A/N: The characters of Riley and Mia belong to littletonpace Her stories about them are amazing, and everyone should go check them out.

Also, just as a note, I frequently go quite AU in this story in terms of the order of events as they occurred in the show, and how they occurred. This is one of those chapters for sure.

Matt strode forward immediately, carefully extracting the gun from Ana's shaking hand. Jack could see the warring emotions flying across his lover's face, the automatic responses of a well-trained cop paired with the automatic responses of a human being watching someone he had known limp and lifeless.

In the end, Matt tossed the gun to the side like it had burned him, stood in silent respect, head bowed, as Sayid carried Shannon's body past. He reached back for Jack, who was there immediately, his own eyes full of unshed tears as he wrapped his arms around Matt from behind. Jack's fingers unconsciously slid under the bottom of Matt's t-shirt, splaying over the gunshot wound scar still raised on Matt's stomach.

The funeral brought everyone back together. Mia even left Sawyer's side to pay her respects, staying close to Matt's side, one of his arms around her shoulders, the other holding Jack close. Afterwards, Mia kissed Matt's cheek, wrapping herself in his arms for a minute. "Love you," she whispered, squeezing him tightly.

"Love you too," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "I'll come check on you and Sawyer in a few minutes, ok?"

She nodded, heading away, and Matt felt Jack's hands firm around his waist. "That could have been…" Jack began, then shook his head, and Matt felt Jack's fingers clutch at his stomach again, wrap themselves around the scar.

"It wasn't, babe, it wasn't," Matt whispered reassuringly, turning into Jack's arms, bringing their lips together, fingers running through the hair curling up slightly at the back of Jack's neck.

"I couldn't ever…" Jack pressed his face into Matt's shoulder, and Matt twisted slightly, following his gaze to where Sayid knelt by Shannon's grave, sobbing into the sand.

"Me either," Matt answered, turning back, pulling Jack as close as he could, kissing his temple.

"Sorry." Jack shuddered, and Matt reached a hand up, rubbed the back of Jack's neck. "Feeling pretty down today."

"I think we all are, with good reason," Matt said softly, taking Jack's hand and squeezing it tightly. "I tell you what, you go check on Sawyer, make sure he's doing okay. I'll come meet you in a few, check on Mia, and then we'll go find a spot on the beach and just rest, just the two of us."

"That sounds perfect." His hand on the back of Matt's head, Jack brought him in for another kiss, lingering for a moment before turning to head towards where Mia had gone. Turning back, he kissed Matt again. "I love you."

"I love you too." Matt watched until he was out of sight, then walked away from the grave, unable to look at it anymore.

About a mile down the beach, Matt stopped short. A girl sat near the water, feet catching the waves, knees curled into her chest. Her wavy hair, catching the sun, did nothing to hide the fact that she was sobbing, face in her hands.

"Were you friends with Shannon?" Matt asked softly, kneeling next to her.

She nodded, sniffed, and made a futile attempt to wipe her face free of tears before raising her head to look at Matt. He suddenly recognized her. She had constantly been with Boone, and by default with Shannon.

"She was my last friend," the girl said in a whisper, trying to blink back her tears.

"You're not alone here, not at all," Matt promised, and as the girl turned her head, he extended his hand. "I'm Matt. I enjoy long walks on the beach."

She laughed, taking his hand and shaking it. "Riley," she replied. "I love the feeling of sand between my toes."

"See, we'll get along just fine," Matt said with a grin, taking off his shoes and socks and digging his toes into the wet sand. "I'm just embarrassed I haven't introduced myself before."

"There's more people here than you'd think," Riley answered with a shrug, picking up a pile of drier sand, letting it trickle between her fingers. "And plus, we've been running in different circles, I'd say. From what Shannon-" Her voice caught for a second, but she took a deep breath, making spirals in the sand with her fingernails. "What she told me gossip-wise, you were pretty busy hanging out with the baby mama and the kick-ass chick with the country-looking hubbie, and macking on the hottie doctor." She laughed ruefully. "Her words not mine. I would have gone with more of a sarcastic description connecting our social statuses to Descartes…you know, the usual."

"Well, Claire is definitely a mother with a baby, and Mia is one hundred percent kick ass, and Jack is certainly one hot doctor." Grinning, Matt reached his hands behind him, leaning back, turning his face up to the sun.

"You're lucky you have people like that," Riley said, and the wistfulness and loneliness crept back into her voice.

"Come have dinner with us tonight," Matt said, turning on his side to face her.

"Inviting me to join the cult?" Riley asked, biting her lip to hold back her laugh, the twinkle creeping back into her eyes.

"Definitely not, you only get the invite after you sacrifice the white goat," Matt said with a completely straight face, and Riley threw her head back and snorted with laughter.

"I'd love to join you guys," she answered, a smile spreading full across her face. "Thanks. I mean it, Matt."

"Nothing to thank me for," he answered with a wide smile. "Especially not after you've tried Mia's cooking."

Riley snorted again, shaking her head and grinning. Matt rose to his feet, shaking the sand off his pants. "I've got to go check in on Mia, but I'll make sure to set a place for you at the sand table."

"I'll wear my finest silks," she bantered back.

"You'll be okay here?" he asked earnestly, pausing, leaning down slightly to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"I will, I promise," she answered, looking up at him gratefully, patting his hand. "Thanks, Matt. I mean that."

"I'll see you in a little while," he said, waving as he headed off down the beach. He got about half a mile back the way he had come, when suddenly Jack came tearing out of the trees, running full tilt towards Matt.

"There's a hatch!" Jack gasped out.