Ahhhhh!!!!! Okay, it's now 9:44 p.m. eastern time. I just saw what to me is the most brilliant and upsetting episode of 'Lost'. You could not believe the feelings rushing through my body when I saw Charlie hanging there, well besides yelling at Kate to cut him down. That freaked me out and made me able to write even more. So, here is the second chapter of 'Better Than Paradise'. In this chapter, Charlie will remember a little of being hung, even though he said he couldn't. As for Claire, I will work out what happened with her when they tell it. And I'm upset, no 'Lost' for three weeks.
Chapter Two – Rescued
The next morning became the same routine for Charlie. Except this time, he decided to walk down to the beach himself without Claire. He didn't like leaving her alone after they had been kidnapped but he needed some fresh air.
Charlie listened intently at the jungle sounds as he walked around the monstrous trees. His mind drifted elsewhere though after a few more steps. He thought about the dream he had the night before.
He and Claire living in this quaint little house in Sydney near his brother. They had gotten married and Claire had become Mrs. Pace. He smiled to himself as he remembered they had two more kids. He then laughed upon thinking how almost a year ago he never wanted any of this, he just wanted his drugs.
Charlie then stumbled across the sandy shores of the beach. He noticed Jack standing at the surf looking at the horizon. Charlie walked over and stood beside.
"Still searching?" Charlie asked. Jack smiled at him.
"Yeah. I've been out here for about an hour now looking around. I even have Sawyer helping me," Jack said. Charlie nodded.
They stood there looking when they felt another presence descend upon them. They both turned to see Sawyer.
"See anything?" Jack asked.
"Nope, sorry doc. No ship, no barge, no nothing. Why even bother anymore?" Sawyer said. "They know we're long gone."
"Yeah, but we aren't are we?" Jack asked. Charlie looked at the horizon and then squinted seeing something. He grabbed onto Jack's shoulder.
"Jack, I see..." Charlie started and then looked again. It was a ship. "A ship!! Jack! It's a bloody ship!" Jack turned and Sawyer looked at it.
"What the hell," Sawyer said not believing it. Jack rushed to get the left over bottle rockets that they had kept. Sawyer and Charlie rushed over to help him.
"Charlie, we got this! Go to the caves and get everyone! Tell them to come to the beach! Oh, and tell Hurley to bring the manifest!" Jack yelled.
"Right!" Charlie said. He jumped up and raced towards the caves. He came upon them within minutes.
"Everyone!" he yelled. "We've spotted a ship! Come on, we have to go now!" The survivors roused and leapt up with excitement.
"Charlie, where's Jack?" Kate asked.
"Him and Sawyer are sending signals out to the ship with bottle rockets. I got to go wake Claire," Charlie said running off. "Oh, bring the manifest! Tell Hurley that!" Kate nodded and turned. Charlie rushed into the cave he called home to see Claire nursing Aidan.
"Claire, let's go! A ship has come!" Charlie said kneeling down to her.
"Are you serious?!" Claire said. Charlie nodded and Claire threw her free arm around Charlie. They both laughed in excitement and Charlie kissed Claire.
"Come on, we're taking this little one home," Charlie said kissing Aidan's head. They got up and gathered their stuff. Charlie took her one free hand and they raced out of the caves.
They were one of the last ones out of the caves but made it just in time. The ship was coming straight towards them.
"Charlie," Jack called. He walked over to him and Claire. "I think you should be the first one to board. You saw the ship, it's the only rightful thing."
"Are you sure?" Charlie asked. Jack nodded. Charlie smiled. "Only if Claire can come with me."
"Of course," Jack said. Soon enough, a small boat came up to the shore.
"Are you the survivors of the Oceanic Flight?" he asked in an Australian accent. A chorus of yes was heard. "Alright, well whose first?"
"I am," Charlie said. "I'm the one who discovered the ship." The man nodded.
"Hey, that's not..." Shannon started.
"Save it Shannon," Boone said. Charlie smiled and put an arm around Claire as they walked to the boat. He helped Claire step in and then he put their bags on the floor of the boat and he got in.
They started rowing away just as another boat came by for the others. Claire smiled up at Charlie as they headed towards safety. They made it on the boat and they were given a room on the boat.
"Want to go see our room?" Charlie asked. Claire nodded but then remembered something.
"Do you have a crib that I could use for him?" Claire asked.
"I'm sure we do. I'll find it somewhere," the man said.
"Thank you," Claire replied. Her and Charlie walked down the stairs to their room. They opened it up and saw it was beautiful, well not exactly, but after being on an island for months anything was beautiful.
"It reminds me of a trashy hotel room," Claire said.
"Ahh, memories," Charlie said. Claire's mouth dropped in pure disgust.
"That was more than I needed to know," Claire said. She placed Aidan on the bed and surrounded him with pillows. "There he's fine for right now." She turned to Charlie and saw him smiling at her.
"What?" she asked.
"You're beautiful," Charlie said softly. Claire blushed.
"No, my hair hasn't been brushed. I'm dirty..." Claire said running a hand through her hair. Charlie grabbed it and kissed her.
"I've been telling you, you look beautiful since we starting dating. Do you think I'm lying?" Charlie asked. Claire smiled and shook her head. Charlie leaned down again and kissed her softly. They then pulled away and Charlie looked into her eyes. He then knew it, he loved her.
"So, I think I'm going to take a nap," Claire said stretching.
"Okay," Charlie said kissing her cheek. "I'll be right up on deck if you need me." Claire nodded and laid down next to Aidan. Charlie smiled at her and walked up on deck. He noticed that Jack was up on the deck and he walked over to him.
"Hey Jack! Guess what!" Charlie said.
"What?" Jack asked.
"I love Claire!" Charlie said. Jack smiled.
"That's great, did you tell her?" Jack asked.
"What do you think I am crazy?" Charlie asked. "If I tell her, she'll surely run off."
"Well, how do you know? You won't if you don't tell her," Jack explained. Charlie looked down at his feet and nodded.
Charlie thought about when they got back to Sydney. What would him and Claire do? They were going out, but who's to say that Claire might not want to be with him when they got home? What if she didn't love him back? He might not even see Claire again. He felt scared as he looked at the horizon and beyond.
…
Claire sat up in terror, she had a nightmare. Her first one since she had them the last time. Except this one was different.
She had dreamed that her and Charlie had arrived in Sydney. When they got there, Charlie had fled when she told him she loved him and he never returned. She was left alone again to raise Aidan by herself.
"I can't go through that again. But how do I know Charlie won't leave me?" Claire asked herself. She shuddered at the thought and put it out of her mind. She jumped hearing a knock on the door.
"Come in," Claire said. Kate appeared from around the door.
"Hi Claire," Kate said.
"Hi Kate," Claire said.
"You okay?" Kate asked.
"Yeah, actually, I'm ready to go up on deck," Claire replied picking up Aidan.
"Can I hold him?" Kate asked. Claire nodded and handed him over. "I'll keep watch on him up there if you and Charlie want to spend time together."
"Thanks Kate," Claire said. "I would really like that." They walked up to the deck and Claire headed straight for Charlie. "Hey Charlie." Charlie turned and smiled at her.
"What are you doing up?" Charlie asked wrapping an arm around her.
"A dream woke me up," Claire said.
"A dream about me?" Charlie asked. Claire smiled and nodded. Charlie kissed her cheek. Charlie looked at Claire watching the sunset and smoothed down her hair. He decided to take the plunge.
"Claire," Charlie said softly. Claire looked up at him. "I love you." Claire's eyes widened and she felt her heart swell. Charlie looked at her waiting for an answer. Claire broke out into a smile.
"I love you too, Charlie," Claire said. Charlie smiled and Claire laughed. Just as the sun set, Charlie pulled Claire in for a kiss and both knew each other would be there.