Thanks for the reviews :P
Baudelaire7 – as always. I love you:P Ohhhhooo, that's not the end of the plan, not even close ;) Yes…this story is kind of borderline strange. Slowly it crosses over.
msmith4825 – Yay! Someone got my OC reference :P I'm not really a Shooner as much as a "kill-Shannon-instead-of-Boone-er"
Charmgirl – Yay! New reviewers… I always wonder how many people read this story, in reality.
This is quite a non-action-really chapter, just Claire having her baby. I've never had a baby, geez, I'm only 14, and I hope I dun have one for another ten years. But I did research it a lot, so I hope I got everything right :P
Disclaimer : I don't own LOST, thought if I did, Anna Lucia would DIE! I just really don't like her…
Enjoy!
P.S. R&R! If you dun know how, it's on the bottom of the page, and just click go! Plz?
10.10 Birth
"Charlie, Charlie, its my baby," Claire said, near tears. She couldn't have her baby on this godforsaken island! What if there was something wrong with him? What if it needed some special medication? What if it died, or she couldn't get it out right? She couldn't have the baby, not here! He breath began to quicken, her body beginning to quiver. It couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. He stomach contracted, and she took a sharp breath in.
"Claire, Claire, Claire," Charlie repeated her name until she finally snapped out of wherever she'd gone and looked up at him. "What do you mean, you're having a baby?"
"My baby, it's coming. Charlie, I can't do this!" she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, trying to find reassurance.
"Why are you having a baby?" Charlie asked, his brain not computing. Claire was having a baby?
"Charlie, I'm pregnant! I'm having my baby," Claire said desperately. This wasn't helping at all.
"Oh, right… OH! Oh my God! You're having a baby!" Charlie looked at her bulging stomach, and down to the ground with the "water" was dripping. He finally understood. She was having a baby. On the island. No hospital around her.
"Charlie, help me! I can't do this!" Claire looked at Charlie, begging for his help. She needed him, she needed to lean against him. He always made her feel safe, and she needed in now more then ever.
"Claire," Charlie pushed her gently down so that she was sitting on the ground, "we can do this. You can do this. We just need some blankets, towels, water, scissors to cut that thingy…"
"I need Jack," Claire said suddenly.
Jack would be nice, Charlie thought, but then remembered no one knew where he was. "We don't need Jack, we can do this on our own. It'll be easy." Jack was probably off in the forest far far away, not a chance in the world that he would be able to deliver Claire's baby. "We need what, some blankets and cold water. Scissors to cut the thingy. And it's supposed to cry when the head pops out, right?"
Claire looked into Charlie's eyes. He had no idea what he was doing. Charlie reached the same conclusion within seconds.
"We need Jack," he sigh.
"But dude, Jack's-"
"Only a few minutes away. Hurley, stay here with Claire, and I'll be right back with Jack on my heels," Charlie quickly interrupted, praying for a miracle. There was no harm telling a little white lie, was there?
"Dude…"
Charlie bolted before Hurley could protest. How the hell was he going to find Jack?
Hurley looked helplessly after Charlie. He was no good with this kind of stuff. He looked at Claire who stared at him. With those big, scared eyes. He had to say something. Anything. She looked like she was going to cry.
"So… Looks like your going to have a baby…"
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"JACK!" Charlie yelled, feeling his voice get hoarse. He was going to regret this in the morning.
"JACK!" he yelled again, jumping over a log just visible in the creepy pre-dawn light. What did he think he was doing, telling Claire that he would be able to get Jack for her? It was impossible. Doctors were never around when you needed them the most.
"JACK! GET THE BLOODY HELL OVER HERE!" he continued to shout and run, hoping against hope that someone would hear him, someone who actually knew how to deliver a baby.
"Watch out!"
He heard it, but didn't have time to resister the meaning in his brain. His legs caught underneath him on something, knocking out his breath, his arm smacking into something solid, a quiet crack sounding out. He flew forward, face planting on a fallen log. He somersaulted once, and landed hard on his back, arms and legs twisted randomly.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"What the bloody hell just happened?" Charlie muttered to himself.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Danoso whined, holding her face. Charlie's elbow had connected with her eyeball, as well as her nose. They were both on fire, blood coming out of her nose, her eye pressed shut.
"Charlie?"
Charlie moved his head, looking up to find Boone.
"Are you okay?" he asked, Jack attending to Danoso.
"I think so…" Charlie tried moving his fingers, then his arms, then his toes and his legs. "Nothing seems broken, I think I'll be good… who'd I run into again?"
Boone extended his hand, Charlie grabbing onto it firmly. "You pulverized Danoso. Poor kid, I think you broke something." The both looked to where Jack was trying to help Danoso from her position on the ground.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," Danoso kept repeating, her head tilted back and her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Just do that and you should be fine," Jack reassured, almost laughing.
"Fanks, I'w keep fat in miwd," Danoso answered, her head tilted back as far as it could go.
"Oh, wow. I'm sorry," Charlie said, suddenly feeling guilty.
"Fhat's oh-kay." Danoso smiled awkwardly. Jack took the edge of his shirt and wiped some blood away from her face.
"It should stop soon," he said, turning to Charlie. "So why were you running through the forest to find me?" he asked.
"Right, um, Jack, I, uh…" Charlie suddenly felt his throat closing up for some reason. He was curious to where Jack had been. His face was all dirty and scuffed up, and he looked worn out.
"I think Claire's having her baby," he choked out.
"Fhat's not goof," Danoso said, standing up, continuing to pinch her nose.
"Where is she? Is she having contractions? How far apart are they? Has her water broken yet? Do you know how much her v-"
"Jack, stop right there. I'm not a bloody doctor. Her pants were all wet, and she told me that she was having her baby. I ran to find you. I have not bloody idea what I'm doing, but I can show you where she is." Charlie pointed the way he came, and Jack started off towards it as fast as he could.
"Boone, could you get me hot water and some towels, and bring them to where Claire is?"
"But…" Boone looked at Danoso. Everything was screwed up. What about the Others?
"Go," Danoso said with a nod, and started following Jack and Charlie, her nosebleed subsiding slowly. Boone took off, running as fast as he could.
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It was surprising how fit one could get running through the jungle at top speed 10 times a day. Boone jumped over rocks and tree roots instinctively now, thinking he might try a couple of inner-city competitions once, if ever, he got home. He neared the beach camp, the dots of people getting more and more frequent. Some who where up to date with the news shot him surprised and curious looks as he passed. He spotted Shannon coming up.
"Hey Shan, Bye Shan," he breathed, passing her quickly.
"Hey," Shannon raised her head quickly to show that she was listening and dropped it again. She was too angry with Boone to talk to anyone. She snapped her head up almost instantly. Boone?
Boone slid to a stop, in front of Sawyers tent, almost wiping out on the sand. He ran inside and dropped to his knees. He thrashed around, looking for anything that Jack had asked him to get. A towel, Scissor, Hot water, and… was there anything else? He grabbed random items and threw them into a pile he was making.
"Boone?" Shannon stuck her head inside the tent. "Boone!" she yelled, ready to start up a rant.
"Shannon, go get me some hot water in this," he said, ignoring her tone and throwing a plastic pot at her.
She caught it stunned. He didn't even look at her. "No! You go get it you lazy bum! Why do you think I would get it for you anyways? Learn to do things yourself! Don't stop now!" she threw the pot back at Boone and it hit him in the head.
"Shannon!" he shouted, grabbing the pot and walking up to her. "I know you're mad at me, but please, not now? Claire's having her baby, and I need you to go and fill this up with hot water for Jack." He left her and picked up the various items he'd piled in the middle, shoving them unceremonious into a bag lying on the ground.
"Claire's baby? You guys found Jack?" Shannon asked, standing in the same spot.
"GO!" Boone yelled, and she scampered off. There was time for sibling battle later. Right now he had to get to Jack.
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"Claire, you have to breathe, okay? How far apart are you're contractions? I need you to lay back," Jack instructed, pushing her onto her back. He signaled to Charlie.
"What?" Charlie asked, stopping his fidgeting for the time being. Claire was having a baby. Claire was having a baby. Claire was having-
"…so I need you to support her back… Charlie!" Jack shouted. Charlie shook his head and sat behind Claire. Jack leaned Claire against Charlie, and Charlie held her shoulders. Claire reached up for his hand and he gave it willingly. She squeezed it tightly.
"Claire, did your water break while you were sitting down, or when you stood up?"
"Uh, when I stood up, but I didn't feel anything." Charlie nodded behind her.
"How close together are your contractions?" Jack asked. Danoso stood to the side, watching the scene. She'd never seen a baby be born before.
"I don't know, uh, maybe, maybe, oh!" Claire squeezed Charlie's hand.
"What's happening, are you okay?" Charlie looked at Jack. "What's happening?"
"She's having a contraction." He looked down at his watch, and silence surrounded the four of them. Hurley coughed.
Charlie felt the pressure relieve on his hand. "I think it's done," he said quietly, and Claire nodded tiredly.
"65 seconds. How long have you been having the contractions for?" Jack asked stone-faced. He was in doctor mode now.
Claire looked down.
"How long Claire?" Jack repeated.
"A little after Boone left with Danoso," Claire said shyly. She was so stupid.
"First time or second time?" Danoso asked, glad she could help with something.
"Um…"
"Was it still light out?"
Claire thought back. "Yeah, it was light out."
Danoso quickly calculated in her head. "Eleven hours. It's been about eleven hours since we left. The first time."
"Are the contractions getting stronger?" Jack asked.
"Yes, they-" Claire took another breath and squeezed Charlie's hand again.
"It's happening again!" he shouted. "This is normal, right?" he asked. Danoso looked at him and shook her head. "What?" he asked rhetorically. Claire lightened her grip on his hand. "I think she's done." He looked at Jack.
"60 seconds. And two and a half minutes apart. Claire, how much have you dilated?"
Claire looked blankly at him.
"How much has your… spread?" Jack asked., his cheeks reddening. No time to be shy, he reminded himself.
"I, don't know…"
Jack took a breath. Nurses were supposed to do this kind of stuff, not male spinal surgeons.
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"How's it going?" Boone asked breathlessly. He ran as fast as he could with a pot full of boiled hot water through the woods after convincing Shannon that she didn't have to come along, that he would be fine, and that they didn't need her help.
"You just missed the best part," Danoso said sarcastically, disgusted.
"Dude… that was so not cool." Hurley wiped his chin, and Boone looked repulsively at him.
"Did you just…hurl?" he asked.
"Oh, grow up you two. I'm a doctor." Jack's ears were tinged with red, and he was semi-blushing.
Boone looked over at Claire, who was gasping for breath, Charlie reassuring her with a shaky, "Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe, I'm doing it right? Right? Okay," once he received a nod from Jack. "Breathe, breathe…"
"What happened?" Boone asked, setting down the items he'd collected from Sawyer tent on the ground beside Jack.
"You really don't want to know," Danoso muttered, walking in a circle and then taking a seat on the grass.
Jack shook his head and ignored her. "Claire, don't over exuberate yourself. Just push nice, slow, and controlled, okay?" Claire nodded shakily and grasped Charlie's hand again. Charlie set off in another chorus of "Breathes."
"Claire," Jack started. "I think- I think I can see the head." He smiled, looking up at Claire. Claire broke into a smile mixed with a sobbing laugh. She felt another contraction, and held Charlie's hand harder.
"Can you see him? Can you?" he asked excitedly. Jack ignored him, focused on delivering the baby without any hitch.
"Danoso, can you see him?" Danoso looked up alarmed.
"I'm all the way over here, how in the world would I be able to see him?" Danoso asked.
"Charlie-" Claire gasped, and Charlie resumed his "Breathes."
"Just a couple more Claire, you're almost there," Jack encouraged, and Claire pushed. He put his hands underneath the blanket flap they'd created over her knees. "I can feel the head Claire, your almost there." Despite himself, Jack was getting excited. Claire was finally having her baby.
Claire pushed harder, and Charlie felt it on his hand. He winced slightly; sure she would break something sooner or later.
"Okay, Claire, the shoulders are out," Jack said, presumably supporting however much was out of Claire's body. "It should be easier now, the hardest parts done." Jack smiled up at the two of them, Claire and Charlie.
"Can you see him?" Charlie asked again, a grin plastered on his face. Claire suddenly dug her nails into his hand.
"Almost there…" Jack whispered, and with one final push, the tiny infant came out of Claire's body, supported by Jack's hands. Jack tenderly cut the umbilical cord, and tied both ends off. Claire struggled to look over her legs to see what Jack was doing, but she was too tired, and gave up, leaning on Charlie.
"What is it?" she asked in a small voice.
"It's a boy," Jack said with a smile, and Charlie grinned. Danoso got up and walking slowly over, followed by Boone and a reluctant Hurley.
"He's so cute," she commented with a borderline squeal.
"He looks like a prune," Hurley said in disgust. Danoso slapped him on the arm.
"Is he… okay? Why isn't he crying," Claire asked, close to crying herself.
"Give it a second." Jack waited. The truth was, he didn't know why the baby wasn't crying. Maybe he did something wrong… His heart started beating faster, and cold sweat formed on his forehead in an instance. What was wrong?
"Jack…" Charlie said, confused.
"Is he…" Danoso came closer, and took the baby from Jack's arms without thinking. It was tiny, and his head fit in her hand handsomely. The body was the size of a doll. Its eyes were swollen shut, and bits of things were hanging off of it, coating it in a sickly paste. Then he screamed, so suddenly and loudly that she almost dropped him.
"Jack!" she yelled, panicked. Her hands started shaking and Jack quickly took him away from her.
"Shhh," he said, trying to sooth the baby. "Here," he gave the baby to Claire, and she cried, Charlie behind her, grinning ear to ear.
"Oh my God…" Claire said, smiling, holding the baby close, but not squishing him. He balled up his fists, and screamed. "What a precious little thing you are," Claire cooed. Charlie extended his hand to the newborn. With a tiny finger, the baby took Charlie's finger, wrapping his whole fist around it. Claire looked up at Charlie and smiled, putting her head in-between his shoulder and neck, resting it there.
"Really loud, tiny thing, isn't it?" Boone said into Danoso's ear. Danoso tried to suppress a laugh but it turned into a snort.
"Jack? Jack!" Jack turned around to see who was calling him. Danoso, Boone and Hurley shook their heads simultaneously.
"I'm over here?" Jack yelled uncertainly into the woods.
Walt came out of the trees, and stooped, bending over, hands on his knees. "Jack! I finally found you. Where've you been?" he asked.
"Around, what is it?" Danoso answered quickly. The last thing they needed is for everyone to know what happened with Jack.
"Its, there are people. Coming here. There are people coming." He said breathlessly.
TBC…
-LOST-
Cohen101