4x07 "Scylla and Charybdis"

[Beach Crew]

[align=center][size=large]Episode Seven – “Scylla and Charybdis”[/size][/align]

The rain storm had caused most on the beach to seek shelter, or at least huddle together in groups to keep warm. However, one man was pushing himself through the relative cover of the jungle. Sawyer. He was too tense to sit still, too scared by what Ben had told him. He was desperate to know if it was the truth – but he had already decided he wasn’t going to risk it. Gun stashed in the back of his jeans Sawyer headed to his old stash, hoping against hope that he might find some bullets there. And after that, he needed to find some help.

It had taken Sawyer three hours, almost four bottles of Budweiser and several cigarettes before he had the courage to pick up the phone. Dialing “0” for the operator he waited until his call was connected before pulling the tattered piece of paper from his wallet.
“Operator, how may I help you?” a bored female voice asked.
“Yeah, I need the number for…” he paused, looking at the scrap of paper, “Cassidy Phillips, Albuquerque.”
“One moment please,” there was a long pause allowing Sawyer to take another swig of his beer, “I can connect you straight through if you like.”
Sawyer took a deep breath not sure if he was ready for this. But he knew he’d have to face her some time.
“Sure.”
There was a click and then the phone started to ring. It continued doing so - over and over again. Sawyer was just about to give up when the call was picked up.
“Hello?” a flustered but feminine voice called.
Sawyer’s breath caught in his throat. Cassidy. He opened his mouth to say something…anything but no sound came out.
“Hello?” she asked again, and this time Sawyer heard a giggling noise in the background, “Clem, sweetie…be quiet, mommy’s on the phone.”
Sawyer dropped the phone as if he’d been burned. His eyes widened as he realized he’d just heard his daughter’s voice for the first time.

Juliet frowned as she swabbed the bloody wounds on Ben’s face, there was no doubt that they were going to get infected.
“I need your help,” Ben croaked, breaking the silence.
“I don’t want to hear it,” Juliet replied.
“Please, it’s about Alex.” Juliet raised an eyebrow so Ben continued, “I want to separate Alex and Karl, and keep the both of them away from her…mother.”
“And you expect me to do all that?”
“You owe me.”
“No, I don’t,” Juliet smirked, “Get someone else to do your dirty work.” With that, Juliet turned and stormed out into the pouring rain, smacking straight into something tall and hard. “Ow.”
“Watch where you’re goin’,” the tall and southern thing snapped, yanking her to her feet, “What’re y’in such a hurry for?”
“None of your business,” Juliet huffed, scanning the beach for Jack. There was a sigh, and Juliet noticed that Sawyer still hadn’t let go of her wrist, “What?” she questioned.
“I need your help.”
Juliet frowned, “What is it with everyone wanting my help?” she muttered, trying to tug herself free of the man’s grip.
“Please.”
Juliet was surprised. Not only had she never heard Sawyer say ‘please’ she’d never heard him sound so vulnerable and so she met his eye.
“How much do you know about The Man in Black?”

Sat closely together in one of the tents, Alex and Karl were welcoming the chance to be alone. Finally, however, Karl broke the silence. “Are you gonna talk to her?”
“Who?”
“Your mother silly,” Karl smiled, “I mean, she’s been shot, don’t you think you should talk to her?”
Alex sat in silence and for a short while Karl was worried he’d crossed a line.
“You’re right,” Alex said suddenly, kissing Karl’s cheek, “I have some questions for her anyway.” With that, Alex stepped out into the pouring rain in search of her mother. They had things to discuss.

The more Juliet laughed, the angrier Sawyer became. Why wasn’t she taking this seriously?
“Sawyer,” she smiled, “The Man in Black is a made up story - he’s not real.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Well, I just do,” she continued, “I mean, the Bogey Man isn’t real is he? So neither is the Man in Black.”
Sawyer sighed, that wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He had wanted her to tell him how to stop this man, how to prevent tragedy from happening…but now he was back to square one. And wondering what sort of game Ben was playing. “What’s the story?”
Juliet looked up at him confused, “huh?”
“The story of The Man in Black, tell me it,” Sawyer demanded.
She smiled sympathetically, “You shouldn’t let him play you,” Sawyer ignored her so she continued, “The Man in Black is a being that carries out your worst nightmare and takes things out of your control, giving you little choice or chance of a happy outcome. We used the story to keep the kids in check,” upon seeing Sawyer’s incredulous expression, “harsh, I know.”
“But he’s not real?”
“Not that I know of,” Juliet paused, “Look Sawyer-”
“Then I still need your help,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I need to communicate off this island.”
“Sawyer, the only way left was with that ship, and we haven’t heard from them for a while.”
“There has to be another way, please Jules, I have to do this,” he begged.
“What did he threaten you?”
Silence.
Juliet tried again, “Sawyer? What did Ben threate-”
“My daughter.”

Sawyer killed the engine as he pulled up next to the house, checking his map he confirmed the address, 105 Lone River Trail, South West Heights, Albuquerque. The house looked nice, the area, however, did not.
He started up the front path trying desperately to calm his pounding heart. This wasn’t like him, he didn’t get nervous. A little part of his mind told him to turn around, to leave…she probably wouldn’t be home anyway. But he ignored this voice.
He pressed the bell, and all of three seconds later pressed it again. Sawyer frowned when he heard no sound, so he knocked on the door for good measure.
“Alright, aright, I’m comin’” he heard her call, “Sheesh, it is after nine.”
As he heard the key and bolts being turned Sawyer had the awful feeling he was going to be sick. But he swallowed, desperately trying to get a hold on himself. He did so just in time to see Cassidy look up, gasp, and promptly drop the mug she was holding. Her face was beautiful but ashen and she was thinner than he remembered but it was his Cass.
“I…I thought you’d died,” she finally managed.
“Yeah, so did I,” there was an awkward silence, then, “So, how’ve ya been Dimples?”
Smack. She slapped him hard across the face, tears filling her eyes as she did so. With a nod of understanding he turned sadly and headed back towards his car. She hated him.
“Sawyer…wait…”

“Hey.” Sayid looked up to see Alex nervously peering down at him, “I want to see my…um, my mother.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Sayid asked, standing up.
Alex took a deep breath, “No, but I need to do it.”
She nodded gratefully as Sayid stepped aside, pulling back the tarp allowing Alex to step into the ‘medical tent’.
“Hello Alex.”
“Hey Da-Ben,” she paused, “I’m actually here to see,” looking around Alex pointed, “her.”
Danielle looked smugly at Ben before she smiled at her daughter. “I’m sorry you have to see me like this,” Danielle whispered, gesturing to her bullet wound and her semi-tied up form.
“She’s better off that way,” Ben hissed, “Do not get close to her Alex.”
The girl ignored her father and continued listening to her mother. She wanted this woman to be her mother, wanted to trust her, but at the same time…why had she never tried to get to her before now?
“I’m warning you Alex,” Ben continued, “All that woman does is lie.”
“Fermez la bouche!” Danielle snapped.
“You know I’m right,” Ben said, “Don’t trust her Alex.”
“I don’t trust either of you right now!” Alex cried. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sayid peering into the tent. His face was surprisingly one of concern.
“Sayid,” Alex began, “Can you come in here, I need some help.”

Juliet led Sawyer through the jungle on what she knew was a fruitless mission. She was taking him back to the Others’ camp, as he was sure there would be a way to communicate with the outside world there. But Juliet was sure that it wouldn’t work.
“How do you know Ben is telling you the truth?” she asked, breaking the silence. Sawyer ignored her, but helped the pair of them clamber through a particularly thick section of vines. “Sawyer?”
“I don’t know ok?” the southerner snapped, “But it’s not like I can take the chance.”
“Why d’you care so much?”
“What is this, twenty questions?” he snapped, but when Juliet gave him a pointed look he sighed, “Coz I owe them. Her. Cassidy. I have to make sure they’re safe.”
“Why?”
“Stop it, I just told you why – coz I owe them,” he growled, grabbing the woman’s wrist and all but dragging her over a fallen tree, “Do you even know where we are?”
“Sort of.”
“Sort of? Oh well that’s just fan-freakin-tastic ain’t it Jules, you’ve gone and gotten us lost.”
Juliet scowled, “I’m not lost! I just need to find my bearings.”
Sawyer threw his hands up in the air, turned and sat down on the fallen log they’d just climbed over. It was there and then something caught his eye. A figure lying in the grass, not so far away, dressed all in black.
“Blondie,” he cried, standing and gesturing for Juliet to follow him, “Who’s that?”
Juliet stepped forward to see what Sawyer was looking at and gasped loudly. The man on the ground had a knife protruding out of him, a knife which Sawyer was now removing. But that wasn’t what frightened Juliet.
“Sawyer, get away from him,” the southerner looked up as Juliet fiercely grabbed his arm, “C’mon we gotta get outta here.”
“Julie, this guy needs help.”
“No, we need help,” she snapped.
“Why?”
“Because that’s The Man in Black.”

Two days later Sawyer found himself sat opposite Cassidy in a restaurant, both making polite small talk and trying to fill in the awkward silence. He watched her poke at her meal with her fork and so with a sigh, Sawyer finally went in for the kill.
“Did you go to my funeral?”
Cassidy choked on the mouthful of water she had just swallowed. Picking up her napkin, she dabbed at her face before biting out, “No, but there was a memorial service for all those in the crash, there were a lot of people there. Cameras too.”
“Wow, you’re making me feel loved, all those people for little old me.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes, “Don’t get ahead of yourself, there was nobody there for you other than me.”
Sawyer frowned, “Well thanks for that Dimples.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Why?”
She sighed, “You lost the right to call me that when you conned me.”
“And I said I’m sorry,” Sawyer replied, “Besides, you sent me to prison.”
“And I had every right to do so,” Cassidy snapped indignantly, “look, if we’re going to do this-”
“Do what?”
“This, us…our daughter,” she all but growled, “You need to start acting more like a responsible adult.”
“Or what?” he sulked.
“Or I can’t let you into our lives. Clementine needs stability and I’m not sure you can provide that.”

“I cannot help you,” Sayid told Alex, “It’s for you to decide how you react around your parents.”
“But that’s just it,” she whispered, “I don’t know if they are my parents.”
Sayid sighed, “If I am honest,” he whispered gently, “I do not trust either of them.”
“Why?”
“Your father, for obvious reasons. But your mother – I do not think that she always knows what is the truth. She has lived on this island for so long and I’m not sure your mother is who she says she is.”
Alex frowned, “Look, I know you’ll probably say no, but could you take my dad outside so I can talk to her alone? Please?”
Sayid grimaced but reached into the tent and forcibly grabbed hold of Ben. “Oh goody,” the man muttered, “here we go again.”
“Shut up,” Sayid growled, and then to Alex, “You have two minutes.”

Sawyer stood frozen in shock as he watched Juliet take a step closer to the man on the ground. “I thought you said he didn’t exist?”
“He doesn’t.”
Sawyer scoffed, “Then how’d you explain this?”
“I don’t know,” Juliet whispered.”
Putting the knife in his belt Sawyer placed a hand on the small of Juliet’s back, “Perhaps we should get out of here then?” he whispered.
Juliet was about to agree when she felt something grab her wrist. Looking down, and quickly letting out a shriek she realized that the Man in Black had wrapped his bony hand around her arm.
“Whoa there Dr. Doom,” Sawyer hissed, grabbing Juliet and pulling her free.
The pair watched as the man slowly sat up apparently unaffected by his wound. Sawyer pushed Juliet behind him, preparing to fight if it came to it. He could take him.
However, the opportunity to ‘take him’ never came as the Man in Black simply smiled a hideous grin and crooked his finger in a gesture for the pair to follow him.

“You’re making a mistake,” Ben told Sayid.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re making a mistake focusing on myself and Danielle when are there are so many more important things…people to be focusing on right now,” Ben grinned, knowing that he had captured Sayid’s interest.
“Like who?”
“Your friend Mr. Locke for instance,” Ben continued, “But personally, I’d be more interested in my friend, Richard. I could never quite tell where he’d placed his allegiance.”
Sayid frowned, “Start talking.”

“This is a bad idea,” Juliet hissed, her nails digging into Sawyer’s bicep as they slowly followed the Man in Black through the jungle.
“I’m aware of that…but...”
“Your daughter, I know,” Juliet sighed sympathetically, “But I still think we’re walking into this blind.”
“Julie, you didn’t know this thing existed until a half hour ago, of course we’re walking into it blind. And will ya leave go of my damn arm – I think it’s bleedin’.”
“Sorry,” she whispered.
Sawyer looked at Juliet – she looked terrified, “Oh for the love of god,” he muttered to himself before grabbing her hand, “better?”
“Much.”
Sawyer nodded, squeezing Juliet’s hand tightly before leading the pair behind the Man in Black. He had to know what this guy had to do with Cass.
“How did we get here so fast?” Juliet questioned. They were back in the Others Camp.
“Lord knows,” he replied, “I just hope this ain’t some damn set up.”
“You think he’s even human?”
“That’s not a thought I even wanna think about right now thank you Jules.”
The three entered a seemingly empty hut but inside they were presented with the familiar television screens. Upon one, was a picture of Kate looking lost and alone in the jungle and on the other, a picture of Cassidy.
For the first time, the Man in Black spoke, “Choose.”
“What?” Sawyer snapped but the Man in Black just pointed back towards the television screens.
“James,” Juliet whispered, but he shook his head. He was entranced by the picture of Cassidy. “James!”
Sawyer looked up to see Juliet looking increasingly terrified. The Man in Black was advancing on them with an evil grin upon his face. “Choose.”
Pulling Juliet close to him, obviously protecting her, Sawyer growled, “And what’ll happen to the girl I don’t choose?” he asked. Looking to the screens both pictures disappeared slowly, each being replaced by static. Sawyer got the hint.
“No, no freakin’ way. I ain’t choosin’!” he growled. However, as he said this, both screens turned back to the static.
“Sawyer, you have to.”
“Stay outta this Julie,” Sawyer hissed. He could only see one way out of this situation and he didn’t like it. Closing his eyes he let out a deep sigh before muttering, “Take me instead.”
“Sawyer!” Juliet grabbed his arm, “Don’t be stupid, for all we know this is just another one of Ben’s ploys.”
“I can’t take the risk,” he cried, looking up to the Man in Black. But the creature just shook his head and pointed back to the screens.
“Why won’t you take me,” Sawyer yelled, pulling out his gun and aiming it at the man, “Don’t you get it, without either of them I have nothin’ to live for – so just kill me!”
“Choose.”
Letting out a strangled scream Sawyer flicked the safety of the gun. He fired three, four, five times – each bullet striking a different place. The Man in Black crumpled to the ground.
“Now what?” Juliet asked, panic clear in her voice.
“Now we…” Sawyer trailed off as the static on both screens returned suggesting that through his actions he’d lost the both of them. “No!” he cried, running to the monitors, “NO!”

It had taken two months of fierce commitment before Cassidy had asked Sawyer the inevitable question of would he like to properly meet his daughter? He had quickly agreed, but now he wasn’t sure if it was such a good idea. Sat in the local park, which if he was honest looked more like a run down ghost town, he clutched the soft brown bear tightly in his hands.
“Sawyer?” he looked up to see Cassidy smiling tensely at him, a small girl at her side. “Sawyer, this is Clementine.” The little girl looked up at him and smiled shyly. She was adorable, with blonde ringlets and big brown eyes.
“Clem, this is er…” she paused, “...my friend, Sawyer. Say hello.”
“Hi,” the little girl whispered.
“Hello,” Sawyer smiled, bending down to her level and holding out the bear, “this is for you.”

Sawyer continued to cry in anguish, pounding the monitors with his fists. “Cassidy, no,” Sawyer cried, “I’m so sorry, please, Cass…come back.”
As if by magic, the static was once again replaced by Cassidy’s smiling face but the static on Kate’s screen remained. Sawyer tried pounding that one too, calling Kate’s name but it wasn’t until Juliet let out a choked sob that he realized what he’d done.
“No!” he growled, “Frig, no, I didn’t…I – I’m so sorry.”
Juliet ran to him as he fell to his knees, neither noticing that the Man in Black had disappeared. Sawyer was too horrified to contemplate the outcome of his actions. He only had one thought. It was his fault.

Deep inside the jungle, Kate Austen was alone and terrified. She was lost without Jack. Hearing a noise she turned hopefully but knew in that second she’d made a mistake.

At the same time, Richard Alpert extended his hand to Widmore. Both men paused as they heard a scream but Richard simply shrugged, “animals”. He was wrong.

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