(Flashback)
Shannon fidgeted in her baby doll dress. She hated this damn dress so why did she have to wear it? Cause daddy's new wife liked it of course! Thought Shannon looked "adorable" in it. Apparently her new brother agreed. Boone was younger than her by a year but apparently preferred to ignore that. The first thing he'd asked her was if she'd like to play doctor. Shannon had smacked him. Not a very wise thing to do. When she and Daddy had gotten home he'd smacked her. She hadn't even deserved it.
Shannon curtsied as yet another "important person" bent down to examine her. This reception was turning out to be more boring than those damn dress fittings. The entire time she'd had to listen to her new stepmother, Elizabeth, prat on about how cute she looked and what a wonderful color baby pink was on her. Shannon hated pink.
Forcing this plastic smile was beginning to get to her so Shannon stopped smiling. Her father immediately pinched her. "Goddamnit that hurt!" Shannon howled, shocking everyone around her. They all looked in varying phases of shock and amusement.
"Such a cheeky little thing!" One observer said as they leaned down to pinch Shannon's cheek. Everyone agreed. For a few minutes Shannon's punishment was put off because a crowd of well-wishers wanted to ooh and ahh at her. Her father would not wait forever though.
"Yes, so cheeky. Shannon, come with me." Her father did not raise his voice; on the contrary he got quiet. Shannon bowed her head and followed him. Though the crowd was loud it was not loud enough to cover the whisper Boone sent her.
"You're gonna get it."
Shannon turned and stuck out her tongue. "I'll get you later, you brat."
Boone looked shocked that she would speak back to him and turned to his mother who was distracted by the people coming to speak with her. Shannon sullenly followed her father.
The second they were out of sight, he grabbed her shoulder and practically threw her into the library.
"Damnit Shan! You never learn!" Her father stormed over and gripped her face in a steel grip. "This is our chance! Don't screw it up! Elizabeth wants a little princess, not a bad-mouthed brat! If you keep this up it's to boarding school with ya!" Letting go of her face, Daddy Dearest ran his hands through his hair. "This is our chance. Between the two of us we'll lock up their fortune." Turning Shannon's father saw that she was rubbing the red spots on her face where he had gripped. "I'm sorry Shan. It's just… if you'd just listen for once! You're so…just like your goddamn mother! That bitch!"
Outside, someone knocked on the locked door. Shannon's father straightened his clothes before unlocking it.
"Need any help, dear?" Elizabeth asked as she and Boone peaked their heads in.
"No, hon'. I think Shannon and me are done talking. Aren't we Shan?"
Shannon looked at her new family. Their new clothes, shiny teeth, and false smiles. For a second she was scared. But she was more scared of being alone. "Yeah. I got it."
(End Flashback)
Shannon woke to the same sound she always woke to. The rush of the waves and the sucking sound it made as it fell back. Turning over she saw that Boone had already left with Locke. Good, she didn't really feel the need to converse with him right now. All he would do is bitch about Sayid touching her last night. He really needed to get over that "I own you, Shannon" mentality. She was getting sick of it.
"Hey, Shannon?" A voice called from the other side of the tarp she'd set up. It sounded like Claire.
Peaking around the tarp, Shannon saw that it was Claire. "Yeah?"
Claire shuffled her feet and looked down. "I…ummm… Charlie said it wouldn't be a good idea for me to go look for food alone, and Kate is busy and I don't want to bother the guys 'cause they're planning over there, so would you do me a favor and go look for food with me. I mean, I understand if you don't…"
Though it took a few seconds to sort through the speedy speech Claire had made, Shannon got the message. "Naw, it's cool." Shannon rose up and dusted herself off. "Why do you want to get food yourself? Sun would give you some if you wanted."
Claire smiled. "I'm bored. Thought a walk would be good."
Shannon snorted. "More like a waddle." Immediately she froze. "I'm sorry. That was catty."
Claire smiled. "Nah, it's true. Don't be so hard on yourself. So you want to go to the caves first?"
Shannon began to walk with Claire away from the beach and into the forest. "Sure, we can ask Kate where the good fruit is."
They walked in silence most of the way, but it was a comfortable silence. Once when Claire began to slip on a slimy rock Shannon reached out and caught her. They shared a smile and continued. Shannon felt strangely at peace. It was odd but Claire felt like a friend. Shannon hadn't had many of them. Usually they had all been just using her, for money or to get close to Boone or something. Shannon snorted. It was always for money. But here on the island money meant nothing. So where did that leave her?
Taylor47, why do you think so? Okay, you're right. He's linked with Sawyer, but not in the way you'll think.
Stormheart, yes I love Sayid/Shannon too, but you're wrong…SAYID IS MINE!
