Spoilers: Special, and possibly Homecoming
A/N: My first Lost story. This was really just one line in my head that wouldn't go away. I'll say right out, this is not my best work, but my flu meditation sorta addled my brain. I can only hope my next story will be better (kinda like I hope that Charlie and Claire will get better…together sigh one can hope) Anyway, read, enjoy, review.
Even in a scary place like this, Charlie makes me feel safe…
She hasn't spoken a word since Locke and Boone walked her into camp, not a single word. She just stares at them like a child, lost in the darkness of her own mind, huddled away from the rest of the world in a corner of the caves.
He brings her water and food, though she ignores it. "I'm not above feeding you." He tells her as he hold the water bottle to her lips. She doesn't breathe a word and barely drinks anything.
He worries. It's only been two days and Jack says it's shock, which normal after traumatic events; that she'll get better, even thought it seems as though he doesn't believe himself.
The baby's missing and he wonders if she notices. She must, he decides, as she holds her hands to her stomach with a pained look on her face.
There's an air of confusion around her, of fear and despair, and anger even.
He sits with her all day in silence waiting for her to come back, really come back. Maybe he hadn't prayed hard enough. Or perhaps the island had returned her body but took her spirit.
He has her at his side and still he feels as though pieces of him are crumbling away, only at a slower pace, which only makes it feel worse.
He hasn't lost hope, not yet, though it seems as though everyone else has. Those who hadn't already avoided her before can't even look at him anymore. He must seem pathetic to them, caring after a person who's probably just a shell as it is. He doesn't mind however, he'll do anything if it will make her better.
On the third night since her return he comes to check on her in the night to find her wide awake.
"Swearing off sleep along with talkin' then luv?" he says sitting down next to her.
"They took my baby."
He inhales sharply and looks her in the eye.
"Claire?"
"They took my baby…" Her voice is low and rough and still the most beautiful sound to his ears.
She's crying, rocking back and forth, hands cawling at the fabric that covers her stomach. "My baby."
"Claire." He moves to gather her in his arms but she pushes at his shoulders and he falls back, confused and hurt. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." She just moves away from him, pressing her body into the stonewall until she can't move any farther.
"Stay away."
"C'mon Claire." He reaches out for her, but she makes a sound of protest in her throat and he stops. Panic rises in his heart and he moves back.
"I'm sorry." He says at last. It's funny, in completely humorless way, how he'd rehearsed every possible scenario in his mind and none of them ever went to so wrong as this. "I'm sorry Claire. I–" He doesn't quite know what to say anymore. He's sorry, more sorry than he could ever really get across, he's failed her, her child, and he hasn't the smallest idea of how to fix anything, or where to even start and he wishes he could kill Ethan though that doesn't really seem like the best thing to say for the time being.
"I'll find him Claire." He finds himself saying. "I'll bring him back to you. I know to you my word must be dirt, but I swear I'll find him."
"Why?" She doesn't seem so afraid anymore.
"Because I owe that to you. I-I let you down last time, but I won't do it again. I just need you to help me a little Claire."
She's crying again, one frail hand pressed against her eyes. "I can't help you."
He inches towards her on his knees, careful not to alarm her.
"I don't remember anything." She whisper, shoulders trembling as she lets out her grief.
"Neither did I, at first. Bits will come back to you, don't worry."
She calms down after a while, and hesitates for a moment for coming closer to him.
"What's your name?"
She doesn't know him anymore, doesn't remember who he is or how she felt about him, or how he makes her feel safe and his heart breaks though he tries not to show it. He should have known, really, one afternoon had made him forget a day, who was to say how much she's lost in a week.
He smiles a little and reaches for her hand; which she doesn't move away.
"Me? I'm Charlie."
"Chahlie." She tests his name on her tongue, feeling as though she's been saying it all her life.
"Hello Charlie."
"Hello Claire."
He knows he should go and tell Jack everything that's just taken place, he should go and enlist Locke or Sayid or even Boone to go search for the baby, but instead he settles in besides Claire who doesn't protest but leans against him slightly. "Tell me about all this Charlie. How did this happen?"
He starts from the beginning, telling her about the plane, the beach, Jack and the caves. He leaves out bits and pieces of the story, thinking it best not to overwhelm her yet.
She falls asleep and he stays to watch over her.
He has a vague idea of where to start now.
A/N: I'm not sure where this is going, could be a stand-alone, could be continued. Don't really know. What do you all think?