sat back down, looking up at Jack. He seemed different now. Somehow… changed with those words, in a way she could not place. He seemed more confident, maybe, held his head a little higher, and when he spoke he didn't sound as weak. It was the Jack that she had read about, in the files and in the daily reports of the various survivors on the island. He seemed more in charge of the room, as energized as she had first met him. Even then, she thought he seemed like Ben. That alone scared her, as it did now.

"Look, I better go…"

"No, Juliet. Seriously, what did you mean?"

Juliet eyed him carefully. "I mean I better go."

She started to stand, but Jack grabbed her hand. It wasn't in a possessive way, more like a hopeful one. He wanted her to stay. She was the only non-threatening contact he has had. Sure, she knocked him out and broke him, but she could tell he was beginning to see through her. Jack saw right past the hard exterior and into the soft shell of a person she was, the person who she had shown herself as not long before.

"Juliet?"

"Good work, Juliet."

"Thank you, Ben."

A single tear ran down her face, and she broke their contact to wipe it away. She could still feel his touch, his soft voice saying her name over and over again in her head. Once again, she reached the door, this time she pulled it open, and started into the hallway. And once again she stopped, turned, eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry what I did to you, I'm sorry for anything Ben has planned for you. I'm sorry for your friends, the others we have kidnapped, we have killed…" she turned again, and spoke again in a softer voice, for only her to hear. "I'm sorry I'm attracted to you."

With that, Juliet was gone, the door closing and locking behind her. She walked steadily out of The Hydra, her hand to her face, throwing open the door and running into Ben. She stared at him for a second, realizing how this must look. Her crying like this, eyes all red and puffy, cheeks flushed. She gave a grim smile, and Ben nodded simply.

"Good luck."

As he disappeared into the hallway, she stood there until the door fully closed. Juliet took a step forward, then stopped, mind wandering to what was going to happen in there. Just Ben and Jack, alone, nothing to stop them if things got out of hand. But she knew Ben could handle himself, and that he wouldn't hurt Jack. At least, he wouldn't hurt him very much. Wiping another tear away, she exited the hatch; avoiding the cages Sawyer and Kate were in, walking mindlessly home.

Home, it was an awkward word to think. Juliet had never felt at home here.