Title: Unrehearsed Dialogue
Original post date: 28th March 2006
Spoilers : up to 2x12
Summary: Dialogue only. Rose sits with Charlie and they have a little chat.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dom, L. Scott Caldwell or the characters they portray in Lost. I just…borrowed them for a while for my sadistic writing pleasures.

'Hello Charlie,'

''Lo Rose.'

'Mind if I sit for a while? I've been walking and my legs are tired.'

'Sure.'

'How're you feeling?'

'Bloody awful. And you?'

'I'm not too bad. Thank you for asking.'

'Welcome.'

'So are you gonna tell me what it is that's got you feeling so terrible?'

'Isn't it kind of obvious?'

'I'd rather be told than have to guess,'

'Oh for…it's Claire, all right? There, I said it. Are you happy?'

'What about Claire?'

'What do you mean "what about Claire"? I bloody miss her, that's what!'

'Ohhh...'

'Don't "ohhh" me!'

'Missing Claire shouldn't be making you angry though should it? Because that's the vibe I'm picking up on here.'

'You're making me angry…'

'I'm sorry?'

'Nothing.'

'Hmmn…'

'It's just…I can't believe after all I've done for her – all we've been through together…I just can't believe that she could just shut me out so…so completely. She doesn't seem to miss me at all – meanwhile I'm down the other end of the beach here, fucken miserable as all hell, wishing that I'd just left the sodding statues at the plane. I wasn't even using – did you know that? I've been clean for at least a month now and she just assumed that I must be using again when really I wasn't…'

'Charlie…'

'And Locke! I trusted him Rose! I put all my faith in him and then he betrayed me. After all that crap he was spouting about starting a new life here and then he just decides that I'm not even allowed to explain my actions, I'm not allowed to have a second chance…'

'Maybe this was your second chance Charlie.'

'Oh so you're on his side now too are you? I shouldn't be surprised. The only one who's still on my side is Sayid – and Eko maybe. Even Hurley…'

'I'm on nobody's side Charlie. I'm just asking you to try and accept the possibility that John has his reasons for not trusting you – as does Claire. You did lie to her after all.'

'I love her. Oh Jesus…'

'What did you say?'

'I know that I shouldn't – I never meant it to happen – Rose – oh God help me…I love her. I love her and I love her son and I just…I can't stand this. And it's so much worse now than when she was missing because she's here but I can't…I can't…'

'Have you told her any of this?'

'Do you really think she'd let me come anywhere near her? I'd probably get beaten to a bloody pulp by Locke before I got within a hundred yards of her.'

'Well I think you should tell her. Even if it doesn't change anything between you, at least you'll have gotten it off your chest. Otherwise you'll just sit here and stew over it forever.'

'How am I supposed to tell her? Where do I even start? God I feel so stupid – I'm so useless…'

'You are not useless. You've always been there when she needed you – even when nobody else was. That's got to be worth something.'

'I wasn't there when Ethan took her. I couldn't save her then.'

'You did all you could…'

'But I still couldn't save her.'

'Sometimes Charlie, doing absolutely everything you can and failing shows just how much you would give – and you gave everything for her. I'm sure she'll come to realise it in time.'

'So what, I just have to sit here and wait?'

'Did it ever occur to you that she might be waiting for you?'

'Where are you going?'

'I've rested enough now I think, time to go find some lunch. You coming?'

'I…I…'

'It's okay honey. You just take your time. I'll see you around.'