A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and feedback! Since this is still a relatively small fandom, I didn't expect, but am still really grateful for everyone taking the time to read, fav, and follow this story, especially with the relatively sporadic updates. I haven't read Raging Star yet, even though I am dying to, since my library is deciding to take its own sweet time getting the book. So yeah, you're not going to see any spoilers for that in here.
Old Acquaintances
Heat. Even with the cold rain splatterin, soakin me to the bone, it consumes me. Her. I cain't think straight. The hole in my heart jest healed a little bit more. Nuthin matters essept this moment right here, right now...
SLAP! My head hits the soaked earth. The breath gits run outta my body. The rain pours into my open mouth an dazed eyes until I suddenly realize what happened. She pushed me.
What was that fer? I demand, shakin my head.
Fer kissin me! she yells. An don't you dare do it agin!
A fire ignites in my chest, but it's different from the last time. The little...she thinks she can jest -
Oh, don't you worry about that! I says. I'd rather throw myself over that waterfall!
I pick myself up from the muddy ground.
I'd rather sleep in a nest of scorpions! I yell.
I stomp off, leadin Ajax in tow. My whole body's achin. My head especially. I shake my head agin, tryin to banish the thought of her, the feelin of her lips aginst mine...
Stop it, Jack. She don't like you. She ain't innerested. Made it clear as day today.
I meet up with Ash, Epona, an Emmi at the top of the hill. There it is, the One-Eyed Man. Same old dark buildin with the butt ugly sign of the one-eyed man on the front door. I wouldn't dare say that to Ike, though. He loves this place to death.
It don't look too welcomin to me, Ash says.
I don't like it, Emmi says.
Yer jest cold an tired, I says. Once you git a bowl of Ike's rock squirrel stew inside you, things'll look a lot brighter.
We unsaddle the horses in the lean-to, where a couple other mounts are.
See? I says. We ain't the only ones here. We'll git settled in first, then we can deal with the gear an the horses.
Somethin's nigglin me at the back of my mind, but I don't pay much heed to it. At least I try not to. Ike would drop everythin an leave if I asked him to. He has to. Cuz I saved his life three times an his life technically belongs to me. But I still cain't be sure how he's gonna react to this whole hullaballo of a mess.
Ike! I shout. Ike Twelvetrees! It's me! It's Jack! Let me in!
Silence. That ain't right.
Hey! Open up! Saba yells, poundin on the door. She tries to shoulder it open, but I hold her back before she can hurt herself.
Hang on, I says. There's a knack to it. I step back, brace myself, an give the door a hard boot. It crashes open an I lead the way in...
An come face to face with a crossbow.
Saba an the others click their bolt shooters into place behind me. They aim at the men surroundin us. I guess we should of jest waited fer someone to open the door instead of bustin our way in.
Hold fire! I says quickly. I recognize some of these scalawags as partners of Ike. I did a fair amount of dealin with 'em myself, but I cain't say I'm on the best of terms with most of 'em. Then agin, when am I?
A big, burly mountain of a man comes into view carryin a platter of roast meat on his shoulder. There he is. Jest the man I wanted to see. Could part seas or summon rains if he wanted to, mighty as he is.
Ike! I says, puttin a big smile on my face. The others are still screwed up with tension. Hey man, long time no see. I hold out my hand fer him to shake. But when I glance up, he ain't smilin. His mustache twitches an somethin flashes in his eyes before...
BAM! His rock hard fist slams into my jaw, an I stumble back, stars in my eyes. I go sprawlin to the floor, hittin my head while I'm at it. Ugh, the whole world's spinnin. What the hell was that fer?
I struggle to my feet, rubbin the bottom of my face that I can tell is gonna sport a healthy lookin bruise later. I freeze. Saba's got him backed up aginst the wall, crossbow aimed at his throat, snarlin like a feral animal.
It's all right, Saba, I says. Don't kill him, I deserved it.
I'm tryin to make a joke outta it, but the truth is, I probably deserved worse. I dunno what ezzackly I did to deserve that, but I can probably make a list of the times I screwed him over to save my own ass. Or he jest did it cuz he's in a bad mood an don't wanna be forced into somethin cuz of some Rule of Three.
Tell these dogs to stand down, Saba says to Ike.
Weapons down, boys, or supper's off, he says an the rest of 'em lower their weapons.
Before he can spare me a glance, he gives Saba a once-over. She tenses up but don't raise her crossbow agin. Finally he shakes his head an chuckles.
Gawddammit, he says. I bin waitin fer a woman like you my whole life. Jack, I think I'm in love.
Ferget it, Ike, I says, a smirk comin on my face. She's too dangerous fer the likes of you.
Oh? he says. Is that the way it is?
He comes over an pulls me up. I rub the sore area on my jaw.
Don't worry, he says. I didn't do yer pretty face no harm. But I should of, though. After what you done to me.
Oh...shit. He remembers. I didn't think he would with all the liquor they forced into him...
You left me, you sonofabitch, he says, hangin upside down -
Shit.
- stark naked -
Shit.
- with all them women in their -
I grab his hand. Not now, Ike, I says. We'll talk about it later.
Not to mention the time you was supposed to meet me at Pat O'Dooley's an I waited there like a stooky fer two months, with that little dog of his that's always bitin at yer ankles, an all the time you was off with that—
Ike! I yell, pointin. Look! He's takin seconds!
Oh no, he ain't! he says an rushes off.
I turn to Saba an the others. Epona's got her eyebrows raised an Ash is smirkin at me. Saba jest looks mad.
Poor Ike, I says, tappin the side of my head. Crazy as a coot.
Ash snorts. I glare at her. Cain't she jest play along?
Saba throws me one last poisonous look before turnin around. I sigh an make my way over to the back corner an plop down in one of them chairs. The rain soaked us through, but with the warm fire, hearty laughter, an the pipe smoke hangin lazy in the air, my muscles begin to unwind.
Ike lumbers through the sea of villains. He sits on the wooden chair, the floor unner him groanin from his weight.
So, he says. I see you brought company. What is it this time? Came to innerduce me to some of these fine women?
I wish it were as simple as that, I says. This ain't no social call, Ike. Saba's gotta mission to do an I've enlisted yer help.
You've enlisted my help. Oh, I see how it is. Don't I git any say in this? What does she gotta mind to do anyway that needs a company this big?
Somethin crazier than even either of us have done in our entire lives, I says.
Really, he says. Some woman. So...how'd you two meet? He waggles his eyebrows at me an I know what he's thinkin.
She saved my ass back in Hopetown, I says. Pulled me out of a burnin buildin.
One point fer her, he says.
An then I kept her from goin over a waterfall on the way here, so that makes us even, I says.
You better be careful, Jack. One day yer gonna fall so hard in love with her, there's no goin back. Gawd knows that's what happened with Molly.
That ain't gonna happen, Ike. Besides, I've had my share of this, an all I've found is that it ties you down.
Hell nah, Saba ain't gonna tie you down. If anythin, she's gonna be the one to keep you on yer feet.
I says naught. I think about the way it's bin with most women in my life so far, excludin Molly. Always lookin at you with hungry, chaal-filled eyes, fuzzy heads, an wasted bodies. Most of 'em only want one thing, treatin you like no more than a toy to occupy their time, until they git bored of you an toss you away. I ain't no innocent, but even I know what it feels like to be treated like dirt. Used. Forgotten. Disposable. I only did what I had to to git outta trouble.
But Saba. Oh Gawd, she's like a breath of fresh air in the hot desert sun. Fierce an independent an she don't take no shit from nobody. Stubborn, determined, an by far the most confusin woman I've come across in a long time. Sharp mind an a tongue to match it. Ain't no swoonin damsel in distress from her. Gawd no. If somebody locked her in a tower with a dragon, she'd kick down the wall an take on the dragon by herself. An win.
But through all that hard shell, there's somethin more about her. Somethin righteous. The kind that craves justice after any wrongdoin. Whether or not she'll admit it, she's got a heart. Not fer me of course, but I can see it in her eyes whenever she mentions her brother. Or her parents.
It ain't like that, Ike, I says. Saba cain't stand to be near me fer too long. Gave me a good hard shove even after I saved her.
Boy, never thought I'd see the day playboy Jack in the dumps over a woman. Usually it's the other way around, he chuckles, pointin his spoon at me.
You got even less of a chance, Ike. If she ain't even innerested in me, you definitely ain't her type, I says, humor in my voice.
I dunno, Jack. She's really somethin, he says. Which brings me to it. Jest what does she plan to do that needs Old Ike's help, eh?
Saba's gotta mind to go on a rescue mission. It's her brother who's bin captured. But it's really me who needs yer help... I says trailin off.
Oh, is that how it is? Still sneakin around I see.
You know what? Jest go with it fer now, I'll explain everythin later.
Saba sees the both of us so I wave her over to our table.
Ike, I says, sweepin my hand toward her. This is Saba.
Ike puts on a big jim-swaggerin grin as he grabs Saba's hand an gives it a loud, wet kiss. I cringe a little.
Marry me, he sighs, puttin his hand on his heart. I got all my own teeth, I wash twice a year, an I'll cut you in fer half the business here.
Ha, ha, Ike the big chump. It's a struggle to keep from burstin out laughin.
No thanks, Saba says pullin her hand away. She's bright red, but Ike keeps her hand.
Maybe not right away, he says, but once we git to know each other. A week or so. I don't mind a little wait. Jest don't keep me simmerin too long, sweetheart.
Holy, hell. Ike can sure lay it on thick. My eye twitches an my shoulders shake from keepin in the laughter. I wonder jest how long Saba can keep this up before she snaps.
I don't really think I...uh...she stutters. She glances at me, eyes wide, lookin completely outta her wits. I don't pay her no heed an stretch out on the chair.
Will wonders never cease, he continues, tryin to sound poetic. Ike Twelvetrees caught in net of love. I gotta hand it to you, Saba. Name the first boy after me, will you?
The first - ! She shoves back an springs up. I ain't marryin Ike! I ain't marryin nobody! I -
I can't do this anymore. I let out a loud hoot an Ike soon joins in, shakin the entire table. Oh my Gawd, that was the most hilarious thing I've ever seen. Saba's standin there scowlin an tappin her foot aginst the floor.
Very funny, she says. Couple of hyenas. Go on, laugh it up.
I cain't bring myself to stop. My chest an my back hurts from laughin so much, I can hardly breathe. Saba turns to leave, but Ike's hand shoots out to grab her wrist.
Aw, don't go, he wheezes, wipin tears from his eyes. Stay. We don't mean nothin by it, do we, Jack? It's jest us havin some fun. You don't hafta marry me...not until yer ready, that is.
I guess that'll be never then.
Dangerous an prickly, he says. You surely got yourself quite a handful here, Jack.
I ain't his handful, she says.
She sure as hell ain't, I says, my chest tightenin.
You sure about that? C'mon, siddown. Have a drink.
He pours some clear liquid into three mugs fer us. I lift my mug an wait fer 'em to follow.
To Molly Pratt, I says grinnin.
Ike scowls at me. Watch yer mouth, he growls.
Jeez, Ike, I shrug. All I'm sayin is...to Molly Pratt.
To Molly Pratt, he says wigglin his eyebrows, an her frilly red bloomers.
One helluva woman, I says.
One helluva pair of undies.
We bolt down our drinks, leavin trails of fire in their wake. As soon as it hits my stummick, a fire explodes an races through my throat like smoke. I gasp an pound a fist on the table.
That's smooth, Ike, I says. What is it?
Pine sap vodka, he says. Down it in one, Saba. That way you cain't taste it. Now, let's git down to business. I know you, Jack. You only ever show up when you want somethin. What is it this time?
Freedom Fields, says Saba before I can even answer.
Freedom Fields, says Ike. Well, well. Innerestin.
I hold my breath, hopin Ike can keep it together long enough fer me to explain things to him.
What d'you know about it? she asks.
No more'n anybody else in this part of the world, he says, eyes flickerin to me. My shoulders relax a fraction. He's playin along with me. I heard about it.
She looks like she wants to say more, but then a stick thin, pale boy no more'n fourteen summers shows up with three bowls of soup. Ike ruffles his hair an says, Thanks, son.
The boy gives a shy smile an scurries away.
I didn't know you had a kid, Ike, I says.
Oh, Tommo ain't my real son, he says. He showed up a few winters back. Found him one mornin, huddled in the lean-to with the horses. Starvin...you could count every rib.
Where'd he come from? I says.
No idea, says Ike. When I asked him, all he said was, "He told me to wait fer him. I waited an waited, but he never come back." I found out later it was his pa told him to wait. I took him in. What else could I do? Follows me around like a dog. He cain't hear, but he watches yer lips while you talk. Unnerstands most things that way. He's a good boy, Tommo. A hard worker.
Cain't say I ever thought of you as the fatherly type, I says.
He shrugs. Life's full of surprises, he says.
So, I says. Freedom Fields. Whaddya think?
I dunno, he says. Business is good. I don't really wanna -
Rule of three, Ike, I says.
Ah, he says. Well...I cain't deny the rule of three applies here.
What? Saba slurs. Looks like the vodka is doin a number on her. She'll be roarin drunk if she ain't careful.
I saved Ike's life three times, I says.
That means my life belongs to Jack an he can pretty much call the shots, says Ike. I ain't ever heard of anybody goin that far. Usually it's more like...callin in a favor.
But the rule of three's a...a joke, Saba says.
A joke? says Ike, starin at her. Where'd you git that idea?
Told you, I says to her. So, Ike. We could sure use yer help. Will you come with us?
Sounds like it's up to you, Ike says to me. He's yer brother. D'you want my help?
She takes a good hard look at him, before her eyes go hazy agin. I'm not sure if it's from the drink this time, but it looks like she's thinkin hard. I pray she hasn't figgered what I'm playin at. We'll save her brother, alright. We're jest gonna burn the whole damn place down after fer good measure.
Ike waves a hand in front of her face. Saba, he says. Saba, I said d'you want my help?
Yes, she says. I believe I do.
mynameisnotholly: Thanks for the review! I checked out the song and I do agree that it's got that western, nonchalant, Jack-vibe. The American Wild West has always been very intriguing to me, which is probably why I was so drawn to this book and the characters in the first place.
Oh and a special shout-out to Juliette Grimm for consistently reviewing the story no matter how long it takes for me to update.
Once again, thank you so much everyone! I'll try to update more frequently, really I will...