Author's note: Be warned that this has not turned out how I wanted it to. It's all very static-y and I may go back and rewrite it at a later date. I don't know what happened to me with this one. I guess Shannon and Sayid did not feel like being written today. Oh well, it is just a transitionary chapter. I hope you enjoy it anyway. And apologies now for any typos.
Again constructive crit would make me day!
Chapter 2.
"I can book you both onto the next available flight out." the woman behind the desk announced, painted red finger nails clacking against her computer keyboard as she spoke. "However, you will have to purchase new tickets and we are unable to offer you a refund since your delay was not a fault of Oceanic Air."
"The plane is still sat out there on the runway!" Shannon snorted incredulously, her arms folded across her chest as she glanced down at the receptionist scathingly. "How can you say that it's not your fault, when you won't let us get on! We're barely even late!"
Sayid, from his place at the tall blonde's side, noted the steely look flit through the receptionist's eyes and he could tell that Shannon was dangerously close to becoming acquainted with the airport security as he had been previously that day. He also knew that it was a less than pleasant experience and while a small, darker part of him wanted her to find out exactly what her actions had sentenced him to, what it had been like for him to go through such an experience, the greater, more forgiving part of him wished to save her from certain humiliation.
"What time does the next flight available leave?" he queried smoothly, drawing an disbelieving stare from the American girl at his shoulder.
"The next flight after this is fully booked." the airport employee mused, eyes trained once more upon her computer screen, a myriad of taps and clicks ensuing as she set about doing her job. The light from the terminal made the tension filled air shimmer electric blue between the three of them. "It's possible a seat may become available, but that is only a slight likelihood. That one leaves at approximately four forty five this afternoon. The Q187 flight to L.A.X…It may be worth you checking back then to see if there are any available seats." she paused again, frowning at the computer and Shannon beside Sayid, huffed her impatience out in a short sigh, tapping her forefinger upon the counter top. "I can get you onto a flight to London that leaves in an hour and a half. You'd be changing planes in Singapore and again in London, Heathrow. From there you would have to take another plane across to L.A.-"
"I don't want to go to London or Singapore." Shannon responded immediately, eyes narrowed once more in her ire. "I need to get to L.A."
The receptionist shot her a withering glare in return and the hostility between the two crackled through the air like lightening.
"I also need to get to Los Angeles directly." Sayid appeased, once more smoothing over the hot-headed words of the woman that he suddenly found as his companion. He splayed his hands out across the counter top, allowing a little desperation to creep into his tone as he spoke.
He had no idea what exactly made Shannon so keen to get straight to L.A. but he felt the same. He would rather wait the extra hours for a flight straight to his destination, rather than having to endure the suspicious stares and quite possibly more searches of an extra two airports.
"When can we expect to get onto a flight directly to where we are going?"
The receptionist shook her head slowly, almost as if she thought they were both insane for turning down the option of a faster route of travel in favour of sitting in Sydney Airport for hours, but she again searched for the information that Sayid had requested.
"The final L.A.X. flight is this evening. 23:50." she announced, turning her gaze, eyebrows raised enquiringly, expectantly, to Sayid. "Shall I transfer you to that flight?"
"Yes. Yes, thank you." he replied with a smile, dipping his head in a single nod of gratitude and their gazes turned in time to Shannon who had folder her arms atop the service counter once more.
"And you, Madam?" the woman asked, her voice once again becoming wary as she addressed the younger, blonde.
"I don't suppose I've got much of a choice." she responded her own tone flat as she moved to rummage through her handbag, silken hair curtaining her face from view as she set about her task. "So, what's the damage going to be?" she didn't bother to look up as she spoke. Only after a lengthy pause of confused silence did she halt in her actions and return her glance to the receptionist. "What's it going to cost?" she illuminated with an exaggerated roll of her eyes, as if it was the most obvious thing on the planet.
The other woman did not seem to concur, however, and she blinked her eyes slowly, drawing patience in with the deep breath that she sucking in through her nostrils.
"A one way ticket to Los Angeles from Sydney is eight hundred and sixty five dollars. We only have seats in the economy class left, I'm afraid but it's your only definite option for leaving for L.A tonight."
Shannon cursed harshly beneath her breath and fingered her purse, her eyes glazing over slightly as she paused in her irate motions.
"Do you take plastic?" she asked, eyebrows rising as she held a credit card forwards between her forefingers.
The receptionist nodded, reaching forwards for the card and flipping it over as she entered Shannon's details into the computer, swiping the card through the slot and frowning at the screen.
Shannon seemed to heave a sigh of relief from beside Sayid as he waited patiently for his own turn to pay and she turned slightly, catching his eye and flashing him a small smile.
"Didn't have any cash on me. My brother bought my ticket for me." she illuminated and once more Sayid nodded with polite interest.
"I'm sorry, Madam. I can't accept this card." the woman behind the desk announced drawing both of their stares back to her in a flash.
"What!" Shannon demanded, panic once again creasing her brow. "What's wrong with it?"
"This isn't your card, Ma'am. It's registered in the name of a Mr. B. Hadley." her eyes, dark blue and somewhat gloating, glared up at Shannon's stricken face.
"Sht! That's the wrong one. Can't I just give you the pin number or something?" she cursed once more, snatching the card back from the woman and rifling through her purse once more.
"I'm sorry, Madam. I can't allow that."
Shannon ground her teeth together visibly, forcing herself not to glance up and witness the smug look that she could sense was on the brown haired woman's face.
"I can't find my other card…Do you have a cash machine around this place?" she asked finally, giving up her attempts to find a card that obviously was not in her bag.
"It's across the terminal, Madam. But I can't guarantee your ticket if someone else purchases it before you return."
To Sayid's eyes it looked as if the airport worker was enjoying herself entirely too much at the younger woman's expense, whereas Shannon herself simply regarded her with a cool glare. If looks could kill, Shannon it seemed, would be a very dangerous woman to cross.
"Can't you just reserve it or something? I'm going to be gone like two minutes!" Shannon tried once more but the brunette shook her head, smirk curling perilously close to becoming a fully fledged sneer upon her red lips.
"Sorry, Miss. It's against airport policy. First come, first served."
Shannon swore once more beneath her breath, shooting a glance at Sayid. Her eyes seemed to cloud over with hidden emotion at her circumstances, though she made an effort at providing him with a bright, nonchalant smile.
"Looks like this is where we go our separate ways, huh?" she sighed, slipping her bag onto her shoulder and shrugging and beginning to step away from the desk. "Thanks for helping me out again, Sayid. And I am sorry about…before. It was nice to meet you."
Sayid returned both her smile and her words as he watched her move out into the bustling airport. Guilt clawed its way up his throat. He'd made her miss her flight to begin with, by starting an argument that he really shouldn't have. And now she was stuck in Sydney, possibly until the nest day or whenever they could fit her onto another flight. Perhaps even until there was a staff shift change and the worker who had so obviously taken a dislike to Shannon had ended her working day.
"That will be eight hundred and sixty five dollars, Sir." he was vaguely aware of her voice as she tried to gain his attention, but he glanced over his shoulder once more, at Shannon's retreating form, head bent as she rummaged through her bag once more. He should really do something about it. He had enough money, given to him to aid him in his search for Nadia in L.A. To set him on his feet once he arrived there. He had to do something to help her. He owed her that much, for splitting her from her brother and landing her stuck there at first with him for company and then by herself.
"Shannon!" he was surprised that his voice carried across to her over the din of the many travellers and customers. Her head whipped around in his direction, eyebrows raised in confusion and hand poised with her cell-phone clasped tightly in it. "Please wait one moment." he pleaded with the receptionist before beckoning to the blonde girl with a wave of his hand and a smile upon his face. "Let me pay for your ticket now. To make sure that you get your place upon this flight. Then pay me back with the money when you have drawn it from the cash machine."
"Really?" her eyes brightened more as she moved back to his side. "You'd do that for me? But I was a bitch to you before."
A snort from behind the sales desk went ignored by them both, much to the brunette's exasperation. Instead Sayid nodded.
"I made you miss your flight with your brother." he offered and Shannon rolled her eyes at the mention of Boone.
"Not that that is much of a disappointment." she mumbled, almost too low for Sayid to hear but she smiled at him, brightly, changing the subject. "Thanks for doing this. It's twice now that you've saved my ass."
"Three times." he corrected handing over his money and flashing a dark eyed glance up at Shannon as she stood behind his shoulder. "If you include saving you from your brother's company. You speak as if it is hell to be with him, though surely it can't be all that bad to spend a fourteen hour flight with him."
Shannon gave a light laugh that lit her face entirely.
"That's a good one. You're a funny guy." she snorted, brushing hair from her eyes as she watched him thank the women behind the desk, who shot Shannon a dark look. "You obviously don't know my brother."
He turned, lips curling gently as he handed her a ticket, keeping hold of it for a little longer than was necessary as she tugged at it.
"Perhaps that is for the best seeing as he did try to buy my silence."
Shannon's cheeks flushed briefly with embarrassment at Boone's actions on her behalf and cleared her throat beginning to walk out into the airport once more.
"Lets go an get that money for you." she responded, changing the subject swiftly and though her sudden skittishness confused Sayid, he nodded and followed her.
-oOo-