Chp 4
"Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life."
Lord Of The Flies
-William Golding-
"I think I hear Christian crying," Jack said but Juliet just moaned and clung tighter to him in sleep.
"I'll get it," Claire cried from the hallway before entering the nursery. Christian was wailing uncontrollably as she tried to soothe him before her eyes traveled to her son's empty cot.
"Aaron?" she called, her heart racing, "Aaron!"
She frantically called for her son, running back out into the hall before noticing the door to the playroom slightly ajar.
"Aaron," she called again, this time in a fearful whisper, pushing the door wider. A gusty cold wind blew over her as she entered the near empty room. In the centre of the floor, sat her son, eyes wide and head tilted up. His back was facing the door but from where Claire stood it seemed as if he was looking at something. No, Claire shook her head, not something, someone. Aaron laughed and raised his hands up to the empty space, as if listening to a voice, wanting them to pick him up.
"Aaron!" Claire cried, "How did you get in here?"
Suddenly the room grew even colder, angry, and she shivered from the ice running through her veins as she quickly lifted her son. He struggled in her arms as Christian could still be heard outside. She held him tight and marveled at his warm body, speeding him out of the room. Christian's sobs immediately ceased.
"Aaron stop wriggling," she told her child before closing the door when he started screaming.
"Aaron be quiet! What's wrong with you?"
"Can't a man get any peace and quiet around here?" Sawyer whined as he stepped out of the guest room in his low slung jeans and nothing else.
Claire's eyes grew wide, "Sawyer?"
"Yeah Mama," he said pushing the hair from his sleep filled eyes, "What's all the hollering eh little man?" he asked taking Aaron from her arms.
"He was in the playroom, I don't know how, I thought the door was shut when I went to bed last night."
"Got a curious kid on your hands, that'll be trouble," Sawyer said smiling at the boy.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack demanded having come to investigate the commotion.
"Long time no see Doc," Sawyer said.
"Are you the one Locke was talking about?" Jack asked.
"Locke?"
"Yeah Locke. He said he wasn't the only one here from the island, I should have known you'd be," he said but was cut off.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I ain't seen the Great White Hunter since we got off the island," Sawyer spat.
"Then what the hell are you doing in my house," he said before looking at Claire half undressed, "Oh no."
"Jack," Juliet said from behind him, "It's not what you think. I asked him to stay last night."
"You what?"
"He was upset and it was late, he slept in the spare room, didn't you James?"
Sawyer grinned at the two of them as Aaron clung to his neck. Jack let out a frustrated sigh.
"I don't have time to argue this now," he said giving Juliet a glare, "I'm going to give Christian his bottle then I've got to head out to work."
"Okay Jack," Juliet said calmly.
"Don't forget the gala tonight," he told her.
"I'm just going to finish getting dressed and go pick up our clothes at the cleaners."
Jack grunted before heading downstairs to the kitchen with his baby. Juliet gave Sawyer a wink and a smile before going back to her room.
"Gala?" Sawyer asked Claire.
"Oh some anonymous guy donated a huge amount to Jack's hospital for a new spinal injury wing or something. They're having some big thing tonight to reveal who it was," she said before taking Aaron back into her arms.
"You going too?" he asked her giving her body a quick scan. She looked cute, he thought, standing there in her tank and boy short pajamas.
"Me? Nah, not really my thing, you know?"
"Yeah," he nodded, "I guess I should get going before Jack bursts an artery."
"Say Sawyer," she said stopping him.
"Yeah Little Mama?"
"Why don't you come over later, for dinner? Nothing fancy, just something I can fix up."
"I don't know," he started.
"Oh come on, Jack won't be here. That is if that's what you're scared of," she teased.
"I ain't scared of anything," he insisted.
"So I'll see you at 7 then?"
"Alright then," he said.
She gave him a smile before turning towards her room. Aaron looked over her shoulder at the closed door of the playroom; his arm outstretched aching to reach it.
….
"You look beautiful tonight," Jack whispered to Juliet as his hand rested on the back of her chair. She giggled slightly.
"So sexy, in that tight, black dress," he pressed on.
"Jack," she said trying to hush him, "We're in the middle of dinner. You're supposed to be listening to the speeches."
Jack groaned, "I'd much rather be listening to you moan my name."
Juliet's cheeks coloured.
"Come on, let's ditch this place, go find somewhere dark and secluded," he pleaded.
"Shh, they're about to reveal the donor."
Jack nibbled at her neck, ignoring her pleas to stop.
"We are honoured to announce the name of the man who so generously donated 23 million dollars towards the new spinal wing…."
"Jack stop," Juliet insisted as his hand slipped behind her chair and stroked the small of her back. At this rate he'd have her running anywhere he pleased, doing anything he pleased.
"Please join me in a warm round of applause in welcoming Mr. Hugo Reyes to the stage."
Jack and Juliet froze in their seats. "Did they just say," Jack asked looking up from Juliet's neck.
She nodded and starred straight ahead as Hurley took to the podium.
