No such thing as time.
Chapter one.
A/N: I understand that I'm a bit late with lost and all (more like a year) but I just really wanted to try my hand at some fanfiction and I just adore Charlie and Claire together. I've had this in my desk drawer for a while now and felt that it was time to get it out. This is my first fic and I don't completely understand everything about this site so please bare with me. Really, if you review I will love you forever and ever. I honestly mean that.
So the story begins after the remembering scene at the concert. Charlie takes Claire and Aaron to St. Sebastian hospital after her labor. All of the other memory stuff happens at the concert without them. This is a story about their life together in the alternate universe/purgatory.
Disclaimer: I own nothing at all. That includes John Lennon and his sweet lyrics.
On with the literature.
" Close your eyes, have no fear.
The monsters gone, he's on the run and your daddy is here.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy.
Out on the ocean, sailing away.
I can hardly wait to seen you come of age.
But I guess we'll both just have to be patient.
Yes, it's a long way to go but in the meantime,
Before you cross the street, take my hand.
Life is just what happens to you while your busy making other plans.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy."
A heavily accented, raspy vice sang softly. Claire Littleton listened from her hospital bed as she slowly drifted away from sleep. She continued in this surreal state until the dreamlike voice broke into quiet sobs, which instantly brought her back to reality. Her clear blue eyes flickered open, her memory fully cleared by the sight of a young, unconventional looking man with haunted eyes holding her precious baby boy in his arms.
Charlie Pace sat in the corner of the room holding a newborn Aaron as if his own life lay sleeping in his hands. Charlie's small stature shook in sobs at the sight of the beautiful new life, which had been such a large part of his redemption at some point in time, in some other universe. "I'm a big boy now, alright? Rock gods aren't supposed to cry." He breathed for air, tying hard to regain any ounce of masculinity he had left while wiping a tear from his boyish face.
Claire took note of his black lacquered nails and bandage tape wrapped around his fingers, which spelled out the word f-a-t-e. 'Seems appropriate,' she thought. 'Undeniably Charlie.'
A few hours back she thought she would be giving up Aaron for adoption and then heading right back to Australia completely alone. Apparently fate had other plans. That was why she didn't question the impossible situation in which they had found themselves. She didn't really need answers as long as she had her family- her boys.
The ardor and warmth reflecting in Charlie's eyes as he gazed at her son (scratch that) – their son, gave her goose bumps and fuzzy feelings even in the face of all her cynical knowledge. Back on the island she wouldn't have allowed her self to give in to these silly feelings but after everything they had been through, all of the death, fear, and sheer terror she had experienced, she needed this second chance to love one last time. This was right and she wasn't about to loose it again.
She decided to engrain the image in front of her in her mind and keep it there forever. 'Here goes nothing' she thought as butterflies fluttered around in her stomach.
"You make a brilliant father, Charlie." She said in a hesitant whisper. She was treading dangerous ground. This could determine their future as a family, she hated the vulnerable position she was in but weekly smiled at him anyways.
Charlie stood up at the sound of Claire's voice and turned towards her. Her comment was everything he had wanted to hear from her for so long, yet she said it in such a casual manor he wasn't quite sure how to respond. Claire bit her lip nervously, which made Charlie attempt to speak through his shock. "Claire…. I don't even know what to say. This is a really big deal, you know how much I love Aaron, what he means to me. But …me? A dad? …. Are you sure?" "You are his dad, Charlie. You've always been. Who really cares about biology anyway? Y'know, he grew up believing that you were his father, I made sure he appreciated what you did for him." Claire saw tears forming in his eyes. "I just wish I could have been there." "Me too." She gave a long sigh as he looked down at the bundle in his arms before carefully handing him over to Claire.
As she held her son again the dark circles underneath her eyes were outshone by the happiness glowing inside them. Charlie was amazed that even after a brutal natural labor in her sweat and tears Claire was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Of course, he was pretty biased. His callused finger wiped a tear from her soft, sweet face. She giggled thorough tears as Aaron wrapped his tiny hand around her finger. Charlie laughed along with her, relishing in the moment between mother and child. She looked up into his clouded blue-grey eyes and smiled with a look of content.
" You may not exactly scream father but we'll prove them wrong." "If I didn't know better I wouldn't picture you as much of a mother yourself." Claire rolled her eyes in mock annoyance and laughed again. "Neither of us had any idea how to raise a child the first time around either. But we managed." " I think we did alright! Anyways, I might not be in the running for worlds best daddy or anything, but you couldn't find anybody who would work harder at it than me." "I know. That's why I trust you." She squeezed his hand gently still supporting her child with her other arm. "We'll make it through this together." Charlie let go of Claire's hand and sat himself on the bed behind them. He and wrapped his arms around his beautiful, little surrogate family. " I still don't know what to say." "That is definitely a first." "Hey now, I do have a way with words." Yes, that's why it's so surprising. Charlie Pace, the legendary rock star who writes hit songs while totally stoned is at a loss for words? What a day." Charlie laughed with a modest shake of the head. "Apparently you have that effect on me." Claire blushed a little. "I know you have a lot of questions. So do I. But maybe that's the beautiful part - the not knowing."
If you're reading this … THANK YOU! I love you now. I really do. I promise it gets better and more interesting too. If you review, I can continue doing what I love and then you get to read more. It's a win win situation really. I promise to be forever indebted to you and your stories. (desperate much?) Yes. Yes I am.
The next chapter is focused on Kate and Claire after the island. Pretty bittersweet but I felt that it needed to be cleared up. After that there's a bit more Charlie angst which gets me into my plot, also there will be appearances by other character in the next few chapters. Fun stuff for sure. Thanks again.
Much love,
Buttercup.