Title::..Bullet Holes
Spoilers::..Two for the Road
Rating::..M for coarse language and violence
Genre::..Drama
Characters::..Shannon, Sayid and Ana-Lucia
Pairing::..Shayid
Author's Note::..After reading a fabulous Ana/Juliet fic by 'greedyslayer' (LJ) we got to talking about how Ana and Shannon both shouldn't have died so quickly, because they were such great characters with a lot of potential, especially for snarky competition. So out of that conversation came the idea for a jealous!Shannon fic and here it is. I can't remember the last time I wrote for Shannon, I made her really bitchy and sulky so it kind of seems like she and Ana should be standing in a high school playground fighting each other. The fic also looks at if Shannon and Sayid's relationship could have lasted on the island through the drama of season two
Summary::..Shannon isn't killed by Ana-Lucia's bullet, but that doesn't mean she is willing to forgive the former cop.
The leg still hurt a week after the bullet had ripped through it. Jack had given her the all-clear to leave the hatch, which had served as an infirmary. Now Shannon leant against Sayid as she limped back to the beach. She wasn't happy about returning to the uncomfortable beach but she was glad to leave behind the stale air floating around in the hatch.
Sayid had warned her the bitch that had shot her was now living quite contently as a part of the camp. But this heads-up hadn't helped Shannon accept she would have to live alongside a woman who had attempted to kill her. She didn't want anything to do with Ana-Lu-bitch-ia. If Shannon could have her way she would drive the woman back into the jungle so she could jump at the sound of a twig snapping.
Although a full seven days had passed since it had happened the afternoon remained vivid in Shannon's mind. She had begun the day thinking she had started to lose her mind. She had been happy to dub it the best of her life when Sayid had told her he not only believed her hallucinations but also said he loved her. The day had quickly lost its sparkle when Ana-Lucia had sent a bullet straight through Shannon's calf.
Shannon felt she had been through enough on this island; she didn't need the new chick on the block shooting her. Two weeks ago she had been 'poor Shannon' because her brother had died. This week she was 'poor Shannon' because she couldn't go into the jungle without losing a chunk out of her leg. She wondered what would happen next to make these people pity her more.
Everyone gathered around as she re-entered the camp, clutching tightly at Sayid's arm. They all looked down to the bandage wrapped around her tan calf. They expressed their sympathies and a few told her it was 'great' to see her back in the camp. Two unfamiliar people came as a part of the group. They shook her hand and introduced themselves as Libby and Bernard, 'from the tail end of the plane' Libby elaborated. They apologized sincerely.
The group dissolved and Sayid began to lead Shannon to their tent (she supposed they were a proper live-in couple now). They didn't make it to the tent undisturbed. Their path was blocked by the woman Shannon had only seen briefly in the jungle before passing out. She had been waiting to see what Ana-Lucia had to say for herself, planning her own biting comebacks.
"Ana-Lucia." Sayid addressed her calmly while Shannon sized her up.
"Hi Sayid." She replied. Then she moved an awkward glance to Shannon. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." Shannon returned.
Ana-Lucia stood before them, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "So even though we haven't been formerly introduced you probably already have your mind made up about me." Shannon didn't say anything, giving her a dark glance that didn't need any words to accompany it. "I'm really sorry about shooting you."
"You should be." Shannon stated.
"Shannon." Sayid sighed like a disappointed parent.
"No, there is a huge chunk missing out of my leg because of you." Shannon snapped. "Stay the hell away from me, you and your trigger-happy fingers. Do I make myself clear?"
Ana-Lucia tightened her lips over a snarl. "Crystal clear."
"Good." Shannon said. She began to limp away, but not without shoving her shoulder into Ana's first. She was yet to feel happy about being back at the camp.
Shannon enjoyed the rise-and-fall of Sayid's chest under her head. She was so comfortable she considered closing her eyes and going back to sleep. Sayid was twirling his fingers through her hair and when she closed her eyes to blink it required a lot of strength to re-open them. She could hear the voices of other people in the camp. But they were too far away to cause irritation. If she placed her concentration on the sound of his heartbeat she could forget about everything else.
At first she didn't give much thought to the rushed footsteps which sounded as if they were coming closer. A voice joined the footsteps and this returned her to reality. They were both roused by the female voice calling Sayid's name. They had hastily pulled as many clothes on as possible before Ana appeared at the opening of the tent.
Shannon couldn't contain a groan. Her leg was almost fully healed – she could walk on it without any pain, all the wound did was itch occasionally. This didn't mean she was willing to forgive Ana. Their group didn't need her. Shannon was sure no one would miss Ana if she left.
Ana was struggling to catch her breath. "Sayid, you have to come with me."
"Why?" Shannon demanded before Sayid could open his mouth.
"There's a suspicious-looking woman lurking around the fringe of the camp." Ana stated. "She says she's lookin' for Sayid. I thought he'd wanna know."
Sayid had stood up and was exiting the tent before Shannon could think of anything to say to make him stay. "It sounds like Rousseau, I should be back soon." Shannon watched as Sayid left, Ana strutting along beside him. Shannon was helpless to stop him. She couldn't even help him. Her existence was pointless at this moment.
Sayid didn't come back for a long time. He spent almost a full day out in the jungle with Ana-Lu-bitch-ia. Shannon hadn't cared what they were doing, she had simply been longing for Sayid to come back. Then when he had returned he wasn't back, not properly. He only glanced at her and when he spoke everything was straight to the point with no love in his voice. He was so distant; she felt there was no point in him being in the tent.
Once again she felt her existence to be useless. She couldn't make him talk to her about what was going on. She could offer him no support. She simply left the tent, frustrated he didn't feel he could open up to her. He was supposed to be her boyfriend. But at the moment it felt like he would rather be in the jungle with Ana than share a conversation with Shannon. She went to hang out with Claire where she didn't feel so invisible.
Sayid remained distant for the rest of the week. Although he would never open his mouth and produce any words to describe how he was feeling Shannon knew something had happened. She was frustrated with him and this irritation only grew with each day he spent avoiding her. Most of his time was spent down in the hatch, or hanging out with Charlie, leaving her to feel quite used.
She was also confused. Why had he worked so hard to win her love if it was only for him to get scared off when things turned serious? For the first time in her life she had felt safe in a relationship. Safe in addition to loved and accepted. But now he was acting similar to the way her past boyfriend's had behaved after cheating.
They had drifted apart. Sharing the same tent had become so awkward she had decided to move back into her own tent so it was just she and Vincent again. Sayid came to eat dinner most nights. It was hardly enjoyable; instead the long pauses in conversation pained her. She preferred to spend time with Claire and her screaming baby. Shannon spent half the time wishing Sayid would grow a pair and just say the words that would end this thing, to save them from wasting their time. The rest of her time was spent wishing she could rewind time so she could have his arms wrapped around her while she slept again.
One day she mustered up the courage to go and talk to him. She felt she had a great thing with Sayid so why not fight for it? Whenever a relationship had fizzled out she had always let the man cut the ties, therefore the blame was on him rather than her. She didn't want Sayid to leave her life so easily.
She went to the tent and fixed a sympathetic smile to her face. "Hey, I haven't seen you yet today." She peered in to see he was hurriedly shoving things into his pack. "Maybe we could take a walk down the beach."
"I'm really sorry Shannon but I'm very busy." He slung the bag onto his shoulder and moved out of the tent.
She tried to act as if she wasn't offended. "Oh. Do you know when you're not going to be busy?"
"It's difficult to say." He replied. "I have something very important to do and I don't know how long it's going to take, but when I get back we'll definitely take that walk, okay?"
She bobbed her head once, slightly discouraged by his lack of enthusiasm. "Okay."
"I'm sorry Shannon but I have to go now." He said, moving past her.
"Well good luck with whatever it is." She told him. When she turned her head to where he was going she saw him walking off to where Ana stood. She began to follow him, calling out just as he was about to reach Ana. "Sayid! This is what you're busy with, her?"
"It's not like that." He defended.
"Ever since you disappeared off to the jungle with her you've been pulling away from me." She explained. "And now you're blowing me off to go on some adventure with her?"
Ana rolled her eyes. "And the Oscar goes to…"
"Shut up." Shannon snapped.
"Not everything is about you." Ana spat back.
"Do you want me to hit you?" Shannon threatened. "Is that what you want? Because if that's what you want keep talking the way you are."
Ana laughed before clapping Sayid on the shoulder. "Can you please tell her before she launches into a full blown temper tantrum in front of the whole camp?"
Sayid took Shannon away while Ana wore that smug smile. He finally confided in her, telling her about the mysterious man they had locked in the hatch. She could relax knowing she wasn't having her boyfriend stolen from her by Ana. But then he left to go on his expedition without extending an invitation to her. He didn't think she would be any help. He didn't take her seriously. She was just a silly girl to him; meanwhile Ana was a useful ally.
Mr Eko insisted upon a proper burial for Ana and Libby. They had been slaughtered like animals, so they deserved to have a respectful burial. Mr Eko was down in the hatch, cleaning off their bodies. Eight or so members of the camp were digging large holes beside where Boone's body lie. People were required to fashion crucifixes to mark the graves, never mind if the people lying under them didn't believe in Jesus. Another little group was hovering around Hurley. Shannon wanted to help out as well.
She found the nicest clothes left in the communal pile and after ensuring they were clean she carried them down to the hatch. It was deathly silent as she walked through the darkened rooms. The hatch had never seemed more like a set from a seventies horror movie.
Mr Eko was carefully running a comb through Libby's hair. Shannon handed him the clothes she had picked. He passed her the blood-stained clothes. There were two holes blown through Ana's singlet. Shannon would find the bullet holes difficult to get out of her mind. A bullet hole through the leg healed much easier.
The End.