Charlie had drifted off into dreams. Beautiful dreams. He hadn't had a good dream in a long time. But in his dream, it was only Claire and him. And they were swimming. And she was telling him about how hard her life had been. And he told her everything. Everything. And he felt so good about himself after telling her. It was like he had exfoliated his soul. Charlie chuckled. Okay, bad analogy. He looked around himself. He was still lying against the cavewall. But Claire wasn't there. He looked around. He saw Locke sitting on a log outside and called out to him.
"Looking for Claire?" Locke asked before Charlie could even ask the question. He nodded. Locke smiled, "She is over there." he replied, pointing towards the Doctors cave entrance. Charlies bones chilled over.
"She's over there?" he asked, fear incumbent in his voice. Doctors meant it was time. Time meant baby. Baby meant everything Charlie had feared and hoped for.
"Yup." Charlie knew Locke was purposely not giving him any information on purpose. And it angered him. He knew it would kill Charlie to have ask him if it was time. He knew Charlie was racked in fear. He knew Charlie was a coward.
"Is it-?" Charlie said stumbling to his feet. His back ached. How long had he slept? He looked into the sky, past the tree canopy. It was near nightfall. He went to brush the dirt from his pants when he realized his hands were trembling. Geez, Charlie, your acting like it were your baby.
"Son, I think its safe to say that baby is going to born tonight." Charlie was so glad that Locke had answered him that at first the news that the baby really was being born didn't hit him. And when it did, he went into a full-on panic.
"The baby?! Well why didn't anyone bloody wake me up?!" Charlie cursed and ruffled his hair nervously. Locke looked at him.
"Claire actually said to let you sleep." Of course, Charlie thought, she doesn't want me to be there for her. Bloody useless English tosser. All sorts of thoughts ran through Charlies head at this moment. None of them made much sense.
"Can I see her, do you think?" he finally spat, quizzically. Locke gave him a questioning look.
"I don't know. Trying couldn't hurt." Just what Charlie needed right now. Some of Lockes sarcastic wisdom to put him in gear.
"Right," he said and went to head for the cave before Locke stopped him, calling out."Yeah?"
"Tell her to breathe." Locke added with a wink. Charlie chuckled. Oh yeah, he thought smiling, forgot.
"Thanks!" he said and then ran off. His feet were wobbly. His head was so light that he swore he'd just fall over. He passed Shannon sitting by the fire talking with Boone. He nodded in acknowledgment of the two and continued past. But Boone called out to him.
"Where you going?" Boone hollered. Charlie turned around and looked at him. Was the guy really that dumb or did he just like getting beat up?
"Uh, Claire. She's having her baby." he stated.
"Kate and Jack are there. They don't need you." he said. Charlies face grew hot. He'd never been a violent person but in Boone's case he'd make an exception. Charlie stared at Boone irritatedly.
"Claire needs me."
After getting past Boone and his barricade of retarded questions, he came to the cave. He knew it was the right cave because all anybody around the area could hear was Claire screaming and Jack telling her what to do and what not to do, every once in awhile ordering Kate to do something. Charlie gripped the loops on his pants so tight that he nearly tore them off. Claire looked in pain. Quickly, he came to her side, knelt down and smiled at her.
"I'm here, love. Breathe, hun, just breathe." he spoke soothingly. Jack looked up at him and grinned.
"Nice to see you awake." he joked. Charlie acknowledged him with a laugh.
"Charlie..." Claire whimpered, "your here."
"Yes, but I would have been here sooner if I knew the little one was coming. Why did you tell them not to wake me??"
"You looked so content," she spat and gripped onto his hand, "Oh, another one..."
"Contractions. They're closer now. Every two minutes. She's nearly fully dialated." Kate filled him in. Charlie noticed how he could barely feel his hand anymore. Claire had quite a good grip on him and he was gonna start crying himself if she didn't get past this contraction.
"Breathe, just breathe..." Charlie began to say again. Claire grumbled.
"I am breathing!!" she growled. Jack laughed to himself at how snappy she was.
"I meant for me..." Charlie replied and winced. Claire looked at his hand and moaned apologetically. She loosened her grip but to Charlie he didn't notice that she had even let go.
"Charlie, I'm sorry..." she cried, tears pouring down her face. "I am a big, fat, mean, old cow..." she whined. Charlie could barely hold back the laughs.
"What?!" Charlie exclaimed, looking at her then to Jack for some sort of explanation.
"Thats normal. Claire, hun, listen. I'm gonna need you to push now."
"Push! Push means baby!" Charlie said excitedly and let Claire hold his hand again. Claire looked at him, asking if he was sure. He nodded.
"Alright, PUSH!" Jack ordered. Claire heaved forward, her face reddening. For the moment, her screams subsided but after the push she let out long cries. Charlie could barely believe what was happening. He was witnessing a birth. And not just anybodys birth. Claire giving birth. The woman he loved. He groaned with her the next push. Again, she gave way to tears. Jack said it was almost out. One last push. Charlie couldn't even feel her breaking his fingers anymore. All his thoughts were bent on the baby. On Claire. On their baby.
"Claire, hun, one last push! Your gonna do it, your gonna do it!" he cheered her. It was the moment all four of them had waited for. Had worked for. With a loud, high-pitched wail, a baby was brought into the world. Jack tied the umbellical cord and Kate scooped the babys nose clear with a small toothbrush. And when they were done cleaning it, Jack gave the baby to Charlie. To him, why? He looked at Claire who was staring up at the baby, lovingly. How could he think like that at a time like this? Charlie smiled at her.
"Claire, meet your baby boy." Claire reached up weakly and touched the babys hand with her finger. Charlie could barely breathe. A new life was resting in his arms. Not just any life though. Claires life. As hard as he tried to keep from doing it, Charlie finally gave way to tears.
"Ahh, Charlie, he's so beautiful..." she cooed. Charlie looked at her. He had known so many girls in his short life, beautiful girls. But none of those girls were ever as beautiful as Claire was right now. He looked at her closely, examining the look of joy on her face. You could tell how happy she was. Charlie looked back down at the baby. Blue eyes. Blond hair.
"He's got your eyes." he stated, "and uh, my sense of style."
"Charlie, he's naked"
Charlie just lifted his brow at her.
"'Kay, Claire, we need to do the after-birth now. Uh, Charlie, you might want to leave." Charlie decided he would just take Jacks word on it. But when he stood up, he realized he still had the baby.
"Take care of him, Charlie." she told him, grinning. He looked at the baby proudly.
"Like he were my own..." he spoke and walked off, as proud as a father. A Daddy? Him?
In my dreams...