Desmond felt like a bloody fool. How could I have screwed things up so royally? his mind inquired as he watched Charlie and Claire argue from afar. It was really a one sided confrontation, with Claire screeching repetitive questions and Charlie stammering to come up with reasonable answers. And how could he? Wasn't the poor rock star's fault that I couldn't let the situation alone, he thought miserably. But how to tell Claire that? He'd seen the way Claire fumed in his direction upon their return to the beach. He would have gone right over to apologize if not for the fact that Kate and Sawyer, now joined at the hip it seemed, were steadily approaching the camp. So he had retreated like the coward he was to his tent. Always running, from one blasted thing to the next. Well it stops now, he resolved silently as he retreated inside his tent, resigned to an early and sleepless night.
And it was a restless night indeed. The sounds around him seemed to be magnified and bent on keeping Desmond awake as he stared at the wood and tarp above. Burying his fists into his eyes he wished desperately that Penny were there to comfort him. Penny or anybody for that matter. He had felt alone before, in his resolve to train for the race, on the sailboat, even confined in the hatch. But this was different. He had a goal back then, even if it was a silly one. But now what? He had been reduced to listlessly longing for someone who couldn't possibly return the sentiment. And in the process he had even hurt the person he had cared for. And what are you doing about it? his mind viciously asked. Absolutely nothing. A path I might as well stick to. You've messed things up, true, but you won't be the one to make them worse he decided as he slowly began to sleep in the earlier hours of the morning. However, the little part of his brain in the back of his head knew otherwise. And deep down Desmond knew it too.