Hey everybody! Here is the next chapter - there's appearances by Jack, Kate, and more of Liam in this one. :) Without further ado, please enjoy this chapter. Thanks so much to every single person who reviewed!
Claire sat on the couch long after Charlie went to bed that night. Charlie had asked her if he could sleep with Aaron. That made Claire laugh.
She went in to check on them after they'd fallen asleep.
It was one of the oddest things she'd ever seen – a rock star fast asleep, with a newborn baby in his arms.
She laughs, remembering how peaceful they looked.
Just then, there's a hard knock on the apartment door.
Claire's eyes widen, but she stands, and swings the door of the flat open.
There stands a man with bloodshot eyes, messy hair, and dirty teeth.
"Hey there," he says, "Knew my baby brother would ditch that pregnant girl. Ha! All the sodding talk bout being a family man now – bloody rubbish. So where is he?"
"Excuse me, but who exactly are you?" Claire replies, knowing that the "pregnant girl" he mentioned was her.
"Liam Pace – don't you recognize me? I'm a famous rock star," he drawls, stepping into the apartment.
"Please leave my apartment," Claire says firmly.
"Aww, now you don't want that, do you blondie?" Liam asks, stepping closer to her, "How about a kiss?"
"Charlie!" Claire screams, "Charlie!"
"He won't help you," Liam says, his head lolling ever-so-slightly to the side, "We always share…"
"Liam!" Charlie yells, pushing his brother to the wall, "You get away from her!"
"Now, now, baby brother, don't get touchy," Liam replies.
"Liam, you're drunk and you're high, and I want you out of my apartment and away from Claire, or I will call the police!" Charlie snarls, and then, still holding Liam against the wall, he turns to Claire, "Claire, go into the bedroom and stay with Aaron."
Claire nods wordlessly, and leaves the room, almost hyperventilating.
"So, where's the pregnant one, eh, Charlie?" Liam asks, his words slurring together.
"That was the pregnant one Liam, and her name is Claire. Now get out of my flat," Charlie says, pushing Liam towards the door.
"C'mon, baby brother," Liam says, "Karen doesn't want me anymore – and 'cuz of family ties, y'know, I thought for sure I could come to you…"
"Well you can't, ok Liam? I've got Claire and Aaron to look after now and I can't take care of a burnout! Even if you are my brother," Charlie says reluctantly.
"You always were the nice one, Charlie," Liam says, "I was sure you'd be the one to help out a brother in need…"
Liam turns to go, but Charlie grabs his shoulder.
"Listen, Li, I'll pay for your rehab…please get better Liam, you're ruining your life!" Charlie pleads.
"What about you? Does she know about the drugs, baby brother?" Liam leers.
"I'm getting clean, Liam," Charlie says angrily, "I've done it before – I mean, uh, never mind."
As he walks out of the apartment, Liam tosses a small baggie at Charlie.
"For when you give up with this 'I'm getting clean' business," Liam sneers, and leaves.
Charlie looks down, only to see a small baggie of heroin in his hand.
"What did he want?" Claire asks when Charlie comes back into the bedroom. She's curled up in the corner, holding Aaron closely to her.
"I don't rightly know," Charlie says, stuffing the heroin deeper into his pocket. He'll throw it away later, when she's less shaken up. She doesn't have to know about that.
"Was that – was that your brother, Charlie?" she asks, her voice tentative and childlike.
"Yeah, that's Liam," Charlie says, shuffling his feet awkwardly.
"Will he be back?"
"Let's hope not," Charlie says, sitting down next to her, putting his arm around her, "Listen Claire, I'm going to take care of you, ok? Don't worry about him."
"Charlie?"
"Yeah, love?"
"Can you grow your hair out again? Please? For me?"
"Sure, love," Charlie says, laughing.
"Like how it was on the island, Charlie?"
He just smiles and nods, and kisses the top of her head.
"I'm the luckiest bloke in the world," Charlie says in a tone of wonder.
"And the only one who would like a girl with a baby," Claire says, her voice almost cynical.
"You and Turnip Head are the best things that ever happened to me, Claire," he says, pulling her and Aaron onto his lap.
The next day, the doorbell rings again, while Charlie, Claire, and Aaron are sitting on the couch talking together.
Claire freezes up instantly.
"Is it him?" she whispers.
"I'll go find out," Charlie says, "Stay here."
He goes to the door, and pulls it open.
"Jack?" Charlie says, then starts to yell, "Claire, Claire, get over here, it's Jack!"
"Hey Charlie," Kate says, stepping out from behind Jack.
"And Kate, Claire!" Charlie yells.
"Hey man," Jack says, giving Charlie a quick hug, "It's been a while."
"Yeah if you think a while was a few days ago, Jack," Charlie says, laughing, "Remember, bloody big church?"
"We missed you guys," Kate says, giving Claire a hug as she comes to the door with Aaron, "How's Aaron?"
"He's fine, great," Claire replies.
"Are you joking, Claire? He's bloody brilliant!" Charlie says, looking at Aaron with fatherly pride, "Few days old and loves us already."
"Come on in," Claire says, shaking her head at Charlie's description of Aaron.
Jack and Kate walk into the apartment.
"Sorry it's a bit of a mess – we're still straightening everything out," Charlie says apologetically.
"I'm guessing this was Charlie's place," Jack says, glancing around.
"How did you know?" Claire asks, faking shock.
"Do you want to come over to our place for dinner?" Kate asks Claire, "We've got a nice house – Jack's old house…"
"That'd be great," Claire says, and then looks over to where Charlie is talking with Jack, "Hey Charlie, Kate wants us to come over to their place for dinner."
"Sounds brilliant," Charlie says.
"Well then let's go," Jack says, and they leave the apartment.
So what did you think? I'm sorry to all the Liam lovers out there for making him so villainous - he'll get better, I promise. And also, next chapter will have an appearance by another pairing of Lost characters - guess who? Anyways, review and tell me what you thought, who else you want to see, what you want to happen...just review! Love always, Lily
