Ponyboysgirl1: Ha, ha. I know, its a little nuts for the preggie girls to be playing in the rain. I think when I started writhing it, the fact that they all we're pregnant somehow managed to slip my mind. But I'm glad you liked it even if the whole thing was a little out there.

Hekate-trivia: Oh dear, not another boob mistake. The other day I was talking to a friend and I typed "tit" instead of "it." I think I have a problem. lol. Anyway, playing in the rain is fun, especially when there's a big group of people like the day the chapter was inspired. Snow is good to, but unfortunately it doesn't snow on tropical islands so that would never really fit in with our little story.Oh, and by the way, not sure if you noticed, but could there be a little bit of Kate and Sawyer action going on? hmmm...

clarkson04: Yay! I'm awesome lol.

billie's.kill.:ha, I just realized I've been spelling your name wrong in my replies. Sorry about that, I'm a little slow. Any way, glad you liked the chapter!

domahalic: lol, don't worry! I usually end every chapter with something along the lines of "the end" just so you know its over. But there's still plenty more to come!

lostelf76: lol. thanks!

Baby Boom

Odd Manner

The storm had caused a lot of damage along the beach, leaving everyone with something to do. Well, everyonebut Shannon. She sat along the beach, flipping through her magazine and painting her nails as she watched everyone bounce from place to place trying to fix their tents.

"You could help, you know" Kate noted, carrying a support beam from her tent that had fallen over from a gust of wind. "I am helping" Shannon confirmed simply, flipping the page of her magazine without looking up. "Oh...really?" Kate questioned skeptically, setting the wooden beam down on the sand.

"Yeah. I'm giving the guys something to look at while they're working" Shannon explained sarcastically. Kate couldn't help but laugh. Shannon smiled and pulled on her sun glasses before rolling onto her back to rest in the on coming sun. Kate just shook her head and continued walking.

A few yards away, Charlie struggled to rebuild their tent. It was a difficult task since he was the only one working on it. Claire would have willingly helped, but she was to busy holding Aaron and trying to get him to stop crying. He'd been screaming his little lungs off for the past three hours. She couldn't believe he hadn't passed out from crying so much. If he didn't do it soon, she was going to.

He had started to get a little quieter. He must have been tiring down. But after Charlie accidentally dropped one of the beams and it hit the ground with a loud crash only a few feet away from Claire, the screaming started up again. " Sorry" Charlie apologized quickly, feeling bad for making him cry.

"Its ok. He just...he won't stop" Claire explained, looking down at him in frustration. She looked exhausted. Her eyes were dark and wet with tears. Her hair still soaked from last nights adventure into the ocean. Charlie looked her over and sighed, taking a seat down beside her. "How about I walk you back to the caves and take Aaron?" He suggested, comfortingly rubbing her shoulder. "Charlie-" Claire tried to assure him, but he interrupted.

"Claire, your exhausted, your soaked and your going to get the flue if you keep sitting here in those wet cloths. If you go back to the caves you can change and sleep for a while" He explained insistently, looking her over in concern. "But, Charlie, if you take Aaron you won't be able to get the tent up, and then we'd have no where to get dressed, or sleep, or..." Claire trailed off, giving him a suggestive smile, though it came off a little week.

"I'd hate to break it to you, luv, but in your condition, your not getting laid any time soon" Charlie explained playfully, moving some of the wet curls out of her face. "I'm fine, Charlie. I'm just...frustrated" She assured, taking his hand in hers. Charlie tilted his head to the side, giving her a skeptically look. Finally he sighed and gave in.

"Alright. But when I get this wall up I'm taking Aaron" He confirmed insistently, pushing himself to his feet. "Ok" Claire agreed sarcastically, giving him a playfully smile. He kissed her cheek and got back to work. Claire turned her attention back to Aaron, who continued to cry his little heart out. "Shhh" Claire coed, brushing her hand over his little baby fluff hair.

"Sing the Spice Girls" Shannon suggested, coming out of no where. Claire looked over to see her laying on a towel in her bikini top and a skirt, starring up at the sky with big black sun glasses. "I'm sorry?" Claire questioned, hopping she'd heard wrong. "When Kate made me watch him, he wouldn't stop crying because, you know, he hates me. So I started singing the spice girls and he stopped" Shannon explained simply. Claire stared at her in disbelief for a moment.

"I can't remember the words" Claire explained, pouting in defeat. "Tough luck" Shannon shrugged, and went back to her sun bathing without another word. Claire looked up at Charlie, who had been listening the whole time. "Don't worry, I'm almost done" He explained with a reassuring smile. Claire smiled back, hardly able to wait to climb into bed and get some sleep.

Mean while...

"Need some help?" Sawyer questioned, stopping his work when he saw Kate walk buy, struggling with the heavy beam. "Your offering?" She questioned playfully, acting surprised. "You denying?" He asked in reply. The two both laughed. Sawyer walked over and grabbed the tail end of the beam and started walking.

"So, where's Jack-ass? Why ain't he helping you?" Sawyer questioned, curiously. "He's fixing up the damage back at the caves" Kate explained simply. "I see. So he works in the nice cool jungle while you slave away at the beach house" Sawyer concluded with a scoff. "Why do you care?" Kate questioned, giving him an odd look over her shoulder.

"Beaches. Your pregnant. You shouldn't be...doing stuff" Sawyer confirmed simply. "I think I can handle it" Kate assured, trying not to get offended by the remark. "I know you can. That doesn't mean you should have to" Sawyer clarified persistently. Kate stopped walking and turned to face him. "Jack helps me, all right. He's just...busy" She confirmed insistently, though there was a hint of doubt in her voice.

"To busy for his pregnant girl friend?" Sawyer questioned, raising his eye brow. Kate sighed. "That's not what I meant" She tried to defend, but she couldn't help but think he had a point. "Ok, fine. Jack's a bleeding heart. I get it" Sawyer gave in in aggravation, and lifted his end of the beam. Kate sighed and lifted her end up. The two walked back to her tent without a word.

Later...

Charlie stood in the door way, holding a sleeping Aaron in his arms. He hadn't realized how long he'd been standing there until Hurly showed up behind him. "Hey dude" He greeted friendly. Charlie jumped around, startled. "Oh, hey" He greeted after recovering, still sound a bit out of it. "So whatca doin?" Hurly questioned curiously, not taking any notice to the odd manner. After all, it was Charlie. His manner was always odd.

"Starring" Charlie answered simply, glancing back inside the tent. Hurly looked inside as well, seeing Claire asleep on the bed. "Um, dude. I don't know if you know this or not, but...she's your girl friend. You don't have to stalk her. You can just, you know, go inside" Hurly reminded sarcastically. Charlie laughed.

"No, its not that. I think...I think she's sick" He explained after a moment, his mood dropping once again. "Well, its no surprise, dude. You guys went in the ocean in the freaking rain." Hurly reminded with a shrug. "True" Charlie agreed with a sigh. "I'm just...I'm just worried about her, you know? Her and the baby" Charlie explained with a shrug. Hurly nodded, understanding.

"Why don't you go talk to Jack? Ask him to have a look at her" Hurly suggested optimistically. "I can't. I've got to watch turniphead" Charlie replied with a sigh. "Turnip...head?" Hurly questioned, giving him an odd look. "Aaron" Charlie corrected simply. "Oh. Ok..." Hurly noted, not sure if he wanted to know.

"Well, I could watch him" He offered after a moment. Charlie looked up, surprised. "Really?" Charlie questioned, brightening up a little. "Yeah. If you want. I mean, come on. The little guy loves me" Hurly explained optimistically. Charlie was so relieved if he hadn't had a sleeping child in his arms he would have jumped on the man. Perhaps its better he didn't.

"Thank you so much" He noted appreciatively, careful sliding Aaron into his arms. "No problem dude" Hurly assured. Charlie flashed him a smile before walking off into the jungle.

Later...

Jack was pacing back and forth in him and Kate's cave when Charlie showed up in the door way. At first, he wasn't sure if he should say anything. The look on Jacks face and the way he was walking back and forth like a tiger in a cage made him a bit nervous. But he took a deep gulp and spoke up nonetheless. After all, this was about Claire.

"Um...Jack?" He questioned cautiously, half expecting to be attacked as soon as Jack looked up. "Hey, Charlie. What's up?" Jack questioned in a friendly manner. Charlie blinked in surprise. Jack gave him a confused look. "Oh good. With the way you were walking about I thought you were gonna stab me" Charlie explained in relief.

"Not today" Jack replied with a laugh. "So, what brings you to the caves?" He questioned curiously, sitting down on one of the rocks inside the cave and crossing his arms. "Well, after the whole thing last night, Claire's been looking pretty rough" Charlie explained, stepping inside. "You didn't tell her that, did you?" Jack questioned, cautiously. "No...why?" Charlie asked in reply, looking confused.

"If I told Kate she looked rough she'd probably castrate me" Jack explained sarcastically. Charlie laughed. "No. I've not said anything to her. She said she's fine, but she's been asleep since she laid down. I mean, she could just be tired, but she's really pale and her eyes are dark and she's been coughing and sniffing like crazy" Charlie explained elaborately.

"Well, its probably just a little cold. But I'll come take a look at her, just to be sure" Jack explained, reassuringly, and got up from the rock. "Thank you" Charlie smiled, a little relieved. "No problem" Jack assured with a smile, giving him a pat on the shoulder. With that, he stepped out of the cave. Charlie followed, eager to be sure that Claire was ok.

Later...

Shannon was awoken from her sleep by the sound of crying. She lifted her head in annoyance, leering up at Hurly, who sat before her with a screaming Aaron in his lap. "Could you please relocate" Shannon asked sarcastically, pushing herself into a sitting position. "Sorry. I didn't want to wake Claire up" Hurly explained, glancing back at the tent.

"I see. But you had no problem waking me" Shannon concluded in sarcasm. "Well, yeah. I mean, Claire's sick. She needs sleep. You...well, your just lazy" Hurly confirmed simply, doing his best not to offend. It didn't work. "You know, I'm getting really tired of people calling me lazy. I'm fucking pregnant, ok! If we were back at home and all I did was sit around no one would care! They'd say she's pregnant, she's resting. But no! I have to get knocked up on a fucking island where I get called lazy by a man who's been here for almost a year now and hasn't lost a pound!" Shannon fired back angrily, stumbling to her feet.

"Hey! I've lost 20 pounds!" Her corrected defensively. "Whoop-di-fucking-do!" Shannon replied sarcastically, and stormed offer, dragging her towel behind her. Aaron cried louder at all the hostility that was surroundings him, and Hurly quickly had to turn his attention back. "Shh. Calm down little dude. I know, Shannon's a b-i-t-c-h" Hurly tried to calm him, rocking little Aaron in his arms.

Aaron continued to fuss, his face red from crying. "Hurly" Charlie spoke up from behind him. Hurly shifted and looked up. "Oh hey dude. You get a hold of Jack?" Hurly questioned curiously. "Yeah" Charlie answered simply, sitting down beside him. "He's talking to her know" He added, looking down at Aaron, red and miserable. "That's good. Poor guy's been crying ever since he woke up" Hurly explained, looking down at the baby in his arms.

"Give him here" Charlie instructed. Hurly Careful handed him over. He watched quietly as Charlie hugged the little guy close and kissed his forehead. Slowly, Aaron stopped crying. "Man, dude. That's talent" Hurly noted, amazed. Charlie smiled. "Not really" He assured modestly, adjusting Aaron's blanket so he could breath better.

For a while, the three lapsed into silence. Aaron tired out from crying and ready to fall back asleep. The silence was broken when Jack approached, the blank doctor look on his face. Charlie was worried by this. It was the look he had when someone was going to die.

"Charlie" Jack started. Charlie felt his heart skip a beat. But he ignored it, trying not to panic. "Claire's going to be fine. She's sick. Not sure with what. She's running a fever though. I'm going back to the caves to see if I can find any medicine that would help. You should stay with her until I come back" Jack instructed. Charlie nodded, and Jack headed off into the trees.

"I'll take him, dude" Hurly offered, holding out his arms from the baby who was asleep in his arms. "You sure?" Charlie questioned, feeling bad for dumping the kid on any one willing to take him. "Yeah, dude. No problem" Hurly assured with a friendly smile. Charlie complied and lowered Aaron into his arms before hopping up and heading for him and Claire's tent.

Later...

Charlie sat cross legged in the sand by the fire, Claire's head resting in his lap, half asleep as she curled up under one of the air line blankets from their bed. To their left sat Shannon and Sayid in a similar position. Shannon leaned back against his chest, his arms around her shoulders as he knelt on his knees behind her.

Kate walked over to one of the logs and sat down. "How's she feeling?" He asked Charlie, glancing down at Claire as she slept in his lap. "She's cooled down a little" He explained, optimistically, idaly moving the stray strands from her face. Claire smiled lightly, still conscious enough to feel the warmth of his touch.

"That's good. Jack still trying to get the meds from Sawyer's tent" Kate explained, glancing across the island over her shoulder at Sawyer's distant tent. Aaron, who'd been sitting near Charlie legs began to crawl around. Charlie went to pick him up, worried he'd get to close to the fire, but the little guy was out of his reach.

"Here" Kate offered, and scooped Aaron up onto her lap. He looked around in distress and reached for Claire's blanket, clutching it in his little hands as he murmured the word "mummy." Claire sat up sleepily, propping her self up on her elbows. "Come here, sweetie" She instructed, holding out her arms to her little boy.

"Claire-" Charlie began, knowing she should be resting. But Claire was a mother. It was instinct to comfort her son, so he decided to allow it. Aaron crawled across the sand quickly and curled up in Claire's lap, smiling contentedly as he laid his head against her chest. Claire smiled down at him as she ran her hands through his soft baby-fluff hair.

Charlie smiled at them both and pulled his arm around her shoulder, placing a kiss on her temple. "Ha, ha, Kate. Aaron hate's you too" Shannon noted teasingly. "He dose not. He just wants his mother" Kate insisted in her own defense. "Yeah, because he hates you" Shannon confirmed in amusement in a childish manner.

"Don't make me come over there" Kate warned playfully. Shannon raised a testing eye brow. "Is that a threat?" She questioned, defensively, sliding out from under Sayid's arms. "Uh...duh" Kate confirmed sarcastically, finding it hard to keep a straight face. "Then bring it on, bitch" Shannon insisted playfully. The group burst into laughter and Kate moved across the sand, pushing her playfully. Shannon nudged her back, both laughing hysterically.

"This is not a good idea. Your to close to the fire" Sayid warned, watching the two play fight nervously. "Hey man, stop trying to ruin the cat fight" Sawyer scolded Sarcastically, watching the two girls with a grin. Sayid shot him a warning look, witch Sawyer casually ignored. Failing at intimidated the southerner, he turned his attention back to the wildy-giggling girls.

"Seriously, stop it or someone's going to have a miscarriage" Sayid insisted in an entirely serious tone. The girls stopped for a moment before erupting with laughter. Sayid frowned, not at all amused, although he did managed to get them to stop. Shannon continued to laugh as she crawled back to his arms and replaced herself in her earlier position, leaving Kate alone in the sand.

"Yeah bitch. You better run" Kate yelled playfully, struggling to push herself up. Shannon stuck her tongue out mockingly before turning her head to look at Sayid, who was starring at her with one raised eye brow. Shannon smiled over-innocently before laughing at her own foolish behavior.

Sayid shook his head in disbelief, half at the way she was acting, and half at the fact that he found it amusing. He decided to split the difference and gave her a peck on the lips. Shannon beamed in response as she folded herself back into his arms.

"Her freckles" Sawyer offered, holding out his hand to Kate to help her up. "Thanks" Kate replied, once in a sitting position, and leaned back against the log he was sitting on. The area fell silent. Kate grew curious as to why no one was talking.

But Sayid and Shannon were to busy flirting and nuzzling playfully in ways that could make her throw up. And Charlie and Claire were even worse. Making out as if they weren't surrounded by people.

"Jessus christ you two, get a room" Kate insisted, slapping Claire's leg playfully. "Hey" Claire protested, pulling the blanket back over her bare legs and curling them up. Kate shook her head in disbelief, noting the fact that Sayid and Shannon had begun kissing as well. Charlie continued to look at Claire until her eyes meet with his, and kissed her once again.

"That's it. I'm leaving" Kate concluded, stumbling to her feet. She managed to trip herself up and stumbled backwards, somehow managing to land on Sawyers lap. "Careful freckles" He warned teasingly, speaking in a low husky tone over her shoulder. Kate pushed herself up quickly, offended by the voice he was using. Sawyer just grinned tauntingly as he looked up at her. Kate shook her head angrily and stormed away.

"You'd better be careful. I doubt Jack would be to happy if he heard you talk to her like that" Sayid noted, warningly. "Yeah. Like I actually care what Jack thinks" Sawyer scoffed skeptically. "Suit yourself" Sayid concluded with a sigh, and turned back to Shannon, placing a kiss on her shoulder. Shannon grinned and leaned back against his chest, turning her head to the side and kissing him passionately.

Sawyer rolled his eyes in disgust and pushed himself off the log, walking off in annoyance just as Kate had done. He wondered the beach for a while, aimlessly heading towards the trees. He spotted Jack squirming around in his tent, but decided not to go investigate. He didn't feel like kicking the doctors ass right now, although he was curious as to why Jack was going through his things.

He spotted Kate across the beach, over by the rocks, starring out at the dark ocean, and wondered over to her. She was so caught up in her own imagination that she hadn't heard him approaching.

"What's old Jack ass doing in my tent?" Sawyer questioned in an interrogating tone, stopping at the side of the rock she sat on. Kate looked up in surprise. "He's looking for medicine for Claire" Kate explained simply. "Has he ever heard of asking?" Sawyer questioned with a scoff. Kate rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like you'd actually give it to him" Kate scoffed sarcastically.

Sawyer frowned, offended. "Hey, If the girls sick I'll help her" He confirmed, feeling the veins in his arms flex angrily. "Yeah. Just like you helped Shannon with her inhaler" Kate reminded skeptically. "That was different" Sawyer confirmed. "How so?" Kate questioned, raising an eye brow up at him.

"Because. Shannon's a selfish little brat and Claire's a nice little Aussie" Sawyer explained with a confident smile. "Oh, I see. So you'd help Claire because you want to get in her pants" Kate concluded accusingly. "No, I'd help Claire because she deserves help. Because she's the only person this damn island who doesn't think I'm some ignorant red neck" Sawyer corrected angrily.

"But you are just and ignorant red neck" Kate noted, teasingly. "If I'm so ignorant and below you then why did you ever fuck me?" Sawyer questioned accusingly, growing extremely agitated at the way Kate was acting. "I didn't!" She exclaimed defensively, rising to her feet. "Bull shit." Sawyer scoffed defensively.

"No, you came into my tent. You fucked me" Kate corrected angrily. "Yeah, and you didn't stop me" Sawyer concluded triumphantly. "Fuck off, Sawyer" Kate hissed angrily, trying to brush past him. Sawyer held her arm to stop her. "Not yet, freckles. If you wanna lash out on me you better finish" He confirmed, looking at her angrily.

Kate sighed and jerked his hand away, though she made no attempt to run again. "I'm sorry, ok? I'm just...I'm not in the mood for you right now" She explained in what could only be called an apology. Crossing her arms and looking down at the sand. "Oh? And why's that?" Sawyer questioned, still a bit offended.

"I don't want to talk about it" Kate muttered, her voice so low it was barely audible. "Well, to damn bad" Sawyer confirmed insistently, not at all phased by the fact that her eyes were watering. "Because, I have to spend all my time with the two perfect couples. I have to sit there and watch them flirt and make out and look oh so happy while Jack's of playing doctor!" Kate ranted angrily, looking towers Sawyer's tent, where Jack remained, in disgust.

"I see. Your looking for a little...attention" Sawyer explained, a suggestive grin making its appearance across his face as he took a few steps forward. Kate rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant" She assured, trying to shrug the his come on off as if it was nothing. But that didn't stop him from moving forward until his body was less than an inch from hers.

"Yeah it is. The doctors been ignoring you. To busy being a hero to pay attention to his girl...or his kid for that matter" Sawyer conformed, looking her dead in the eye. Kate's eyes lowered and her arms crossed. Sawyer stared at her in confusion, knowing she was hiding something as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Its not his kid" She concluded softly, trying not to shake as another tear fell. It took Sawyer a moment to understand what she was telling him. When he finally figured it out, he was at loss for words. He stared at Kate a long time, watching her shake with tears, before caving in and putting his arms around her.

The End