Disclaimer: I do not own Lost or any of its characters (obviously or this story wouldn't have happened! stupid Shoone killers!)

Author's Note: Another long wait, I know, and I'm really sorry about it. I hope all of you can forgive me. My life is kinda hectic right now, so it's hard to sit down and concentrate on a story that, admittedly, I'm losing interest in. But fear not, there is no way I will just drop it and leave you all hanging, I'm not that cruel. This is probably only temporary, as I've been changing my mind about a lot of things lately. Please bare with me and I promise I'll try my best to come through for you all. Meanwhile, enjoy this chapter, it took forever, but I'm happy with it.

"I'm scared, Boone." Shannon whispered from her place in his shoulder as he cradled her beneath the stars. They had been huddled together for the past half hour, Boone relating all he had found out and guessed since she had died. Well, almost everything.

"It's going to be okay Shan, I promise." It has to be, he finished silently. There was no way he would lose her again. And the child, he wouldn't lose that either.

He still did not know how he was supposed to rid the island of its "problem", all he had to go on was that they needed to be stopped, and he was the only one who could do it.

"What?" Shannon asked suddenly, lifting her head to peer at him quizzically.

Boone leaned back to look at her. "I didn't say anything."

"You said it was at Black Rock, what does that mean?"

"Shannon, I'm telling you, I didn't say anything."

They both stared at each other, confusion mirrored on their every feature.

"Are, are you sure the island just brought me back?" Shannon whispered, afraid voicing her suspicion any louder would make it real.

"You think you're hearing the island?" Boone sounded doubtful. Or wary, Shannon couldn't tell which.

"It brought us back from the dead, who's to say it can't be speaking to me?" she retorted. After what they'd just been through, now was not the time for him to doubt her.

"I didn't say I don't believe you Shan, it's just that I don't think the island does anything unless it's beneficial to them. It's what killed us in the first place. If it's speaking to you, then there's probably a reason."

"So you think it's using me to get to you?"

"I don't know what it's doing, but I think it would be wise to listen to it."

"Well all it's saying is Black Rock. 'It's at Black Rock,' and nothing else."

"You don't have any idea what 'It' is?"

"No, Boone." Shannon let out a frustrated sigh. If I knew that, would I ask? She thought, but kept her mouth shut tight. The fact that she was hearing things was bad enough, being grilled for information about it wasn't exactly helping. She'd try to be nice though. "You've been dealing with this longer than I have, you tell me."

"That's the problem, I haven't been dealing with it. I've had no idea what's going on at all."

"Well that makes two of us. Now what?" Shannon replied, completely deadpan.

Boone looked out to the surrounding darkness, "I guess I should go to Black Rock and find out what 'It' is."

"And what about me? You think I'm just going to sit here and wait for you to come back?" she wasn't useless, Boone would take her with him, whether he wanted to or not.

"It's most likely dangerous, Shan. I think you should go back to the camp and see how the others are doing." In truth, Boone wasn't worried about them, he believed the island would look after them, or hoped it would. It was Shannon he was worried about, the further she was from the Others, the better. He wouldn't lose her again.

Shannon just rolled her eyes at him, "Oh come on, this whole fucking island is dangerous Boone. And anyway, you're the all-powerful one, so the safest place to be is with you, right?"

Boone recognized that familiar look in her eye, the one that meant he had no choice in the matter whatsoever. But he was different now, he was the one in charge, not her.

"No Shannon. The safest place is away from me. What I have to do, I have to do alone. I can't have you around because then I'll worry about your safety. If you're with Jack and the others I know you'll be safe. Please, for me, just go back to them."

Shannon scowled at him for a long time, the effect somewhat lessened by the fact that her arms were wrapped lovingly around his waist.

"If you think I'm going out into that jungle all alone, that island mumbo jumbo must have screwed you up worse than ever. You're coming back with me."

So much for being in charge, Boone thought.

In the time Boone had spent looking for a way to bring Shannon back, the rest of the survivors had begun cleaning up the wreckage left by the attack of the Others. Of their number, three were dead, and four had severe burns that probably would result in death or amputation. Most of the luggage they had salvaged from the plane had been destroyed and what was left simply wouldn't be enough for all of them to share. In short, unless they were rescued within the next few days, they most likely wouldn't survive.

Boone and Shannon came upon the charred remains of the clearing, horrified expressions on each of their faces.

Claire was the first to spot them and came running over, quickly hugging a startled Shannon.

"You're okay! I was so worried, Sun said you had an asthma attack and you disappeared into the jungle and nobody knew where you were and I would have gone looking but Charlie got burnt and there was just so much confusion that I couldn't find anyone to look after Aaron and I didn't want to take him with me in case something happened and I'm just glad you're alright. What happened to you both, you look like you've just seen a ghost?"

The pair just stared at the small blonde, each stunned by her bout of verbal diarrhea.

"I, uh…"

"We, um…"

Neither of them knew how to explain what had happened, it wouldn't make sense to anyone who hadn't been through it.

"Boone had to find some more eucalyptus leaves for me. It was a while before I could build up the strength to come back." Shannon lied smoothly, despite her shaky appearance.

"But you're okay now, right?" Claire spoke as if she already knew the answer, surprisingly chipper for someone surrounded by death and destruction.

"Yeah, I'm fine now." Shannon replied, taking Boone's hand as she spoke. There was something about Claire's mood that didn't fit, and it was making her nervous.

"Good, that's great."

Boone was noticing it too, Claire's voice was strained and she seemed to be only just holding her empty smile in place.

"Claire, what's going on?" he confronted the girl, moving forward slightly and tightening his grip on Shannon. Something told him it wouldn't be good.

"Uhm, I don't know what you're talking about?" the mask was really failing now, Boone could clearly see Claire's stress showing through her façade. Something was very wrong, he knew it.

Shannon could see it too. She returned the hard squeeze Boone was force on her hand, worry beginning to clench at her insides. "Claire?" her voice was filled with pleading, if something had happened, she wanted to know, she needed to.

"It, it's Sayid. He was badly burnt during the attack, Jack doesn't thing he's going to make it. Shannon, I'm so sorry."

Both Shannon and Boone froze. Sayid was hurt, Sayid was going to die. Shannon felt her insides clench with fear. She didn't love him, but that didn't make it any less painful to hear he was practically dead. Her body collapsed into Boone's warm embrace and he held onto her protectively, hoping to ward off the demons now imposing on her already fragile mind.

Boone helped clear the wreckage of the camp, working himself hard so he wouldn't have to deal with the revulsion he felt towards the island. This was all its' fault. And it didn't even care.

Shannon didn't help, she couldn't. She just sat in a corner of the clearing, far as possible from the destruction, and especially far away from where the injured lay. She couldn't go see him, to see Sayid, someone she had always thought was a very strong person, so weak and helpless, it would crush her. So she stayed where she was, only eating when Boone brought food to her, not speaking to anyone, contemplating the fate of those stuck on this hellish spit of land.

After three days, two of the four were dead and it looked as though the remaining pair would soon follow. Sayid's condition was worse than that of the other victim, an older man named David who had suffered severe burns to his left leg. Without proper medical supplies, it had become infected and, unless removed, would eventually kill him. Sayid had been burnt badly across his back, the result of a flaming branch falling on him while he tried to rescue some of the supplies. His burn was also infected, but because of its location, could not just be cut off like David's.

Boone approached Shannon, in her usual spot on the other side of the clearing.

"Hey," he whispered, kneeling behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Shannon only responded by sighing quietly and leaning back into him. She felt as if she spoke, all her fears would come pouring out in an unstoppable torrent.

"I think you should go and see Sayid." He had contemplated easing into the subject, but soon realized that there was no point. They both knew that any small talk would just serve to irritate them equally. He was better off just saying what he had to and letting Shannon decide things for herself.

"I spoke to Jack, he doesn't think there's much time left. Shannon, you don't want things to end this way, do you? I know it'll be hard, but you owe it to him." Though he couldn't see her face, Boone knew she was crying. Her body pressed further into his, seeking the comfort only he could provide.

"I just don't want to see him like that." Shannon whispered finally, half turning so she could bury her head into his neck.

"I know you don't, I know. But he'd want to speak to you."

"I can't, Boone, I can't lose someone else. Why does everyone I give even half a damn about die?" She was sobbing uncontrollably now, her entire body shaking in his arms as her worst fear came out.

"I'm still here Shannon, I'll always be here for you, I promise." Both knew it was true, with the island's assurance he would never die.

"But you already died, and it was so painful, knowing you wouldn't be there any more. I'm glad you came back, believe me, but the island's not going to bring Sayid back though."

"What if I went and spoke to it? I could ask for it to bring those who died back to life. Really, it's the island's fault in the first place, so it's only fair. I'm sure I can get it to agree, I am its' only hope after all."

Shannon lifted her head to look at him, her sobs dying down as she thought about what he was suggesting. "You think it would do it?"

"Hopefully. Who knows, I might be able to save those who died in the crash too." Although he didn't want to admit it, Boone felt rather proud at being the only one who had the chance to save everyone. He had been thinking about it since returning to camp, and had come to the conclusion that this was his one chance to prove to everyone that he wasn't just a rich pretty boy. It was up to him to defeat the Others, it was up to him to ask the island to bring back those who had been lost. He was everyone's chance at survival.

As though she knew what he was thinking, Shannon rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, you've finally done it. You've finally become a fucking superhero." She mocked. Boone frowned, as though what she'd said didn't work out.

"What?" She asked.

"I don't have a cape."

Shannon wondered how in hell he could say that with a straight face.