TITLE: Starting Over
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: What started out as a trip to the hatch to check up on those who wanted to blow it up, becomes much more of an adventure for Shannon and Sayid, which brings them closer together.
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.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story started out as a random throw away idea that only got developed because of mrstater's encouragement and constant support. Thanks so much!
They stood completely still as they continued to watch Walt with the Others. She was surprised by how grizzly and gross they looked. She wondered how long they had been on the island, and hoped that she never looked like that. One looked towards where she sat with Sayid, and the blackness of their eyes terrified her. Shannon felt her heart hammering in her chest and she wondered if they could hear it. She wanted to grab onto Sayid, and make him turn around, and go back to the caves. But when she looked at Walt tied up and terrified, she knew she couldn't leave him there.
Sayid slipped his backpack off and quietly unzipped it. Shannon couldn't believe how quiet he was being. He was moving around without making any sound at all. He reached into his back and withdrew a gun. Carefully he handed it to her. She stared at him wide eyed; she had a feeling she wasn't going to like his plan.
"I need you to stay here. If anyone comes near you, shoot them. I know you can."
"Don't leave me," she whimpered, the gun heavy in her hands.
"I will be back, and I will bring Walt with me." He reached out and caressed her face as he always did. "Please do not worry. I will not leave you."
Sayid became blurry as her eyes filled with tears. She hated that he could read her deepest fears. He moved quickly out of the bushes as rushed towards the Others. Shannon drew her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes tightly as she heard the fighting begin.
She couldn't lose Sayid, she didn't want to know what her life would be like without him. Instead she decided to think happier thoughts. She thought about rescue. For the first time she allowed herself to picture her future. She could see a beautiful house, the kind she used to wish she lived in, one that wasn't too big or too small. She smiled slightly at the vividness of each room. She was surprised to find that each of the rooms was littered with children's toys. She had never thought before about children, but something inside of her realized that one day it was something she wanted. But as she pictured what they would look like, she knew that their father had to be Sayid.
Someone pushing her onto her back brought her from her thoughts, knocking the gun from her hand. She struggled as the man pushed her to the ground and climbed on top of her. Tears stung her eyes as he held her down. She wanted to call out to Sayid, but she couldn't. She couldn't speak at all. She continued twisting and turning trying to get away from the man whose eyes were black with hate.
He ran his fingers through her hair. "Another special one," he said, as his hands moved to her waist.
She squeezed her eyes closed as he leaned forward to kiss her. Thoughts of Sayid forced her to keep fighting. She began to kick her legs hoping to connect. Finally, she did and he rolled off her. She stretched as far as she could hoping she could reach the gun. Her fingers grazed against the cold metal as her heart started beating faster. She didn't have much time. She tried again and was able to reach the gun. Her hands shook as she pointed the gun at the man. She knew that firing would draw more attention to her, but she had no choice.
Shakily, she pulled the trigger. The sound seemed to echo throughout the jungle, causing a few birds to squawk as they startled. Shannon's ears rang as she fell backwards, the smoke obscuring her view of the Other as he fell to the ground. Shannon wasn't sure if he was dead, and really didn't want to find out. The bushes around her rustled and she pointed the gun again, her finger stayed on the trigger.
Suddenly, Sayid was in front of her, Walt clinging to him. He reached out and pulled her to her feet, causing her to drop her gun.
"Run," he said breathlessly, as he pulled her along. Shannon reached out to grab the gun before they left. She didn't want to take any chances.
Shannon ran as fast as she could to keep up with him. She didn't know how Sayid could carry Walt while running. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care as long as they got away from those people. Her skin crawled where that man had touched her, and she needed Sayid to hold her to take it away.
They continued running and Shannon was beginning to feel the familiar tightening in her chest that signaled an asthma attack. She knew she needed to stop, but fear kept her going. The Others wanted Walt, and now they probably wanted to kill her and Sayid as well. Finally, he stopped them and led them to a cave.
Shannon watched as Sayid took care of Walt, placing him on the ground and talking softly to him. She couldn't imagine what he had been through – and that she had been part of his rescue. She wished she could have shown Boone that. She really wasn't useless. Yet even as she had the thought, she sank down to the ground, struggling to catch her breath. She slid her backpack off trying to find her medicine. She was trying to be quiet, Sayid didn't need to worry about her as well, but of course, he knew she was in trouble.
He kneeled in front of her, resting his hands on hers.
"Take deep breaths, Shannon," he said as he pulled out the eucalyptus and crushed it with the materials that Sun had given her.
He placed some of it on his hand and reached out to rub it against her chest. He paused, his hand hovering over her. If she hadn't been so afraid, she would have laughed at him. Instead, she pushed his hand down, forcing him to rub it against her. She focused on the gentle circles and the fire that his touch sent through her. Soon the tightening in her chest lessened.
"Thank you," she said softly.
He tucked her hair behind her ear. "You were very brave back there. I know that was not easy for you."
"He touched me," she whimpered, as she collapsed into his arms.
"You are safe now." He winced as she pulled herself closer.
She removed herself from his arms, her eyes widening as she realized that she had hurt him. She sat back and lifted his shirt to reveal a huge gash on his side.
"You're hurt."
"I've had worse," he said, trying to move out of her way.
"Let me take care of you."
She forced him to lie down. She slipped off her shirt and pressed it against the wound. Now only in her bathing suit top, she shivered in the cold of the caves.
"Jack needs to look at this. We should go."
He shook his head. "We will wait until morning. You need to rest. No arguments."
She knew he wouldn't allow her to talk him into taking care of himself. Instead, she would be the one to take care of him.
Walt stirred and sat up.He looked around terrified. Shannon's heart broke for him. She hoped he didn't ask about his father since she still didn't know what had happened to him. Instead, Walt moved towards them, slowly, and lay beside Sayid. Shannon mirrored his actions. She hoped they would stay as safe as she felt at that moment all night.
TBC…