Charlie muttered to himself as he tromped back to camp. He was still simmering that Desmond almost let him be skewered. But, mostly, Charlie felt the highest level of worthlessness since Claire had slapped him across the face. He tossed his guitar onto the sandy earth beside his and Claire's joint shelter. It hit the ground, protesting with a hollow thud. Claire watched this display with a frown; why was Charlie tossing his guitar- his prized possession- around? Charlie was still frowning deeply as he flopped to the ground inside the makeshift shelter, not even bothering to sit on the bed or the makeshift chairs. Claire bit her lip, looking from Charlie to his guitar again. Suddenly, she realized that there was a crude rock jutting out from the neck of the instrument. Several strings dangled limply, having been severed by this jagged stone. Claire gasped, no wonder Charlie was steaming. Claire looked at the baby in her arms, glad that he had drifted off to sleep. Charlie stared out to the rolling ocean waves as Claire stood. Claire walked quietly over to Aaron's cradle before smoothing out her top. She walked up to Charlie's side before sitting beside him in the sand. He barely moved when she sat beside him. She bit her lip once more, a bad habit she had picked up whenever something was troubling her. Claire leant forward to get a better view of the Brit's face. She freezed upon seeing that look in Charlie's eyes behind a fresh layer of tears. It was the same look he'd had when she rejected him before the entire group of castaways. It was the look of a man who thought he was worthless. A man who didn't want to try any longer.
"Charlie?" Claire whispered, placing a hand on his back.
Charlie uses the back of his hand to wipe the tears from his eyes before they spill over.
"Charlie, what's wrong?" Claire asked quietly as she rubs his back consolingly.
He shrugged his shoulders, still staring out at the water as it rolls in.
"Charlie, please, talk to me? Did Desmond have another... vision?" she asked, feeling a lump building in her throat. Sometimes she wished Desmond had never told her about his flashes, but she knew that she was better off knowing than being angry and in the dark.
Charlie nodded his head in response, his mouth turning down in a bitter frown.
"What happened?" Claire asked, taking Charlie's hand in hers.
"Nothing," Charlie stated monotonously.
Claire took Charlie's chin in her hand and gently turned his face so that he was looking at her. His eyes met her own for a split second before they dropped to gaze at the sand. Claire muttered his name and he gazed into her eyes once again. She stared into his pale blue eyes, not knowing what to say. She leant forward, wrapped her arms around Charlie's torso, and pressed her lips to his in a soft, slow kiss. She felt Charlie's body convulse in her arms and opened her eyes to see that he was crying. Claire was about to break the kiss when Charlie suddenly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her more passionately. He raked his fingers through her hair, breathing into her. He leant her back as he dipped his tongue into her mouth. Claire grabbed fistfuls of his hair, caught up in the heat of the moment. She felt hot tears splash onto her cheeks. She whispered his name, pushing him away from her gently. Charlie sat up, crying openly now. Claire stood and pulled the tarps down to conceal Charlie's outburst of emotion. She knew he would not like people to see him with his gaurd down.
"I'm s-sorry," Charlie sobbed, looking up at Claire.
"For what?" Claire asked, pausing.
"F-for kissing you like that. S-sorry." Charlie explained through tears.
Claire took Charlie's face in her hands before bending down and kissing him atop the head. "It's okay, Charlie," she told him, pushing his hair from his face. "It's really okay."
Charlie nodded, attempting to suck up his tears.
"You are allowed to cry, Charlie." Claire muttered, returning to her seat beside him. "You are facing a lot here."
Charlie released a wail that startled Claire. She wrapped her arms around Charlie and hugged his body close to hers as he sobbed freely. "Des-Desmond had a vision th-that I was gonna get stabbed with an-an arrow and die." Charlie told Claire before uncontrollable sobs escaped his lips.
"Hey, it's okay now, Charlie. You're okay. And you've got me and Desmond protecting you." Claire comforted him.
"N-not Desomnd." Charlie bitterly corrected her, wiping his eyes.
"What do you mean?" Claire questioned him, frowning.
"He was gonna let me d-die... He saved me last min-minute. Because he thought that if I d-died," Charlie stopped as his body throbbed with crying. "He thought that if I died, he would get to s-see his girlfriend." he finished with difficulty.
"What?" Claire nearly shouted.
Charlie's cries had morphed into dry sobs that made his hands twitch. He tried to sit on them to stop their shaking. Claire watched his hands and quietly took them in her own. She lifted his hands to her lips before kissing each one of his shaking fingers softly. He hiccupped quietly, watching her with a loving sort of intensity. Her eyes met his when she was done; she continued holding his shivering hands in hers. Claire softly kissed Charlie's lips and felt him exhale into her. When they parted, Claire pressed her forehead to his and they gazed into each other's eyes.
"Charlie, you will always have me. Okay? No matter what, I will be there to fight for you. I promise." Claire vowed. She swallowed back the lump in her throat, muttering, "I love you."
Charlie sniffled, asking, "Are you sure?"
Claire nodded, feeling naked from telling Charlie her true feelings.
"Oh, I-I love you, too," Charlie shyly admitted.
Claire smiled. "I know," she whispered, running her hands through his hair.
Soon after Charlie had fallen asleep from exhaustion, Claire marched out of their tent towards Desmond's small lean-to. Her small hands were balled into fists and she kicked up sand in her wake. Sawyer made some kind of quip as she passed, but Claire barely heard it. She was too busy thinking about what she was going to say to Desmonmd. The traitor! Claire came to his lean-to only to discover it was empty. She grinded her teeth, turning on her heel. She saw Hurley walking down the beach and starts after the large man. "Hurley!" Claire calls sharply. Hurley freezed, knowing Claire was angry by the edge on her voice.
He winced before turning to face her. "Hey, Claire," he attempted to smile.
"Where's Desmond?" she hissed, eyes flashing darkly.
"Oh, uh, Desmond went out into the jungle to pee a few seconds a-" Hurley pointed and stopped talking when Claire turned and marched into the jungle.
Claire stepped over a fallen tree before trudging through the thick shrubbery. She was knee-deep in grasses when she saw Desmond a few feet ahead, his back to her. She pressed her tongue to her cheek, resisting the urge to rugby tackle the man. Instead, Claire stomped towards him, causing him to jump. He was zipping up his pants as he turned to face her, eyes wide. "Desmond, we need to talk." she tried to sound menacing. Desmond looked at the ground guiltily.
"Look, Claire, I know I messed up. But I apologized to Charlie and he understands. I understand tha-" Desmond started.
"No! You don't bloody understand!" Claire snapped harshly, surprising the Scot with her language. "Charlie... What the hell did you do that for?" she nearly screamed.
"Claire, I-I just thought I'd see Penny... And I know that's a awful excuse, but..." Desmond gestured with his hands, at a loss for words.
"I understand you love your girlfriend, but she isn't here right now. And no matter if Charlie... died or not, she would not be on this island!" Claire shrieked as tears rolled down her pale cheeks. She balled up her fist and hit Desmond in the shoulder.
"Ow," Desmond groaned. "Claire, I am sorry. I'll make it up to Charlie."
"You don't deserve him as a friend! Do you know what you did to him?" Claire yelled, growing emotional. "I have never seen him cry! Ever! Not when he was going through withdrawels, not after he was hung, not when he was nearly blown to bits! Never! And today, he comes back with you- his supposed protector-" Claire jabbed Desmond in the chest, "And...! And he has been crying his heart out all bleeding day!"
Desmond's face looked like he had been punched in the gut.
"And, I know you're sorry, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust you again!" Claire sobbed.
She watched Desmond's eyes water before adding, "Charlie forgives you, by the way... And so do I... But you'll have to earn our trust back. Because I promised I'd keep him safe. And I don't know what I'd do without him."
Desmond nodded, saying, "Aye, sister, I am sorry."
Claire offered Desmond a smile before turning and heading back to her hut. She entered to find Charlie sitting with Aaron in his arms. He looked up at Claire as she entered. His eyes were red and slightly puffy from all his crying. He offered Claire a small smile as she sat beside him on the bed. Claire took the sleeping baby from Charlie's arms and set Aaron into his crib. Then, she turned to Charlie and hugged him tightly.
That night, they sat with Desmond at the large bonfire to eat a small portion of dinner. Desmond sat a foot away from the couple, not wanting to intrude on their precious time together. Claire had brought Aaron's crib up to the fire and was absent-mindedly rocking it as she and Charlie sat in comfortable silence. After eating all her meal, Claire looked at Charlie. He was gazing up at the top of the bonfire's flames. She was about to stand when Charlie asked, stiil staring at the top of the fire, "Can we pretend that those sparks in the night skies are shooting stars?"
Claire looked up at the orange and yellow sparks the bonfire sent drifting into the night sky. "Why?" she asked, looking to Charlie. She saw in her peripheal vision that Desmond was looking at the young Brit, too.
"Cuz I could really use a wish right now." Charlie stated, looking at Claire with a half-hearted smile.