1.05 - White Rabbit

Jack, suffering from lack of sleep, pursues a mysterious figure into the jungle. Meanwhile, the other survivors learn that someone has stolen their remaining water supplies.

Who packs four hundred knives? Personally, I can only have space for two hundred... three hundred at most. --- Charlie Pace

I think I'm going crazy.
No, you're not going crazy.
No?
No. Crazy people don't know they're going crazy. They think they're getting saner. --- Jack Shepherd, John Locke

All right then, you're hallucinating. But... what if you're not?
Then we're all in a lot of trouble. --- John Locke, Jack Shepherd

I'm an ordinary man, Jack. Meat and potatoes. I live in the real world. I'm not a big believer in... magic. But, this place is different. It's special. The others don't want to talk about it because it scares them. But we all know it, and we all feel it. Is your "white rabbit" a hallucination? Probably. But, what if everything that happened here happened for a reason? What if this person that you're chasing is really there?
That's impossible.
Even if it is, let's say it's not.
Then what happens when I catch him?
I don't know. But, I've looked into the eye of this island and what I saw... was beautiful --- John Locke, Jack Shepherd

You need to finish what you've started.
Why?
Because a leader can't lead until he knows where he's going. --- John Locke, Jack Shepherd

Flashback: A much younger Jack is being held down by a playground bully while another bully beats up another boy. The first bully tells Jack not to get involved but Jack does anyway. The first bully punches Jack.

Jack is brought back to the present by Charlie, yelling for help. Someone is far off shore and struggling in the current. Jack swims out to find the figure has gone under, dives down, and comes up with Boone. He starts towing Boone back to shore.

Boone gasps that someone else is in the water. Jack looks back and sees a woman struggling as well, screaming for help. Boone tells him to leave him and go back for the woman. Jack looks from him to the woman, then back.

Jack gets to shore with Boone who he gives to Kate and Charlie then immediately heads back out. A long shot shows the woman is no longer visible.

Later, Jack is walking along the beach, visibly upset. Kate approaches him and tells him that the woman was Joanna. She had been diving and got an ear infection, forcing her to change flights. She had gone out swimming that morning and got caught in a riptide.

Jack is upset that they have been there for six days and he never got a chance to talk to her. Kate tries to tell him that it wasn't his fault but Jack doesn't seem to want to believe her.

He suddenly sees a man, wearing a suit, standing in the surf. He looks away then back and the man vanishes. He asks Kate if she saw the man and she says she did not. She then asks how much sleep he has been getting. He dismisses her concerns.

Michael and Walt are brushing their teeth; Walt brushing his with a plant the way Sun had shown him. (Walkabout) Michael asks where he learned to brush his teeth that way and Walt tells him. Michael tells Walt not to swallow the sea water but can't explain why when Walt asks and just tells him not to.

Sun is watching Michael and Walt. Jin asks if she needs water and she says she is all right. She then asks in frustration when someone will tell them what to do and wonders why no one has come for them. She suggests trying to communicate with the others. Jin says that they don't need the others and that he will tell her what to do.

Shannon goes to where Sawyer is sitting and reading. (He is reading Watership Down) She asks if he has anything for sand fleas. He gives her a bottle and she asks how much he wants for it. He says that money is no good there and, when she asks what he does want, he gives her a suggestive leer. She gets angry and he tells her that she can just pay him $5,000 when they get back to civilization. She throws the bottle back at him and leaves.

Kate is going through some clothes and Claire, unsteadily, approaches her. Claire asks if she has found any hairbrushes and comments that she cannot find a hairbrush in any of the luggage. Kate says she is sorting out practical from impractical clothes and asks if Claire wants to help. Claire agrees (and puts on a hat she finds). Claire asks if Kate is a Gemini and admits to an interest in astrology. Kate doesn't seem interested.

Jack is approached by Charlie and Hurley with a concern; they are almost out of water. Apparently everyone has been taking water without concern for rationing it and there isn't much left. Charlie and Hurley are concerned and come up with various ideas, like creating a "water finding stick" or seeing if Vincent can find water. They agree not to tell everyone to avoid a panic and ask Jack what they should do otherwise. Charlie and Hurley think Jack should decide how to ration the water but Jack angrily says he doesn't want to decide anything. Hurley asks why not but Jack just stares into the distance.

Flashback: Young Jack arrives home, obviously having been beaten up. His father is home, drinking. His father asks what happened then tells Jack he shouldn't try to make decisions. He tells how he was operating on someone that day, made a decision on what to do, and the person died. He could handle that because he was professional enough to not let it bother him. He says that Jack can't do that. He tells Jack not to make decisions because Jack doesn't have what it takes when he fails.

Jack leaves the tent and runs into Boone. Boone demands to know why Jack didn't try to save the woman who drowned. Boone insists that he could have made it back on his own and seems to blame Jack for the woman's death. He accuses Jack of trying to be a hero and asks why Jack wants to run things, saying that he runs a business and knows how to do things too.

Jack is trying to get away from Boone when he sees the mysterious figure again. He leaves Boone and runs towards the figure but it disappears into the jungle before he can reach it. He does get close enough to recognize the figure as his father.

Flashback: Jack is talking to his mother, who is saying that his father is gone and Jack has to go find him. Jack says his father hasn't talked to him in two months and says that one of his friends should go after him. His mother says he doesn't have any friends anymore and seems to imply that it is Jack's fault that he does not. She then says that Jack doesn't understand the pressure his father is under and Jack disagrees.

She says that Jack has to go after his father and Jack says he can't. His mother says he doesn't get to say "I can't", not after what he did. Jack sighs and asks where his father is. His mother says Australia.

Jack runs into the jungle after his father.

Claire collapses. Charlie and Michael carry her into the tent while Walt gets Kate. Kate says that Claire is running a fever. They go to get her some water but discover that all of the water is gone; someone has taken it.

Later, Kate is talking with Sayid and Locke. Sayid says they should not have left all of the remaining water in one place. He asks where Jack is and Kate says no one can find him.

Kate offers to go get water but Locke says that when the others find out there is no water things will get ugly and will get uglier when they discover someone took it. He says he will get water and leaves.

In the jungle, Jack is still searching for his father.

Flashback: Jack is in a hotel in Australia, searching a room. The hotel concierge is present and telling Jack that the room hasn't been used in several days. Jack asks if he rented a car and the concierge says that no one would have rented his father a car in his "condition". Jack asks what he means and is told that his father had to be escorted back to his room by security after an "incident" in the bar several days previously. Jack finds his father's jacket and wallet (still full of money) in the room.

Back in the present, Jack sees his father again and runs towards him. When he gets to where he was standing, however, he is gone. Jack starts running, trips and falls down a slope. He falls over the edge of a cliff and hangs there, holding on with one hand but unable to pull himself back up.

Fortunately, someone reaches over the cliff and pulls him to safety. It turns out to be Locke. Locke asks Jack if he is all right and Jack falls back on the ground, laughing.

At the beach, Claire wakes up and Charlie gives her some water. She asks if Jack is back and he tells her no. He also says that Locke is out looking for water. She seems concerned that Locke is risking himself for her but Charlie says he thinks Locke is safe.

She thanks Charlie and tells him that everyone else seems scared of her, as if she is a time bomb about to go off. Charlie says she doesn't scare him. They both smile.

Sayid is confronting Sun, who has a water bottle, and demanding to know where she got it. Kate says that Sun can't understand her but Sayid continues to angrily question her. She says something that is untranslated.

Jin appears and Sayid starts confronting him. Kate tries to calm Sayid down but Sayid continues to demand that Jin tell him where the water came from. Jin finally points to Sawyer.

Kate wants to go confront Sawyer immediately but Sayid tells her to wait, saying that a rabbit always returns to its hole.

Later, Sawyer approaches several suitcases hidden in the woods. Just as he is about to open them he is tackled by Kate. He seems to enjoy this and rolls over so he is on top of her, but is then pulled to his feet by Sayid.

Sayid accuses him of stealing the water, saying that he knows he gave two bottles of water to Jin and Sun. Sayid says he traded the water to them; he gave the water to them in trade for a fish. He says that he isn't interested in water because it has no value; it will rain eventually.

Kate searches the luggage and says that the water isn't there. Annoyed, Sawyer leaves and she starts to follow. Sawyer calls to her then throws her the marshal's badge.

"Seeing as you're the new sheriff in town, might as well make it official." he says.

Kate glares at him then leaves. Sawyer smirks after her.

Back in the jungle, Locke and Jack are talking. Jack asks how everyone is doing and Locke says they are hungry, thirsty and waiting for him to tell them what to do. Jack says he isn't the leader and Locke says everyone treats him as if he is. Jack says he can't lead; he can't handle it if he fails. He doesn't have what it takes.

Locke changes the subject and asks Jack what he is doing out in the jungle. Jack says he is chasing something that isn't there. Locke compares it to the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. Jack thinks he is hallucinating but Locke asks what if he isn't.

"I'm an ordinary man, Jack." Locke says. " Meat and potatoes. I live in the real world. I'm not a big believer in magic. But, this place is different. It's special. The others don't want to talk about it because it scares them. But we all know it, and we all feel it. Is your white rabbit a hallucination? Probably. But, what if everything that happened here happened for a reason? What if this person that you're chasing is really there?"
Jack scoffs. "That's impossible."
"Even if it is, let's say it's not."
Jack thinks for a moment, then looks at Locke. "Then what happens when I catch him?"
"I don't know." Locke replies. "But, I've looked into the eye of this island. And, what I saw... was beautiful."

Locke gets up to leave, saying he has to look for water. Jack says he will go with him but Locke says he needs to finish what he started. Jack asks why and Locke tells him a leader can't lead until he knows where he's going.

Later, it is night. Jack is still in the jungle and sitting beside a fire, staring into the distance.

Flashback: Jack is in a hospital. A hospital worker is telling him that they found what may be his father in an alley. Test showed that his blood alcohol level was high enough to have brought on a heart attack.

Jack enters a morgue where a body in a body bag lies on a table. The worker opens the bag and Jack, quietly, identifies it as his father. He begins to cry.

Jack hears a branch snap and sees the figure pass the clearing he is in. He takes a branch from the fire and follows it. He finds himself in a cave, with a waterfall and pool. In the pool he finds a doll and there are several other dolls scattered about. He follows the dolls and they lead him to more debris and finally another section of plane wreckage. Sitting in the midst of the wreckage is a coffin.

Flashback: The Oceanic Air counter at the Sydney airport. Jack is arguing with the ticket agent at the counter, who is saying that he cannot board without proper authorization. He shouts at her, surprising several people in line behind him. (One of the people in line is Jin.)

Jack calms down and talks to the agent.
"I want you to listen to me, OK? Because I'm asking you a favor. I'm standing in front of you in the same suit that I'm wearing to my father's funeral and I'm asking you a favor. In sixteen hours, I need to land at LAX and I need that coffin to clear customs because there's going to be a hearse waiting there. And I need that hearse to take me and that coffin to a cemetery. Why? Why can't I just bring him to a funeral home and make all the arrangements? Why can't I really take my time with it? Because... because I need it to be done. I need it to be over. I just... I need to bury my father."

Jack opens the coffin. It is empty. Jack slams the coffin shut then, grabbing a nearby piece of debris, smashes the coffin to pieces, the sound echoing through the jungle.

On the beach, someone brings several bottles of water to Claire. We see that it is Boone. Suddenly, Charlie grabs Boone from behind and Michael and Kate confront him. Boone claims that he was just trying to protect the water, to take charge since Jack had left and no one else would. A crowd starts to form. Sayid pushes Charlie away from Boone, but anything further is interrupted by a shout from Jack. He tells them to leave Boone alone then walks forward.

"It's been six days" he tells them, "and we're all still waiting. Waiting for someone to come. But, what if they don't? We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out. A woman died this morning just going for a swim. He tried to save her and now you're about to crucify him? We can't do this. Every man for himself is not going to work. It's time to start organizing. We need to figure out how we're going to survive here. Now, I found water, fresh water, up in the valley. I'll take a group in at first light. If you don't want come, then find another way to contribute. Last week, most of us were strangers. But, we're all here now. And God knows how long we're going to be here. But, if we can't live together, we're going to die alone."

Later, Hurley is pouring water into cups. Charlie takes one to Claire. Michael takes one to Walt but, finding him asleep, gives it to Vincent. Sawyer approaches Boone and asks how it feels to replace him on the top of everyone's most-hated list. Sun thanks Jin for getting her water and he says that is what husbands do.

Kate finds Jack and hands him a cup of water. She asks where he was that day.

"I just had to take care of a few things." he tells her.
She smiles. "That's all I'm going to get, huh?"
He sighs. "My father died in Sydney."
She pauses. "I'm sorry." she says, finally.
Jack sighs again. "Yeah..." he says. "Me too."

Sun taught Walt to brush his teeth with a plant stem in Walkabout.

Locke's comment on looking into the eye of the island probably refers to his encounter with the "thing" in Walkabout.

What exactly did Jack see? Was it a hallucination? A creation of the island? Something else?

Was Jack's father's body on the plane? Was it in the coffin, or was the coffin empty?