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Chapter 10

The moment Boone woke up he had a feeling that something was wrong and it didn't exactly help to find that Claire wasn't laying beside him like she usually did; it just made the feeling grow stronger. Taking off his boxers, he walked to the kitchen and when she wasn't there, he continued to search.

"Claire" He said with a low voice so he wouldn't wake Aaron.

Walking into the living room he drew a breath of relief. There she was, sleeping in the chair next to Aaron's crib. Not knowing if he should laugh or cry, he watched her instead – this was when he thought that she was most beautiful, in situations like this, unaware that she was being watched. Then again, it didn't exactly hurt that she was wearing a thin nightgown that reviled her body.

Her sleepy voice disturbed him from continuing his sneak peak, "I can feel you looking at me, you know."

"Keep your eyes closed," he demanded and Claire, who saw the sparkles in his eyes, did as she was told.

Coming to her side he gave her a long, lingering kiss and when he broke it, he said with a tender voice, "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too." She smiled.

It had been a while since she had felt this happy. Outside the birds were singing, the sun shining and inside she had Boone and her son.

"Slept well?"

"Oh yeah." There was a hint of what had happened last night in his voice. "But woke up lonely."

"Sorry about that. I must have been exhausted." She hadn't meant for it to sound like that.

"Wonder why," he said, grabbing her around the waist to spin her around.

She laughed, charmed by his little impulse. Taking his hand she began to dance slowly with him, despite the lack of music.

"Don't flatter yourself."

He spun her around again.

"I'm not." He put on his famous "I'm hurt" face and said, "You saying it wasn't good?"

She couldn't pretend, not with him.

"Oh, it was more than good."

Dipping herself backwards she said, when she came up to meet his face, "It was amazing."

Turning Claire around he wrapped his arms around her, "I thought so too" He whispered, word by word in her ear. Then he put her hair to the side so that he could peck her neck, going downwards, until she gave up and turned around to give him a real kiss. He sank into it, liking how their dance had turned into this. He could feel Claire winding her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair and trying to get even closer to him, needing to feel the heat of his body as much as he needed to feel hers. His hands moved to her lower back and he brought her closer. Moving her fingers down from his hair she cupped his face, feeling the stubble on his cheeks that had grown out again. The kiss turned hotter, more cravingly and more desire full.

She broke it, not able to do it any longer without wanting more.

"Breakfast?" he asked in a low voice that somehow reminded her of the previous night.

"Yeah."

The day had arrived to their devastation – saying goodbye to their comfy twosome- ness day. Claire have had a feeling in her stomach all day long that told her that she wanted to stay with him, but she would never tell him about it. Besides, it was insane to stay with him only because their relationship had taken a turn. A couple of days ago she had still been set on moving.

Neither of them could know what the future held for them, perhaps they were better off living separately but still… she would miss his weird impulses, his morning smile, his excellent cooking and most of all the way he cared for her and Aaron.

"What's on your mind?" he asked gently and grabbed her hand tightly, as if he was afraid to let her go. He held on to it, pushing the carrier with Aaron in the other hand.

"Uh, nothing really" She managed to smile wryly.

"Why don't I buy that?"

"Because you're bloody stubborn," she said, a little bit annoyed. Why did he have to ask when she couldn't tell him the truth? He would probably think that she was crazy.

"You don't have to sound pissed off!" He let go of her hand.

"I'm sorry, okay?" She looked as if she didn't want to fight, not now, this early in whatever-they-were-having.

Walking into the apartment they looked around, it looked nice now when her furniture had arrived from Australia. For the first time she was officially living in USA.

So this was it, she thought. They wouldn't be living together anymore, they would wake up alone and go to sleep alone.

Aaron's screaming disturbed the silence, to their relief, and Claire watched Boone with dread when he picked up her baby and changed the diaper, knowing that he wouldn't be around to do that all the time.

"Snap! You all set big guy. Boone has changed your diaper," he said to Aaron and put him back down in the crib.

"Should bring over the things you have left in my apartment later."

"Yeah" she said, sounding absentminded.

Tired of her weird behaviour Boone decided to put her on the spot. "I've been really tolerant with the way you been acting all day. I don't expect you to tell me what's going on but it wouldn't be bad if you did!"

"Believe me, I want to tell you but it's so stupid."

"You can trust me, Claire."

Looking at him shyly, "You're going to think that I'm crazy."

"So what? I love crazy people," he joked.

"I-I guess I'm just sad that I won't be living with you anymore." She said with a faraway expression on her face.

"You really scared me." He spoke carefully. "We might not be living together but that doesn't mean that we can't see each other whenever we want to." He paused. "If you let me, I want to be here for you and Aaron."

Kissing him quickly she whispered, "Thank you."

"You feel better now?"

Truthfully she answered, "Yes."

Taking her bag, "Would you mind watching Aaron for an hour or so?"

"Of course not!" That was something he'd always like to do.

"Perfect!"

She smiled mischievously.

"What are you up to?"

"You'll see…"

Smiling warmly and blowing him a kiss she walked towards the door.

"See you soon."

Boone waited for her, thinking about every possible scenario of what she could be doing. Getting bored of just sitting he went over to Aaron.

"Do you think I should do it?"

He was hoping to get an answer from the baby but all Aaron did was to make some strange sounds.

"You're not so good at giving advice," he said, disappointed.

"What do you need his advice for?"

A little bit startled he turned around to see Claire standing in the doorway with bags in her hands.

"I see you've been shopping."

"Oh no, don't you even try to change subject!" She raised her eyebrow. "Why do you need my son's advice?"

To her surprise Boone blushed a little.

"It's about his mommy."

When he saw the look on her face, the peace that was shining through her, he decided that this was the right moment.

"Close your eyes."

Closing them she asked, "Is this the closed-eye- kiss? Cause if it is I'm not comp-" She trailed off by the feeling of something cold in her hand.

"What is that?"

"You can open them now," he said lovingly.

She did, and her blue eyes rounded when she saw what was in her hand, a key.

"Just so that you can come and go as you like."

Not sure of what to say she gave him a long hug. A key to his apartment was a huge sign that they had something special, something more than just a thing for each other.

"I will use this," she said, putting the key together with her own. "…And I will make a copy of this for you." She pointed at her key to her new apartment.

He smiled, "Thanks… Now about those bags, what's in them?"

"Just clothes."

"Something I would like?" he asked, blinking at her.

She laughed, "For sure."

"I got these as well," she said, showing him DVDs of Gone with The Wind and the Matrix.

Smiling he said, "Now we know what we'll be doing all night."

"Yeah, feel free to stay here by the way."

He leaned back on the kitchen counter, "Really?"

"Who else is going to cook for me?"

She joined him, leaning back against his muscular body.

"That's a good point," he wrapped his arms around her.

There they stood, Boone with Claire in front of him, his arms around her, her head against his shoulder, neither of them saying a word, enjoying the silence and the comfort of each others bodies, when Claire's mobile suddenly began to ring.

Sighing, she answered, "Hello?"

She could immediately tell who it was on the British accent.

"Claire! Hi! It's me… Charlie."

"Charlie?"

Claire saw how Boone's face turned harder.

"How you been?"

"Fantastic! The band is back together, rocking the world. That's why I haven't called sooner, because I've been busy."

"Yeah, I kind of read about that."

"Really? We'll must be making it big-time then."

Claire was almost sickened about the proudness in his voice.

She almost wanted to scream to him that he should get to the point. Like he could read her mind (which was scary), he continued, "Anyway, that's not why I'm calling."

He paused, like he was trying to find the right words,

"I wanted to congratulate you and wish good luck with the kid."

"Oh, thanks."

Boone watched as Claire continued to talk to Charlie and every time she laughed or smile, he felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. He couldn't help feeling like this when he knew what kind of bond those two had shared on the Island. There was no way he could compete with that. Maybe, he didn't even want to be thinking this, he was the rebound guy? He wasn't even listening to what she was saying until she raised her voice.

"Who do you think you are?"

There was a pause, obviously because Charlie was speaking.

"Charlie, we didn't have anything." Pause. "No, you don't understand. You were only a friend. Nothing more, nothing less."

Slight pause.

"Boone? It's different with him."

She gave him a look, "I love him."