Illusions of the island *A LOST fanfic*

Chapter 27: A dwindling hope

Her eyes were two lead weights. Weight's she was certain couldn't be lifted by her alone. She needed help. A blinding light came across her vision and she braced herself.

"Juliet it's me David. Can you open your eyes for me?"

There it was again, that blinding light. Trying again, Juliet slowly opened her eyes and squinted.

"David, that's too bright."

The face of a very concerned/worried David appeared in her line of vision.

"There you are. Here have some water."

Shaking her head, no, Juliet pushed at David's hands in protest.

"David I'm fine. I'll make a deal with you: if I can stand for a full minute without losing my balance, you let me get back to work. If I last less than that and my knees buckle, you can give me an order to stay lying down for a bit. Do we have deal?"

David stood by as Juliet slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. She knew that her work wasn't going to complete itself. She had lives to save. Four at the moment. Two were in jeopardy.

"David, I would like you to go back to the barracks and bring your sister back here. I want to get another blood sample from her."

"Jessie, how long have you had shortness of breath?"

Jessie sat down on the bed and tried catching her breath.

"Three or four... Days..."

Juliet now occupying the stool next to the bed turned on the oxygen and gave her the mask.

"Just lie back and relax Jessie. I'm going to take a little blood and then run an ultrasound on you ok?"

Jessie lie back and closed her eyes for a few minutes. David meanwhile sat right by her side.

"It wouldn't be the same here with your big brother, now would it?"

Opening her eyes, Jessie wanted to play swat her hand at him.

"I'm... a big girl..."

David shook his head at his sister as Juliet set everything up on the machine.

"Are you in any pain Jessie?"

Jessie nodded her head at Juliet and grabbed for David's hand.

"A... little..."

Rifling through a drawer, Juliet pulled out something to ease Jessie's pain. Swallowing hard, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. This was the hardest part about her job. But she was going to make everything right.

"Hey look at me Jessie. Listen. I'm doing everything in my power to help the both of you."
Jessie sat very still as Juliet multitasked with moving the wand over her stomach and looking at the machine.

"How's my baby?"

Juliet tried to give her a brave smile but it was almost faltering.

"Your baby is doing just fine. I'm going to give you something to help you relax ok? It won't hurt the baby I promise."

Juliet could see that Jessie was beginning to panic, which wasn't going to do her any good. Taking her own breath, she looked Jessie in the eye.

"Jessie look at me. Try to breathe normally. The oxygen I gave you should help. It won't be long before what I've given you will help you relax. Ok?"
David stayed by his sister's side and watched the screen in front of him.

"Everything's going to be alright Jessie. Just relax now. I'm right here."

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6 months later

The Staff medical station

"You're doing great Jessie, keep pushing."

Juliet had felt she found a glimmer of hope in all the misery she'd seen in all the different women she'd treated. She knew Jessie was getting tired, but she wasn't giving up on her.

"I don't know if I can't keep doing this..."

Juliet shaking her head looked Jessie in the eye and then resumed her task.

"You're doing just fine Jessie. We're almost there. One more push for me. One more push."

David wiped the sweat from Jessie's forehead and gave her a smile.

"Almost there Jess. You are going to have a beautiful and healthy little girl. That's it. It's a girl!"

Juliet's moment of joy was suddenly shattered by the sound of the heart monitor that Jessie was attached to flatlined. David felt his whole world crumble beneath him and the shrill cry of his brand-new niece cemented it.

Feeling herself begin to shake, Juliet tried to reign in all the emotions she was feeling right now and bottled them back up. But the cork in the bottle didn't stay put for long. She felt herself drop to her knees before long, and a scream issued forth from her throat.

"WHY!?"

David stared back at the screaming bundle that was his niece and let his tears flow. He wanted nothing more than to shut everyone and everything out right now.

"David I'm really sorry. I can give you a few minutes."

Staring up at Juliet, he sat silently. When he was angry, he didn't speak much, which its volume was louder than words itself. He was now left alone with his niece, which he named Erica, appropriately after him and Jessie's mother.

To Be Continued...