I don't know how often this will be updated as it isn't a full story, just a little random side project (Probably updated more when I finished 'Lay Miserables') . But yeah I got really upset about Claire earlier, so here's a take on life if she'd survived the explosion, with snippets of her and Hershel after it happened
Disclaimer: I don't own Layton. At all.
Glimpses of a Lost Future
"You're sure you're okay? You can stay here longer if you want, I don't mind." Hershel grasped hold of her hand as she signed her name off at the main desk. She grinned at him as she put the pen down.
"I've been here nearly three weeks already, I'm bored Hersh." She flicked his nose with her finger. "You're worrying too much." Claire pulled him towards the front door, wrapping his arm around her shoulders
"Is it wrong of me to worry?" Hershel gave a half smile towards her. His girlfriend Claire had been admitted into hospital over a fortnight ago, after an explosion in her workplace. The doctors said she was lucky to get away with her life, he wondered how she could be so calm. A few of the others there hadn't been so fortunate, with a house next door being utterly destroyed. But she was still with him. Large bandages adorned her arms and, though it had mostly healed now, there was large scarring across her back. How could he not be concerned? She'd hadn't woken up the first few days she was there.
"Hershel-" she blew some hair away from her face "Can't you just be happy that I'm back?" Hershel pulled her into a hug.
"I suppose you're right."
"Now come on, you said you'd got something to show me?" Hershel's face lit up. He took her hand and led her outside, away from the chemical stench of the lobby. He gestured his arms towards the vehicle by the entrance, a small red car with a roof double the height of itself. "Is that-?"
"Yes, the one I was showing you before. I bought it last week. I think it's really nice." Claire tilted her head to the side and examined it.
"Hershel it's hideous." She elbowed him when she saw the sad expression on his face. "I'm kidding! It's….unique." Hershel rubbed the spot where she'd hit him
"You're surprisingly strong for someone who just got out of hospital…. Wait, I haven't shown you the best part of this!" He walked over to the car and opened the door, climbing into the driver's seat. Claire couldn't help but laugh at the sight
"Is it a fluke that the hat fits or did you do that yourself?" Hershel blushed and Claire climbed into the passenger seat.
"I got it modified afterwards… I couldn't fit in before."
"You don't have to wear the hat all the time."
"I wanted to, at least while you weren't there…" Claire took his hand; Hershel ran his fingers over the bandages "I didn't know when you were getting out." She awkwardly leant over the car to kiss him on the cheek.
"You need to have more faith in me, you should have known I'd come back to you."
"I guess I'm just not used to it happening…." He trailed off as Claire buckled her seatbelt, she wanted to ask but thought it better to wait, and he clearly seemed upset by what she'd said.
"Well I'm back now Hershel, and I'm not going away. I'm not going anywhere while my arms are all like this" she waved them in front of her to emphasise her point. Hershel laughed before starting up the engine, driving the two of them back to Gressenheller.