Complete Episode Guide: Episode 2x23, Live Together, Die Alone Guide
Audio Recap: Live Together, Die Alone Audio
Flashbacks in Italics
"We're rescued?" Charlie says. The survivors watch a sailboat just offshore. They yell and wave their arms.
Sawyer, Sayid, and Jack swim out to the boat.
"Maybe it's a trap," Charlie says.
"Why would it be a trap?" Hurley asks.
The three men board the boat, guns ready.
Jack breaks the cabin door and they see Desmond, drunk and in shambles. "You," he says.
What's Going On?
It's nighttime and everyone is talking at once. Kate tells them to hold on and goes to where Jack is. "Everybody needs to know what's going on, Jack-""Just tell them Desmond's back, 'til I find out the rest." Jack walks over to Desmond and gives him a plate of food. "So," Jack says, "before you ran off, I guess you forgot to mention that you still have a sailboat. Why'd you come back?"
Desmond laughs. "You think I did it on purpose? I was sailing for two and half weeks due west, nine knots. I should have been in Fiji in less than a week. But the first piece of land that I saw wasn't Fiji, no. No, it was this island. And do you know why? Because this is it. This is all there is left. We are stuck in a bloody snow globe! There's no outside world, there's no escape!"
Desmond's Flashback - Dishonorably Discharged
Desmond is released from prison. A man in an army uniform gives him his personal things and says, "Set of keys, one pocket watch gold plated, one photograph." The photo is of Desmond with a woman. "One book, Our Mutual Friend." The book is closed with rubber bands. "Why didn't you bring that inside?""To avoid temptation, brother," Desmond says. "I've read everything Charles Dickens has written. Every wonderful word, every book. Except this one. I'm saving it. So it will be the last thing I ever read before I die."
"Nice idea, as long as you know when you're going to die."
The man stamps Dishonorable Discharge on some papers and says, "Corporal Desmond David Hume your sentence is hereby complete and you are now and forever dishonorably discharged from the Royal Scots Regiment of Her Majesty's Armed Forces. Long live the Queen. Enjoy your book."
Desmond goes outside and a well dressed man in the back seat of a car rolls down his window and says, "You want a ride?"
"Not with you," Desmond says.
"Get in the car," the man says and rolls up the window.
Desmond gets in the car and sees two boxes. "You bring me a present?" he asks.
"Actually, two presents," the man says. "One of these boxes contains your past, Hume. The other, your future. Go ahead, open it."
Desmond opens a box full of envelopes and shakes his head. He pulls one pile out. They are letters from him to Penelope Widmore. "You're a bastard, you know that?" he says.
"The fact that she never received your sentiments was good for her. Good, because as far as she's concerned you've forsaken her. And that's the way it's going to stay."
"Is it now?" Desmond asks.
"Penelope's moved on, Hume. She's getting married." He opens a box full of money. "This is for your new life, away from my daughter. The conditions are simple. No contact. No calls. No post. You just run away, Desmond."
"And what makes you think I would just run away?"
"Because you're a coward."
Solution to the Michael Problem
Sayid tells Jack, "On the way to the funeral, I told you that Michael has been compromised by the Others and then you asked me how we might take advantage of that. I believe fate has given us our answer. The boat. This camp that Michael is leading you to across the island, that is where they will set their trap. While Michael leads you by land, I can approach far more quickly by sea. And I can go ashore undetected."
"And do what?" Jack asks.
"Scout them, their numbers and positions, their weapons. Then I'll go to the nearest beach and start a signal fire with these. They burn with a dark black smoke. You and your team will come to meet me at the beach and we will go in together."