"Something nice back home" ~4x10~

Act 1 

[Jack is asleep in his tent.]

JULIET: Jack! Jack! Jack? Jack, I need you to wake up. Jack! Can you hear me? You okay?

BERNARD: Come on! Come on! I just wanna know why.

JACK: What happened?

JULIET: Here.

ROSE: He knows somethin'!

[Outisde, the survivors question Daniel and Charlotte.]

BERNARD: I want the truth!

DANIEL: I don't know. That's the truth. I'm telling you, I don't know why, but there's no signal now.

BERNARD: Signal? What, there was a signal when you called them last night.

ROSE: That's right.

BERNARD: So—so—so what? Now they're just ignoring us?

CHARLOTTE: How are we supposed to know why they're not answering?

ROSE: Oh, who's talking to you?

CHARLOTTE: And in case you haven't noticed, we're not on the bloody boat, are we?

ROSE: Just watch your tone, Red.

BERNARD: I just wanna know why.

JACK: Hey! Everybody just needs to calm down, okay?

BERNARD: Jack, these people are lying to us.

JACK: I know they're lying. I know it. Sooner or later, their people are gonna come back for them, and when they do, we'll be waiting for them.

SUN: Unless they run off again.

JACK: Listen to me.

ROSE: Jack, are you all right?

JACK: No, I'm fine. We just have to be patient, okay? I've gotten us this far. I said I was gonna get us off the Island — all of us. I promised that I would.

[Jack doubles over in pain, falling to the ground.]

[Woman gasps.]

ROSE: Jack? Jack?

BERNARD: Jack?

JULIET: Jack.

ROSE: Is he all right?

[Breathing erratically.]

JULIET: Jack? Jack.

[Flash-forward - Jack is lying in bed with his eyes open. Birds chirp in the distance. The phone rings. It takes Jack a few moments to realize.]

[Telephone rings.]

JACK: Hello?

JANE: Dr. Shephard? Just confirming your 11:00 consult with Ms. Berenberg. It was moved up yesterday, and I know how you are with your calendar.

JACK: Yeah. Yeah, I remember, Jane. I'll, um... I'll be in there.

JANE: Thank you, doctor.

JACK: Alright . Bye.

[He gets up, wraps a towel around his waist and notices a pair of panties on the ground. He picks it up and puts it in the hamper. He then goes downstairs to the kitchen, stubbing his toe on a toy lying on the ground.]

JACK: Ow. Son of a bitch.

[He puts wine glasses from the previous night into the sink and makes coffee. Picking up a copy of the day's paper, he sees the sports-page headline, "Yankees bludgeon Red Sox in series sweep.]

JACK: [Scoffs] A-Rod.

[He puts the paper down and goes to the bathroom, where the shower is running.]

JACK: Morning.

WOMAN: Morning yourself. I bought you a razor.

JACK: What, you don't like the scruff?

WOMAN: [Laughs] Razor's by the sink, Jack.

[Shower shuts off. Jack grabs a towel. The shower door opens, and the woman is revealed to be Kate. He wraps her in the towel.]

JACK: Morning.

[They kiss.]

Act 2

[A child's room. We see a mobile from which cut-out stars and planets dangle. The camera moves down, and we see Jack reading to Aaron.]

JACK: "Alice took up the fan and gloves, and, as the hall was very hot, she kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking: Dear, dear! How q*eer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night. Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning?

[Jack notices Kate smiling in the doorway.]

JACK: [continues] But if I'm not the same, the next question is, 'Who in the world am I?' Aha, that's the great puzzle."

[Aaron has fallen asleep. Jack turns off the lamp and leaves. Kate closes the door. They stand in the hallway.]

KATE: You're a natural.

JACK: [Chuckles] Yeah?

KATE: Yeah.

JACK: My old man used to read me that story.

KATE: Really?

JACK: What?

KATE: It's just... it's just sweet hearing you say nice things about your dad.

JACK: [Chuckles] I don't say nice things about my dad? Well, he was a good storyteller. I'll give him that. Hey. You okay?

KATE: Yeah. Just, I... I love seeing you with him. I'm so glad you changed your mind. [Whispers] I'm so glad that you're here.

JACK: [Whispers] Me, too.

[They kiss. He lifts her up and she laughs as he carries her down the hall.]

[On-Island - Juliet and Bernard help Jack rest his head on a tree]

JULIET: Keep him in the shade. I'll get him some water. Give--give him some air, guys.

JACK: [Grunts]

JULIET: You okay?

JACK: Yeah. I'm fine. I'm good. I'm good.

[Kate arrives at the scene.]

KATE: Hey, what happened?

JULIET: He passed out.

KATE: You fainted?

JACK: I'm fine. I'm just, uh... I'm just a little dehydrated.

KATE: No, Jack. You're not okay. You're burning up.

JACK: I'm fine. I'm fine. I just... just need to get a little rest.

JULIET: Jack—

JACK: I'm fine.

[Exhales deeply.]

[Sawyer, Claire, Miles and Aaron are trekking through the jungle on their way back to the beach camp.]

CLAIRE: Oh!

SAWYER: You okay?

CLAIRE: Yeah, just a bit woozy.

SAWYER: How's your head?

CLAIRE: It's better. Bit of a headache, but at least I'm not seeing things anymore.

MILES: Yeah? What'd you see?

SAWYER: Back off, Donger.

[Aaron cries.]

MILES: I'm just making conversation.

SAWYER: Let's make some time. I wanna cover more ground before we gotta camp tonight. If we hoof it, we can make it to the beach by noon tomorrow.

[Voices echo indistinctly, b*ll*ts whizz. Miles stops, concentrating on the sounds.]

[Alex's voice "no!"]

[g*n, voices continue echoing indistinctly.]

SAWYER: What?

[Aaron fusses. Miles doesn't say anything.]

SAWYER: Hey. Hey!

MILES: Who's Danielle and Karl?

CLAIRE: Y—you mean Rousseau? The French woman?

[Aaron cries. Miles begins digging in the ground. He comes across a face in the dirt, the body half buried.]

CLAIRE: [Gasps] Oh, my God.

[Insects buzzing.]

MILES: Is this your French woman?

[He begins digging a few feet away and uncovers another d*ad body, half buried.]

SAWYER: Karl. How'd you know they were down there? Your buddies do this?

MILES: They're not my buddies, man. I didn't sign up for this.

CLAIRE: Can we just—can we just get out of here, please? Can we just go?

SAWYER: [Whispers] Yeah, yeah, of course. But don't worry. Once we get back to the beach, everything's gonna be fine. All right? [Claire nods] Come on. Let's go.

[Aaron cries.]

[At the beach camp, Jack is in his tent. Juliet enters.]

JACK: Ahh. [Groans] I hate being sick.

JULIET: What do you think it is?

JACK: It's food poisoning.

JULIET: What makes you think that?

JACK: I've got some cramping, dehydrated, nausea.

JULIET: I respectfully disagree.

JACK: [Chuckles] Do you?

JULIET: You want to lift your shirt up?

[Jack demurs.]

JULIET: If it's food poisoning, you got nothing to worry about.

[Jack pauses and then lifts his shirt. Juliet presses, trying to assess his condition. Jack winces in pain.]

JULIET: It's your appendix, Jack. When did the pain start?

JACK: Yesterday.

JULIET: Has it ruptured?

JACK: Not yet.

JULIET: Well... I guess we're just gonna have to take it out.

Act 3

JULIET: Do you remember where the medical station is or don't you?

SUN: Yes, I remember.

JULIET: These are the instruments that I need you to bring back. You'll find them in the drawers in the exam room.

SUN: "Clamps"? "Sutures"? Juliet, I don't know what these look like.

DAN: I can help you. I'm familiar with surgical instruments. Uh...

JULIET: I thought you were a physicist.

DAN: Yeah, well, I've done some animal autopsies, too, so if—if—

JIN: No.

SUN: We can't trust them.

CHARLOTTE: [Scoffs] See, Dan? I told you. They're convinced we're trying to k*ll 'em. Might as well keep playing the part.

DAN: Damn it, Charlotte. That right there, that right there. Your—your attitude — your very bad attitude — it's exactly why they don't trust us. [Whispers] Come on. [Normal voice] Juliet, please. Don't blame us for—for this, for whatever is happening. We're scientists. We don't want anyone to get hurt. We just wanna help. Please let us help.

[Juliet hands the supply list to Dan.]

JULIET: [To Jin, as she hands him a g*n] If either of them tries to run, sh**t 'em in the leg. Get back here as fast as you can.

SUN: Okay.

DAN: Thank you.

JULIET: We need to create a sterile environment. Find a hard surface, wash it down, gather as many tarps as you can.

KATE: Hey Juliet. If everything that we need is at the medical station, then why don't we just bring Jack there?

JULIET: Because if we move him, there's a good chance that his appendix will rupture. And if that happens, he's gonna die.

[Claire, Aaron, Miles and Sawyer are by a creek. From a higher ledge, Miles looks down at Claire holding Aaron.]

SAWYER: Don't even think about it.

MILES: What?

SAWYER: Don't look at her. Don't talk to her. Don't mess with her. You got a restraining order. Twenty feet.

[Zips up backpack.]

MILES: What are you, her big brother?

SAWYER: No. I'm the guy who's gonna put a boot in your face unless you say, "Yeah, I getcha."

MILES: Yeah, I getcha.

[Back at the beach camp, Bernard sets down a table. Rose brings a bucket of water and a cloth.]

BERNARD: Honey, I am sure Jack is gonna be okay. An appendectomy is just about the most common kind of surgery there is.

ROSE: That's not what I was thinking about. I was thinking, "Why did he get sick?"

BERNARD: Why? It's just—it's just bad luck.

ROSE: The day before we're all supposed to be rescued, the person that we count on the most suddenly comes down with a life-thr*at condition, and you're chalking it up to bad luck?

BERNARD: Well, what are you saying, that—that Jack did something to offend the gods? People get sick, Rose.

ROSE: Not here. Here, they get better.

[Juliet shaves Jack's stomach.]

JACK: When was the last time you did this?

JULIET: An appendectomy or shaving a man's stomach?

[Both chuckle.]

JULIET: In my residency. I did a lot of 'em back then.

JACK: Then you know the incision needs to be two inches lower than where you're shaving.

JULIET: I'm just cleaning the area. Thank you.

JACK: I wanna talk you through it.

JULIET: What?

JACK: I don't want to be unconscious. We can use the lidocaine to numb the area. And then I can watch the procedure, help you out.

JULIET: And, uh, how are you gonna watch, flat on your back with my hand in your abdominal cavity?

JACK: We can use a mirror. Kate can hold it.

JULIET: If someone's going to be in there, shouldn't it be someone with medical experience? Bernard's a dentist—

JACK: No, I want it to be Kate.

JULIET: Okay.

[Flash-forward - Jack is walking with a patient in the lobby of the hospital.]

JACK: Don't worry, Ms. Berenberg. You're in good hands.

MRS. BERENBERG: Thank you.

JACK: I'll see you tomorrow at 5:00 a.m.?

MRS. BERENBERG: Mm-hmm.

JACK: And remember, no solid food. Okay?

MRS. BERENBERG: Thank you, doctor.

JACK: Have a good evening.

[Jack stops in his tracks. He sees what appears to be his father walking out of the building.]

ERIKA: Jack? Jack?

[Jack snaps out of it and turns to Erika.]

ERIKA: Will you take a look at this X-ray? Uh, it's in the L4. I wanna know what you think.

JACK: The L4. Yeah. Yeah.

RECEPTIONIST: Oh, Dr. Shephard, there's a call for you. It's a Dr. Stillman from Santa Rosa Hospital, says it's about a friend of yours.

[Sometime later, Jack and Dr. Stillman are walking down a hallway in the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute.]

DR. STILLMAN: He's refusing to take his meds, and he's stopped sleeping.

JACK: What about his therapy sessions?

DR. STILLMAN: Therapy's... been rendered useless.

JACK: And why is that?

DR. STILLMAN: Because he doesn't think I exist.

[Keypad beeps, door unlocks. Hurley is sitting on the edge of his bed, gazing into space.]

JACK: Hey Hurley.

HURLEY: [without looking at Jack] Hey Jack.

[Jack sits down.]

JACK: Why aren't you taking your meds?

HURLEY: 'Cause we're d*ad... all of us. All the Oceanic Six, we're all d*ad. We never got off that island.

JACK: Hurley ... that is not true.

HURLEY: What'd you do today?

JACK: What did I do today? I, uh... [sighs] I woke up, took a shower. Uh, Kate and I fed the baby.

HURLEY: I thought you didn't want anything to do with Aaron.

JACK: I changed my mind after the trial.

HURLEY: Living with Kate... taking care of Aaron... it all seems so perfect... just like heaven.

JACK: Just because I'm happy doesn't mean that this isn't real, Hurley.

HURLEY: I was happy too, Jack... for a while, anyway. Then I saw Charlie. [Jack looks rather flabbergasted] He likes to sit with me on the bench out on the front lawn. It's pretty cool, actually.

JACK: Okay. [Sighs] So what did the two of you talk about?

HURLEY: Well, yesterday, he told me you were gonna be coming by. He wanted me to give you a message.

JACK: [skeptically] A message?

[Hurley opens a drawer and takes out a piece of paper.]

HURLEY: He made me write it down so I wouldn't mess it up. [A tear rolls down his cheek] "You're not supposed to raise him, Jack." [Jack gets up and starts to leave] Does that make any sense?

JACK: No, that... doesn't make any sense.

HURLEY: Do you think he means Aaron?

JACK: Take your meds, Hurley. Just take 'em.

[He opens the door to leave.]

HURLEY: Hey, Jack? Charlie said someone's gonna be visiting you too. Soon.

Act 4 

[On-Island - Sun, Jin, Daniel and Charlotte arrive outside the Staff station.]

Sun: We're here.

[Jin brushes off the plants covering the station's exterior. Charlotte opens the door and is about to go in before Dan grabs her arm.]

DAN: Hey. Uh... why don't you let me go first? Um, you know, make sure everything's safe.

CHARLOTTE: Okay. Be careful, Dan.

DANIEL: Absolutely.

JIN: 저 여자는 저 남자가 좋아하는 걸 알까? [Subtitle: Do you think she knows he likes her?]

SUN: 그럼, 여잔데… 당연히 알지. [Subtitle: She's a woman. She knows.]

[Charlotte looks back and faintly smiles at the two Koreans. Jin notices.]

SUN: 어서 가요. [Subtitle: Jin. Come on.]

[The secret door to the medical lab makes a grinding sound across the floor as it slides open. The four enter the lab.]

DANIEL: Where do you suppose all this power's coming from?

CHARLOTTE: Add that one to the list, Dan. Let's just grab the equipment and go, shall we?

[Daniel and Charlotte begin rummaging for supplies. Sun takes interest in the examining table.]

JIN: 괜찮아? [Subtitle: Are you all right?]

SUN: 줄리엣이 날 데리고 온 곳이에요. 여기서 우리 아기를 봤어요. [Subtitle: This is where Juliet brought me. This is where I saw our baby.]

[She indicates the ultrasound equipment, a bottle of ultrasound gel still sitting near the monitor. Charlotte hands Daniel something she scavenged.]

SUN: 진수씨, 저 사람들이 우리를 도와 줄 것 같지 않아요. [Subtitle: They're not going to help us, Jin.]

[Charlotte looks over at them. Jin notices.]

JIN: 자기야, 걱정 마. 내가 한 말 이해 가지? 당신하고 우리 아기는 이 섬에서 꼭 벗어나게 할 거야. [Subtitle: Don't worry about them. I promise you, Sun. I will get you and our baby off this island.]

[Charlotte once again looks at them]

[Birds chirp as Sawyer, followed by Claire and Miles, trek through the dense jungle. Stepping underneath a fallen tree, Claire stumbles, her shoe falling off.]

MILES: Whoa! Hey, you want a hand with the baby?

CLAIRE: [Dismissively] Oh, no, thanks. I'm fine.

MILES: You sure? I'm good with kids.

[Sawyer turns back to thr*at Miles.]

SAWYER: What part of "restraining order" don't you understand?

[They turn as they hear leaves rustling. Sawyer cocks his r*fle.]

SAWYER: [Whispers] Get behind me, Claire.

[They hear footsteps approaching. Sawyer points his g*n in the direction of the sound. Frank Lapidus emerges from the foliage carrying an aviation first aid kit and a beeping satellite phone.]

LAPIDUS: Whoa! Hey!

SAWYER: Who the hell are you?

MILES: Lapidus?

LAPIDUS: Miles?

SAWYER: You two know each other?

LAPIDUS: You gotta hide, man, right now.

MILES: What?

LAPIDUS: Keamy's coming back, and if he sees you, he'll k*ll all of ya.

[The pace of the sat-phone beeping picks up.]

LAPIDUS: And he's close, man. You gotta hide now! Go! Hide!

SAWYER: Come on.

[Sawyer grabs Claire's hand.]

LAPIDUS: Just hide!

SAWYER: Come on. Come on. Let's go!

[Miles follows them into a thicket, where they crouch down.]

[The sat-phone beeping increases rapidly--then stops when Keamy and five other members of the freighter's military team step out of the jungle. One of them, badly wounded, is braced on the shoulders of two other men.]

KEAMY: Where's the chopper?

LAPIDUS: It's about a click back that way.

KEAMY: Did you bring the kit?

LAPIDUS: Yeah, it's right here. Jeez, man, he looks bad. What the hell happened?

KEAMY: You do your job. I'll do mine.

[Keamy takes the first aid kit from Lapidus and hands it to the black mercenary. Birds chirp, and one high-pitched bird in particular. From hidden within the brush, Aaron makes a sound. Claire holds Aaron close against her. The high-pitched bird chirps again. Keamy looks around for the source of the noise.]

LAPIDUS: Okay. It's gettin' dark, man. We gotta leave now.

[Sawyer readies his g*n to f*re at Keamy should they be discovered.]

LAPIDUS: Mr. Keamy, we gotta get back to the chopper.

LAPIDUS: Keamy, we gotta get back, 'cause I'll tell ya right now, I am not flying Faraday's bearings at night. I'm not gonna do it. So if you wanna get back, we gotta leave right now, sir.

KEAMY: Fine. You lead the way.

[Keamy gives up on his search for the noise.]

KEAMY: Come on.

MAN 1: Okay.

MAN 2: Come on.

MAN 3: Watch it now.

[The mercenaries leave with Lapidus. Sawyer and the others breathe a sigh of relief.]

[Back on the beach, Juliet and Kate approach each other.]

KATE: The tent's all set. Everything's ready.

JULIET: Good. Thanks. Listen, I could use an extra pair of hands in there. You wanna help me out?

KATE: Um, I don't... I don't think that's a good idea.

JULIET: It's just holding a mirror. Jack wants to watch the surgery, "talk me through it."

[Kate chuckles.]

JULIET: What?

KATE: I'm just surprised he's not taken it out of himself by now.

[Juliet smiles to herself. Jack emerges from the tent, stumbling.]

JULIET: Jack. What are you doin'?

JACK: I don't need a stretcher. I can walk 50 feet.

KATE: I'll help you.

[Jack exhales sharply as Kate goes to assist him.]

JULIET: They're gonna be back with the instruments soon. We need to be ready to go as soon as they get back. See you in there.

[Juliet leaves.]

KATE: So it looks like I'm gonna be your nurse.

JACK: [Sighs] Wouldn't be the first time.

[Kate chuckles.]

JACK: Listen, um... if something happens to me—

KATE: Shut up, Jack.

JACK: [Chuckles] Fair enough.

[Flash-forward - A train horn blows in the distance. Jack sits in his Ford Bronco outside Santa Rosa Mental Health Facility at night. Jack stares at the table where Hurley said he met with Charlie. Jack starts the car and drives off.]

[Jack finds Kate asleep in bed.]

JACK: Kate? Kate?

[Kate stirs when Jack touches her.]

JACK: Wake up, Kate. Hey.

KATE: [Sniffles] Hey. What time is it?

JACK: It's late. I just got home.

KATE: Were you working?

JACK: No. I just... had to stop and get something. I just... took a while.

KATE: Hey. What's going on? What's wrong?

JACK: The other night, when I was reading to Aaron, you said... that I was a natural. (Sighs) Do you really... do you really think that I'm good at this?

KATE: Yeah. You're good at this.

JACK: [Pauses] Will you marry me?

[Jack removes a small box from his pocket and opens it. Kate gasps, tears in her eyes, and they both chuckle as he takes out the ring.]

KATE: Yes. [Laughs]

[Jack puts the ring on her finger]

KATE: Of course I will. Yes.

[They kiss, laugh and hug.]

Act 5

[It's nighttime on the beach. Juliet lights a torch on the campfire and hands it to Bernard.]

BERNARD: Look, they're back.

[Juliet runs to Daniel and Charlotte.]

JULIET: Did you find everything?

DANIEL: Yes, ma'am. The entire list. Is he okay?

JULIET: For now. Sun, we need to sterilize these. There's a pot of water boiling over here.

[Juliet, Dan and Sun move off.]

JIN: Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE: Yeah?

JIN: 난 알고 있어. [Subtitle: I know you understand me.]

CHARLOTTE: Pardon?

JIN: 너 한국말 할 줄 알지? 아까 우리가 너 이야기 할 때 너 웃는 거 내가 봤어. 그리고 너 스테이션에서도 우리 말 엿듣고 있었지? [Subtitle: I know you speak Korean. You smiled when Sun and I talked about you. And you were listening to us at the station.]

CHARLOTTE: I'm sorry. Perhaps I can get your wife to translate—

JIN: 계속 날 속이면... 니 친구 다니엘을 가만 두지 않겠어. 앞으로 그 친구 손가락 쓰기는 아마 힘들걸? 이해가 되지? [Subtitle: If you continue to lie... I'm going to hurt your friend Daniel. I'm going to break his fingers one at a time. Do you understand that?]

CHARLOTTE: 나한테 원하는 게 뭐죠? [Subtitle: What do you want?]

JIN: 헬리콥터가 돌아오면... 내 아내를 데리고 이 섬을 떠나기만 하면 돼. [Subtitle: When the helicopter comes for you... You're going to take my wife off this island.]

CHARLOTTE: 당신과 당신 친구는요? [Subtitle: What about you and the rest of your friends?]

JIN: 넌 선만 헬리콥터에 태우면 돼. [Subtitle: Just get her on the helicopter.]

[Charlotte nods. Jin leaves.]

[Juliet activates a makeshift surgery lamp by turning on four flashlights bound together and hung from the ceiling of a tent. Kate ties her hair back. Bernard flicks the bubbles out of a syringe of local anesthetic. He swabs an area on Jack's lower right abdomen.]

BERNARD: You know, Jack, they found some chloroform at the medical station. I could knock you out. Wouldn't you rather be dreaming about something nice back home?

JACK: No, I'll manage with the lidocaine.

JACK: Kate.

[Jack grunts as Bernard injects him with the anesthetic at several sites and he adjusts the mirror Kate holds for him.]

JACK: Just hold it right there.

BERNARD: Okay, now this is gonna numb the area of the first incision. After that, I would like to be able to tell you you' not gonna feel a thing, but... you will.

JULIET: You ready?

[Juliet snaps the latex gloves over her hands.]

JULIET: Okay. Here we go.

[Juliet begins the incision into Jack's flesh. Jack grunts. She continues. He grunts again, and again.]

JULIET: Okay, Jack. One more.

JACK: Oh!

JULIET: Okay, try not to move.

[Jack grunts.]

JULIET: Just stay still. [To Bernard] Spreader.

JACK: Kate, I—I can't see it.

KATE: Sorry.

JULIET: Don't worry about the mirror. Just stay still. [To Bernard] Spreader.

JACK: [Groaning] That's good. That's good. Yeah. This is it. That's good.

[Juliet inserts the spreader and clicks it open.]

JACK: Aah! [Grunting loudly]

JULIET: Knock him out, Bernard.

[Bernard moves to get the chloroform.]

JACK: No! No... not wanna be unconscious.

JULIET: You don't want to be out of control.

JACK: Kate.

JULIET: Kate, you need to leave.

JACK: No.

JULIET: Bernard!

JACK: Kate—

JULIET: Kate, you need to go.

JACK: —please.

JULIET: Bernard!

[Bernard's still busy getting the chloroform.]

JACK: No!

JULIET: Kate, get out of here! Bernard.

JACK: Kate...

KATE: Jack.

JULIET: Kate. Kate, get outta here! Damn it, Bernard! Knock him out!

BERNARD: I'm sorry, Jack, but I agree.

[Jack grunts a final "No!" as Bernard holds the cloth over his mouth and nose. Everything goes.]

[Flash-forward - A bright white screen. We're looking at a backlit X-ray examination board. Jack puts a new film into place showing a spine, and begins dictating into a recorder.]

JACK: Laker, Ryan. Patient is male, 36.

[Jack hears a distant beep.]

JACK: Osteoblastoma is present in the posterior area of the lumbar. I am recommending biopsy for—

[Another beep. And a third. Jack puts down his work, exits his office. Another beep. He closes the door and walks down the hallway. The beeping continues. He looks up at the source: a rogue smoke alarm placed over the reception desk of the Neurosurgery Group at St. Sebastian Hospital. Jack scrapes a chair across the floor, gets up on it, and up on the desk to reach the smoke alarm. He extracts the battery to end the beeping, putting the thing out of its misery, then gets down from the desk and examines the battery. A voice out of nowhere startles him]

CHRISTIAN: Jack?

[Jack jumps and turns around. There, sitting on a couch in the waiting area, is his father, Christian Shepard, wearing the suit he was to be buried in and white sneakers. Jack slowly moves closer to his father, who sits up. A dark figure comes up behind Jack.]

ERIKA: Jack?

[Jack gasps and turns around. It's Dr. Erika Stevenson, a co-worker of Jack's in the Neurosurgery Group. She looks to the couch in the waiting area. Jack looks there too, but no one is there. He sighs deeply.]

ERIKA: You okay?

JACK: Uh, yeah. I'm—I'm... I'm okay. I, uh... I just, uh...

[Erika looks on, concerned. Jack holds his head, and holds back tears.]

JACK: The, um, the smoke detector was... was beeping, and I just...

ERIKA: Okay. Thank you for keeping us safe.

[She begins to leave.]

JACK: Erika, um... [sighs] Do you mind doing me a favor?

ERIKA: Yeah, sure.

JACK: Can you write a script for... clonazepam?

ERIKA: For you?

JACK: Yeah, um... I just got a lot going on right now, and I'm just a little snowed under with all my caseload, and Kate and I got engaged. Just... not sleepin' very well at night, you know? Just...

[Erika takes out her prescription pad and scribbles on it. She rips the paper off the pad and hands Jack his script.]

JACK: Thank you.

ERIKA: You know, getting engaged is supposed to help reduce stress, not create it.

JACK: Yeah. [Chuckles] You're right.

ERIKA: Maybe you should talk to someone.

JACK: I'll do that.

ERIKA: Good night.

JACK: Good night.

[Jack arrives home. He hears Kate's voice. She's on the phone in the kitchen.]

KATE: Yeah, I'll just have the nanny stay for an extra couple hours. Jack's never home before 8:00 anyway. I could stay for at least an hour. [Keys jangle] I--I gotta go. Jack's home. Yeah, okay. I'll call you later. Bye.

[The phone beeps as Kate hangs up.]

JACK: Hey.

KATE: Hey. You scared me.

[Kate gets herself a glass of water from the filter pitcher in the refrigerator.]

JACK: Sorry. I thought you'd be in bed. Who was that?

KATE: That was Noreen.

JACK: Noreen?

KATE: Yeah. She's one of the moms from the park. What?

JACK: Nothing. I just... never heard you mention her before.

KATE: Well, now you have.

[She leans up to kiss Jack on the lips.]

KATE: I'll see you upstairs.

[Kate goes up to bed. Jack fishes into his jacket pocket and extracts his clonazepam prescription. Dropping his keys on the counter, he takes the pill bottle out of the Skadden's Pharmacy envelope, opens the bottle, and takes out two round white pills. He goes to the refrigerator — which is covered with colorful construction-paper art of ladybugs and flowers — and takes out a bottle of Penzburg beer. He twists off the cap, pops the pills in his mouth, and chugs down the beer.]

[On-Island - Crickets chirp and a campfire crackles in the jungle. Miles is fast asleep. Sawyer snores. Claire stirs awake. Aaron is gone. She looks up to see a white-haired man rocking the baby in his arms. It's Christian Shephard. Claire gasps.]

CLAIRE: Dad?

Act 6 

[Nighttime at the beach. Surf rolling in distance. Kate sits worried. Bernard approaches.]

BERNARD: Hey. Don't worry. It went well. She did good. She said you could go back inside if you want to.

KATE: [Sniffles] Thank you.

BERNARD: Okay.

[In the tent, Juliet is using black thread to stitch up Jack's wound. Kate enters.]

JULIET: He didn't lose that much blood. I got the appendix out and put everything back where it belongs, I think.

[Kate chuckles.]

KATE: So he's gonna be okay?

JULIET: He should be fine. We just have to talk him into resting.

KATE: Good luck with that.

[Laughs.]

JULIET: I'm sorry I yelled at you.

KATE: Don't worry about it. You had enough going on.

JULIET: You know, he kissed me.

KATE: What?

JULIET: The other day, when you came back from the other side of the Island, Jack kissed me.

KATE: Oh.

JULIET: It was nice... but it wasn't for me. It was for him. I'm pretty sure he was trying to prove something.

KATE: Prove what?

JULIET: That he doesn't love someone else.

[They look at each other.]

KATE: Thank you, Juliet. Thank you for saving his life.

[Kate leaves.]

JULIET: I know you're awake.

[Jack opens his eyes.]

[Flash-forward - Jack is sitting on the couch, twiddling a ring, when Kate arrives home.]

JACK: Hey.

KATE: Hey. You're home early. Where's Veronica?

JACK: I sent her home. The baby's asleep.

KATE: [Sighs] Good.

[She sits down. Ice cubes rattle as Jack picks up his drink]

JACK: Why was she here?

KATE: Sorry?

JACK: The nanny. She only works 'til 4:00. I came home at 6:00.

KATE: I had to run some errands, so... [sets keys down] I asked her to stay a couple extra hours. What's going on, Jack? Why are you home so early?

JACK: I went to see Hurley.

KATE: Today?

JACK: Last... Friday.

KATE: Why didn't you tell me? I would've gone with you.

JACK: [Laughs] Because he's crazy, Kate, and I didn't wanna upset you. [Sighs] Where were you today?

[She gets up and kneels in front of him.]

KATE: I'm gonna ask you... to trust me. Trust me. Just leave it be.

JACK: [Sighs] Where were you?

KATE: [Whispers] Jack, don't.

JACK: No, I heard you on the phone last night. Who were you talking to?

KATE: Just let it go.

[She starts to walk away.]

JACK: No, no, I wanna know.

[He gets up.]

KATE: No, Jack.

JACK: I wanna know where you were. I wanna know who you were with.

KATE: It doesn't matter, Jack. Please.

JACK: No, tell me. Tell me!

KATE: [Sighs] I was doing something for him.

JACK: For who?

KATE: For Sawyer. I made him a promise. It... [sighs]

JACK: [Sighs] What?

KATE: It doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with us.

JACK: Then why won't you tell me?

KATE: Because—because he wouldn't want me to.

[Tears fill her eyes.]

JACK: But he's not here, is he? No. No, he made his choice. He chose to stay. I'm the one who came back. I'm the one who's here. I'm the one who saved you.

KATE: Jack. [Sniffles] You can't--you can't do this. If you have problems, you need to figure them out. All right? 'Cause I can't have you like this around my son.

JACK: Your son? You're not even related to him!

[She gasps.]

[They turn to the hallway. Aaron has awoken and is standing there holding a stuffed whale. Kate walks over to him.]

KATE: Hey, sweet pea. Hey.

[She looks at Jack with tears in her eyes. He looks at her and Aaron and then walks away.]

[On-Island - Miles is tending the f*re. Sawyer wakes up.]

MILES: Morning.

SAWYER: It's way too early for Chinese. [Grunts] Where's Claire? Ladies' room?

MILES: Nope. She just walked off into the jungle.

SAWYER: What? When?

MILES: In the middle of the night. Just got up and left.

SAWYER: You let her go alone?

MILES: She wasn't alone.

SAWYER: Well, who was she with?

MILES: She called him "Dad". I'd have followed them, but I have a restraining order.

[He chuckles. Sawyer grabs Miles and just when he's about to h*t him with the handle of his g*n, Aaron's cries in distance are heard.]

SAWYER: Claire! Claire!

[Sawyer runs toward the cries, eventually finding Aaron balanced on a large plant at the base of a tree.]

SAWYER: It's okay. It's okay. I've got you.

[Aaron is crying.]

SAWYER: Claire! CLAIRE!

[Aaron continues crying.]

SAWYER: CLAIRE! CLAIRE!
{"type": "series", "show": "Lost", "episode": "4x10 - Something Nice Back Home"}