Title: The Caves
Original post date: 30th January 2006
Spoilers: up to Confidence Man, 1x08
Summary: Jack watches as Charlie shows Claire around the caves and then goes to talk to him whilst she sleeps.
Disclaimer: Uh huh, yeah I know. Still not mine.

Jack was washing blood out of his shirt.

Each stain seemingly stubborner than the next, he scrubbed furiously at the fabric whilst trying not to curse, rinsing it again and again in the far end of the stream. He was in fact so engrossed in his task that he didn't even register that somebody new had arrived at the caves until he heard a jumble of voices coming from the entrance.

'Here…that's it…just in here…'

'It's…kind of dark in here Charlie…'

'Just give your eyes a few seconds to adjust…you're not used to the…'

'Yeah that's getting better now…wow this place is huge isn't it?'

'…Darkness. Yeah there you go now! That's better isn't it?'

'Yeah,'

Jack glanced up from his blood-spattered shirt and was momentarily startled at the sight of a pale hand resting on a huge swell of belly.

Claire.

With Charlie.

'Want a tour of the rest of it?'

'There's more?'

'Sure is. Come on…'

Jack stayed still and silent as the two of them faded away then resumed scrubbing at his shirt with a renewed vigour.

It wasn't that he'd forgotten how pregnant Claire was, he just hadn't seen her in a few days and had put her a little further back on his "to-do" list. But then, Jack reasoned with himself, a lot had happened in that short time hadn't it? And if she'd had any troubles she would have come to find him wouldn't she?

He reassured himself that he would go check up on her as soon as he could. After all, if she was doing okay without him, she could last a few more hours, maybe a day or so still without having him asking her for the umpteenth time how the baby was. It'd be much easier to organise a time to see her if she was moving up here he mused, wondering if perhaps Charlie had managed to persuade her to move up here.

He frowned, realising that his hands had stopped working and he concentrated doubly on a particularly stubborn spot of blood on the hem. It wasn't that Sawyer had managed to bleed a lot on him but Sayid had hit an artery and it had spurted rather spectacularly at the beginning, speckling Jack's t-shirt with scarlet droplets.

And since when had Charlie and Claire even known each other? He'd never even seen the two of them together before now. He was a little surprised that Charlie was interested in her at all, if he was honest with himself. What would a pregnant woman have that he might want?

'…Not a very good way to get me to stay here is it?' Claire's voice was chiding but she was laughing as well. 'Telling me that there was a huge cave in just two days ago!'

'Yeah but Michael checked the rest of the place out and he says it's safe,'

'Who's Michael again? Is he the black guy?'

'Yeah that's him. His kid's the one who owns the dog. Here let's fill these water bottles up while we're here and then I can show you my nook.'

Claire raised an eyebrow. 'A nook? You have a nook?'

'Sure do,' Charlie uncapped a water bottle and began to fill it. 'And if you'd like I can see if we can't find you a vacant cranny near my nook if you're going to be staying.'

Claire giggled a little and then glanced around. Jack paused, stooped over his own bloody shirt. Claire's face froze and then she looked horribly confused for a moment before hurriedly looking away. For a moment, Jack considered calling out and saying that there'd been an accident but everything was okay now – he was just washing the blood out of his shirt now and everything was fine… but then Charlie was leading her away.

As they passed him, Jack smiled at her and she returned it half-heartedly. Charlie didn't even notice, he was too busy chatting away about something or other.

After the sun had gone down completely and the torches had been lit, Jack passed Charlie's nook. He was perched up high like a sentinel, watching over Claire who had set herself up quite nicely with something akin to a bed made out of cushions from the plane seats and promptly fallen asleep. Her bag however, was still firmly closed beside her.

Jack frowned at the sight. Perhaps she wasn't staying after all?

'Evening Charlie,'

Charlie stiffened for a moment but then his shoulders relaxed again. 'Hi Jack.' He didn't meet Jacks eyes, contenting himself with watching Claire sleep. 'What's up?'

'Not much. Just wanted to see how you were doing.' Charlie didn't respond for a moment and Jack mentally slapped himself. The man was barely half a week into heroin withdrawal, he probably felt bloody awful – but then, to his great surprise, Charlie actually smiled.

'Pretty good.' his grin grew a little wider as he leant forward, dropping his voice conspirationally. 'I think I've managed to convince Claire to stay up here. After she passed out on the beach the other day I've been thinking that she'd be safer up here – all the water and shade and everything you know. And you're up here too – I mean, if she goes into labour or whatever then it'd be better for her to be near you wouldn't it?'

'Yeah,' Jack regarded Charlie curiously. 'It makes sense I guess.'

'Mind you, she didn't want to come at first,' Charlie continued conversationally. 'It took a lot of persuading. She might seem agreeable enough at first glance but she can be very stubborn when she wants to be.'

Jack chuckled. 'What did you do to get her to move up here then?'

Charlie went a little pink and looked over at Claire's gently slumbering form. 'Oh. I just found something for her.'

'Uh huh,' Jack glanced over at her as well. 'So you've been taking care of her have you?'

Charlie didn't look up. 'I'm trying to yeah,' he murmured finally. 'I don't think I could have left her down there alone – she's been really lonely lately, hardly anybody talks to her.' Jack felt a twinge of guilt. 'And I didn't want her to get dehydrated again like she did the other day when you were off doing whatever it was when you were doing.' Jack actually cringed. It wasn't that Charlie was being accusing exactly, but his words still stung a little. 'I mean, I was only one who could be bothered to get her some water and actually go talk to her, make sure she was alright and all…' Charlie trailed off, staring at her thoughtfully then chuckled lightly and glanced up at Jack again, his chin in his hand. 'That's a good one eh? The "responsible" junkie.'

'Yeah,' Jack looked away guiltily. 'Well…if you're happy to look after her for a little while longer then I guess I can give her a check up in a day or two…'

'Oh yeah sure,' Charlie agreed readily. 'I'll definitely watch out for her…'

'…And hopefully between the two of us we can make sure she stays healthy and safe.'

'…And if anything happens I'll be sure to let you know.'

The two of them stared at her together for a moment longer, quite silently, and then Jack turned and walked away.

His check up would not come for another few days and in that time, both his and Charlie's interest in Claire would wane in favour of other responsibilities and – to the consternation of many – sports.

In a few days, Claire would be lost.