1.12 - Whatever the Case May Be

Kate and Sawyer discover a locked case which contains something of importance to Kate, prompting a struggle between Kate, Jack and Sawyer to recover its contents. Meanwhile, Rose helps Charlie, who is still in shock from his experience and from the disappearance of Claire.

Me Kate. Me throw rock. --- Sawyer

I am skilled at mathematics and decryption but these equations are beyond anything I've ever seen. There are notes in French accompanying some of the maps and diagram. If I could translate them I might be able to make sense of it, but ...
What?
Perhaps some things are best left untranslated. --- Sayid, Jack Shepherd

I know you think you're doing her a favor. But, however she talked you into doing this, she lied, brother. --- Sawyer

What is it?
It's nothing.
What is it, Kate?
You wouldn't understand.
I want the truth. Just this once. What is it?
It belonged to the man I loved.
The truth!
It belonged to the man I loved!
Stop lying to me!
I'm not!
Tell me the truth!
It belonged to the man I killed! --- Jack Shepherd, Kate

There is a fine line between denial and faith. It's much better on my side. --- Rose

Kate is in a tree, collecting fruit. Climbing down, she stops when she hears a stick break somewhere. She picks up a rock and throws it into a bush, prompting a yell of pain. Sawyer emerges from the bush, nursing a hurt knee.

Sawyer claims he was following Kate to protect her and says she shouldn't be in the jungle alone after what happened to Claire. Kate dismisses his concerns saying she can take care of herself.

Sawyer continues to protest but she seems to hear something and tells him to be quiet. They hear running water and, following the sound, find a small lake fed by a waterfall. Sawyer removes his shirt and shoes and goes for a swim. After some prompting, Kate removes her shoes and pants and does the same.

There is some horseplay and laughter as the two swim until they dive deeper and come across two seats from the plane, two bodies still belted into them.

Sawyer swims down and retrieves a wallet from one of the bodies. Kate sees a metal case beneath one of the seats and, saying that it is hers, asks Sawyer to help her retrieve it. He does and they take the case back to shore.

Kate examines the case and discovers it is locked. Sawyer gets her to admit that the case isn't hers as she does not have the key. He asks why it is important to her and she somewhat unconvincingly says it isn't. She tells him to take the case and he leaves with it.

On Lostaway beach, the tide is rapidly coming in and those on the beach are scrambling to get everything to higher ground. Sayid and Jack are talking and Sayid comments that the tides are coming in unnaturally fast. Jack comments that a lot of things on the island are unnatural.

Jack asks Sayid to lead him back to where he met Danielle. He thinks that since Danielle mentioned "others" she may know about Ethan and where he has taken Claire. Sayid seems to dismiss this, saying that Danielle's mind was gone and even dismisses the "voices" he heard as figments of his imagination.

Jack then asks about the maps that Sayid brought back and Sayid says he cannot understand the equations on the maps. He says that the French writing on the map may help but that "some things are best left untranslated". Jack points to Charlie, who is sitting and staring out to sea, and tells Sayid to tell him that.

Boone finds Shannon reading a magazine and still working on her tan. She asks where he has been and comments that he and Locke have been leaving before dawn and returning after dusk every day for the past four days. Boone says they are looking for Claire.

Shannon says they are wasting their time and Boone snaps back that at least he is trying to do something. He says that no one takes them seriously and so he is at least trying to contribute something; she is just being useless. He leaves.

Later that evening, Kate is on the beach. She watches Sawyer walk past, still carrying the case.

Flashback: Kate is in a bank and meeting with the manager, Mark Hutton. She has introduced herself as "Maggie Ryan" and has said that she is a photographer working on a coffee-table book about old theatres. She is applying for a loan.

They are interrupted when several gunmen suddenly storm the bank. Shots are fired and the gunmen order everyone to lie on the floor. They grab Hutton and demand that he open the vault.

Kate goes to Sawyer's tent and goes inside. Sawyer is sleeping with the case between his legs. She attempts to take it but Sawyer wakes up, pulling her on top of him. He seems to enjoy the situation and suggest that maybe she didn't come there for the case. She head-butts him and frees herself. She grabs for the case but he prevents her from taking it.

Kate demands the case but Sawyer refuses to give it to her. She leaves.

The next morning, Shannon is once again working on her tan. Sayid approaches and asks for her help in translating the French on the maps. She asks if Boone put Sayid up to asking her for help. He says he didn't; she is the only one on the island who knows French. She protests that she doesn't know that much French and that she can't help. Sayid asks her to try and leaves. She looks thoughtful.

Elsewhere, Sawyer is attempting to pick the lock on the case. Michael and Walt come by and see him. Michael identifies the case as a Halliburton case and says that it will be impossible to pick the lock. Sawyer disagrees. Hurley happens by at this point and he also recognizes the Halliburton and laughs at the thought of someone picking the lock. Michael says the only way to break into the case will be with "impact velocity"; hitting it with a sledgehammer... or the axe. Sawyer seems to consider this.

In the jungle, Boone, carrying the axe, approaches Locke. Locke asks if anyone saw him taking the axe. Boone isn't sure but after being pressed on the subject by Locke finally says no one saw him. The two go deeper into the jungle, carrying the axe.

On the beach, Rose is dragging a piece of debris past Charlie, who is still staring out to sea. She comments that he isn't saying much but that he shouldn't be rude and not help. Charlie seems surprised but before he can say anything Rose tells him that everyone on the island has problems, not just him, and asks him to help her with the debris. After a moment, he gets up and they start dragging the metal plate up the beach.

Sawyer is still attempting to open the case, now bashing it on rocks and bashing rocks against it. After trying for a while he becomes more and more frustrated, finally climbing a nearby tree and throwing the case to the rocks below. The case bounces off the rocks, unopened.

As Sawyer watches from the tree, Kate suddenly runs from the bushes, grabs the case and runs off. Sawyer quickly climbs down and chases after her, eventually catching her. He tackles her to the ground. She attempts to head-butt him again but he evades the blow. He laughs and she tries again, this time hitting him. He lets go and they both regain their feet, Sawyer holding the case.

Kate makes several grabs for the case but can't get it. Sawyer says the case is impossible to open and that he will give it to her if she will just tell him why it is so important to her. She says nothing and, after a moment, Sawyer walks away with the case. Kate stares into the distance.

Flashback: The robbery in the bank is still underway and their leader, Jason, is demanding that Hutton open the vault. A customer near Kate says that he thinks he can take the robbers and charges one, knocking the gun to the floor. Kate picks up the gun. The other customer keeps yelling for Kate to shoot but she, in frustration, yells that she doesn't know how to use a gun. The customer is knocked unconscious and Jason takes the gun from Kate then drags her into an office.

Inside, Jason closes the door then takes off his mask. He amusedly repeats her comment about not being able to use a gun and both of them laugh. They embrace and kiss.

At the beach, Shannon is helping Sayid with the French translation. She seems frustrated at the task but the two look at each other and share a smile. She tells him that she learned French when she was living with a French man in St. Tropez.

In the caves, Sun is showing Jack a plant and, through gestures, is able to tell him that it is used to treat headache. Kate arrives and tells Jack they have a problem. Sun continues to work with the plants in the background. It appears that she is listening in on their conversation but obviously neither Jack nor Kate realizes that she can understand them.

Kate tells Jack about the case. She says it belonged to the Marshal and that the airline forced him to check it. The case contains some money and personal effects but the main thing in it is four guns. She also points out that Sawyer has the case. (Right after Kate mentions the guns, Sun suddenly leaves.)

Kate says that the Marshal kept the key to the case in his wallet. Jack points out that he buried the Marshal and Kate says she knows; that is why she needs his help. Jack says he will help her but only if they open the case together. Kate agrees.

Working at the beach, Charlie asks Rose why she is in such a good mood, given all the bad things that have happened. Rose says he doesn't know that they won't be rescued and Charlie says he knows that there is still something in the jungle as well as people who are trying to hurt them.

Rose says that what happened to Claire wasn't Charlie's fault and points out that Charlie nearly died himself. Charlie says that it may have been better if he had died. Rose disagrees and says Charlie needs to ask for help. Charlie asks who would want to help him.

Jack and Kate have arrived at the place where Jack buried the Marshal. Kate asks why Jack didn't burn the Marshal along with the others in the fuselage and Jack says it is because he had to bury him. The two start digging.

Flashback: Kate and Jason are still in an embrace. He says the others imaginations have probably run wild by now and they should get back out. Kate says for him to make sure the details are right or they won't be believed. Jason jokes about her "details" then hits her hard across the face, splitting her lip.

Jason shoves Kate, her face bleeding, back into the lobby with the other customers. He then demands that the manager open the safe. The manager hesitates and Kate says Jason will kill her. The manager agrees.

Jack and Kate, gagging from the smell, have dug up the Marshal. Kate pulls out his wallet and opens it then drops it with a gasp. Jack picks it up and opens it to find it crawling with maggots. He searches it and says that the key isn't there then compliments her on distracting him with the wallet. He grabs her wrist and tells her to open her fist. She does, revealing the key. He takes it from her. Kate starts to say something but Jack just says "Don't" and walks away.

Shannon is still working on the translation. She keeps translating lines like "the sea of sparkles" and "the blue infinity" which seem to be nonsense but which she finds familiar for some reason. Frustrated, Sayid says that maybe getting her to help was a mistake. Shannon becomes angry and quotes Boone, saying that she is useless. She leaves.

Jack approaches Sawyer and asks for the case. Sawyer says he wondered when Kate would get Jack to do her dirty work for her and asks if she told him what was inside the case. Jack says she didn't.

Sawyer asks if he and Jack are going to fight for the case and Jack tells him no, that Sawyer is just going to give it to him. He also says that if he does not he will quit giving Sawyer the antibiotics he needs for the knife wound in his arm. Sawyer hesitates then gives him the case. Jack reaches for the case but Sawyer does not immediately release it.

"I know you think you're doing her a favor." he says, with sudden seriousness. "But, however she talked you into doing this, she lied, brother." Jack accepts this without comment then walks off with the case.

He carries it to where Kate is sitting on the beach. She looks at him and he says that they are going to open the case together. She asks why and he says it is because that is what he said they would do. He walks off and Kate follows.

Flashback: Jason, another robber, Kate and Hutton are in the vault which Hutton has just opened. Hutton tells them to let Kate go and Jason laughs, saying that Hutton doesn't understand what is happening. He tells Hutton that Kate was the mastermind behind the robbery; she planned the whole thing.

Jason removes his mask and aims his gun at Hutton. Kate asks what he is doing and Jason says he is "cleaning up". Kate says that she didn't want anyone to get hurt but Jason ignores her.

Kate suddenly takes the gun from the other robber and points it at Jason. Jason says he doesn't think she is "cold" enough to shoot and cocks his own gun. Kate shoots him in the leg. He drops his gun and Kate grabs it.

The third robber comes into the vault to see what is happening and Kate shoots him. She then shoots the second robber as well. The manager demands to know what is going on and Kate says she needs to get into safety deposit box number 815. Jason is surprised that Kate set up the entire robbery just to get into a safety deposit box.

Kate opens the box and removes an envelope from within.

Back at the caves, Jack opens the case as Kate watches. As Kate had said, inside there are four guns, some ammunition and some money. Jack puts all of these to one side. Also inside is an envelope labeled "Personal Effects". Jack opens this and pulls out a smaller envelope which he hands to Kate, asking her if that is what she wanted.

Kate quietly takes the envelope and opens it, pulling out a small toy airplane. She looks at it quietly. Jack watches her for a moment then asks her what the plane is. She doesn't answer and gets up to leave. Jack stops her.

"What is it, Kate?" he asks.
"You wouldn't understand." Kate starts to walk away but he grabs her arm.
"I want the truth." he says. "Just this once. What is it?"
"It belonged to the man I loved." she says, quietly.
"The truth!" repeats Jack.
"It belonged to the man I loved!" she repeats, more loudly.
"Stop lying to me!"
"I'm not!"
"Tell me the truth!" he insists.
"It belonged to the man I killed!" wails Kate, voice breaking. She sits down, crying. Jack watches her for a moment before putting the other items back into the case. He takes it and leaves.

On the beach, the survivors there have moved to a new location. They are sitting around a fire and Charlie is asking Rose if she really thinks her husband is still alive. She says that she knows he is.

"There's a fine line between denial and faith." she tells him. "It's much better on my side."

Charlie suddenly burst into tears. He asks Rose to help him and she responds by saying that she isn't the one who can help him. She puts her arm around Charlie and begins to pray.

Elsewhere, Shannon approaches Sayid. She says that when she lived in St. Tropez, the man she lived with had a son who watched "...the cartoon about fish; the computer one..." over and over. She says there was a song in the movie that the boy sang over and over. The words written on Danielle's maps are the lyrics from the song.

Sayid, now interested, asks what the song was. Shannon begins to sing "Over the Sea" in French.

As she sings, Jack walks through the camp. He looks over at Kate who is sitting beside a fire, staring quietly at the toy plane.

Kate's toy plane is a DC-3.

Kate robbed safety deposit box 815, which was also the flight number of the ill-fated flight that stranded all of them on the island.

The movie Shannon is referring to is obviously Finding Nemo. However, the lyrics to the song do not exactly match those from the movie. Instead, they more closely match those of a 1960's version of the song that was a hit for Bobby Darrin in France.