Matt was immediately on his feet, sprinting towards the place Michael had come from. He vaguely registered Claire struggling to get to her feet before Mia urged her back down, but couldn't help but notice Mia catching up to him, tugging on his arm as they continued their run through the jungle.
"Matt, you're not completely healed, you can't do this!" Mia yelled at him frantically, nowhere near out of breath.
"I'm not leaving him there!" Matt yelled back, not registering the blood that had already begun to trickle down his side. But Mia saw, and her eyes widened with fear as she desperately tugged on his arm again.
"You're bleeding!" she yelled, this time directly in his ear, but he shrugged her off and kept running. A few seconds later, they were at the caves. There was already a large group of people there, an assembly line in progress, moving the massive rocks away from what had been the cave opening.
Matt ran to the front of the line, bending down and heaving a huge rock back to Mia, who stayed by his side. Kate was there too, and when she saw the blood, she took off her white outer shirt, kneeling down and pressing it tightly with both her hands against Matt's side.
"Don't worry about me, just keep moving those rocks!" Matt yelled, but Kate shook her head.
"We're not going to save Jack by losing you!" she yelled back, holding the shirt even tighter against his blood-stained skin.
There was suddenly a commotion from the side of the cave, and everyone turned. Jack and Charlie, filthy, hobbling, but very much alive, came into sight. Matt dropped the rock he was carrying and flew into Jack's arms, hugging him tightly against him.
"Are you ok?" Matt asked frantically, passing his hands over Jack's body, stopping at every bump and scratch.
"I'm ok," Jack assured him, resting his forehead against Matt's. "I just kept thinking of you, and how much I wanted to get out of that damn cave and back to you."
"I was so scared," Matt whispered, taking Jack's face in between his hands and pulling him in for a deep kiss. "I love you so much."
"I love you too," Jack said, wrapping his arms around Matt again. Matt suddenly sagged, Jack's arms the only things keeping Matt from falling. "Matt?" Jack's voice turned frantic as he lowered Matt to a seated position.
Jack saw the blood dripping down Matt's side, and his breath caught in his throat. Scooping Matt up into his arms, Jack began to turn back towards the tents. Mia and Kate suddenly appeared at his side. "Get a needle, thread, bandages, and clean water ready!" Jack yelled, and Mia and Kate picked up their pace, surging forward.
"Carrying me in your arms, such a romantic," Matt mumbled, eyes half-closed, limbs limp.
"And you're an idiot," Jack said, the frantic affection in his voice taking any sting out of his words.
"But I'm your idiot." Matt's smile even cut through the pain-filled wince covering his face.
"You're my idiot." Jack hugged Matt tighter to his chest, keeping one hand pressed against Matt's side. "The one who keep stopping my heart by getting hurt."
"You're the one who was in a cave-in." Matt's head lolled to the side and he fought to keep his eyes open. "Besides, I have my own personal doctor."
"I will switch professions if it keeps you from getting hurt." They reached the tents and Jack spotted Mia and Kate set up in the nearest one. "But right now, I am definitely your personal doctor."
Matt woke up an hour later, a dull ache in his side and Jack curled up next to him. "You're going to be just fine," Jack said with a smile, brushing the hair back from Matt's eyes. "Just popped two stitches, more blood than damage done."
"Are you sure you're ok?" Matt asked anxiously, turning to face Jack and running a hand gently down his arm.
"I'm fine," Jack assured him, kissing him softly. "But what were you thinking? No strenuous physical activity definitely means no lifting huge heavy rocks."
"I wasn't going to leave you there!" Matt protested immediately. "I-" Jack kissed him, deep enough to tilt his head back, before placing his finger on Matt's lips.
"I would have done the same thing," Jack said softly. "Now that I've got you, I'm never leaving you."
"Aw…" Matt laughed, then kissed Jack back.
"So I'm staying here with you."
"Well, good," Matt grinned, kissing Jack again. "There's a lot we can do even without you clearing me." Jack pulled back, and Matt caught the seriousness in his eyes. "Jack?"
"I mean, I'm not going on the raft," Jack said, voice strong as he took Matt's hands in his. "With your injury, I can't let you on the raft, even with me on there. If you got dehydrated, or got an infection, you could…you could die, Matt."
"You should go," Matt whispered, tears choking his voice as he clutched Jack's hands between his own. "You can get off this island, do great. You can take care of Jordan-"
This time, Jack slammed his lips into Matt's, tongue between Matt's teeth, Matt's body pressed back into the tarp. Matt responded in kind, wrapping his arms around Jack, pulling him in even closer, hands groping up and down Jack's back.
Jack pulled his head back, both men gasping for breath. "I am never leaving you," Jack said, staring directly into Matt's eyes. "The people on the raft will find land, and help, and we'll get rescued together. We'll go back home and we'll take care of Jordan together. I love you. Got it?"
"Got it." Tears glistened in Matt's eyes as he reached a hand up to caress Jack's cheek. "I love you too." Kissing Jack softly, Matt raised himself to a seated position. "Would you help me write a letter to Jordan? I want to send it with Mia."
"I'd be honored," Jack said, smiling as he looped an arm around Matt's shoulders and pulled him in close, kissing the side of his head.