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Epoch

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Laria's picture
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OOC: Now this is how I like it; come home and find lots of posts.

IC:

Abbi was more than surprised when she got pulled along by Nara. In fact, it made her uncomfortable. Not so much by the pulling, though, the almost aggressive manner of making her follow, but the fact that she wanted to talk. Girl talk. What was that supposed to mean?

She had sometimes heard the women at her previous jobs talking about men and shopping and men, but that did not really interest her. Neither was she interested in hearing what the guy next door was doing, who had died and who was rumored to have an affair. The only time she actually had joined a conversation was when it had been about where they left the spare parts.

She followed calmly, though, without resisting once. She had to admit she quite liked Nara's attitude, even though the woman was odd.

So all she replied was, "Okay."

YH
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Nara released the other woman and stood facing away, arms wrapped around her midsection. She looked like she was cold, and appeared to be shivering. For a moment she was silent, and then she sniffled and turned to face Abbi at last, her cheeks damp and chin dimpled.

"Please don't take him away from me, Abbi," she pleaded, her voice cracking with a sob, "I couldn't raise this baby by myself."

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First Jarrod, then Nara. Wait, what?

"You're having a baby?"

She had heard the first sentence as well, but the second one had drawn all her attention. This was one crazy day.

YH
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She nodded, her eyes wide with fear. She grabbed Abbi's hand in both of hers, "Please don't tell him I told you--don't tell anyone!" she begged. "I think that--" she sobbed again and looked away, "I think he's ashamed of me, I don't know. He won't even look at me half the time, and now you come along and I just..." she let the words drown in tears as she pulled away from Abbi, holding herself again.

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Someone else might have made the instant link between the first sentence, Jarrod and baby. The tears were a bonus.

Abbi only realised just now who she was talking about, but she did not understand why. As always, she tilted her head to the side. "Why would he be ashamed? I thought babies were good, to be proud of?"

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She nodded and chuckled bitterly, "So did I, but I guess he has other ideas." She wiped her face with her hands, "I'm sorry, I'm a mess, huh? Oh, what you must think of me; I've treated you rudely, haven't I? I'm so sorry, I was just jealous." She smiled with liquid eyes, "I mean, look at you, you're beautiful. Like I have a chance, right?"

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Abbi could not remember the last time someone called her beautiful.

Then, finally, it all fit. Difficult, but somehow. "I'm not taking anyone away," she said.

She was quite certain she did not get everything yet. The transformation from the woman that tried to kill her with her eyes earlier to one with tears was almost shocking. Jarrod had been acting quite normal towards her; he smiled, after all. But a baby? Out here, even? For the first time Abbi seemed to realise where they were. Out of the city, in the middle of nowhere, dependent on people she barely knew. Going to Morrowind.

"There was stew being prepared, maybe you should have some."

YH
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Nara smiled and nodded. That was easy.

Then she chuckled and rubbed her belly, "I guess I--we are a little hungry." She offered her hand to Abbi, "Would you join us?"

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Abbi smiled as well and shook her head. "No, thank you. I'll eat some other time, not really hungry."

She was lying, she knew. She really did not feel like eating though, even while she was hungry. She felt strange. There was no way to describe the feeling, because she never had felt it before. Or maybe... yes, as if losing her favorite screw.

YH
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Nara nodded and began walking back toward the cabin, "I'll see you, then. Don't stay out too long, wouldn't want you to get sick." Her back to Abbi, she allowed herself a satisfied smirk. There was a haughtier sway to her hips as she ascended the steps and strolled into the outpost, her eyes seeking Jarrod but finding only mayhem in the form of Elgin's shouting.

"Oh goodie, he's alive," she sneered to herself and rolled her eyes, flopping down in a chair. She watched Jarrod try to handle another of the little tantrums, which had everyone else's attention as well, then her eyes fixed on the foul-mouthed guitarist. She smirked again.

Jarrod helped Elgin back onto the bed, "Hey, calm down before you kill yourself. Again." Crisis averted, the elf and the two older women went back into the kitchen to have a hushed argument.

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Abbi went outside again to go stare at things. She needed to get her mind straight again. Now it was spinning and acting wierd. Not like her at all. Maybe she was already sick.

Jarrod and baby. Nara and baby. Jarrod and Nara and baby. A tiny screw rolled between her fingers as she made her way through the forest once more. Some rocks she knew, some not.

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Barusi, happening to hear Elgin, stepped out of the room he had been in, and, carefully opening and closing the door, went into Elgin's room. "Don't worry," he said, looking at the man in the bed with a smile, "it won't be long before you're up and going. Once that's done, we'll fix the ship, head off to take care of our problems, and it'll be smooth sailing from there."

The smile turned into his usual grin, before he turned to face the other individual present. "Anyway, Jarrod, as I do consider you a member of my crew as well, I'm wondering if you have any particular plans at the moment for how we're going to get back up and running. I value crew input, though that means we're going to need to find our mechanical whiz after this. She could probably help a bit with the ship problem..."

YH
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Jarrod helped right Elgin. "You okay?" It was more a rhetorical question to himself, wondering what exactly had happened, but he suspected Elgin wouldn't answer, at least without being abrasive. He'd had enough of that.

He closed the door quietly, "I'm sorry that all of this happened, I was trying to avoid it. S'pose that's my fault, and I'll find a way to fix it," he continued, sitting in the chair next to the bed. He paused, gathering his thoughts and a lungful of air, then released both slowly, "He was more a brother to you than to me, I know that. I pushed him away, didn't I?" Elbows on knees, he clasped his hands and propped his chin there, staring straight ahead.

"I'm sorry that I got angry, and I'm sorry that I make you angry," he admitted hesitantly, "I used to blame you, but that's unfair and I apologize. You and Nara knew him best at the end, far better than either me or Sh--" He caught himself and changed his path. He opened his left hand and traced the initials reverently with a fingertip.

"You're the only family I have left, Elgin. You're the only part of him, you and Nara, that remains. I see him in you sometimes, or maybe it's the part of you that was in him that just reminds me. Either way, you're family, so I'll look after you if you keep me humble about it." He smirked, "I don't suppose that'll be a problem with you."

He stood and moved to the door, "I'll bring you some dinner, you need to eat." He opened it to find Nara leaning against the wall. They exchanged glances, then Jarrod moved past her.

***

The barking was much closer this time, and then came a closer voice, "You shouldn't walk around out here at night, it's not very safe. There are wolves in these woods." The younger of the two women from the cabin moved out from behind a tree, standing in Abbi's path. Her face was lined and her eyes aged beyond her years. There was something wild about her.

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Abbi looked up and stopped, "What? Oh, right, wolves. I did not think of that. I'm not really used to any place out of the city. Lots to see and all."

 

She tucked the screw in her pocket again, in case she risked losing it. "I'm assuming you are not really a city-person."

YH
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The woman smiled, "I've been once or twice. I don't like it. The wind doesn't move right, and the smells...." She crinkled her nose and shook her head. "You're not free there."

She tilted her head to the side, unabashedly studying Abbi, "Why did you come here?"

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This woman was wierd, but in a good way. Abbi had no idea what she meant with the wind moving right, and the smells never bothered her much. She spent most of her time around machines, after all. And not free, yeah, that was true, even though she had been able to make the best of it.

"I needed to clear my head, too many thoughts, " she answered.

YH
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She frowned, but not in a sad way, and nodded, "Thoughts lead to doubts, lead to hesitation, lead to missed opportunities."

"Will you leave soon?" It was an innocuous question.

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She felt like she was talking to her mirror image. A mirror image that looked nothing like her and had barely anything in common.

"I don't know, that will depend when Jarrod is ready. He said we are going to Morrowind. Oh, and Elgin has to be good enough first, of course."

YH
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She scented something, leaned her head, listened. "You run with him?"

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Abbi arched an eyebrow. "Not sure I understand what you mean."

YH
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She leaned her head the other way, "You are his, and he is yours."

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"Oh! No, no. No." She felt her cheeks redden. Then it stung again.

"No, I do not know him that well."

YH
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She dipped her chin once, "More thoughts."

The woman dismissed herself with curious ease, turned and began walking back into the woods, but called back over her shoulder, "They won't hurt you, if you see them. Just don't go too far from the cabin."

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"I'll stay right here, then," she replied, although she was not certain the woman could still hear her. The woman had been right, there had been more thoughts, and she was trying to get rid of them.

Abbi leaned against a tree and sat down. Who were 'they' anyway? The woman was clearly used to being here, though, so she took the advice seriously.

She started counting to be able to drift off a bit. Number 1. Number 5. Number 159. About seven left. Her very first number one had been when she was seven. Big, silver eye. Comforting. She remembered it well.

YH
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Jarrod returned with a bowl and some bread on a platter, which he set on the edge of the bed. He stood for a long moment, as if expecting something. He moved to the window and peered outside. He shivered and crossed his arms; he had forgotten how spooky the woods could be at night.

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OOC: Back in business, hons.

 

IC:

Images played before her eyes. Images that swirled, colorful, but frightning. Things she did not want to remember were hidden among them.

She woke with a startle and blinked shortly with her eyes. Something had disturbed her, the sound of a twig that snapped. It was close. In fact, it was right in front of her. Abbi stared at the figure before her, who stood silently with his arms next to his body. The man's eyes were strange and he looked at her just as strangely. He seemed impossibly perfect. Smooth skin, straight shoulders and strong jawline. It was almost hypnotising. If she had not still been half asleep, she might have reacted like a deer in headlights. When a few seconds passed without a word, Abbi opened her mouth to speak. The words got stuck in her throat as he lifted his arm at the exact same moment. Until then she had not noticed the shiny arrow that was resting there, which he now aimed at her.

She stumbled back up as it buried itself into the trunk of the tree she had been leaning against. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she ran. She had forgotten the disturbing dreams she had earlier and she even no longer remembered that she had talked about babies. There was only one goal: reach the cabin.

Behind her the man lowered his arm again slowly and started following her tracks.

YH
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The musician looked distastefully at the bowl, "So, what, we're supposed to have some sort of bonding moment?"

Jarrod smirked at Elgin's relfection in the window. He shrugged, "I don't know, I'm just trying to retain some semblance of civility here."

Elgin expelled a scoff and shook his head, "Man, how'd things get so off the rails?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I know, you're real sorry." He leaned back against his pillow, "I hear a lot of that from you, like if you apologize enough then maybe things will magically get better or something."

Jarrod turned, "What do you want me to do, El? I'm trying but you ain't making it easy on me."

It was Elgin's turn to smirk, "Well, someone has to kick your ass, right? Look, the whole big brother schtick is cute n'all, but fuck's sake, Jarrod, do something! Quit making kissy-faces with everyone and feeling sorry for yourself and just do shit! We'd probably be halfway to normal if you weren't so goddamn mopey."

The Blade took a step forward, arms in the air, "I don't know what to do, all right? I don't have all the answers!"

Elgin pushed back, "So how the hell should I know, huh? Quit asking me, just do what you think is right. That's why Damon trusted you, that's why I came to you in the first place. You think it's easy for me to sit here and watch you beg me for forgiveness for shit I don't care about? Man, things were all buttery sweet, I know, but I don't belong here so I got to rely on you. Ye fuckin' Gods, man the hell up already and--"

The dog's barking was different this time, full of alarm. Both men turned to the window. Jarrod peered into the darkness as a spark blinked in the gloom. He whispered, "Oh please, no."

***

A gray flash fell upon Abbi's assailant, but was rebuffed with a solid blow. With a yelp and whimper, the dog folded into a heap as the stoic enforcer continued after its original quarry.

More sounds of battle came from the woods behind Abbi, including an enraged battlecry, and Jarrod was already standing in the doorway to the cabin, his posture tense and alert. When he saw Abbi sprinting up the trail, he descended the stoop to meet her, "Are you all right? What's going on?" His voice and brow were heavy with worry.

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Abbi nearly slammed against him, her legs seeming to have forgotten how to stop. The first seconds she simply pointed behind her, breathing heavily; she had run out of air five minutes ago. She leaned her forehead against his chest and inhaled.

Someone or something had got hurt, or killed, to stop whatever was behind her. She had heard the sounds.

Her throat felt dry and she swallowed, before standing straight again and looking at him. "Something's coming," she said softly.

YH
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He put his hands on her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes, "Go inside, do not open the door for anyone or anything except for me, all right?" He was intense, but not forceful. He turned them both slowly, putting himself between her and the night, and waited until she was almost inside.

Nara was standing at the door when Abbi approached. She slit her eyes, but said nothing and walked past her. "Jarrod!"

He was returning to the trail from the wood pile, axe in hand, but did not slow his stride when addressing her, "Get inside, Nara, I'll take care of it."

"Be careful!" she called again. He did not reply and was soon gone.

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Abbi did as told and sat down on a chair, pulling her knees up and hugging them tight. She figured Nara would close the door.

The image of the person was still so clear. He had been beautiful, absolutely beautiful, but so incredibly cold. She could not decide whether she had seen intelligence in those eyes or not.

It no longer mattered though. She no longer feared for her life.