To Ernil i Pheriannath:
Me: I am glad you can – I think.
Cirn - Thanks for reviewing!
How could someone not want their own child? My parents, they did not want me and still I can't understand. This poor child though. How sick is this woman not to want her own baby?
John Locke shook his head as he watched over the new baby. She had no name yet, but John thought the little girl looked like a Laurie. The little girl was swaddled and crying. John sniffed and made a face. She needed to be cleaned up and a diaper put on so that no more swaddling cloths had to be washed. Carefully picking up the little girl with brown hair like her mother and light blue eyes unlike her, John went over to Claire's tent. "Claire," he began, "Do you have any extra diapers I could borrow? This little girl needs one." John showed Claire the little girl.
you have any extra diapers I could borrow? This little girl needs one." John showed Claire the little girl.
Claire looked up from where she was sitting and squinted her eyes at the bright sunlight. Then, she turned her attention to the bald man with a little bundle in his arms. "Eh, sure Locke. Who's-who's that?" she asked. "I've never seen her before."
"Poor thing," Locke shook his head as he said this, "Her own mother doesn't want her. She gave her to Jack. She's sick I think." John sighed. "Anyway, how are you holding up? Charlie will find him Claire. I don't think he'll stop until he does."
Claire stood up and walked over to the suitcase next to the cradle where she put the diapers in. She was silent for a moment, half not wanting to answer the question, half not knowing how to answer. Claire took a deep breath. "I know he won't. It's just, I don't know if that'll be enough." She handed the diapers over to Locke. "What if he gets hurt? What if they both get hurt? I can't loose them, Locke. I can't." Her voice quavered as she said that. Claire took
continued. "I need my baby in my life. I need them both." Tears started to fall.
"Jack and Kate are with him, Claire. Everything's going to be all right. They'll be back before you know it." John smiled at her weakly. "The baby…well she was just born a little bit ago. Her mother stumbled into the camp. She doesn't want her. The woman, well child, she doesn't think she can take care of her and doesn't want to. The woman's pretty sick, as I said. Pencil thin, even after being pregnant." The man shook his head and took the diapers. "Thanks. Well, I need to go wash her up. Thanks again." John walked off with the little girl in his arms and the diapers in one hand.
Claire stood stunned, with a deep frown on her face and in deep thoughts after Locke left. How could someone abandon their child? That's wrong! The child is a gift. The greatest gift one could get in their lives. Claire was angry. No. She was fuming! Nobody should abandon their child. Nobody!
Claire strolled to the medical tent as fast as her legs would carry her and stormed inside. What she saw there, made her freeze in her steps and her anger cool down slightly.
The young woman, who had been dozing, woke. Her amber eyes looked around and fell on a blond haired woman who looked angry. "Hello," she said, slowly pushing herself into a sitting position.
Claire slowly took in the skinny form of the younger female and blinked a few times. She swallowed and tried to speak, but no words would form out of her mouth. Finally, she stuttered a "Who are you?" at the girl.
"Kass Meyer's, survivor of Flight 815, and you are," she said in a calm voice. She closed her eyes and then opened them again. "Sit down. You're making me nervous."
Claire looked around for a place to sit, if only for the reason to stall. Finding a nice box, she sat down. "Claire Littleton, a very angry mother who just lost her child." Her voice was icy cold and her eyes blazed with fire when she looked at Kass.
Kass had a confused look in her eyes. "Oh, I am sorry," she whispered, "I'm sure you'll get your child back."
Claire took a deep breath. "I heard you wanted to give up your child. Why?"
"I'm seventeen, Claire, I'm anorexic. I can't take care of myself. How can I take care of a baby?" She closed her eyes. "Jack said he would take her, if I heal my body. I'm not sure I can. I've been anorexic since I was fourteen. My boyfriend and my aunt, they took me to London to see my favorite band, Driveshaft. It was so exciting. To see one of their shows, there is no other experience like it. I was their biggest fan. Well, anyway, after the concert, I ran into the base player, Charlie Pace. He called me Bessie – a cow – after I ran smack into him. I was crushed. I became anorexic after that." She sighed.
"It's still not right to give up your own child! It's a part of you. No matter how hard it is, you have to take care of your baby, because it's your duty and the baby it's part…" Claire suddenly stopped in her rant, realizing something. "Wait, did you just say, Charlie Pace?"
"It is, if you can't take care of yourself. A child needs stability. A child needs love. I can't give either. I wish I could…" Her voice trailed off and she sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them when she was asked her question. "Yes, I did. Apparently, he's on this God forsaken island. I almost did not come with him when he found me. I couldn't trust him. I can't." She shook her head slightly.
Claire sighed heavily and put her head in her hands. Things are getting so much more complicated with the minute. Well, maybe not minute, but it was close. Claire really needed to hold her baby right now. God, she hoped that they were okay. They need to be okay. Lifting her head to face Kass, she took a deep breath. "Charlie… isn't that bad. He just…has issues." Claire couldn't believe she's actually defending him.
Kass shrugged. She didn't know Charlie too well, she had only met him that once. "You can sure say that again," she said as the sun dipped over the horizon…turning the water blood red.