Chapter twenty-five: Unfinished business
At the Hospital:
Richard Carter stormed into Jack's office, Jack looked up, surprised by the intrusion.
'What the hell was going on with you and my daughter?'
Jack shook his head, 'Richard-its not what you think-'
But the chief of medicine wasn't having it, 'No, I'll tell you what I think-You got my daughter involved in something that got her killed...'
Jack climbed to his feet, 'I have to see a patient. Excuse me.'
Jack brushed past him, Richard watched Jack walk away.
Jack walked through the hallway, his eyes absently scanned the normal buzz of electric devices and doctors being called via the speakers. The smell of coffee and cleaning supplies made him feel sick today, he felt as if he didn't belong here. Something wasn't right.
Jack picked up his patient's chart from the nurse's desk, the pretty nurse gave him her usual smile.
'Good Morning Doctor Shepherd,' Jack smiled back briefly and headed down the corridor, he gave the patient notes a quick read through as usual. He froze as he read the name, 'Henry Gale...??' he whispered the name to himself, as a frown spread across his features.
Jack stared at the door.
'Come on in Jack.'
Jack felt chills move along his spine, that voice, calm but demanding, calculating and so in control. Ben Linus.
Jack opened the door slowly, he could barely believe his own eyes as they landed on those manipulating cold-blue eyes. Ben had turned out to be the most unlikely hero in the whole saga of the island. Ben had saved whoever was left of the castaways.
'Ben...?'
Ben smiled at Jack, he was dressed in a smart black suit, wearing some glasses that only made him seem smarter. Frankly, being in the same room as someone as intelligent as Ben unsettled Jack.
'What do you want?' Jack's voice sounded braver than he felt. 'Why are you here?'
Ben gave Jack a small smile, 'have you been...seeing things lately Jack?'
Jack didn't dare to reply, he was afraid he might get the answer he had been aching for from Ben.
Ben climbed to his feet, 'It seems, the island isn't finished with you.'
Jack studied Ben, 'What do you mean?'
'Jack...The island, is...almost alive...and it wants you back. Unless you've left something behind...I don't know how else to explain your visions...'
Jack frowned, 'how do you know about those?'
Ben gave Jack a look, and Jack knew exactly what it meant. He wasn't getting an answer just yet.
Ben studied him, 'Have you seen Claire yet?'
Jack shook his head, 'I keep seeing my father...what does that mean?'
Ben studied him, 'Maybe you've left some of your demons back on the island...'
'Kate saw Claire.'
Ben looked bemused for a moment, 'really?' he asked, Jack noticed the slight smile on Ben's lips.
'What does it mean?'
'She IS your sister...and Aaron is her son...Have you entertained the idea...that Claire might still be on the island and she needs your help? Or maybe she wants her son back? She could be in danger...'
Jack felt a wave of sickness hit him hard.
'Is she alive?'
Ben gave a subtle shrug, Jack grabbed him by the collar, 'IS SHE ALIVE?!'
Ben gave Jack a stern look, 'let go of me Jack.'
Ben was Jack's only chance of finding the island again, he did as he was told.
Ben walked over to the door, before leaving he asked, 'Do you honestly believe Kate is capable of being a mother?'
Ben left unravelling doctor standing in the empty room.
End chapter twenty-five:
Chapter twenty-six: Blood and Water
'what do you mean you spoke to Ben?'
Kate asked over the phone, her tone was firm. She was still upset about his drunken grave-digging fiasco the night before.
Jack closed his eyes for a moment, 'look, I'd rather talk to you in person about it.'
'I don't know Jack...I've gotta drop Aaron to-'
'He doesn't have nursery today Kate.'
Kate bit her tongue, why was she hesitating to see him?
'Jack, I don't-'
'Kate, Please. The things we've been seeing? They're real.'
Kate paused over the phone, Jack found himself praying she would say yes.
'Okay.'
He let out a relieved sigh at her response.
'Okay, thankyou...'
Kate ignored his thanks, 'I'll come over in an hour.'
Jack nodded as he replied, 'okay, see you then.'
Kate, 'okay.'
There was an awkward pause, 'Kate,' Jack said softly, 'I'm sorry about last night...sorry I didn't let it go.'
'You know, you screw up and then apologize, only to screw up again. I don't want a fake apology Jack.'
It was Jack's turn to pause.
'Kate, when this is fixed, when the island is done with us...I SWEAR I will make this right.'
'That's just it Jack, the island will always come first for you...and now that I have Aaron? I can't put him second to anyone else...'
Jack frowned, what was she saying?
'What're you trying to say?' he asked incredulously.
'Jack,' she sighed, 'we love eachother, but we hurt eachother...and its not good for either of us.'
Jack stubbornly shook his head, 'No, Kate don't end this. Just, look, we'll talk when you come over okay?'
'Okay.'
She hung up, Jack pulled the phone away from his ear, how did the island manage to get between them even though it wasn't here? He ran a hand through his hair.
Kate walked into Aaron's bedroom and froze at what she saw, Claire had Aaron in her arms, Kate stared at her in shock, tears filling her eyes as she recognised her friend, 'Claire...?'
Claire stared at Kate, 'you're not supposed to have him Kate.'
Kate shook her head, fighting back tears, 'Claire-I thought you were dead, I thought you were gone-'
'You're not the one who's meant to raise him, you're a murderer-'
Aaron looked innocently at Kate as Claire held him close, Kate approached Claire, 'no, Claire-'
Before Kate could say another word, Claire vanished, along with Aaron.
Kate stared at the empty room in shock.
She desperately reached out in front of her, her mind refused to believe her eyes, no, this did not just happen. Claire did not just appear and take Aaron. No. She was NOT losing her mind.
End chapter twenty-Six
Chapter twenty-seven:
Jack furrowed his brow at the sudden thumping on his front door, he climbed to his feet, 'what the hell...?' he muttered.
'Jack!? Jack...?!'
On recognising Kate's alarmed voice, he ran to the door, pulling it open, Kate was a complete mess as she hugged him whilst she sobbed.
'She took him... he's gone-he's...she took him-'
Jack held Kate firmly in his grip, 'Slow down...look at me,' he pulled away as he peered down at her, 'hey...' Kate stared into his eyes, Jack felt his heart hurt as he read the distress in her emerald gaze, 'what happened?'
Kate felt tears streaming down her cheeks, she didn't bother fighting them, Jack was the one person who made it okay for her to break down around him. He knew her.
'I just...I walked into his bedroom, and she was there-'
'Who?'
'Claire.'
This impacts Jack in a big way, Jack blinked, his confusion spreading over his features.
'she was there Jack, she had Aaron in her arms, and she...she said...'
Kate trailed off, Jack touched Kate's chin, she lifted her pained eyes to meet his, 'she called me a murderer and...she just...she...' Kate bit her lip for a moment, it was too painful to even say, Aaron was all she had when they had returned from the island.
'She said I'm not supposed to raise him...because, I'm a murderer...' Jack didn't know what to say, why had Claire's visit occurred so closely after Ben had talked to Jack? He silently pulled her into his arms, she didn't need him to say anything, she just needed him to be there.
Jack held her calmly, trying to make sense of everything that had been happening lately, he glanced down at Kate, he could feel her almost trembling in his arms.
'Hey...?'
Kate looked up at him, he cupped her face with his warm hands, 'we can figure this out Kate...but I need to know that you've still got my back. No matter what happens.'
'You already know the answer to that.'
Jack studied her, 'what do you wanna do?'
'We don't really have a choice do we?'
Jack slowly nodded, she was right.
They had to go back to the island. One.Last.Time.
End chapter twenty-seven