Lost belongs to JJ Abrams, Bad Robot and the Others. Claire recalls her feelings surrounding her return as Jack, Sawyer, and Kate are returned by the Others. Post-captivity fic.

June 30th 2006
By Mystic
Lost – Reunited

Sawyer came out of the jungle first. A lost look on his face as he took in all the others on the beach staring up at him in surprise. Claire stood, holding Aaron to her chest and she watched as Jin moved towards the man who raised a hand to his brow, shielding his eyes from the sun. She recognized something in his face before he shook it off and took Jin's hand, a smile threatening to break on his face before he turned back to the jungle and then asked Sun, in a low voice, "They ain't back yet?"

It was daybreak and those who weren't awake before, woke to the commotion. One of them had been returned. Claire's eyebrows lowered. It wasn't that she wanted him to be terrified, or that she wanted him to have no clue as to where he was, or who he was with, but she wondered why he seemed so calm. He talked with Jin, in a sort of sign language, and Claire could make out restraints and shots.

Obvious he had a clear recollection of what had happened. She glanced around at how everyone approached, remembering when she'd returned. Everyone had questions. Questions she couldn't answer. She watched Sawyer shake his head in frustration, watched him turn back before going silent. He didn't want to speak anymore, and when Sayid approached him, began to question him and move towards the jungle, Claire heard something in Sawyer's voice she'd never heard before. Fear.

He pulled Sayid away from the edge of the jungle and shouted, "They'll kill 'em."

The camp fell silent as he walked towards the ocean and pulled off his shirt, diving in to relieve the tension that worked at his shoulders. She remembered that feeling well. Overwhelming. It was the simplest word to describe it. She felt like she had this double burden. Of trying to explain what had happened to a large group of frightened people, and to find her place again amongst all the those people she barely remembered who were asking so much of her.

Claire found a comfortable spot in the shade, away from the others. She diverted her attention and when he stopped over her, dripping wet, she swallowed hard, trying not to look. When she did, he knelt down and touched Aaron's knee, gave her a look of understanding, and left. His tent was just how he'd left it, they made a promise in the camp to leave it undisturbed, because they had to believe he was coming back.

Jack came out as they were preparing the fish Jin caught. His eyes squinted as he looked around and Claire knew he was counting, making sure everyone was still there. Despite everything, he would still be their de facto leader. It calmed her heart a little, to know some things wouldn't change. But when she watched Jack turn towards the jungle, hesitate before taking a step, and then turn away, she knew some things had. She wasn't used to Jack's hesitation, but she understood why he did.

Claire didn't want to be in the jungle after she'd come back. She remembered standing in the middle of the vines and trees, rain pouring down on her as she held her stomach and told herself she'd be fine. Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid and Locke were all around her, protecting her. But her heart thumped in her chest. She was only there because of an ultimatum the Others had given them. She was trying to save everyone by offering herself as bait. Jack's eyes drifted towards the jungle and Claire knew the ultimatum.

Sawyer had made it clear.

Hurley shouted, seeing his friend, and suddenly everyone was on their feat again. Claire expected it for Jack. She watched them lay hands on him like some messiah before he shook his head and started to move away from them all, Hurley at his side. "Where is she, man?" The other man's question was met with a steely gaze, making him drop his head, curls curtaining his face. Jack put a hand on Hurley's shoulder and gave him a squeeze before going towards Sawyer's tent.

Claire could hear them whispering inside, could hear the anger in their voices now. She envied them. At least they'd been held together, they'd shared this experience and together, now, they could deal with it. When she'd come back, she'd felt alone. The only people who approached her were Jack, who wanted to make sure she and her baby were physically alright, and Charlie. Charlie, who she'd watched pump bullet after bullet into another man's chest. And as much as it was supposed to make her feel protected, it frightened her for the longest time.

The boy in her lap slapped his belly, demanding her attention and she gave it to him, questions starting to form in her mind. Her eyes went back towards that spot where the men had emerged and she knew that no one was going in because they didn't want them to. She wondered what had happened, where they'd been, where was Kate? She lifted her head when she heard his long steps in the sand.

He smiled at her, slightly forced, but mostly genuine. "How is he?" Jack asked quietly.

Claire gave him a nod. "Doing well, gaining weight." She didn't ask him if he knew anything about why the Others had wanted her boy. If they still wanted him. She didn't know how to ask. She didn't know if he'd even know the answer.

He looked at her now, nodding his head slowly. "Everyone else?"

She was surprised, him asking status quo from her, but she pressed her lips together and her eyebrows rose as she answered, "Worried about you three, but otherwise fine. Something happened at the hatch, but you'll have to ask Locke about it."

"The hatch," Jack repeated slowly, as if remembering something. He nodded. "Thanks, Claire," he said softly, turning back towards the tent at the edge of camp. Claire watched him walk, watched his eyes dart towards the jungle occasionally, as if waiting for something. Someone.

Everyone was asleep when Kate arrived. Her arms hung limp at her sides for a moment and she stood still, listening to the waves crashing on the shoreline before turning and looking down the beach in either direction. Claire stood slowly, her hand leaving its comfortable spot on Aaron's crib, watching Kate press a hand to her head before her shoulder shook violently with tears. She approached the other woman, touched her elbow gently, and waited as her eyes came up to meet hers.

Claire nodded her head, "He's ok. They both are. Probably fell asleep." Her words were quiet, and she watched Kate's bottom lip tremble as her eyes traveled past her towards the blue tarp.

"They told me to follow the sun and I'd get back." Kate whispered, something broken in her voice Claire recognized. "They told me if I turned around, they'd kill them." She inhaled deeply. "But the sun went down," Kate's words stopped abruptly. "I got lost," she admitted, her eyes welling up.

She started to cry again, this time louder, her hands coming up to try and shield her mouth and Claire moved closer to her, pulling her into a hug. It was all she wanted when she got back, someone to comfort her. She couldn't remember anything about what they'd done to her, but she knew she was terrified of everything. All anyone had were questions and all she wanted was for someone to hold her and tell her everything would be alright, make her believe everything would be alright. The way Kate had when she helped deliver her baby.

The hug was awkward, Kate's arms half folded in front of her before she slowly moved them around Claire. Rubbing her back, Claire whispered into her ear all the words she'd wanted to hear when she'd returned to camp and she heard people waking up, gathering, gasping. Claire heard Jack and Sawyer's footsteps heavy in the sand, rushing towards them. She pulled away from Kate, feeling her hands tighten momentarily at her back, not wanting to let go, but then Jack called her name.

Claire backed away, watching her move forward and clutch his shirt as she looked up into his eyes. "You weren't here…" Kate managed to utter just as he said, "They said they'd kill you if..." Some explanation for why he hadn't gone back for her. She buried herself in his arms, sobbing, and Jack leaned his chin on her head, crying softly with her. Sawyer stood beside them, nothing but relief written across his face.

The walk back to her son was quiet, she knew what would happen now. They'd interrogate them, and unlike herself, she knew they'd have answers, memories. Some part of her was jealous of that, but she had more important things to tend to now. Claire watched Aaron sleeping in his crib, listened as someone approached slowly and smiled up at Sun who sat next to her. "It was good that you waited for her."

Claire nodded slowly, "Someone had to."

Finis