[As the episode commences we see a brown eye opening. It belongs to Jack Shepard. He starts blinking both eyes trying to get his bearings. Lying on his back, he looks up he sees tall tropical trees swaying in the breeze. Jack is wearing a suit and tie. He sits then stands up breathing and exhaling deeply. Jack looks at a scrap of paper that in his grasp which reads, "I wish." Suddenly, Jack hears Hurley calling out in the distance.]

HURLEY: Help! Anyone? Help!

[Jack starts running frantically through the jungle toward the sound of Hurley's voice.]

HURLEY: Help Jack!

[Jack stops running, hears Hurley and starts running again.]

HURLEY: Help! Anyone?

[Jack arrives at the edge of stream and walks through the water. He comes to the top of a waterfall.]

HURLEY: Help!

[Jack looks down and sees Hurley in the pool of water at the bottom of the waterfalls calling out for help.]

HURLEY: Help! [pause] Help!

[Jack dives off of the waterfall into the pool of water and swims over to Hurley. Hurley is bobbing in the water while trying to hold on to the guitar case.]

HURLEY: [gulping water] Help!

JACK: It’s okay.

HURLEY: [gargling] Help!

JACK: It’s okay.

HURLEY: Help me up.

JACK: You can stand.

[Hurley and Jack stand in the water. Hurley looks at Jack.]

HURLEY: Oh!

[Hurley looks all around at his surroundings. He sees the waterfall and jungle foliage.]

HURLEY: Oh boy. [pause] It really happened.

[Jack nods in agreement then looks around the water to find Kate lying on her stomach, sprawled over a large rock.]

JACK: Kate.

[Jack swims over to her as Hurley watches then walks through the water to Jack and Kate. Jack turns Kate onto her back. He looks her over then checks to see if she is breathing by putting his ear to her nose.]

JACK: Kate!. Kate can you hear me?

[Jack shakes Kate's right shoulder and she awakens slowly. She looks up and focuses on Jack.]

KATE: Jack?

JACK: [nodding] Are you okay?

[Kate looks around trying to get her bearings. She looks at Jack.]

KATE: Are we…?

JACK: [nodding] Yeah. We're back.

KATE: What happened?

[Jack shakes his head side to side and does not reply. Kate continues to look around, confused by what she sees. 46 Hours Earlier. Switch to the inside of a church. Ms. Hawking is lighting a candle then extinguishes the lighting stick. A door opens. She turns and walks a bit away from the table with all the candles then pauses. Entering are Ben, Sun, Jack and Desmond.]

MS. HAWKING: [to Ben] I thought I said all of them.

[Desmond closes the heavy door and looks at Ms. Hawking. He recognizes her.]

BEN: This is all I could get on short notice.

MS. HAWKING: Guess it'll have to do for now.

[Ms. Hawking looks at Jack, pauses, then looks back at the group.]

MS. HAWKING: Alright, let's get started.

[Ms. Hawking, with upturned palm, points and starts walking down the aisle of the church. Jack looks at her. Ben follows Ms. Hawking and the rest of the group follows Ben. They arrive at a door with a sign on it that reads "Caution: High Voltage. Do Not Enter This Enclosure." Ms. Hawking turns on a light switch. She looks at Sun who is right behind her.]

MS. HAWKING: Shall we?

[Ms. Hawking starts walking down a very long spiral staircase. Sun, Jack and Ben follow. Desmond is last in line and is looking at everything surrounding them. At the bottom of the staircase they continue down a dimly lit corridor. Ms. Hawking stops at a hatch door then looks back at Jack who has stopped walking as soon as he sees a Dharma logo on the hatch door and looks back at Ben. Ms. Hawking looks at him then turns the wheel to unlock the hatch door, opens it then enters a large room, then pushes up a large switch to turn on the lights. There is a very large pendulum swaying back and forth in the middle of the room. It swings over a large circle on the floor. Sun looks about the room as does Jack and Ben. There is the sound of flipping numbers on a panel on a wall. It contains longitude and latitude bearings. Ben looks at the floor to see that the pendulum is swinging over a map of the earth. Desmond looks down at the floor then up to find a large opening through the ceiling where the pendulum is suspended. Sun looks over at a chalkboard that has various equations written on it. A picture is attached to the side frame.]

JACK: What is this place?

MS. HAWKING: The Dharma Initiative called it the Lamppost. [pauses] This is how they found the island.

[The view changes so we are looking down at the group through the opening in the ceiling.]

LOST logo

[Ms. Hawking walks away from the group. Jack looks to Ben.]

JACK: Did you know about this place?

BEN: No. No I didn't.

JACK: [to Ms. Hawking] Is he telling the truth?

MS. HAWKING: Probably not.

[Jack walks toward Ms. Hawking who is taking a binder out of a desk drawer.]

MS. HAWKING: Aha! Here we go.

[Jack walks to the chalkboard and looks at the picture. It is a picture of a 2 mountains and an area of water at the base. The print at the bottom of the picture reads, "9/23/1954 – U.S. ARMY – OP 264 – TOP SECRET – EYES ONLY." Ms Hawking walks over to the group. Jack remains with his eyes fixed on the picture.]

MS. HAWKING: [to the group] Alright, I apologize if this is confusing but…

[Ms. Hawking stops talking and turns to look at Jack. Jacks turns at looks at her.]

MS. HAWKING: [to Jack] Let's pay attention. Yes?

[Jack faces the group and exhales deeply. Ms. Hawking continues to address the group.]

MS. HAWKING: The room we're standing in was constructed years ago [pause] over a unique pocket of electromagnetic energy. That energy connects to similar pockets all over the world. The people who built this room however were only interested in one.

SUN: The island.

MS. HAWKING: Yes! The island. They'd gathered proof that it existed. They knew it was out there somewhere. They just couldn't find it.

[Desmond walks to the edge of the circle and looks at the map and the lines that the pendulum is leaving on the floor.]

MS. HAWKING: Then a very clever fellow built this pendulum on the theoretical notion that they should stop looking for where the island was supposed to be and to start looking for where it was going to be.]

[Desmond looks on in disbelief.]

JACK: What do you mean where it was going to be?

MS. HAWKING: Well this fellow presumed, and correctly as it turned out, that the island was always moving. Why do you think you were never rescued? Now, while the movements of the island seem random, this man and his team created a series of equations [pointing to chalkboard] which tell us with a high degree of probability where it is going to be at a certain point in time. Windows, as it were, while open provide a route back. Unfortunately these windows don't stay open for very long.

[Desmond stands with his arms across his chest. Ms. Hawking walks to Jack and hands him the binder.]

MS. HAWKING: Yours closes in 36 hours.

DESMOND: I, I'm sorry. Excuse me. [chuckles] Am I really hearing this? That's what this is about? You're all going back to the island? Willingly?

SUN: Yes. Why are you here Desmond?

DESMOND: [exhales deeply] I came here to deliver a message. Daniel Faraday, your son, sent me here. He wanted me to tell you that he, and all the people on the island, need your help.

[Ms. Hawking stands firmly with her arms crossed in front of her chest., hands holding the opposite bicep while looking at Desmond and listening to his rant.]

DESMOND: [to Ms. Hawking] He said only you could help him. He didn't say Jack. He didn't say Sun. He didn't say Ben. He said you.

MS. HAWKING: [smugly] But I am helping dear.

DESMOND: [exhales deeply] Consider the message delivered.

[Desmond walks across the map on the floor toward the door to leave.]

MS. HAWKING: I'm sorry to have to tell you this Desmond but the island isn't done with you yet.

[Desmond turns quickly, walks toward Ms. Hawking quickly and is agitated as he speaks.]

DESMOND: This woman cost me four years of my life. Four years I'll never get back because you told me that I was supposed to go to that island! That it was my bloody purpose!

[Ms. Hawking smugly nods in agreement. Desmond walks to Jack.]

DESMOND: You listen to me brutha and you listen carefully. These people they are just using us. They are playing some kind of game and we are just the pieces.

[Jack looks as Ms. Hawking then back at Desmond.]

DESMOND: Whatever she tells you to do, ignore it.

[Jack doesn't reply. Desmond brings his attention to Ms. Hawking.]

DESMOND: You say the island isn't done with me? Well I'm done with the island.

[Desmond turns quickly and proceeds to leave the chamber. Ms. Hawking looks away smugly. Sun looks at Desmond, then Ms. Hawking and finally at Desmond as he finally exits the chamber, slamming the hatch door behind him. Ms. Hawking walks to Jack.]

MS. HAWKING: Jack. The binder in your hands shows all the air routes that fly over the coordinates where I believe the island will be in a little more than a day from now.

[Jacks flips pages in the binder and scans them quickly.]

MS. HAWKING: There's a commercial airliner flying from L.A. to Guam that's going to go right through our window. Ajira Airways, Flight 3-1-6.

[Jack locates the flight on one of the pages in the binder and moves to see the co-ordinates 34* 03 N 118* 14 W.]

MS. HAWKING: If you have any hope of the island bringing you back, it must be that plane. You all need to be on it. It must be that flight.

[Jack exhales deeply and quickly.]

MS. HAWKING: If you, want to return, you need to recreate, as best you can, the circumstances that brought you there in the first place. That means as many of the same people [to Jack] as you are able to bring with you.

JACK: And what if we can't get anyone else to come with us? What if we're it?

MS. HAWKING: All I can tell you is the result would be [pauses] unpredictable.

JACK: So that's it? We just get on that flight and we just hope that it works. That's all.

MS. HAWKING: No, that's not all Jack, [pauses] at least not for you.

[Switch to Ms. Hawking opening a creaking door that leads into an office. Jack is behind her. She turns on a banker's desk style lamp.

MS. HAWKING: [to Jack] Come on in.

JACK: Ben and Sun….

MS. HAWKING: Heard what they needed to hear and this does not concern them.

[Ms. Hawking shuffles through papers on the cluttered desk. She picks up an legal sized white envelope.]

MS. HAWKING: Oh, here we are.

[She walks over and hands it to Jack with the addressed side facing him. It reads, "Jack Shephard" in handwritten script. Jack takes the envelope.]

JACK: What's this?

MS. HAWKING: It’s John Locke's suicide note.

JACK: [taken aback] Uh, uh, I uh, I didn't know.

MS. HAWKING: Well why would you? Obituaries don't see fit to mention when people hang themselves Jack.

[Jack walks away and runs his hand across his forehead and takes a deep breath and exhales.]

JACK: [voice cracking] Why would he kill himself?

MS. HAWKING: Oh there are many reasons, I'm sure but the only one that matters is this. He is going to help you get back. John is going to be a proxy, a substitute.

JACK: A substitute for who?

MS. HAWKING: [disappointed] Jack, who do you think?

[Jack shakes his head no.]

MS. HAWKING: You need to, as best you can, recreate the conditions of the original flight. Which is why you need to give John something of your father's.

[Jack walks away from Ms. Hawking, toward the door then stops.]

MS. HAWKING: You have to get something that belonged to your father's and you need to give it to John.

JACK: What?

MS. HAWKING: That's what you have to do.

JACK: [voice cracking] My father [pauses] is gone. My father has been dead for 3 years. You want me to uh [pauses] and to give it to Locke! He's in a coffin!

[Ms. Hawking nods yes.]

JACK: [agitated] This is ridiculous.

MS. HAWKING: [annoyed] Oh stop thinking how ridiculous it is and start asking yourself whether or not you believe it is going to work. That's why it is called a leap of faith Jack.

[Jacks stands in place, swallows and says nothing. Switch to inside the church. Ben is in kneeling in a pew. Jack puts he suicide note in his jacket pocket and approaches Ben. Jack sits in a pew across the aisle from Ben.]

JACK: Whew. Where's Sun?

BEN: She left.

JACK: Locke? His body? The coffin?

BEN: I have a friend looking after it.

[Ben stands, exits the pew, walks down the aisle to the front of the church.]

BEN: I'll pick it up on the way to the airport.

[Ben stops at a table of candles, takes a lighting stick, lights it from a burning candle and then lights a new candle.]

BEN: What did she say to you Jack?

JACK: Nothing that matters. Who is she? Why is she [pauses] helping us? How does she know all this?

[Ben looks up at a picture that hangs on the wall above the table of candles.]

BEN: Thomas, the Apostle. When Jesus wanted to return to Judea, knowing that he probably would be murdered there, Thomas said to the others, "Let us all go that we might die with him." But Thomas was not remembered for this bravery. His claim to fame came later [pauses] when he refused to acknowledge the resurrection. He just couldn't wrap his mind around it. The story goes that he needed to touch Jesus' wounds to be convinced.

JACK: So, was he?

BEN: Of course he was. We're all convinced sooner or later Jack.

[Ben looks at Jack. Jack looks at Ben who then walks up the aisle to the exit door.

JACK: Where are you going?

BEN: Oh, I made a promise to an old friend of mine. Just a loose end that needs tying up. See you at the airport Jack.

[Ben leaves the church and Jack remains seated in a pew. He looks up and then over to the picture of Thomas kissing Jesus' wound on his right hand. Switch to Jack sitting in a bar staring at a drink in front of him. The ringing of his cell phone startles him.]

JACK: Hello. [pause] Yeah, this is him. [pause] He did what?

[Switch to Jack walking with another man.]

MAN: This is the fourth time he's left. He's gotta follow the rules or he'll have to move to our fully assisted facility.

JACK: Yeah I understand.

[They enter a darkened room where a magic act is taking place. There are senior citizens watching the show.]

MAGICIAN: And now ladies and gentlemen, here is my 'fraidy cat [pause] rabbit.

[The magician pulls a scarf that is covering a clear box and there is a white rabbit sitting inside. The audience applauds, except for one man who has his arms crossed in front of his chest. He is not smiling. Jack approaches him and puts his arm around the man's shoulder.]

JACK: Hey Ray.

RAY: Hey Jack.

JACK: Wanna get out of here?

RAY: The sooner the better.

[As Ray stands to leave with Jack, a woman is picking a card from the deck of the magician's.]

MAGICIAN: Would you please pick one. Look at it.

[Switch to Jack and Ray walking down a corridor.

JACK: Wanna tell me why you took off this time Ray?

RAY: Do I really need to answer that?

JACK: Will you at least tell me where the bus was headed?

RAY: Doesn't matter. Anywhere I go is so much better than here.

[Ray unlocks then opens the door to his quarters. The two men enter and Jack closes the door. Ray is using a cane, held in his left hand. There is a suitcase on the bed.]

JACK: You packed a bag.

RAY: Of course I did. One of these times I'm actually going to get away and they won't ever find me either.

JACK: Take off again and they're gonna throw you out of here Ray.

RAY: But what would I do without my magic shows?

[Jack chuckles and Ray laughs.]

JACK: Let me help you unpack granddad.

[Jacks unzips the suitcase.]

GRANDAD RAY: So how are you kiddo? You seeing anyone special? What ever happened to the girl you brought by with you that time, the pretty one with all the freckles? What was her name?

JACK: Kate. We're not together anymore.

GRANDAD RAY: Oh, well, look at the bright side. The more time to come visit me.

JACK: I'd love to granddad I really would but I think I might [pause] might be going away for a while.

GRANDAD RAY: Where's away exactly?

JACK: Somewhere better than here.

GRANDAD RAY: Heh. Touché.

[As Jack lifts some shirts from the suitcase, he notices a pair of black wing tipped shoes. He puts down the shirts and picks up the shoes.]

JACK: Are these yours Granddad?

GRANDAD RAY: No. Those were your father's. [pause] Your mom sent me a box of his stuff after he died. Must've got mixed in when I packed for a quick getaway.

[Jack looks at the shoes intently.]

JACK: These shoes, can I take them?

GRANDAD RAY: Be my guest.

[Switch to Jack entering his house. He is carrying the shoes in his left hand. He turns on a light, stops at the refrigerator, opens then closes it. He opens one kitchen cabinet, look, closes it then does the same with another kitchen cabinet. He walks into the dining room, puts the shoes on the table then takes a bottle of liquor out of the sideboard and goes back into the kitchen. As he pours himself a drink he hears a noise and stops. He listens to the sound of footsteps, puts down the bottle and walks out of the kitchen. He is now walking through a hallway. It is dark and quiet. He walks into his bedroom and finds Kate lying on the bed on her side. She is staring at nothing.]

JACK: Kate? What are you doing here?

[Kate is still lying on the bed. It looks as if she has been crying.]

KATE: Are you still going back to the island?

JACK: Yeah. Yeah, I think I am.

[Kate turns and looks at Jack.]

KATE: Then I'm going with you.

JACK: Kate? What happened and where's Aaron?

KATE: [sits up, eyes puffy] Don't ask questions. If you want me to go with you [pause] you will never ask me that question again. You will never ask me about Aaron. Do you understand Jack?

JACK: [nods] Yes.

[Kate wells up and is on the verge of tears.]

KATE: Thank you.

[Kate passionately kisses Jack. He offers no resistance. She starts taking off his suit jacket and they fall back onto the bed. Switch to the morning. Jack puts two glasses and a container of orange juice on the dining room table. He goes back to the kitchen and pours a cup of coffee. Kate is at the doorway putting on her blouse.]

KATE: Morning.

JACK: Morning. Uh I made you some coffee and there's orange juice.

[They walk to the dining room, Jack via the kitchen.]

JACK: You still like milk, two sugars?

KATE: Yeah, sure.

[Jack takes his father's shoes from the table and places them on the liquor cabinet. Kate sits and looks at the shoes.]

KATE: They don't make much sense for the island. You might want to consider hiking boots.

JACK: [chuckles] Those were my father's. When I went to pick up his body in Sydney, my dad didn't have any nice shoes. My mother wanted to have the funeral as soon as I landed back in L.A. but I thought who the hell is gonna see his feet? And so I had these old, white tennis shoes and, and I just said use these. Put these on. Cause he wasn't worth a nice pair of shoes to me. Heh, the time it would take to go out and get them.

KATE: So why don't you get rid of them? Why hold onto something that makes you feel sad?

[The conversation is interrupted but the phone ringing. Kate gets up.]

KATE: Go ahead. I, I'll see you at the airport okay.

JACK: [nods] Hello.

BEN: Hello Jack. Are you there?

JACK: Yeah, yeah, what's up? Is everything alright?

[Ben is on a pay phone at the marina. He is wet and covered in blood. He has bruises on his face.]

BEN: Listen we don't have much time. I've been, uh, sidetracked and I need you to pick up Locke's body and take it to the airport. The coffin is at Simon's Butcher Shop, corner of Grand and Hayes.

JACK: Why? What's happened to you?

BEN: Just do it. Please?

[Jack hangs up the phone. Switch to Jack entering Simon's Butcher Shop. The front door is locked. Jack jiggles the door then raises his hand to block the glare as he peers into the shop. He knocks on the door. A blonde headed woman walks out of a freezer and looks at Jack. She opens the door.]

JACK: Are you Jill? Ben sent me.

JILL: I know who you are Dr. Shephard. Come on in.

[They walk into a meat locker. Jill looks down at Jack's backpack.]

JILL: What's in the bag?

[Jack does not reply.]

JILL: Sorry. Ben said to give you the van. I gotta pull it round back. Give me five minutes.

[Jack nods yes and Jill leaves. Jack walks through the meat locker and finds Locke's coffin, on a gurney, in the rear of the locker. He opens the top half of the coffin and looks at Locke for a moment. He then opens the bottom half and looks at Locke's black, slip on shoes. He removes the shoes and replaces them with his father's shoes.

JACK: [chuckles] Wherever you are John [pauses] you must be laughing your ass off that I am actually doing this. [ties laces] 'Cause this; this is even crazier than you are.

[When finished Jack goes to the open side of the coffin. He reaches into his inside jacket pocket and takes out the envelope containing Locke's suicide note. He places it underneath Locke's jacket lapel.]

JACK: And, and you can have that back. I've already heard everything you had to say John. You wanted me to go back, I'm going back.

[Jack closes the lower half of the coffin lid.]

JACK: Rest in peace.

[Jack then closes the upper half of the coffin lid. Switch to the airport. Jack is at the counter and there is a male attendant assisting him.]

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: Mr. Shepard if you'd just bear with me. The reason for transporting Mr. Bentham to Guam?

JACK: [nervous] Uh, um these were his wishes. He wanted to be buried there.

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: Who will be the recipient of the deceased upon arrival? Is there a Funeral Home or…

JACK: [interrupting] No It's me, me. It will be me. I will be escorting the body.

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: Your relation to the deceased?

JACK: He was uh, a friend.

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: Now Mr. Shepard I have to inform that you'll be increased security measures.

[Jack looks nervously around and sees Kate.]

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: We are required to open the casket and perform a screen. I assure you it is all done with care. Do you understand Mr. Shephard? Mr. Shephard?

JACK: Yes, yes I understand.

[The attendant takes a clipboard from behind the counter and hands it to Jack with a pen.]

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: Then please sign here.

[Jack signs and returns the clipboard and pen. The attendant hands him his ticket/boarding pass.]

AJIRA COUNTER ATTENDANT: Thank you for flying Ajira Air.

[Jack nods and the next passenger in line addresses Jack.]

MALE PASSENGER: My condolences.

[Jack stops and looks at the man.]

MALE PASSENGER: I am sorry you lost your friend.

JACK: Thank you.

[Switch to the departure screening section for international flights. As Jack looks around we see a sign for Oceanic Air. Sun approaches Jack.]

SUN: Jack.

JACK: [smiles with relief] Sun. Hey.

SUN: You're surprised to see me?

JACK: I just, I thought that maybe you might change your mind.

SUN: If there is even a chance that Jin is alive, I have to be on that plane.

[Sun and Jack both notice Sayid being led along the wall in handcuffs. A female, who shows a badge, escorts him. This allows them to bypass the screening area. Sun and Jack continue to watch. Sayid does not see them. Switch to the waiting area. Hurley is reading a comic entitle in Spanish, "Y El ULTIMO HOMBRE." He stops reading as the female boarding attendant speaks.]

AJIRA BOARDING ATTENDANT: This is the preliminary boarding announcement for Ajira Airways Flight three one six for service to Honolulu and Guam departing from Gate 15. For those of you on the stand-by list, we'll have plenty of seats on board.

[Hurley gets up immediately and goes to the counter attendant.]

AJIRA BOARDING ATTENDANT: We would like to invite our pre-board flight passengers to board the aircraft at this time.

HURLEY: What do you mean stand-by? There are no stand-bys.

AJIRA BOARDING ATTENDANT: Yes sir. You don't have to worry. There are 78 seats open.

HURLEY: No. I bought those seats. All 78 of them. I'm Hugo Reyes. They're not open. They're mine. Check and see.

[The attendant checks the availability on the counter console.]

AJIRA BOARDING ATTENDANT: Yes, I see that. Sir these people just want to get to their destination. Why would you not want them to be able to travel?

[Hurley looks at the people in the waiting area. There are women and children as well as men present.]

HURLEY: Ya know it doesn't matter why. They can take the next plane.

[The attendant shakes her head and goes back to the console. As Hurley turns to go back to his seat, he is greeted.]

JACK: Hurley. [deep exhale] What are you doing here? How did you know about the…

HURLEY: All that matters is that I'm here, right?

JACK: [another deep exhale] Well, I'm glad that you're here man.

HURLEY: Okay then, let's do this. [Jack nods] After you.

[Jack hands his boarding pass to the flight attendant and proceeds to board the plane.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Welcome to Ajira Air. Thank you sir. Row eight on your left.

[As Jack walks to his seat, he passes Sayid on the right side of the plane and they make eye contact. Sayid is seated with a marshal of some type. In the background we continue to hear the flight attendant greet passengers and direct them to their seats. Jack passes Sun seated on the left. He next sees Kate seated on the right. She is wearing sunglasses and not looking at anyone.]

JACK: You made it.

KATE: [takes off sunglasses] Yeah. I made it.

[Jack smiles at her and continues to his seat. As he sits he sees the man that was behind him in line at the check in counter. He is closing the overhead compartment. Hurley is now boarding carrying a black guitar case. He puts it on the seat next to the window and then sits in the aisle seat. He is seated a few rows behind Sayid.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: [to male attendant] That should be everybody.

BEN: [rushing in the jetway] Hold up! Wait please? [out of breath] Thank you for not closing it.

[Ben has his left arm in a sling and has multiple bruises on his face.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Oh that's okay, [directs him to his seat] come right on in.

BEN: Thanks.

[As Ben walks to his seat, he makes eye contact with Sayid who is not happy to see him. Hurley sees Ben and jumps up out of his seat.]

HURLEY: Wait! What's he doing here?

JACK: [rushes to Hurley] Hurley…

HURLEY: No! He can't come!

JACK: If you want to get back, this is how it's gonna have to be.

HURLEY: No one told me he was gonna be here.

BEN: [smugly] Who told you to be here Hugo?

[The flight attendant joins to see what the commotion is about. Hurley is angry as he glares at Ben.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Is everything okay?

JACK: Yes, everything's fine. [to Hurley] Right?

HURLEY: Yes Jack, I'll be fine. [sits again]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Are you Jack Shephard, Seat 8 C?

JACK: Yes.

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Security found this while screening your cargo.

[She hands him the envelope with Locke's suicide note inside.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Now if you two don't mind taking your seats, we are going to be pushing back for take off.

BEN: What's that Jack?

JACK: Nothing.

[Jack puts the envelope in his inside jacket pocket. He looks back at coach class and then looks to Ben.]

JACK: The other people on the plane. What's gonna happen to them?

BEN: Who cares?

[The plane begins to taxi down the runway. We see each of the passengers in first class brace for take off. The plane takes off without incident. The camera pans to each passenger in first class again. The plane is white with red and gold lettering and the Ajira logo on the sides. The plane is now safely flying and the fasten seat belt light turns off. Jack is the first to get out of his seat. He goes and sits next to Kate. He lets out another deep breath.]

JACK: It's pretty crazy huh?

KATE: [smiles and lets a deep breath out] Which part?

JACK: Hurley, Sayid and me on the same plane. How did they end up here?

KATE: [dryly] They bought a ticket.

JACK: You don't think that it means something? That somehow we're all back together?

KATE: We're on the same plane Jack. Doesn't make us together.

[A man's voice is heard over the PA system.]

FRANK: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Ajira Air. This is your captain Frank J. Lapidus and on behalf of the entire flight crew, welcome aboard.

[Jack, Hurley and Kate sit up and take notice.]

FRANK: Currently we are right on schedule and we're flying at a very comfortable thirty thousand feet. So sit back and relax and enjoy the in-flight movie.

[Jack gets up and walks to outside the cockpit area where the flight attendant is.]

JACK: Um, excuse me.

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Mr. Shepard? Can I help you?

JACK: Um, I need to talk to the pilot. Frank Lapidus and I are old friends and if you can just tell him I'm on board I'd really appreciate it.

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Alright but you just have to go sit down because you can't be near the cockpit door when it's open.

JACK: Sure. I understand.

[Jack goes and sits in the first row. The attendant picks up the intercom phone to speak with the captain. We can barely hear her speak.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Captain, I have a passenger on board, Jack Shephard, he says he knows you. Okay sir.

[She hangs up the phone receiver. Frank Lapidus exits the cockpit. He is clean-shaven. He sees Jack.]

FRANK: [smiles] Well hello Doc.

[Jack gets up and walks to Frank.]

FRANK: Small world.

[They shake hands.]

FRANK: What are you doing going to Guam?

JACK: What are you doing here Frank?

FRANK: I picked up this gig about eight months ago. Fly this around all the time. Sometimes I take the big birds into New …

[Franks stops and looks into the first class cabin. His eyes find Sayid.]

[FRANK: …Delhi. Is [pause] that Sayid? And Hurley. [he sees Kate and Sun] Wait a second. [eyebrows raised] We're not going to Guam, are we?

[Switch to nighttime. We see Jack sitting in his seat and Ben is seated across the aisle reading. Jack exhales deeply. He is fidgety. He looks over to Ben who is reading Ulysses by James Joyce. He addresses Ben.]

JACK: How can you read?

BEN: [without raising his eyes] My mother taught me.

[Ben stops reading, smiles and looks over at Jack.]

BEN: I can read Jack because it beats what you're doing.

JACK: What's that?

BEN: Waiting for something to happen.

JACK: And what is going to happen?

BEN: You tell me Jack. You're the one who got to stay after school with Ms. Hawking.

JACK: Did you know that Locke killed himself?

BEN: No. No, I didn't.

[Jack takes the envelope with the suicide note from his jacket pocket. He holds the envelope, name up, in front of him.]

JACK: They found this stuffed in his pocket. And I've been trying to get rid of it, but it's like it's following me. Heh, I know it sounds crazy but it feels like John needs me to read it.

BEN: Why don't you then?

[Jack shakes his head side to side and sighs.]

BEN: Is it because you're afraid?

JACK: Afraid of what?

BEN: Afraid that he blames you. That it's your fault that he killed himself.

JACK: Was it my fault?

BEN: [removes glasses] No Jack it wasn't your fault. Let me give you some privacy.

[Ben puts down his book and gets up from his seat and walks to the front of the cabin. Jack is still looking at the unopened envelope. After a pause he opens it and reads, "Jack, I wish you had believed me. JL". Jack stares at the single sentence, folds the paper and looks up. He is full of emotion. Suddenly the plane begins to shake. Kate is awakened. Sayid, Hurley and Sun sit wondering what just occurred. The plane shakes a bit more. The extra man in first class stops reading to see what is happening. The woman with Sayid does not like the turbulence. The fasten seat belt and the use seat bottom for flotation lights come on. Jack looks around. Hurley looks over to the extra man sitting across the aisle from him.]

HURLEY: Dude. You might want to fasten your seatbelt.

[Hurley pulls the sleeping mask down over his eyes, sits back and holds on to the guitar case. The flight attendant appears.]

AJIRA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: [to woman with Sayid.] Fasten your seatbelt ma'am. Sir. Please put on your seatbelt. [to Kate] Seatbelt please.

[Items start falling out of the overhead compartments. Ben is not in his seat. The shaking of the plane becomes violent. There are buzzers sounding. The flight attendant attempts to put a bag back in the overhead compartment and is thrown into a seat. People scream. There is a buzzing noise and a white light begins to glow. A time flash has occurred. Switch to the Jack Shepard lying on his back. He starts blinking both eyes trying to get his bearings. He sits up and smiles. He is in the jungle. As he stands he has a small piece of paper in his left hand. He looks at it and it reads, "I wish." He tosses it away. He hears Hurley.]

HURLEY: Help! Anyone? Help!

[Jack starts running frantically through the jungle toward the sound of Hurley's voice. He comes to the top of a waterfall and dives into the pool of water at the base of the waterfall and swims over to Hurley. Hurley is bobbing in the water while trying to hold on to the guitar case. Hurley and Jack stand in the water. Hurley looks at Jack. Jack looks around the water to find Kate lying on her stomach, sprawled over a large rock.]

JACK: Kate.

[Switch to Jack as he turns Kate onto her back. He looks her over then checks to see if she is breathing by putting his ear to her nose.]

JACK: Kate!

[Jack shakes Kate's right shoulder and she awakens slowly. She looks up and focuses on Jack.]

KATE: Oh. What happened?

[Jack shakes his head from side to side.]

JACK: Can you get up?

KATE: [nods] Yeah.

[Jack helps her sit up. Hurley is standing behind Jack.]

KATE: [nods] Oh. The plane. Where's the plane?

JACK: I don't know. After that light [pause] I woke up in the jungle.

KATE: [nods] So this is it? It's just us?

JACK: I'm not sure. Do either of you remember crashing?

HURLEY: Crashing? No. One second I'm being tossed around and the next thing I know I'm in a lagoon.

KATE: [nods] Where is Sun and Sayid? Where's Ben?

JACK: Alright. Let's spread out and search the jungle. We come across anyone from the plane we'll…

[They all stop when they hear a vehicle approaching and loud music being played.

Yeah your kisses, they feel so right

but you had had another man (inaudible) last night...

[The Dharma logo is shown affixed to a blue and white VW van. A man picks up the rifle on the passenger seat and exits the van. He walks to the edge of the road, cocks the rifle and takes aim at Kate, Jack and Hurley. The all look at him and freeze.]

HURLEY: Jin?

[As the rifle lowers, it is indeed Jin. He is wearing Dharma overalls and a scant piece of a Dharma logo is showing on the front of his left shoulder. He lowers the rifle and looks at them in disbelief of what he is seeing.]