Disclaimer: I only own the plot, even though it was probably already used. I don't take ownership of any of the characters.
Forever Salt-Water.
According to her, she was feeling much better. She had been feeling fine for about twenty minutes now, but Charlie wouldn't allow her to get up until she was absolutely sure.
He reached out for her hand, helping her to her feet, and down the grassy hill safely. Claire's contractions were getting worse, and Charlie could only do so much to keep her coherent. He needed to help her in every way he could, for she held one of the greatest treasures in the world.
"Charlie?" She asked as he grasped her hand.
He kept his tone as normal sounding as possible. The situation had to remain normal.
"What's up?"
Claire looked into his eyes once she reached level ground, and took his other free hand in hers. Its been a little over a month since she met him, and in that short time, he became more and more dear to her. He was her friend. She knew exactly what she wanted, but couldn't bring herself to ask him. At the same time, she didn't want it. Independence is something she needed to practice more often.
He stared into her eyes for far too long, waiting. The long pause was awkward, and Claire didn't hide the fact that she was utterly uncomfortable with the situation. Leaning toward her slightly, he took notice of that aroma. She smelled of saltwater; he knew she did from her constant absence in the caves, and that she spent the days on the beach each spare minute she had. He preferred to spend time with her out there, but wasn't partial to the sunburn he'd been harvesting. Claire didn't need to know that he peels when he gets a sunburn.
Charlie still waited for her to speak, but remained patient until she exhaled slowly.
"Thanks."
He responded by embracing her gently, seemingly worried that she would be uncomfortable. They stood there for a minute or two, feeling each others torsos come in contact for the first time. Their hug; a relief. Sort of.
Charlie staggered backward a bit, and once again grasped her hand. They walked toward the beach silently.
They weren't far from the beach before Claire let out a painful moan. Charlie turned to her quickly. She was bent over slightly, and was grasping her huge stomach. He noticed wet sand surrounding her feet, where around his was dry.
Shit. Shit.
"I thought I was finished," Claire told to herself and trailed off of her sentence. Charlie left her sitting in the sand.
About fifty feet from where Claire sat, Charlie yelled as loud as he could. He scrambled around the camp for someone capable.
"Jack!!! JACK!!!" Charlie still yelling for attention, Michael was nearby, and mentioned something about him changing Sawyers bandages.
"Get him over here now!! It's Claire!"
Michael yelled for someone to get over for help. The twins, Scott and Steve, rushed into the jungle (following Charlie's direction), as Michael ran to retrieve Jack from Sawyer.
They carried her behind a nearby tarp, finding Sayid lying asleep. Charlie shook him awake, pulling him out of his sleeping arrangements. Jack came running to the tarp, trying not to look panicked for Claire's sake. He yelled out the assumed delivery preparation orders, and they were followed.
Charlie wasn't paying attention. He couldn't help but watch in horror as she let out cursed and denied her pregnancy, or her wet face drenched from sweat. For the third time that day, he held her hand, letting her do all the squeezing. As she held his hand, his eyes began to water; not from her extreme hold she had, but from the look on her face.
She looked at him as she experienced the tremendous amounts of pain, attempting to tell him what she wished to say earlier. Each time she opened her mouth, her words were drowned by her own screams.
"Please Claire, just breathe." Charlie spoke so quietly, he was practically whispering.
'It will have to wait...'
He had no idea how long he breathed with her, attempting to comfort her in any way he could. Then, it happened.
Suddenly, Charlie felt like each bone in his hand would shatter. Claire was grasping it as hard as she possibly could; blood oozed from his hand where her nails dug into his skin, creating crescent-shaped marks. She went into a fit of groans and cries, each one louder than the next.
He heard a sound unlike any other he heard before, and Charlie did not like it. For the first time in the entire process, he looked away from Claire's face. At the edge of the tarp was Jack and Sayid, both of their arms were covered in blood and various other fluids. Behind them were a few other people, but he didn't have a chance to figure out who.
"Just a few more pushes Claire! You can do this!"
The deliverers advised her to keep pushing, and that it was almost over. Claire gave out another scream, and a sigh shortly afterward. Sayid held a small figure out of Charlie's view. He left Claire to investigate.
Claire looked up from her laying position to the trees. She was breathing heavily, and was covered with sweat. Jack gave her a look, one she hadn't seen before. He informed her of the situation at hand, and opened a bottle of airline vodka for her to drink.
Sayid laid the child in Charlie's arms, informing him to be careful. Grabbing a bottle of water, Sayid lightly poured water over the baby's skin to wash the blood off. Charlie looked down in awe at the baby girl.
She was crying. He smiled.
He carried the tiny girl back to Claire's tarp, still staring down at the child. He noticed Jack whisper something to Sayid, but he didn't pay attention. The Iraqi kneeled next to Claire, and kissed her on the forehead. She smiled up at him.
It was only Charlie and Claire left behind the tarp, and he wrapped the baby in (what used to be) his striped shirt. Claire had her head leaned against an upright suitcase, and smiled at Charlie. He handed her the baby, watching as she looked down upon her child, whose cries were now dying down. It was only then Charlie noticed how incredibly tired she looked. She handed him the baby, and spoke in a soft voice.
"She's yours."
Tears appeared in Charlie's eyes as he slowly shook his head. More tears came as she nodded in return.
"I'm dying, Charlie."
He breathed heavily, still holding the child, and still crying. He finally nodded, and held her baby up to her lips. She kissed the little girl on the forehead, much how Sayid had done to her.
"I love you."
At first he thought she was saying this to the baby, but from the look in her eyes, he knew she meant him.
Still holding the baby, he leaned over her, and slightly pressed his lips onto hers. He let them rest there for about ten seconds before pulling his head away. Claire's eyes were still closed after he moved his head away from hers. More and more tears fell down his cheeks as he watched her breath slow down, and when it eventually stopped.
Charlie collapsed onto her body, gently cradling the baby with a single hand. He cried. Claire wasn't coming back.
He didn't know when he parted himself from that tarp, or how long it took him to. He sat on the warm sand where she once laid, looking down at the baby he held in his arms.
The baby girl resembled nothing of himself.
Charlie gasped as the tiny child opened her eyes. There in his arms, he could see the exact look Claire gave him before she passed on. It was only a matter of time.