[As the episode commences, Jin is lying on the ground next to the Dharma van. He is unconscious. Static and a voice is heard over the walkie-talkie Jin slowly awakens.]

PHIL: Jin? Are you there? Jin can you hear me?

[Jin grabs the walkie-talkie.]

JIN: Hello?

PHIL: Jin! It's Phil man. Where have you been? The hostile escaped! We're searching the east grid.

JIN: He's headed north.

PHIL: How the hell you know that?

JIN: Because he attacked me.

PHIL: What?! Where are you?

[Jin puts the walkie-talkie in his pocket. He stands up and sees a boy lying face down on the road. He goes to check the boy. Phil is still talking however Jin is not replying. He turns the boy over and realizes it in young Ben. Ben has been shot in the chest.]

PHIL: Jin are you still there? Jin! Jin!

YOUNG BEN: [faintly] Please help.

[Jin picks up Ben, walks to the van and opens the side door. He places Ben inside, gets back in the driver's seat and drives off. Switch to the Dharma compound. There are various voices in the background.]

MAN'S VOICE: Put it over there.

[Horace begins to speak. While he is speaking Jack, Hurley and other people are gathering up armaments and other things.]

HORACE: Okay everybody. Listen up. We don't know yet if another attack is coming so everyone needs to be ready for your security assignments, okay? Make sure you are in contact with your team leaders. LaFleur's got search parties out but the hostiles got a good jump on us. We're pretty sure he used this fire as a diversion in order to escape.

HURLEY: [to Jack] Uh is he talking about Sayid?

JACK: [to Horace] He was locked up. How could he start the fire?

HORACE: Who are you?

JACK: Jack Shephard. I'm, I'm new.

HORACE: Well Jack, the way he started the fire is he had help. Somebody torched that van and then that somebody let him out of his cell and since the security cameras didn't pick up any hostiles crossing the perimeter that means it was one of us.

[Everyone looks around at everyone else stunned by what they just hear.]

HORACE: Baxter! I want a full report on clean-up ASAP.

BAXTER: You got it Horace.

[People start to disperse and go about their assignments. Kate is sitting alone.]

ROGER LINUS: Hey you!

[Kate turns and looks at the man, puts her hand on her chest as to signal me?]

ROGER LINUS: Yeah you! You're in the Motor Pool. Right?

KATE: Oh, yeah.

ROGER LINUS: You mind running that winch for me? You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? [Kate shakes her head no] Alright no worries. Just throw this lever and when I tell you to stop, whish, pull it up.

KATE: Alright.

ROGER LINUS: Simple.

[Roger walks back to the van that ran into one of the cabins. Kate gets ready and waits for Roger's signal.]

ROGER LINUS: Don't do it till I'm ready.

KATE: Okay.

ROGER LINUS: Alright, crank her up.

[Kate throws the lever on the winch. Roger watches as the van is pulled from the cabin.]

ROGER LINUS: So they just stuck you in the motor pool when you got here?

KATE: Yeah, pretty much.

ROGER LINUS: Yeah same thing happened to me. Wait! Ho! Hold right there. That's good. I guess they couldn't sucker anyone into getting on that sub if they told us we were gonna be grease monkeys and janitors.

KATE: Well you gotta start somewhere, right?

ROGER LINUS: Yeah. What's your name?

KATE: I'm Kate. [extends hand]

ROGER LINUS: [extends hand and they shake] Welcome aboard Kate. I'm Roger, Roger Linus.

KATE: Nice to meet you Roger.

[Another van pulls up near Roger and Kate. People gather. Jin gets out of the van and then takes Ben out. He carries Ben and walks away.]

ROGER LINUS: That's my kid. That's my kid!

[Roger runs after Jin. Ben is unconscious. Kate looks on stunned. Switch to Kate driving her silver car. Patsy Cline is heard on the radio. She is singing. "I've Got Your Picture."]

…just like it used to be.

The only thing different, the only thing new.

I've got your picture, she's…

[Kate gets out of her car. She opens the back door. There is a baby in a car seat.]

KATE: Hi handsome. Did you have a good sleep? Yeah, that's my boy.

[As the baby smiles, Kate takes him out of the car seat, walks to the front door while singing.]

KATE: Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away. Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, [rings doorbell] save it for a rainy day.

[A woman answers the door, waits a second then recognizes Kate.]

KATE: Hi.

CASSIDY: Oh my God!

KATE: Hey. Hi Cassidy.

[Cassidy and Kate hug and exchange kisses on the cheek.]

CASSIDY: Oh my God! I saw you on the news. I told all my friends I know that woman. [to baby] Hi.

KATE: This is Aaron.

CASSIDY: Hi Aaron.

KATE: Say hi.

CASSIDY: He survived the crash. [Kate nods] It's amazing. Never thought I'd see you again. What are you doing here?

KATE: Sawyer sent me.

[Cassidy loses the smile on her face and stares at Kate.]

LOST Logo

[Cassidy and Kate are sitting at a table. Cassidy is flipping through a wad of money in an envelope.]

CASSIDY: Sawyer. So that son of a bitch is still alive?

KATE: He was when I left.

CASSIDY: And he asked you to come here and give me an envelope full of money. [tosses envelope on table]

KATE: Well, he told me where to find you and said to take care of Clementine, his daughter.

CASSIDY: Well, she's asleep in her crib right now. [sarcastically] Want me to wake her up?

KATE: I shouldn't have bothered you. I could have sent it and I probably should have.

CASSIDY: Why did you tell me all this? Why'd you trust me?

KATE: Because I thought your daughter had a right to know her father cared.

CASSIDY: Why didn't he come back with the rest of you?

KATE: The helicopter we were on was running out of gas so he jumped so that we could make it to the boat.

CASSIDY: [exhales deeply] What a coward.

KATE: He was trying to do the right thing.

CASSIDY: He was trying to get away from you. I told him he had a daughter, he never so much lifted a finger to try to call her. So now I'm supposed to think he is a hero because he told you to come here and help us? Hell, I bet this money's not even his, is it?

KATE: They gave us a settlement after the crash and I didn't need it all.

CASSIDY: You don't have to explain it Kate. You got the same look on your face I did when he ditched me. All I have for you is sympathy. Is it his?

KATE: What?

CASSIDY: Your son. Is it Sawyer's?

KATE: No. No I was pregnant before I met him.

CASSIDY: That's not your baby, is it? Kate you just told me that you and your friends cooked a story for the whole world about what happened on that island, so you tell me the truth about that. Why are you lying to me about him?

KATE: [pauses] Because I have to.

[Kate and Cassidy look at each other. Switch to the burned cabin. Kate is walking across the compound. Switch to Sawyer in the Flame. He is pressing various buttons while reviewing security footage. Kate comes walking down the stair and enters the room in the Flame where Sawyer is.]

KATE: What happened?

SAWYER: [turns quickly] What the hell are you doing here?

KATE: That was Ben. That kid who was shot was Ben. Who was it? Sayid? Did he shoot him?

SAWYER: Here's what you need to do Kate? Keep your mouth shut and stop asking questions 'cause putting any attention on yourself is the last thing I need right now. Now scram, I don't want you around here.

KATE: I just want to know what's going on.

[Horace enters the room.]

HORACE: LaFleur… What? What, uh, what's she doing here?

SAWYER: This is uh, …

KATE: Kate.

SAWYER: …Kate. She is new over at the Motor Pool. Seeing if she saw something suspicious but she didn't so you can run along. Thanks.

[Kate leaves.]

HORACE: Have you checked out the Hostile's cell yet?

SAWYER: I was a little busy trying to keep the town from burnin' down Horace.

HORACE: Okay, well then let's do it.

[Horace, Phil, Jin, Miles, and Sawyer go to the cell room. The cell door is open and the keys are in the lock.]

HORACE: He didn't break out. Someone let him out.

SAWYER: Those are janitor's keys.

HORACE: We've only got three janitors. There's Roger, Willie and uh that new guy. I just met him. His name is Jack.

SAWYER: Yeah. Just brought him in from the sub. I'll go talk to him. Miles, you want to come with me?

MILES: Yeah, sure boss.

[Sawyer and Miles leave the Flame. Jin follows them.]

SAWYER: Alright, I want you to find Jack and Hurley and Kate as quick as you can. Put 'em in a house and sit on them.

MILES: What for?

SAWYER: Cause I don't want them talking to anybody else. Things are starting to spin out of control here.

MILES: Alright, I got it.

SAWYER: Alright, go.

[Sawyer pats Miles on the shoulder and they walk in different directions. Sawyer approaches the Infirmary. Roger Linus is sitting outside on a bench. He gets up as soon as he sees Sawyer.]

ROGER LINUS: Who did this? Do you know who did this to my son?

SAWYER: Not yet but we're working on it. How's he doin'?

ROGER LINUS: I don't know. Juliet told me to wait out here.

SAWYER: Let me see if I can get an update for you.

ROGER LINUS: Thanks Jim.

[As Sawyer starts to enter the Infirmary, he stops and looks back at Roger.]

SAWYER: Roger, you happen to have your keys with ya?

ROGER LINUS: Yeah, why? What'd ya mean?

[Roger reaches into his pocket and realizes he doesn't have his keys.]

ROGER LINUS: I must've left them [pause] at the house.

SAWYER: It's alright. Don't worry about it.

[Sawyer enters the infirmary. Roger slowly turns and realizes where his keys might be. Switch to an operating room. Ben, bleeding profusely, is the patient. Juliet is performing surgery to try and stop the bleeding.]

JULIET: More gauze.

ASSISTING NURSE: Here's some gauze.

JULIET: Yeah. Right here. If we can't stop the hemorrhaging we're just gonna have to pack the hole tonight.

ASSISTING NURSE: Okay.

[Sawyer enters the operating room.]

SAWYER: Where's the doctor?

JULIET: The Looking Glass Station till Friday.

SAWYER: How's he doin?

JULIET: Not well. [to nurse] Hold on. [to Sawyer.] He's still bleeding in there somewhere. I can't fix it.

SAWYER: It's alright.

JULIET: No, it is not alright. Someone needs to get in there who can find the damage that bullet did and fix it. He needs a real surgeon.

[Sawyer looks and Juliet, pauses then quickly leaves the operating room. Switch to a cabin where Miles is watching Hurley, Jack and Kate. He is checking his rifle.]

JACK: [to Miles] You're telling us we're under house arrest.

MILES: No. You're all free to leave whenever you want but I'll shoot you in the leg.

JACK: [exhales] And who's idea was this?

MILES: Who do you think?

KATE: Sawyer's just doing his job Jack.

[Hurley is looking at his open hand paying no attention to what is going on.]

MILES: What the hell are you doing Tubby?

HURLEY: Checking to see if I'm disappearing.

MILES: What?

HURLEY: Back to the Future, man. We came back in time to the island, we can change stuff so if little Ben dies he'll never grow up to be big Ben who's the one who made us come back here in the first place which means we can't be here and therefore, dude, we don't exist.

MILES: You're an idiot.

HURLEY: Am I?

MILES: Yeah. It doesn't work like that. You can’t change anything. Your maniac Iraqi buddy shot Linus. That is what always happened. It's just we never experienced how it all turns out.

HURLEY: That was really confusing.

MILES: Yeah well, get used to it but the good news is that Linus didn't die so that means the kid can't either. He'll be fine.

KATE: Didn't look like he was gonna be fine. What if you're wrong?

MILES: Well if I'm wrong then I guess we all stop existing and none of it matters anyway, then does it?

[Sawyer rushes into the cabin.]

SAWYER: [to Jack] Doc, I need you to come with me.

JACK: Come with you where?

SAWYER: Juliet says the kid is losing blood and we ain't got none to put back in him so we need you to show us where he sprung a leak.

JACK: [pauses and shakes head] No.

SAWYER: What?

JACK: No. I'm not coming with ya.

SAWYER: If you don't come with me Jack that kid is gonna die.

JACK: [pauses] Then he dies.

[Kate watches out the window as Sawyer returns to the Infirmary and stops to talk with Roger Linus. She walks to Jack.]

KATE: What areyou doing?

JACK: Making some sandwiches. Figured everybody'd be getting hungry by now.

KATE: He's just a boy Jack. You just can’t let him die.

JACK: You heard Miles. We can't change what's already happened. This has nothing to do with me.

KATE: Unless you're the one who's supposed to save him.

JACK: Thirty years from now that boy is gonna be a man that locks me in a cage because he needs surgery. And then you're gonna come in and gonna beg me to operate on him because he's threatening to murder Sawyer. I've already done this once. I've already saved Benjamin Linus and I did it for you Kate. I don't need to do it again.

KATE: This is our fault. We brought Sayid back. We caused this.

JACK: Yeah? When we were here before I spent all my time trying to fix things but did you ever think that maybe the island just wants to fix things itself? And maybe I was just getting in the way.

KATE: You know I don't like the new you. I liked the old you who wouldn't just sit around waiting for things to happen.

JACK: [chuckles] You didn't like the old me Kate.

[Jack goes back to making sandwiches while Kate leaves the cabin slamming the door behind her. Miles is awakened from his restful sitting in an upholstered chair.]

MILES: Hey! Where ya going?

[Switch to the infirmary. Ben is lying in a bed asleep. His breathing is labored. He is wheezing and coughing.]

JULIET: Just through the nose. You're okay.

NURSE: I'm sorry Juliet. One of the new people is here. She heard Ben needed blood. Says she's a universal donor.

[Juliet sees Kate standing in the doorway. Juliet sets Kate up to donate blood.]

JULIET: This might hurt for a second. Good. Very brave. So James told me that Jack wouldn't help but he didn't say why.

KATE: If I understood why Jack does what he does I sure has hell wouldn't be sitting here.

JULIET: Off island did something happen with you two?

KATE: We were engaged. Does that count?

[Roger Linus bursts into the room where Kate and Juliet are.]

ROGER LINUS: What' goin' on?

JULIET: Roger, I asked you to wait outside.

ROGER LINUS: No. What's going on with my kid?

JULIET: Kate is giving us some fresh blood so we can transfuse Ben.

ROGER LINUS: Well I'm not waiting outside.

KATE: [to Juliet] You know he can stay here with me and you can check on Ben and Roger here could keep me company. Make sure I don't pass out.

JULIET: Okay. Roger, have a seat.

[Juliet walks away.]

ROGER LINUS: [to Kate] Thanks.

KATE: Sure.

[Roger looks over and sees Ben lying unconscious in a bed. Juliet is tending to him.]

ROGER LINUS: He stole my keys.

KATE: Sorry?

ROGER LINUS: LaFleur asked me where my keys were. That bastard doesn’t ask questions he doesn't know the answers to which means my son stole my keys so he could bust that animal out of jail.

KATE: Why? Why would he do that?

ROGER LINUS: Because of me. You got kids?

KATE: [pauses] No.

ROGER LINUS: I thought I was gonna be the greatest father ever. Guess it didn't work out that way.

KATE: What about his mother? Is she still around?

ROGER LINUS: No, she's dead. She died the day he was born.

KATE: I'm sorry.

ROGER LINUS: Yeah, me too. [pause] I tried to do what I thought she'd want me to do but I guess a boy just needs his mother.

[Ben starts breathing hard and choking. Monitors start beeping.]

ROGER LINUS: What's going on?

JULIET: He's going into hypoxic shock.

ROGER LINUS: What does that mean? What's the matter with him.

JULIET: He needs more oxygen. Roger, get out of here.

ROGER LINUS: What?

JULIET: Get him out of here.

[A nurse escorts Roger from the room quickly. Juliet administers oxygen to Ben. Kate watches on in horror.]

ROGER LINUS: Wait. Please? Wait a minute.

[Switch to Hurley in the cabin. He is talking to Miles.]

HURLEY: Let me get this straight. All this already happened?

MILES: Yes.

HURLEY: So this conversation we're having right now, we already had it.

MILES: [claps hands] Yes.

HURLEY: Then what am I gonna say next?

MILES: I don't know.

HURLEY: Ha! Then your theory is wrong.

MILES: For the thousandth time, you dingbat, the conversation already happened but not for you and me. For you and me, it's happening right now.

HURLEY: Okay, answer me this. If all this already happened to me then why don't I remember any of it.

MILES: Because once Ben turned that wheel, time isn't a straight line for us anymore. Our experiences, in the past and the future, occurred before these experiences right now.

HURLEY: Say that again?

MILES: [hands Hurley his handgun] Shoot me. Please? Please?

HURLEY: Ah hah! I can't shoot you because if you die in 1977 then you'll never come back to the island on the freighter thirty years from now.

MILES: I can die because I've already come to the island on the freighter. Any of us can die because this is our present.

HURLEY: But you said Ben couldn't die because he still has to grow up and become the leader of the Others.

MILES: Because this is his past.

HURLEY: But when we first captured Ben, Sayid like tortured him then why wouldn't he remember getting shot by that same guy when he was a kid?

MILES: Huh? I hadn't thought of that.

HURLEY: Huh.

[Switch to Roger Linus pacing in front of the Infirmary. Kate is sitting on the lanai against a pole. Juliet comes out of the Infirmary.]

ROGER LINUS: How is he?

JULIET: He's stable.

ROGER LINUS: Is he gonna be okay?

JULIET: He's got some fresh blood running through him, which is a good thing. Roger I need you to go out to Medical Station. There are some supplies there that we don't have here. [hands Roger a list]

ROGER LINUS: Okay. I just wanna say, I, I, uh, I wanna say thanks. I know you're doing everything you can to save him. Alright, I'm gonna go, okay?

[Roger walks away from the Infirmary.]

KATE: Is he any better?

JULIET: He is stable now. But I can't um, I can't fix it.

KATE: What about the sub? I mean can we take him somewhere?

JULIET: No. It's gone. Won't be back for a couple months.

KATE: But he can't die, right?

JULIET: He is going to die. He is in a medical situation that is not resolvable.

KATE: Okay but we can't just sit here and do nothing. I mean, there has got to be someone who can help him. We have an entire…

[Both women stop speaking and there is a long pause.]

KATE: What?

JULIET: Maybe there's something they can do.

KATE: They?

JULIET: The Others.

[Juliet and Kate roll Ben out of the infirmary on a gurney.]

JULIET: You got him?

KATE: Yeah.

JULIET: 1, 2, 3. Go.

[Kate and Juliet lift Ben off the gurney and place him inside a Dharma van. Kate closes the door and they roll the gurney back onto the lanai of the Infirmary.]

JULIET: Okay, let's go.

[Kate looks at Juliet.]

JULIET: I'm coming with you.

KATE: No, no, no, no. If something goes wrong or we get caught it doesn't matter for me but you got a whole life here. And besides, if Sawyer knew I got you involved in this, he'd kill me.

JULIET: How are you gonna manage?

KATE: I'll manage. Don't worry.

JULIET: Kate, Sawyer's gonna find out Ben's gone and when he does I have to tell him what happened but I'll give you as much of a head start as I can. Good luck.

[Kate starts the engine and drives away from the complex. Switch to the marina. Kate is getting Aaron from Sun's car and puts him in her car. Sun has a gun to Ben's throat.]]

BEN: There's someone. Someone here in Los Angeles. Let me take you to them.

SUN: Who?

BEN: The same person that's going to show us how to get back to the island.

KATE: [to Jack] Is that what this is about? You knew about this?

JACK: No. No. I was…

KATE: [interrupts] And that is why you were pretending to care about Aaron? To convince me to go back there?

JACK: I wasn't pretending anything.

KATE: This is insane. You guys are crazy.

JACK: Kate.

KATE: Jack! Don't!

[Kate gets in her car and drives away from the marina. Aaron wakes up.]

AARON: Mommy, I'm thirsty. I need some milk.

[Switch to inside a supermarket. Kate is walking down an aisle holding Aaron's hand.]

KATE: Do you want regular milk or chocolate milk?

AARON: Juice box.

KATE: You don't want milk anymore?

AARON: Juice box.

[Kate walks to stock boy unloading bottles of juice drink.

KATE: Excuse me. Where are your juice boxes?

STOCK BOY: Aisle 5.

KATE: Thank you very much.

[Kate's cell phone rings. She let’s go of Aaron's hand to get the phone from her shoulder bag. She flips open the phone and it shows Jack Shephard, 323-555-0156. She flips the phone shut and puts it back in her purse. She goes to get Aaron's hand but he is gone.]

KATE: Aaron?

[Kate starts looking frantically for Aaron. She comes back to the stock boy.]

KATE: Um excuse me. Have you seen my son?

STOCK BOY: Sorry?

KATE: A little three-year-old, blonde.

[Kate starts running down one side of the store looking in every aisle.]

KATE: Aaron? Aaron? Aaron? Aaron!

[Kate stops a supermarket worker.]

KATE: Excuse me. I lost my son. He's three. A little blonde boy.

SUPERMARKET WORKER: Don't worry ma'am. We’ll make an announcement.

KATE: No you have to seal off the store.

[Kate looks and sees Aaron walking hand in hand with a woman with long blonde hair.]

KATE: Aaron?! Hey!

FEMALE SHOPPER: Is this your mommy? Honey, is this your mommy?

[Kate grabs and picks up Aaron.]

FEMALE SHOPPER: I found him in the fruit section. He looked lost. I was getting ready to make an announcement.

KATE: Thank you. Thank you very much. It's okay honey. Mommy's got you. Mommy's got you.

[Switch to the island. Kate is driving the blue Dharma van to the sonic fence. She stops and turns off the engine. Ben is coughing in the back of the van. Kate gets out and goes around the van, opens the side door to check on Ben.]

YOUNG BEN: Help. [coughs] Tell [coughs] tell my [ coughs]

KATE: Try not to talk, okay?

YOUNG BEN: Tell my dad I'm sorry I stole his keys.

[Another Dharma van pulls up behind Kate's van. Sawyer gets out and walks over to Kate who crosses her arms in front of her chest.]

KATE: I know you gotta stop me but I can't let that kid die.

SAWYER: Damn it Freckles. I ain't here to stop you. I'm here to help you.

[Switch to Kate and Aaron walking to a door. Aaron pushes the bell button. A little girl answers the door.]

CLEMENTINE: Hi Auntie Kate.

KATE: Hi Clementine. Is your mommy home?

CLEMENTINE: Sure. I'll go get her.

KATE: Okay.

CASSIDY: They're going back? [Kate nods] To the island? Why in God's name would they want to do that?

KATE: I don't know. Jack says we weren't supposed to leave.

CASSIDY: Well Jack sounds like a piece of work.

[Kate lies on the sofa hugging a pillow. She has tears in her eyes.]

CASSIDY: You look exhausted. Drink this. [pours a drink from a pint bottle] Curl up on my bed. Take a nap. I'll watch your fella.

KATE: I lost him.

CASSIDY: What?

KATE: I don't know what happened. We were in the supermarket and I turned around for one second and he was gone. [wipes tears from her eyes] I mean the crazy thing is that as scared as I was, I wasn't surprised. All I could think was, it's about time. Why would I feel that way? Why would I expect him to be taken?

CASSIDY: Because you took him Kate.

KATE: You know what? Claire was gone. She left him. I had to take him. He needed me.

CASSIDY: You needed him. [pause] Sawyer broke your heart. How else were you supposed to fix it?

[Switch to the island. Sawyer is disabling the sonic fence as Kate watches.}

SAWYER: Figure out how you were gonna carry him out there by yourself?

KATE: The line is just right over there right? The Others are on the other side?

SAWYER: Well they ain't right on the other side.

[Sawyer looks at Ben.]

SAWYER: We gotta get movin'.

KATE: Hey. Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?

SAWYER: [sigh] When I found out Ben was gone, Juliet told me what you were up to I asked that exact damn question. Why you helping Ben? [exhales] And she said no matter what he is gonna grow up to be, she wouldn't let a kid die. So…

[Sawyer and Kate lift Ben from the van. Sawyer prepares to carry him.]

SAWYER:…that's why I'm doin' this. I'm doin' it for her.

[Sawyer walks across the sonic fence line. Kate grabs a canteen from the van and follows Sawyer. Switch to Juliet barging into a cabin to find Hurley and Miles playing a game.]

JULIET: Where's Jack?

MILES: Uh, he's in the shower, I think.

HURLEY: Is he in trouble?

JULIET: I just need to talk to him. Would you two mind giving us some privacy?

[Hurley and Miles look at each other then quickly get up off their chairs. They head for the door and leave. As they are walking out the door Miles speaks.]

MILES: [to Hurley] Hey, ask me more questions about time travel.

[Juliet heads straight for the bathroom. Jack turns off the shower and exits. Juliet is standing with her back to the door. Jack puts a towel around his waist, saying nothing.]

JULIET: I needed you.

JACK: I'm sorry?

JULIET: That kid was bleeding out. You're a surgeon and I needed you.

JACK: That kid is Ben.

JULIET: He's not Ben yet. He's just a kid.

JACK: [chuckles] Juliet, I'm sorry. I can't help you.

JULIET: I'm not asking for your help, Jack. You made it pretty clear you weren't interested. It's up to Sawyer and Kate now.

[Jack puts on a t-shirt and stops dressing.]

JACK: What?

JULIET: She's trying to save him and I sent James after her to help because they actually care.

JACK: I came back here because I care Juliet. I came back here to save you.

JULIET: We didn't need saving! We've been fine for three years. You came back here for you. Please do me the courtsey of telling me why.

JACK: I came back because I was supposed to.

JULIET: [teary eyed] Supposed to what?

JACK: I don't know yet.

JACK: Well you better figure it out.

[Juliet exits the bathroom leaving Jack befuddled. Switch to the jungle. Sawyer is carrying Ben and Kate is following.]

KATE: You know I can take him for a while.

SAWYER: [sarcastically] Sure you can.

KATE: You know his father said you think Ben broke Sayid out.

SAWYER: A kid will do almost anything if he's pissed off enough at his folks.

KATE: Is that why you asked me to take care of your daughter?

[Sawyer lays Ben on the ground and rests.]

SAWYER: Did you?

KATE: Of course I did.

[Kate opens the canteen and tries to give some water to Ben.]

KATE: Go ahead and tip his head back.

SAWYER: What was she like?

KATE: Clementine?

SAWYER: Yeah, Clementine.

KATE: Oh she's beautiful. Looks just like you when she smiles. [closes the canteen] She's growing up fast. Already has a little attitude.

SAWYER: I bet you and Cassidy had a lot to talk about.

KATE: She had an interesting theory on why you jumped off the chopper.

[Sawyer tries to get Ben to drink.]

SAWYER: Yeah? What's that?

KATE: She thought you were worried about what would happen if you didn't.

SAWYER: You and me would have never worked out Kate. I wasn't any more fit to be your boyfriend than I am to be that little girl's father.

KATE: You seem to be doing alright with Juliet.

SAWYER: Yeah. I done a lot of growing up the past three years.

[Suddenly Kate, Sawyer and Ben are surrounded by Hostiles. Clicking of several guns are heard.]

MAN: Hands up! Do not move!

[Kate raises her hands. Sawyer stands up.]

MAN: I said don't move. This is a violation of the truce. You're over the line.

SAWYER: We know. This kid's been shot. That's both of our problems so unless you want to go to war, you're gonna take us to Richard Alpert and you're gonna do it now.

[Switch to Los Angeles. Kate knocks on room door. Carole Littleton answers.]

KATE: Uh Mrs. Littleton, I'm Kate Austen.

CAROLE LITTLETON: I know who you are. [pause] Come in.

KATE: Thank you.

[Kate enters the hotel room. Carole closes the door.]

CAROLE LITTLETON: Your friend, Dr. Shephard, came here last night going on and on about some person named Aaron. When I asked him who that was he ran out of here like the room was on fire.

KATE: He's your grandson.

[Carole looks at Kate stunned.]

KATE: And your daughter Claire is alive.

CAROLE LITTLETON: What are you talking about? Claire died in the plane crash.

KATE: No. She survived. When we crashed, your daughter was eight months pregnant and she's the one who gave birth on the island, not me. We lied. There were other survivors too. We just left them behind.

CAROLE LITTLETON: Oy! Why would you leave her there?!

KATE: Because she disappeared and she left the baby behind. We looked everywhere but… That's when I started taking care of Aaron. When we were rescued, we didn't, we had to decide what to do with him and I knew she wanted him to be adopted but I couldn't. I had to protect him so I said he was mine.

CAROLE LITTLETON: [upset] Why did you lie? Why didn’t you come to me in the first place?

KATE: Because I needed him. [pause] I'm sorry. [hands Carole a picture] You can see that he is so sweet and kind and good.

CAROLE LITTLETON: Where is he?

KATE: Um, we're checked in, two doors down. He's asleep. I know this is a lot for you to handle but when you're ready, he's waiting for you. I told him that you're his grandmother. That you'll take care of him while I'm gone and that I'll be back soon.

CAROLE LITTLETON: Where are you going?

KATE: [holding back tears] I'm going back to find your daughter.

[Switch to Kate stroking Aaron's face as he sleeps in their hotel room. She is crying. She walks to the door to leave the room, opens it, stops, and looks back at Aaron.]

KATE: Bye bye baby.

[Switch to the island. Sawyer is carrying Ben. Kate is walking along side him. The Hostiles surround them as they walk.]

SAWYER: Don't worry. We got them right where we want them.

MAN: Shut up and keep moving.

SAWYER: What's it look like I'm doin'?

RICHARD: Hello there James.

SAWYER: The hell did you come from?

RICHARD: You asked my people to bring you to me. Here I am. [pauses] Is that Benjamin Linus?

SAWYER: You two know each other?

RICHARD: What happened to him?

KATE: He was shot.

RICHARD: And who might you be?

SAWYER: She's with me.

RICHARD: And why are you here?

KATE: Cause we need you to save his life. Can you?

[Richard pauses and thinks for a moment.]

RICHARD: If I take him, he's not ever gonna be the same again.

KATE: What do you mean by that?

RICHARD: What I mean is that he'll forget this ever happened and that his innocence will be gone. He will always be one of us.

[Confused, Kate and Sawyer look at Richard.]

RICHARD: You still want me to take him?

KATE: Yes.

[Sawyer hands Ben to Richard.]

MAN: [exhales deeply] Richard. You shouldn’t do this without asking Ellie. And if Charles finds out…

RICHARD: Let him find out. I don't answer to either of them.

KATE: Wh, where are you taking him?

[Richard walks away and says nothing more. Kate tries to go after Richard but is stopped by Sawyer who grabs her arm.]

SAWYER: Come on.

[As Richard disappears into the jungle carrying Ben, Sawyer and Kate turn to walk back to the compound. Richard brings Ben a stone building. He puts his back to a wall, pushes then backs into the building. Switch to adult Ben laying on a cot. He is in the Hydra station after the crash of Ajira flight 316. As he awakens he sees John Locke standing over him.]

LOCKE: Hello Ben.

[Ben looks up at John stunned.]

LOCKE: Welcome back to the land of the living.

[Ben slowly raises his head still staring at Locke. Locke smiles.]