CHAPTER 2
Charlie was the only one still awake when they arrived. He himself looked pale and as though he had had a rough night. But something told Jack it was no-where near as rough as Locke's.
"Hey what's up with John?" Charlie asked Kate as Jack helped Locke settle in one of the nearby caves.
"He was taken very ill yesterday afternoon." She explained. "It's taken us all the night to get him back here."
"Will he be alright?"
"Hey, he's got Jack taking care of him." She smiled. "You of all people should know he's in the best possible hands."
"Hey?" Charlie frowned.
"Flu."
"Oh… yeah… right… yeah yeah…" He faltered, "the best possible hands."
"You OK Charlie?"
"Yeah sure, never better." The young man nodded.
Kate pulled Charlie's face towards her and it was only then that she noticed how pale he was.
"Charlie?"
"I'm fine!" He snapped.
"No… you're not… look, go and get some rest will you? You look like you've been up half the night. Jack's busy with John right now, so if you promise you'll let Jack know at the first moment he's free we won't say any more about it. Otherwise I'm going to get him to take a look at you."
Charlie didn't reply. In all honesty he hadn't slept a wink. He had sat up all night waiting for Jack to return. He felt so sick, and there was a part of him that wanted to refuse Kate's offer – force her to be the one to get Jack to take a look at him – but that wasn't fair on John. He'd seemed so tired and had looked so pale when they'd brought him back – his need was evidently greater than his.
"OK." He finally agreed.
"OK what?" Kate pressed him.
"I'll go get some sleep."
"Is that it?" She asked.
"And I'll speak to Jack at his next free moment."
"You promise?"
"Yes… I promise."
"Alright. I'll say no more about it." Kate smiled.
Charlie stumbled off in the direction of his bed. Kate returned to check on him about an hour later but he was still awake, and she had told him that Jack wouldn't be much longer now – Locke was finally resting. Before Kate could get Jack to take a look at him however Charlie had finally fallen asleep. His sleep was disturbed and he woke up briefly several times, once to find Jack leaning over him – but he didn't say anything and drifted back into sleep.
A few hours later he awoke again – this time doubled over in silent pain. He suppressed a cry and shed tears of pain and frustration instead, he tried to get up but found that he couldn't so he dragged himself into a sitting position and sat, rocking back and forth instead. He didn't know for how long. The next thing he would remember later was Kate approaching him.
"How do you feel?" She asked him gently.
He couldn't answer. Her voice seemed so distant – such a long way off – and he was in too much pain.
"Charlie, what's wrong?"
She was scared. The young man appeared totally unable to respond to her, he was rocking and shaking. She reached for his arm and as she touched him he seemed to have been shocked back into reality with a sudden jolt of pain.
"Don't touch me… please don't touch me…OWW!" Her touch, his speaking, everything seemed to hit him like a blow to his stomach and he doubled over in pain, almost unable to breath.
"Right… I'm getting Jack!" She said, and was gone…
"Charlie?" Jack approached him with caution, a few moments later. "Kate…"
"Help me Jack!" Charlie pleaded.
"Help you? Are you in pain Charlie?" Jack asked him.
All Charlie could do was nod.
"Where?" Jack asked leaning closer, but Charlie seemed unable to reply. "Tell you what you just squeeze my hand if I'm right." Charlie nodded and weakly took Jack's hand when it was offered.
"Your stomach?"
Charlie gave Jack's hand a very hard squeeze.
"OK Charlie. Do you mind if I examine you?" Jack asked him gently.
Charlie shook his head – he didn't care, he just wanted something to take the pain away.
"OK Charlie, just try to relax." Jack said soothingly as he lifted up Charlie's t-shirt and pressed down on his stomach. Charlie began to whimper with pain but let Jack continue. Jack took out his flash light for the second time in that evening and shone it in Charlie's eyes, gently holding his eyelids open with his thumb. Like Locke's his pupils were dilated. Finally he pressed his fingers to Charlie's wrist, his skin was very cold and his pulse was also slow but unlike Locke's it was irregular. Jack became worried.
"Do you have pain anywhere else? Your chest?"
"Just a bit…" Charlie managed.
"Kate!" Jack turned to her urgently. "Can you help me get Charlie into the caves please?"
"Why? What's wrong?" She asked – clearly concerned.
"I think I know what's wrong with both Charlie and Locke."
"What?"
"They have some kind of virus." Jack concluded.
"A virus? Well what sort of a virus could do this to a person?"
"Any virus can be pretty aggressive for someone who has a weak immune system." Jack explained.
"A week immune system?" She frowned.
"Locke has an infection doesn't he?"
"Well yes… but what about Charlie?"
"You can't tell anyone about this…" Jack whispered, looking around to make sure that no-one was listening – but at this time in the morning everyone else was asleep. "Charlie's going through withdrawal." He told her.
"Withdrawal?"
"He's a recovering heroin addict."
"What? Poor Charlie."
"Look don't tell anyone I told you that OK?" He implored her.
Kate nodded. She helped Jack lift Charlie. Together they carefully supported his small frame and maneuverered him into the cave where Locke was now sleeping. Jack supported Charlie whilst Kate made him up a bed on the floor. Charlie didn't say a word. He was happy to allow Jack to take over – relieved that he didn't have to go through this on his own anymore.
Just as Jack had helped him when he'd been going through withdrawal he was helping him again now.
When Kate had finished making the bed Jack lifted Charlie into it. There were plenty of blanket's to keep him warm and cushions Jack had collected from the plane. Jack wanted to see Charlie drink something but all the young man really wanted to do was sleep.
"I'll leave him now." Jack told Kate. "We need to warn the other's about this. I don't think its life threatening but we don't want an epidemic on our hands."
Instead of calling the whole group together Jack and Kate decided to target certain individuals. Jack stayed at the caves to keep an eye on Charlie and Locke whilst Kate hit the beach.
At about 10 o'clock Jack looked in on his two patients. Charlie was still sleeping quite soundly but Locke was awake and trying to get out of bed when Jack walked in on him.
"Hey, Locke what are you doing?" Jack asked, gently pushing him back down onto the bed.
"I need to know Jack."
"And what if you had fallen when I wasn't here? You could injure yourself further. Your leg's still in a bad way… but I think you'll be glad to hear that I think I know why you're in so much pain."
"Yeah?" Locke looked at him.
"You have a virus."
"A virus?"
"Yeah, Charlie has it as well. It's pretty nasty I think, but it's nothing life threatening. It seems to have targeted you both worse though because you have a weaker immune system."
Locke didn't reply. He looked exhausted.
"Here, drink some of this." Locke took a couple of sips from the bottle Jack handed him. "Now try and get some more sleep. I'll be back soon… If Charlie wakes up just tell him I'm outside. If he doesn't wake up soon I may just have to wake him, I need to see him drink something."
As Jack left the caves Locke tried to settle.
