Fanfiction #04 - Me And Charlie
Title: Me And Charlie
Rating/warnings: PG
Genre: gen
Characters: Shannon, Vincent, Claire, Charlie, Sayid
Spoilers: Written before I saw Exodus but takes spoilers from it.
Summary: When Vincent’s energy gets too much, Shannon is obligated to take him for a walk...with Charlie?
Original Post Date: 29/07/2005
fanfiction.net Post: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2917606/1/
Disclaimer: Guess what? I don’t own Lost! Funny that. I also don’t own the song ‘Me And Charlie’ by Miranda Lambert, the lyrics from which I have shamelessly used as the title.
~*~
‘Will you shut up?’ Shannon knew it was no use to yell, but at least it would make her feel better and then she could get on with painting her toe nails.
Aaron began to wail and Claire resignedly went to shush him, scowling heartily at Shannon as she passed her. She had, after all, only just gotten him to calm down for his nap.
Shannon, fuming, threw her bottle of nail polish aside and tried to calm Vincent down, the cause of all the trouble. He however had a different idea. He continued to try and play with her, crouching down at her feet, the tennis ball in his mouth creating an absurd neon grin.
‘Do you think you could keep him quiet?’ Claire asked her, obviously trying hard not to snap, and Shannon looked rather sulky.
‘Oh sure like I know how to stop the stupid thing from barking,’
Claire sighed, exasperated. ‘Take him for a walk! Play with him! Anything!’
‘I can’t be bothered playing with him!’
Claire stared at her for a moment, struggling to find the coherency to abuse her.
‘You can’t be bothered?’
The incredulity in her voice alerted Shannon to the approaching reprimand and she let out an irritable sigh.
‘I finally manage to get Aaron down for his afternoon nap and then when your dog wakes him up you can’t be bothered to try and keep the dog quiet?’ Shannon was silent as Claire raged away. ‘Well if you can’t be bothered keeping him quiet I might just have to be bothered with smacking you about the face.’
Shannon laughed at the crude insult but when Claire strode over, ready to argue the point further and looking positively wild with anger, she relented grudgingly. She did quite enjoy throwing verbal punches with people, even if she wouldn’t admit to it but she certainly didn’t want Claire to slap her.
That would just be embarrassing.
‘All right!’ She said grudgingly. ‘I’ll take the damn dog for a walk! Just not now…’
At the word ‘walk’ however, Vincent began barking afresh in excitement and Aaron started to cry just as loudly.
‘Why not now?’ Claire snapped. ‘Now would be a perfect opportunity.’
Shannon however wasn’t ready to concede defeat.
‘I don’t want to walk him by myself,’ she grasped at straws. ‘Not after everything that’s happened…I don’t want to go in the jungle alone…’
‘So take. Someone. With you.’ Claire looked liable to strangle her. ‘Take Sayid…’
‘Sayid’s off gathering fruit,’ Shannon said triumphantly.
‘So ask someone else!’ Claire yelled.
‘Like who?’
‘Anyone! Ask Charlie, he’s not doing anything today.’
Shannon fell silent then got slowly to her feet, coming to the conclusion that 1) she would not ask Charlie to walk with her unless she absolutely had to because a) she wasn’t really friends with him, b) he might still be upset with her about the fish thing and 2) she would definitely ask everyone else first instead, if nothing else than to get Claire off her back.
‘Fine,’ she said sulkily and threw her nail polish back into her bag. ‘I’ll find someone to walk with me.’
Fifteen minutes later, after asking every single resident of the caves if they would walk Vincent with her and getting a negative response from every single person, Shannon warily approached Charlie who was leaning against the cave wall, eyes shut, guitar held loosely in his lap, snoring softly. She felt a stab of sympathy at the sight of him looking so vulnerable; the charred gash plainly visible just above his eye; but it quickly stilled itself with her irritation that he wasn’t already awake.
She cleared her throat loudly to announce her arrival but when he didn’t move she felt a second, stronger surge of irritation and yelled his name.
‘Charlie!’
Charlie jerked awake, his guitar nearly slipped from his hands and he let out a startled exclamation of ‘Wah-?’ before finally focusing on the leggy blonde standing imperiously in front of him.
Shannon watched interestedly as his face rippled through a range of emotions ranging from panic to incredulity to a slight scowl. Apparently he hadn’t forgotten the fish incident…
‘What’s up?’ he said guardedly, leaning along his guitar to tune it, obviously so he didn’t have to look at her.
‘Um…’ Shannon paused, knowing that if she waited long enough he would look up to satisfy his own curiosity. It was a trick she had honed to perfection and it worked like a charm now. After she waited a moment he looked up interestedly and, satisfied, she continued. ‘I kinda have to take Vincent for a walk.’
Charlie stared at her incredulously. ‘And…?’
Shannon suppressed a wince. Yeah he definitely hadn’t forgotten about the fish thing…
‘And…I don’t want to go by myself?’
Charlie deliberately stared at her, palms out and shrugged, still dubious.
‘And…?’
‘And I’m asking if you’d like to come for a walk with me and Vincent!’ Shannon snapped feeling more and more irritated by the pleased half smile on his face that told her that he a) hadn’t forgotten about the fish thing and b) he was deliberately toying with her to annoy her.
‘Will you or not?’ she said, trying to keep her voice level. ‘Because you’re the last person I can ask and if you don’t come with me then I won’t go and then Claire is gonna slap me…’
‘Really?’ Charlie actually leant over his guitar towards Shannon at this. ‘Why?’
‘Because the stupid dog keeps barking and waking the baby up,’ Shannon said sourly, looking down at the cause of all her trouble who was panting good-naturedly, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. ‘She said to take him for a walk to get rid of some of his energy.’
Charlie nodded thoughtfully, seemingly staring at Shannon but obviously not seeing her at all - something which made her feel highly uncomfortable. She disliked people going off into their own little worlds, perhaps worlds that didn’t contain her. After a moment however, he sprang to his feet with a sudden fluid grace that surprised Shannon so much she took a small step backwards.
‘Well let’s get going then,’ Charlie returned his guitar to its case, checking the clasps were done up properly before turning back to her, dropping to his knees and rubbing Vincent hard around the face and ruff. ‘Where are we walking him?’
‘Um…’ Shannon, who hadn’t banked on finding anyone willing to go for a walk in the first place, was momentarily stumped. ‘I hadn’t really…’
‘The golf course!’ Charlie snapped his fingers, suddenly inspired and was back on his feet again in a blink. ‘He could have a good long run there, and you could throw the ball a bit for him as well. Plenty of space.’
‘Um, sure,’ Shannon hefted Vincent’s lead more securely in her hand. ‘You lead.’
Charlie gladly took the lead, weaving in and around the trees. He picked up a stick to beat in time against his leg as he hummed genially to himself and practically ignored Shannon who followed him warily, not sure whether he was going to suddenly turn and attack her or break out into a song and dance routine. Neither of them would have really surprised her.
‘This way,’ Charlie pointed with his stick and continued on his merry way, leaping nimbly over a fallen branch. Shannon manoeuvred her way over the branch more carefully. Her legs were bare and she didn’t fancy getting them scratched to hell by a stupid branch of all things.
She watched Charlie carefully as she followed him, realising just how little she actually knew about him. Okay, so he was British, he seemed to be somewhere in his twenties, he was friends with Claire…and that was about it. That was the grand total of information her brain had in regards to him. Oh and he played the guitar. And he was gullible.
The golf course was just as she remembered it from the first Island Open that had been barely days before Claire had disappeared into the jungle. Big, open, green - much like most golf courses she supposed. Shannon didn’t have long to look at it however, the minute they stepped onto it; Vincent was tugging insistently at his lead, barking his head off, begging to be allowed to run.
‘Stupid dog!’ Shannon swore as he nearly pulled her over.
‘Here,’ Charlie reached over and unclipped the lead and Vincent took off, running like a mad thing and chasing insects through the grass. Charlie watched him and laughed warmly, making Shannon feel sourer than ever. She crossed her arms and sighed impatiently, half wishing she hadn’t agreed to take care of the dog while Walt was off on the raft.
‘I wouldn’t mind being a dog.’
Shannon was startled out of her sulk. ‘Excuse me?’
Charlie didn’t look away from Vincent, cavorting about in the grass but continued to murmur. ‘I said, I wouldn’t mind being a dog.’ Shannon turned to glance at Vincent’s ungainly frolicking then back at Charlie who was looking slightly wistful now. ‘Looks like it must be fun. Being taken for a walk and eating are like the most exciting things that could ever happen to a dog. They get so excited by such simple things…’
Shannon stared at him. She had never heard Charlie say anything like this before. She had in fact barely spoken to him before and hearing him talk like this…who the hell thought about what it’d be like to be a dog?
‘Right,’ Shannon said uneasily. ‘I mean, I guess so…’
Charlie however, wasn’t listening. He picked up the abandoned tennis ball and whistled deafeningly across the golf course.
‘Vincent!’
Vincent obligingly came bolting back and crouched down in front of Charlie, ready to play, barking enthusiastically. Charlie threw the ball hard and fast across the course but instead of waiting for Vincent to bring it back to him, began to race him towards it, yelling all the way.
‘I’m gonna beat you to it!’ he cackled and then wrestled the dog to the ground halfway across the course but Vincent slipped away, yipping hysterically, and brought the ball back triumphantly. It was almost as if Shannon had become invisible, standing there in the shadow of the tree line. Charlie continued to laugh and play with Vincent while she stood there silently, watching, and not sure of whether she should stay or just leave him to it.
‘Shannon!’ She jumped. Charlie was gesturing for her to come over. He was sitting on the ground, one hand holding the ball aloft. She shook her head silently. ‘Come on! Come and play with your stupid dog!’ Shannon shook her head again just as Vincent lunged at the ball, missed and hit Charlie in the face with a paw. As he fell backwards into the grass, Shannon saw his face contort into a pained expression and he dropped the ball as he put his hands to his injured forehead.
‘Are you okay?’ she called tentatively.
He sat up waving a dismissive hand and stood up, wobbled for a moment then began a slow trek back to her.
‘I’m all right,’ he called out staggering a little then added, jokingly, ‘it just twinges a bit.’
Vincent followed excitedly, thinking Charlie was still playing with him but when Charlie softly said ‘No Vincent.’ the dog fell back a little.
‘I might sit down a minute,’ Charlie sank onto the grass. ‘My head’s…I’m just feeling a bit dizzy. Here, you play with Vincent.’
Shannon gave a few halfhearted throws, watching Charlie carefully in case he passed out or anything dramatic.
After a few minutes she gave a brave stab at conversation.
‘Why’d you come with me?’
‘Eh?’ Charlie squinted up at her through the late afternoon sunlight.
‘Why did you come with me?’ Shannon felt slightly embarrassed asking. ‘You didn’t really want to come for a walk with me did you?’
Charlie raised an eyebrow. ‘No. But then I’m not here for you am I?’
Shannon was not sure how to respond to this. She should have expected as much but did this guy hold a grudge or what?
‘You don’t like me because of the fish thing.’ she stated. ‘Right?’
‘The fish thing?’ Charlie looked puzzled for a moment but then gave an ‘oh!’ of comprehension. ‘Pfft. Yeah I remember that. Real nice that was.’ His voice was more than a little bitter and Shannon half wished she hadn’t brought it up.
‘Sorry,’ she said, not sounding very sorry at all. Charlie didn’t even bother to answer her this time and a long silence stretched between them while Shannon threw the ball unenthusiastically for Vincent and Charlie touched his wounded forehead gently, grimacing.
‘So why did you come with me then?’ she finally broke the silence moodily.
‘What?’
‘I know you’re not here to help me out,’ Shannon bridled slightly as she said this. ‘So who are you doing this for then?’
Charlie looked up at her for a moment, considering long and hard before he answered.
‘For Claire,’ he said quietly and then hastily added, ‘And Aaron. Vincent as well I guess.’
Shannon nodded slightly and went back to throwing the ball, peering at the saliva all over it with apparent disdain. ‘Hmmn. I thought so.’
Charlie again didn’t say anything.
‘You like her don’t you?’ Shannon goaded.
Charlie bit back immediately. ‘So what if I do?’ Well that touched a nerve… Shannon thought.
‘Does she know?’
‘Know what?’ Charlie said irritably.
‘That you like her,’ Shannon let the ball drop to the ground and directed her attention to Charlie.
‘She’s my friend Shannon,’ he said patiently. ‘I like her in a strictly platonic way thanks very much.’
Shannon tilted her head as she considered him, making him flush.
‘What?’ he burst out. ‘What are you looking at me like that for?’
‘Oh nothing,’ Shannon said with an infuriating air of superiority. ‘Just so you know, denial isn’t just a river in Egypt little man.’
‘Oh ha bloody ha,’ Charlie said sourly. ‘I suppose you’d know all about that would you?’
‘Yeah well maybe I do,’ Shannon retorted. ‘It’s not like you know anything about me…’
‘You don’t know anything about me!’ Charlie burst out angrily. ‘So don’t act like you do!’
‘I’ve learnt enough about you in just the past half hour to give me a fair idea,’ Shannon said tartly. ‘Whether you believe it or not.’
Charlie laughed hollowly. ‘Don’t judge a book by the first few pages,’ he warned. ‘They can be just as misleading as the cover.’
‘Whatever,’ Shannon leant down to clip Vincent’s lead back on. ‘Let’s go back. I’m sick of playing with the stupid dog.’
Charlie clambered obligingly to his feet looking particularly savage. ‘Good! I’m sick of arguing with you! It’s a complete bloody waste of brain power.’
‘You?’ Shannon sneered. ‘Using your brain? Oh come on!’
‘Oh for Chrissakes…’ Charlie pushed past her and walked on. ‘Just shut up would you? You’re giving me a migraine…’
The two walked back to the caves in huffy silence and once they reached there Charlie took off to refill his water bottle.
‘Can you take Vincent to get a drink while you’re there?’ Shannon thrust the lead into Charlie’s hand. ‘I have to do something quickly.’
Charlie rolled his eyes but took the lead anyway. ‘Come on Vincent…’
Claire was sitting over in her sleeping nook, resignedly nursing Aaron when Shannon strolled languidly over.
‘Hey,’ she said. ‘I took the dog for a walk like you asked.’
Claire glanced up in surprise and furtively covered her breast with Aaron’s blanket.
‘Oh. Um, thanks,’ she said, looking slightly guilty. ‘I’m sorry I snapped at you before, I’m just really tired - you’ve no idea how stressful it is having a week-old baby, least of all on an island in the middle of nowhere.’ She gave a small laugh twinged with bitterness. ‘So who’d you end up going with?’
‘Charlie,’ Shannon said then snorted mirthlessly. ‘Him and I aren’t exactly the best of friends but at least the dog got some exercise.’
‘Oh, okay,’ Claire said. Then, awkwardly, ‘That’s cool.’ She waited for Shannon to leave.
She didn’t.
‘Is there…something else you wanted to say Shannon?’
Shannon hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, but then…
‘Um…not really.’
‘Okay then. I guess I’ll see you around.’
‘Um, yeah…’
Shannon made her way through the caves and bumped into Sayid who had just come in lugging a large amount of fruit with Sun.
‘Hey!’ she leant up to kiss him and he smiled at her. ‘Need a hand?’
‘Certainly,’ Sayid offered her a makeshift basket and she helped him carry the rest of it in.
Shannon hesitated as she worked, glancing over at Claire who had finished nursing and was now walking about the caves, burping Aaron. Charlie appeared suddenly and Shannon peered a little closer. Claire smiled genuinely at him as he approached and got up on tiptoe to plant a sweet kiss on his cheek as he chatted animatedly, no doubt about his romp with Vincent judging from his gestures.
‘Shannon?’
‘What?’ she jumped guiltily.
‘What are you looking at?’ Sayid asked, his eyes puzzled at her from beneath his dark curls.
‘Oh just,’ Shannon looked back at Charlie and Claire and gestured. ‘You know. Them.’
She glanced back at Sayid who watched the two of them for a moment before turning back to Shannon.
‘Charlie and Claire?’ Shannon nodded. ‘What about them?’
‘What do you reckon is the deal with them?’
Sayid paused before answering as he often did. ‘I’m not sure,’ he said slowly. ‘They’re obviously already very good friends and becoming closer as her amnesia slowly leaves her but will they progress beyond that?’ he shrugged. ‘I do not know.’
Shannon watched them for a moment longer before looking back to the fruit. Picking up a mango, she prodded Sayid gently with it, grinning. ‘Well, we may as well eat something while we wait.’
Rating/warnings: PG
Genre: gen
Characters: Shannon, Vincent, Claire, Charlie, Sayid
Spoilers: Written before I saw Exodus but takes spoilers from it.
Summary: When Vincent’s energy gets too much, Shannon is obligated to take him for a walk...with Charlie?
Original Post Date: 29/07/2005
fanfiction.net Post: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2917606/1/
Disclaimer: Guess what? I don’t own Lost! Funny that. I also don’t own the song ‘Me And Charlie’ by Miranda Lambert, the lyrics from which I have shamelessly used as the title.
~*~
‘Will you shut up?’ Shannon knew it was no use to yell, but at least it would make her feel better and then she could get on with painting her toe nails.
Aaron began to wail and Claire resignedly went to shush him, scowling heartily at Shannon as she passed her. She had, after all, only just gotten him to calm down for his nap.
Shannon, fuming, threw her bottle of nail polish aside and tried to calm Vincent down, the cause of all the trouble. He however had a different idea. He continued to try and play with her, crouching down at her feet, the tennis ball in his mouth creating an absurd neon grin.
‘Do you think you could keep him quiet?’ Claire asked her, obviously trying hard not to snap, and Shannon looked rather sulky.
‘Oh sure like I know how to stop the stupid thing from barking,’
Claire sighed, exasperated. ‘Take him for a walk! Play with him! Anything!’
‘I can’t be bothered playing with him!’
Claire stared at her for a moment, struggling to find the coherency to abuse her.
‘You can’t be bothered?’
The incredulity in her voice alerted Shannon to the approaching reprimand and she let out an irritable sigh.
‘I finally manage to get Aaron down for his afternoon nap and then when your dog wakes him up you can’t be bothered to try and keep the dog quiet?’ Shannon was silent as Claire raged away. ‘Well if you can’t be bothered keeping him quiet I might just have to be bothered with smacking you about the face.’
Shannon laughed at the crude insult but when Claire strode over, ready to argue the point further and looking positively wild with anger, she relented grudgingly. She did quite enjoy throwing verbal punches with people, even if she wouldn’t admit to it but she certainly didn’t want Claire to slap her.
That would just be embarrassing.
‘All right!’ She said grudgingly. ‘I’ll take the damn dog for a walk! Just not now…’
At the word ‘walk’ however, Vincent began barking afresh in excitement and Aaron started to cry just as loudly.
‘Why not now?’ Claire snapped. ‘Now would be a perfect opportunity.’
Shannon however wasn’t ready to concede defeat.
‘I don’t want to walk him by myself,’ she grasped at straws. ‘Not after everything that’s happened…I don’t want to go in the jungle alone…’
‘So take. Someone. With you.’ Claire looked liable to strangle her. ‘Take Sayid…’
‘Sayid’s off gathering fruit,’ Shannon said triumphantly.
‘So ask someone else!’ Claire yelled.
‘Like who?’
‘Anyone! Ask Charlie, he’s not doing anything today.’
Shannon fell silent then got slowly to her feet, coming to the conclusion that 1) she would not ask Charlie to walk with her unless she absolutely had to because a) she wasn’t really friends with him, b) he might still be upset with her about the fish thing and 2) she would definitely ask everyone else first instead, if nothing else than to get Claire off her back.
‘Fine,’ she said sulkily and threw her nail polish back into her bag. ‘I’ll find someone to walk with me.’
Fifteen minutes later, after asking every single resident of the caves if they would walk Vincent with her and getting a negative response from every single person, Shannon warily approached Charlie who was leaning against the cave wall, eyes shut, guitar held loosely in his lap, snoring softly. She felt a stab of sympathy at the sight of him looking so vulnerable; the charred gash plainly visible just above his eye; but it quickly stilled itself with her irritation that he wasn’t already awake.
She cleared her throat loudly to announce her arrival but when he didn’t move she felt a second, stronger surge of irritation and yelled his name.
‘Charlie!’
Charlie jerked awake, his guitar nearly slipped from his hands and he let out a startled exclamation of ‘Wah-?’ before finally focusing on the leggy blonde standing imperiously in front of him.
Shannon watched interestedly as his face rippled through a range of emotions ranging from panic to incredulity to a slight scowl. Apparently he hadn’t forgotten the fish incident…
‘What’s up?’ he said guardedly, leaning along his guitar to tune it, obviously so he didn’t have to look at her.
‘Um…’ Shannon paused, knowing that if she waited long enough he would look up to satisfy his own curiosity. It was a trick she had honed to perfection and it worked like a charm now. After she waited a moment he looked up interestedly and, satisfied, she continued. ‘I kinda have to take Vincent for a walk.’
Charlie stared at her incredulously. ‘And…?’
Shannon suppressed a wince. Yeah he definitely hadn’t forgotten about the fish thing…
‘And…I don’t want to go by myself?’
Charlie deliberately stared at her, palms out and shrugged, still dubious.
‘And…?’
‘And I’m asking if you’d like to come for a walk with me and Vincent!’ Shannon snapped feeling more and more irritated by the pleased half smile on his face that told her that he a) hadn’t forgotten about the fish thing and b) he was deliberately toying with her to annoy her.
‘Will you or not?’ she said, trying to keep her voice level. ‘Because you’re the last person I can ask and if you don’t come with me then I won’t go and then Claire is gonna slap me…’
‘Really?’ Charlie actually leant over his guitar towards Shannon at this. ‘Why?’
‘Because the stupid dog keeps barking and waking the baby up,’ Shannon said sourly, looking down at the cause of all her trouble who was panting good-naturedly, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. ‘She said to take him for a walk to get rid of some of his energy.’
Charlie nodded thoughtfully, seemingly staring at Shannon but obviously not seeing her at all - something which made her feel highly uncomfortable. She disliked people going off into their own little worlds, perhaps worlds that didn’t contain her. After a moment however, he sprang to his feet with a sudden fluid grace that surprised Shannon so much she took a small step backwards.
‘Well let’s get going then,’ Charlie returned his guitar to its case, checking the clasps were done up properly before turning back to her, dropping to his knees and rubbing Vincent hard around the face and ruff. ‘Where are we walking him?’
‘Um…’ Shannon, who hadn’t banked on finding anyone willing to go for a walk in the first place, was momentarily stumped. ‘I hadn’t really…’
‘The golf course!’ Charlie snapped his fingers, suddenly inspired and was back on his feet again in a blink. ‘He could have a good long run there, and you could throw the ball a bit for him as well. Plenty of space.’
‘Um, sure,’ Shannon hefted Vincent’s lead more securely in her hand. ‘You lead.’
Charlie gladly took the lead, weaving in and around the trees. He picked up a stick to beat in time against his leg as he hummed genially to himself and practically ignored Shannon who followed him warily, not sure whether he was going to suddenly turn and attack her or break out into a song and dance routine. Neither of them would have really surprised her.
‘This way,’ Charlie pointed with his stick and continued on his merry way, leaping nimbly over a fallen branch. Shannon manoeuvred her way over the branch more carefully. Her legs were bare and she didn’t fancy getting them scratched to hell by a stupid branch of all things.
She watched Charlie carefully as she followed him, realising just how little she actually knew about him. Okay, so he was British, he seemed to be somewhere in his twenties, he was friends with Claire…and that was about it. That was the grand total of information her brain had in regards to him. Oh and he played the guitar. And he was gullible.
The golf course was just as she remembered it from the first Island Open that had been barely days before Claire had disappeared into the jungle. Big, open, green - much like most golf courses she supposed. Shannon didn’t have long to look at it however, the minute they stepped onto it; Vincent was tugging insistently at his lead, barking his head off, begging to be allowed to run.
‘Stupid dog!’ Shannon swore as he nearly pulled her over.
‘Here,’ Charlie reached over and unclipped the lead and Vincent took off, running like a mad thing and chasing insects through the grass. Charlie watched him and laughed warmly, making Shannon feel sourer than ever. She crossed her arms and sighed impatiently, half wishing she hadn’t agreed to take care of the dog while Walt was off on the raft.
‘I wouldn’t mind being a dog.’
Shannon was startled out of her sulk. ‘Excuse me?’
Charlie didn’t look away from Vincent, cavorting about in the grass but continued to murmur. ‘I said, I wouldn’t mind being a dog.’ Shannon turned to glance at Vincent’s ungainly frolicking then back at Charlie who was looking slightly wistful now. ‘Looks like it must be fun. Being taken for a walk and eating are like the most exciting things that could ever happen to a dog. They get so excited by such simple things…’
Shannon stared at him. She had never heard Charlie say anything like this before. She had in fact barely spoken to him before and hearing him talk like this…who the hell thought about what it’d be like to be a dog?
‘Right,’ Shannon said uneasily. ‘I mean, I guess so…’
Charlie however, wasn’t listening. He picked up the abandoned tennis ball and whistled deafeningly across the golf course.
‘Vincent!’
Vincent obligingly came bolting back and crouched down in front of Charlie, ready to play, barking enthusiastically. Charlie threw the ball hard and fast across the course but instead of waiting for Vincent to bring it back to him, began to race him towards it, yelling all the way.
‘I’m gonna beat you to it!’ he cackled and then wrestled the dog to the ground halfway across the course but Vincent slipped away, yipping hysterically, and brought the ball back triumphantly. It was almost as if Shannon had become invisible, standing there in the shadow of the tree line. Charlie continued to laugh and play with Vincent while she stood there silently, watching, and not sure of whether she should stay or just leave him to it.
‘Shannon!’ She jumped. Charlie was gesturing for her to come over. He was sitting on the ground, one hand holding the ball aloft. She shook her head silently. ‘Come on! Come and play with your stupid dog!’ Shannon shook her head again just as Vincent lunged at the ball, missed and hit Charlie in the face with a paw. As he fell backwards into the grass, Shannon saw his face contort into a pained expression and he dropped the ball as he put his hands to his injured forehead.
‘Are you okay?’ she called tentatively.
He sat up waving a dismissive hand and stood up, wobbled for a moment then began a slow trek back to her.
‘I’m all right,’ he called out staggering a little then added, jokingly, ‘it just twinges a bit.’
Vincent followed excitedly, thinking Charlie was still playing with him but when Charlie softly said ‘No Vincent.’ the dog fell back a little.
‘I might sit down a minute,’ Charlie sank onto the grass. ‘My head’s…I’m just feeling a bit dizzy. Here, you play with Vincent.’
Shannon gave a few halfhearted throws, watching Charlie carefully in case he passed out or anything dramatic.
After a few minutes she gave a brave stab at conversation.
‘Why’d you come with me?’
‘Eh?’ Charlie squinted up at her through the late afternoon sunlight.
‘Why did you come with me?’ Shannon felt slightly embarrassed asking. ‘You didn’t really want to come for a walk with me did you?’
Charlie raised an eyebrow. ‘No. But then I’m not here for you am I?’
Shannon was not sure how to respond to this. She should have expected as much but did this guy hold a grudge or what?
‘You don’t like me because of the fish thing.’ she stated. ‘Right?’
‘The fish thing?’ Charlie looked puzzled for a moment but then gave an ‘oh!’ of comprehension. ‘Pfft. Yeah I remember that. Real nice that was.’ His voice was more than a little bitter and Shannon half wished she hadn’t brought it up.
‘Sorry,’ she said, not sounding very sorry at all. Charlie didn’t even bother to answer her this time and a long silence stretched between them while Shannon threw the ball unenthusiastically for Vincent and Charlie touched his wounded forehead gently, grimacing.
‘So why did you come with me then?’ she finally broke the silence moodily.
‘What?’
‘I know you’re not here to help me out,’ Shannon bridled slightly as she said this. ‘So who are you doing this for then?’
Charlie looked up at her for a moment, considering long and hard before he answered.
‘For Claire,’ he said quietly and then hastily added, ‘And Aaron. Vincent as well I guess.’
Shannon nodded slightly and went back to throwing the ball, peering at the saliva all over it with apparent disdain. ‘Hmmn. I thought so.’
Charlie again didn’t say anything.
‘You like her don’t you?’ Shannon goaded.
Charlie bit back immediately. ‘So what if I do?’ Well that touched a nerve… Shannon thought.
‘Does she know?’
‘Know what?’ Charlie said irritably.
‘That you like her,’ Shannon let the ball drop to the ground and directed her attention to Charlie.
‘She’s my friend Shannon,’ he said patiently. ‘I like her in a strictly platonic way thanks very much.’
Shannon tilted her head as she considered him, making him flush.
‘What?’ he burst out. ‘What are you looking at me like that for?’
‘Oh nothing,’ Shannon said with an infuriating air of superiority. ‘Just so you know, denial isn’t just a river in Egypt little man.’
‘Oh ha bloody ha,’ Charlie said sourly. ‘I suppose you’d know all about that would you?’
‘Yeah well maybe I do,’ Shannon retorted. ‘It’s not like you know anything about me…’
‘You don’t know anything about me!’ Charlie burst out angrily. ‘So don’t act like you do!’
‘I’ve learnt enough about you in just the past half hour to give me a fair idea,’ Shannon said tartly. ‘Whether you believe it or not.’
Charlie laughed hollowly. ‘Don’t judge a book by the first few pages,’ he warned. ‘They can be just as misleading as the cover.’
‘Whatever,’ Shannon leant down to clip Vincent’s lead back on. ‘Let’s go back. I’m sick of playing with the stupid dog.’
Charlie clambered obligingly to his feet looking particularly savage. ‘Good! I’m sick of arguing with you! It’s a complete bloody waste of brain power.’
‘You?’ Shannon sneered. ‘Using your brain? Oh come on!’
‘Oh for Chrissakes…’ Charlie pushed past her and walked on. ‘Just shut up would you? You’re giving me a migraine…’
The two walked back to the caves in huffy silence and once they reached there Charlie took off to refill his water bottle.
‘Can you take Vincent to get a drink while you’re there?’ Shannon thrust the lead into Charlie’s hand. ‘I have to do something quickly.’
Charlie rolled his eyes but took the lead anyway. ‘Come on Vincent…’
Claire was sitting over in her sleeping nook, resignedly nursing Aaron when Shannon strolled languidly over.
‘Hey,’ she said. ‘I took the dog for a walk like you asked.’
Claire glanced up in surprise and furtively covered her breast with Aaron’s blanket.
‘Oh. Um, thanks,’ she said, looking slightly guilty. ‘I’m sorry I snapped at you before, I’m just really tired - you’ve no idea how stressful it is having a week-old baby, least of all on an island in the middle of nowhere.’ She gave a small laugh twinged with bitterness. ‘So who’d you end up going with?’
‘Charlie,’ Shannon said then snorted mirthlessly. ‘Him and I aren’t exactly the best of friends but at least the dog got some exercise.’
‘Oh, okay,’ Claire said. Then, awkwardly, ‘That’s cool.’ She waited for Shannon to leave.
She didn’t.
‘Is there…something else you wanted to say Shannon?’
Shannon hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, but then…
‘Um…not really.’
‘Okay then. I guess I’ll see you around.’
‘Um, yeah…’
Shannon made her way through the caves and bumped into Sayid who had just come in lugging a large amount of fruit with Sun.
‘Hey!’ she leant up to kiss him and he smiled at her. ‘Need a hand?’
‘Certainly,’ Sayid offered her a makeshift basket and she helped him carry the rest of it in.
Shannon hesitated as she worked, glancing over at Claire who had finished nursing and was now walking about the caves, burping Aaron. Charlie appeared suddenly and Shannon peered a little closer. Claire smiled genuinely at him as he approached and got up on tiptoe to plant a sweet kiss on his cheek as he chatted animatedly, no doubt about his romp with Vincent judging from his gestures.
‘Shannon?’
‘What?’ she jumped guiltily.
‘What are you looking at?’ Sayid asked, his eyes puzzled at her from beneath his dark curls.
‘Oh just,’ Shannon looked back at Charlie and Claire and gestured. ‘You know. Them.’
She glanced back at Sayid who watched the two of them for a moment before turning back to Shannon.
‘Charlie and Claire?’ Shannon nodded. ‘What about them?’
‘What do you reckon is the deal with them?’
Sayid paused before answering as he often did. ‘I’m not sure,’ he said slowly. ‘They’re obviously already very good friends and becoming closer as her amnesia slowly leaves her but will they progress beyond that?’ he shrugged. ‘I do not know.’
Shannon watched them for a moment longer before looking back to the fruit. Picking up a mango, she prodded Sayid gently with it, grinning. ‘Well, we may as well eat something while we wait.’