The Replacement
Claire sat at her tent with Aaron on her lap, rocking him gently as she tried to understand what had just happened. Why was Charlie so angry? Was it the withdraws? No, he didn't seem to be that bad. In fact, he didn't seem sick at all. Other then the fact that he snapped at her, he seemed like his normal self. Then why did he snap? He had no right to be angry at her. He knew what he did. He left because he was guilty. At least, that's what she'd thought.
"Morning Claire" Locke greeted, wondering over to her tent. "Morning" She replied, looking up for only a second. "How's Aaron?" He asked with a smile. "He's good" She replied, absent mindedly. Locke sighed and stood in front of her.
"I saw you talking to Charlie this morning" He noted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah" Claire replied in confusion, wondering how that was any of his business. "Why were you talking to him?" Locke questioned, sounding like an interrogating father.
"Why dose it matter?" She asked in reply. "It matters because he's a drug addict who stole your son! He's dangerous, Claire!" Locke concluded insistently. Aaron began to fuss in her arms, and Claire attention quickly turned to him. She rose to her feet, laying the baby on her shoulder and rocking him gently, trying her best to comfort him.
"He's been clean for at least two weeks now. I think its safe to say he's not a addict any more" Claire reminded, giving him a cold stare. "Yeah, he's clean. Clean because I took his drugs. Clean because I hid them! If I hadn't god knows what else he might have done!" Locke explained angrily, whispering in order to keep from yelling and upsetting the baby.
"Actually, Locke. The girls got a point" Sawyer noted from his tent. "Stay out of this Sawyer" Locke suggested, turning around only for a moment before turning back to Claire. "Excuse me badly, but I think Claire would benefit from knowing that when I stole your guns I also managed to get out a few of those statues" Sawyer explained, making sure he was getting a hold of their attention.
"You did what?" Locke questioned, giving him an angry Lear. "Yep. Thought it might come in handy, having my own little helper" Sawyer continued with his usual sarcastic appeal. "So you actually gave him drugs? After seeing all the things he did?" Locke demanded in complete shock.
"That was the plan" Sawyer nodded, lighting up a cigarette as he leaned back against the nearest tree. "Unfortunately, the plan didn't work out" He added after a slow drag. "Why?" Claire questioned, suddenly making her presence known. "Because the kid turned them down" Sawyer explained. "Said he didn't want the drugs."
"Your lying. Don't listen to him Claire" Locke instructed in denial. Sawyer simply laughed. "Did you ever see him take the drugs Locke?" She questioned softly, looking up at him with slight betrayal.
"I saw him with a broken statue at his feet!" Locke confirmed with ease. "But did you see him take it?" She questioned insistently. Locke sighed and looked down. "No, Claire. I never saw him" He confirmed, knowing that he very well may have just lost.
"I...I have to go" Claire explained, and walked off with Aaron in her arms. Locke shot Sawyer a leer and Sawyer just laugh. "Sorry old man. You can't win them all" Sawyer confirmed with a laugh and wondered back to his tent while Claire went off to find Jack.
She found him on the other end of the beach, zipping up a bag that he usually kept full of medical supplies. "Hey Jack" She greeted, stopping in front of Claire. "Hey Claire. What can I do for you?" He questioned in a friendly tone. Claire took a seat on a rock beside him. "Have you seen Charlie lately?" She asked curiously.
"Yeah, I just took out his stitches a few minutes ago" Jack replied, giving her a confused look. "Did he seem...sick?" She asked, not exactly knowing how to put it. "You mean from withdraws?" He offered, already knowing where she was going with the question. Claire nodded.
"As a matter of fact, he didn't. No sweating, no shaking, no change in moods. He seemed perfectly fine." Jack explained, just realizing it himself. Claire didn't no how to respond.
"I know this might not be something you want to here, but if you ask me, I think we all judged Charlie a little to soon" Jack confirmed, pushing himself to his feet. "Yeah" Claire nodded, "Me too."
