Author's Note:
This is just an idea about what happened to Shane after Jamie died, I do not own Shane, or anything else from the book (or movie) "A Walk to Remember". And this next sentence is important: This is not a Romance! SO please do not Flame me screaming about how this is stupid and would never happen, and how inappropriate it is, before I finish writing it. Thank you. Enjoy the story...............................
On the coast, a solitary figure of a man is silhouetted by the setting sun, giving him a pale orange glow. Far above him, on an overhanging cliff stands a girl watching him with her arms wrapped around herself protectively. The late October wind comes in gusts and makes her skirt billow out around her legs. The man on the beach seems oblivious to the chill. Suddenly the man places his head in his hands, slumping against one of the large boulders that seem to have been sprinkled hither and yon across the expanse that is the beach. Above him the girl tenses and her face shows great sympathy for him. As she watches he slides down the rock so he is now sitting in the sand with his head on his knees. The girl draws a sharp intake of breath and turns, looking for the wooden stairs that will bring her down to the beach. When she spots them she almost flies down them. When she reaches the last step she suddenly halts, the salty air blowing in her face, she looks unsure, until she sees the man run a hand through his ragged hair. Then decisiveness washes across her face as she rushes across the sand toward the huddled figure.
"Shane," the girl called as she ran down the beach toward the man. The man snapped his head up suddenly and whipped it around toward the sound of her voice. His face registered recognition;
"Jamie?" he asked loudly, a quiver audible in his tense voice. At this word the girl stopped suddenly frozen. Her face, which a moment before had been glowing with hope, collapsed into lines of despair and grief. She raised a hand to her eyes and covered them breathing slowly.
"No…not Jamie," she whispered finally lowering her hand and gazing at Shane who's face crumpled as tears began streaming down his cheeks. She bit her lip as Shane ground his clenched fists into his eyes trying to stop the unwanted tears. She moved toward him with her hand outstretched as if to comfort him, but he saw her movement and he leapt to his feet and bolted away up the beach. "Shane!…wait…" she called out in a voice so familiar to Shane that he stopped where he was and stood, his shoulders shaking with emotion. She stayed where she was on the beach and watched nervously, her lips trembling as Shane slowly turned back towards her. "Please,…I just want to talk with you…" she called clasping her hands behind her. A ways off Shane bowed his head and began to walk slowly back to the girl. When he was a few feet away he raised his head and looked at her with tearstained cheeks.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his forehead furrowed in pain that was not physical.
The girl lowered her head and then whispered; "Joan, my name is Joan."
"That doesn't tell me anything." Shane ground out between clenched teeth.
"I'm…I'm Jamie's cousin." Joan said clearly, raising her head so she was looking Shane directly in the eyes. Shane returned the stare for what seemed like an eternity and then he turned to face the ocean, dragging his left hand through his hair. In the dimming light Joan could see his wedding band sparkling, and the tenseness of his profile.
"You're who?" Shane whispered the taste of tears in his words.
"Her cousin. I'm sorry…I thought Uncle told you I was coming." Joan answered dragging a chain that was around her neck through her fingers repeatedly.
"Do you…Do you know how much you look like her?" Shane said glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
"I've heard that a lot. Our mothers were sisters, twins in fact,.....