John Locke paused for breath at the edge of the shore, right where the twisted wilderness of the jungle entwined with the sun-bleached sands of the beach. Silvery moonlight cascaded through the slits in the treetops, lighting his way. Exhausted from his day's trek and weary with loneliness, he slumped down on a nearby rock and became consumed in his thoughts.

Before barely a minute had passed, Locke's pensiveness was cut short. He could just make out a distant crackling and rustling in the jungle behind him. He turned round and raised himself, one hand already at the knife he kept sheathed at his waist at all times. But before he could act a small, slight figure had bumbled out of the trees and onto the beach right next to him. A head of luminous, blonde hair shielded the woman's face.

Then, almost in unison, the pair both projected shyly; "Hello?"

In the blink of an eye, both parties had recognised eachother. Nervous giggling followed by a bashful clearing of a throat. Claire Littleton brushed her wayward fringe from her face and stood blinking up at Locke through her eyelashes.

Locke moved a little closer to her, noting how the silence that separated them seemed unnaturally comfortable. He studied her profile carefully, the bright moonlight lighting up her baby blue eyes and gleaming off her flawless skin. How had he never realised how beautiful she was before?

Claire shifted nervously, nibbling her lip.


Then, due to some odd, unforeseen impulse, Locke reached out and took Claire by the arm. Her initial reaction should have been to recoil in shock, but instead Claire found herself placing her free arm lightly on Locke's shoulder.

"I...I was looking for you actually John..." Claire began, but John put a finger to her lips. A warm smile spread across his face and lit up his eyes.

"Listen, Claire..." But he too was cut short, tiny woman he was holding jumped up on her tiptoes until her mouth met his. Locke immediately wrapped his arms tight around Claire, as they immersed themselves in their passionate embrace.

Shivers flooded down Claire's spine and throughout her whole body; she had never experienced a kiss quite like this one. He was kissing her back with so much force, yet it was so loving and gentle at the same time. Claire didn't care about the consequences, she just wanted this moment to go on forever.

Slowly Claire pulled away from Locke, her gaze lost in his. He smiled sheepishly down at her, heart thumping. Was this what true love felt like? How could he tell?

Claire remained breathless for a few moments, before finally venturing to speak, breaking their eye contact.

"John...what I meant to say was...I think I might like you as more than a friend." Claire was grateful for the blanket of darkness, for concealing her profuse blushing.

"I think you may have already given me a small hint towards that, Claire!" Locke replied, smiling warmly at her. He couldn't believe his luck; Claire was beautiful, intelligent and caring - what was she doing looking at him? But yet here she was, in his arms.

Claire shifted nervously, and dared to look up into his pale blue eyes once more. And was so completely consumed in them, that she could not tell where her staring stopped and the kiss began.

Even though his eyes were closed, Locke could still see Claire so vividly in his mind's eye. Claire Littleton. The woman he was kissing. Subconsciously he pulled her even closer towards him, arms tight around her tiny back.

Claire made a small squeak of discomfort, and he instantly loosened his grip around her and withdrew his face from hers. Locke dared to open his eyes for a second, and found Claire to be grinning like a Cheshire cat up at him.

"What's funny, may I ask?" Locke slowly brushed a stray strand of light blond from between Claire's eyes.

"Oh! Nothing! I'm just...really really really happy." Claire continued to beam. "I haven't felt like this since, um, well, Thomas I guess."

Locke raised an eyebrow. "Oh John, you don't need to worry about him. He's long gone." But Claire's smile failed to fade at this statement, causing John's heart to swell to immense proportions inside his chest.

Then Claire smiled her special smile, mouth up slightly at the sides, a little teeth showing. And in one second John's pulsing heart had melted.

"Claire...I want to be with you." It all rushed out in a bit of a jumble, Locke had never been good with women, especially not women who wanted to be more than just acquaintances.

"The feeling is certainly mutual," Claire replied softly, as she wrapped her hands around his neck.

Suddenly Locke hoisted her up off her feet and she swung her legs around his middle. He kissed her forehead and then cheek. "So..."Claire began, "This is what the world looks like at your level!"

He laughed, and he knew. Locke finally knew where his heart had been leading him. He knew that Claire was the one.

My first official LOST fanfic so please be nice! Thankyou x