There and Back, chapter 2
Dawn rose quietly on the beach, soft light playing on the sea, painting it red, orange and yellow. Lying in Sayid's arms, neither one of them sleeping or stirring, Shannon thought how the landscape looked like one of Gauguin's paintings. Or was she thinking of Cezanne? No, definitely Gauguin. Shannon couldn't help but smile. That time in France wasn't a total waste; she'd learned about a few things – namely the language and art. She wondered if she'd ever get a chance to take Sayid to France. She wanted to show him the Musee d'Orsay, and the nightclub she'd frequented. What was the name again? Shannon tried to picture Sayid in a nightclub, but she couldn't quite see it. She would have to think about that one.
Snuggling closer against Sayid, Shannon realized six days had passed since that day – the day when Danielle had stolen Claire's baby, when they had all fled to the caves, numb with fear. Six days since Sayid and Charlie had triumphantly returned with Aaron. Six days since Shannon had run into Sayid's arms, never wanting to let go.
They had stayed in the caves for a couple of days, not knowing if Danielle was simply crazy or if there was truth to her story. Charlie railed against her, certain she was just a nut job, but Sayid wasn't so sure. Still, after a couple of days, a few of the castaways, Sayid and Shannon included, decided to head back to the beach. If Michael and the others had gotten anywhere and found help, it was important to get the signal fire going again.
Fear gave way to hope: hope for rescue, for relief, for home. Shannon and Sayid spent their days and evenings collecting wood and feeding the fire, all the while alternating between dreams of home and pregnant silences. They shared what they wanted to do when they were rescued, then lapsed into silence, thinking about what might really be in store for them if rescue came. Would they stay together? Would their lives together in the real world make sense? Neither broached the subject, each one afraid of the answer.
Shannon was the first to move. She shifted into a sitting position and stared down the beach. She sighed to see Sun still at her spot at the shoreline. The Korean woman had barely moved from her spot in the past three days. Sometimes she stood, other times she sat, but she always stared at the horizon. When she lifted her hand, her wedding band reflected the sun, flashing the light back toward her. It was as if she were trying to direct he light into her heart and reflect it into Jin's. She was fighting for some kind of connection, some way of knowing he was okay. Shannon would have liked to say something to her, to offer some kind of hope, but what could she say?
Sayid pulled Shannon close again. His strong arms around her always made her feel so safe. Content she spoke, this time lightheartedly:
"Do you know what I want to do when we are rescued?"
"What"
"I want to go skiing."
Sayid laughed. "Skiing?"
"Yes", Shannon said. We have a place in Aspen. You'd love it. So beautiful and not hot. I could teach you to ski if you don't know how. And we could eat pizza." Shannon's voice trailed off. God, she could almost smell the pizza. Before the plane crash, she would have sneered at the thought of a pizza, but right now, she would happily eat a whole one. She continued, running her fingers along the back of Sayid's hand. "We could sit by the fire and have drinks, just the two of us."
Sayid kissed Shannon gently on the top of her head, then made his way to gather more wood for the fire.
A movement in her peripheral pulled Shannon from her thoughts. Sun had shifted from her spot and was staring at something on the beach. Something shiny, gleaming in the sun. As Shannon moved to get a better view, she realized it was a bottle. Sun collapsed.