Her eyes flew open wide, still seeing the fractured visions from her nightmare playing before them. Her breath came in short, desperate gasps as though she were struggling for air. The trembling wouldn't stop. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, only adding to her immense feeling of anxiety. Claire Littleton took a steadying breath, and lifted up her head to take in her surroundings. She was in a bedroom, comfortably furnished with a large bed and plenty of space. It took Claire a moment to realize where she was; Kate's spare bedroom. Home.

She'd been having the same nightmare for days; the one where she was still alone on the island, lost without Aaron, without anyone. Aaron! Suddenly panicked, Claire stretched her hand out across the wide mattress and reached for her son. For a moment, her hand felt nothing but the soft blanket. Then, relief washed over her as she felt Aaron lying next to her. Claire took another deep breath. It was over. It was all over.

It was strange, Claire thought, being in Kate's spare bedroom. It felt somehow foreign, wrong. Sleeping in a real bed, wearing clean clothes, Aaron lying right beside her; it was almost too good to be true. Claire had never been more lost than when she was by herself on that island with only an animal skull to keep her company. But Aaron was there, he was right next to her.

"I love you baby," Claire whispered. "I'll never leave you again Aaron, I promise." Aaron stretched, rolled over onto his side, and curled his fingers around two of hers. With her other hand, she brushed the light blonde hair out of his eyes and them hugged him gently, protecting him and never wanting to let him go.

Soft light crept into the room through the half-opened shutters. It would be morning soon. The start of a new day and, the beginning of Claire's new life. What am I going to do now? she wondered desperately. She couldn't very well take him from Kate. No matter how hard it was for Claire to admit, Kate and Aaron had formed a connection. All Claire did know was that she and her son would stay together ... Somehow. She would never leave him again. She realized she was holding him too tightly when as Aaron began stirring fitfully in his sleep. She eased her embrace. Seeing him there, Claire's thoughts drifted to memories of Aaron's birth and how much she loved him; she loved him so much, even before he was born. All she ever wanted was for Aaron to have a good life.

Her baby was so grown up now, nearly four years old. It was difficult for Claire to think of him as that old. And he was so beautiful, just like Kate had said. Claire contemplated the life that she could have had. All of the memories that should have been hers were Kate's. Aaron's first words, his first steps, his first laugh ... they all belonged to Kate. Claire had really thought that it would be different from this; that she would have been there to experience and share these things with Aaron. This was supposed to be different, she thought to herself. And Charlie was supposed to be here.

Claire's eyes stung and her cheeks felt wet. She had been crying without realizing it. Claire let it all out now. The tears welled up in her eyes and fell freely down her face. Her whole body shuddered as she held onto Aaron; it was all too overwhelming. A hundred years ago, it seemed, she and Charlie were on the beach together with Aaron; a perfect little family. Images came flooding back to Claire, memories of what was;

-"I remember peanut butter, why do I remember peanut butter?"

"It was imaginary peanut butter actually" he laughed.

-"I think about you, in this place, how hard it must be for you- without your family, and your friends, and I think, we could be friends..."

She remembered all the long walks on the beach she and Charlie had taken, eating "peanut butter", Charlie singing and playing his guitar, Charlie holding Aaron. She remembered falling in love with him. Charlie had loved Aaron like a son, and had died trying to get him and Claire rescued.

"Don't worry about me Claire..." he assured her. They kissed, he said goodbye to Aaron, and then he was gone forever.

"I miss you Charlie," she whispered into the darkness "I'll always love you." While still keeping a firm grip on Aaron's hand, she used the other and pulled her legs close the her body, rocking herself back and forth. Emotions stirred up inside her; guilt, relief, of joy, sadness, but most of all, love and loss. Love for the little boy lying next to her, who had remembered Claire as soon as he saw her, when Kate took her to see him in the motel, despite being very young when they were separated on the island. Aaron called me mommy, she remembered joyfully. And loss, loss for Charlie, her true love and her best friend. Her Charlie.

Aaron was all she had left, he was her family now. "It's all over," Claire reminded herself. "I can move on now." Just then, the doorbell rang.