Catch A Falling Star
Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.
A/N: This is a just a random one shot I thought of when I was watching Raised By Another from Season 1 and Claire says that her dad used to sing Catch A Falling Star to her.
Claire sat on a fairly large rock that night, trying to keep warm as she held Aaron against her. The baby had been restless all night, as if the baby knew something was wrong. Claire could only pray that Charlie was okay. She kept telling herself that he would be fine, that when they returned to the beach the following day he would be there to greet her and Aaron, but in her heart, she sort of knew that something was wrong.
"Shhh." She tried to calm Aaron quietly, hoping that he wasn't disturbing the other survivors. What she didn't know was that the baby's cries calmed the survivors. They all knew that this was one of the last few nights that they would be spending together.
Softly, she began to sing.
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away
"My dad used to sing that to me."
Claire looked up to see Jack smiling at her. He hadn't stopped smiling all night since he had made a call to the freighter. It was the first times that she had seen him genuinely smile since he had first come back from being captured by the Others.
Claire returned the smile, and Jack sat down beside her.
"My dad used to sing it to me too." Claire said softly.
Jack looked up at the stars. "It's a appropriate song to be singing to him tonight. The stars are out."
Claire looked up with him, thinking of her father. Did he even know that she had been in a plane crash? He had continued to send her checks in the mail, which she had continued to rip up. They had stopped coming a few months before the plane crash, but Claire hadn't questioned it. She hoped that he had finally given up.
"I'm sure your father will be happy to know that you're okay." Claire said.
Jack laughed. "I don't think he would care, even if he was alive." His laughter immediately subsided and he looked at Claire.
"I'm sorry."
Jack nodded and looked down.
"My dad doesn't care about me either."
"Well, at least we've found a family here." Jack gestured at the people around him, not failing to notice Kate sitting by herself. He made a note to himself to talk to her later.
"You're right." Claire looked down at Aaron, thinking of Charlie.
"I'm sure Charlie is going to be okay. What he's doing is dangerous, but he'll make it."
"You really think so?"
Jack nodded reassuringly. "Yeah I do."
"What about you Jack? Have you found that someone?" Claire said teasingly, but she was also a bit curious as well.
Jack grinned at her. "Nice try."
"What?" Claire said innocently, jabbing her elbow into his side. "Almost everyone here has found love Jack, and I overheard you earlier with Kate."
"What?"
"You love her."
Jack's face immediately flushed, and he looked away from her.
"She doesn't love me." The words came out with great difficulty, and Claire realized what the problem was.
"Go talk to her. You know that she has a hard time showing how she feels. Just give her time."
"Maybe later. Can I hold Aaron?" Jack quickly changed the subject.
"Of course you can." Claire handed the baby over to Jack.
"He's a healthy baby Claire. You know, he didn't have a very good chance, but with you as his mother, he's going to have a healthy and happy life."
Claire shook her head.
"What?"
"Whenever you want to avoid something, you talk about something medical."
"No I don't." Jack insisted.
Claire stood up and started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Jack asked her.
"I'm going to make some things right."
Jack just gave her a confused look, and Claire laughed to herself as she made her way down the hill to where Kate was sitting.
Jack watched as Claire bent down and whispered something in Kate's ear. Claire left her and disappeared into the woods as Kate looked behind her and up the hill until she reached Jack's eyes.
Jack groaned to himself as Kate made her way up the hill to sit with him. Claire almost reminded him of a little sister he'd never had, always causing trouble.