Sydney
The GOFER roared its way through the dirt and rock. Please let them be okay, Sydney thought. She speculated about how the reunion had gone - there was so much for them to talk about.
Jack and Irina
Silence. Each was determined not to be the first that spoke. Jack watched Irina. He noticed the swelling on her jaw. Irina, in her turn, watched Jack. As her eyes grew used to the dim light, she sucked her breath in quickly. Jack had taken quite a beating.
"Jack!" she said, involuntarily going to him to see if he was hurt. She gently touched his face, probing around his black eye and tracing his jaw. He winced slightly, but didn't pull away as she continued her exploration down his arms, legs, and chest. She noticed that he swallowed once, and was holding himself rigidly still. She sat back on her heels and studied him closely. "You'll live," she said, the bluntness of her assessment eased by the gentle tone she used.
Relax, Jack told himself. You're tired and weak. He could still feel the warmth of her fingers. He shivered.
"But you won't if you catch pneumonia. You look like a drowned rat. I'd strip those wet clothes off you if I had some others, but I don't. Later." Jack closed his eyes and swallowed again at the mental image of Irina stripping his clothes off. He could have screamed in frustration. How could he hate this woman and crave her touch at the same time?
"In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep you warm." Jack's eyes flew open. His mouth opened to tell her to stay away, but no words came out.
Awkwardly, carefully, she helped him shift out of the puddle of water he was lying in. She lay down next to him with her chest to his back and curled up so that her entire body was warming his. She gently wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close to keep him warm.
Jack's shivers slowed, then ceased as she eased both their shirts up so they could lay skin on skin. They lay there in silence, lulled by the blissful warmth. And by some other feeling, long forgotten.
The GOFER roared its way through the dirt and rock. Please let them be okay, Sydney thought. She speculated about how the reunion had gone - there was so much for them to talk about.
Jack and Irina
Silence. Each was determined not to be the first that spoke. Jack watched Irina. He noticed the swelling on her jaw. Irina, in her turn, watched Jack. As her eyes grew used to the dim light, she sucked her breath in quickly. Jack had taken quite a beating.
"Jack!" she said, involuntarily going to him to see if he was hurt. She gently touched his face, probing around his black eye and tracing his jaw. He winced slightly, but didn't pull away as she continued her exploration down his arms, legs, and chest. She noticed that he swallowed once, and was holding himself rigidly still. She sat back on her heels and studied him closely. "You'll live," she said, the bluntness of her assessment eased by the gentle tone she used.
Relax, Jack told himself. You're tired and weak. He could still feel the warmth of her fingers. He shivered.
"But you won't if you catch pneumonia. You look like a drowned rat. I'd strip those wet clothes off you if I had some others, but I don't. Later." Jack closed his eyes and swallowed again at the mental image of Irina stripping his clothes off. He could have screamed in frustration. How could he hate this woman and crave her touch at the same time?
"In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep you warm." Jack's eyes flew open. His mouth opened to tell her to stay away, but no words came out.
Awkwardly, carefully, she helped him shift out of the puddle of water he was lying in. She lay down next to him with her chest to his back and curled up so that her entire body was warming his. She gently wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close to keep him warm.
Jack's shivers slowed, then ceased as she eased both their shirts up so they could lay skin on skin. They lay there in silence, lulled by the blissful warmth. And by some other feeling, long forgotten.