BOO! How would you go about scaring someone?

It felts like centuries that he had struck fear into the hearts of the accused. Those days, however, were left behind. She had made the nights so much easier. The faces had started to dissipate. All there was was her. Nadia.



She had gone to the market to get the essentials. He hated allowing her to go places on her own because he feared she would never return. She usually indulged him, enjoying his company, but today she had something to prove to herself. He watched her from the window anyway and waited for her return.

Patience worn rough and thin, Sayid ceased his pacing when he saw her approaching the building with the basket tucked under her arms. It was hard to imagine her ever as the brutish girl who pushed him in the mud and led the jeers of the other children. He smiled a little at the thought out of fondness and a rare jolt of playfulness hit him.

-----

She entered the apartment and found it dark. Perhaps he had taken her advice and laid down for a nap. Still, she promised to assure him she had arrived home safely. She leaned in to get a peek into the bedroom. No one- the bed was made. Her fingers curled around the rim of the basket. "Sayid," she said in a raised voice expecting a response. "Sayid, where are you?"

Nothing.

Impulsively she reversed her steps towards the entrance in the kitchen. The aura of the room did not feel right. Horrible scenarios flooded through her mind, and before she could set down the basket on the counter behind her and reach for the phone she felt a strong set of arms seize her around the waist. She shrieked in terror, thrashing with her elbows while her legs got ahead of her. She went down and brought the assailant down with her...the laughing assailant whose lips and whiskers were now teasing her neck. Stunned, she looked back and saw him not only smiling widely, but laughing.

"Idiot!" she reached for the spilled fruit and food packets, "do you know how frightened I was?"

"I didn't know you could move your arms that quickly," he chuckled.

Her eyes flamed and she jutted out of her lower lip to openly show her disgust. Before she knew it she could see the laughing little boy just before she shoved him straight into the mud puddle and the tears welled up in his eyes. Slowly but surely she started to laugh and leaned back against him on the ground.

"Don't think you'll get away with that again," she muttered into his neck.

"Boo," he leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"One small victory for you, Sayid," she waved him off playfully. "I hope you're ready to pick up this mess."

"Not now," he purred, and persuaded her further by holding her closer and tighter. There was silence as they indulged in the comfort of each other.

"What am I going to do with you?" she sighed wearing a content smile as she moved her fingertips over his wrist.

"Well," he shrugged, "next time you'll just have to take me with you."


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