Disclaimer: I do not own lost, and as for the story, it's a bit short this week but you can expect more the next update.

A A Battery: I know, shes creepy. Don't worrier, she won't be around for long.

FATE

Prophecy

Claire walks down a slightly crowded hall, people pass her as she makes her way towards the

front desk. She carries a plain ticket in one hand, the other rested over her rounded stomach. She

pleasantly hands the women her ticket. The women takes it, says something to the microphone,

witch no one seems to notice, and the givers her back another small rectangular piece of paper

with a fake smile. She turns and bumps directly into some one. We see it is Charlie. He smiles,

embarrassed. "sorry" he apologizes, brushing a hand though his mess of hair. She nods

appreciatively and heads to get her bags checked. Cut to the plain, we see Claire sitting by the

window, righting in her little black book, the orange tassel dangling from the top. The seat

beside her is empty. The plain starts to shake from the turbulence. She looks up, nervously, then

calms down momentarily. She glances out the window for a moment before the shaking starts up

again. She holds onto the arm rest half confused, half afraid. Images of the island flash before

her eyes. The burning plain pieces scattered across the island. Her lying helpless on the sand as

her contractions star just before Jack comes to rescue. The first time the creature appeared to

them. Trees snapping and breaking. Ben's birth. Charlie, lie half unconscious on the ground in

the woods with a nose bleed due to his withdraws. The man who had killed himself still dangling

from the tree. Flashes of unfirmilier faces witch seem to be from the crash before theres.

Diseases and distorted, begging for help.

Suddenly, she wakes up, breathing heavily. She sits up in the bed, blankets clinging lossy around

her legs. The candle light flickering across the walls of the tent. Charlie sits up beside her, pacing

his arm around her with a look of concern as she tries to pull herself together. Her skin pale,

almost translucent. Tears roll down her cheeks as she chokes on her own breath. Her eyes grow

wide with panic as she looks down at her trembling hands. Every vain visible on her arms and

hands can bee sceen clearly as if some one drew them on with lavender and blue pastels. "Stay

here" Charlie suggests as he scatters to the door in a panic. She can here him call for Jack in a

dream like state as she continues to search her body. The marks continue along her caller bone

and neck, down each arm, across her stomach. Charlie returns with Jack right behind him. The

two kneel down infront of her. "Shh, calm down" Jack instructed in a whisper as held her hands

away by the wrist. "Just hold still" he adds in a tranquil voice, now noticing the paths of bruised

lines running up and down her skin. "I don't know" she sobbed, shaking her head. Her voice

quivered when she spoke. Her eyes looked heavy and red. A dark circle shaded around them. He

examined her hands, witch were being firmly gripped by his hands, almost to tight. He let go, and

for a moment he showed panic as well. "Here, just try to calm down. Just try to breath" he

instructed, brushing back her hair. He left one hand by her neck, witch felt around for a moment,

searching for a pulse. She obeyed, makeing slow, heavy breaths. Her chest rising and falling with

every beat. "Get her some water" Jack muttered to Charlie as he continued to examine her.

Charlie nodded fidgety and began digging through the mess for a bottle of water. Jack turned her

face to one side, examining her eyes. He touched her fore head with the back of his hand. Her skin

looked drenched, her hair flung about in pale curls. She looked as if she had just stepped out of

the showers. Charlie retrieved the water and handed it to him. Jack opened the top for her and

handed it over. She held it with both hands, taking one slow gulp. She gasped slightly when her

lips broke away from the bottle and began to cough. Charlie placed his hand on her back, keeping

her in a sitting position. "shh. Calm down. Just breath" Jack was saying, as he held her face in the

palm of his hands, keeping direct eye contact. Slowly, the air returned to her. Her breathing

regulated in fazes. inhale, exhale, in hale, exhale, until it was normal. "Alright, good. Your doing

great" Jack reassured, once again moving the hair off her face. "Just lay back, try to relax" he

suggested. She fallowed his instruction, leaning back agenst the pillow. She sniffed, and for a

moment closed her eyes. Jack sighed for a moment, trying to think. "Alright, Charlie, go wake

sayid and Kate," he instructed, then turned to Claire, " were gonna see if we can find you some

medicine."

Charlie ran back out clumsily. "What happened" Jack questioned, after Charlie disappeared. She

looked up at him confused. "I had," she began, trying hard to think, "another dream." she

answered, as if she weren't exactly sure. "What was it about?" he questioned in a stale, medical

voice. She thought for a moment. "The crash." she replied uncertainly. Jack nodded. "Alright. Is

there anything else?" he questioned concernedly. Claire opened her mouth to speak, but said

nothing. "I want to know what symptoms your experiencing, it might help me figure out exactly

what's wrong with you" he explained. "Coughing, head aches, heat flashes, stomach pains,

exhaustion, dizziness" she began listing, "but they all come and go. Sometimes I'm just fine." He

nodded again. "And this is all triggered by, the dreams correct?" he questioned. "Yes, most of

time" she answered, nodding with him.

"Any hallucinations?"

"No, well..no"

"What dose that mean?"

"I wouldn't really call it a hallucination . But I keep getting this feeling, a sense really, like

something there, like some ones watching me." Jack continued nodding, his eye narrowed slightly

as he organized the facts in his head. "And list night, I think I herd something. Someone talking"

she added, speaking as if she didn't even believe herself. "Am I going crazy?" she questioned,

assuming that because he was a doctor, he didn't believe in anything out of the natural. "No, not

crazy. Just sick" he replied, giving little camphorate. "But don't worry, I'm going to figure it out"

he added quickly, giving her a reassuring smile,"Now tell me more about these dreams." Claire's

eyes wondered. "What do you want to know?" she asked. Normally she would have been able to

go into heavy detail about her dreams. Her and Megan would often described their dreams to each

other hoping the other could figure out its meaning. But Jack was clearly a man of science, who

didn't believe in dreams having meanings. "Describe it to me. as much as you can remember" He

elabertated, shifting so that he was sitting in an Indian-style position. She open her mouth to speak,

but before she could talk her attention wavered the shadow being cast on the side of the tent. It

appeared that some one was standing at the door. Jack's eye brows dropped when he caught her

expression. Slowly, he fallowed her gaze to the wall. He had barley caught a glimpse of the

shadow before it began to disappear. Quickly, he leaned half way out the little door flap,

investigating. "What was that?" Claire asked, confused as Jack pulled himself back inside.

"Someone was listening" he confirmed with a similar look of dismay. "Why would someone be

listening?" she questioned, coughing slightly. "I don't know" he replied, giving a paranoid look

over his shoulder. "But I'm gonna go find out" he added, moving to his feet. "Wait, Jack!" Claire

exclaimed, not wanting to be left alone. It was to late, he had already flown out the door.

"Kate, get up" Charlie demanded, giving her a clumsy nudge on the arm. "What's going on?" she

question, half asleep. "Claire's gotten worse, Jack told me to get you and Sayid" He explained

hurriedly, half out of breath. Panic was both mentally and physically driving him insane. "For

what?" she asked as she began to sit up. "I have no idea. Just, come on" he instructed. He was

back out the door before she had even gotten down from her hammock, witch she used as a bed in

her tent. She fallowed him over to Sayid's tent, only to find him missing. "I don't get it, where is

he?" Charlie exclaimed angrily. "Calm down, he can't be far" Kate suggested, fallowing him again

as he turned back out of the tent. They found Sayid along with Jack in the medical tent witch

Charlie and Claire had once affectionately dubbed the hospital. "What's going on?" Kate

questioned as they entered the tent. "Danielle's missing" Jack explained, looking at the table-bed

where she had once laid. "This is not good" Sayid added, shaking his head. "Why? Where is she?"

Charlie asked in confusion, unsure why the women could not be trusted. "She is, unstable. She

killed those who were on the crash with her because she thought they were sick" Sayid explained.

It took a moment for his words to settle in. Charlie's eye grew wide as it hit him. Claire. The

others watched with confusion as he ran back outside.

Claire flinched as the pains in her stomach kicked in. She held her stomach and kept a tight grip on

the edge of the broken airline seat beside her. Too absorbed in the pain to realize that someone

was sitting directly behind her. "Claire" the horse voice whispered. Claire jumped at the sound and

looked over. She recognized the rugged woman from the stretched she had witnessed earlier. "Oh"

she mumbled, trying to discuss her fear, witch still remained after the initial scare had fadded.

"Were you the one who was listening?" Claire questioned, giving a slight gesture to the wall of the

tent where the shadow had been. Danielle nodded. "Why?" Claire questioned in dismay. "When

you've been stuck alone on an island for sixteen years, you liston to just about everything" Danielle

explained distantly. Claire looked down, slightly embarrassed at her question. She couldn't help

but feel sorry for the poor women. Being alone all this time. "I herd you are sick" she noted,

looking up at her. Claire nodded, unfortunately. "One of the survivors got sick a long time ago.

She had lost a lot of blood on impact, so her immune system was weak. She started going insane"

Danielle explained, looking around the room as she spoke. "Then one by one, the others caught it,

she continued, her voice raspy, showing light anger, "It'll happen again." At those words her eyes

meet Claire's like daggers. "I don't understand" Claire replied softly, the subject was makeing her

very nervous. "The desase will spread! From you to the others!" she exclaimed, "unless you end

it." Claire maintained a miserable look of confusion. Her head was spinning. Her eyes swept the

floor of the tent, and caught a small piece of shining meddle witch rested between Danielle's hand

and thigh, winking in the candlelight. It could only be one thing. "What are you saying?" Claire

asked, outraged. Panic waved over her. "You see? You have it. Your already going crazy"

Danielle amused harshly, moving towards her. "No" Claire exclaimed, feeling a brush of heat

sweep over her as she backed directly into the chair. "You have to end it!" Danielle shouted

forcefully, stareing her dead in the eye. The tiny kine gripped tightly in her hand. Claire shut her

eyes tight, overwhelmed by the situation. "Danielle" A voice spoke from the door way. Both

looked over. Charlie stood just inside the tent. "No" Danielle muttered, and made an attempt to

put her weapon to work. Before she could even fully raise her arm Charlie grabbed her, holding

her arms around hers so that she couldn't move. She struggle wildly, still keeping a tight hold on

knife. Twisting one arm free, she made a clean stab into his abdomen, a popular place for his scars.

Jack, Kate, and Sayid rushed in at that vary moment, catching Danielle just as she tried to run out.

Charlie hit the ground painfully, a small circle of blood forming on the fabric of his shirt. Claire

crawled to his side, holding his hand away from the wound. "Get her out of here" Jack snapped,

indicating to Danielle as he kneeled down across from Claire. Kate helped Sayid drag her out. "I'm

all right" Charlie uttered breathlessly. "Good, just keep calm." Jack instructed while he searched

the room for some sort of bandage. Claire brushed the hair off his face with one hand, holding his

with the other, just above the wound. "You realize that's the third time I've ben stabbed there"

Charlie said sarchasticly, maintaining a shaky smile. Claire laughed slightly, tapping her hand

agenst his. "Sit up" Jack instructed, moving back to them. The too helped Charlie into the chair.

He lifted the right side of his shirt over his shoulder, revealing the two almost identical scars just

above the new one. His stomach flinched as jack dabbed the small piece of cloth soaked in iodine,

witch had oddly enough been found in one of the bags, on his wound. Claire sat on the arm of the

seat to his left, holding his other arm across her lap, witched served two purposes. One, for

comfort, the other so that he dosent take an involuntary swing at Jack as soon as he used the

iodine. He took deep breaths as Jack continued to dab the cloth agenst his skin, gently as possible.

"Well, the other two are healing nicely" Jack noted optimistically, tilting his head to the side.

"Or, atleast, the were" he corrected, squinting at the jagged pattern where the new wound had

intercepted with the other scars. "Lovely" Charlie muttered sarcastically, flashing a short smile.

Jack set the cloth, witch was now red, on a little silver pan to later be thrown away. Even on the

island, sanitary was necessary. He picked up the bandage, witch in reality was the shreds of a white

cotton shirt, and began wrapping them around his waist. Charlie glanced over at Claire

uncomfortably. She smiled, in an attempt to cheer him up. He returned the favor with a weak half-

smile as he squeezed her hand slightly. Jack clipped the bandage tight with a paper clip and stood

to his feet. "There you go" he sighed, examinening the job well done. "Thanks" Charlie muttered,

unenthusiastically. Jack smiled despite his bitter attitude, gave a little nod toward Claire then

headed outside to investigate on Danielle's situation.

"How dose it feel?" Claire asked, once Jack had gone. "Feels like I got stabbed" he replied

sarcastically. "Well fortunately, I've never been stabbed" Claire replied playfully. "Lucky you" he

replied, maintaining the sarcasm. She gave a little laugh, allowing her gaze to wonder. He sighed,

tapping his hand, witch was still wrapped in hers, agenst her leg unconsciously. "How bad is it?"

She asked, breaking the silence. "Not bad," he lied, mainstring his masculinity, "dosent hurt at all."

Claire laughed with disbelief. "Really?" she questioned skeptically, tilting her head to the side.

"Really," he confirmed, "you don't believe me?" Claire shook her head no. Maintain eye contact the

entire time, he pulled her leg onto his lap in one quick motion. He continue to take her hand and

place it directly on the wound. "See? I don't feel a thing" he confirmed triumphantly, lieing through

his teeth. "Congratulations" Claire smiled sarchasticly at his attempt. "Jealous" he accused

playfully. "Of what?" she questioned skeptically, rasing an eye brow at him. "My extreme tolerance

for pain" he answered proudly. "Ha" she replied mimicking, giving him a weak nudge in the

stomach with her elbo. He winched and grabbed his stomach quickly, trying to hide the pain. "You

alright?" She teased triumphantly, once again tilting her head. "Fine" he groaned, clearly in pain.

Claire tried her best not to giggle, but didn't succeeded. He returned the favor by playfully shoving

her of his lap. She hit the ground laughing. "Help me up" she more instructed than asked.

Reluctantly, he took her hand without though. She pulled him to the ground with her so that he was

half on top of her. He pressed his forehead agenst hers and gave a quick kiss. "I've got to get up"

Claire muttered, once their lips parted. "Why?" he questioned disappointedly. "Because you smell

awful" she teased, and gently pushed him off her. He couldn't help but laugh as he fell back agenst

the foot of the chair. "Do I really?" he then asked, suddenly feeling self conscious. She nodded,

biting her lip. He smiled again. He wasn't really surprised. He'd been so wrapped up in worrier

about her he hadn't even gone to wash up in over a week, then again neither had she. "Don't feel

bad, I'm sure I'm not doing much better" she assured, taking the color of her shirt and holding it to

her nose to check. "I wasn't going to say anything about it, but now that you mention it" he teased,

glancing over at her from his place on the floor by the chair. "What's say head out to fresh water

first thing tomorrow morning?" Claire suggested. "I would love to" he agreed suggestively. Claire

smiled, rolling her eyes slightly. Charlie grabbed her by the they hand and pulled her down to his

side so that her legs stretched across his lap. "Deal?" she questioned, folding her hands over her lap.

"Deal" he replied, placing a kiss on her forehead. They sat in each others arms in the small space

between air line chair and table. It wasn't long before both drifted off to sleep. And it was the first

in atleast a week, where Claire's nightmares did not visit her. Perhaps she was healed.