Jacklyn Baker (called_jack) wrote in the_colony, @ 2011-01-04 19:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | ^ week 24, jacklyn baker, jed bailey, | jack and jed |
Week 24 - Monday
Characters: Jack Baker and Jed Bailey
Location: The barn
Summary: Jack follows Jed to make sure he's not leaving her and the group after his breakup.
Rating: G
Exhausted and aching, Jed still got up Monday morning to take care of the cows. It was his job, and it was oddly easy to go through the motions, his brain turned off. The only evidence of the night before was the crick in his neck from when he’d nodded off a few hours in the closet.
It wasn’t until the water was boiling that he realized there was a shadow in the doorway. The size of the shadow made it easy to guess who. His stomach twisted. He didn’t look at her as he headed out the front door. A few steps off the porch, he heard the door open and shut again, and he sagged slightly.
Taking one hand off his mug, he gestured forward. “Might as well walk up with me if yer comin’ along,” he called back.
Jack ran to catch up with him, getting her coat zipped once they were level. “Where we going?” she asked, looking up at him. There were dark circles under her eyes - the girl hadn’t slept much, staying awake as long as possible to listen for the sound of Jed’s door opening. She would have checked on him the night before but she was afraid Jed would turn the voice he’d used on Alice onto her. The two of them had their fights but she’d never heard Jed sound like that before. It was frightening and all Alice’s fault.
She spent the night terrified Jed was going to try and sneak away. He couldn’t leave her - she wouldn’t let him. If that was his plan now, Jack was going to follow him and make sure he didn’t. As soon as she heard his door open, Jack rushed to get dressed sticking close to Jed, but not too close. She was afraid of that voice and of his anger.
Glad that Jack didn’t shy away from him, Jed still frowned slightly when he looked down at her. Even in the weak lantern light, he could see there was strain on her face, and he knew why. “Juss goin’ to take care of the cows,” he said gently. After a moment, he added, “You alright?”
“I’m okay,” Jack answered, unwilling to admit to him that she’d been scared. Jed mattered more than she did right now. “Are you okay?” He could leave or yell or do something else bad if he wasn’t and Jack didn’t want any of those things to happen.
“I’m fine. You shouldn’t be worryin’ ‘bout me,” he said, his stomach giving another twist. Jack was a kid. She didn’t need this on her plate. Swallowing hard, he said, “You wanna help me milk the cows?”
“Really? Can I?” She’d never been around the cows before. Jed said she wasn’t allowed because they kicked and she’d listened to him. Jack was going to make sure Jed wasn’ going to leave, but that could wait a few minutes now she knew he wasn’t about to get in the truck and drive away.
Jed found himself smiling slightly, despite everything else. “Yeah. Think it’s time. Here,” he said, handing the hot mug over. “Get yer hands warm. Cows don’t like cold fingers.”
Jack wrapped her good hand around the mug, feeling the warmth seep in. Only then did she think to ask what should have been the obvious question. “Do I need two hands?”
“Ah, no,” he said, feeling a bit foolish. He hadn’t even thought twice. At least it served as a distraction. “Ain’t it about time you got that thing off?”
“Yes,” she answered with probably too much enthusiasm. “I think I gotta talk to the doctor and see how much longer I got.”
They entered the barn but Jack stopped before they got to the cows. “Good morning, Ginger.” She set the mug carefully on the ground, checking the horse’s eyes and ears before reaching out to stroke the horse’s nose. “Ginger, this is Jed. Jed, Ginger.”
Jed smiled slightly at Jack before reaching a hand out for Ginger’s jaw. “Nice meetin’ you, ma’am.”
Jack grinned, more relaxed now that things felt more normal between her and Jed. “Now that Ginger’s used to me, Greg’s going to show me how to take care of her.”
Behind them, the other horse snorted. “Hi, Gustav,” Jack said to him, not moving. “I’m not allowed over with Gustav. Greg says he’s a war horse with an attitude to match.”
“War horse?” Jed said, raising his eyebrows. “Didn’t know horses were used in war since we got cars.”
“Well, yeah, but Greg has a sword,” Jack pointed out. “He said he’d show me how to use that, too.”
“Don’t know about that,” Jed said, refraining from refusing outright. “You broke an arm playin’ with a tree; don’t wanna see what damage you could do with a sword.”
Despite what happened to her arm, Jed’s words only made her grin. “The awesome kind. I wanna learn the sword and the bow and arrow and be like Robin Hood, only cooler.”
Jed smiled. “Well first let’s see how you do with cows,” he said, ruffling her hair before leading the way. He snagged the stool and bucket, setting them into place before greeting the cow. “Mornin’, darlin’. Feelin’ friendly?”
**
Jack had done the best she could with only one hand, trying not to think about how she was pulling on a cow’s nipples - it was kind of awkward if you spent too much time focusing on it. Instead, Jack concentrated on getting the milk - slowly. Eventually, Jed had to take over when the repetitive motion was too tiring. He was much faster at it than she had been. She waited over by Ginger while Jed poured the milk into canisters.
She had to talk Jed and she didn’t want to do it in the house. “Jed?” she asked when he finished. “Are you going to leave?”
The rest of the morning had gone pleasant and Jed had almost forgotten what awaited in the house. The question brought that crashing back, though it didn’t surprise him. The thought had crossed his mind more than once in the night, but by morning the answer was pretty set. Straightening and hooking the empty bucket in the crook of his arm, Jed looked at Jack. “Only if you want to.”
The girl shook her head. “No. But..but if you do, you have to take me with you, okay? I’ll go with you.” She didn’t want to think about what would happen if a day ever came when Jed wanted to leave while Searle wanted to stay. Hopefully she’d never have to make that choice.
Jed’s chest swelled, aching in a much better way than it had for the last day. He’d been afraid to ask if she’d come with him if he decided to leave, but now that he knew she would, sticking around didn’t feel so hard. The last thing he wanted was to take Jack from the good home and food and folks who cared about her. Hell, they might end up half-starved like Leo and Walker, and he refused to do that to her. But at least he knew she was on his side.
“I ain’t ever gonna leave without you, kid,” he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “That ain’t a promise, it’s a fact.”
Jack turned to Jed and pressed her cheek against his chest. Hugging was awkward between their heavy winter clothes and her stupid arm but she did the best she could. It wasn’t more than a second before tears were rolling down her face. She’d been up all night terrified Jed was going to sneak out and leave her to find him gone in the morning and she was exhausted.
Hugging her back with a slight smile, it was a moment before Jed realized something was wrong. Leaning back to look down at her, he saw the tears. “Hey, kiddo, it’s alright. Don’t cry,” he said, a small plea in his voice.
“I’m sorry,” she sniffled. “I didn’t mean to. I’m really tired. I was scared you were going to leave and I would have gone and slept in the truck just in case but it was so cold I stayed up all night so I would hear you if you left.”
Hugging Jack tight again, Jed tried to blink away the pinpricks at his eyes. They’d both been through a lot last night. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to make you feel like that. You coulda--” He stopped. After what she’d probably overheard, he couldn’t blame her for not knocking on his door last night. “Good you didn’t go in the truck, though. I don’t want you gettin’ sick over me, y’hear? Whatever I got goin’ on with someone else, you an’ me are separate. You got that?”
Jack nodded and went to wipe her eyes with her right hand before she remembered and switched. “Yeah. I just get scared cause - cause there’s no reason for you stay. I’m just some kid you picked up.” They’d come close to that once before and Jack had never got over it. That was where her mind went when things were going bad.
Jed’s chest hitched. Ah hell. It took him a few deep breaths before he could talk again. “You ain’t juss some kid I picked up, Jack. Yer my kid.” Saying it aloud to her like that set his nerves on edge. What if she really didn’t want him as some sort of dad?
Jack couldn’t use the word dad. Not when her heart still ached with the loss of her own parents. But even without the title, she felt like they belonged to each other in some way. She simply left off the word. “You’re mine. You’re my family.”
A lump lodged in his throat, Jed just nodded, pulling her close again. It was a minute before he pulled himself together. His eyes were a bit red, but he managed a smile as he let go of her. “Glad somebody still likes me. Other’n Rocky, but he ain’t too bright, so it don’t count.”
Jack giggled around a deep, calming breath. “Aw. He’s a good boy. But I think - I think if you don’t need my help still I’m gonna try and sleep.”
Jed ruffled her hair. “Good plan. Prob’ly do the same once I’m done.” He hadn’t slept well, and sleep was a good way to avoid the rest of the house. “You go on and sleep tight now.”
Jack nodded, one thing left to do before she went. “Love you.”
A smile spreading on his face, Jed said, “You, too.”