Title: Answers 2/3
Summary: The Island is making finding the answers harder than Claire thought, but when she does find the one person who can answer her questions will she have the courage to ask? A possible development of Claire's story in season two
Spoilers: Post season one, pre season two
Original post date: 4th September 2005
Disclaimer: Lost, the characters within it and the situations they are in don't belong to me. Bad Robot, ABC, Disney, JJ Abrams and a bunch of other people own all the copyright to it. I promise I'm not writing this fanfiction to make any money and I don't mean to infringe on copyright – the plot bunnies simply attack and I relent.
The rain continued to fall as Claire walked. And walked. And walked. The gun felt heavier and colder in her hand with every passing hour, her shoes were so filled with water that her feet had gone numb with the cold and her clothes were completely saturated. And to top it all off, she had no idea where she was going.
She found the path to the beach and began to follow it, pausing every so often to listen and to look about her. The thunder overhead grew to rival the equally ominous rumbling in her stomach but she continued on as the light began to fade slowly from the world.
She wondered absently if Charlie had found her note yet. She hoped he wouldn't come looking for her but knew that he would come charging into the jungle after her eventually. He was stupidly chivalrous like that; Claire had certainly seen plenty of evidence of that since her return from the jungle.
'I should head back before I get lost.'
You might not get another chance.
As she paused for another breather the rain fell into a lull and Claire tilted her face up towards the darkening sky, smiling at the sight of a small bird chirping irritably and fluffing his feathers, apparently not at all pleased by the weather.
'What about Aaron?'
Charlie will take care of him.
Claire sighed and continued on, her feet tingling with a mixed sensation of numbness and pins and needles. The jungle got gradually thicker and darker; Claire pushed her way through a tangle of trees, grunting with the effort only to find herself faced with a monstrous fallen tree.
'You've got to be kidding me...'
She glanced down at the gun in her hand, awkwardly uncocked it and put the safety on before sticking it through the waistband of her pants. She hauled herself over the tree easily and continued on but with less confidence the further she went. She had never been this far into the jungle before, least of all when it was raining and it was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate.
'Where are you going Claire?'
I don't know…'You're completely lost.'
I'm not lost! I'll be able to find my way back…'What if I can't find my way back?'
'Find your way back where?'
Claire whirled around and raised the gun. Standing not five metres away was Danielle Rousseau, looking dishevelled and just as soaked as Claire was.
'Where'd you come from?' she snapped, readjusting her hold on the gun. Danielle stared at her and Claire lost her temper. 'Answer me you French whore!'
'I came from my…shelter…' Rousseau said helplessly. She held her hands out pleadingly and took a tentative step towards Claire. 'Please…please…'
'I don't want to shoot you,' Claire said, trying to keep her voice level. She had only just noticed the absence of Rousseau's rifle. 'I want to talk to you.'
'Talk…to me?' Rousseau faltered and took to staring. 'About what?'
'About…' Claire frowned. What did she want to talk to her about?
Rousseau's eyes flickered slightly and she glanced over her shoulder and then back to Claire. 'My shelter is near,' she said tentatively. 'If you would like to get out of the rain for a little while...?'
'I…' Claire lowered the gun slightly but then redoubled her hold. Rousseau put her hands up in alarm. 'No. It could be another trap. I don't trust you. No. We're staying right here.'
'I understand why you would not trust me,' Rousseau said wryly then paused. 'We shall talk out here in the rain?'
'We'll talk out here in the rain.' Claire confirmed. 'And if you do anything I don't like…' she cocked the gun in warning.
Rousseau swallowed and lowered her hands slightly.
'What is it that you wish to talk to me about?'