CHAPTER TEN

When Boone awoke the next morning, he felt happier than he ever had before. He was waking up with Claire. The woman he… loved? Did he love her? Yes, Boone believed he did. His kissed her forehead. She was so special to him. He loved her…because she saved him. Not once during the sex did he think of Shannon. It was all Claire. He loved Claire. Claire. Claire. Claire. He kept thinking her name over and over again. Every time he did, his smile grew.

"What are you smiling about, Mister?" Claire asked. Boone jumped a little, he thought she was asleep.

"You." He replied. Claire responded by kissing him softly on the lips.

"Claire?"

"Yeah?" She nuzzled into his neck.

"I think I lo-" He began, but he was cut off.

"What was that?" Claire asked. Boone listened, there were sounds of shouts from outside. Were the Others back? Oh god. Boone and Claire hurried to throw some clothes on and ran out of the tent.

"What is it?" Boone shouted to Sun. She instantly ran over to the pair.

"It's Jack. They're back!" She laughed with joy and ran to the opening in the jungle, followed by Claire and Boone.

There was a gathering of the surviving castaways, crowding around… yes, it was definitely Jack. And there was Kate, standing close to Sawyer. Boone had heard that she had gone to save Sawyer in particular. The two of them seemed relieved and rather happy. Boone smiled at the sight. A group of others who had been taken emerged from the jungle. Boone searched for one in particular. And there she was. Shannon. Looking a little more battered than usual, but overall the same.

When her eyes settled on Boone, she squealed and charged through the crowd towards him. What was the hurry? Boone was worried she was going to hit him. Instead, she flung her arms around him. Boone was surprised at the warm greeting, but he didn't complain. He embraced her back. She was finally back. Shannon was finally back with him. He had wanted this so much. He had gotten more than he expected, even, with the embrace Shannon had willingly chosen to give him. Shannon hugs were a rarity.

He found himself unable to breathe when Shannon pressed her lips against Boone's. She placed her hands on his neck. He found himself responding to the kiss. He had loved Shannon for so many years. He had often dreamed of kissing her. This scenario was better than he had ever dreamed; Shannon wanted to hug him. She wanted to kiss him. Yet, Boone found that he wasn't enjoying it as much as he had thought. Why? He knew why. Claire. He broke off the kiss and looked around for her. She was gone. Shit. She must have seen.

Shannon pressed her hand against Boone's cock. She smiled cheekily.

"Miss me?" She asked seductively. Boone didn't enjoy this gesture either; he was merely irritated by it.

"No." He said bluntly, and ran away to look for Claire, leaving Shannon standing alone, incredibly confused.

He raced towards Claire's tent, thinking it to be the obvious place for her to be. And he was right. He heard her moving around hastily inside the tent. He stood outside.

"Claire?" He asked nervously. God, he hoped she hadn't seen. She'd just… forgotten something.

"Fuck off!" She yelled back. Shit. She'd seen. Boone attempted to go in to the tent, to be met with an airborne water bottle as it narrowly missed his head. He retracted and stood outside the tent again.

"I said, FUCK OFF." She screamed again. "Or better yet, go fuck her." Boone ran his hand through his hair. Shit.