Title::..Almost Like a Happy Ending
Spoilers::..Recon
Rating::..G
Genre::..Angst
Characters::..Claire, Kate, Aaron, Charlie and Jin
Author's Note::..Lost fic 105! I think I wrote this after I saw Recon and I was all 'poor Claire'. I wrote this before the show ended so this was before I knew that Claire got a happy ending and I was still angry at the writers for screwing her over! I took some artistic liberty and made Claire have Aaron earlier than she did in the sideways reality. Also, this was when I still thought the sideways reality was, y'know, real.
Summary::.. "I don't want you to feel obligated to stay, if you have somewhere else you need to be then I completely understand." Claire told her. Claire is used to a happy ending glittering briefly before completely dissolving.

A strong wave of pain rolled over Claire. She grit her teeth and intensified her grip on the stranger's hand. She squeezed Claire's hand back and showed her a supportive smile. Claire had envisioned this day many times. It had begun with her having Thomas' hand to hold onto. Then she had thought she would have to curl her hands into fists around the hospital sheets because there would be no hand to hold. She had hoped the adoptive parents would be there with her at the hospital with their hands within her reach.

The stranger had a friendly face. It helped to put Claire's mind at ease. She wasn't alone. For now there was someone on her side. If she closed her eyes and held onto the hand tight enough she could forget about her certainly lonely future. Today there would be no wallowing over her loneliness. She didn't have to worry about what would happen next, she could concentrate on her baby.

"We're going to need to deliver this baby today." The doctor announced.

Claire shook her head. "It's too early, it's too early, he's not supposed to come out yet."

"He needs to come out, he's in distress, if we leave him in there then we leave him in danger." The doctor told her.

"Oh God." Claire sighed, releasing the stranger's hand. She placed both hands over her face as the fear that came with reality overwhelmed her. "It's too early, it's too early."

"Are you going to stay with her?" The doctor asked.

Claire lowered her hands from her face to look up at the stranger. She smiled to Claire, giving her hair a comforting stroke as she nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay."

"Okay, let's get ready to deliver a baby, people." The doctor told his team, moving away. He began to tinker with machines that Claire didn't want to understand the function of.

"Thank you." Claire whispered.

The stranger drew up a chair beside the bed. "It's no problem. It's probably my fault that your baby is in distress; I can't just run out and leave you like this."

"I don't want you to feel obligated to stay, if you have somewhere else you need to be then I completely understand." Claire told her.

"No, it's fine." She dismissed. "I'll stay. Is there anything I can get you?"

Claire tried a smile. "How about a 'get out of labour free' card?"

The stranger chuckled. "I'm fresh outta those at the moment, sorry."

Claire shrugged. "That's okay."

"How do you feel?" The stranger asked.

"Scared." Claire admitted.

The stranger took her hand. "You can do this Claire."

Claire let out an unsure groan. When the doctor asked if she was ready to push she emitted the same croak. The stranger told Claire she could. She didn't quite believe it, but she could see a light flickering faintly at the end of a long tunnel. Of all the ways she could have imagined giving birth this was a slightly happy ending to her pregnancy. She didn't have to face labour alone; through the pain there was something to feel happy about.

There was no medical equipment on this island; they couldn't even get her a doctor to deliver her son. The fear was inescapable. She couldn't let her baby be born on this island. It was too dangerous, she needed to protect him. He should stay inside her, he would be safe there. The raft would bring them help, very soon. Just a little longer. She could keep him inside of her for just a little longer. It was too dangerous; she couldn't risk anything happening to her baby, not after everything they had been through.

He was safe inside her. She didn't have to worry about how to fold a nappy correctly while he was simply a floating idea in her womb. Once he came out it would be chaos. She would like to enjoy a bit more peace. She may have been pregnant for the past nine months but she wasn't yet sure she was ready to be a mum.

"But Claire what I need you to do is push." Kate stated her face shiny with sweat. "Do you think you could do that for me?"

Claire raised herself up, keeping herself stable with her hands planted on the ground behind her. She looked over to where Charlie and Jin sat. Jin showed her a reassuring smile; he was a shadow of the man who had frightened her so. Charlie also fixed a smile to his pale face. It didn't have the same effect, not while his eyes still held so much worry. He nodded and she returned the gesture before looking back to Kate.

When she heard her son wail a joyful laugh released from within her. An incredible weight was lifted from her lungs. She was released. Her muscles relaxed. She reached forward, finally she held her son. She held him close to her chest. She found herself breathless but she couldn't stop herself from laughing. She had never felt a joy like this before.

"I have a son, I have a son." She repeated, letting the reality engulf her.

She heard Kate laughing. She followed Kate's eyes to Charlie and Jin. They were jumping and laughing. She became aware of the tears streaming down her face. She didn't think she could have imagined anything better. Even with her child screaming in her ear this was the best moment of her life.

Over time Claire had become adjusted to the life of her and Aaron against the world. She had given up hope and therefore gotten used to her situation. She didn't look for a break in isolation. There were no strangers with friendly faces; she didn't look for them anymore. It was a struggle from week-to-week to keep her and Aaron alive. She didn't know if she could be happy like this. There were times when she felt happy. But most of the time she didn't float, she struggled against the current. What little good luck she'd once had was now officially gone.

Claire couldn't stop the flow of tears. It had been years since she had cried. There had been no reason to cry before this. Even without Aaron and only the comfort of her own skin she hadn't felt like crying. Up until now she had always had her faith to restrain her emotions overwhelming her.

Her faith in Locke had kept her from giving up. Locke (or rather, the man who now possessed what had once been John Locke) had given her everything she needed. He had supplied her with names to divert her all-consuming hate towards. He had also given her hope. His promises had been the light at the end of the tunnel. She had always been able to continue through her suffering.

Now there was nothing. Nothing to stop the tears. The Others didn't have her son, she couldn't get him back. Locke had lied to her through all of this. She had always called him her 'friend'. He didn't seem like a friend. Neither did Kate, a friend wouldn't take another's child.

Everything had slipped through her fingers. It was all gone. She was lost.

The End.