Disclaimer: I do not own Lost or any of it's characters (obviously or this story wouldn't have happened! stupid Shoone killers!)
Author's Note: Hey all, sorry I haven't updated in a while, but the review count dropped so I figured people weren't as interested any more. That and I've just been lazy lol. Well, hopefully this chapter will get them interested again! Wont say any more, just read it and enjoy it and REVIEW IT!
Two figures crept quickly and silently through the camp-site. Slipping past those on watch duty, the two made their way through the jungle, hand in hand. As they moved away from the others, a shadow detached itself from the surrounding trees and followed the pair without a sound.
They continued for a long time, moving at a fast walk, one figure leading while the other occasionally asked where they were going. Finally, they stopped at the edge of a small clearing where a fresh water pond was fuelled by a waterfall and ran into a narrow stream.
Boone led his step-sister through a gap in the trees and stopped, the pair of them looking around.
"Did you find this place?" Shannon questioned, looking at him with wonder.
"Sort of." He replied secretively.
"Is that what you've been doing with Locke all these weeks, scouting the island?" she pressed, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"No, I just happened to know this place was here and I wanted to show it to you." Boone replied simply, turning to place his hands gently on her shoulders. "Wanna go for a swim?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his youthful face.
Shannon's grin matched his and they both stripped down to their underwear and wadded into the water. She complained that it was too cold and Boone teased her about being a wuss, earning him a swift smack to the back of his head which only made him grin all the more broadly. As Shannon was trying to adjust to the temperature, Boone disappeared under the water and she began looking around nervously, knowing he was going to get her somehow. She was not disappointed. A shriek escaped her as a pair of hands grabbed her legs and then suddenly Boone was behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her and dragging her backwards into the water. She kicked and screamed for him to let go but his weight caused her to lose her balance and they fell under the surface with a huge splash. Shannon came up coughing and spluttering and shaking from the cold. Boone was shaking with unsuppressed laughter. Shannon stopped shaking and glared at her step-brother while tears of laughter mingled with the water running down his smooth face. His howls died down into quiet giggles that still caused his body to shake.
"That wasn't funny." She said giving him an icy glare mixed with a pout.
"Oh, come on Shan," he replied tauntingly, "it was hilarious and you know it."
"You're such a brat." She spat at him, causing him to cry out laughing again.
"Look who's talking!" he retorted, still laughing. "How many times did I have to waste my money getting rid of guys you had hired to pretend to rough you up?"
"That should have been my money." She said furiously, even though it was a lie. "Your hag of a mother stole it from my father when he died. I was only getting back what was rightfully mine." Boone was still laughing, infuriating her more. It was as if everything was all of a sudden very funny.
"Yeah right." He replied. "You only did it so you could have me chasing after you all the time. Well here's news for you, princess, I would have chased after you even if you weren't in trouble." He had stopped laughing and there was suddenly a very serious expression on his face. Shannon was taken aback. She stared at the young man in front of her, his glistening chest heaving with the effort of laughing so much, his eyes alluringly bright.
Before she knew what she was doing, Shannon was pushing through the water and practically jumped on her step-brother, flinging her arms around him. The two became locked in a passionate embrace and their lips met, and Shannon felt shivers that had nothing to do with the temperature of the water. She loved being with Boone like this, his arms wrapped lovingly around her, his soft, luscious lips pressed tenderly against hers. For all the teasing and insults that went between them, she loved him and she knew he felt the same way.
Shannon lifted her legs from the water and wrapped them around Boone's waist, letting her weight fall into his strong arms. Leaning forward, she began to kiss his ear, just like she had done that night in the hotel back in Sydney. This time, he responded to it freely, her name passing his lips in a sigh that made her want him even more.
But a doubt crept into her mind. She leaned back and gazed into his bright, beautiful eyes. No longer did they show anger, resentment or even sorrow. She only saw love, and that made it even harder to say what she suddenly felt.
"What will the others think?" she questioned. "Most of them still believe we're brother and sister."
"They can think what they want." Boone replied firmly. "I only care about you."
She smiled weakly and buried her face in his shoulder, nuzzling into the warm skin. His grip on her tightened in response. It was firm, but spoke of love and affection.
Letting Boone's arms support her weight, Shannon moved her hands from their place on his shoulders down towards the boxers he was wearing and began to slide them off.
"Shannon." Boone's voice was cautious in her ear. She leaned back and looked at him again.
"What?" came her innocent reply. "It's not like we haven't done it before."
"But what about Sayid?"
"Boone, I haven't slept with Sayid." Shannon admitted.
"But you're still together, aren't you?"
"I care about him," she replied, "but not in the same way I care about you. What I have with Sayid is nice but, I can't see myself being with him forever."
Boone was shocked. As much as he hated to admit it, he thought she had been really serious about her relationship with the Arab man.
"Boone," Shannon continued, "I already lost you once. I don't want to miss any more chances I have with you."
He shrugged her off in disgust.
"You haven't changed at all have you?" he spat at her. "You still go between men like they're just toys for you to play with. You don't care how many hearts you break, as long as you get what you want."
Shannon's eyes began to water at the harshness of his words, she couldn't believe he didn't understand what she was trying to say.
"I have changed, Boone," she cried, "when I lost you, I realised how much I cared about you. I clung to Sayid because he was the only one who understood even a little of how I felt. And then when you came back," she paused, moving close again, placing her hands gently on Boone's chest, staring up at his face, wishing he would meet her eyes, "I tried to tell myself that I was with Sayid now and that I couldn't just abandon him because that would be cruel. But I couldn't deny what I felt for you, I love you Boone, and I couldn't stand it if I lost you again without you knowing that." She stopped suddenly as Boone turned back to face her, surprise mirrored on his face.
"That still doesn't mean you can just reject Sayid." He retorted. "It's obvious he really cares about you, you can't throw that away."
"I know I can't." Shannon replied, "Just give me some time to sort things out with him, okay? I really want to be with you Boone."
Boone's gaze lifted to stare into the shadows behind the tree line. For an instant, he thought he saw a figure standing there watching them but when he tried to look closer, it disappeared.
"Boone?" Shannon repeated his name, a slight quiver in her voice.
"Alright," he admitted finally, "but you have to let him down gently. After what he did to Sawyer, I don't want him after me."
"I promise." She whispered, another cheeky grin crossing her delicate features. "But tonight," she continued, "there's just you and me, okay?"
The replying smile on Boone's face said it all.
"Okay." He repeated and drew her to him.