A/N: Well, kind of angsty I guess, but nothing to get the kleenex out for or anything ;) May not be in character but I will try my best.
Features: Chalie, Claire, Desmond and Jack appearances.
Summary: After something tragic happens, Claire begs for something to numb the pain. How can Charlie refuse her.
Rating: Rated T for drugs, death, and some swearing and violence.
Dedicated to Charlie and Claire and all the troubles they've been through together, but you gotta know that they'll get through this.
Time To Let Go:
"Morning, love." greeted Charlie, smiling at Claire who had just woken up.
"Hi," she smiled. "Where's Aaron?"
"He's in his cradle. I'll get him."
Charlie shuffled over to the cradle that Locke had made and gently rocked it. It swung on its wooden hinges.
"Aaron, wake up." he called softly, tickling the baby's stomach.
Not a sound was heard from Aaron. He tried again and again, but still nothing.
"Aaron? Aaron, what's wrong?!" he exclaimed, trying to get the child to stirr.
Claire stood up and came over to Charlie, panicked.
"What happened?!" she exclaimed. "What did you do?!"
"Nothing!"
"Charlie, Charlie he's not breathing! Get Jack!"
"He's not breathing?!"
"GET JACK!!!"
After a quarter hour of trying to ressuscitate Aaron, Jack, worn, sadly confirmed that the baby was indeed gone.
"I'm sorry, Claire. I don't know how this must have felt for you. I'm so sorry."
Claire wept, hot tears running down her face.
Jack turned and left, head hung low.
"Charlie, tell me this is a dream, tell me this isn't real." wailed Claire, collapsing into his arms.
"I'm sorry, Claire, I'm so sorry." sobbed Charlie, tears pooling in his large grey eyes.
"This isn't real!" shouted Claire, hysterical. "Tell me it isn't!"
"Claire," Charlie choked, "He's gone."
"No! No, no no! Please."
Charlie just sobbed silently into her hair, drawing comfort from her.
"I'm sorry, Charlie, I'm sorry that I was so terrible to you. Just please bring him back." she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying so hard.
"You said that once before, and at that time it was possible, but now it's not, though I wish I could."
Claire ran out of the tent, tears flying from her eyes. She didn't know where she was going, or why, she just kept on running.
Why had this happened? Why? What had they done to deserve this?
She didn't want to believe this was real, but knew it was. So she just kept on running, rough terrain caused her bare, aching feet to bleed. But still she ran.
She would run forever if that would bring Aaron back. He was so little, so defenseless.
Night fell. She kept on running.
Finally, when she felt like getting sick, she stopped, and slumped to the ground, crying out in a fit of uncontrollable wails.
Those cries would've been enough to make a dove's glassy eye glisten with tears.
I dont want him to be gone. she sobbed. He cant be
She curled herself into a ball and cried herself to sleep. Not knowing where she was.
With Charlie...
He rested his chin on his fist, tears slipping from his eyes, rolling down his neck onto his shirt, making it wet.
Hurley sat beside him in the sand. "Dude, I'm sorry about Aaron," his voice was sad, as though he were trying not to cry. "I loved that little guy."
"I should've known." muttered Charlie bitterly. "I should have checked on him earlier, but I wanted to surprise Claire. I made breakfast."
"It's not your fault dude, it's fate. I'm sorry it had to be that way."
"I hate myself. It was my fault, and now Claire will never forgive me."
"Claire knows that's not how it was."
Charlie squeezed his eyes shut briefly and got up, walking away along the shore of the beach.
He walked forever, to the caves, to the remains of the hatch. He stopped when he arrived someplace he rather wouldn't be, but couldn't seem to take himself away.
He walked closer to Eko's church. Or what would have been a church had they finished it.
And there, amongst the planks of wood, they were. Settled neatly on the ground, as if they'd been waiting for him.
The virgin Mary statues.
A/N: What? Is that a cliffhanger I see? Why yes, yes it is.
Please review or you will never find out what happens next! I know, I'm very threatening ;)
R.I.P Aaron Littleton. Beloved son and friend. A moment of silence please.
Hope you enjoyed it, ideas welcomed, reviews insisted :)
xox Sacha