CHAPTER 4
Jack was up at the crack of dawn the next morning to go down to the beach and check on Sawyer. It occurred to Jack that he hadn't asked Sawyer how long he had been feeling sick. He had been so wrapped up with his symptoms. How long had it been since the man last ate, or had had anything to drink?
He gathered some fruit together and filled a bottle with fresh drinking water, and made his way back to the beach. When he got there he saw Sawyer sitting where he had left him the day before and… Kate!
"Kate?" Jack asked as he approached. "How long have you been here?"
"Shhhhhhhh…" She said, putting a finger to her lips as she pointed pointed to a sleeping Sawyer. "Most of the night." She whispered. "I couldn't sleep."
"How is he?" He asked.
"Worse." Sighed Kate. "He's in a lot of pain."
"Did he say how long he's been feeling like this?" Jack asked.
Kate shook her head.
"Right… Sawyer… Sawyer?" Jack shook him gently. Sawyer awoke gradually, and groaned when he saw Jack.
"You again doc?" He slurred.
"How you feeling?"
"I'd feel a lot better for not seeing you!"
"Kate tells me the pain is getting worse?" Jack pressed him.
Sawyer flopped down on his back and nodded. He knew that Jack knew he was in pain so didn't see the point of trying to conceal it from one and only person who could help. Jack lifted up Sawyers t shirt and pressed down on his stomach. Sawyer grimaced but didn't cry out.
"When did you last eat anything?" Jack asked.
"A few days ago."
"Drink?"
"I dunno, about two days." Sawyer shrugged.
"How long have you been feeling like this Sawyer?"
"About three days."
"I've brought you some food and water." Jack told him.
"Hey doc, do I really look as though I've got any interest in eating anything at the moment?" He groaned.
"Well I need to at least see you drink something. You're probably dehydrated… Drink this." He said handing Sawyer the bottle. "You'll feel better."
Sawyer took the bottle but didn't drink from it.
"Come on." Kate said and took the bottle from Sawyer. She unscrewed the top and placed the wet nozzle to his lips. He sipped it, then took long desperate gulps as though he couldn't stop himself. His body had got a taste for the water now, and some instinct deep down inside of him was urging him to drink – drink hard and fast before the bottle was taken away again.
"That's it." Jack said, removing the bottle from his lips. "Not too much now. Can you walk?" He asked him.
"Dunno…" Sawyer shrugged.
"Will you try?"
"Why, where 'r we going?" Sawyer's speech was very slurred.
"The caves, we had a deal." Jack reminded him.
"Can't you just give it a rest doc?"
"No." Jack shook his head adamantly.
"Well, you can't carry me there kicking and screaming." He said.
"Personally I don't think you're in any fit state for that." Jack said, helping Sawyer to his feet. Sawyer didn't resist. He might have put on a front, but that was only to hide the fact that he was afraid. He might have hated Jack but Jack was the one now taking care of him. He'd never imagined this; he'd always thought that if he were sick Jack would simply leave him to get on with things – alone.
Together Jack and Kate supported Sawyer as they made their way back to the caves; they were practically having to support Sawyer's whole body weight between them. He walked, but barely, his feet going off in all directions like some poor drunkard who had got himself lost and didn't know the way back home. Sawyer's frustration was clear – eventually he gave up and let his legs hang limp, hoping that Jack and Kate could support him the rest of the way.
His lack of coordination was actually a result of hunger and severe dehydration – and Jack realised the importance of keeping a very close eye on him whilst they tried to rehydrate him slowly over the next few hours.
After the two of them had settled him in a cave a-joining his Jack turned his attention back to Kate.
"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday." He apologised.
"It's ok…"
"No… I never meant to upset you Kate."
"I know." She nodded.
"Are we ok now then?" He asked her.
"Yeah," Kate smiled – a light chuckle, "We're ok."
Jack grinned back.
"By the way I've been meaning to ask you… what was all that about yesterday?" She asked him.
"What?" He frowned.
"Who was crying?"
"Oh just Charlie… he had a nightmare." Jack explained.
"Oh…" Kate broke off and an awkward silence insured. "Well…" she was just about to resume the conversation when there was a loud crack from inside the jungle, and a man broke through the trees. He looked to be middle aged, and stopped suddenly when he saw them, trying to catch his breath.
"Hey dude, you ok?" Hurley – who'd been standing close by – asked.
"I need Jack…" He puffed.
"George isn't it?" Jack asked, approaching him. "What's up?"
"It's Faith?"
"Faith?"
"Yeah, Faith; nervous girl, environmentalist, had a rather nasty laceration to her leg when we first crashed here." He proceeded to explain.
"Yeah I know…" Jack responded impatiently. "But what's wrong?"
"I dunno."He shrugged.
"What do you mean?"
"Well she's had a bit of an accident."
George then began to explain how Faith had been helping to collect wood for the signal fires when she had come upon Jin and Michael arguing. She had tried to intervene but at that moment Michael had thrown quite a nasty punch in Jin's direction which had struck her in the left side of her jaw.
"Is she conscious?" Jack asked.
"In and out." George replied.
"Right I'm coming." He assured him, pausing to check the medical supplies in the backpack which he used to transfer medication and water from the caves to the beach. "Kate you stay here, I need someone to keep an eye on Sawyer whilst I'm gone."
Kate nodded. Jack then followed George back into the jungle – the two men following the path back towards the beach.
When they finally reached the clearing there was already a small group of people crowding around a young woman, who looked to be her early twenties. As they drew nearer they could hear a commotion, and further investigation showed that Faith had come round but she was evidently scared and disorientated. Sayid was holding her down, desperately trying to calm her.
"Get off me, leave me alone." She cried.
"Faith, listen to me…" He was saying to her.
"It's ok." Jack said taking control of the situation immediately. Sayid automatically backed off and allowed Jack to take his place. "Faith just calm down ok, you're going to be alright." He reassured her. "Remember me? Jack… the doctor?"
Faith nodded.
"Now try to calm down, breath for me… in and out, in and out…" He said, demonstrating to the young woman what is was he wanted her to do.
Faith followed Jack's lead and slowly she began to calm down.
"Good, that's very good Faith. How's your head?" He asked.
"It hurts."
Jack nodded. The main issue now was making sure that Faith remained calm, they had to keep her talking for as long as possible, until she became coherent. He needed time to access her head injury, and make sure that she wasn't suffering from concussion.
"How's your leg?" He asked.
Faith nodded. "Good… much better thanks… what happened?"
"You were knocked out," Jack explained, "not for very long I don't think but you need to stay calm. You're gonna have quite a nasty bruise I'm afraid. How do you feel now?"
"I dunno." She replied. "A little better I think. I'm cold though."
"That's probably the shock…" He told her. "Sayid, could you fetch me some blankets please?" He asked.
Sayid nodded, and headed off to get fetch blankets from the camp further up the beach.
"I'm tired." Faith told Jack.
"It may be concussion." Jack replied. "Its best you don't go to sleep just yet."
Sayid eventually returned with the blankets and Jack helped Faith to sit up before draping one of them over her shoulders.
"Thanks." She said.
"Don't mention it…" Jack smiled.
"JACK!" He then heard Kate cry, and she emerged through the trees. As Jack turned to look at her he observed the urgency upon her face.
"What is it?" He asked her.
"Locke's in some distress." She told him.
"Is he in any pain?" Jack pressed her.
"I don't know." She replied. "He won't say anything"
Jack gave Faith a questioning look then looked around at the other survivors around her. She would be alright, Sayid was there to look after her, and George, and she was a lot calmer now.
"Make sure she's kept warm and gets plenty of rest." He advised George. "She'll be fine…"
Then, before George had any time to reply, he set off with Kate – at a run – back towards the caves.
