Chapter Two: Enter the Con Man

Weddings in the old south went on for about a week. There were parties and dances and lots of fun things. The biggest party was the night of the wedding, of course. There was a big dance and a dinner, just like always. Shannon smiled and talked with the other girls during the dinner, smiling at the men and waving at them. It was all like Gone with the Wind, the only thing that was missing was Rhett Butler. But it was wonderful.

And the food! Shannon was sure she had never had anything so wonderful tasting! With a slight shiver she thought of the island and how they had had nothing to eat for so long. She ate a little faster.

As she did, she looked around at the people until, with a gasp, she came to one. He had long (too long for any REAL gentleman, said the voice in her head,) dirty blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and was built very much like a solider ought to be built. But Shannon knew better then to look at him like a solider, brave and noble. But it couldn't be the same man, could it?

"Claire," Shannon poked her cousin in the ribs. "That man over there, sitting to the right of Charlie." She pointed and Claire looked as the man brought his glass to his lips. "I've seen him before... but I can't think of his name..."

"Oh, dear, I should hope not!" Claire put her hand on her heart and then leaned closer to whisper to Shannon. "That's Jack's cousin! No, not from around here. A view miles south of here. He came last Christmas! Very rich, but under very mysterious conditions."

"How so?" Shannon whispered back, her eyes flashing to the man.

"Well, he never tells a soul what he does, so at first we all thought he was out of work, a poor white, you see. We thought Jack was helping him out of pity. You know Jack. But then he was just throwing money away! And he still won't tell a soul what he does! I don't even think Jack knows!"

Shannon bit her lip and smiled coolly. "Or maybe he knows and just won't tell! Oh I do hope he tells Kate! She couldn't keep that a secret for very long! What do you think he does?"

Claire shrugged and dared at glance. "Who knows? But I have my ideas." She gave Shannon a look and they both nodded, understandingly.

"What's his name?" Shannon asked.

"Oh! I thought you knew! It's James. James Sawyer."

Shannon's eyes went back to the man. She had been right. Of course, it couldn't have been anyone else. With just a few changes, he looked just like he did before. Only now there was sorrow etched across his face. It had been there before, she remembered, but less clear. He had the look of a man who had just discovered that life hurt. Shannon bit her lip slightly at that. This Sawyer was different... only slightly, but that slight different seemed to shift everything in both Shannon's worlds.

After dinner, came the dance. Shannon's mind quickly left all traces of the con man and focused on having fun. She danced with all different kinds of people, including her father, her brother, Jack, and a few other of the young men. And while it shouldn't have come as a surprise that she knew all the dances, she still let out a small "oh!" the first time she found her feet moving of their own free will, and caused the boy she was dancing with to worry that he had stepped on her foot.

It turned out that dancing came almost as second nature to her. It was easy, amazingly easy. And loved it. It reminded her of being a child and dancing at the Ballet. Only this was much more fun. Much more free.

About half way through the dance, Shannon found herself without a partner. She moved over to the side and watched Jack and Kate dance close together. She smiled and then looked away.

"Excuse me," said a cool, clear voice in her ear. She whipped her head around and she locked eyes with Sawyer. "Miss Locke, correct?"

His voice was still the same honey melting southern drawl it had been. And for some reason, Shannon felt her middle give a little lurch.

"Why yes," she smiled sweetly. "Mr. Sawyer, how good to see you."

"Oh, no reason to call me that," He said. "Just call me James. We are almost cousins now, aren't we?"

"If it is all the same to you," she said, her voice not leaving it's sweet tone, "I think I shall stick with Mr. Sawyer. It is rather what I have grown used to calling you."

Something flashed in Sawyer's eyes and then vanished quite suddenly. "Yes," he said, his charm coming back on. "I understand. I noticed you didn't have a partner for this song. I was wondering if you would indulge me for a dance."

She blinked and then smiled. "Why of course. Anything for Jack's cousin." He smiled, took her hands, and then they began to dance.

For someone as strong as he was, he moved very gracefully. He smiled down at her the whole time they danced, his dimples showing clearly. Shannon smiled back, but felt very odd. He was looking at her as if... as if he knew her very well. Which couldn't be. Not unless... not unless he was... not unless he COULD...

"Does it hurt to see them together?" She asked slowly.

"To see who together?" Sawyer's eyes didn't leave hers.

"Jack and Kate. I remember you had feelings for her--"

"What ever gave you that idea?" But his eyes flashed with that same light they had had before.

"Well, you spent a lot of time with her on the island and I just thought..."

They stopped moving. He looked at her and she felt like he was looking into her very being with those big blue eyes. "You remember the island." He whispered slowly.

"I knew it!" Shannon hissed. "I knew you remembered! I could tell! Sawyer, what is going on? Where the hell are we? What happened to us?"

"I thought it was clear," he said slowly. "We died. All of us. You, me, Jack, Kate... they must all remember the island."

She shook her head. "No, they don't. I asked them all, and they thought I was insane. Even I thought I was insane for a long while. But thanks to you, I know I'm not! But... but do you really think we died?"

He nodded and then started to dance again. "I'm quite sure of it." He said softly. "I can remember up until the minute I died." He sighed slowly. "Not how I thought I would go, mind you. And then I woke up and there I was. It was... well, it was strange. But then again, I guess I always thought I would end up back here."

"Well, why am I here? I've never even been to Tennessee."

"Fate is a bitch, Sticks. Who knows why we all ended up here? All I know is that this world makes just as much since as the other one does... maybe even a bit more." And his eyes moved over to were Jack and Kate were dancing.

"I'm glad you are here," Shannon said after a long silence. Sawyer's eyes snapped back to her. "Now at last I can talk to someone about that place! I hate to say it, but I think I'm going to have to start liking you."

"Maybe, but not here you won't. I'm leaving in a week, going back home. I won't be here again. Not for a long time anyway. If you didn't know, I don't have a very good reputation and I don't want Kate and Jack to be ruined before they even begin."

"That's a lie, Sawyer, and you know it. You'd kill to be in Jack's shoes."

"I already died. So did they. The way I see it, they were just meant to be together. Doesn't matter what I wanted back then or what I want now because fate choice them. And it didn't choice me. It never does."

His words stung Shannon and she looked away. He didn't say anything, either. And for awhile, they just sat in utter silence. "I don't want to be alone again, Sawyer."

"There's nothing I can do about that, Sticks."

"Yes there is. You can stay. You have to stay. I don't want to think I'm insane again!"

"How can I stay? I have nothing here besides Jack and he just got married."

"You can... oh... oh I don't know! You can... you can court me!"

Sawyer's mouth dropped open and he pulled away from Shannon. "What the hell do you mean, talking to me like that? I know you weren't a lady there but you are here."

"I mean it, Sawyer. It's the only way we can stay close."

"Why should I care if we stay close? I don't even like you!"

"Liar. You sought me out here. And besides, you know you need someone else to talk to about those days. About what happened there and all you have is me. Besides that, I always said you were a handsome man."

"I don't care! It doesn't work that way here, Sticks! It takes time, and I don't love you."

"When was it ever about love with anyone who courted? Look it's not like I want to get married to you, it's just for awhile." She took hold of his hand and into his eyes, begging him. "I just want--I want someone else to talk to who won't think I'm insane. I need to know I'm sane.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair; she smiled remembering him doing that on the beach. "Yeah, alright. But this starts to get complicated and I'm out. Now stop looking at me like that."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir." She laughed and moved away from him. He shook his head. She moved into the corner and watched him move in the other direction. Sawyer and her... She and Sawyer. It was... well, it was the most insane thing she'd ever done. But how else was he going to stay? "This better not blow up in my face," she thought and smiled.