Disclaimer: Sure, I own Lost. Send me twenty bucks if you believe me.
Okay, quick fluff-fic. Wanted to write something. Set basically a year or something after the crash. Except Charlie's not dead, because YOU DON'T KILL CHARLIE (even though he doesn't appear in this story...) Glad we got that out of the way. Review if you like it!
"How long until he starts talking, do you think?" Kate asked Claire, as the two watched Aaron stumble around the beach. He'd been crawling for a while, and was now taking hesitant steps on both legs.
"I dunno. He's learning to walk already... we've been here so long."
Just then, Aaron came over, and crawled into Claire's lap, sucking one thumb idly.
"Hey, baby," Claire cooed. Kate smiled, though she was feeling just a little envious.
"You wanna start talking, little guy?" Kate asked. He blinked at her. "Well, I'm pretty sure he knows we're talking about him."
"Aaron? Can you say 'mummy'?" Claire asked. He looked at her. "Mumm-ee," she repeated slowly.
He lifted a hand and grabbed at a loose strand of hair. Then he turned and tried to get to Kate.
"Kate," she said. Aaron just stared at her, and went after a lock of brown hair. "I wonder if he's getting a hair fetish," she remarked to Claire.
"Mmm, I've noticed that," Claire murmured. Aaron pulled himself away from Kate and took a few staggering steps along the sand. He fell, but didn't cry. Instead, with a look of seemingly intense concentration, he stood up again.
"Aaron, don't go too far," Claire said. He was only a full-size step from her, but she liked to keep him close.
"Enjoy him at this age," Kate said. "In a few years he'll be all over the place."
"Probably. Sawyer had to bring him back yesterday – he made it all of ten metres."
"I think Sawyer likes him a lot more than he lets on," Kate remarked, smiling. Claire smiled, and reached over, pulling her son back to her. "That's weird, too – Aaron's always trying to get to Sawyer."
"Aaron, try talking. Say mummy. Mummy."
Sawyer could see the two girls chatting and cuddling the baby. He scowled, but it was light-hearted. Thinking about yesterday, he wondered if he should tell Claire...
He'd been reading, though not intently because it was the fiftieth time he'd read this book. He'd heard a movement beside him and started – only to see the damn pipsqueak watching him intently.
"Now how's you get over here?" he asked. Aaron had smiled.
"Sunva," the baby said. Sawyer blinked.
"What's that mean? You want auntie Sun or something?"
"Sunova," Aaron repeated, grinning broadly. This time, Sawyer got it. After an uncomfortable pause, he picked up the baby.
"Let's get you back to your mumma, how about that? And... I wouldn't start talking in front of her."
"Sun-ov-a," Aaron agreed.