Title: On a Cold, Crowded Street
Fandom: LOST
Characters: Desmond Hume and Claire Littleton
Word Count: 334
Rating: G
Summary: On a winter street in Sydney, two strangers connect for a moment.
Author's Notes: No spoilers, just a nice bit little bit of very AU fluff
She tightened the straps on the stroller, and pulled down Aaron's fleece hat before she left her small flat. The December air bit at her and the baby's faces until both their cheeks were tinted pink. She pulled her scarf tighter and breathed deeply, taking in the clean winter smells of Sydney.
Their usual route to her favorite coffee shop was lined with people bundled against the unforgiving weather. Aaron happily cooed as he passed a small stuffed polar bear from hand to hand. The streets were alive with the spirit of the holiday season. Silver and gold bells rang and plastic reindeer noses shown from shop windows.
Without warning, Aaron's piercing cries were added to the jolly chorus of the business district. Claire stopped the stroller and ran around to the front of it to find the issue. She kneeled down to inspect her wailing son.
"I think this is the problem," Claire looked up at the kind, accented voice. She met a pair of deep chocolate eyes in a rough, smiling face. Aaron's precious toy bear was in the stranger's hand.
"Oh, thank you, he must have dropped it." Claire reached for the bear, still staring into the handsome Scotsman's eyes. Her hand missed the bear by just an inch and came to rest on his callused fingers. He glanced to their touching hands, and she jumped, her eyes finally pulled from the draw of his own. She snatched the bear from his hand, careful not to make eye contact again.
"Sorry, thanks," she quickly said as she gave the bear to the baby and he quieted.
"It's no problem, sistah," the man smiled to Claire before he turned and went his way down the street, away from her. Claire followed his tall frame as it made its way through the crowd until the other bodies hid him. Her eyes lingered on the path he'd cut through the crowd then went back to the stroller, and she started again on her way.