RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Takes place about five months after Against All Odds. Shannon's past relationships have left her insecure, which may end up affecting her current relationship with Sayid. What will it take for her to realize that it might just be ok?
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters from Lost and am not making a profit. If they were mine, then there would be more Shayid moments.

Thank you everyone, I appreciate all of your comments.

Author's Note: I just wanted to say that I planned this story out and started writing these chapters before Wednesday's episode. Just wanted to give a little warning, you'll understand after you read.

Chapter Six – Stay with Me

Shannon had stood with Boone until she was able to get a hold of her tears. She didn't want to be crying all over Sayid, especially when his fingers weren't wiping away the tears. She told Boone to get some sleep as she crept over to Sayid.

She didn't touch him at first, just examined him closely. She watched the rise and fall of his chest, grateful to see that he was still breathing. She noticed the sweat on his forehead, causing his hair to stick to his face.

Tentatively, she reached out her hand to move his hair away from his face. She then moved her hand gently across the rest of his face, brushing them against his lips. There was no reaction.

Shannon then leaned forward to kiss him, hoping that like Sleeping Beauty he would wake up. Still there was nothing.

She picked up his hand and pulled it to her face as if he was the one caressing her, as he had many nights in their tent. She then wrapped both her hands around his and held it against her heart. Tears slide down her face as she noticed that was still no change.

"Why?" she whispered, "Why did you step in front of Boone? I need you too, Sayid." She paused as she brought his hand to her lips and kissed each finger twice. "This new life that I'm trying to build, that I want to build, Sayid, it's meaningless without you in it."

Shannon started to think about all the doubts that she had just had the day before, and in fact had still lingered when she had woken up. Sitting next to Sayid at the moment, they all vanished, every last trace of them. She knew that they could come back, but right then that didn't matter. Her fears and her insecurities they didn't matter. All that mattered was that the man lying next to her could die.

She closed her eyes tightly as if it would erase that last thought. He wouldn't die; he wouldn't leave her. How many times had he held her after a nightmare and told her just that? She wished now that he would do the same thing again, wrap his arms around her, hold her tight and tell her he was there and it would be ok.

She reached out again and caressed his face. She couldn't help but think that even in that moment, he looked so incredibly handsome. She tried to pretend that she was just watching him sleep, something that she rarely got to do because he always woke up first. Jack interrupted her fantasy. She didn't move from her spot, afraid to let go of his hand.

Jack was done quickly, saying that the wound looked as it should, even if it was sewn with a needle and thread, and if there was no internal damage that Sayid should wake up soon. She hoped that he was right.

Shannon decided then that she wanted to lie next to Sayid, as she couldn't the night before. Gently, afraid of causing any more damage, she laid down next to him, wrapping his arm around her and resting her head against him. She could almost pretend that it was just another day lounging together on the beach, but only this time his hands weren't rubbing her arms or back and his lips weren't resting on her hair.

She thought of singing to him, but didn't have the energy. It was exhausting to see him lay there like that, the fears that kept coming and going. He would wake up, maybe he wouldn't, battled back and forth and she knew that she needed to be strong for him, but wasn't he her strength?

Shannon reached out and rested her hand against his heart, closing her eyes to let the rhythm comfort her. His heartbeat was steady and already she felt better.

She thought back to all the movies that she had watched and all the soap operas, where the loving wife or girlfriend would sit crying beside her lover's bedside begging them to wake up. She thought before that it was way too sappy for her and she had always laughed that nothing like that happened in real life, but now knowing that Sayid was unconscious next to her, she decided that maybe it was worth giving it a try.

"Sayid, I'm sorry," she whispered softly, "I'm sorry I ran away earlier. I just…I felt…" she paused, stumbling over the words, "I was afraid of you realizing how much better you could do. I thought that you would leave me," she laughed bitterly, "And now you might. Sayid, everyone in my life seems to go away, seems to throw me away, I thought maybe I could do it to you first."

Shannon sat up now so that she could watch him as she talked. Once again she brought his hand up to her face, trying to take comfort in his touch. She wiped away some tears before continuing.

"I got back to the tent, back to our home," she corrected, "And when you weren't there, I missed you so much," she reached out to play with his hair, "Thank you for the flower, it was so beautiful. I would have rather you been sitting there." She took a deep breath, "Sayid, I don't want to be afraid anymore, I want to be able to get rid of all these stupid doubts and worries, but I can't do that if you leave me. Please don't leave me," she sobbed, as she rested her head against his chest. "I love you, Sayid. I want us to be together, no more fears, no more questions, no more running away."

She didn't know what else she could say to him, she wanted to yell 'wake up now', but she knew that wouldn't be very effective. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She kissed him again, gently, before she rested her head on his chest again.

Mumbling into his chest, she whispered, "I want my life to be with you, Sayid."

"Me too," came the weak response.

TBC…