Like a day? after the previous chapter. Still between "Hearts and Minds" and "Special". Still very mild implied slash. Boone/Locke, to be exact. Read and Review. Slightly AU.

Disclaimer- I don't own Lost- any of the characters, anything, or the song I Lied My Face Off by Alkaline Trio.

Well I lied my face off when I said that I would be okay
It's never fine when you go away
These cuts run deep, these scars are permanent
And always on display

It was frustration beyond belief.

Not that she wanted Boone's attention. Or maybe she did.

But she didn't want that crazy old man to have it.

In the background, she vaguely realized that Sayid was saying something, but she wasn't paying attention. She was watching them, sitting on either sides of a fire, the light flickering haphazardly across their faces. Boone was smiling. They both were.

"Shannon?"

She leapt up what felt like several feet, and turned with an apologetic smile to Sayid.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" She asked politely, but before he could even start, her attention was driven from him as Boone's careless snicker echoed across the beach.

Shannon was only barely aware of standing up and walking away, leaving Sayid hanging in mid-sentence.

"Boone? Can I talk to you?" She asked harshly. He looked up at her with annoyance, and then looked at Locke for approval. The old man nodded slightly, so Boone followed Shannon away, close enough to the ocean so that the waves kissed their feet.

"What?" He asked rudely.

"What are you doing when you are going into the forest every day?" She asked.

"Hunting." Boone said, starting to turn to go back to camp.

"Doesn't Locke live in the caves?" Shannon asked at his retreating back. Boone paused, and looked back at her.

"Yes, but we ended up here near sundown, and I didn't want him to go back in the dark." He replied.

"That old man can take care of himself. He has like, four hundred knives. Why do you care so much about him?" Shannon asked, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. He stumbled slightly, ending up much closer to Shannon than he had intended.

"You're being stupid, Shannon." Boone said confidently.

"You are just doing this to make me mad, right? For hanging out with Sayid? You know I love you more…" Her words drifted off as she kissed a trail from his chin to his ear.

All of a sudden she was sitting in the ocean, the sand clinging to her skirt and legs and hands.

Boone had pushed her away. And now he was walking back to Locke.

Away from her.