Chapter 4: Back in Our Lives
Charlie sighed as he looked out at the ocean. "I would rather die than ever hurt you, Claire. You of all people should know that. I wasn't going to hurt him," he told her.
"Then what were you doing, Charlie?" She asked.
Charlie looked over at her. "I was just going to baptize him. That's it, nothing more. Then you just cut me out of your lives like I did nothing to help you. I went into that jungle and saved Aaron. I would die for Aaron. I almost died for you. I still have the scars on my neck to prove that it happened. I can hear you screaming my name when it happened. Yet, I make one mistake and all I have done was thrown out the door," he explained.
"You scared my Charlie. Ever since I found the heroine, I just don't know how to trust you anymore," she told him.
Charlie stood up with his guitar in hand. "I don't expect you to actually forgive me. I know that what I did making you think that I was kidnapping Aaron was wrong. However, every time I see you with Lock, a piece of my heart breaks off. You and Aaron are the best things that ever happened to me. I stopped using the drugs because of you. If I could turn back time and do it over, I would do it again, because you two mean that much to me. Yet every time I see you with Lock, you might as well take one of his bloody knives and shove it through my chest," Charlie informed. He was about to walk away, but stopped. "I'll say this once and then I'll be out of your lives forever. I love you Claire, I have always loved you," he confessed. Claire was in shock at his words and watched as he walked away. Charlie Pace finally admitted his feelings to her, but now, Claire didn't know what to do.
Charlie went into his hut and continued to play his guitar when Claire came in. "Anything else you'd like me to add?" He asked. Claire sighed as she kneeled in front of him.
"No…now it's my turn. I'm sorry, Charlie," she replied.
"Which part are you sorry about? For not trusting me? For believing I would hurt you like that? Or having me feel like I'm the worse person on the planet?"
Claire bit her lip and Charlie was about to play again when she grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry for everything. I was wrong not to let you explain. I was wrong to think that you would betray my trust like that. And I'm sorry for making you feel like you're the worse person on this planet," she replied. Charlie was about to say something when she gestured for him to stop. "And…I want to add that these last few weeks were like a nightmare to me," she added. Charlie looked at her confused and she let out a sigh. "I can't live without you. You're right, you've done so much for Aaron and me and I repaid you by kicking you out of our lives. I was wrong to do that. I also want to say that I love you too," she answered. Charlie looked at her in disbelief.
"What?" He asked.
"I love you," she replied.
She placed her hands on his face. "I love you so much," she added. Charlie placed his hands over hers and smiled at her.
"I love you too, from the first day we met on the beach I fell head over heels in love with you. You complete me," he told her.
"You complete mine and Aaron's lives."
Charlie then held her hands in his as he leaned over and kissed her. Claire wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. When they pulled back, Claire smiled. "Would you like to move back to our hut?" She asked. Charlie touched her face before answering.
"I'd love to," he replied.
He grabbed his stuff and they walked back to "their" hut.
Kate looked up when Charlie and Claire came back to the camp. "Hey, is everything okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, everything's okay," Claire replied.
Kate stood up and handed Aaron over to Claire. Claire walked over to Charlie with a smile. "Hey, sweet heart, look who's back," Claire murmured. Charlie put his stuff down and took Aaron into his arms.
"Hey buddy, Charlie's back," he announced.
He kissed the baby's forehead before looking at Claire. Claire smiled, knowing that everything was going to be okay, knowing that Charlie was never going to go back on the path of drugs and destruction. Maybe in time, they would become the family she always dreamt of. Charlie looked over at Claire and thought the same thing.
Author's Note: Thank you all for those who reviewed my story. I plan on writing another Charlie/Claire story, Change of Fate. Watch out for it.