TITLE: By Her Side
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Sayid does what he can to comfort Shannon in her loss.
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.
Thanks to mrstater for editing and making it better!
Sayid stood at the entrance of the caves, not wanting to intrude on Shannon's moment with Boone. The guilt he felt for keeping her away from her dying brother ate at his heart. He knew that it had been her decision to stay, but he had been the one that had brought her to that special place far away from the rest of the camp. If only he had chosen some place closer, maybe someone would have been able to find her.
He wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but he knew that she needed to be alone in her grief. He remembered the feelings well, the anger that accompanied a violent death. She did not know the circumstances of Boone's death yet, and he hated to be the one to tell her. His heart constricted in his chest as he heard her sobs.
Death seemed to follow him wherever he went. Sometimes it was by his own hands. Each death weighed down on him, especially when it was someone he knew. He despised the thought that Shannon would have to feel any of that, but he knew that she too would feel guilt. He remembered the words she had told him, about Boone being in love with her. He hadn't believed it at first, it seemed unusual to him, especially since they had grown up together as brother and sister, but maybe there were some things that were best not to question.
Her sobbing grew louder and, he could no longer ignore it. He went over to where she sat rocking back and forth next to her brother's broken body. He had seen many gruesome injuries on the battlefield, and still he cringed at the wounds marring Boone's face. He hoped that the young man had not suffered long.
Sayid kneeled beside her and gently draped his arm around her trembling shoulders. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms, but he was unsure what she needed or even wanted from him in that moment. Part of him expected her to tell him to go away and leave her alone. Her next actions surprised him.
She turned to wrap her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest, holding him tightly as if she was afraid that he would disappear. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her; trying the best he could to comfort her.
As he held her he knew that he would protect her, do whatever she needed to heal, even go out into the jungle and find Locke. He had told himself he was done with that after he tortured Sawyer, but for her he would break his promise. For now he would simply stay by her side and hold her. It was really all he could do.
The End
