A couple of months after being rescued, Charlie, Claire and Aaron celebrate their first Christmas together. Fluff and humor. Guest appearances of Jate and their daughter Isabella (Bella). ;)
Written for MirandaQuick for the Lost Secret Santa Fic Exchange.
My Place Under The Sun
˝It´s presents time, Aaron! Can you say ´presents´? ˝Charlie asked the little boy as he carried him to the living room, Claire following right behind them. ˝P-r-e-s-e-n-t-s. ˝he repeated in baby voice, sitting down on the floor next to the Christmas tree, with Aaron in his lap. Aaron was 11 months now and he was slowly starting to talk, his repertoire including the words ˝Ma-ma˝, ˝Da-da˝ and ˝Heii˝, which Claire suspected to be the second part of Charlie´s infamous ´Bloody hell!´ phrase but Charlie swore it was just a simple, innocent ´Hey´.
˝They´re those shiny, colorful thingies under the tree that your Mummy thinks we've bought too much for you this year. ˝he added teasingly, looking up at Claire who rolled her eyes and stuck out a tongue at him. She'd tried to reason with him that a one year old doesn't need half the FAQ Schwartz emptied ´cause he wouldn't remember it anyways, but Charlie insisted that if there was any season when they should go overboard it was the Christmas one; plus, this would be their first Christmas together; at least the first they would spend in the normal world and not running from the monster or avoiding the crazy Others dudes, as he put it; and Claire was forced to give up afterwards, ´cause it was, after all, a decent argument. They had agreed, through, that they would give each other something simple, but from heart.
˝Haha, very funny. ˝she said sarcastically, reaching for the pile of presents under the tree. ˝I have to give it to you, though, it really looks amazing. ˝she added, pointing to the giant tree decorated in gold and red, and what seemed like a thousands of presents underneath it.
˝Thank you very much. ˝Charlie said, bowing down and making her laugh.
˝Here, take this, silly. ˝she said, handing him a silver wrapped box. ˝It's from us both – Aaron and me. ˝she explained, smiling shyly as he started tugging on the paper.
He finally unwrapped it, the sight of it leaving him momentarily speechless. It was an ordinary white cup, but what made it so special was the inscription on it. Best husband and da-da. Love, Claire and Aaron. He turned it around in his hand, too touched to say anything for a while. ˝I…I…thank you. ˝he said honestly, leaning forward to kiss her gently. ˝
˝We mean it. ˝Claire replied as she pulled out from the kiss.
His eyes twinkled and he nodded appreciatively, straightening Aaron up in his lap and squeezing him in for a kiss too. ˝And thank you too, little man. ˝Aaron just smiled happily and smacked his across the cheek, waving his little arms excitedly in the air. ˝Seems like someone's a bit impatient to get his own present, isn't he? ˝Charlie teased, tickling the boy. ˝But you know the old one – Ladies first.; so we´ll let Mummy be the next, okay? ˝he said as he reached behind to take a small, flat present.
˝Here. ˝he said, and Claire took it, pulling the bow and then removing the paper, looking up at him confused as there seemed to be only a crumpled piece of paper. ˝Open it. ˝he encouraged, and watched her as her expression changed from confused to proud and finally setting on touched as she went on with the list.
#5 - The first time I heard myself on the radio.
#4 - Dad teaching me to swim at Butlins.
#3 - The Christmas Liam gave me the ring.
#2 - Woman outside Covent Garden calls me a hero.
˝It´s the five best moments of my life. ˝he said, looking at her. ˝Sort of…my greatest hits. ˝he added, chuckling sadly. ˝Sure, there´s plenty of them to add to it now, including living with you and this little munchkin too… ˝he said, placing a soft kiss on Aaron´s cheek; ˝but I wrote it before…before going down to that hatch. ˝he said and Claire looked up at him, surprised. ˝Yeah. I gave it to Des to give it to you once I´m…˝he said, stopping himself as they both remembered the alternative; that he was supposed to die back then; ˝but anyway…he returned it to me later and… I guess I was just waiting the right moment to give it to you. ˝he said sheepishly, glancing back and forth between the floor and her face.
Claire looked at the number 1 on the list and felt her eyes water. #1 - The night I met you. She leaned forward and pulled him in for a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him tightly, nearly crushing Aaron in between. ˝Thank you. ˝she said finally, giving him a slight peck in the side of his neck, before pulling back.
˝You´re very welcome. ˝he said, smiling; then turned his attention to Aaron, giving her a chance to get herself together; thing she was grateful to him for. ˝Now, I think you´ve waited long enough, haven't you, Turnip-Head? ˝he said to the boy, making Claire chuckle. He still hadn't given up on that nickname, even though Aaron´s head was quite of a normal shape now. ˝Now…I say…this one first. ˝he said excitedly, taking a slightly bigger present wrapped in a colorful paper.
He put the present in front of him and adjusted Aaron in his lap. ˝Ready to open it, Aaron? ˝he asked, and the boy just happily waved with his little arms. ˝I´ll take that as ´yes´. ˝Charlie said, nodding; and then he and Claire dived in into helping their little one opening his present.
˝WOW, your first piano! ˝Charlie exclaimed, and Claire had to force herself to hold back the giggle at how hyper he was. ˝Can you say ´piano´, Aaron? No? Oh, well, maybe you'll change your mind once you see how good it is. ˝he said, making Claire chuckle. She watched him adjusting the little kids´ piano; then placing Aaron on the floor, his eyes shining with excitement, and she smiled adoringly. ˝Now…how about we show Mummy how it is to live on the stage? ˝Charlie said, putting the piano down in front of Aaron, and the next second the boy was banging on it with all his force, much to Claire's horror and Charlie's delight.
˝See, Claire, he likes it, he really likes it! ˝Charlie exclaimed happily, keeping the rhythm; and Claire just rolled her eyes. ˝I say the kid really has a talent, don't you think? ˝he asked, looking up at her.
As Claire struggled to find the best way to get herself out of having to reply to it, she was literally ´saved by the bell´ (or ´ring´ in this case) as the phone suddenly started ringing.
˝I´ll get it. ˝she said immediately, getting up and making a mental note to thank to whoever it was on the phone as she strode out of the living room into the hallway.
˝Hello? ˝she said as she answered the phone. ˝Who is… Oh, Kate, it´s you… Listen, hold on for just a second… I can't hear you. ˝she said, heading towards the kitchen. ˝You there? Sorry, I had to switch rooms. ˝
˝That´s okay. ˝Kate said from the other side of the phone. ˝Listen, I´m just calling to tell you… what IS that noise?! ˝
˝Oh, didn't I tell you? Charlie bought him a mini piano, so now Aaron´s banging on it with all his force. Charlie´s thrilled, saying how he can already see the kid´s gonna be a big rock star. ˝Claire explained, rolling her eyes. ˝Poor guy, he´s so ecstatic - I don't have a heart to tell him Aaron´s just at the age he would bang on anything you give him. ˝
˝Hey, I heard that! ˝they heard Charlie shouting from the living room and they both burst out laughing.
˝Just go back to your concert, honey. ˝Claire replied; then returned back to Kate. ˝They´re gonna drive me nuts with those ´concerts´. The whole house is practically shaking. ˝
˝Hmmm… makes me reconsider our decision to come over. ˝Kate said teasingly.
˝Oh, no, no, no – you´re not leaving me alone with these two! Add Hurley to them and… ˝
˝Relax. I was just joking. ˝Kate said, amused with her friend's panicked reaction. ˝Of course we´re coming. Wouldn't miss it for anything. ˝Speaking about which… I was just calling to tell you we'll probably be a bit late – we couldn't leave before. Bella was fussy the whole night, so we didn't want to wake her once she finally fell asleep. ˝
˝Sure, no problem. I heard from Sun this morning – she and Ji Yeon are coming a bit later too. And Hurley should be here any minute now. ˝
˝Great. Can't wait to see all of you again. Listen, I have to go now, we´re leaving in a…˝
˝Hey, is that Claire? Tell her I said Hey. ˝Jack said entering the hallway, a bag in one hand and a baby carrier in another.
˝Jack´s saying Hey. ˝Kate repeated, nudging him to stop fooling around and hurry up with the packing.
˝Tell him I said Hey back. ˝Claire said excitedly.
˝You´re gonna see each other in 3 hours most and then you´ll have as much time as you want to say exchange Heys. ˝Kate said, rolling her eyes. ˝Now, bye! ˝
˝Okay, but…say Hey to Bella from me! ˝Claire managed to squeeze in before she heard a long beep from the other side of the line.
She put the phone back to its place; then went to rejoin Charlie and Aaron, who were still sitting on the floor in the living room; Charlie visibly frowning as he watched Aaron excitedly playing with the wrapping paper; the piano lying forgotten next to him.
˝Seems the concert didn't last long after all. ˝Claire teased, messing his hair with her hand; then moving towards Aaron.
˝The bloo…I mean, the B-L-O-O-D-Y…˝he corrected himself quickly as he saw Claire´s look. ˝…kid´s all about the papers. How can he be delighted with it for so long? I mean, it´s PAPER! ˝
˝Pe-pe.˝ Aaron exclaimed happily, lifting his little hands in the air, fists tightly clutching the blue paper.
˝OMG, sweetie, you said paper! ˝Claire exclaimed, picking him up and giving him a big, juicy smooch. ˝Charlie, he said ´paper´! ˝she said, turning towards Charlie with a big smile on her face.
˝Yeah, ´paper´, he can say; but when he´s practically begged to say ´presents´ or ´piano´, he´s playing a dummy. ˝Charlie muttered sarcastically.
˝That was Kate on the phone. She said they would be a bit late – seems Bella´s in the phase of sleepless nights now. ˝she explained and chuckled, remembering how tiring those nights were. ˝And Sun and the little one will be joining us a bit later too, so I guess I still have enough time to make everything ready. Speaking about which, I need to go and check the roast beef, do you mind taking Aaron upstairs and dressing him? ˝
˝No problem, hun. Just give him to me. ˝he said, reaching up to take Aaron from Claire.
˝Pe-pe. ˝Aaron repeated proudly, smiling down at Charlie; and Charlie couldn't resist grinning.
˝Yeah, paper. ˝he nodded, lifting him up. ˝You´re one weird kid, you know that? ˝he said as he pressed a big kiss into Aaron´s cheek, making the boy giggle. ˝Now, let´s go get you changed and ready for the party– with two ladies almost your age, we have to make sure you´re up for the challenge. ˝he teased, getting up and placing the boy on his hip.
˝Who knows, maybe on our way upstairs, I can teach you some other useless words, like ´wood´ or ´cement´. ˝Claire heard him saying, as she watched the two of them ascend the stairs. She smiled. After everything she´d been through, she knew she´d finally found her place under the sun. With Aaron. And Charlie. Together.
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Hope I managed to do it justice and – Merry Christmas! ;)