So this is it. The end... Thanks for reading. Feedback much appreciated. A One-Shot or sequel to the story may be written. /Susan

---

The last chapter

"Claire!"

She met his eyes, those eyes she had missed like crazy. She couldn't help but to smile, though the situation wasn't exactly a happy one.

"Let me guess," Lucas said, "You are him. The new guy in her life. The dad to that."

He pointed at Claires belly.

Boone tore his eyes off Claire and looked at the man who had taken his family from him.

"Yes I am," he said - almost proudly, "What do you want? Money?"

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"

Boone looked confused.

"Your girl here owes me a baby and from what I can see, there seems to be one in store..."

"...Thanks to you"

"You're seriously not thinking that I will give our baby to you?" Boone replied fiercly.

Claire looked at him, surprised. This was the first tine she had seen pure rage reflecting in his eyes.

"You don't have any choice, I believe," Lucas said in the same tone.

Boone waled furiously over to the man.

"Maybe you should think twice about that" He said, twisting Lucas' arm backwards, taking him by surprise.

"Locke!" Boone commanded.

Locke reacted instinctivly, running towards Claire, loosining the tie around her hands.

"Hi," he said a bit sheepisly.

"Hi," she smiled back, "so how have you been?"

"Let's catch up later, right?" Locke replied jokingly, helping her to stand up by reaching her a hand.

Claire nodded.

She searched for a sign in Boone's eyes of what to do next, and suddenly she got it - Aaron!

She was just picking him up from the crib when Trish, in all her glory, came up to her.

"Stay away from us!" Claire shouted.

"No."

Trish tried to take the baby away from her, when Claire with her free hand, slapped her with all the power in her body.

"It's pathetic," she began sadly, "that you would do this to us"

Trish eyes hardened, penetrating through her.

Softly Claire countinued, "I can't say that I understand what you are going through, I can't even begin to imagiene...but do you really think that seperating a family, a happy one, is the right choice?"

Trish softened, whispering hoarsly, "No"

"Then, please, let us go and we will not contact the police"

Trish looked at her husband who was clinching by the pressure of Boone's hand. They both knew that they had to let them go.

"We'll let you go" Lucas gave in.

Boone let go of him and walked towards Claire, putting his arm around her waist. As they walked out, with Locke close behind, he threathingly said, "If you ever lay a finger on my girl or son again, I swear, I'll kill you.

It felt like she was dreaming, laying in Boones protective arms.

"I've been thinking," he murmured into her hair. "Do you want to move in with me?"

Claire turned around, looking deeply into his eyes, seeing that he truly meant it.

"Of course," she whispered softly, kissing him, "I love you"

"I love you too"

He pulled her closer, feeling her soft skin against his, breathing her into his heart.

Listening to his heart beat, Claire fell into slumber in his arms.

Kissing her forehead, Boone got up from the bed. He needed to see Aaron, feeling that his family was safe again. He sat there in the chair, watching Aaron sleeping, growing more and more tired, until he finally fell asleep. He didn't wake up till the next morning to the smell of newly breed coffee.

"Good morning, honey," Claire said, sweet as honey. "I hope you don't mind drinking my coffee but you didn't seem…awake enough to actually make it yourself," she teased him.

He had missed this.

"No problem," he said, zipping on the coffee, almost regretting what he had just said.

Claire frowned, "I warned you!"

Boone, who didn't want her to get pissed at him this early in the morning smiled at her.

"I'm still glad it's your coffee I'm drinking"

"I know the feeling," she replied, kissing him quickly.

"Morning Locke, "she greeted as the man tiredly walked through the kitchen door.

"I'm afraid the coffee here hasn't been approved by the expert here," she joked, pointing at Boone, "…but you look like you need it"

"Wouldn't say no to it" Locke agreed.

He drank the coffee without saying a word.

When the silence was getting uncomfortable Claire felt like she needed to say something, she chose the first thing that came in mind.

"So how's life been pro-crash?"

"Quite still actually, nothing much has happened." Locke seemed to think about it, "I've started a company which concentrates on adventure trips," he smiled, almost proudly. "It's actually going quite well."

"Sounds exciting, "Claire nodded eagerly.

"It's something he always wanted to do, too" Boone told Claire.

"I remember him telling me that on the Island"

Locke smiled remembering all the treks he had done with Boone in the jungle. It seemed like an eternity ago. So many things had changed. Claire was a mum! There couldn't be bigger changes in life.

Locke felt a sting of jealousy. Besides his work he had nothing and sitting there, watching Boone's and Claire's small gestures of love, made him realise that he wasn't getting younger, and he wasn't even near building his own family.

Waving goodbye to Locke was more satisfying then both of them had thought it would be. The main reason was of course that they now could be alone together. Though it had only been days since the last time, and they had survived years without each other before, it seemed like an eternity. Within minutes they were back in their usual mode of mocking and teasing but suddenly they got into serious subjects like the baby's birth and if they should buy a bigger house and if they could even afford that. They both knew that their lifestyles had to change drastically now when they seriously were starting a family, those things cost.

Boone and Claire also pointed out that they wouldn't be spending that much quality time together anymore but as Boone put it, "We'll take the time. Nothing will ever come between us again, no matter if it's a person or work"

Claire hesitated. "Boone," she looked seriously at him, "You know I love L.A. right?" Boone nodded concurrently. "…I do love it. You are here; my new life is here…but…"

"I knew there would be a 'but'," Boone cut in, "Claire, I've realised a long time ago that you would be homesick. There is, after all, quite a long distance between Sydney and L.A."

"Yeah"

"Hey." Boone lifted up her cheek, as if he was trying to get her back into her good spirit.

"Do you want to move there?"

Claire looked at him surprised, "Oh no! It's just… we'll perhaps we can go there during the winter months here."

She changed her mind, blaming herself, "I'm sorry, I completely forgot that your work is here."

Boone smiled, "One great advantage with working within a wedding company, multiple offices. We have one in Sydney! Of course we can be there a couple of months a year. Your home is my home"

Claire's face lighted up, "Really?"

"Really," Boone replied determined.

"That brings me to something else," he continued, "You can still fly right?"

Claire lifted her eyebrows in surprise, "I guess so," she said hesitantly, "of course, I'll have to ask the doctor first"

"I'm not that happy about getting back on a plane again, but this will be worth it…"

Boone gave it a thought, "unless we crash, because then..."

Claire, who was almost dying of excitement, cut in, "Get to the point, honey!"

Boone looked sad, but she knew that he was just pretending. "Maybe I don't want to tell you now"

Claire leaned in, kissing him sweetly.

"What about now?"

"I was thinking…what if we spend the holidays in Paris?"

Claire smiled widely, repeating the words she had said the last time Paris came up, "Paris, you want to take me to Paris?"

This time Boone didn't react as strongly as he had done when they had had their confrontation in the kitchen.

"Yes, I want you to come to Paris with me"

On Christmas day, Boone, Claire and Aaron was sitting in their hotel room, in Paris, France, eating Pêche Melba, which they had room serviced.

"Paris is great!" Claire declared.

"I knew that you would like it."

"Don't sound so proud!"

"Speaking about pride, can't we open the presents now? I think you will like them as well," Boone smiled.

They began to open them one by one, Claire getting nice things one after the other. Dresses, jewellery, baby things. Boone wasn't let down by his either.

Suddenly there was only one big present left. "Open it," Boone begged.

"I will"

Claire ripped it open, only to find a smaller box inside, and so it continued until there only was a tiny case left in it.

Questionly she looked at her boyfriend, "What is this?"

Boone didn't reply.

Claire opened the case finding a beautiful engagement ring in it, as she was recovering from that surprise; Boone fell down on one knee in front of her.

"I was thinking about taking you up to the Eiffel tower and propose there, when I realised that that's not us. We are simple people, Claire, even though we make things difficult. I can't believe it took us such a long time to find each other, and now when we have, I never want to let you go."

Claire's eyes began to fill up with tears when Boone took her hand.

"Please marry me" He said tenderly.

Claire didn't need a second to think about her answer.

"Yes," she whispered, "Yes, I'll marry you"

The End