Chaos amongst them Chapter 10: Aftermath, Part one, a flight 29 down fanfic

Title: Chaos amongst them.

Rating: T for now but that may change as they story progresses.

Summary: The survivors of flight 29 DWN have survived storms, sicknesses, injuries and each other. But when tempers run high, and the stress of it all becomes too much for the survivors to handle they begin falling apart one by one. Will they be able to band together before disaster strikes or will they be too late to save one of their own?

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the show, or any of the songs and artist that I choose to use. This is just for fun.

A/N: This chapter was super long, longer than I thought it would be, so I broke the song and the story up into two parts. I'll be posting the second part in a little while, so if you would rather wait till then it shouldn't take anymore than an hour or so depending if I have to go do something. Let me know what you think of this half as well as the second half when I post it. Review help me better my writing, and constructive criticism is welcome just don't be too mean about it. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Chapter ten: Aftermath- Part one

Avril Lavigne- Keep holding on

Melissa, Lex, and Eric waited impatiently by the fire pit. They'd done everything they could think of that would help Taylor and the others, they even moved the tent closer to the fire pit and cleared it out so they would have room to move around. It'd been over an hour since they split up in the forest and they were all beginning to worry even Eric. A million things were going through all of their mines none of which were good for the others or for them. Lex had it the worse out of the three. It wasn't just a close friend or even someone as close as family, it was his family. The only family he had on the island, the older kids didn't have any family there but they were also older and could count on each other, Lex depended on them but having Daley there made it easier for him to deal with everything that happened. She was his rock, the person he trusted completely and depended on to be strong for him when he couldn't or he felt like his emotions were going to drive him insane.

He sat on the sand by the fire braiding vines together then burning them off in the fire. It was all he could do to keep his own mind from driving him insane. He bent and twisted them to make sure they were flexible enough to tie around an arm or a leg, and that they didn't splinter or break under pressure. He made different lengths and sizes to be sure they had one to fit at least most of their injuries then laid them on the sand beside him. His mind was racing so fast he could barley keep up with it. It was bouncing from the vines to the others to everything that happened the last couple of days to the worst possibilities on why the others hadn't returned back to camp yet. He tried to slow down and pay attention to what he was doing but even that wasn't helping much.

Melissa faintly smiled at him. She couldn't believe how calm and collected he seemed. She knew he must be going crazy inside but he hid it from them well. She wanted to do or say something that might help him feel better or ease his mind a bit but right now the only thing that would help him was to see his sister walk through the tree line. She looked at her watch for the third time in the last five minutes. She couldn't stand sitting around and waiting for them to return. She felt like she was being torn into two directions, half of her was telling her to go find the others and the other half was telling her she should stay at camp and wait for them to come back. She bounced her legs slightly while she wringed her hands. Eric stared at her for a moment wondering if he should try to calm her down or just leave her alone.

Most of the time on this island it was best to leave people alone especially in a time like this but this was Melissa. She was always needed someone to vent to wither she was angry, sad, worried, or scared but was there really anything he could do or say to help her. Four of their friends were somewhere out in the middle of the jungle that seemed to hate them more then their worst enemies back at home, one of them was severally hurt, the other no one knew how hurt she was and Jackson and Nathan were carrying Taylor down the steepest hill on the face of the planet after a huge storm which made it almost impossible. There was nothing he could say that would make all them seem alright. It wasn't alright not by a long shot. He was even worried about Jackson, he couldn't believe he acted out as bad as he did. There was better ways at handling the situation and his way was no where close. He sighed and put his hand on Melissa's shoulder.

"If they don't come back in the next half hour we'll go find them but we have to give them time. They are carrying Taylor…" He said giving her a half smile.

Melissa gave him a faint smile and nodded. "Thanks Eric."

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in

Jackson, Daley, and Nathan made their way down the hill with Taylor in tow. Nathan was carrying Taylor while Daley and Jackson walked on each side of him to be sure one of them could catch him if he began to fall. They were walking a lot slower then they liked but they could take any chances. Taylor's breathing became worse since they left the shelter on top of the hill. They sounded shallow and she was wheezing so bad that Nathan could feel it on his arm. She hadn't woken up or even made a sound other than the wheezing and a cough here and there. Her skin was getting colder despite the rising heat and her lips were beginning to get a slight blue tent to them. Without a doubt she was getting worse and if they didn't hurry and get her back to camp she was going to get a lot worse. Nathan's arms were beginning to cramp and felt like they were going to give out on him. His legs felt like there was a thousand pound weight on each shoe and he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. He stopped and looked at Jackson.

"Your going to have to take over, I'm about to drop her." Nathan said feeling his hands slipping.

"Alright." Jackson looked around for a relatively dry spot. "Bring her over here…" He said walking over to a tree.

Nathan followed and sat her down under the tree. "Why are we putting her down?"

"I was wondering the same thing." Daley added. "We have to get her back to camp." She said feeling more and more anxious.

"Yeah but at the rate were going she is going to need a lot more help than we can give her if we don't do something now." Jackson explained.

"What are we suppose to do all the way up here?" Daley asked holding out her hands towards the trees around her to help make her point.

"Get her dressed." Jackson said looking at Nathan and Daley who both looked clueless.

Jackson sighed and took off his t-shirt, belt, and blue jeans. He still had a pair of swimming shorts under them from the day before. Daley and Nathan both finally got it and knelt down on either side of her. Jackson carefully slipped the t-shirt over her arms and pushed it up to her shoulders. Nathan and Daley gently leaned her forward. Daley kept her hand under her chin to be sure they didn't break her neck or suffocate her. Jackson slipped the t-shirt over her head then grabbed the hoody from Daley's pack and slipped it on her before Nathan and Daley gently put her back against the tree. Jackson slipped the blue jeans onto her legs. Once he got them as far up as he could Nathan and Daley both lifted her up slightly so he could pull them up the rest of the way. Jackson put the belt through the belt hoops skipping every other one for speed.

Once he got it tight enough to be sure that they wouldn't fall off of her. Daley stood up and moved over but stayed close enough that she could support Taylor's head when they lifted her. Jackson knelt down beside her and put his arms under her back and legs. Nathan adjusted Taylor's arm so that it was around his neck and Daley reached around them with one of her hands and put in behind her head. Nathan put his hands under her and looked around at the others.

"Ok on my count one…two…three!" Nathan said

On three Nathan and Jackson both lifted Taylor up and Daley kept a hold of her head. Once Jackson had her in his arms Daley gently laid her head on Jackson's shoulder and put the hood over her head. Jackson looked down the hill then back at Daley.

"Were not that far from camp, run there and make sure everything is ready for when we get there."

"But I need to be here to help you two." Daley protested.

"Me and Nathan can handle it from here. We'll be fine just go please?" Jackson said calmly but his expression was unreadable as usual.

Daley slowly nodded and headed back to camp running as fast as she could without falling down and getting hurt her self. Jackson began walking down the hill at a steady pace keeping a tight grip on Taylor's knees and waist. Nathan walked in front of him slightly kicking anything out of the way that could cause him to trip and what he couldn't move he warned him about. Jackson dug his feet into the ground to keep his self from slipping and falling. It made it harder to walk but a lot safer for him and Taylor. His legs and arms hurt but he refused to stop again. The more time they spent resting the less time they had to help Taylor.

"It's going to be ok Tay, we're not giving up." He whispered to Taylor hoping that apart of her could hear him.

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

Daley stumbled into camp; she about fell but she was able to catch her balance. She quickly looked around the fire pit and narrowed her eyes at all the changes that had been made since she was last here. She wasn't sure wither they happened before or after the storm but right now that wasn't important. Lex's eye's widened when he seen his big sister standing at the tree line. He quickly stood up and rushed over to her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist; Daley faintly smiled and put both of her hands on his back. Eric and Melissa both spun around quickly and stood up and rushed towards her in one swift motion.

"Where are the others? Are they alright? Is Taylor alright? Are they on their way?" Both Eric and Melissa asked rapidly.

Daley couldn't understand what either of them was saying because they were both talking at the same time and talking so fast that not even a speed talker could keep up with them. She finally got frustrated with trying to keep up with them so she held her hand up. They both stopped talking abruptly. Daley took a deep breathe and looked at both of them, she noticed that Melissa's arm and her hand on the other arm was wrapped up but knew she could ask her about it later when one of them wasn't sick or hurt. When she was sure they were going to ask anymore questions at insane rates she decided to explain.

"Listen, Nathan and Jackson are on their way with Taylor, she's really bad off so we're going to need everything we have to help her. I got here in about ten minutes so they'll be here in about twenty. We have to be ready by then." Daley explained.

"We cleared out the tent; the only thing left in there is a sleeping bag, the first aid kit, and a few bottles of water." Melissa explained. "And Lex has come up with alternate ways of first aid using things we have and things from the jungle. See!" Melissa said carefully lifting her arm.

Daley gave her brother a faint smile. "Good job Lex." She said rubbing his back. "Do you think you can make one for Taylor's ankle, we're positive it's broken or at least a really bad sprain."

Lex nodded. "Sure." He held on to Daley not wanting to let her go but after a few moments he let go and took a couple steps back.

"Melissa, can you crush some aspirin up in a coconut shell and put some water in it so we can give it to Taylor when she gets here? And Eric…"

"I know get more water…" Eric interrupted.

"Only two jugs then I need you to boil it and put it into some bottles don't worry about filtering it we won't be drinking it." Daley got in her pack and pulled out the four empty bottles and handed them to him. "We can use it to help get Taylor's temperature back to normal. Just make sure you put them all in a beach towel and take them down to the beach to cool them off a bit so we don't burn her but not to much we need as much heat as we can get."

Eric nodded. "No problem."

Melissa nodded and looked over at Daley. "Sure."

"Good, I'm going to get everything we need out of the first aid kit so we can get to it quickly."

Daley walked into the tent and began digging through the first aid kit. Melissa followed her in but once she got the aspirin she went back outside. Daley frantically got everything they could possibly need out of the first aid kit and put it all within reach. She made sure there was nothing in the way from the door way to the sleeping bag and that the sleeping back was open so that once they got through doing everything they could they could cover her up. Once she was done she walked back outside to wait for the others and maybe help Eric, Melissa or Lex. Melissa and Eric both seemed to have everything covered so Daley walked over to Lex. She sat down on the log beside him and looked down at everything he had laid out in the sand. He had sticks both short and long all of them some what thick. Some twine, long thin straps of cloth and Jackson's knife. She wasn't sure how it was all going to come together but she learned a long time ago to never doubt her brother or what he was capable of.

So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late, this could all disappear
Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side I will fight and defend
I'll fight and defend
Yeah, yeah

Jackson and Nathan were making better progress then they had all day. They were already close enough to camp to hear everyone's voices. They struggled through the last bit of roots, rocks, bushes and trees before they both carefully made their way through the tree line and into camp. Everyone seemed to be working on something even Eric was busy carrying water to the fire pit until he noticed them standing there. He dropped the jugs on the ground and ran towards them. Daley quickly noticed them too and stood up. Melissa and Lex both turned to look at them and stood up as well. Daley rushed towards the tent.

"In here!" She called back as she walked through the tent flap.

Nathan rushed over and held the flap open long enough for Jackson to get inside then he followed in behind him. Daley was standing at the far corner of the tent ready to help them lay her down. Nathan rushed over beside her while Jackson stood right across from them. Nathan put his arms on Jackson's and grabbed them tightly to support Taylor while they laid her down. Daley grabbed her head and they slowly and carefully laid her down on the sleeping bag. Melissa, Eric and Lex were all standing in the doorway watching them. They carefully stripped Taylor back down to her blue jean shorts and her bikini top. Daley soaked a clean bandanna and began to carefully clean off the dirt on her skin to be sure there weren't any cuts or scrapes hiding behind them and cleaning the ones she could see.

"Here…" Melissa said holding out the coconut with the aspirin in it.

Jackson took it. "Thanks…" He said turning back to Taylor.

Lex rushed over beside his sister and unscrewed on of the pop-cap lids from the bottle and handed it to Jackson. "You can use this as a dropper so you won't give her too much that she chokes."

"Will she even be able to swallow?" Jackson asked looking up at Lex.

Lex shrugged. "Depends, people swallow spit the time when their sleeping. If she's conscious enough she'll swallow."

"And if she's not?" Jackson asked.

"That's why we're using the lid. Just keep her head level and watch her throat you should be able to see if she swallows or not and don't give her too much, just enough to let her brain know that she needs to swallow." Lex explained.

"And how much is that?" He asked getting a little annoyed.

"About half a tea spoon." Lex said walking back over to Melissa to get out of their way.

He turned around and put his back to her legs. Melissa put her good hand on his shoulder hoping it would help in some way. They all watched closely at what everyone was doing. Daley was cleaning, and Nathan was putting antibiotic ointment on them, and bandaging up the worse ones hoping that would be enough. Jackson carefully put the top of the lid in Taylor's mouth and poured a little bit into the cap. After a few seconds she coughed but then swallowed. Melissa, Eric, and Lex all cheered happily but Nathan, Jackson, and Daley just continued to work. Little by little, Jackson gave her all the medicine then gave her some water to help get the taste out and to help hydrate her. If she was conscious enough to swallow she's conscious enough to taste. He thought.

TBC