1Disclaimer : All characters and setting are property of CBS and Paramount
Chapter 4
Emily ran towards Roger but stopped just
short of hugging him "I thought you were dead" was all she
could think of to say. Roger didn't even seem to register who she was
for a moment but then he reached out and wrapped his arms around her
"I missed you so much" he whispered in her ear. Mary came out and
told everyone to come inside to her bar.
After Emily had gotten Roger cleaned up Gray Anderson came in and asked Roger to attend the town meeting so they could "discuss the situation". The Reverend came and offered the rest of the refugee's shelter in the church basement. Mary asked everyone to go there so she could close the bar for the town meeting April took everyone who needed medical attention to the clinic and Emily Mary and Roger walked across the street to the town hall. Emily asked Roger to find them seats as she needed to talk to somebody. Emily waited outside the doors until the last possible second but Jake never showed up not wanting to worry Roger and she went back into the meeting
Just as she was starting to worry about Jake he and Jimmy came walking in. Gray was going on about diesel up at the front and she heard Heather pipe up behind her "Windmills what about wind power?"
"We're working on that but with the EMP destroying most of our electronics and equipment were doing it from scratch and it isn't exactly easy" Gray answered.
"What parts do you need exactly" Heather asked
"A mechanical governor mostly" answered the guy standing next to Gray.
"Black Jack" Roger said suddenly. Emily actually jumped a little it was only the third time Roger had spoken since he had arrived.
"Black Jack fairgrounds, it set up as a trading post now. We walked through there a couple of days ago it looked like you could find just about anything there" Roger added.
"Black Jack is almost two hundred miles away we can't spare the gas"
"With a couple of windmills we could get off gas entirely" Heather replied
"The roads are dangerous who would even be willing to make the trip?"Asked Gray.
Emily felt her stomach sink as everyone e around her turned around with trepidation she turned as well. They were all looking at Jake who was looking at the floor. He lifted his chin to look at everyone and said "I'll go" and Emily stomach hit the floor.
After the meeting Emily, Roger, Hank, Gray, Heather and Jake were standing in the office of the meeting hall and Jake was glowering with such intensity Emily was worried he was going to rip Roger's head off.
When Roger turned his back to her to go over the map with Gray Emily signed to Jake quickly in ASL "Let me explain I he just walked into town five minutes ago he's in shock and I don't know how to tell him that I want to be with you"
Jake's entire expression changed " You sure" He answered in ASL
" I just want to make sure he is okay first" she realized everyone was watching them now Heather was the only one who had any understanding of ASL at all and her expression showed she had caught the gist. Emily spoke in English and said "I just told Jake I am going with him and I'm not taking no for an answer"
"Are you sure that a good Idea?" Gray asked. He clearly thought Emily was not the person to "watch Jake's back" as he had just said.
"I've been in just as many bar fights as Jake has so I 'm just as qualified right" she said flashing her I got you there babe grin, at Jake. He couldn't object without giving away way too much even though by the expression on his face he clearly would rather take Mitch Cafferty than her right then.
"I suppose it would be good not to take someone off patrol" He said grinning back at Emily he was so happy to have her back he wasn't even annoyed at being handled. Nine times out of ten Emily could out maneuver him anyway but he still loved the challenge of trying to stay one step ahead of her.
"I'm going too" Heather said
"What? No I'm not taking another passenger" he said shooting a glare at Emily.
"Jake do you even know what a working mechanical governor looks like?" Heather answered back deliberately emotionless.
"I..." Jake stalled clearly trying to think of a way out of this. Emily tried to catch Heather's eye but she avoided her gaze Emily wanted to know what she was trying to do.
"Fine" Jake answered"
You might as well come along" he said resignedly
Emily said
with a smile she didn't feel "great when do we leave"
"Tomorrow" Jake said "we'll be off first thing"
"See you then" she answered with a genuinely smiling for the first time since she had left the house.
"We should go" Roger said giving her a searching look. Emily walked out with Roger just one step behind her
