A LOST fanfic: Taken care of

Chapter 5: Disappearance

"Jack. Help me find the baby!"

Startled, Jack opened his eyes and sat up stock straight. Confused at first, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His confusion quickly dissipated when he got up only to find the cradle in front of him empty. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he looked her straight into her green eyes.

"Kate look at me. Maybe she's down the beach a ways with Sun and Jin."

A familiar voice made Kate whirl around on her heel.

"Megan's not with me Jack."

Jack's confidence fell a couple of notches as he saw Sun and Jin outside their tent. Kate rushed out of their tent and stomped a few feet ahead of Jack. Running after her, he caught up. She was now having a conversation with Juliet. Sawyer was with her.

"I can't find Megan..."

Juliet could see Kate was trying to hold herself together.

"Ok, let's take this one step at a time. Where did you see her last?"

Sometimes Kate got irritated at how calm Juliet could be with something as panic inducing as this situation. Letting a few tears slip from her eyes, she gestured back towards her
and Jack's tent.

"Uh, she was asleep in the cradle at the foot of the bed. I was going to change her and then feed her. Was it them Juliet? Tell me the truth."

Someone behind Jack shouted towards Juliet.

"It was her! She used to be one of them!"

Sawyer was quick to come to Juliet's defense.

"Now why are y'all blaming her? She had nothin' to do with this. I'll help ya find her freckles."

As much as Sawyer was a pain the ass sometimes, Kate knew that he meant well. He did have a soft spot for kids. Aaron liked him well enough.

"Thank-you Sawyer."

Sawyer gave Kate a warm smile and squeezed her shoulder.

"No need to thank me freckles. Where do you want to look first doc?"

Jack pointed up and down the beach.

"Everywhere Sawyer."

Sawyer didn't argue with Jack, but he was sarcastic.

"You got it daddy-o."

The dark look Jack shot towards Sawyer wiped the smile right off his face.

"Ok. Where to?"

Jack pointed in the direction of the jungle.

"That way."

Something was telling Jack to look in the jungle. He wasn't sure if it was his natural fathering instincts or something else. But the feeling was very strong. Kate pushed ahead of
the group and didn't stop. She strained her ears to listen for any telltale sign of her baby. Jack stopped for a brief second and listened. He could hear faint wailing to the East of him.

"Daddy's coming Megan. Keep crying!"

He knew Megan couldn't answer back because she was too little, but she knew her father's voice. Following the direction of Megan's crying, he began to sprint. Kate followed and soon the group of four found themselves at the strange tree she'd described to Jack a few days before. Megan was screaming at the top of her lungs. Warily looking around, Jack leaned down and scooped the screaming little girl up into his arms.

"You're alright now. Shh. You're safe. Daddy's got you."

Looking around once more, he heard the trees and the bamboo begin to rustle in the wind, then whispering began to fill the air. Jack's blood seemed to freeze inside his veins as he saw the one person he thought he'd never see again.

"Hello Jack. I see you've found Megan."

At first Jack could only stare at the thing wearing his father's face.

"You're not my father. Why did you take Megan?"

Megan was eerily quiet in Jack's arm suddenly. He noticed that his father had disappeared. Juliet hurriedly scooped Megan into her arms.

"Jack, she needs to be monitored for at least a couple of hours. I want to take her back to the medical station. You and Kate can come with me. The rest of you can go back to the beach."

The group dispersed, while Kate and Jack worriedly held hands following behind Juliet in a fast-paced jog. Jack felt a pit forming in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong.

To Be Continued...