Sweetest Man Alive
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
The gentle sounds of ocean waves lapping against the shore was soothing, a lullaby for the survivors of the Oceanic flight. Despite the peacefully drowsy atmosphere, Claire Littleton remained awake. The Aussie brushed wisps of her blonde hair out of her face, gazing down at her snoozing companion. She smiled, listening to the quiet mumblings he made in his sleep. Charlie Pace had grown to have a place inside her heart – he was her confidante, her friend, and the man who held her complete trust. She had never imagined that her feelings for him would become so strong, but she should have guessed. There was something about him…something she had noticed right from the first moment they met.
Claire's smiled widened into a grin as she looked at the jar of peanut butter clasped in her hand. She wanted to write about the day's activities in her diary, but she wasn't sure if she could find the words to describe the happiness she had felt when he had taken that jar out for her. After finding the bottle of messages on the shore and realizing that the raft may have met a terrible fate, the thought that anything remotely good could happen had seemed inconceivable to her. And then, this wonderful man had placed a jar of peanut butter in her hand.
"Charlie, you truly are a man after my own heart," she said quietly with a chuckle.
She looked at him again and felt her heart swell with emotion. He had done so much for her…from little things like making himself look foolish to cheer her up, to larger things like going after that crazed French woman to bring back Aaron. There was no doubt in her mind that he would risk his life to protect her. He was just…
"Charlie," she whispered tenderly, "you are just the sweetest man alive."
She leaned down, letting her eyes drift shut, and brought her lips to his in a chaste kiss. She pulled away, surprised, a moment later, when he started to kiss back. He smiled up at her through half-lidded eyes and murmured, "That's the best bloody peanut butter I've ever tasted."
End