Chapter Twelve:

Nothing Brings Us Closer More

Sayid kissed Shannon delicately on the lips. She had become his world. His every being. He never imagined that he would feel this way about anyone else, except for his dearly loved Nadia. He kicked himself from within every day that he felt her drifting from his thoughts. What would this Shannon thing prove out to be? Is just one of those things that happens on the island, and remains on the island? What could I offer this woman who apparently can have anything in the world that she wants. Why would she choose me? He always considered himself a one woman man. He always thought he'd be pinning over Nadia until they ended up together in the end. But now, he was second guessing himself.

Sayid always would remember the day he first laid eyes on Nadia. She was in the school yard playing with her friends. She had all the attention of everyone except for Sayid. He had a tendency to ignore all advances made towards him. He was taught to be tough and strong. This didn't make him an outsider as some would imagine. Sayid was quite popular himself. But not because his family was wealthy, because they weren't. But because he was a genuine person. Nadia had on occasion pushed him into the mud during recess. Sayid was puzzled by this action that clearly meant to her, that she liked him.

Several years before the plane crash he had to interrogate her. He had no intention, though, of hurting her in order to get out any information. In the end he ended up letting her go. You'll find me in the next life if not in this one. Echoed in his mind. This is what Nadia last said to him before she escaped.

He was offered a chance to find out where she was if he did something for the CIA. If he would go undercover to retrieve explosives stolen. Sayid agreed reluctantly. In the end, he lost his friend but he gained information about Nadia. He planned to meet up with her after the plane landed. But the crash ended all hopes of that. He knew that if he would visit her, there would be some chance that something would happen to either him, or her. And now he had the option of being with Shannon. Whom he now found himself attracted to. He was lost. He had no idea what to do.

Shannon was considered a spoiled rich girl all of her life. Even on the island she had a tendency to act that way towards things. Until she realized the importance of everything that was happening on the island. Loosing her step-brother Boone was the hardest. He was the only one that stuck up for her. The only one that showed any affection, compassion, or care for her well-being. He was everything to her. Her and Sayid shared one quality that brought them together. Their need for someone, a companion a friend. At first that's what it started out to be. Until they spent more time with each other. A friendship became more.

Shannon never expected falling in love with anyone on the flight to Los Angeles. Especially the guy she told on to security about having a mysterious bag. She realized that she was such an annoyance pre-flight. This island changed her for the better rather than the worst.

When she arrived in Sydney two years ago she had got involved with Bryan. She called Boone to rescue her like the last three guys that she was involved with. Only this time it was a scam to get money from Boone.

Why was it she treated Boone like that? She'd been his sister ever since she was eight. And she'd always blamed him for something. But they'd end up working out their differences and making up. Boone was always Shannon's savior. She took this to her advantage because Boone was in love with her. He'd do virtually anything in order to make Shannon happy or safe.

After he secluded himself off with Locke she took up with Sayid who comforted her during the transition. She trusted Sayid. She now didn't feel dependent on her step-brother to save her.

She felt horrible when she returned to camp to find out that Boone died the night before. She was with Sayid on a romantic get-a-away. She tried to talk herself into the theory of where, even if she was there she couldn't have done anything to stop him from his destiny. But she could've said goodbye to the man that once held her heart before his own. She would never find it in herself to forgive what she done. But she didn't hold Sayid responsible.

"Sayid?"

"Yes, Shannon?"
"Do you think that it's fate we're on this island?"

"Fate?"

"Yeah."

"I believe that things were meant to happen for a reason, so yes."

"Was it fate that we were brought together?"

"That, I'm not sure of. But I would like to believe so."

She smiled weakly. "Thanks for being here for me when my bro-. When Boone died."

"Ah, so use to calling him your brother?"

"Yeah, even though he wasn't really. You two are completely different."

"Except for one thing."

Shannon looked up at him. "What's that?"

"We both love you."