Hey guys, I actually have this story written up to chapter 7. Just want more reviews so I can edit/taylor them based on it. Glad you guys like it so far! So without further adieu, here is chapter 2!
Chapter 2 - Hero
In the midst of chaos, I can't help but notice that our entire body was in contact. Her breast pressed against mine. Her lips barely touching my neck. Her arms wrapped tightly around me. I pressed closer to her, and burrowed my head into the crook of her neck. It seemed as though we stayed like that for an eternity but a second at the same time, something I've never felt before. I was still holding on tight when I felt her push herself up. She hovered on top of me, and looked into my eyes. In that instant I saw something else I've never seen in her...fear. "Spencer! Spencer!" her voice came in muffled, my ears haven't adjusted yet from the explosion. "Are you okay?" She searched me up and down.
"I'm fine, I'm okay I think" I could still see some of the fear lingering, she kept on patting my body, checking for wounds. I couldn't help but feel goosebumps everywhere her hands touched. It wasn't until she was done checking for herself, did I see relief wash over her beautiful face.
"Spencer are you okay?" I heard Jack's voice approach closer as he ran over in the dark.
"Yeah I'm okay...Ash saved me" I could see a small smile play at her lips in the moonlight.
"Ash, what the hell was that?" Jack asked
"Resin" She replied simply. By this time the group have gathered all around us.
"The explosive stuff?" Hurley asked. Everyone looked at him baffled. "What? It was in Uncharted." No body showed any sign of clarification. "It's a video game!" He explained exasperated. Then everyone rolled their eyes and looked back to Ash.
"Yeah, he's right...it's extremely rare, I have no clue what it's doing here" Everyone was still waiting for more explanation, when Ash ran off. Everyone followed her to where the man had tripped, only to find the man and his partner in several pieces around. A couple of people clasped their hands to their mouths and lingered. Ash didn't waste a second, she walked away from the crowd, towards a nearby stream. As she brushed passed me I caught her eyes, again no compassion or evidence of sadness, just determination.
I stood frozen by the site of explosion for a while. This whole situation seems so surreal, two men just got blown to pieces, and theres nothing. No funeral, no emergency response, hell we didn't even know their last names. Everyone in the group seem to be at a loss when Jack spoke. "It's too dark to journey back, we'll make camp a little further down the stream and head back to the beach in the morning." Everyone scattered and started walking, each of them seemed more unsure than ever. I felt Jack rest his hands on my lower back. "How are you doing Spence?".
I shifted away, my first instinct was I didn't want Ash to see him this close to me. "I'm fine, I better go find Ash and tell her the plan" I left him standing there, I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away. I could see her through the trees, she was kneeling in the stream, with the water up to her thighs. She had her tank top off and was only in her bra, she was scooping water and washing her body off. I couldn't help but take in the way the moonlight was bouncing off of her tanned toned torso. As I got closer I noticed that her back was covered with the same long thin scars as the ones on her arm. "Hey" I called out.
She whipped around and instantly winced and doubled over ever so slightly. She was hurt! I ran over and knelt next to her. "Whats wrong where are you hurt?" I asked while putting my hands on her back. I then saw a gash on the side of her stomach bleeding generously. "Oh my god Ash, we need to get you to Jack!" I said with panic.
"It's nothing it's just a shrapnel, a minor scratch." She said, pouring more water over it, washing the blood off, more quickly replaced it.
"A minor scratch? You're bleeding like the Niagara falls!" I cried. In that instant I've never been more scared. Even more than when the plane crashed. I realized that I can't lose this woman that I barely know. In the same second, I felt her collapse into my arms. "Jack! Jack! We need help!" I screamed.
Jack and Hurley carried Ash to the shore, while other members of the group cleared an area for her. Watching them carry her, you would never know how someone so fragile looking can be so strong. They laid her down in the clearing and Jack's medical skills kicked in. "Spencer you've gotta give us some space." Jack ordered, but I couldn't remove myself, I can't be any further from her, I need to know she'll be okay. Jack seems to realize this, and ignored me for the time being. "She's lost a lot of blood, I'll need to stitch this up. She won't like this." He declared as he pulled out the medical supplies from his backpack. I watched as he cleaned the wound with a small bottle of sample vodka, and threaded the thread through the needle.
"Don't you have a color that's closer to my skin tone?" I startled at Ash's sultry voice. Was she seriously making a joke?
"I was hoping I could do this while you were out, this isn't going to be pleasant" Jack explained.
"Do what you have to." She simply said and turned her eyes to me. I hurried over to her side and held her hand desperately. All of a sudden her face contorted in pain and she let out a grunt. I look down over to Jack and saw him threading the needle into her flesh. Right by her wound, were more scars that were in various shapes and sizes. At the same time I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. Her bra clad torso was perfectly toned, and her abs were contracting with pain. I also noticed that above her left breast, right on top of her heart was a row of tattoo. It looked like a date, 2.14.2000. Underneath the date was two letters, JJ. I made a mental note of it. I squeezed her hand tighter and placed my other hand on her cheek. I felt her jaw tighten under my palm.
When Jack was done she was passed out again. "She'll be okay, we'll have to keep an eye on the wound so it doesn't get infected. I have some antibiotics back at camp, she'll be fine, she's tough." He said to me, sensing my worries.
"What do you mean by that? That she's tough" I didn't like how Jack presumed to know her, when he's known her for as long as I have.
"Those scars, that were on her. They came from gun shot wounds and knife wounds Spence." He said quietly with his eyes trained on me.
"How can you be sure?" I didn't want to believe that this woman has suffered any type of abuse or mistreatment.
"Years of rotation in the ER in the worst part of the city." He looked to me expectantly, but I gave him nothing.
"Can you keep an eye on her, I'm going to get some water for her when she wakes up." I said as I walked off, wanting to change the subject. When I returned he gave me a simple nod and walked to his own resting area. I thanked him silently for the help and for knowing that I wanted to be alone with Ash. I leaned against a tree and cradled her head in my lap. I gently wiped off the beads of sweat on her forehead with my shirt. I lightly traced the contours of her face and neck, and watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. I couldn't help but feel sad when I think of what she had to go through to get those scars. When I made sure she was okay, I leaned down and gently pressed my lips on her forehead. "Thank you" I whispered. I swore I saw a light smile flash by under the moonlight.