Chapter 8- Love and Hate

"Hey Claire, do you think our new neighbors would mind if we decided to skip…"

"C'mon, Charlie," Claire said placing down her earrings.

Charlie sat down on the Queen sized bed, which was currently unmade, and covered with boxes. "We still have a crap load of stuff to unpack, and I'm bloody tired,"

"Charlie, you're complaining again,"

Charlie paused, "No, I'm not…"

Claire smiled, "Don't worry we'll make a quick appearance, and then we'll come back over here. Charlie, they live right across from us,"

"The girl is scary…attractive, but scary"

Claire reached for a brush, "You mean Shannon?"

Charlie nodded, "Frightening almost…she kept on looking at me, like I shouldn't be there,"

"She seemed nice enough to me," Claire said with a nonchalant shrug.

Charlie stood up, and then walked over to the window. "Do you think you'll get used to this big loft, love?"

"Not by myself," Claire said quietly.

"Well you have Aaron, and you have me…"

Claire placed down her brush, "Charlie, thanks again for doing this."

"It's no problem Claire,"

Claire smiled back at Charlie adoringly, "I don't want to even think about where Aaron, and I…"

There was a knock at the door.

Claire got up.

"Sit back down, finish gussying up…"

"Gussy…" Claire said with a smile.

Charlie grinned, "Whatever the ladies do to beautify themselves."

He walked towards the door, watching out for his guitar, and boxes that littered the way. "Who is it?"

"Me open up," Shannon said on the other side.

"Who's me?" Charlie asked confused.

"Shannon Rutherford, now open up, before I knock down the door."

Charlie scratched his head. This girl scared him. He opened the door for her, and she looked around the loft in disapproval.

"We just moved in you see, so we have some…"

"I don't care" Shannon said rudely.

"Oh well, I just thought…"

"Where is Claire?" Shannon asked.

"She's in the room gussying up," Charlie said trying to get Shannon to smile.

"Where is that?" Shannon asked in a monotone voice.

"I'll show you, watch the boxes…and Aaron's pacifiers, he has a habit of flinging them across the room, I think he'll be good at baseball you know,"

Shannon nodded, as if she was listening to Charlie, but she really didn't care what he was talking about. "You play guitar"

Charlie nodded. He slightly raised his chin proudly to announce that he was part of a band, that was trying to make a successful album in the U.S. "Yeah,"

"My brother always wanted to learn how to play, maybe you could teach him someday,"

"Tell him to stop by," Charlie offered.

Shannon stepped into the room with Claire. Claire was standing by the window looking out in wonder.

"I've never seen so many lights," She said breathlessly.

"Yeah, it's pretty," Shannon replied.

Claire turned around, "Oh hey, your dress is gorgeous, where did you get it?"

"The United bank of Boone Carlisle,"

"Is that in Queens?" Charlie asked confused.

"No, my brother brought it for me,"

"That's so sweet, you two seem to have a very loving relationship," Claire commented.

Shannon smiled, "We do, only when he's nice to me."

Aaron started to cry.

Shannon looked down at the crib. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, Aaron was one of the cutest babies she had seen in her life, but the cuteness ended there. She stepped back, "Short man, I think the child needs a diaper change."

Charlie looked up surprised, "Me?"

Shannon flipped her hair off her shoulder, "Yeah,"

"I'll do it Charlie…Shannon, you see he has a queasy stomach,"

"Actually Claire I need your help," Shannon said quickly.

"Um…okay,"

"You know how you're coming to dinner tonight right," Shannon said.

"Yeah,"

"There is a guy I like…who's going to be there, and I wanted to impress him."

"Ohh, like a love connection. Do you want me to play matchmaker? I hooked one of my girlfriend's up with her husband, and they've been…"

"No, calm down lady." Shannon said.

"Oh sorry, I get a little excited sometimes," Claire said maintaining her cheery smile as she watched Charlie struggle with Aaron's diaper. "Do you need help with the nappies Charlie?"

"Doing fine Claire," He called out as he continued to struggle.

"Do you know how to cook?" Shannon blurted out.

Claire nodded, "I love to cook,"

Shannon squealed, "Well the guy I am in love with appreciates good food, I just can't cook."

"So you want to impress him by getting to his stomach…I see. Hmm…so what can I whip up for you really quick," Claire placed her hand to her mouth as she thought it over, "Um…how…"

"Shrimp, he likes that." Shannon blurted out.

"Oh that's really easy to make, and you're in luck, Charlie picked up some seafood the other day."

"Can you show me…I mean can I watch while you make it?" Shannon asked.

"Of course, follow me into the kitchen. I'm going to apologize in advance for the mess, we haven't unpacked at all."

"That's okay," Shannon said with a wave of her hand.

After taking a shower, Boone closed his door behind him. He turned up the radio, and then walked over to his desk. He pulled out his journal, and then a pen.

Boone tilted his head back and then looked up at the ceiling. He placed one hand on his damp dark brown hair, and then looked back down at his journal. Writing was his only escape, it was the only way he could put into words how he felt, especially about Shannon.

Boone brought the pen to the paper, and stared down in thought.

When she told me she was going to stay I was relieved.

Even though it was my idea, I didn't want her to leave.

I've grown accustomed to having her wake me up, by yelling in my ear that it was past ten, and she needed breakfast, and falling asleep right after I made it. I've tried living one day without thinking about her, but I can't. Even when she does me wrong, I still love her. Is it wrong to feel this way for her? I can't worry about that know, we have been carrying this liaison on for years and I don't want it to end. Maybe I need her to use me in order to feel adequate. In a twisted way she makes me feel needed. Even though she left me that day when I almost died, I know she wanted to be there. Maybe I'm just a fool. Shannon's fool.

Boone closed his journal, and then got up.

The door opened and Isabella stepped in. "Hey sexy,"

"Hey," He said.

She closed the door behind her, and then walked over to him. "You'd look so much better without the towel."

Boone blushed.

She walked over to him, and then kissed him. "Maybe we could do something after dinner…just you and me…something Shannon free."

"That rhymed," Boone said leaning away from her.

"I know," she said kissing him once more.

The door opened again, and Seth stepped in.

Isabella turned to him annoyed, "Seth, didn't you see the door was closed?"

"Oh realy?" Seth asked with a smile.

"Yeah, what do you want?" She asked.

"Someone's on edge, huh?"

Isabella sighed, "No, I just wanted to talk to Boone."

"Well I'll make it quick so you guys can get back to "talking", Boone where is Shannon"

Boone shrugged, "I don't know, she said something about getting the latest Cosmo, from Claire?"

"Oh, well I guess I'll stop by."

"Why?" Boone asked placing his hands on Isabella's shoulders in order to field her kisses.

She looked back at him slightly irritated.

"I'm bored, and I don't really want to stay here for dinner…I would rather go to one of the restaurants with Shannon."

"I'll help you find her," Isabella offered in desperation.

"Hold on," Boone said.

"Why?" Isabella asked.

"Because she's not going anywhere,"

Seth and Isabella stared back at Boone in confusion.

"What is your deal? Shannon is 21, she's a big girl, and she can make her own decisions. I'm taking her out to dinner tonight."

"Seth, I'm not stupid. I know you want to do more than take her to dinner."

Seth shrugged, "Maybe so, but as I said once before she can make her own decisions."

"She doesn't make the right decisions all of the time…and when she doesn't I always have to clean up her mess. So I'm stepping my foot down now, she's not going with you."

Seth chuckled, "If I ask her, and she says yes, what are you going to do about it."

"You won't ask her,"

Isabella stared back at Boone in worry. "You have to let her go sometime, this relationship you have with her is not…"

"Don't get involved okay, she has no one else to look after her, except for her dad, and she pushed him away along time ago…so she needs me. You guys don't understand Shannon, she can't make it on her own she…"

Isabella placed her hand on Boone's shoulder, "You sound like a love sick teenager, which I know isn't the case, because she's your sister, but Boone…"

"I'm going to get dressed," He cut off.

"Fine," Isabella said walking out.

As Claire prepared some curry shrimp, Shannon sat back and watched.

"How did you learn how to cook that?" Shannon asked sampling a piece of shrimp as soon as Claire turned away.

Claire smiled, but didn't say anything when she realized Shannon had sneakily stolen a piece. "I learned how to cook this at a culinary school,"

"You wanted to be a chef?" Shannon asked slightly interested.

Claire nodded, "That was one of the many things I wanted to be, but then reality set in, and I decided on studying the psychic business, you know palm readings, and that whole universal stuff…"

"How did things go with that?" Shannon asked.

Claire nodded, "Things went okay, I guess. I ended up sleeping through all of the classes, or either scoping out hot guys."

Shannon smiled, "Your kind of cool,"

"Um…thanks I guess,"

"Maybe you could be my shopping partner…we could put a dent in the Carlisle Gold credit card together,"

Claire shook her head as she smiled, "Ha ha, I always wanted to visit the village, and then swing by the trendy shops on the Upper East Side, but with Aaron, I don't know."

"Boone can watch him, he loves kids,"

"Your brother is very attractive, when I first laid eyes on him, I could've sworn that he was a model."

"He does look like one doesn't he," Shannon said with a smile.

"Claire, look Aaron, is all changed and fresh…isn't that right kiddo?" Charlie said holding Aaron outwards with a sloppily put on diaper.

Claire glanced at Aaron's diaper in amusement, and then at the diaper that was on top of Charlie's head.

Claire smirked, "Charlie,"

"Aaron was crying, and I didn't know what to do so I slipped the nappie over my head, and he started laughing and pointing at me."

"He should, because you look like an ass." Shannon said in amusement.

Claire gave Charlie, an "I'm sorry," look.

He nodded, and waved off Shannon's mean remark. "What's that you're fixing up Claire?"

"Curry shrimp...but when we go back to Shannon's place. You have to tell them that Shannon cooked it." Claire pointed out.

"Why?" Charlie asked.

"Just do it short man," Shannon said with a plastered on smile.

Shannon stepped back into Boone and Seth's loft with a plate of curry shrimp in her hand. Claire was a good cook, and she needed to get the recipe from her. Shannon strolled into the kitchen, and then looked around for Boone.

"Hey," Isabella said in a cold tone.

Shannon turned around to see Isabella. She scowled, who did Isabella think she was trying to "out fox" her in a tight black dress which showed off her legs. "Where's my brother?"

"Getting dressed." Isabella said.

Shannon placed down the plate, "He is such a metro, it'll take him at least fifteen more minutes to pick out and coordinate his outfit."

"I love that about him," Isabella said.

Shannon scoffed, "Okay, why are you telling me."

"I know you're his family, and I don't mean to step on your toes, but…"

"Then don't say anything." Shannon growled.

Isabella stared back at her in surprise, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, now can you get out of my way."

Isabella crossed her arms, "I know what Boone needs in his life, and it's definitely not you."

Shannon pushed Isabella out of her way, "I said move,"

Isabella grabbed Shannon's wrist, "Don't touch me ever again."

Shannon raised her hand to smack Isabella, but Boone quickly ran in and grabbed Shannon by the waist. "I hate her,"

Isabella gasped, "You don't even know me."

"I don't want to." Shannon snapped.

"Ladies please," Boone pleaded.

"Your sister is crazy," Isabella said spitefully.

Shannon narrowed her eyes at Isabella, "You think I'm crazy huh? You haven't seen anything yet."

"Can we talk alone!" Boone yelled at Shannon.

"Yeah, and get off of me!" Shannon screamed hitting him in the stomach.

Boone doubled over in pain. "You know what, just go! Get out of my house!"

"What!" She screamed.

"Just go!"

"No, I'm not,"

Angrily Boone picked Shannon up in his arms, and started to carry her kicking and screaming towards the door.

"Let me down! I'm going to scream RAPE!"

"Scream all you want too!" He yelled back.

Shannon started to claw at Boone's expensive shirt, and then dug her heels into his knee.

He yelled in pain.

"Kick her out! She's crazy!" Isabella yelled.

"Stay out of this!" Shannon screamed.

Boone pulled back his pants leg, She had made him bleed.

Shannon struggled to regain her breath. "I'm sorry,"

Boone stared back at her angrily, "I can't live with you,"

Shannon closed her eyes, "I didn't mean…"

"You never mean to do anything! All we do is argue, and I'm tired of it. Just grow the hell up Shannon!"

Shannon crossed her arms, "You were trying to kick me out,"

"And I have every reason to, you make my life a miserable hell, just when I thought I found happiness you had to show up. I don't want you here, just go, and don't ever come back."

Tears started to well in her eyes, and her lip started to tremble. "You mean that,"

He didn't, but at the moment he did.

"Just get out of my house,"

"Fine," She said through tears. Shannon's face was red, and she felt like she was on the verge of an asthma attack, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away, and if she died then it would be all of his fault.

Before Shannon reached for the door, she stared back at Boone wounded.

His shirt was ripped, and his hair was messed up from fighting with her. His eyes stared back at her in pain and anger. She had seen that look too many times, maybe it would be for the best if she died. After all no one cared about her, she thought he did, but she was wrong.

Shannon weakly opened the door, and then slammed it behind her. Even though her lungs were closing up, she broke out into a run. She was feeling weak and dizzy, but she wanted to die so she could escape Boone, and make him happy for once.

(Hey everyone thanks for the reviews and the support!

I have a question…okay, SumMerith, you suggested I bring in Sawyer, and Saraiyu, you suggested some other characters from the show. What do you guys think about Jack, Kate, and Sawyer tossed in as well…if you guys like the idea, I already have a plot for them in which they can be involved with Shannon and Boone, but have their own "Lost in Manhattan" storyline going as well…so if you guys want a SB, CC, and JKS, story let me know! )