Fall from Grace
Part 4:The Con Man (Continued)

The closing darkness did not help any to lighten Jack’s mood. He had tried to run, to belt it as fast as he could down the beach, but his body refused to obey his brain’s commands resulting in a lopsided jog that wore him out more than exhilarating him. Exhausted, he let himself drop allowing his fingers to sift through the sand. Maybe if he sat there long enough the tide would carry his body out to sea.

Some part of him knew it was just wishful thinking and swept a hand across his face to deaden the tears. He almost drove a tooth through his lip when he heard heavy footsteps yielding behind him.

“Well howdy Doc Flintstone.” Sawyer watched the man in front of him visibly tense and he rolled his eyes.

“Go away Sawyer,” he mustered in the sharpest voice he could. His head was pounding and he grit his teeth to try and deflect the pain.

The sandy haired man chuckled. “I dunno if that’s wise Doc considering I might just have something you want.”

Jack blinked, Sawyer was holding, no dangling the bottle of oxycodone in front of his face, yanking it back when he made a move to grab it.

He flashed a smile and popped the cap when the dark haired man scowled, tossing one white tablet up in the air and catching it in his mouth.

“Not bad.” He indicated to the bottle.

“How long do they take to work?”

“Just give them to me Sawyer.” Jack sounded dead at best. His voice was flat and laced with a dry indifference that made the air around him quiver. He was in pain.

“Well, I’ll tell ya what Doc.” Sawyer leaned against a near by rock and positioned his body such that he was facing the doctor.

“I’ll give ya one if ya talk.” He folded his arms, waiting.

“Talk?” Jack toyed with the word as it rolled off his tongue, momentarily confused.

Sawyer cocked an eyebrow. “You know, it’s when you move yer mouth and words come out.”

“Don’t patronize me,” he grumbled. “I know what you’re doing, get the poor pathetic doctor to talk about his feelings and then maybe he won’t jump off another bridge.” The clarity in his voice was unsettling enough to put even Sawyer on edge.

The con man shrugged, “Whatever floats yer boat.”

He reached to shake out another tablet and placed it so that it was at eye level with Jack.

The doctor sighed and tossed it to the back of his throat as if by reflex.

“I wanted to go back.” He pulled his knees closer to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.

“Every Friday night I, I fly from LA to Tokyo or, Singapore, Sydney. And then I, I get off and I, have a drink, and then I fly home. I want to crash. I don't care about anybody else on board. Every little bump we hit or turbulence, I mean I actually close my eyes and I pray that I can get back but it never happens. I can’t do this anymore.” It was no longer just his voice that was shaking.

Sawyer looked the older man dead in the eye as he opened his mouth to speak. “You’re not a cowered Doc, even if you are trying to take the easy way out.”

“The easy way?” Jack scoffed.

“There’s nothing easy about my life, I’m not the saint you think I am.”

“Funny, I thought that’s what the beard was for.”

Sawyer’s comment was enough to draw Jack to his feet, his face contorted in anger.

“You know what James, have a nice life,” he spat but then paused, faltering on his words and looking around as if puzzled. The world around him was pulsating with splashes of color at varying intensities, they seemed to entrap him. He could almost feel himself falling backwards, like his mind was floating and an overwhelming sense of relaxation washed over his body, every muscle going limp.

He was only vaguely aware that he had fallen and was being eased to the ground by Sawyer who’s expression was grim.

A low rumble echoed from the sandy haired man’s throat followed by a sound that Jack only heard whispered far off in the distance, like he was in a wind tunnel.

“You should have listened Doc,” Sawyer muttered, leaning over to spit out the white tablet that he had been storing in his cheek. He crushed it in the sand with the heel of his shoe and turned back to the unconscious doctor.

Jack moved slightly, opening his eyes to see Kate’s blue ones staring back at him. He grunted and looked up at her feeling groggy and very disoriented. She had a guilty expression plastered all over her features.

“What happened?” He asked gruffly, noting that he had been dressed in a white t-shirt and faded pair of denims. He could not place the area around him but did not feel ready to sit up quite yet.

“Sawyer drugged you.” She half chuckled.

“He switched the oxycodone for sleeping pills and slipped you one about three hours ago.”

“So that’s why I feel like a truck ran over me,” Jack grunted, rubbing his neck.

Kate looked at him quizzically. “I thought you looked a little better. The dark circles under your eyes aren’t as deep and you seem a little more rested.”

“The most sleep I had since last time you drugged me,” he complained.

Kate held up her hands, “I, honest to God had nothing to do with this one. It was all Sawyer.”

He shook his head and looked around, taking in the blue-green hues of the room they were in. His brow furrowed

“Where exactly are we anyway?” He asked

“The tent,” Kate sighed, “Sawyer refused to carry you ‘all the way back to the house’.”

Deciding to take advantage of the situation she handed him a water bottle and placed two small tablets in the palm of his hand. He glanced at her, barely stifling a yawn.

“These will knock you out till morning,” She offered.

Jack turned the pills over with his thumb and frowned. “Do you really think I’m worth it?” He sighed.

Kate’s expression faltered, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

She reached to uncap the bottle for him and pressed it to his lips. Without protest he placed the tablets on his tongue and gulped the water greedily.

“So what happens then?” Jack asked after a long moment. He didn’t expect to see her at his side, smiling.

“Then…” She paused. “Then we’ll get you the help that you need. I promise Jack, I will help you through this.”

He wanted to respond, to shake his head and tell her that she would be attempting the impossible but the pills were kicking in faster than he would have liked and his mind swam because of it. Kate noticed this and crossed her legs, settling back to find the book that she had been reading.

It was easy to tell Jack needed the company.

When his balance faltered she tugged him backward by the shoulders and did her best to get him to relax. It wasn’t long before his eyes started to droop. He was struggling, trying to fight the warm sleepy feeling that was washing over him like the dark water lapping at the sand outside. His vision was fading fast making him blink rapidly as his surroundings distorted.

“Jack, stop fighting. You’re safe now… it’s okay.”

Kate peered down at him. It tore her apart to see him so tormented. She told herself that the man she had watched in pure anguish for the past few hours wasn’t him. That he wasn’t her Jack.

“Kate?” He mumbled, reaching out blindly to grab something he couldn’t quite see.

“Yeah?”

“Stay.”

He barely managed to get the word out as his eyes dipped shut and his hand dropped onto his leg. She covered it with her own, drawing in breath with a sad smile. The rise and fall of his chest was deep and even as he began to snore softly.

Author’s Note: Okay, would have loved to add a little more to that but I have an essay that I have to write which will be easy…once I decide on a topic lol. Hope you enjoyed this installment and thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I am honored that you are giving me such great feedback as it really encourages me to write more.

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