[FLASHBACK]

[Shot of a stack of paperwork being reviewed by a government worker. The stack of papers is an application for disability insurance.]

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Name?

LOCKE: John Locke.

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Marital status, Mr. Locke?

LOCKE: Ah, single.

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Girlfriend?

LOCKE: No.

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Are your parents living?

LOCKE: I, I was raised in foster care. I never really knew my parents.

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Have you ever considered seeking out your biological parents?

LOCKE: [pauses] Ah, I, ah.. I don't see how that's relevant.

GOVERNMENT WORKER: It's relevant, Mr. Locke, because if the government's going to continue paying your disability insurance, I have to figure out whether or not your condition has improved. So. How's your appetite?

LOCKE: Fine.

GOVERNMENT WORKER: I see you've stopped submitting your therapy bills for reimbursement.

LOCKE: That's 'cause I stopped going. Waste of time.

[Worker glances up at Locke, then stamps John's form with "BENEFITS SUSPENDED".]

GOVERNMENT WORKER: It's just a temporary suspension, Mr. Locke. As soon as you resume your sessions, you can reapply.

LOCKE: You think I'm temporarily disabled?

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Depression can be temporary, yes. And since you see fit to stop going to therapy, I guess you're all better.

LOCKE: [stands up] Guess I am.

[Locke walks away from the worker’s desk.]

GOVERNMENT WORKER: Next!

[Cut to shot of the Barracks. Locke, Sayid, Kate and Danielle are watching the Others from some underbrush. In a continuation from the last scene of "Par Avion", Jack and Tom are passing a football back and forth.]

TOM: [to Jack] Over here!

[Jack throws the football to Tom.]

KATE: [whispering] What is he doing...?!

LOCKE: Shhh!

[Tom throws the football back to Jack.]

TOM: [to Jack] Good hands!

[Danielle watches in silence, then walks away.]

JULIET: Jack!

[Juliet walks toward Jack and Tom. Jack throws the football to Juliet. She catches it, laughing, and throws it to Tom.]

KATE: [whispering] She's the one who helped me and Sawyer escape.

[Tom throws the football back to Jack. Juliet walks up to Jack and puts her hand on his arm. They speak, though their conversation is barely audible.]

JACK: What's up?

JULIET: Okay, I think it's going to be tomorrow.

[Juliet keeps talking to Jack. Sayid sees that Danielle has gone missing. He starts to leave.]

KATE: [whispering] Hey, what?

SAYID: [whispering] Danielle.

KATE: [whispering] John, Rousseau's gone.

[Locke doesn't respond, but moves away from Kate and Sayid, trying to get a better view of Jack and Juliet as they walk towards a house. Kate and Sayid follow. Locke gets out binoculars from his pack and sees Juliet go inside and wheel Ben out in a wheelchair. He sees Ben and Jack converse, also barely audible.

JACK: Can you feel anything?

BEN: So how do you feel? [indistinct]

[They shake hands. Locke puts the binoculars down.]

LOCKE: This is going to be more complicated than we thought.

[Kate loads ammo into her rifle. Kate, Locke, and Sayid have retreated into the woods.]

SAYID: So what exactly are you saying? We simply start shooting people and hope for the best?

KATE: We came here to rescue Jack, and that's what we're going to do.

SAYID: But obviously the circumstances have changed. He may not want to be rescued.

KATE: That is not him! That's not Jack. They must have done something to him. When they captured us, they drugged us.

SAYID: He didn't appear to be drugged, Kate.

KATE: They kidnapped him! Held him prisoner! He wouldn't just forget that!

SAYID: I agree. But until we know why, we're putting our lives at risk.

KATE: [walking away] I'm not leaving him, Sayid.

SAYID: [puts a hand on Kate's shoulder, stopping her] You may not have a choice.

LOCKE: It's Jack. The first time I saw him he was risking his life pulling people out of burning airplane wreckage. If he's shaking hands with the Others, I'm sure he has a good reason. We just have to go down there and find out what it is.

SAYID: What do you suggest?

LOCKE: We wait till it's dark, we approach Jack when he's alone... and if he wants out, we get him out.

[Locke cocks his gun.]

[FLASHBACK]

[Locke is in his apartment, watching the television while eating a television dinner.]

AUTUMN: Here's what we know, Crystal: the Bolivian gold deposits were stolen last night around 2 a.m.

CRYSTAL: Um, that means...?

AUTUMN: The Cobra!

CRYSTAL: He's back! Ah, get down!

AUTUMN: I've been shot!

CRYSTAL: I can't find him!

AUTUMN: There! Behind winged victory! I think he's armed!

CRYSTAL: I can get him!

[There is a knock on the door.]

PETER: Hello. John Locke?

LOCKE: I'm sorry. No solicitors. [points to a sign that says "NO SOLICITING"] I have a sign.

PETER: Uh, I'm not... I'm not trying to sell you any... Listen, my name's Peter Talbot. I, uh, I just need a couple of minutes to talk to you.

LOCKE: Talk about what?

PETER: My mother, actually. I think she might be in some trouble.

LOCKE: You've got the wrong John Locke. [begins to close the door]

PETER: How many kidneys do you have?

[Locke stops closing the door and peers at Peter.]

[Cut to Locke making a pot of coffee in the kitchen.]

PETER: She met him two months ago. Love at first sight, is what she said. Guy was charming, sweet, funny. His name's Adam Seward. He's a retired computer entrepreneur from Ontario.

[Locke hands Peter a cup of coffee and sits down with his own cup.]

PETER: Anyway, Adam had something... special. My mom just went ga-ga for him right out of the gate. After two months of knowing him, she agrees to marry the guy. And something about him, it... Something in my gut told me that he was after something, so I... I had to check him out.

LOCKE: Well, I'm not sure what any of this has to do with me.

PETER: Well, what this has to do with you, Mr. Locke, is that you donated one of your kidneys to Adam Seward. Only his name was different back then. He used to be Anthony Cooper.

[Peter gives Locke a photograph of Cooper and a white-haired woman standing in front of flowers.]

PETER: All I could find were his medical records. And I saw that he was the recipient of a kidney transplant from... you... so I figured, hey, someone gave the guy his kidney; how bad could he be? Right?

LOCKE: Well, it, it was an anonymous donation. I never met him.

PETER: Are you sure?

LOCKE: Yeah, I'm sorry. I can't help you.

[Cut to the Barracks. Locke is spying through binoculars. Kate and Sayid hide alongside him. Locke passes the binoculars to Kate, and they watch as Juliet walks Jack to his new house and says goodnight. Jack goes inside. Juliet leaves.]

LOCKE: [whispering] Sayid, you guard the front. I'll go around and cover the back. [to Kate] You head in through the side door.

KATE: I'm going in alone?

LOCKE: It's better if you're the first one he sees.

KATE: All right.

[Locke, Kate, and Sayid move towards the house. Kate moves in through the door, gun in hands. Jack is playing a piano. Kate approaches him from the back, lowering her gun. Jack stops playing, and turns and sees her.]

KATE: Hi.

JACK: What are you doing here?

KATE: I came to get you.

JACK: [softly but urgently] Get out of here! Right now. Go. [glances away]

KATE: Jack...

JACK: [stands up, yelling] Kate! They're watching me!

[Kate sees a camera on the ceiling.]

JACK: Get out of here!

KATE: I'm not leaving you!

JACK: Yes you are!

[The door slams open as two men enter with guns drawn.]

OTHER: Get down! Get down!

PRYCE: Get her down! Get her down!

[One of the Others restrains Kate.]

JACK: Don't hurt her! Don't hurt her!

PRYCE: [aims his gun at Jack, who backs off] Step back, Doc. Step. Back.

[The Other throws Kate to the ground, and she cries out in pain. Two more Others come into the room with Sayid, holding him to the ground.]

PRYCE: Hold him still!

KATE: Jack! Jack?! Jack!

[Jack stays to the side, arms raised, as the Others restrain Kate and Sayid. Pryce points his gun at Kate.]

PRYCE: [to Kate] Who else is with you?

KATE: [looks at Jack pleadingly] Jack..

JACK: Just answer the question, Kate.

PRYCE: OK, one more time. [cocks gun] Who else is with you?

KATE: [looks down, then glances around] Nobody. Nobody else; it was just us. [looks up at Jack, breathing heavily]

[Cut to Ben lying on his side in a hospital bed. Something rouses him. He elevates the head of the bed and looks around in the dark.]

BEN: Alex?

[Ben turns on his bedside lamp. Locke walks up to Ben and points his gun at him.]

BEN: John!

LOCKE: [whispering] Shhh. Keep your voice down.

BEN: All right. It's all right, John. You don't have to point the gun at me. I can tell you where Jack is.

LOCKE: [smiles wryly] I'm not looking for Jack. I'm looking for the submarine.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

LOCKE: The submarine. Where is it?

BEN: I'm not sure what you mean, John. What submarine?

LOCKE: The one you use to travel to and from the island. The one your man Mikhail told me about, right before I killed him.

ALEX: [outside room] Dad? Who are you talking to?

BEN: [frightened] Alex, don't come in here!

[Locke goes to the door and opens it. Alex is there. There is a knock on the house's front door. Locke glances at it, then grabs Alex and forces her into the bedroom.]

ALEX: [squealing] What do you--?! What--?! Ah! Dad--?!

LOCKE: [covering Alex's mouth] Tell her to be quiet!

BEN: Alex! Please!

TOM: [from outside house] Ben? You awake?

[Locke drags a struggling Alex into the closet, then closes the door, leaving it open a crack to watch.]

TOM: [from outside house] I'm coming in!

[Tom and another Other walk in the room.]

BEN: What is it?

TOM: It's Austen and Jarrah. They're here. Somehow they found us.

BEN: Where are they now?

TOM: We captured them. We're holding them over at my place. Want me to help you get out there?

BEN: No. Separate them. I want to know how they found us.

TOM: What about Juliet and Shephard? Tomorrow, in the morn...

BEN: Let me worry about that. Just go.

TOM: Got it.

BEN: Richard? Wait a minute.

TOM: I'll wait outside.

[Locke raises his gun warily. Tom leaves. Richard Alpert, his back to Locke, walks closer to Ben.]

BEN: I want you to bring me the man from Tallahassee.

[Locke narrows his eye, confused.]

ALPERT: What do you need him for?

BEN: Just do it. Now.

ALPERT: OK.

[Locke looks questioningly at Alex. Alpert leaves. Locke and Alex come out.]

LOCKE: [checking to make sure they've left] The man from Tallahassee? What is that? Some kind of code?

BEN: No, John, unfortunately we don't have a code for "There's a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head." Although we obviously should.

LOCKE: [pointing his gun and finger at Ben] Sayid... He had a pack with him. [glances at Alex, pointing to her] I want her to retrieve it.

BEN: ... OK. But you should know, John, my daughter currently hates me. So I'm not sure holding me hostage is your best option--

ALEX: Dad! [to Locke] I'll get your bag.

[Locke nods. Alex walks out the door.]

[FLASHBACK]

[Cut to flower shop where Anthony Cooper and Mrs. Talbot [Peter's mother] are finding flowers for their upcoming wedding. Locke walks in the doors.]

MRS. TALBOT: I'm looking for something really stunning, something that will grab everyone's attention on the table. Honey? What do you think of this one?

[Mrs. Talbot finds a bouquet of flowers and shows Cooper.]

COOPER: That looks good. What do you think?

MRS. TALBOT: I like it. Maybe just a little larger.

COOPER: Yeah. [sees Locke behind the counter] Larger would be good. Um, I'll go over there and take a look.

[Cooper walks over to Locke.]

COOPER: Hello, John.

LOCKE: Going to be a big to-do, or just the two of you and a preacher? I guess you couldn't invite me, huh? That would make for.. awkward introductions.

COOPER: How did you even know that I was going to...?

LOCKE: I know... because her son came to me and asked why I gave you a kidney. He's on to you. But he doesn't have any proof, so he came to me, hoping I would vouch for you.

COOPER: What did you say to him?

LOCKE: You're conning her, aren't you? You're going to marry her for her money, right?

COOPER: What is it you want, John?

LOCKE: I want you to end it. I want you to call off the wedding.

COOPER: Why are you doing this?

LOCKE: Because. Because it's not fair! You make people think that you're their family. And then you leave their life in ruins. And I'm not going to let you do it again! You're going to call off your engagement and go... or I'm going to tell her the truth. I want to hear you say it! You say you're going to leave!

COOPER: OK, John. You got it. [walks out of the shop]

[Cut to Ben's bedroom. Locke is sitting down watching Ben.]

BEN: Would you mind helping me get into my chair? No tricks, I promise. [smiles weakly] I just want some dignity. You of all people should understand what it means to want some dignity.

[Locke stares at Ben for a minute, then gets up.]

BEN: Thank you. So tell me, John. How do you expect to pilot our submarine? I mean, it's a complicated piece of machinery. You don't just press "submerge".

[Locke brings the wheelchair over to the bed.]

LOCKE: I'll figure something out. For all you know I was a commander in the navy.

[Ben turns and stares at Locke. Locke smiles.]

LOCKE: Put your arm around my neck. I'll lift under your knees.

BEN: What's in the pack, John? If you met Mikhail that means you were in the communications station. Which means you found the explosives. So you're not planning to pilot the submarine anywhere, are you? You're planning to destroy it. I know you, John Locke.

LOCKE: You don't know me at all.

BEN: I know you were born in California. I know you were raised in foster care. I know you wasted a big part of your life in Tustin, pushing papers at a company that manufactured industrial boxes. I know you spent the four years prior to your arrival on this island in a wheelchair. And I know how you ended up in it. Tell me, John. Did it hurt?

[The side of Locke's mouth twitches as he looks down at Ben.]

LOCKE: I felt my back break. What do you think?

[Cut to Kate locked up in a game room. She sits on a pool table and pulls her handcuffed arms under her legs so they are in front of her. Tom walks in, interrupting her. He stays at the open door.]

TOM: I didn't think I'd see you again so soon, Kate.

TOM: [turns to someone outside the door, pointing to his own head] Be careful in here.

[Jack walks through the door into the room where Kate is being held.]

JACK: [to Tom] Thanks.

[Tom leaves and shuts the door. Jack sits down backwards in a chair.]

JACK: They hurt you?

KATE: No. They hurt you?

JACK: [laughing] No.

KATE: What is all this?

JACK: This is where they live.

KATE: And the people they took? The kids?

JACK: They're all safe.

KATE: [pointedly] Safe? [Jack nods] So you're with them now.

JACK: [shakes head] I'm not "with" anyone, Kate.

[Kate hops off the pool table and goes to Jack.]

KATE: What did they do to you?

JACK: Nothing.

KATE: [raising voice] Then why are you acting like this?

JACK: There's no w... Y... There's no way that I could...

KATE: [shouting] I came here to help you! So why don't you just tell me why you're...

JACK: [shouting over Kate] I told you not to come back here for me!

KATE: [sounding hurt] I didn't think you meant it.

[They look at each other. Jack looks down, then glances at Kate, and looks back down. Kate goes over and places her hand on his arm, then kneels to his level.]

KATE: What did they do to you, Jack?

JACK: I made a deal with them. They're going to let me go.

KATE: Where?

JACK: Home.

KATE: [smiles sadly] When?

JACK: First thing in the morning. [whispering] I can bring back help. It's our best chance--

KATE: [disbelieving] You trust these people? [raising voice] They are liars! Why would you believe a word that...

JACK: [speaking over Kate] I trust them because you told me to, Kate. When you asked me to save Sawyer's life.

KATE: Jack... What did they tell you?

[The door opens, and Juliet steps in.]

JULIET: Jack, we need to go.

JACK: I'll be right there.

[She leaves and closes the door. Kate turns away from Jack.]

JACK: I asked that you not come back here for me and I wish... I wish that you hadn't.

[Jack stands to leave. He stoops down and whispers into Kate's ear.]

JACK: But I will come back here for you.

[Jack turns and walks out the door.]

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

[FLASHBACK]

[Cut to Locke pulling into a parking lot in a Volkswagen. He gets out of the car and walks across the lot with his groceries. Two people standing by a car interrupt him.]

DETECTIVE MASON: John Locke?

LOCKE: Yeah...?

DETECTIVE MASON: Detective Mason. That's Detective Reed. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?

LOCKE: No, of course not.

DETECTIVE MASON: Do you know a man named Peter Talbot?

LOCKE: [pauses] No, I don't think so.

DETECTIVE MASON: Thin, brown hair, 20s?

DETECTIVE MASON: If it will be helpful, we believe he was here in your apartment two days ago.

LOCKE: Oh! Oh, oh, yeah. Yeah, he was a solicitor. I, I, uh, I, I sent him away.

DETECTIVE MASON: Mr. Talbot's family is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 million dollars. So I'm curious, what exactly was he selling you door-to-door?

LOCKE: Well, I... Look, I told you I don't know him, so...

DETECTIVE MASON: Then why was your name and address on a piece of paper in his pocket, Mr. Locke?

LOCKE: [puzzled] Why were y... would you be looking through his pockets?

DETECTIVE MASON: Because Peter Talbot's dead.

[Cut to Ben's house. Locke is looking out a window warily.]

BEN: It wasn't easy, you know. Being in that hatch with you all that time. Knowing you had no business walking around. Knowing I couldn't even ask you about it without telling you who I really was.

LOCKE: So ask me now. [closes the drapes] Now that I know who you really are.

[Ben wheels his wheelchair over to Locke.]

BEN: [excitedly] Was it immediate? It started the moment you got here?

LOCKE: [smiling slightly] Yeah.

BEN: And you were just walking? The feeling returned right after the crash? That day?

LOCKE: That's what immediate means, Ben. You’re wondering why it hasn't happened for you. You're not recovering as fast as you'd like. How long has it been since Jack fixed you? A week? Now that I think about it, how'd you get sick in the first place?

BEN: Are you afraid it'll go away, John? Is that why you want to destroy the submarine? Because you know if you ever leave this island you'll be back in the chair?

LOCKE: [examines a small object, then glances at Ben] You got anything to eat?

[Cut to Sayid handcuffed to a swing set. Pryce is watching from a nearby fence. Alex walks over to him.]

PRYCE: Hey. Go on home, kid. You know you're not supposed to be here.

ALEX: My father sent me to get his pack.

PRYCE: ... Why?

ALEX: [exasperated] I don't know, Ryan, but he told me to get it.

PRYCE: All right. Here you go.

[Pryce gives Alex Sayid's backpack. She turns on her heel and walks away.]

SAYID: You're Alex, aren't you?

[Alex turns around and looks at Sayid.]

PRYCE: Hey! Can it.

ALEX: How do you know my name?

SAYID: Because you look like your mother.

ALEX: [frowning] My mother is dead.

SAYID: I'm sure that's what they told you.

[PRYCE stands up and bashes Sayid with his gun. Sayid groans and falls.]

PRYCE: Get going, Alex.

[Alex pauses, then walks away.]

PRYCE: [to Sayid] Keep your mouth shut.

[Cut to Locke pushing Ben into the living room in his wheelchair. Ben turns on a light.]

LOCKE: Where do you get electricity?

BEN: We have two giant hamsters running in a massive wheel at our secret underground lair--

LOCKE: Yeah, that's funny.

BEN: There's leftovers in the refrigerator. Help yourself.

[Locke goes to the refrigerator. He opens it and takes out one of the plates. Meanwhile, Ben wheels over to look at some framed photographs of a dark-haired young girl on the wall.]

BEN: I ate most of the dark meat. Sorry.

[Locke tears in to the food.]

LOCKE: [while chewing] Mmm. I never really appreciated chicken until right now.

BEN: [turns around to look at Locke] I know you think you need to do this, John, but if you blow up my submarine, I have a big problem with my people.

LOCKE: Is that supposed to be an incentive not to blow it up?

BEN: [rolls over to Locke] I was born on this island. Not many of my people can say that. Most of them were recruited and brought here and as much as they love this place, as much as they would do anything to defend it, they need to know they can leave if they want to. The sub maintains that illusion.

LOCKE: So you're lying to them?

BEN: [exasperated] No! They're here because they want to be here! Some of them are just not ready to make a full... commitment yet. But you, John... You've already made that commitment.

[Locke glances at Ben while holding a glass of water.]

BEN: And now you have a choice. Because if you stop and if you think, I can show you things. Things I know you want to see very badly. Let me put it so you'll understand. Picture a box. You know something about boxes, don't you, John? What if I told you that somewhere on this island, there's a very large box... and whatever you imagined, whatever you wanted to be in it, when you opened that box, there it would be. What would you say about that, John?

LOCKE: I'd say I hope that box is big enough to imagine yourself up a new submarine. [drinks the water]

BEN: [looking away and smiling slightly] Why are you so angry, John?

LOCKE: Because you're cheating! You and your people. [puts down his glass and walks around the room] Communicate with the outside world whenever you want to, you... you come and go as you please... you use electricity and running water and guns... You're a hypocrite! A pharisee. You don't deserve to be on this island. If you had any idea what this place really was... you wouldn't be putting chicken in your refrigerator!

BEN: You've been here 80 days, John; I've been here my entire life! So how is it that you think you know this island better than I do?

LOCKE: Because you're in the wheelchair, and I'm not.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

[Locks spots Alex returning to Ben's house. She steps in the door.]

BEN: Did you have any problems?

[She signals no. Locke takes the pack from her.]

LOCKE: OK, here's how this is going to work. She's going to take me to the sub. Once we're there, I'll let her go.

BEN: John, she's done enough. Let me take you.

LOCKE: I don't want you to slow me down. [to Alex] Come on. Let's go.

BEN: [urgently] John, before you go you should know--! [Locke turns] Jack and I made a deal. In less than an hour he's leaving this island on that submarine, and it's a one-way ticket. The anomaly wiped out our communications. We have no way of contacting the outside world. Which means when that sub leaves, it can never come back. So whether you destroy the submarine or whether you let it go, the end result is the same. No one will find this island.

LOCKE: [to Alex] Let's go. [he walks away with Alex, who glances back at Ben] Come on.

[They leave. Cut to outside the house.]

ALEX: You know he's manipulating you, right?

LOCKE: How's that?

ALEX: That's what my father does. He manipulates people. He makes you think it's your idea, but it's his.

LOCKE: I'll have to keep that in mind.

[Alex and Locke walk through the woods. They come to the end of a path. The submarine is visible at the end of a pier.]

ALEX: The submarine is down there. At the end of the dock.

LOCKE: [puts his hand on Alex's shoulder for a moment] I'm sorry I had to involve you in this.

[Alex watches Locke hurry over to the submarine. She pauses for a minute, then heads back to the Barracks. Meanwhile, Danielle has secretly been watching Alex from a nearby tree.]

[Cut to Locke walking to the end of the pier. He looks around warily, then reaches the submarine, opens it, and looks inside. He climbs down into it and walks around inside.]

[Cut to Ben opening his refrigerator. He puts the plate of chicken back inside with tinfoil over it. Jack walks into the room, and Ben looks over at him.]

JACK: Look, I know you don't owe me anything, but I need to ask you for one last favor.

[Juliet is standing beside Jack. Ben wheels himself over to Jack.]

BEN: You don't knock?

JACK: I need you to let my friends go. After I'm gone.

BEN: And if I said no, would that stop you from leaving?

JACK: [nods] Of course it would.

BEN: Your friends are only here to rescue you, but you seem to be doing a good job of rescuing yourself, so... I suppose there's no reason to keep them here.

JACK: Do I have your word on that?

BEN: [wheels closer to Jack and extends his hand] You have my word.

[Jack shakes his hand warily.]

BEN: I'll let them go, just as soon as you've left the island.

[Jack nods and walks away.]

BEN: [to Juliet] Well, I guess this is it.

JULIET: Thank you, Ben, for keeping your promise.

[Ben nods and smiles. Juliet and Jack leave, with Jack pausing at the door to glance at Ben before heading out.]

[Cut to Locke walking back from the pier. He is soaking wet. Jack, Juliet, and a couple Others walk towards him. The Others raise their guns upon seeing him.]

PRYCE: Hey! Hold it right there. Get your hands up! Get down! I said get down!

[LOCKE lowers himself to his knees, holding his hands up. Pryce takes his gun.]

JACK: What are you doing here, John?

LOCKE: I'm sorry, Jack.

JACK: Sorry for what?

[Behind Locke, the submarine suddenly explodes. Jack and the Others duck. As smoke billows from the ruined submarine, Jack and Locke stare at each other.]

[FLASHBACK]

[Cut to Anthony Cooper's house. Cooper goes up to his door in response to a banging and opens it; Locke is standing there.]

LOCKE: What did you do?

COOPER: John!

[Locke walks in frantically, pointing an accusing finger at Cooper.]

LOCKE: Tell me. Tell me you didn't do it!

COOPER: [shuts the door] What are you talking about?

LOCKE: [rushes into the main space of Cooper's apartment] Tell me that you didn't kill that kid!

COOPER: What? You think I had something to do with Peter's death?!

LOCKE: I tell you to end things with his mother, and the next thing you know, he's dead!

COOPER: John, now calm down, please. Think about what you're saying. Why would I kill Peter?

LOCKE: [shouting] He was on to you!

COOPER: John, I've been doing this for a long time. I'm not sweating some rich kid.

LOCKE: Then why are you still here?

COOPER: What do you mean?

LOCKE: [pacing back and forth] I tell you to leave, you tell me.. you're going to leave town... [shouting] Why are you still here?!

COOPER: Now listen, John. I'll be honest with you. I didn't end it. I was looking for an angle. I wanted to make some money before I skipped out. But then all this happened.

[Cooper pours two glasses of MacCutcheon whiskey.]

COOPER: Peter died and everything just went straight into the tank. She's devastated. She's called off the wedding. There's no profit in it, John. I'm a con man, not a murderer.

LOCKE: [skeptically, but more calmly] She called off the wedding?

COOPER: She said she couldn't deal with it. She needs to be alone.

LOCKE: [louder] So if I were to call her, right now, that's what she would tell me?

COOPER: [pauses, then points behind Locke] Phone's right over there, John.

[Cooper takes a slow sip of his whiskey. Locke pauses, then turns and picks up the phone.]

LOCKE: What's her number--

[Cooper abruptly tackles Locke, sending him through the window behind him. The window shatters as Locke falls eight stories to the ground below.]

[Cut to a hospital room. Locke is lying in bed, bandaged and very badly bruised. The detectives from earlier are in his room.]

DETECTIVE MASON: Mr. Locke, we know this isn't what you want to hear, but your father's gone. We know he fled to Mexico shortly after your.. encounter, then... he disappeared. I'm sorry, but he could be anywhere in the world right now.

[Locke doesn't answer. A physical therapist, Kincaid, enters the room.]

KINCAID: All right detectives, that's enough. Mr. Locke has work to do today.

[Kincaid opens the blinds.]

DETECTIVE MASON: We'll let you know if anything develops.

[They leave.]

KINCAID: John, John, John. We have got ourselves quite a day ahead of us, my friend. It's a fine time to get you up out of that bed.

[Kincaid lowers the rail on Locke's bed and reaches to pull away Locke's covers, but Locke holds them tight.]

LOCKE: No. I don't want to.

KINCAID: John, I don't remember asking.

[Kincaid pulls away the covers, then leaves the room and comes back with a folded-up wheelchair, which he opens and places on the ground.]

KINCAID: Now. Most people struggle with this at first, but don't worry, you'll get used to it.

LOCKE: Uh, no, no, please, I, I, I can't do this--

KINCAID: John. You fell eight stories and survived, OK? I don't want to hear about what you can't do. Now let's go. It's going to be all right.

LOCKE: No, I don't, no, I don't think...

KINCAID: [talking over Locke] It's going to be fine, John. Come on.

[Kincaid picks up Locke, lifting him like a baby.]

LOCKE: I don't think I... think I can...

[Kincaid carries a terrified Locke to the wheelchair. He places Locke in the wheelchair.]

KINCAID: You're fine. Ah... There you go. There you go, buddy. See? Wasn't that bad, was it? [finishes setting up Locke's wheelchair and pats Locke on the back] I'll be right back, buddy.

[Kincaid leaves. Locke looks down at his immobile legs and starts to cry.]

[Cut to Locke, handcuffed to an overhead pipe in a dark room. Ben and Alpert come into the room to talk to John.]

BEN: Well, John, you've really gone and done it now.

LOCKE: You don't have to pretend to be disappointed anymore. We both know you wanted it to happen. That's why you left the C-4 in Sayid's bag: because you wanted me to make it happen.

BEN: Uncuff him please, Richard.

[Alpert goes to release Locke.]

ALPERT: You going to do anything stupid?

LOCKE: No, sir.

[Alpert releases Locke.]

BEN: Do you remember earlier, John, when you called me a cheater? When you said I didn't deserve to live on this island? Well get this: there I was, shaking hands with Jack, and thinking I'd give almost anything to come up with a way to stop him from leaving... because to let him go would be a sign of weakness, of failure, of defeat. People would see that. They would know it. And that, John, would be the end of me. But to kill him... that would be cheating, because my people also heard me make a promise, and to break my word... that would be the end of me too. And then you came striding out of the jungle, John, to make my dream come true.

LOCKE: You're not going to start talking about the magic box again, are you?

BEN: No, John. I'm going to show you what came out of it.

[Alpert pulls Locke up. Ben wheels out of Locke's room, and Alpert forces Locke out and closes the door. Alpert wheels Ben down the hall, and Locke follows beside, rubbing his arm.]

BEN: When I asked you earlier if it hurt when you suffered your injury, I think you misunderstood me. Seems fairly obvious that when a person's back smashes into a hard surface after being thrown from a building, that that's going to sting a little. But I really wasn't asking about the physical pain.

LOCKE: What, do you want to know if it hurt my feelings?

BEN: No John. I wanted to know what it felt like when your own father tried to kill you.

[Alpert, Ben, and Locke stop moving.]

BEN: He's the reason you destroyed the submarine, isn't he? You're afraid. You're afraid of him and this is the one place he can never find you. This is the one place he can never get to.

LOCKE: What do you want from me?

BEN: I don't know how it happened, but you seem to have some communion with this island, John, and that makes you very, very important. You have no idea what you're talking about, of course, but in time you'll have a better understanding of things. So what do I want? I want to help you, John.

LOCKE: Why?

BEN: Because I'm in a wheelchair and you're not. Are you ready to see?

[Alpert opens the door to the cell. Locke cautiously looks inside of the room. Inside he sees Cooper, tied to a chair, gagged, and covered with cuts and bruises. He looks terrified.]

LOCKE: Dad?