Her first thought is that Aaron is still the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.
The fact that Kate is the one he runs to, the one he joyfully calls "Mommy" in flat American tones, is something she doesn't let herself pontificate over. It does, though, for a second, take her back to her tent on the island, when she told Jin that she'd kill the woman who stole her son.
Jin is dead now, without ever having touched his daughter or heard her cry. Claire hates the tiny part of her that feels gratified about that because he lied to her. That's not who she is any more. Kate told her, over and over. Sawyer did as well, once or twice, when she panicked an hour after lift-off and went round the plane rummaging around for a parachute.
"A body might get to their lowest point, but they don't got to stay there, Betty," he drawled. She wished the hand on her shoulder belonged to Jack. "Not if they really don't want to." He glanced at Kate then.
Claire never found out who Betty is because she didn't see the point in asking. He was already out of the conversation. A short time later, as he fussed over Kate's bandages, he called her "Veronica" and, after looking in Claire's direction, she laughed and couldn't seem to stop.
"Ain't *that* funny," he muttered, touching her forehead with the backs of his fingers. "You're dumb from blood loss."
"I'm fine," she said, swatting him away. "Shut up. You're worrying Claire."
Claire remembers being faintly shocked when Sawyer and Kate parted ways at the airport and Kate just walked back to her as if he wasn't part of the equation.
As Kate squeezes Aaron with her eyes closed, Claire pulls at her hair. It's never been short before. She isn't sure if it suits her. It's especially hard to decide because she can't give herself more than a passing glance in the mirror. But there wasn't much choice. Besides, Kate said she looked great.
Sawyer did the same, right before he glared at the Chinese fella and told him to say something nice. "Trendy," Miles said, shrugging. "Very L.A. You'll fit right in."
They all act like she intends to stay in America. Why would she want to do that? Is Kate calling all the shots? What is Kate's job anyway? Does she even have one?
What would she say if Claire announced she was taking Aaron back to Sydney?
As though he can read her thoughts, Aaron looks right through her. Christ, he has Thomas's eyes. She was half-hoping he'd look like Charlie, like the island fixed that the same way it did for Rose and her cancer.
Maybe he would hate her if she took him away from his life here. He's just old enough to be forming memories that will stay with him forever, so she has to think about things like that.
"H-hi," she says. "Hello, Aaron. Baby." The leaden feeling in her stomach is spreading throughout her entire body, locking her feet in place. She reaches out to touch his hand and he pulls away, retreating further into Kate's embrace.
She breathes in deep in spite of the cold, dense feel of her lungs. "I... I'm your mum."