Er… This kind of just randomly hit me. I have a rough imagination of two other chapters after this... But I might just delete this. Whatever. Takes place between Hearts and Minds and Special. Very, very mild implied slash, slightly AU. Read and review.

Disclaimer- I don't own Lost or any of the characters or the Green Day song Brain Stew. Wow. Suckage.

As time ticks by
And still I try
No rest for cross stops in my mind

Boone propped his chin on the two heels of his hands pressed together, his elbows resting on his curled knees. He was staring at the hatch, of course, so much so that his vision was clouding, until he could only see the square of cold, unrelenting steel.

This idea was idiotic. He couldn't think of any way to get the hatch open, and yet they still stared at it like a pair of morons. John seemed like he was enjoying it, though. His eyes, too, were locked on the hatch.

Boone felt his gaze drifting over to John. He was a far more interesting subject to stare at then the hatch. He was so calm, so still, if he hadn't been sitting upright, Boone would have thought he was dead.

After a minute or two of Boone looking at John, the latter finally noticed. He turned his own blue eyes onto his companion, but neither said anything.

"Yes?" Locke said finally. Boone let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding.

"Wha- what, I mean, what?" He spluttered in reply, a flush growing in his cheeks at being caught staring.

"Do you have anything to say to me?" Locke asked coolly, betraying no emotion. Dumbly Boone shook his head.

Again they sat in silence, their eyed trapped together, and then Locke stood up.

"We should take a break. Why don't we go get some water?" He said, still calm, always calm. Boone nodded and leapt to his feet, following the older quickly.

Neither of them spoke as they made their way back to the camp, or as they sat by the waterfall to drink. Boone was suddenly touched with unease, as he remembered Locke packing full water bottles in his backpack.

"Where have you been?" Shannon asked abruptly. She had apparently materialized out of nowhere, looking put-out that she wasn't in on the secret. Boone inhaled sharply, looking away from her pretty face, her perfect hair, her flowery scent.

"Hunting." He said simply. He hadn't looked at her for days, since that messed up hallucination that Locke had produced. He felt guilty whenever she was around, guilty that he wasn't obsessed with her anymore, guilty that he was relieved at her death.

"You've been hunting for days and you never bring anything back! I guess its you that is really useless." She whined, placing her hands on her bony hips.

"Yeah, well." Boone said lamely, taking another gulp of water and standing up. "I'd better be going. I'm sure Sayid misses you."

Before she could say anything else, Boone walked to the edge of camp where Locke waited. The latter smiled wordlessly, causing Boone's stomach to flip uncertainly.

"I don't think you're useless." John said after a moment, before turning to walk into the jungle. Boone grinned, and for a split second he felt clear of the trauma that had fallen them all, his mind at ease, and his body relaxing slightly.

With that, Boone plunged into the foliage after him. He would follow John Locke anywhere at that point.