She has requested that he walk the beach with her, tightly clasping hands and meandering along the waterline, letting droplets of water collect on their bare ankles as the waves slowly roll in. She wants it to be perfect, but so far nothing has happened. Just open your mouth and say it, she reiterates once more in her mind. She's nervous, and she doesn't know why.

Sayid has done nothing more than let the awkward silence spread over them. Saying something will not help the matter, he knows, and she'll tell him what she needs to say when she's ready. After all, time plays no part when one's stranded on an island.

"Sayid, what would you say if I told you I was pregnant?" Her words hit him, suddenly, and he stops walking.

"I would be most happy, of course. That is, after my initial shock had worn off. Why, are you?"

Shannon grimaces. "What do you think?"

"Yes, then. When did you find out?"

"This morning. I'd been throwing up for a few days. I was fine, but then it started to become bothersome. I went to Jack for some meds, maybe something to settle my stomach. He didn't realize it at first, not until Claire started making implicational faces at him." Shannon chuckles, remembering Claire's raised eyebrows, frantically signaling for Jack's attention, while still trying to be polite.

"That must have been awkward for you." Sayid can only imagine how red she turned.

"You wanna know what's worse? Panicking for a few seconds until Jack tells you how far along you are. I thought for a minute there that the baby was Boone's. Nearly had a heart attack, but then he told me I'm only about two and a half months."

"That would have been slightly tragic. So am I the lucky father, then?" He tries to mask the apprehension and excitement present in his mind, but Shannon knows him to well not to hear it.

"Of course. You're the only male worth screwing around these parts. Although, come to think of it, Kate and Claire might take issue with that statement."

"Oddly enough, I'm strangely flattered." He smirks at her, and pulls her down to sit beside him on the sand. Shannon kisses him at the very corner of his mouth, tempting him to move closer. He follows the serpent to the apple, and is not the least bit guilty.

They kiss for a while, but this has happened so many times now that their hunger is sated within a few minutes. Breaking apart, the couple are content to only sit in each other's arms, basking in a not-so-awkward silence this time.

Shannon giggles again, after a few minutes. "Claire seemed pretty happy with the situation."

"Was she, now?"

"She said she'd gotten tired of being the only mother around, and missed having a young baby. Jackie's sure grown up quickly, although I can't say I'm entirely sorry to see his infancy go. I can actually shut my eyes for five minutes without hearing him wail..."

She lets the sentence hang, and this time Sayid prompts her. "Are you happy, Shannon? I'm overjoyed, but you don't have to do this if it makes you uncomfortable."

Shannon laughs bitterly. "What are my options? A bamboo-stick abortion? No, I think I'm just confused. And scared. Having a baby on an island with no source for advanced medical technology sure must be a party. I've been worrying myself all day about the things that could happen. Hormones, I guess. Back in the real world, I never wanted kids. I thought they were bratty and loud, and I was too absorbed in myself to ever think of taking care of another living thing. But here, now, when I'm with you it's all I ever think about. Is that odd?"

"I think it's called being in love. When someone you care about is present, you convince yourself to do wild and seemingly dangerous things. I heard of a hardened army officer who shot his commander and himself in order to let his best friend escape from prison."

"Sayid, that was you."

"I know. I was attempting to sound wise and worldly."

"You would anyway. You're too cultured for me. Who else in this place knows how to fix a fricking transceiver in about two hours?"

Sayid can only run his fingers through her hair as he smiles.

"If it is a girl, can we call her Nadia?"

"Only if you promise me that when we return to civilization, we can live in a big city. I can't live without a big city. Suburbs would kill me."

"That's a promise, then." They rise, and begin the way back to camp, holding hands in the most intimate act of loyalty.

"You know something? I think you're just about the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Oh?"

"I say just about, because baby makes three." Sayid cannot help himself this time, and he tackes her into the surf.

"HEY! You perv, you just want to see through my shirt!"

"And is that such a crime?" His voice is husky, and she shivers happily. "If I'm going to be deprived of illicit acts for six more months, I need to get some satisfaction. Besides, I'm the one wearing a white shirt. Yours is red."

She only laughs, splashing him with water as he kisses her neck. "Sayid? I think Walt's gotten too curious for his own good." She points up at the sand dune, where they see a black and curly head of hair duck, but not fast enough. "We might as well provide the little hormonal preteen with some quality entertainment, then." She throws herself dramatically across the sand, faking moans of ectasy. "Touch me!" Shannon growls, deep in her throat. "OH! SAYID! OH!" He leaps next to her, overjoyed that shestill remembers how to laugh, and they become a tangle of flying limbs.

"This is fun," she giggles in his ear as soon as it approaches an opportune position. "Yes, it is," he replies. "Untie my bathing suit!" she tells him, and laughs at his look of horror. "It's ok, he's seen it before, just do it!" Reluctantly, he pulls the ties out of their knot, and lifts the bathing suit above her head.

"Shannon, we will get killed for this later." She decides he's too cautious, and jumps on his lap, straddling him.

"I know we will, but come on, carpe diem, everyone. Okay, I think he left." They look up to see a childish figure fleeing across the sand. "We scared him."

"Obviously. Put your top back on, it's getting dark."

"Should I? Or should I just go nudist like that Rich guy from that one Survivor season?" She's past brooding, and has turned into the mischievous Shannon that only shows up around Sayid.

She can tell he doesn't get the cultural reference, because his eyes are blank. "Was he… wealthy?"

"He was by the time the show was over. Never mind, you don't get it anyway. You need a serious education." He grins.

"What a shame we didn't recover any of the televisions from the airplane. Those would have been more than appreciated."

"Damn straight, boy. Alright, now it IS dark, and we're about a quarter-mile away from warmth. Let's start walking." He ties her suit for her, albeit quite reluctantly, she can tell, and they start the trek back to camp.

After a long while, Shannon speaks again. "You know, having a family really would be nice. Going on picnics, Christmas wreath on the door in December…" She looks at him sideway. "Maybe not so much of a Christmas wreath."

Sayid laughs out loud, a hearty, warm, golden feeling that fills Shannon like a good wine. "No, perhaps not."

"A… Diwali wreath, then?"

He smirks at her folly. "…That would be the Hindus."

"Oh."

-fin-

Woohoo, little boy Walt's seen Shannon topless!

Ta.

Shae

Oh my goodness, I'm such an idiot. This has been edited, and Ramadan has been changed to Diwali, as it was originally intended. I'm SO sorry if I offended anyone, and it wasn't ignorance, I do know the difference. I was just incredibly braindead at the time this was written, so I was thinking Diwali and Ramadan came out. That's not even an excuse, because I have Muslim and Hindu friends. Idiot me. :hits self: Oh, FUCK.