Disclaimer: I don't own it…
All The Right Reasons
Chapter 9: Found
Jack's mind flew back into consciousness with a blinding head ache. It was like a burning sensation that started just at the bridge of his nose and extended over his brow. Though he could see nothing, for he couldn't force his eyes open just yet, Jack felt his face contort into a wince. His mind was scattered, lost in a whirl of chaos. As he fought for consciousness, he couldn't get himself to grip on any single thought.
Where am I, Jack questioned himself, mind in a whirl. Kate. He remembered Kate. Going after her. And it was in that moment that it all came rushing back to Jack. The wall. He remembered the massive wall and how he had been so mesmerized by it. And he remembered the young man, the Other that had been standing in the watch tower. The young man had spotted him and he had been captured.
But that still didn't answer where he was now because wherever he was, it wasn't out in the dense foliage by the wall. As his eyes fluttered open, fighting against the wait of his eyelids, Jack could feel the stinging ache in his back and the burn of cold cement against his upper back and shoulders. He was being dragged.
Groaning, Jack gritted his teeth as the cement beneath him became less smooth, its surface growing rather course in spots. He could hear the rest of them around him, reacting to his sign of life. They whispered, almost with a fearful tone, but that couldn't be right. They had captured him. If anyone should be afraid, it ought to be Jack.
His body felt numb as he felt his captors pull him to a sudden stop, jolting him roughly to the side. His head pulsed, stinging in further pain as he heard the sound of a large metal door creaking open. Once again he was lifted, this time his entire body coming off the ground. He was tossed harshly onto the hard floor. Jack could feel the unnaturally cold cement beneath him, sending shivers up his spine as his bare arms brushed against it.
It was only as they began hastily tugging at his head and neck that Jack remembered the bag they had placed over his head. He felt the tiniest fleck of relief, knowing that the bag was the reason he couldn't see anything. He drew in a sharp, painful breath as the bag was yanked off his head.
Panting hard, Jack was finally able to draw in the amount of air he needed. He winced as he felt calloused hands pulling at his wrists and ankles, tugging at his binds. Blinking rapidly, Jack's eyes began to adjust to the dim, unnatural light of the room. He flinched as he heard a rustle of cloth and then noticed the glint of metal being pulled from within the shirt of one of his captors. The young man took the knife and swiftly cut away the ropes that bound Jack's arms and then repeated this action on the ropes surrounding Jack's ankles.
Jack felt his limps fall limply to the floor, suddenly allowed to go slack. The men that had brought him to this cell quickly got to their feet, moving swiftly away from Jack before going for the door. Jack was lightly amused by this action, knowing that his body was too worn out to do them any harm if he tried. He winced as the metal door came crashing closed with a sickening thud.
Rubbing his wrists, Jack hissed in pain. They were raw where the binds had cut sharply into his skin, leaving a nasty ring there. Breathing hard, Jack pulled himself up into a sitting position, wanting to check his surroundings. Since the door had been slammed shut, the room had become pitch black, with only a tiny crack of light coming from under the metal door.
From the little that he could see, the walls surrounding him looked to be of solid concrete. It felt cold against the back of his neck as Jack braced himself against the wall beside the door, cracking his neck in an attempt to ease the pain in his shoulders. Just about every part of him hurt, he thought grimly. And again he had to wonder what kind of situation he had managed to get himself into.
Anger like Jack had never felt suddenly surged through him, alighting him with a newfound energy. Balling his hands into fists, Jack swung around with and hit the wall with a yell of frustration. He immediately recoiled, hissing in pain, his clenched fist tightening even further.
It was in that moment, as Jack hastily massaged his hand, slowly rubbing out the pain, that he heard it. It was quiet, so much so that Jack barely caught it. A small gasp coming from somewhere in the cell and then silence.
Jack nearly jumped as he heard it, having thought all along that he was alone. He stilled himself, allowing his mind to calm so that he might hear another disturbance, if any. His heart was pounding madly within his chest, his veins now burning with a newfound emotion. Fear.
Several moments passed when Jack could swear he heard the very beating of his heart. Every breath he took resounded clearly within his ears; the only sound in the room. Just as he began to question what he had heard before, he heard a quiet, almost inaudible whimpering.
"Hello?" Jack's voice shook as he spoke and he was slightly aware of a bead of sweat forming on his brow.
His call was met by another stretch of silence, but soon the came the tiny whimpers again. Jack listened, in tuned to the noise, no longer having a doubt that he wasn't alone. The whimpers grew more persistent and soon turned into soft crying. The cries sounded so broken. Defeated. It made his breath stop, catching in his throat. What had they done to this person, that they could sound so lost?
Jack inched slowly closer to the voice, not quite able to place exactly where it was coming from, but knowing it was nearby. He listened for a moment, waiting for another sign to lead him closer.
"Who's there?" Jack's voice held a more demanding tone this time, as he grew eager to know what was going on.
A tiny gasp met Jack's ears, and it was in that moment that it all came crashing down around Jack and a voice that he had begun to believe he would never hear again met his ears, his heart racing.
"J-Jack?" came a cracked whisper, voice laden with tears and course from crying.
As the morning's light flowed over the caves, Sayid found himself lost in thought. He had been up since sunrise, and it seemed that he hadn't slept properly over half the night. Too much had been on his mind, burdening his thoughts. There was so much to think about, so much to make him worry.
With the looming threat of the Others, and over forty other people who needed guidance, Sayid knew that they needed a plan. They needed some sort of battle strategy. A defense mechanism. Anything was better than nothing and just now, they didn't have much. It had only been days since they had even known for certain the these Others existed, and even less time before they knew them to be a threat. And perhaps it was only now that the true heat of the situation fully sunk in for Sayid, finally registering in his clouded mind.
They needed guards, a good number of them too. People to guard the perimeter of the caves at all times, day and night. It just wasn't safe to live unguarded anymore. Sayid had considered the situation for half the night and he had come to the conclusion that defending themselves against the Others would start with gathering volunteers for perimeter guards.
Sayid found himself eager to talk to Jack. He knew that the doctor hadn't been himself since Kate had gone missing, but he was a leader none the less. All of the survivors looked to him for guidance, as though he were a beacon of hope. Even now, when Jack rarely came out of his cave and spent all of his time tending to Sawyer.
Sayid knew that Jack would agree, especially considering what had happened to Kate. They had practically taken her right out of the safety of the caves. If they had had guards posted properly, it was likely that the kidnapping might never have happened.
With this in mind, Sayid made his way to Jack's cave, knowing that the sooner they got to work on making the caves safer, the faster things would be back in order. They could almost live peacefully. Civilly. It was a far away thought, Sayid knew, but with the hope of rescue drifting farther away with each new day, a need to dig in and make this a better place to live slowly replaced his need for escape.
Stepping into the cave, Sayid was surprised to find that Jack was nowhere to be seen. The young Latino woman that had been one of the survivors from the tail section sat lounging beside Sawyer's cot, a wrinkled and battered novel in her hands. Her face was bent in concentration as she read, her deep raven strands of hair falling onto the pages of her book.
It took several moments for her to notice Sayid's presence as he stood there silently waiting. She lifted her head up quizzically from the book, flashing him a look of curiosity rather than surprise. This struck a chord in Sayid's mind. The look was almost feigned and he felt the wheels begin to turn in his head, wanting to piece this together.
"Something I can help you with?" she muttered gruffly, dark eyes bearing down on Sayid as he stood silently before her.
"I'm looking for Jack," Sayid's voice was firm, holding no hint of suspicion, though by now he had come to see that something was indeed amiss.
"He's not here," she replied smartly, her lips twisting into an almost curt smile. Sayid thought he understood now, but he wasn't going to let her toy with him.
"Have you seen him?" Sayid questioned, though he was almost certain even before voicing the question that he wasn't going to get the answer he was looking for. And he was right.
"Yes," came her short reply, making him inwardly fume. Yes, it was all very clear now what had happened and Sayid could kick himself for not having expected it.
"He's gone, isn't he?" Sayid questioned, raising his voice as he spoke heatedly, "He went after her again, didn't he!"
Sayid took her knowing silence for a positive response. Jack was gone. He had left again, only this time Sayid was certain he wouldn't be coming back. He felt the anger beginning to consume him, lashing through him like a violent storm. He was grateful that nothing lay within his reach, for he knew he would have thrown it in his fury. He couldn't believe Jack had done this, and yet in the back of his mind he had known all along.
"When?" he asked sternly, eyeing her with contempt. Sayid knew without a doubt that she had known. Somehow, she had been a part of Jack leaving and it made him furious to know that she had just stood by and let it happen.
"Last night," she responded smugly, raising her eyebrows at him in an almost mocking way as that same half smile played at her lips.
Sayid cursed under his breath, knowing that there would be no hope of going after Jack now. He was undoubtedly too far out in the jungle to be recovered. The only thing they could do now was wait for his return or assume him dead. Amongst all of the countless dangers of the dense jungle surrounding the caves, there was also the ever present threat of the Others. Sayid had no doubt that they would kill Jack if they caught him out searching for Kate alone. Henry Gale had said as much when he had come to demand Walt in return for Kate.
"And he just left Sawyer here in this condition?" Sayid asked, looking down at Sawyer in a kind of pity. Surviving something so serious as a gunshot wound under their limited circumstances was enough of a miracle. Now with the loss of their only doctor, it might as well be impossible.
"He said the Korean woman could handle it. Said she knew something about herbal remedies…" Ana responded, motioning her head towards Sawyer.
"She's not a doctor!" Sayid boomed, much has he had previously done to Jack. The man had so much faith in Sun, and indeed she had proven herself very useful in the medical field, but she was no doctor. As a trained professional, Jack had to see that.
"Maybe not, but something tells me Jack couldn't do anything more for the guy than she can. He's too far gone…" Ana explained, not exactly sure why she was so intent on defending Jack. She suspected it wouldn't do any good now anyway, so why was she so persistent?
"Jack has a responsibility to everyone in this camp!" Sayid continued to rant as though completely dismissing Ana's defense. There were other scores to settle with Jack.
"Did you ever ask yourself if that was even what he wanted?" Ana stood up suddenly, facing Sayid with a fire in her eyes. She wasn't going to let the fuming man talk her down. She could handle men like him any day, "He crashed on that plane same as the rest of us. Why should he be anymore responsible than anyone else?"
"He's a doctor! He took an oath!" Sayid continued to yell, unable to control the burning anger that he felt. He couldn't believe that Jack could just walk out on everyone.
"From what I've heard, he's more than kept that oath already. He works himself 'til he's sick and then it still isn't enough. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Ana felt her own anger burning within. She knew how this man must feel. Betrayed. But if he would just calm down and think about it, then he'd see how foolish he actually was.
"He's our only doctor…" Sayid's voice had calmed down significantly, and he had a look of loss written clearly in his eyes. It was a look of fear, of desperation even, "The people here, they look to him for guidance. If they knew he was gone, there would be chaos…"
"Then let there be chaos," Ana insisted, looking firmly at Sayid with an unwavering gaze, "He's doing what he has to do. He's earned that much, hasn't he? And besides, they'll all get over it. Just give them time…"
Sayid was quiet for a moment, willing himself to think rationally about all of this. He knew that the woman was probably right. He knew that it would be difficult, perhaps it would even feel impossible at first, but that things would somehow work out in the end. But he just couldn't see passed the mess they were in now. If someone was to be hurt, even a small injury, then there would be very little that could be done for them. They needed a doctor.
"Perhaps you're right…" Sayid forced himself to admit calmly, stifling his anger as best as he could. He knew that he had to be able to think clearly about this. A lot of responsibility had fallen onto his shoulders and he had to be ready to take it, "I apologize…" he spoke after a moment, eyes looking distant as he spoke, "This just isn't a predicament I wanted to find myself in…"
Ana nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. She knew exactly what Sayid must be feeling, for it was the same burden she had been pinned with shortly after the plane had crashed. Only over the past few days had she been allowed to relinquish it.
"I don't believe I ever caught your name…" Sayid spoke more softly now, voice missing the hard edge that had been present when he was yelling. He looked thoughtfully at her, gazing into her deep brown eyes.
"Ana Lucia," she responded, making no move to reach out a hand, only flashed him a crooked smile, "And yours?"
"My name is Sayid…" he said after a moment, eyes traveling down to Sawyer's still form.
There was a long stretch of silence, neither really wanting to be the one to break it. Sayid decided after a moment that with Jack gone, he would need to make a plan. The perimeter guards were still an excellent idea, but there were other matters at hand now. Such as keeping everyone from panicking. He decided it was time he left.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ana Lucia and a shame that we are not meeting under better circumstances…" he spoke with a small smile tugging at the edge of his lips. He nodded politely to her before turning away and exiting the cave, feeling more lost than he had ever felt.
"Kate!" Jack breathed, heart pounding wildly within his chest, his pulse resounding in his ears. Stunned did not even begin to describe what he felt, the whirl of emotions that were spreading like wildfire through his mind.
And without another word, Jack listened as Kate broke into a sudden fit of sobs, crying harder than she had been doing moments before. He felt the sudden urge to reach out to her, to touch her. Hold her in his arms. A desperation like he had never felt washed over him and he was suddenly frantic to reach her.
"Jack…" she mumbled his name between sobs, her voice coming out in a cracked whisper, "Jack…" she repeated his name again, and the broken sound of her voice tore at his heart.
Reaching out blindly, Jack frantically stretched his limbs out over the cold concrete floor, trying desperately to reach her. He could hear her shifting, moving along the floor in the same way that he was, just as hurried to find him. All of the pain that had been there moments before seemed to melt into nothingness, as though it had never been there. Jack knew that this was from some kind of adrenalin rush, that the pain would be back, but he didn't care. Out of everything else, it mattered the least just now.
After what seemed like an eternity, Jack's fingers brushed something solid and warm. With a harsh, stuttered laugh of relief, Jack felt an utter sense of excitement rush through him, overpowering him. He hastily stumbled forward, but found his movement unnecessary as she flew into his chest, hitting him like a ton of bricks.
He felt a stab of pain as her body slammed against his, but he couldn't have cared less. His arms flew hastily around her, swooping her into his waiting embrace. He felt her body pressed firmly against his as she threw her arms around his neck, squeezing with all that she had, as if to pull him closer still.
His hands went immediately to her hair as he ran his fingers through it, feeling the thick curls slide across his skin like silk. He brought his hands down to her back, his fingers splayed open as he held her there, his face buried in her hair. Her head was tucked under his chin and Jack could feel the softness of her lips against the base of his neck as she pressed her face there, as though hiding herself away.
After moments that felt like eternity, Jack could still feel the fresh bliss and excitement, unable to force his mind to anything else. All he could do was hold her close, pull her tightly to him, and tell himself that he never had to let go. That this was real and she was here with him. He felt a wetness against the fabric of his shirt and when her breathing became erratic, he knew that she was still crying, her tears soaking through his shirt to his skin.
"Shhh, shhh…" Jack soothed her, fingers brushing over her back in tiny circles while he brought his spare hand to lightly stroke her head, "It's okay…It's going to be alright…" His voice came out course and rough, as though weighted down by tears. Tears of happiness. Relief.
The blackness surrounded them still, looming menacingly around them. It was then as Jack opened his eyes, blinking back at the darkness, that he realized that though he could feel every inch of her, he couldn't see her. He saw only a dark outline of her, a sketchy view of her hunched form. He wanted so badly to see her face then, to see the skin that felt smooth as porcelain against his own as her face still lay buried in the crook of his neck.
Disentangling his hand from her hair, Jack brought it to cup her cheek, running the tips of his fingers down her face to lightly grip her chin. He felt her wince harshly beneath his touch, her entire body shifting uncomfortably. It took her only seconds to still herself, and Jack found himself forgetting it had even happened.
He tilted her head up to face him, chin in hand. Though he could see very little of her, when he gazed down at her face, knowing it was there but unable to make it out, he saw her eyes glinting in the dim light. He couldn't see their color, though he already knew it well, but he could see the light in them. He could see life. Her eyes glistened with tears, a sight that was enough to break him, but he still saw life. And that was enough.
"You're here…" her voice was so timid. So changed and broken. Damaged. Her stroked her cheek with his thumb, reveling in the feel of her skin beneath his finger tips.
Jack's eyes fluttered closed as he felt her hand cupping his cheek. He drew in a sharp breath as she ran her fingers over his face, as though wanting to prove to herself that he really was sitting there before her. That he had come for her. She ran her fingers over his stubble, the tears that had previously been falling now beginning to dry on her cheeks.
Slowly, she began to sink back against him, her body pressed lazily to his own. She rested her head on his shoulder, her face buried in the folds of his shirt. She sighed then in what sounded like a mix of exhaustion and relief. Bringing a hand up to her head, Jack brushed the mess of tendrils from her face, smoothing them back behind her ears. He ran his fingertips over her scalp, letting his fingers course soothingly through her hair.
"Are you okay?" he asked after a moment, neither having relinquished their tight hold on the other. He felt her nod against his shoulder, unwilling to lift her head up to look at him. Somehow, Jack knew that it was a lie, that she was far from okay. That the answer should have been obvious to him. But he just couldn't accept that she wasn't okay. He believed her because it was easy. Because he didn't want to think otherwise.
"Did they hurt you?" it was as if he was playing with fire, waiting for the burn that was sure to come. He couldn't help it. Everything inside of him told him that he had to ask and that he had to hear her answer, whether it was the truth or not, he needed to hear her say it.
He felt her shake her head against his shoulder, and where there should have been a sigh of relief, a feeling of something peaceful, there wasn't. There was nothing, because in the back of his mind, he knew it wasn't real.
"They told me you were dead…" she said after a moment, voice shaking. Her voice was so tiny, so uncharacteristic to what he knew her to be and it pained him to think of what had done this to her.
"When?" he asked her curiously, trying to pull back to look at her properly, but pulling himself back again when he felt her fingers tighten possessively on his shoulders. Her thin frame was shaking within his arms, shivering from what he was certain wasn't the cold.
"Yesterday…" her reply was pained, the memory of it fresh. She had cried so hard when they had told her that. It had been as though the final stitch snapped and everything came unraveled.
"God, Jack…" she whimpered after a moment, voice giving way once again to the stinging tears in her eyes, "You were dead. For a whole day, you were dead to me…"
And as the tears fell again, soaking into Jack's battered shirt, he lightly rubbed her back, unsure of what else he could do, "Shhh," he soothed, voice cracked, "Its going to be okay…I'm going to find a way out of this…"
She pulled away from him then, a force about her actions as though she had been stung. Bitten by his words. She slithered hastily from his hold, scooting back along the floor so that several inches separated them, "Don't Jack…" her voice cracked, breaking as she spoke, "Just don't…"
"Kate-" Jack began, making a move to reach out to her, but hesitatingly when she sharply cut him off.
"Don't make promises you can't keep…" her voice broke, eyes watering. Even in the dark, when Jack could hardly see her, he could tell she was desperate. That she had that pleading look on her face, radiating in her emerald orbs.
"No, Kate, I mean it…We're going to make it out of here…" Jack insisted, unable to admit even for her pleading that he had no way of knowing that.
"I know you mean it Jack….just like you meant it coming after me. But they caught you," Kate didn't mean to sound accusing, didn't intend for that biting tone to take over her voice or for the bitterness to seep out into her words.
Her words stung Jack straight away, biting at his conscience. Yes, he knew they were in an impossible situation. And maybe somehow that was his fault. After all, he had let her walk off alone that night. He might as well have hand delivered her to them. But more than that, he hadn't even succeeded in coming after her. They had caught him. And now, they were in this together. And for that, he was entirely to blame. But was it his fault that there was no hope? That was something he couldn't begin to answer.
He was strangely silent for a long while, and the guilt began to eat away at Kate. It wasn't like him not to respond to something like that, not to have some little thing he could throw back at her. Jack had always been able to keep up with her words with the best of them, and Kate couldn't help but feel a heavy conscience at pushing him to silence now.
"I'm sorry…" she croaked after a moment, voice laden with tears. Jack couldn't help but notice that it was the calmest she had been since he had found her, "I know you tried. I just…this place…its driving me insane…"
Jack swallowed hard, gazing on at her with mixed emotion. He wanted to help her. He wanted to so bad that it hurt. But what could he do now? Because of him, they were in the same boat. They were both caught up in this mess with no visible way out.
"Don't be…" Jack assured her after a moment, sounding for the first time like he was defeated.
His words were met by silence and as the atmosphere of nothingness stretched on, Jack made a move to scoot back against the wall. He felt exhaustion beginning to take over his senses and somehow through it all, he felt that Kate needed her space. Leaning back, Jack tilted his head up to stare at the ceiling. It was painted a sickly white and oddly enough, Jack wasn't remotely surprised. This whole place was like some twisted horror film and Jack had the feeling that it was only beginning.
Letting himself relax, Jack sighed, clamping his eyes tightly shut as he rested his head against the cold concrete wall. He nearly jumped from surprise when he felt Kate move to sit beside him, the bare skin of her shoulder brushing over the fabric of his shirt. He turned his head towards her then, watching as she looked helplessly out into the distance, as though unaware that the cell walls blocked out a view of anything.
Kate scooted closer to him after a moment, pressing herself against his side. She leaned over, gently resting her head on his shoulder and nestling her face into the fabric of his shirt. Gazing down at her, partially amazed at her willingness to be so close to him, but thankful for it all the same, Jack disentangled his arm from her and gently draped it around her. He brought his arm over her shoulders, his fingers resting on her side. She snuggled closer to him then, and he let her, drawing her to him.
"Locke!" Sayid called, jogging over to the older man who sat along the edge of the jungle, resting on a log. He was casually peeling a mango with his hunting knife.
The man looked up from what he was doing, his blue gray eyes meeting Sayid's gaze. He looked quizzically at Sayid, then greeted him, "Morning, Sayid," he said before turning back to the mango, cutting off another piece of skin with his knife and depositing it into the nearby bushes.
"We need to talk…" Sayid said hastily, out of breath.
"What about?" Locke asked curiously, gazing placidly at Sayid.
"Not here…" Sayid warned, bobbing his head to both sides to see who was close enough to hear them, "I don't want anyone to panic…"
Locke looked hesitant for a moment, as though weighing his options. He wondered what could have possibly happened that he and Sayid needed to discuss in private, but he nodded anyway and pulled himself up from where he sat. Tossing the half eaten mango aside, Locke buckled the knife back on his belt and followed Sayid passed the trees and out into the jungle.
When they were out of earshot of the caves, Sayid turned sharply around to face him, eyes alight with what Locke would have connected with panic or something like it.
"Jack's gone…" Sayid said after a moment, eyes blazing. He looked to Locke to gauge his reaction, but was surprised when the man's lips twisted into a half smile, chuckling. Angry at the reaction, Sayid pressed, "What is there to laugh at? Can't you see what this means?"
"I'm sorry Sayid," Locke voiced, calmly his laughter, "Its just that I can't see how this comes as a surprise to you."
"Should I have suspected that he would abandon us all? Our only doctor?" Sayid questioned, still finding it hard to believe that Jack could do that and not knowing how he should feel about it.
"Well he as good as told you he was going to," Locke pointed out, watching as Sayid's face fell. The man had known that already, he just didn't want to consider it.
"What are we going to do?" Sayid asked, sounding more hopeless than Locke had ever heard him sound, "He was the only doctor…"
"We'll manage," Locke said confidently, slightly amused when Sayid gazed back at him in disbelief.
"And if there's another accident like Boone's?" Sayid knew without even meeting the other man's eyes that he had struck a familiar chord. Boone's tragic death was an all too fresh wound for John Locke.
Locke was silent a moment, as though unable to speak. Swallowing hard, "Then we'll just have to make do," Sayid didn't miss the jump in Locke's voice or the wounded look that flashed briefly through his eyes, "We need a plan."
Now he was speaking what Sayid wanted to hear. He was thinking rationally now, Sayid mused, knowing that this was the place to start.
"And what do you suggest?" Sayid questioned, wanting to hear Locke's take on what needed to happen before he voiced his own.
"The hatch," Locke said simply, as though it was the most obvious answer in the world, "There's something about it, Sayid. We were meant to find it."
Sayid sighed, exasperated. The man couldn't be serious, could he? That out of all the problems they faced now, he considered the hatch their priority. As far as Sayid was concerned, that hatch had been buried beneath the ground for a long time and it wasn't going anywhere. It could wait.
"The hatch is the least of our worries!" Sayid argued, trying to make Locke see reason. With Jack gone, Sayid didn't want to take up the responsibilities of leadership alone. He had been counting on Locke to help him, but he could see now that that wouldn't be as easy of an arrangement as he had previously thought, "What we must concern ourselves with is these Others. We have no idea what they are capable of. They have already taken one of us. How long before they try for more? We can't just wait for them to strike. We can't remain vulnerable."
"Then what are you suggesting, Sayid?" Locke questioned, frustrated that Sayid was against exploring the hatch. In his eyes, it was the only logical answer and he was the only one that seemed to see that.
"We need to set up a system for guarding the perimeter of the caves. Kate was likely taken within sight of the caves. We can't afford for something like that to happen again. The perimeter guards should be stationed at the edge of the jungle at all times. We will need volunteers to take shifts," Sayid explained, eyes distant as he ran over his plans in his head.
"What are we going to tell them?" Locke questioned after a moment, gazing off into the trees. Sayid followed his line of sight and found that he was looking back at the caves.
"I don't know…" Sayid said with a sigh, looking off in the distance with a lost look in his eyes.
"They deserve to be told something…" Locke persisted, knowing how tempted Sayid was to ignore Jack's departure all together. That would be the easiest way, but not the best one, "And they'll find out before you know it anyway. Word travels fast."
"I know," Sayid admitted, that hopeless look still written clearly on his face, "But how can we tell them that Jack's gone? There will be chaos. How many of the survivors manage to go a single day without coming to Jack for some petty ailment?"
"It won't be easy…" Locke mused, the realization of exactly what this mean to all of them starting to dawn on him, "But they have to see that we have a plan. We have to let them know that its going to be okay."
Turning his head, Jack looked over at Kate. She sat beside him, body pressed snuggly against his as she rested her head against his shoulder. Gazing down at her, Jack could see the tiny glimmer that was her emerald eyes, shining in the dim line of light that came from the crack beneath the cell door.
Her eyes were wide open, staring off into nothingness. It was that same distant look that she got when she would sit along the shore, staring endlessly out to the infinite horizon of water, waves lapping up around her feet. She looked distant, as though she had managed to pull herself out of this cell to hide in a faraway place. Though Jack couldn't begin to see if she had dark circles under her eyes, or any other signs of a lack of sleep, he had no doubt that they were there. He could tell by her voice, her demeanor. She was just as exhausted as he was, if not more so.
Reaching out with his spare hand, Jack tenderly brushed a stray curl from her face, pulling it securely behind her ear. Her eyes immediately flashed to him, snapping back to reality. He met her gaze then, as though trying to read her thoughts. He wish he knew what she had been through these past days, wished that he could somehow make that go away. It pained him, knowing that he couldn't.
"When's the last time you slept, Kate?" Jack broke the silence, watching as her eyes dropped out of his gaze.
She looked almost sheepish, avoiding his eyes, "I can't remember…" she admitted quietly, unable to look at him. It was the truth though. She couldn't remember the last time she had dozed off for more than a minute and it was taking a terrible toll on her body.
"Kate, you need to sleep…" Jack pressed, taken aback at the realization that she must be exhausted.
"I can't…" she said simply, sounding almost on the verge of tears. Jack wondered how she had gone from calm to this in a matter of seconds.
"Kate, you have to," Jack insisted, gripping her by the shoulders and turning her to look at him. She recoiled immediately, jerking herself out of his grip He had her attention all the same though, "Its not healthy to lose so much sleep."
"I told you, Jack…" Kate's voiced a broken whimper, no longer able to look him in the eye, "I can't…"
"Why?" Jack asked, only to be met by silence. When she made no move to answer him, Jack persisted, "Why, Kate? Let me help you…"
"You wouldn't understand…" her voice was laced with bitterness now, edged with a darkness that Jack had never heard there before.
"Let me try, Kate…" Jack insisted, unwilling to just let this go. He couldn't let her go on like this.
"Just let it go, Jack…there's nothing you can do…" the bitterness was ever present as her eyes darted away from his, looking at anything but him.
"No, Kate," Jack voiced a little more forcefully, "I'm not going to let you do this to yourself…"
When this was again met with no answer, Jack spoke up, "You can sleep, you know," he said softly, struck with the idea that she was probably afraid, "I'm not going anywhere…"
That struck a nerve. She broke down then, falling into a fit of tears. She jerked hastily away from him, scooting farther along the wall. Kate buried her face in her arms, sobbing to herself. Jack was taken aback at her actions, unsure of how to react.
"Kate, I didn't mean-" he began, but was immediately cut off.
"Don't leave me!" she croaked desperately, voice coming out in a strangled whisper as she sobbed, "Don't leave me alone again…"
Jack immediately scooted down until he was next to her again, pulling her into his arms as she cried. She buried her face in his chest, tears falling onto his shirt, "Shhh, he soothed her, rubbing small circles on her back, "Its okay…I'm not going anywhere. You're not going to be alone anymore…"
He held her that way for a long while, hardly noticing as the minutes passed by. After some time had passed, he began to ease her down onto the floor, laying her head back against the cold cement. Jack moved to lay down beside her, pulling his arms out from underneath her. Tearful eyes gazed up at him, looking hopeless and desperate.
"Just try to get some sleep, Kate," Jack said softly, his face only inches from her as he lay beside her on the floor. He could feel her breath tickle his face, "That's all I ask…"
She nodded meekly, her eyes falling away from his to gaze at the floor. Jack continued to watch her, meaning what he had said. He would be here. He would take care of her. Despite her relaxed position, she looked completely restless, and Jack felt frustration at this fact.
"Jack?" she spoke his name weakly, voice tired. His eyes darted immediately to her to find her looking back at him.
"Hmm?" he mumbled, never breaking his gaze away from hers.
"Hold me…" she whispered quietly, voice so inaudible that Jack barely caught it. He met her eyes, saw the need here, the utter desperation and he nodded.
Without a word he stretched his arms out and pulled her to him. She fell snuggly into the circle of his arms, burying her face into the crook of his neck. Jack set his chin atop her head, pressing his face down to rest in her hair. He shivered noticeably when her hands went around his sides, gripping at his shirt, as though trying to pull him closer to her still. It was like this that each of them drifted off into a deep sleep, the best rest that either had gotten for over a week.
A/N: Well, what did you guys think? I always enjoy hearing from you, so constructive criticism and honest opinions are always encouraged. Please don't forget to review! Hopefully I'll have another update up soon. I'm really excited about upcoming plots, so I'm sure that there will be several quick updates over the next few weeks.