Title: Found
Author: bookworm835
Category: Drama/Romance
Summary: Charlie wakes up one morning and nothing makes sense. Where was he? Where were the others? And what will he do when Claire doesn't remember him? R&R please, my first Lost fic.
Disclaimer: Er, wish I owned Lost but I don't, I'm just obsessive over it. I own Dr. Natalie Mason though! dances Ehem, even though she's a boring, pathetic, not-important character. ;)
A/N: Tried the drama. Didn't work so well. Tried the confusion! Didn't work so well. Maybe it'll stillbe agood story. It's sorta mystery-ish, I guess.Oh, and I'dbe very, very surprised if I was the only one to do a Charlie-isn't-really-on-the-island-and-it-never-happened-after-all fic. So, to all of you people that have written these sort of stories before, I apologize!! I did not mean to copy, sniff sniff. Dont' sue me!


Charlie groaned. Everything hurt... but he didn't remember getting hurt. He had fallen asleep last night in his jury-rigged bed as he did every night, still crushed by Claire's absence but fine physically all the same. Now his head ached and his limbs felt like they weighed fifty pounds each. Slowly he willed himself to open his eyes...

Dimmed, flourescent lights heightened his awareness. Blinking sleepily, he felt someone's gentle fingers prodding carefully at his head. He pushed the hand away irritably. It hurt even more when he was touched.

"Mr. Pace?"

His eyes snapping open, Charlie forced himself up onto his elbows, wincing when he felt a searing pain through his ribs; it sent his head spinning. He closed his eyes again, as if if he couldn't see what was around him, he wouldn't be there anymore. The world was dissolving around him, darkness engulfing his senses... but he pushed them away too, growing slightly angry. The black made everything go numb but that was almost as bad as the pain. Where was he? He was in a bed! Someone was easing him back... in a white doctor's coat! He was in a hospital! Where was Jack? Where was Kate? Where was Ethan? Where was Claire?? Where was he???

Charlie began to panic, muttering words even he couldn't make out. As the comfort of warm blankets and soft pillows enveloped him he felt the black coming back -- no! He couldn't let it take him! He struggled wildly, yelling with the raw anger that the pain was ripping from him and the fear that grew in his stomach whenever the numbness threatened to shut him back into the shadows.

He shouted a single name that he did know, the thing that did make sense.

"Claire!"

The hands were on him again, feeling his forehead. He heard a voice. A female voice... Australian even... but it wasn't Claire. No... it wasn't his Claire... but the voice was somehow soothing, sweet and smooth, like... like peanut butter, extra creamy. Charlie licked his dry lips It made him want to succumb to the black. The black was sweet also, it took him away from the pain. But it also took him away from reality! He couldn't let it do that, no, he needed to find Claire! But he was too tired, too hurt. He wanted to sleep.

He did the most he could and simply opened his eyes. It was the only thing he could do, right? He couldn't do more... right? Charlie wanted to do as much as he could but he was still somehow reluctant. After all, he had been through a lot too. The artificial lights looked odd compared to the sun and fire lights that he had become so accustomed to. He felt like a caveman being transported to the future. He felt so primitave, so useless, but Charlie Pace hated being useless. He'd save Claire, he'd find her... because he loved her! Yes, that he was sure of.

"Mr. Pace?"

There it was again. Charlie's gray-blue eyes slowly scanned the room, seeing all but taking in nothing. Finally his gaze came to and rested on a woman in her late thirties, maybe early forties, slim with graying, curly hair. She smiled gently, her voice so sure, but her eyes were filled with worry.

"Are you alright?" she asked. She was the Aussie with the pretty voice.

Charlie stared at her for a few more moments before responding. "Where am I?" he mumbled, his voice raspy.

The woman heard his wheezing and immediately grappled for a water bottle. She held it up to his lips but he grabbed it from her. He wouldn't be treated like a baby. He guzzled it down thirstily, the cool water feeling like heaven as it flowed down his sore, parched throat. When was the last time he had had something to drink?

When he finished, he wiped his mouth with his forearm messily. He didn't care. He dried his arm on the blanket. Hmph, who cares? he thought. I've got more important things to attend to...

"Who are you? What is this place? What happened?" Charlie asked, his voice clearer. The woman -- the doctor -- smiled gently.

"I'm Doctor Natalie Mason, you're in a hospital in Sydney, Australia, and you were in a plane crash. You have a mild concussion and a broken rib but other than that, you're fine. You're a very lucky man, Mr. Pace."

"W-what? How was I in a 'plane crash'? The plane landed on an island, not back in Sydney. Liam's in Sydney, I left him there.... We were on an uncharted island in the middle of nowhere! There was... a monster... and Ethan, he was there, he was bad, and Claire... she was good! Yeah... bloody hell, my head hurts, where's Claire? Have to talk to her. Where's Claire?"

"Claire? Was she on the plane too?"

"Mmm-hmm. I miss my Claire, she was taken by Ethan. Claire... Claire Littleton. Pregnant lady, long, gorgeous blond hair, big, sparkling blue eyes.... It's urgent! Where's Claire??"

He was getting impatient as his head cleared.

Dr. Mason flipped through the pages on her clipboard. "Um, pregnant woman... Caucasian, right? Let me see -- ahh, here it is. Littleton, Claire M. Eight months pregnant! You're going to be a father soon then, Mr. Pace?"

Charlie shook his head violently, making his thoughts swirl again. "Erm, no, I'm just her friend... she's not my wife or -- or anything," he said, blushing slightly. Dr. Mason grinned back.

"Yes, she left a day ago. She was fine. It's really a miracle. Not many deaths after the crash, actually."

"She -- she left? How long have I been here? I have to go see her, do you know where she is? You have to tell me, please! You have to let me see her."

Dr. Mason was staring at Charlie with wide eyes. "Well, if it's that important I suppose I could tell you... I mean, you are her friend? Right? She's staying with a friend few miles down. You could take the bus there. Big, off-white house. You can't miss it, it's huge. Dunno the address, sorry... but I know where it is. I've passed it at least a million times --"

"Yeah, yeah, but where IS it?"

"Oh, right, sorry," she said with a sheepish smile. "Er, take the bus downtown. It's not too far from there. Bus driver should know where it is. You are allowed out later this afternoon. Just be careful and get plenty of rest, alright? Once you find your friend Claire you should sleep for a while. No sports, you know, physical activity. If anything's wrong, just come back here, won't you?"

Charlie shrugged. "Um, right."

"Sleep now. I'll wake you up when you can leave."

"One last thing," Charlie said. "... do you know where any supermarkets are? Er, grocery stores... anything?"

Dr. Mason stopped with her hand on the doorknob. "What do you need?" she asked.

Charlie grinned. "Jar. Empty mason jar... Dr. Mason." It was like she was meant to get it for him, seriously! It made him smirk. That odd, goofy, cheerful smirk that Claire had loved so much.

"Sure. I'll have it for you when you leave."

She left the room.

Charlie's smile faded as he sank back into the pillows. He didn't feel very happy anymore. Why? He didn't know. He didn't know anything anymore. Anymore. Ha. It made him feel so certain of his feelings long ago, even as his memories were piecing themselves together. But they were still incomplete, they were still broken. Oh well. He'd fix them.

He curled up, hugging the blankets to his chest, everything around him warm and soft but so unfamiliar. Finally, he welcomed the darkness, closing his eyes, wondering if the lost had finally been found.


You like?? Hope so. If you've made it this far, it wouldn't hurt to review now, would it? I'll only continue if I get enough reviews! Like, ten. Or at least five... sniffle So, yuppers, pleaaaase review! For me? Or at least for Dom?? If you love Dom you MUST review!! -