Chp 7

Juliet closed her eyes, letting the tears escape and run down the sides of her face. Jack could taste their salty liquid as his lips continued to slide over her skin.
"Jack wait," she begged him but his hands were on her, exploring her, pulling her into him.
"We can't do this," she said and pushed him off her.
"Don't Juliet," Jack said running his hand over his head, the short hairs growing and rustling through his fingers.
"Jack," she pleaded wanting so desperately for him to understand.
He placed his hands on his hips, the way he was inclined to do whenever he was angry or frustrated.
"Don't throw my love around," he yelled before he even realized he said the word. Well, he thought, it was too late to take it back now. Besides, Jack wanted to force the issue, wanted to get a reaction from Juliet.
Juliet wasn't even shaken by the comment; she was prepared, by Ben, for Jack's words.

"He'll tell you he loves you," Ben had said, "Because he knows you're so desperate to hear it. But he doesn't mean it. How could he Juliet? He doesn't even know you."

Juliet stared at Jack, her anger boiling over.
"Don't love me quite so fiercely now, when you know you're not even sure," she spat back viciously.
"Now you're telling me how I feel?" Jack asked.
"I know you Jack Sheppard," she said.
"You think because you read a bunch of facts in some stupid file that you know me?" he asked in anger, "You don't know me!"
"And you don't know me," Juliet cried. She staggered back; the emotions making her head spin. She reached her arm back to steady herself against the wall. Jack watched her sway but did nothing to help her. He was tired of trying.
"Did you know I was picked, by Ben, to come to you that first day?" she asked.
"So?" Jack said.
"Do you know why Jack?"
Jack shook his head.
"Because he thought I was your type. Because he thought I'd remind you of Sarah."
Jack froze at the mention of his ex wife's name. Juliet could sense the new tension coursing through his veins.
"And who do I remind you of Juliet?"
"Sorry?"
"Do you think Ben didn't have a plan for you?" he asked with a sarcastic snort.
Juliet shook her head, "You were never my type Jack."
She left then, quickly leaving through the steel door, not daring to look back to see the hurt in Jack's eyes at the lie she just told.
……

"Sawyer," Juliet whispered before the sun came up, "Sawyer wake up," she dared to say a little louder.
"Well if it isn't Barbie come to give me my wake up call."
"Be quiet and listen," she said.
"Why should I listen to anything you?"
"Ssh!" she said sternly looking over her shoulder at Kate who remained asleep.
"Your friends, they're coming for you," she said.
"What?" Sawyer asked grabbing the bars of the cage and staring at her.
"We have cameras everywhere, it was my turn to watch and I saw them coming for you. Pickett will be here soon to open your cages for work. You'll have to take Kate and run south towards them."
"Towards who?" Sawyer asked confused and a little annoyed.
"Towards Sayid and Locke," Juliet said, "Look, I have to go. I'll tell Ben I fell asleep and didn't see them till it was too late," she explained before turning to head back.
"Why are you doing this?" the Southerner asked.
"Because, they're going to kill you soon and I don't want that. Because I like the way you fight," she said.
"What about Jack?" Sawyer called after her but she was already gone.
……

"Get up Jack," Tom said pounding on the glass before walking inside his room.
Jack stood up, his back against the wall.
"What do you want?" Jack asked.
"Turn around Jack and put your hands behind you," Tom explained. He was surprised not to get any resistance. Jack obeyed with not even the slightest argument. Tom tied his wrists securely but not too tightly with rope.
"Can you crouch down a bit Jack; I'm going to have to put the bag over your head."
"Why? Where are you taking me?"
"To the infirmary Jack. Ben would like to see you."

Jack let himself be led when suddenly a high pitched alarm filled the outside air. It was unlike the alarm that rang before when Jack was first taken out. This time it was more piercing and whirling like the sound of a police car racing through the night. Tom stopped, unsure of what to do and Jack felt it, felt his uncertainty.
"What's happening?" Jack asked but Tom ignored him.
…..

"Come on Freckles," Sawyer said after punching Pickett till he was down on the ground, "This is our cue."
"Our cue for what?" Kate asked confused and scared, barely able to hear Sawyer over the blaring alarm.
"Our cue to run," he shouted before grabbing her hand and tugging her along. Sawyer ran south hoping Juliet was telling the truth and Sayid was coming.

"Look, there they are," Locke said spotting Sawyer and Kate in the distance.
"Run Sawyer," Sayid shouted as he held his gun out, pointed at the Others who were close behind his friends.

Ben and Juliet ran from the infirmary.
"Go get Jack and bring him here, do you understand Juliet?" Ben said. She nodded as she watched Ben run to the cages. When he was out of sight she ran with all her might up behind Tom and hit him in between his shoulder blades. She hit him hard and he went down, crumpling to the floor. She pulled the bag from Jack's head.
"Juliet, what's going on?" Jack asked.
"Your friends, Sayid and the rest, they're here to rescue you, Kate and Sawyer," Juliet said as she frantically untied his binds.
"Now go Jack, run," she said pushing him in the right direction.
"Come with me," Jack said.
"I can't Jack," she cried.
"Yes you can, come with me," he begged.
Juliet grabbed his face in her hands.
"I love how you are, how you always try and fix things. Never change that Jack," she said and kissed him hard on the lips, "Now go before Ben comes back."
"Juliet," Jack pleaded but knew there was no time, he could already see Picket, bloody but armed, and with his companion heading his way.

"Doc!"
Jack turned around and saw Sawyer crying out to him. He was with Kate and Locke, Paulo, Charlie and Sayid. He turned once more to look at Juliet. She grabbed his arm.
"Go Jack," she said about to give him a push when a shot rang out. Another soon followed from the opposite direction.
"Jack!" Kate screamed as Sayid fell to his knees, blood pouring out of his stomach. Jack started to run when he heard Ben's voice.
"Juliet's been hit," Ben said.
Jack froze in the space between his friends and the Others. He was almost afraid to turn around. He hadn't noticed the bullet that grazed past him from Paulo's gun. The bullet that hit Juliet in the chest. But he did turn around and he saw her lying on the dirty ground, Ben cradling her head in his arms.

"You can't save both of them Jack," Ben said.
Jack looked back at his friends; Locke and Charlie were struggling to put pressure on Sayid's wound, trying to keep the blood from pouring forth.
"Jack," Kate cried not understanding his hesitation.
He looked back at Ben, looked down as Juliet gasped for air.
"The time has come Jack," Ben said, "The time for you to choose."