A/N: Couldn't resist this little bit of plotless fluff. I thought it would be cool since Rain Dance was about the island and Shannon cutting loose for this to be about the island and Shannon cutting loose, too.

Summary: Shannon climbs a tree. Someone else joins her.

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There it was, branches spreading in the midmorning sky, the sharp spears of light breaking off and garing through the spaces between the leaves and branches. There it was, the green leaves glossy and rustling, teeming with life. There it was, the branches thick and accessible, sure to hold her weight. There it was, the tree that Shannon was going to climb.

She had been looking for a good tree to climb for a while now and she had finally found it. She ahd found the tree. Now, all she had to do was climb it. Man, if Boone ever found out about this, he'd have kittens. Oh, well. Kittens were cute and fuzzy...he could have them and it would only make her happier. Besides, who was he to tell her what to do, anyway? She scoffed to herself.

Slipping her shoes off, being only a few hundred feet down the beach and a few yards into the treeline from where everyone was working, she placed her bare feet on the rough bark of the trunk, enjoying the feel of the coarse grainy wood. She placed her palms on the bark, still enjoying the feeling, though it was intensified by the acute nerve-endings in her hands.

Shannon gripped and heaved herself up, unaware that she was not the only body within twenty feet, and began her ascent into the cool branches of the upper canopy.

Up and up and up she climbed, feeling warm sweat begin to trickle down her forehead and legs, falling off of her chin and feet. The salty droplets of water rested on her lips, making her thirsty and she longed for a bottle of spring water, but did not stop, determined to accomplish something, even if it was as trivial a matter as climbing the tree she had been searching for.

She didn't know why she had the longing to climb a tree. She just did. She needed to get up high and see the island from a different viewpoint than that of the beach-potato, snotty, rich, silver-spoon-in-her-mouth chick. She needed to see it from the viewpoint of the birds, of the winged creatures that she saw every day, circling on high. She needed to see from the viewpoints of the feathered beasts that created the melody that constantly ran through her mind, caressing it and relaxing it from its stressed bindings. So, here she was, climbing a tree.

For some reason, she also felt the need to accomplish something, whether it be climbing this tree or saving someone who was bleeding to death. She had chosen the former, as it was something that she had the urge to do and there didn't seem to be anyone bleeding to death around the island. Okay, not yet, but there weren't any right then and she needed to satisfy that urge then and not later.

So, finding that a tree-climbing expedition would pass the time and satisfy her restless mind and body, she began her week-long search for the perfect tree.

It had to be tall, not too tall, but just tall enough so that she could get higher than the other trees to see the island. It also had to have thick branches that were not so thick that she could not climb them easily. They had to hold her weight, however little an amount that may have been. It needed to be thick, so as to provide shade. So, she had found it. This was the tree and she was climbing it.

Finally reaching the top, she hauled herself up the last couple of stronger branches and gripped two overhead ones to steady herself taking in the breathripping surroundings, looking out at the lush green scenery, the trees and foliage stretching foever, it would seem. She could see some sort of water source, stretching and winding, twisting and turning, coiling like a shimmering grayish snake.

The cool breeze the ruffled her blonde hair and sent her platinum tresses fluttering was liesurely. She balanced herself carefully before spreading her arms completely and throwing her head back, laughing joyously for no apparent reason. She felt better than she had in years. She felt energized, even after the arduous ascent to the top and she wished this feeling could go on forever.

But, alas, her ecstasy was interrupted by a voice. It was interrupted by his voice, the person that had driven her on this mad mission of accomplishment, made her feel as though she were worth something and that she could do this thing that she was attempting to do. Which, she wasn't really sure that she knew what it was just yet, but she was glad that she was on her way.

Dark eyes sought hers as his unintentionally sultry voice called her name. "Shannon!" She peered into his eyes, grabbing the branches again for support as she looked back into his obsidian pools.

"Yes?" She was almost exasperated that her me-time had been interrupted, except for the fact that this man had been her motivation. She watched as he hesitated uncharacteristically, the wind tousling his silky black curls and skewing them in a way that made him look as though he had just risen from a rough sleep.

"Are you...alright?" He asked. From this distance above, she couldn't tell, but she thought that maybe she saw some concern flashing in the depths of his shadowy eyes.

"I'm fine. Why? Was there something you wanted?"

"No...I just...may I join you?" His eyes turned away from hers and she unexpectedly broke into a smile.

"Sure."

He looked back up and began to climb, Shannon watching as he never faltered once, making it up much faster than she had. She admired is grace. He was almost cat-like.

"Sure there wasn't something specific that you wanted, Sayid?" She asked one last time.

He blinked, pulling himself up the last branch and grabbing her hand for leverage as he did so. When he was up, he answered. "I am sure."

She smiled at him and nodded, going back to watching the scenery. After a few more minutes, he spoke again. "Are you going to let go of my hand?"

"I don't want to."

"Good. I don't want you to."