Author's Note: Hey I just wanted to thank all of you who are bothering to read this again, and please review because it's basically my first fanfic and i need all the feedback i can get. Constructive Criticism is great, but please, no flames!

Disclaimer: Lost obviously isn't mine; if it were, Shannon wouldn't have ever died!

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Chapter 3- Romances

Shannon woke up the next day to find that Sayid was still gone. Reluctant to spend another day reading over magazines she had already read ten times, she eagerly agreed to go look for fruit with Claire when she had asked. No one would let Claire go out alone, in case she had a contraction while out there, but Claire was bored out of her mind and needed to do something. So Shannon had readily decided to go.

The two girls were almost at the jungle when Kate ran up to them, asking if she could join. Claire and Shannon both agreed, thinking that they were so bored, the more company the merrier.

The girls had been walking for a little while, chatting about little things, when Claire asked Kate why she had come.

"I was bored," she replied.

"Bored? You? Kate, you're always off doing things a mile a minute, you never give yourself any time to rest! How the hell could you be bored?" Shannon asked.

"Ok, fine, so it was more I couldn't concentrate on anything while Jack is out in the jungle, risking his life. So I decided to join you, hoping it would take my mind off him, and I could perhaps get something useful done."

The two blondes grinned, and Shannon said, "I know how that feels. So, is he the one you like then? It's impossible to tell with you!"

"What are you talking about?" Kate asked, confused.

"Is it Jack that you have feelings for, or Sawyer?" Claire explained for Shannon.

"Oh! Um, Jack." Kate answered, blushing.

"KATE'S IN LOVE WITH JACK!" Shannon shrieked, grinning.

"What? I'm not IN LOVE with Jack, I just like him! And don't talk so loud, I don't want anyone to hear!"

"Kate, honey, do you know what love feels like? If not, then how the hell would you know that you're not in love with him?" Shannon asked.

Kate paused, then spoke, "Yes, I do know what love feels like. I was head-over-heals in love with somebody once." The girls were silent for a while, until Kate turned to Shannon. "What about you? Have you ever been in love?"

Shannon stared at her for a minute, and then closed her eyes as a memory flooded through her mind.

Flashback:

A sixteen-year-old Shannon Rutherford had just been let out of work, and was waiting for her dad to come pick her up, when her cell phone rang.

"Hello? Dad? Where are you?"

"Honey, hey, listen I'm really sorry, but I can't pick you up, I have a meeting I didn't know about."

"What? Dad, what am I supposed to do, walk home? It's 10 miles!"

"Shannon, I told you, I'm sorry. Sabrina said you could walk over to her office and drive her car home, she can get a ride. Ok?"

"Dad, I can't drive home, I don't have my license yet!"

"What are you talking about, honey? Sabrina told me you did. Honestly, I know you're upset, but don't go making excuses so that I'll come and get you; I told you, I can't."

"Dad, I'm not making excuses, I really don't have my license. I'm not quite old enough yet, I've still got a few months to go. You'd know that if you ever paid attention to anything other than Sabrina and your work!" Tears streaming down her face, Shannon slammed the phone shut and sat down. Now what was she going to do?

"Excuse me?" Shannon turned around and her breath was taken away. Standing in front of her was probably the hottest guy she had ever laid eyes on.

'Aw shit! Figures the one time I see a really hot guy around is the only time I look absolutely hideous! Damn it!'

She took a deep breath, piecing her thoughts together, and then said, "Yeah?"

"Um, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. Do you need a ride home?" Shannon hesitated; she really wanted to jump at the chance to have a ride home, but knew that she shouldn't take a ride home from a stranger.

Seeing her hesitate, the guy hastily added, "Or just company walking home with you? If I've learned anything flying here alone all the way from France, it's that one gets lonesome traveling by their self."
Shannon smiled happily. "Ok sure, thanks. But, may I ask, why? Not that I'm complaining, but, I mean, if I saw some random stranger on the streets, I doubt I'd offer to walk home with them."

He shrugged. "You're not a stranger, you're great help." At her puzzled glance, he added, "My mom's the head tennis instructor at the country club," nodding at the place she worked. "She says she wouldn't be able to teach the kids a thing without your help."

Shannon blushed. "I don't do that much, she does most of it all by herself." She shrugged, and added, "I just do all that I do because I love tennis, and I can't think of a better way to earn the money I need than by playing it!"

"Well, whatever it is you do, she says it helps a lot. Don't underestimate yourself!"

"I won't. Thanks, um…?"
"Oh, sorry. Andrew DuBois."

"Shannon Rutherford."

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Shannon."

"My thoughts exactly." She grinned as she fell in step with him, and they both made their way to her home. "So you told me you flew here recently from France?"
"Yes, Paris actually. My parents are divorced, and my dad lives in France. But he just lost his job, so he sent me here for a year, while he gets back on his feet. Then I'll move back in with him."

Shannon smiled, truly happy for one of the first times since she had moved away from Raleigh, as the two fell into an easy conversation.

End Flashback.

"Yes, Kate. I was in love with someone once too."

The girls were silent again. Then, Kate asked, "Why did you think I liked Sawyer? He's nice enough, but have you not noticed how conceited he sometimes acts?"

The mood considerably lightened, and Claire replied, "Kate, you spend a lot of your time with him, how could we know whether or not you liked him?"

"Oh, right. Good point. So you don't think Jack knows that I don't like him? I've been wondering why he's never made a move!"

"No, he probably thinks you like Sawyer."

"And thank god you don't, Kate. No offense, but Jack is so much hotter than Sawyer is!" Shannon added with a wicked grin.

"Oh, is someone else crushing on Jack too?" Claire teased.
"No way! Just because I can tell he's hot, doesn't mean I want to go out with him! He's all Kate's!" Shannon insisted.

"Yeah, because you're already crazy about Sayid!" Kate said with a laugh.

Shannon blushed, before saying, "Well at least I have the guts to do something about it, unlike someone we all know!"

Kate glared at Shannon, while Claire's eyes widened, and she said, "Wait a minute! Are you saying that you and Sayid…"

Shannon blushed again, before saying, "Well, yeah, we've kind of, um… kissed?"

"OH MY GOD!" Claire shrieked, and grinned at Shannon. "That's so cool, I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks Claire! What about you and Charlie?"

Claire's smile dropped, and she sighed. "I really don't know. He's really sweet and everything, but… it's just he expects too much out of me. He expects me to be just like I was before Ethan kidnapped me with him. But I mean, I don't remember him, so how can I be? That's why I like you guys; we weren't friends back then, so you don't expect me to be the same as I was before."

"Ah, that's so sweet!" Shannon smiled.

"Yeah, and about Charlie; he likes you, that's obvious. And you like him too, I think. So just tell him what you told us!" Kate said. "I'm sure it's just that he likes the old you a lot, and doesn't know how to act with someone who doesn't even remember him."

Claire was silent for a minute, and then said, "You're right. Thanks, Kate, I'll talk to him next time I see him."

"We'll be holding you to that." Shannon warned.

"You do that."

Kate opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, something hit her over the head and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Shannon and Claire both screamed out, "Kate!", and Claire leaned over to see what had happened. Shannon, however, turned around, fear in her eyes, and screamed at what she saw.

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xlostangelx: Thanks for the review! And yes, Shayid definitely does rock!

non-damsel: Thank-you so much for adding this to your favorites! I'm glad you started updating Fight Fair again, it's my favorite lost story ever! Well, except for Play Nice... You rock! I love your stories! Keep updating yours- without shayid in the episodes anymore, i need all of it in the fanfics that i can. That's probably why i just published this story, so i can still have the shayid I love so much! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

laura: I'll start adding lots of Claire in the 5th chapter, because i already have the next one planned out, and it's still going to have more Shannon. But from then on, there will be more Claire- I promise! Cause your right, she does rock- my 2nd favorite character if you still count Shannon (I'm rly glad you're warming up to her in this fic, she's going to be in it a lot, and the sequal will be mostly about her, if you read it). Thanks so much for reviewing!

Orlando-crazy: Of course you inspired me, knowing that ppl appreciate my work always drives me to update it! And thanx, i'm happy to know u think i'm nice... if only u knew the real me... lol, just kidding. Anyway, thanx so much 4 reviewing, hope u enjoyed this chapter!

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Thanks so much for reading, do me another favor and review! I love you guys!

Crazy4thesun