Gordon swung his legs off the end of the jetty, whistling. The rain was falling in sheets, but he sat there anyway in his boardshorts, enjoying the weather. Everything felt so different when it rained. The air was cleaner and fresher, because the water droplets act like magnets and suck all the dust out of the air. The whole world looked like it had just had its face washed when it stopped, but Gordon enjoyed the feeling of it falling on his head. Life was sweeter. he had his best friend back; she'd found him, by chance or not, and he wasn't going to lose her again so fast. He sighed and lay back on the wood of the jetty, closing his eyes and savouring the sensations of the rain splashing over his face and bare chest, pooling in the hollows and running in little streams off his body. The wood was still warm from the heat of the night and seeped into his skin, and the air was warm too.
~Man, Virgil, I wish I could tell you how great this is. You'd appreciate it too, I know it.~ A twinge of homesickness wriggled in Gordon's gut, and he sat up. His arm raised almost involuntarily, and he found himself staring at his watch face. He sighed, then shrugged. Why not? He took a quick glance around to double check on the presense of anyone, then opened his mouth to speak.
"Gordon to base, Gordon to base, come in." The watch face flicked immediately to a TV screen, where Gordon's oldest brother smiled at him.
"Hi Gordon! Hows it going?"
"Oh, just great, Scott, thanks. How's everyone?" Gordon broke into a wide grin at the serious voice of Scott.
"Oh, yeah, fine. Hey, why are you so wet? You look like you're under a waterfall."
"Naaah, just the weather. Isn't it great? I think I really needed the time to get some space and stuff, you know?"
"Yeah. Hey, Dad's here, he wants to say hi."
"Hello Gordon."
"Hi dad." Gordon suffered the normal greetings and compulsory comments before getting a glimpse of Virgil and Alan.
"Hey dudes! Hey, you remember Addie? You know, Adelaide? She was my best friend ages ago, you know, back at high school, and in WASP too." He recieved a nod from Virgil and an uncertain glance from Alan. "Yeah well anyway, you know how I lost contact with her after the accident, well I've found her here, or rather, she found me, and it's great! I've got someone to talk to about my feelings and stuff and no, don't worry, I haven't said anything about You-Know-What," he told Scott, who looked like he was about to say something. "We've had so much to catch up on, it's been fantastic! And it's the end of my first week already! Two more and I'm coming home." He looked around. "Oh, gotta go, someone's coming."
"Bye Gordon. We miss you heaps."
"Au'revoir!" Gordon signed off and turned his watch off, then turned to observe the oncoming visitor. They were all swathed in a long raincoat and umbrella and gumboots, and walking towards him.
"Hey Gordo."
"Hi Ad. What's the occasion? Why are you all dressed up?" he asked, rising to his feet. Adelaide looked doen at herself and shrugged.
"Oh, this old thing? Its just something that was on the hook in the hall."
"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," Gordon laughed.
"I just felt like wearing it." She smiled at Gordon. He looked so adorable, standing there in the rain, hair straggly and sticking to his head, soaked the the bone, grinning like a little kid.
~I don't think he'll ever grow up,~ she thought to herself, ~and for that I am thankful.~ Gordon grabbed her sleeve.
"Well, don't wear it. You look stupid. Besides, the rain won't hurt you. Come on, lets get this great silly thing off." He tugged at the sleeve of her raincoat playfully.
"No, Gord, I don't feel like getting wet today."
"DON'T FEEL LIKE GETTING WET??? OCH!!" Gordon threw a hand across his brow, stricken. He staggered about like he was drunk. "I'm going to faint, I feel it, I don't believe it, oh nooooo...." He collapsed dramatically to the boards to the jetty and lay still. Addie nudged him with her toe.
"Get up, stupid." He didn't move."I'll tickle you." Still nothing. "Right." She dropped the umbrella and stooped over Gordon, intending to do something really mean. Unstead, she hesitated. She longed to just drop a tiny kiss on his forehead while he wasn't looking, she could feel her lips moving, ready to do it...
Gordon's eyes opened. He gazed at her steadily, candidly. She gazed back.
"You never did tell me if you got a boyfriend while I was gone," he mumured. She shook her head.
"No, I don't have a boyfriend," she murmured back. He just continued to gaze. She was starting to feel a little uncomfortable of the scrutiny. Then she gasped and spun around as a splash reached her senses. "My umbrella!"
"I'll get it." Gordon jumped in after it, swimming strongly and grabbing it easily. Addie sighed. The tension was broken. For now.
A/N: the end of another one. I'm going to bed now, my eyes aren't focussing on the keys anymore.
FAB!