Cat Yuy- They make my heart ache too! Thats why I love writing them.
AA Battery- My pleasure!
kristin- Thank you!
Disastered- I didn't know I could even channel Yoda!
karen1-Charlie is the best!
i love charlie- Thanks! I was trying really hard to make sure I used his voice and not my own.
littletoaster- Yours and mine both!
Christina B- They are the best couple!
gavvie- Oops! I will definatly be more careful when I use history in my stories next time.
lostfan-I am so happy that you think I did a good job in channeling Charlie. It was something I worried about very much so.
suspencer- Locke won't be the only one to see the sparks!!!
Christina B-My most loyal reader! Thank you for reviewing me again!
Charlie woke up to the sound of the camp waking up. He could already hear Jack talking to Locke about the days agenda. Charlie looked at his watch and saw that it was already near midday. He had actually gotten a nights rest for the first time in days. He hadn't remembered when he had gone to sleep. Probably sometime after Locke showed him the knots. It might have been the chant for the bowline knot, "Lay the bight to make a hole. Then under the back and around the pole. Over the top and thru the eye. Cinch it tight and let it lie" that did him in. He must have repeated the bloody thing at least a million times through his head. And bamboo lashings were not as forgivable as a rope would have been. In any case, he was glad to have gotten his winks. Stumbling up, Charlie immediatly could feel the rush of dizziness hit him, his eyes blurring the surroundings. His head still hurt. Charlie cursed and swiped his hand over his face. He had hoped the withdrawal would be over by now. Turns out it takes alot longer to get off the drugs than to get hooked on 'em. Just his luck. Shaking the blurriness from his eyes, he stumbled over to the falls to wash the dried sweat off his face. So much for bathing yesterday, Charlie thought, you must look and not to mention, smell awful already. He cupped the water in his hands and splashed it over his face. It felt bloody wonderful. He did it again. Euphoria filled his spirits and Charlie could actually begin to feel his headache leaving him. Wow, he grumbled sarcastically, theres actually something useful about this island.
"Gonna share?" a familiar accent greeted him. Charlies eyes were still stunned with water but with what sight he still had, he knew who addressed him. In beautiful, clean clothing sat Claire, her hair tied back in a side ponytail, donning a fishermans hat. It might have been the drugs but Charlie could feel his heart beating throughout his entire body when he looked at her.
"With you? Never!" Charlie teased, coming back to his senses. She cupped some water in her hands for herself and rubbed it over her face. Charlie couldn't help but stare at her as she did this. If grace could be summed up in one example, Charlie would go down fighting saying that it was Claire. Everything she said, did, and often-times didn't do, was always done with careful, thoughtful precision. Charlie was stunned. He was never precise. He couldn't even spit out a perfectly formed sentence if it were written there right in front of him. Everyone knew that. Perhaps more than he cared for them to.
"I'm going to head to the beach, ya know, to just go and-" Charlie said, trying so hard to not sound as if he were desperate for her to join him and yet knowing that it was painfully obvious. Even Locke knew how he felt for Claire. Geez, was there anything Charlie could do that wasn't obvious?
"Yeah, I've got to head back myself. I was going to wait for Kate but then Jack I guess distracted her..."
"And you wouldn't want to go alone, ya know? Cause, well, that wouldn't be safe."
"Right." The opportunity was dangling there, right in front of him. If only he could just find those words, those perfect words. Charlie gulped down hard and smiled.
"So, uh, well then. Fancy joining me?"
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, would you?"
"Course!" Charlie must have suddenly become inhabited by the spirit of his other, well-mannered self when he found himself standing up, reaching his arm out to this beautiful girl sitting in front of him and expecting her to take it. He had to be completely out of his bloody mind! But there he was and there she was...smiling.
"Lovely." she said and grabbed Charlies hand and put it in hers. "Bump and I are greatly appreciative."
"Not a problem, m'lady." Holy God in heaven! Was he mad?! Did he really just say that? She was going to laugh at him! She was going to tease him!
But she didn't. Instead she continued to hold his hand. Holding his hand. How long it had been, Charlie thought, since a girl held my hand. It must have been at least 8 years ago. Before DriveSHAFT. Girls around DriveSHAFT were never interested in simply holding his hand. All they wanted was, well, to be with the bassist. Never be with just plain old Charlie. Was it possible he had forgotten what it was actually like to hold a girls hand? He reckoned it likely because the entire time Claire held it he kept thinking to himself, 'Should I swing my arm as she holds it? Can I lessen or tighten? I've got a bloody itch, but can I scratch it without her thinking I don't want her holding my hand?' But finally, it was the sound of her voice that interrupted his internal mumblings.
"Charlie, are you okay with this?" Claire said nervously. Charlie turned and looked at her. He must have looked so frightened. He felt frightened. But he didn't know what to say. So he told the truth.
"Its been a long time since a girl held my hand."
"I've been wondering whether or not I should. I wasn't sure whether you had a girl or not back home." Charlie had been thinking the same thing of her. Was she still involved with the father of the baby? Had she another guy she was with, besides the baby's daddy? He couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"Here same." Then he shook himself. "I mean, same here." Here same?! Are you a bloody idiot?! She was sure to run off now. Only she didn't. Claire smiled at him, endearingly.
"No. No, I've been alone for quite some time." Hearing the sadness in those words struck a chord with Charlie. They were words he often time heard himself say only never aloud.
"Your not alone," he said and raised their entwined hands to her stomach, "You have your baby." A look passed over Claires face that frightened him.
"For now, yes." she said, nodding. Charlie's eyes glazed over with a sheen of tears but he kept them hidden. Sadly, he knew what she meant. Everyone knew it. Without being saved, who could promise that Claire's baby would survive? Another frightening thought passed through Charlies mind. Who could promise Claire would survive the birth? His own thoughts were scaring him. He couldn't think like this any longer. He needed to change the subject.
"So when are you going to move into the caves and get off that beach?" A familiar sigh hit Charlies ears. It was the fifth time this week he had asked her.
"Charlie, you are starting to become a nuisance!" she chuckled. Claire smiled at him with her plump, pink lips and her sparkly blue eyes like she knew how much they tempted him. How much he wanted to kiss those lips and be that sparkle in those eyes. Even when she was being brutally honest with him did he feel that warmness rush over him, that urge to take her in his arms and kiss her tenderly til the end of the world.
"Starting?" Charlie asked, playfully. Claire gave a long deep sigh and looked intently in front of her. She must be thinking about it, he thought, and I hope she says yes. Charlie was starting to worry himself about the feelings he had for Claire. They were so strong, so pure. He hadn't had one pure thought since before DriveSHAFT! He didn't want to sleep with her, he didn't want anything from her. He just wanted to be there for her, to see her smile at him, and more than all else, he wanted her to be safe. Charlie knew he wasn't exactly boyfriend material, seeing as how he hadn't had a steady girlfriend for 8 years or so and that right now he could never be a father figure. But he wanted to be. And he believed he could be. For her.
"Your not going to stop asking me, are you?" she asked him, breaking his thoughts. Charlie smiled mischieviously at her.
"What do you think?"
"I love that beach, but-" Charlie began to plead her with his eyes, "fine. I will move into the caves. It'll be better for the baby anyway." Charlie couldn't help his glee. He hopped in the air and grinned foolishly at her. Claire giggled.
"Thats right and hey, all the boar you can eat. A bloody boar buffet!" he added.
"Mmmm," she moaned, "I guess when you put it that way, how could a girl resist!?"
Charlie smiled, feeling quite proud of himself.
"This is alright," he said, squeezing her hand and swinging it happily. "Ya know?"
"Yeah..." Claire said softly, "It is." Charlie must have had the dumbest smile on his face. But they were alone. Just the two of them. On an island! God, how many dreams had Charlie had of being stranded on a deserted island with a beautiful girl with little hope of being rescued? It was every Playboy readers ultimate fantasy! And yet, now here he was, stranded with that beautiful girl and all the things he had imagined he would be doing right now were the farthest things from his mind. Was he actually turning into a gentlemen? Banish the thought...
The two of them exited the jungle and were greeted instantly with questions. It was Boone. He had some things that he wanted to talk to Jack about but that Charlie obviously was incapable of answering. Charlie wished he could be the guy everyone thought Jack was. Well, sometimes. At least when it meant he could impress Claire.
"So you don't have any idea where Jack is?" Boone asked for the third time, making Charlie angry.
"No, I already told you, man. The last time I saw him he was with Locke. He could be anywhere by now." Boone rolled his eyes at Charlie and turned to Claire.
"Do you know?" he asked her, a tad incredulous.Claire just shook her head. Charlie had had enough and he was seconds away from letting Boone know it before Jack all of sudden appeared from behind them.
"Jack!" Charlie said, surprised. Claire looked at Charlie, Charlie looked at her. Had Jack been following them? Before Charlie could spit out his questions, Boone was already on a roll with his. Bloody American.
"Charlie, lets go." Claire spoke up, touching his arm to prod him away. But Charlie's blood was boiling. He never liked Boone. And now he had treated Claire badly. Plus making him feel useless by not knowing where Jack was and then insinuating that he did and that he just wasn't telling him.The guy just incredibly irked him through and through. And Claire knew it.
"Yeah." Charlie grumbled as he let Claire lead him away. If there was one thing Charlie couldn't stand about this island, it was now that Boone was on it. Usually Charlie liked to stay pretty laid back about things, not to like or dislike things but to just be fine with everything. And for awhile, he was fine with Boone. Until he ticked him off. Who did that guy think he was? Charlie frowned. 'Yeah, well, who are you?' he thought to himself, remembering all too well that he really was as useless as everyone thought he was. Boone could at least take care of people. Charlie couldn't even take care of himself. How useless was he.
"Charlie, forgot about Boone. He's a jerk." Claire spoke up just before they got to the shore. Charlie sat down and began taking off his shoes while Claire took a sec to catch her breath. He noticed how tired she got now. And how she always was holding her back. If he thought he could carry her around, he would. But that just wasn't possible, least ways not for him.
"Oh him? Nah, already forgot about him."
"Liar. You look like you could ignite into flames."
"He just shouldn't have talked to you like that."
"Like what?"
"'Like what?' Like-" Charlie got up and impersonated Boone by making his shoulders look bigger and squinted his eyes to make him look tough, "I've gotta talk to Jack. Have you seen Jack? Where's Jack?!" Claire laughed, clapping her hands together and giggling.
"You do that well!" she said with a smile, lumbering back to sit down. Charlie smiled down at her contentedly.
"Lots of time on my hands." Charlie said and reached his hand out to her to pull her up.
"Nah, you go in. I think I am just going to sit here for a few minutes. My legs are bloody killing me!"
"You sure?" he said and continued to hold out his hand for her. She smiled.
"Yeah," she squinted up at him, "Go ahead." So Charlie took off his shirt, making sure to catch a look over his shoulder to see if she was looking at him. She was. He charged the water and dove in. Only he was never a graceful diver so he made a great big splash and when he came up from the water, Claire was still watching him and laughing.
"Oh my God, I think I stepped on Nemo!" Charlie joked, staring down in the water and gasping, "Don't worry little fella, I'll save you!!" And so he dove again and again. Claire was in a ruckus, giggling and applauding. "Claire, come on in here! Its so therapeutic!"
Claire stared at him and flopped her arms up.
"Okay, okay. But help me up, will you? I'm like a beached whale here!" Charlie waded back on shore and helped Claire up to her feet and the two of them walked into the water. Claire moaned.
"Oh, Charlie, your right! This D O E S feel good!" she said and proceeded to sit down in the water.
"See, told you." The two of them must have sat in the water for at least an hour, talking and laughing. Charlie forgot all about Boone. How could he think about Boone while he was with Claire?! Claire was definatly more attractive. He chuckled to himself and smiled. This had to be destiny...
To Be Continued!!!!!