Author's Note: When I wrote the first chapter of this story in my mind that was all, I didn't consider another chapter. But as I reread it, I saw how another could be written. It looks like this could turn into a multiple chapter story. Thank you for your support and reviews. Here is chapter two of Laria Rose Fawkes.
Chapter Two: Claire's Attempt
Darien was sitting on a park bench when a little girl ran by.
"Careful Laria!" he shouted in the direction she had run. He got up and followed her when she was out of his line of site.
"Daddy!" came a little voice from the swings, "Push me, push me, push me!" she chanted. Darien smiled to himself and walked over to the swings. He gently started her swinging.
After about three pushes she lost interest.
"Daddy stop! I want to play on the slide!"
Darien slowed the swing and Laria jumped off. As she was running across the playground a ball went flying over her head. Laria a saw it and chased after it. It rolled into the street and Laria followed.
"Laria stop!" shouted Darien.
She wasn't listening. Darien saw movement out of the corner of his eye. A car. There was a car coming down the street. Laria was in the way.
"Laria!!!!!!" Darien shouted as he sat up in bed. He was breathing hard, and shaking, a cold sweat covering his body. He looked around. Claire was still asleep beside him.
Darien sighed, wiping tears from his eyes. He had been having these dreams since Laria died. He hadn't told Claire about them. It had been three months since they had lost her. He dreamed almost every night of what she would have been like, a beautiful little girl who looked like her mother, but with his hair and eye color.
He looked at the clock, 3:08am. He slid back under the covers and situated himself next to Claire, who he was glad he hadn't woken with his nightmare.
****
Later that morning, when Darien woke, Claire was already up. He listened. Yep running water, she was in the shower. He stretched and rolled out of bed, coffee being foremost on his mind. He left the bedroom, and walked down the hall. He still wasn't completely used to Claire's house, mainly because it was so much larger that his apartment. But it made more sense for him to move in with her than for her to move in with him.
He realized he had stopped about half way down the hall. He was standing by the closed door of what was the nursery. He and Claire had started decorating it about a month before Laria had made her fateful arrival. They were nearly finished, and as far as he knew, Claire hadn't gone into the room since, and neither had he.
Holding his breath, Darien opened the door. Sunlight was streaming in through the window and into the empty crib. The room was almost finished. The linens for the crib were still wrapped in their packaging, and the nursery rhyme pictures were leaning against the wall, but otherwise the room was ready.
Darien entered the room, looking at the baby supplies, clothing and toys, all of it unused. He didn't know what Claire wanted to do with it. He had no idea whether she wanted to keep it or get rid of it or what.
He picked up a little white teddy bear, one that Bobby had given them while Claire was pregnant.
Darien remembered the day they had told Bobby that Claire was pregnant. The look of shock and betrayal on Bobby's face was hard to take. It had taken some time but eventually Bobby warmed up to the idea. He had really looked forward to being "Uncle Bobby".
Darien swallowed hard to try and keep the tears in his eyes from spilling over. He missed Laria so much, even though he barely got to know her. He and Claire hadn't talked about her since right after she died.
The day of the funeral, when they had gone back to her place, had been the worst. They had sat on her couch for hours, neither of then speaking. The next morning they had woken up there, arms around each other. There was an unspoken bond between them that nothing was going to break.
They had begun talking that day, talking about everything but Laria. They decided he should move in the rest of his stuff since he had only moved in some during the pregnancy. They were together now. It wasn't how Darien had imagined. They weren't lost in love for each other; they were together out of emotional need. They needed each other to survive.
Darien replaced the teddy bear on its shelf and left the room, quietly closing the door. He walked into the kitchen to start the coffee, but Claire had already done so, and was standing at the sink.
"Morning Claire." He said, trying to work the sadness out of his voice.
Claire was silent. Her gaze fixed on some unseen point.
"Claire? What's wrong?" asked Darien concerned.
"I saw you in Laria's room. What were you doing in there?" she said icily.
"I, umm, well, I hadn't been in there…… I was just thinking." He stammered. Why was she so upset he wondered.
"I don't want you to go in there."
"Why?" asked Darien confused.
"She's gone Darien, and nothing is going to bring her back. I don't want to think about her anymore."
Claire had been depressed since Laria died, but Darien had never heard anything like this. What had prompted her sudden denial of Laria's existence? He missed Laria terribly and was sure Claire did as well, but he didn't want to forget about her.
"Claire," he said carefully, "she was my daughter too. I know you hurt, but we can't forget about her."
"Yes, I can, Darien, and I will."
With that remark she left the kitchen. Darien sat at the table, his thoughts swirling into frenzy.
He and Claire had visited Laria's grave every Saturday, which was what today was. Was Claire still going to go?
He heard the front door shut and he called out Claire's name.
"Claire?"
He got up and looked out the window in time to see her drive away. Where was she going? The cemetery was in the other direction. On a hunch he called the Agency. He asked the agent on duty to call him if Claire showed up there, but not to tell her he was checking up on her.
Darien went back to the bedroom showered and dressed. Then he called Bobby.
"Hey Hobbes, how are you?"
"Good. Did you need something Darien?" concern coloring Bobby's voice.
"It's Claire. I think her depression has gotten worse. I was in Laria's room this morning and I guess she saw me, and then in the kitchen she told me she wanted to quit thinking about Laria. She left about a half hour ago, I think she went to the Keep."
"Did you call the agent on duty?" Bobby inquired.
"Yeah, I asked him to call if Claire showed up there. Which reminds me, he hasn't called so I better get off the line. I call you back in ten minutes."
"Ok partner, stay strong."
Hanging up the phone Darien thought about Claire's actions. He assumed she was going to bury herself in her work. Just then the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Agent Fawkes? Ms. Rose arrived about five minutes ago. I was just calling as you asked."
"Thank you." Darien said and hung up the phone.
He paced the floor between the living room and the kitchen. He wasn't sure if he should go after her or not. Maybe she just needed to be alone. However he didn't want to be alone right now, why would she?
Darien picked up the phone again and called Bobby back.
"Hey Hobbes."
"Hey yourself. Did you hear from the Agency?"
"Yeah, she's there."
"Did you want me to take you over there?"
"I don't know, do you think I should go over there? Maybe she needs to be alone."
"Fawkes, that really doesn't sound like the Keeper we all know and love. I think you should go try to talk to her. I'll be at the house in 15 minutes."
"Ok." Darien sighed.
He hung up the phone once more and sat down on the couch and waited.
****
When they arrived at the Agency building, Hobbes claimed he had some paperwork to take care of and went upstairs. Darien headed downstairs towards the Keep.
Darien hovered outside the door, not wanting to disturb Claire if she was working, but not wanting to leave her alone either. He tapped out the entrance code and the door slid open. Darien quietly stepped inside. Claire was at her computer, but she wasn't typing.
"Claire?" asked Darien tentatively. He got no response. "Claire, it's me, Darien." He said walking towards her.
She was sitting in her chair partially hunched over, her eyes fixed on a something in her lap. Her gun. She was holding her gun, her hands delicately wrapped around it, resting in her lap.
"Claire?" Darien tried again. "What are you doing?"
"I don't want to think about her anymore Darien. I want the pain to go away. To go away forever."
With these remarks Claire stood up, facing Darien. She cocked the gun and started to bring it up to her head.
"Claire, no! We can work this out." Darien said urgently.
Claire shook her head and placed the gun against her temple. Without thinking Darien lunged at her and grabbed the gun. A single shot rang out across the Keep.
Bobby was upstairs when he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
He took off running in the direction of the sound, drawing his own weapon. The two other agents on duty joined him. They decided it sounded like it came from the Keep. Fearing the worst, Bobby opened the door and stepped inside.
On the floor in a heap was Darien and Claire. Neither of them was moving. Then there was a small sound. Crying, someone was crying. Bobby walked over to the pair and saw the Claire was crying and Darien was holding her, gently rocking back and forth. Claire's gun was lying on the floor about two feet away.
"What happened Darien?" asked Bobby.
"She was… she was going to… to kill herself." Darien whispered. "I grabbed the gun, she just barely missed."
Claire's crying had turned to pleading.
"Oh Darien, I'm so sorry. I just miss her so much. I want her back. It's not fair. It's not fair. I just want the pain to go away. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."
She continued her litany, even while Darien picked her up and placed her on the examining chair. He looked over her at Bobby.
"Hobbes? Will you find something to give her?"
Bobby walked over to the drug cabinet and found some Valium. He shook out one pill and handed it to Darien, and then went to the sink and got a glass of water.
"Here Claire, take this, you need to sleep now." Darien said soothingly.
Claire didn't protest and took the pill. Darien laid her back on the chair and stroked her hair.
"It'll be ok Claire. It'll be ok."
****
It was three days after Claire's suicide attempt that Darien woke up to find her not in bed. He immediately got up to look for her. He was heading towards the kitchen and he noticed the door to the nursery was open.
He quietly looked inside and saw Claire sitting in the rocking chair, holding the white teddy bear from Bobby. She wasn't crying, she was simply rocking, stroking the teddy bear.
"Claire?" Darien asked gently, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Darien, I'm fine. I wish you would quit asking me that."
"I know. I just don't want to lose you too. Losing Laria was hard enough."
Claire looked up at him, a searching look on her face.
"Darien, I love you," She said, "and I want to stay with you, you're the only one who can understand."
"I love you too, Claire, and yes, I do understand. I miss Laria terribly. I want us to stay together. I love you."
Darien walked over to Claire and sat down in front of her, placing his head in her lap. Claire gently stroked his hair.
"Darien?" Claire questioned tentatively.
"Hmm?"
"I want to try again." She said quietly but quickly. "I feel horrible for wanting to, like I'm betraying Laria, but a part of me wants to be a mother so bad. You don't hate me do you?" fear tinting her voice.
"Oh Claire, of course I don't hate you. I could never hate you. I think Laria would want us to be happy. I want you to be happy, and I want nothing more than to be a father, especially the father of your children."
He looked up at Claire, and for the first time since Laria died, he saw a hint of her beautiful smile.