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 and support through this story. Thanks to mrstater for all her encouragement, which helped to get this done!

Chapter Eight – Sweetest Sin

It had been two and a half weeks since Sayid had been stabbed and Shannon was busy setting up a picnic surprise to celebrate the fact that he was pretty much healed. She had come to this spot immediately after talking with Jack to see if Sayid was doing as well as he said he was.

Her conversation with Jack played again in her mind and she blushed as she thought of the reason why she asked him if Sayid was really ok. Her plan was to seduce Sayid after they had finished eating and she wanted to make sure that it wouldn't reopen the wound or something. She had tried to be subtle but since Jack did not understand what she was getting at, she had to come right out and say it. He had looked just as embarrassed as her as he fumbled over his words telling her that Sayid would be fine.

She was completely absorbed in making the picnic perfect. She had her doubts that Sayid was actually seducible, but as she thought about it more she realized that he was a guy, which meant he was genetically programmed to be seducible. She realized that Sayid wasn't like any other guy she had ever dated so she might have to change a few of her techniques.

Shannon was busy making sure that everything was in its place on the blanket when an arm came around her waist. Startled, she screamed.

She turned around to find Sayid standing there, looking amused by her reaction. She hit him lightly on the arm, "Don't do that." She allowed him to pull her to him and she rested her head against his chest. She stayed there until her heart stopped racing. Pulling away, she said, "You've ruined the surprise."

"I apologize, Shannon," he kissed her forehead, "I was concerned when you did not return from the caves, so I came to look for you."

She shrugged, "I forgive you," she said as she took his hand and pulled him down to sit with her.

She handed him some fruit and took some for herself, but she wasn't hungry. She felt nervous, which was not something she was used to feeling when she was with Sayid. She had planned on having some more time to herself to figure out her entire plan, but now he was there and it all seemed to be thrown out the window.

"What is bothering you?"

She looked up at him and saw the concern in his eyes. Sheepishly, she looked away, "I had a plan to seduce you after dinner."

She couldn't believe that she had actually told him that. What happened to the Shannon who used to be able to lie at the drop of a hat? She took the chance to look up at Sayid to see what he was thinking. She could see the surprise clearly on his face. She smiled, he probably wasn't used to someone saying that to him.

Sayid reached out for her and took her hand. Gently he pulled her towards him. She went willingly, making sure that she didn't land in their dinner.

"You did not need to go through all of this trouble," he said softly as he cupped her face with his hands, "I believe I told you long ago that I would do whatever you asked of me."

She leaned against him, grateful that he hadn't laughed at her. While she had worked through a lot of her demons since he had been stabbed, there was still a tiny part of her that thought he found her nothing more than a joke.

Then, Shannon realized that Sayid wanted this seduction as much as she did. She turned ever so slightly to capture his lips with her own. She could still taste the fruit juices on his lips.

Sayid moved slightly so that he could pull her down on top of him, maneuvering so that he did not lay in their fruit but wasn't in the sand either. Shannon made sure that she was propping herself up so that she was not lying on top of his stomach. Despite the assurances from Jack, she was still worried.

Sayid's gaze traveled down to her hands, and he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her down closer to him.

"Sayid, careful."

"Shannon, I told you that I am fine."

She leaned forward kissing him again, but in the back of her mind the voice told her that she was in fact hurting him.

"Are you sure I'm not hurting you?" she asked.

His eyes shinning with desire, he swept her hair out of her face, "Shannon, are you sure you are ready?"

"It was my idea," she said softly, as she tried to think about his question.

"I want to be with you," he said as he brushed his lips against hers, "We can do whatever you want, Shannon."

She lay down next to him, resting her head on his chest as he rubbed her back. She tried to remember if something like this had ever happened to her before. Had anyone ever put her feelings first like this before? She couldn't think of a time when she had been uneasy that someone had willingly stepped back as Sayid had. She had seen the desire in his eyes; she knew that he wanted her, but he had still stopped.

She didn't know where the doubts had come from, like she had told him, this had been her idea. Then it hit her why she had these feelings. She had never had sex with someone that she loved before. It had always been a game or for a false sense of comfort. But this would be different.

She looked at Sayid. His eyes were closed and she knew that he was enjoying simply spending time with her.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear.

"Ana Behibek," he responded softly.

"What?" she asked, unsure of what he had said, even though it sounded beautiful.

"It means I love you."

She smiled. There were no reasons for her to have any of these doubts, she realized. She wanted this. She was ready for them to take the next step.

She sat up and starting kissing him again. She wasn't afraid anymore of hurting him.

He pulled away, "Are you sure, Shannon?"

"More sure than I've ever been of anything."

She returned to kissing him. As his hands reached underneath her shirt, she realized that she felt safer than she ever had in her life. She knew that she was protected in his arms.

With Sayid nothing else mattered and she hoped that she would be able to spend forever with him, on the island or not, it didn't matter as long as he was with her.

The End