Chapter 2.

It had been 4 hours since Claire had awoken on the beach. The contractions had continued, and the pain was relentless. The other survivors had calmed down and formed temporary shelters, one which Claire was put in as soon as it was built. Claire was surrounded by Jack, Hurley, a woman named Kate and a man named Charlie. Charlie found her frozen in fear after her water broke, and Kate had come with Jack when Hurley brought them back to Claire.

Jack was sitting next to her in the sand with a watch in his hand. He had checked her cervix moments prior and determined she was dilated about 6 centimeters. Claire's breathing was shallow, her anxiety demanded she breathe through her mouth. Nothing made sense. How could this happen to her?

"Claire, I know you're scared, but you have to take a deep breath."

Claire looked at Jack. Familiar, like she'd looked into his eyes before. He was right, she knew. The smallest voice in her head was the rational one. The one that knew she needed to calm down because whether she was ready or not, this was happening tonight.

Inhaling through her nose and slowly exhaling through her mouth, Claire closed her eyes and tried to find something to think about that would soothe her. The first thought that popped into her head was at least the Island is beautiful. But that wouldn't do. The Island was terrifying, full of the unknown; eerie and lonely. What else…? Mum? No, that was the worst thought. Claire put that back into the box it popped out of. Try smaller. Something simple… Peanut butter? That would do. Claire kept her eyes closed and imagined some toast with peanut butter on it. In her mind, she took a bite and the sticky gooey substance filled her mouth and made her thirsty.

Thirsty... water. Her momentary serenity was broken and her eyes shot open. Water was limited and Claire needed more water than the others, but asking for it was hard for Claire. She could feel the burden she bore on Jack. So many others were injured and in need of care, but Jack had remained by her side since Hurley brought him back to her and she told him her water broke. She couldn't ask for more.

Kate noticed Claire's eyes open, and moved nearer to her.

"You ok, Claire? I can get you more water if you need it." She offered.

Claire felt a tear produce in her blue eyes. She nodded, ashamed of her own needs.

Kate left the tent, and Jack put his head in his hands. He was anxious, Claire could tell, that made all of them probably. The waves crashed outside the tent, and Claire tried to focus on that, but the idea of water crashing over and over only made Claire think about how she needed water herself. The sudden pain in her stomach barely made her flinch, she was used to it after 4 nearly 5 hours. But still Charlie noticed her discomfort, he reached over and grabbed her hand. Claire squeezed it. They may all be strangers, but her gratefulness for any support was almost overwhelming. Jack was taking care of her the best he could, Kate was her advocate, and Charlie even made her laugh in the middle of a contraction. Claire knew nothing about these people, but she trusted them with her life. She had to… there was no other option.

Kate returned with the water, and Jack decided to get some air and check on some of the wounded.

"I will be right back, I promise. If you need anything or if something happens, I will be right outside," Jack stated as he rose to leave. Claire couldn't tell if the baby had kicked or if her stomach turned at the thought of Jack leaving, but she just nodded and looked to Kate for reassurance. Kate smiled a warm smile and took her other hand.

Jack left and came back not too long later. Hours passed with the same cycle of pain and anxiety. The survivors in the tent comforted her and kept her comfortable, but as Jack checked her cervix, she could feel the heightened panic in the room. She was getting closer and closer to delivering this baby. A baby she didn't even know if she wanted.

Claire had been on Oceanic Flight 815 for one reason: to give her baby up for adoption to a couple in the States. The baby's father was a deadbeat, and Claire's family was not an option for support. The survivors in the tent had given her more support than her family had in the last several years. Claire didn't feel ready to be a mother, so she made the decision to give this child the best life she could, which was not with her.

"9.5 centimeters Claire. You're almost there." Jack said.

Claire's heartbeat raced. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this.

"Yes you can," Kate and Charlie said simultaneously. Claire had not realized she had spoken out loud.

"Claire, this is going to be difficult. The baby is early, but I know that we can do this," Jack semi-confidently proclaimed.

Their faith in her moved her. Suddenly, a roaring contraction ripped through her stomach.

"Ooooohhhhhh" This one was different, it was time.

"Ok Claire, let's have a baby," Jack tried to sound confident again but Claire knew the terror she felt was experienced by everyone in the tent.

****Passage of Time****

Claire pushed one last time and she could feel herself fading. As soon as Jack instructed her to push the first time, blood began pouring out of her. There was nothing anyone could do, but the baby was ready to come anyway. Born in blood, eight hours after the crash, a boy emerged from Claire's womb and Jack cut the umbilical cord. He was tiny, Claire could see through the darkness clouding her vision. Claire tried to raise her arms to take the baby boy Jack was handing her, but there was no life in them. There was no life in her. Claire looked to Kate who had tears in her eyes. Why? Claire thought, The baby is here! It's over! Then Claire felt her eyes flickering shut, but Kate rushed forward and startled Claire from her death.

"Stay with us Claire!" She cried.

Claire's eyes flashed open frantically, realizing that the darkness was not simply sleep calling to her, but the end. Blood was still trickling out of her and Claire knew she would never get to hold her baby. She laid on airline cushions on the sand and her arms were stuck to the ground, heavier than gravity, but she turned her head to stare at Kate straight on.

"Kate, take him please…"

"No, you are going to be ok," Kate protested.

"Kate, you have to. There's no one else…" Claire could barely mumble her pleas, but Kate was close enough to hear. Kate squeezed Claire's hand and held it close to her heart. Kate's tears were falling steadily and Claire was ready to go. The exhaustion and trauma of the day were too much. All of it was too much.

As Claire closed her blue eyes for the final time, she whispered, "Aaron. Name him Aaron."