Post by Charlie Pace on Apr 4, 2008 0:23:19 GMT -5
"No, no, square pegs go here."
He knew he was dead. He knew that, and yet, he found himself in places. Whereever he thought, he was instantly there. He had found himself in Australia, watching Liam and Megan play in the sandbox. He had wanted to tell Liam that he was there, but he simply leaned against the tree and watched father and daughter play.
Sometimes he played with Megan. He'd put on the princess hat and make her giggle as he walked around, curtseying in front of her with a pretend dress. Sometimes Liam would come in and ask what Megan was doing, and innocently, like all children, she'd say that Uncle Charlie was making her laugh. He's a princess.
It broke Charlie's heart when he saw Liam get so frustrated with Megan, tell her in a stern, fatherly voice that it wasn't funny. He'd make Megan cry, and then Liam would cry as well. Charlie always told Megan that it wasn't her fault. He was there, no matter what Daddy said. Daddy just wasn't ready to see him. And he'd hold her until Liam came in to take her to bed, and he'd sing her bedtime songs until she fell asleep. Watching her, he would want to cry. He could never be with her, never be with Liam...someday, he would have to leave. "I love you." he told Megan's sleeping form surely. "I love you so much, darling. Never, ever forget me."
Charlie picked up the square peg, looking at Aaron as he held it up. "Look here. Square. Where does the square go?" The boy moved his fist from his mouth and pointed at the square hole. Charlie beamed. "That's a smart lad. Square goes in the square hole."
Charlie watched Aaron, and for a moment, his heart broke so much that he just wanted to be able to turn time around, tell Desmond that yes, it was alright if he died. He'd tell Penny that Desmond had loved her...and he'd be right there with Claire.
Claire.
"You gotta keep your mummy safe, Aaron." he told the boy, moving to kiss the side of his head as he laid on his stomach, placing the circle peg in the circle hole idly. "You're all she's got left, Turnip. Y'gotta watch out for her. She'll need you."
Time was something Charlie couldn't focus on anymore. He could have been lying there for minutes, hours, days...and he wouldn't have known. He heard a gasp, and his head shot up, eyes slightly wide as he saw Claire. She saw him. For a moment, he wanted to just vanish, however, he stayed, and got up to sit on his knees. "Claire," he told her evenly, holding his hands out in front of him. "Don't act like Hugo, love. Don't scream...don't--" he moved his hands about his head. "Don't freak out, alright? Please. Just...Just sit down and we'll talk."
He held his hands out in front of him, his brows narrowing slightly in concern. "It's okay," he said again, evenly and calmly. "It's okay, love, just...just sit. I'll explain. I'll explain everything."
He knew he was dead. He knew that, and yet, he found himself in places. Whereever he thought, he was instantly there. He had found himself in Australia, watching Liam and Megan play in the sandbox. He had wanted to tell Liam that he was there, but he simply leaned against the tree and watched father and daughter play.
Sometimes he played with Megan. He'd put on the princess hat and make her giggle as he walked around, curtseying in front of her with a pretend dress. Sometimes Liam would come in and ask what Megan was doing, and innocently, like all children, she'd say that Uncle Charlie was making her laugh. He's a princess.
It broke Charlie's heart when he saw Liam get so frustrated with Megan, tell her in a stern, fatherly voice that it wasn't funny. He'd make Megan cry, and then Liam would cry as well. Charlie always told Megan that it wasn't her fault. He was there, no matter what Daddy said. Daddy just wasn't ready to see him. And he'd hold her until Liam came in to take her to bed, and he'd sing her bedtime songs until she fell asleep. Watching her, he would want to cry. He could never be with her, never be with Liam...someday, he would have to leave. "I love you." he told Megan's sleeping form surely. "I love you so much, darling. Never, ever forget me."
Charlie picked up the square peg, looking at Aaron as he held it up. "Look here. Square. Where does the square go?" The boy moved his fist from his mouth and pointed at the square hole. Charlie beamed. "That's a smart lad. Square goes in the square hole."
Charlie watched Aaron, and for a moment, his heart broke so much that he just wanted to be able to turn time around, tell Desmond that yes, it was alright if he died. He'd tell Penny that Desmond had loved her...and he'd be right there with Claire.
Claire.
"You gotta keep your mummy safe, Aaron." he told the boy, moving to kiss the side of his head as he laid on his stomach, placing the circle peg in the circle hole idly. "You're all she's got left, Turnip. Y'gotta watch out for her. She'll need you."
Time was something Charlie couldn't focus on anymore. He could have been lying there for minutes, hours, days...and he wouldn't have known. He heard a gasp, and his head shot up, eyes slightly wide as he saw Claire. She saw him. For a moment, he wanted to just vanish, however, he stayed, and got up to sit on his knees. "Claire," he told her evenly, holding his hands out in front of him. "Don't act like Hugo, love. Don't scream...don't--" he moved his hands about his head. "Don't freak out, alright? Please. Just...Just sit down and we'll talk."
He held his hands out in front of him, his brows narrowing slightly in concern. "It's okay," he said again, evenly and calmly. "It's okay, love, just...just sit. I'll explain. I'll explain everything."
