Illusions of the island *A LOST fanfic*

Chapter 49: Distinguishing between fact and what the island made you see

"David! That's cold!"

David apologized and finished listening to Juliet's lungs.

"Sorry. Hey, where'd you get this scar? This looks like a brand of some sort."

Stiffening, Juliet turned and looked at David, wrapping her left hand around his wrist.

"David, don't."

Frowning, David placed his stethoscope back behind his neck and gently ran his fingers over the white scar.

"Who did this to you?"

Closing her eyes and then opening them, she explained herself.

"This is what you get for being a traitor to your people David. I committed a crime on the island and my punishment was this. They were going to execute me, but Jack saved me. I wish I could just make it disappear. But it doesn't work that way. The crime I committed was to save James and Kate's life."

David furrowed his eyebrows.

"What did you do Jules?"

Juliet knew this question was coming, and she wasn't going to incriminate herself any further.

"It was the island David, I did anything I had to, to survive. Believe me, you would too if you had lived there as long as I did."

She took a breath and wrapped her hand around David's wrist tighter.

"Could we change the subject?"

Juliet got a worried glance from David, and he watched as the machines she was still hooked up to began to beep. David tried to get Juliet to look at him.

"Juliet, can you look at me?"

She felt her breath hitch and she tried to speak.

"I can't..."

The frightening images of water came washing over her again and she couldn't see or breathe. David was at the far end of the 'tunnel' she was in and it was frustrating. She
couldn't tell him what was going on. She was choking on water again. She felt two sets of hands on her back and... Was she on her side? Her vision returned as quickly as it had gone, and now she could see what was happening. David was very close to her line of vision.

"Jules, look at me, stay with me."

David felt at a loss as to assess Juliet's situation. This was the second time this was happening. Juliet saw James come into the room. A frightened expression crossed his face.

"Do something doc! Can't you see she's drownin'! Help her!?"