219 - S.O.S. (A Rose/Bernard Episode)


Major Plotpoints

-- Bernard wants desperately to get off the island and organizes a group to build an SOS in the sand. One by one, however, the group deserts him. Rose tells him that she doesn’t want to get off the island, because it healed her, so he decides to stay.
-- Jack decides to force a trade with the Others—Walt for Henry. Henry tells him that it won’t work because They’ll never give him Walt, but Jack ignores him and he and Kate head out into the jungle to the invisible line Mr. Friendly drew. Ana gives him her gun.
-- Rose and Bernard met when Rose’s car got stuck in the snow and Bernard helped her get out of it. They had coffee afterwards and fell in love. Five months later, Bernard proposed to Rose. She told him that she was sick and had about a year to live, and she didn’t want to put him through that. He said he didn’t care and they got married anyway. Their honeymoon was in Australia. Bernard tried to get Rose to go see a faith healer, and she finally did, just for him. The healer told her he couldn’t help her, but she had him tell Bernard she was cured. Later, in the airport, Rose met Locke—wheelchair and all. After meeting him again on the island, sans wheelchair, and feeling that her sickness was gone, she realized that the island healed both of them.
-- Locke tries to get Henry to tell him whether or not he pushed the button when Locke was stuck under the blast door.
-- While out in the jungle, Kate and Jack get caught in one of Danielle’s nets.
-- Locke gives up trying to draw the blast door map, but after having a talk with Rose, he tries again—and draws a decent copy of it.
-- Once they get out of the net, Jack and Kate make their way to the line and wait for someone to come. Instead of an Other, though, Michael falls at their feet.


---

Bernard and Rose store some Dharma food on a shelf on the beach. Bernard puts the cereal away, but Rose reminds him it does on the left. So, this isn’t bothering her at all? What’s ‘this’? He holds up a can. This. He grabs a bag of chips. And this. Why would a bag of chips bother her? Isn’t she remotely curious as to where it all came from? She’s acting like they just got back from the supermarket. Guess she was raised never to question her blessings. He was raised to question piles of food with weird labels that just fall out of the sky, Rose. Well, just because he’s having a bad day doesn’t mean he had to raise his voice. Bad day? He had seven weeks of bad days on the other side of the island just trying to stay alive so he could get back to her. God, Rose—they’ve built a kitchen on the beach! They’ve given up. Given up? On what? On getting rescued.

In the hatch, the timer is at 2:00. Locke is at the computer, attempting to draw the blast door map. He get5s frustrated and scratches it out. The timer goes to 1:00 and beeps more furiously. Locke closes his eyes before Jack comes in and asks if he’s going to get that. Locke types in the numbers reluctantly. Jack heads to the armory. He asks Ana when she last went in to see him. A couple of hours ago. He was sleeping. Did he eat? No. It’s been two days, she says. No food, no water. Nothing to say. Jack doesn’t know about her, but he’s tired to waiting. He goes into the armory and tells Henry that he hears he lost his appetite. Henry says nothing. Okay, don’t’ talk. He was never that good at bedside manner anyway. He’s going to change the dressing on Henry’s shoulder. If he tries anything, they’ve got a problem. He starts changing the dressing. So, he was thinking about something he was saying before they found out who he is. Yeah, well, he was saying that if he was one of Them that he’d lead them to a trap, capture their people, force a trade—them for him. Pretty good idea, Henry. And, since he is one of Them, he thought now might be a good time to use it. He’s out to the line they’re not supposed to cross and telling Them that they’ve got him. And if They want him back, it’s going to cost Them. And when they get Walt back, he might just have been worth all the trouble. Henry makes a noise. He say something? Henry looks at Jack for the first time. They’ll never give him Walt.

FLASHBACK. A car’s stuck in the snow. Rose is inside, gunning the car, but getting nowhere. From the sidewalk, Bernard tells her not o gun it. She’s digging herself in. Just tap the gas lightly. Rose rolls down the window. With all due respect, she’s been driving in the snow her whole life. He mind stepping back? Well, she has to rock it out. She’s not going to be able—Rose guns it again and, again, it does nothing. She’s calling AAA. Why, so they can send a tow truck? Trust him, he can do it. Bernard goes behind the car. Okay, ease on the gas. That’s it. She’s doing great. Almost. Go, go, go! The car goes forward and Bernard falls on his face. Rose gets out and asks if he’s okay. Yeah, sure, he’s fine. She would’ve gotten out eventually, she says. Oh, sure. July’s right about the corner. Rose laughs. Thanks for helping. Sure. By the way, she’s Rose. Oh, uh, Bernard. Okay. Oh, okay, yeah. He starts toward his own car. Drive safe now. Yeah, him to. Rose hesitates. Bernard? Yeah? Can she buy him a cup of coffee? Yeah. Coffee would be nice.

Rose holds a box of food out to Hurley. She tells him she had to beat back half the group to get it. She saved it for him. No way, he says. He’s on a new diet. Nothing but fish and water and fish and water. Bernard comes over and asks Hurley what he’s doing. Uh, talking to Rose. Good. Can he get Libby and meet him at the edge of the treeline in five minutes? Oh, and get Jin and Sun, Jenkins ad that Frogurt guy—the one who use to make frozen yogurt. Neil? Yeah, and Craig and anybody else he can get. Rose looks at Bernard. What is he up to? He’s got an idea.

Back in the hatch, Jack gets some gear together. Ana watches him. She’s no so sure trading people’s their thing, she says. Well, talking to him is getting them nowhere, so—he thinks he can get something for him. Want her to come? He glances at Locke. She needs to stay. Ana pulls out her gun and hands it to him. He needs it more than she does. And do himself a favor—don’t go out there alone.

Kate and Sawyer are at the shore. Kate is trying to pry some kind of shellfish from its shell. She manages and Sawyer comments on how many she’s done in the last half hour. He want to help or not? Because she’s got better things to do. Sawyer spots Jack approaching and greets him cheekily. Jack says t6hat he’s going back out into the jungle to talk to their friend with the beard. See if they can make a trade. Ah, says Sawyer, the old prisoner exchange. And he’s inviting him because he wants a gun, huh? Jack shakes his head. He’s not inviting Sawyer—he’s inviting Kate. And he’s already got a gun, but thanks for the offer. Sawyer’s face falls. How the hell did he get a gun? Does it matter? Sensing a fight, Kate says she’ll get her things.

A group is gathered around Bernard on the beach. Okay, he says, two months they’ve been on the island—two months. And they’ve already got a water trough and a food pantry. And people are taking showers in the hatch. Have they all forgotten they crashed on the island? It’s like nobody wants to go home. Claire speaks up, asking how he can say that. Of course they want to go home! Well, then, why aren’t they doing anything about it? They built a raft, Hurley reminds him, but it got blown up. Okay, so what are they doing now? The pallet of food had a parachute, which means a plane dropped it there, which means there are other planes that fly over the island. So, they’re going to build a sign—a massive sign along the beach. So that way, if a plane flies over or a satellite takes pictures from up there, they want to make damn sure that they know they’re there—that they know about them. Maybe they should speak to Jack first, Rose says. Well, do they have to run everything by Jack? He’s no the president. He’s a doctor. And Bernard’s a dentist. Some people chuckle at this and Bernard asks Rose to speak to her for a second. He pulls her to the side. It’s just a sign, he says. He doesn’t see what the harm is. The harm is he’s telling people about airplanes and satellites coming out of nowhere to save the day. He’s just trying to do something. He wants to get back to their life. Well, the only thing he’s doing is giving these people false hope. Bernard looks hurt. Excuse him, he says. He has a sign to build.

FLASHBACK. Rose and Bernard are in a restaurant, looking out over Niagara Falls. It’s just amazing, isn’t it? Bernard signals someone behind Rose. Oh, sure, it’s beautiful. He’s not impressed, huh? Yeah. So, what does God have to do to get his attention? Bernard again signals someone behind Rose. She asks him what he’s doing. Some violinists come to the table and begin to play. Bernard gets down on one knee. Rose, he says, he’s been a bachelor for 56 years. And then he met her. And they just fell into this rhythm like they had known each other forever. He always dreamed of finding somebody like her, but he’s given up hope that he ever would. Bernard, Rose says. He knows. It’s crazy. They just met five months ago. But five months is long enough because he knew after five minutes. He opens a ring box. He loves her. Will she marry him? Bernard, she’s dying. She’s sick and she’s dying. Shocked, Bernard asks the violinists to excuse them and he sits down again. She’s been in remission for the last couple of years. But now it’s back and this time it’s not going away. Her doctor says she has about a year—maybe a little longer. Bernard is silent for a long while. Then he looks straight at her. She still hasn’t answered his question. Is he sure? Oh, he’s sure. Yes. Yes.

Bernard approaches Charlie and Eko at their work site. Boy, says Bernard, bunk up with a guy for 48 days—now he doesn’t call or write. Hello, Eko says. What have they got going up there? Just working. Listen, he’s got a whole team of folks throwing together a big sign down along the beach. Hopefully, it’ll get spotter by a plane or a satellite. They could sure use all the bodies they could get to help put it together. Sorry, he’s busy. Charlie? Ah, regrets, Bernard. He’s only got two hands. Good luck, though. Well, could he at least grab some of the logs? They could use them for—they’re using them. For what, exactly? A church. A church? Yes. Everybody on the island is building something, Bernard sighs. He’s trying to get them saved. People are saved in different ways, Eko answers. Bernard scoffs. He liked him better when he just hit people with his stick. He leaves and Charlie stops and looks at Eko. He likes him just the way he is.

Locke listens to some music and gets frustrated again as he tries to remember the map. He grabs his crutches and heads toward the armory. He tells Ana he needs to talk to him. The gun’s with Jack, she says. The door stays closed. But if he wants to talk to him—talk to him. Locke gets up to the armory door and asks if Henry can hear him. He knocks. It’s John, Henry. Did he enter the numbers? Did he push the button or not? Henry, he needs to know. He wants him to answer him. Answer him! Inside, Henry smiles.

Bernard drags a pile of rocks toward a much smaller group of people. What happened to everybody? Where’s Craig? Where’s Frogurt? No one answers. Okay, moving on. They’re going to put this sign across the entire beach, which means the letter have to be really big—about 40 feet. These black rocks will get maximum contrast with the sand. Dude, they’re going to need a lot more rocks. Yes, Hurley, they’re going to need a lot more rocks. There’s a lava field about a half mild inland that’s loaded with them. They’re going to haul them out in two man teams. Do, double up, and he’s going to start sketching out the letters in the sand. Hey, um, can Hurley sketch the letters? Everybody’s got a job, Hurley. Bernard does his job and he does his. Jin says something in Korean. What? What’d he say? Hurley thinks he said he’s not so crazy about the whole carry the rocks a half mile thing. Okay, this is going to take time. But if this is the thing that gets them off the island, isn’t that worth it? Rome wasn’t built in a day.

FLASHBACK. A jeep is driving on a dirt road. They’re lost, Rose says. Her saying they’re lost doesn’t make them lost, Bernard answers. He knows exactly where they are. Her too. Driving around in circles in the middle of the Outback. That’s why she wanted to be on a beach for their honeymoon. They pull into an area with a couple of buildings and a couple of people. Thank goodness, civilization. Bernard, get directions. Oh, he doesn’t need directions. He told her, they’re not lost. Bernard, what’s going on? He pulls out a brochure and hands it to her. He brought her out there because he wants her to see this man. His name is Isaac of Uluru. He’s helped hundreds of people. Now, he knows how it looks, but believe him, he’s completely legit. He brought her to a faith healer? She gets out of the car, annoyed. He’s the real deal, Rose. When he started telling people about her situation, he got three separate calls recommending him. Her situation? This is why he wanted her to come to Australia? To bring her to some kind of a kook? No, he’s not, Rose. He made a $10,000 donation just to get her in to see him. Normally—she didn’t ask for this! This is—Bernard, she’s made her piece with what is happening to her. Well, he hasn’t. He can’t just do nothing, Rose. That’s not him. That’s not who he is. He has to try. Will she try? For him?

Bernard is talking to Sawyer. He tells him that if he has time to fix his tent, he has time to move some rocks. Come on, they could really use his help. What, he got union trouble down at the sand factory, Norma Rae? Come on Sawyer. He needs his help. What does he say? He says Pasadena. Bernard joins Rose at the water trough. Well, he hopes she’s happy. About what? This morning he had 15 people willing to work on the sign, now he’s down to four. How is that her fault? At the very least he expected her support. She had to go and attack him. Has he ever stopped to think that maybe the reason people are quitting is because he’s got himself a management problem? What is the matter with her? He’s just trying to do something. That’s right. He’s always trying to do. Why can’t he just let things be? If he didn’t always have to something, she wouldn’t be there. Rose stares at him, then grabs her things and walks off.

Kate and Jack are walking in the jungle. She’s flattered, she says. Yeah, why is that? Because he chose her instead of Sawyer. He asked Sayid first but he turned him down. And he only asked her because they don’t want her. They grabbed her—had her at gunpoint. They could have kept her but they didn’t. Then again, they didn’t really want him, either. Damaged goods, both of them. Jack continues on, but Kate notices a doll on the ground and stops and heads toward it. Kate? It’s a doll, she says. She reaches for it and Jack runs toward her, telling her not to. Just as he gets there, a trap springs and they get captured in a net facing each other. Kate half smiles. Sorry.

In the net, Jack asks Kate if she’s okay. Yeah. Oh good, so she can hear him? She laughs. This isn’t one of Theirs, he says. No, it’s not sophisticated enough. It must be one of Rousseau’s traps, so hopefully she’s not far. It could be a week before she shows up. Jack struggles around in the net. What is he doing? He’s trying to get the gun. He can’t get his arm around. Kate reaches around for it. Finally, she manages and Jack tells her to give him the gun. Why, what for? He’s going to try to shoot the rope. Kate starts to aim. She’s a better shot than he is. Oh really? Yeah, she told him. She grew up hunting with my dad. She shoots and misses. Damn! Well, at least They know where they are. Okay, now give him the gun. Is he doing to waste another bullet? He chuckles. They’ll still have 13 more to shoot each other with. Come on. Fine. He had a better angle than hers anyway. Oh, that’s going to be her excuse when he makes the shot? When he makes the shot, she scoffs. Jack aims and shoots the top and they fall to ground. Nice shot.

Bernard pulls a pile of rocks onto the beach. Jin, the only man left, is placing rocks in an outline of an S in the sand. No, no, no, says Bernard. He’s doing it all wrong. He told him three rows—three so they can see it from the air. Annoyed, Jin says something in Korean. Three rows. How hard is that? Jin answers in Korean. So does he have to do everything himself? Jin starts to leave. No, no, no. No, Jin. No, wait. Please, he just wants to get his wife home. Rose. He wants to get Rose home. Sorry, Jin says. He leaves.

Locke’s sitting on the beach. Rose approaches and tells him he’s sitting in her spot. He can move. Can he? Oh, that’s funny. Guess his sense of humor got trapped under that blast door with his leg. He saw her husband walking through the jungle hauling rocks. He’s building a big sign in the sand so the satellites will see it, she explains. That man doesn’t know the difference between an errand and a fool’s errand. Well, Rose, most people don’t. So, what is he doing down there? She can’t remember the last time she saw him out of his hatch. He’s done with the hatch. Oh, now he’s just frustrated. He’ll be out of that splint and running around the island again in no time. And yet, Jack said it would be at least four weeks. Rose smiles. But, honey, they both know it’s not going to take that long.

FLASHBACK. Rose is being led into a room. A woman tells her to make herself comfortable. Isaac will be right with her. The room is filled with crutches hanging from the high ceiling. Rose walks over to a wall covered in thank you notes to Isaac. Isaac enters. She must be Rose. Why doesn’t she have a seat? So, um, how does this work? She sits there and he chants, prays, or what? There are certain places with great energy, he says, spots on Earth like the one they’re above now. Perhaps this energy is geological—magnetic. Or perhaps it’s something else. And when possible, he harnesses this energy and gives it to others. May he? He puts his hands near Rose’s face and closes his eyes. He suddenly reopens them, looking disturbed. What? What is it? He’s sorry. He can’t do anything for her. She didn’t expect him to. She walks to the window and watches Bernard as he talks happily to a little girl on crutches. It’s not that she can’t be healed, Isaac says. Like he said, there are different energies. This is not the right place for her. Where is the right place? He wishes he knew. He’ll return her husband’s donation. Don’t, she says. She’s going to tell him he fixed her. She’s going to tell him he fixed her.

It’s pouring rain and Kate and Jack are still walking in the jungle. Jack asks her what she meant back there. What? In the net—she said They were sophisticated, the Others. Uh, last week when the baby got sick, Claire and her went into the jungle and, uh, found another hatch. What? It’s a medical station. There’s nothing he can use; it was all cleared out, but she found some lockers. They had clothes inside—all worn and dirty. And they were on hangers like costumes, you know. And there was a make-up kit, and a fake beard. When was she going to tell him this? When he decided to let her back in the club. Jack walks away. What, he can keep one of Them locked up in the hatch for like a week and say nothing, but when she—Jack stops as they come into a clearing. They’re here, he says. Is he sure? He points. That’s where They took a shot at Sawyer. Right over there was where They pushed her out of the jungle with the bag on her head. And right there is where he laid his guns down. He yells out. Hey! He’s back! They say They’re watching them—hear him? They’ve got Their man! If They want him back, They’re going to have to come out there! Come on out! Jack, Kate says warningly. He knows They’re out there! He knows They can hear him! Jack, They’re not here. He’ll be right here ‘til They talk to him. He’ll be right there!

Bernard—alone—is adding rocks to his sign. Rose enters carrying a bowl on a tray. She brought him some supper, she says. Thanks, she can just set it down there. Where is everybody? Bernard stares at her. She owes him an apology, she says. She doesn’t have anything to be sorry for, he says. It’s his own damn fault he’s out there by himself. That’s not why she’s apologizing. She lied to him. Back in Australia, Isaac—he didn’t heal her. He didn’t do anything. Of course he did. Bernard, he didn’t heal her. But that doesn’t mean she’s not healed. When you’re sick, she says, and you have got something inside you that doesn’t belong there, you can feel it. And after the crash, she couldn’t feel it anymore. At first she thought it was just shock. But it wasn’t. It’s this place. But she said Isaac fixed her. She told him that so that she wouldn’t spend what time they had left trying to do something. She could just be in remission. How does she know it wasn’t Isaac who healed her? Bernard. How does she know that he didn’t heal her? She knows. She knows. And she knows something else, too: back in Australia, at the airport, Bernard went to make a phone call and left her in the seats alone. She went to get something out of her purse and dropped a medicine bottle on the floor. Locke rolled by in his wheelchair and handed it to her. The island healed them both. On the island, Rose tells Bernard to trust her. She knows. She doesn’t want to be rescued, does she? She thinks if she leaves, it’ll come back. And if she can’t leave, neither can he. They won’t ever leave, Rose. They hug. He would offer to take down the sign, he says, but they didn’t get very far.

In the hatch, Locke is listening to some music. Ana approaches and tells him she pressed his button. It’s not his button, he corrects. Where did he go? He just needed to stretch his legs. He goes back to the computer and sits down with a piece of paper and a pen. He starts drawing the map again. This time, he’s not frustrated, and he easily remembers. He smiles.

It seems as though everyone has found their partner. Charlie and Eko work on the church. Jin rubs Sun’s belly. Claire plays with Aaron. Hurley makes shadow puppets for Libby. Sawyer feeds Vincent. Rose and Bernard cuddle.

Jack and Kate sit in the jungle around a fire. Kate asks him how long they’re going to wait. Until he gets his voice back. Then he’s going to yell some more. Maybe They can’t hear him. They can hear him. There is silence for a moment. Then, Kate says she’s sorry she kissed him. Jack looks at her. He’s not. There is sudden movement in the grass and a torch comes through the jungle. Someone is running toward them, making gasping noises. He falls almost at their feet and they turn him over. Kate gasps. Michael.

S.O.S. was written by Leonard Dick and Steven Maeda.