Chapter 4: Sword or Shield?

The moon was high in the sky by now, and shined onto the sturdy trees. Under said trees, two shadowed figures stood. The soft breeze blowing seemed not effect the two figures, although it did flatten the grass at their feet. One figure seemed perfectly relaxed. The other looked to be nervous, twitchy. She shifted from foot to foot in restlessness while the other just stood stoically.

Jill twiddled her fingers together in anticipation while Jack just stood in silence. Finally, after what seemed to Jill to be hours, Jack spoke.

"Ok Jill. I believe I know what weapon you'll be best with." Jack said smoothly, walking towards Jill.

"What? A shield?" Jill said in mirth, trying to hide her uneasiness. Jack just smirked and held out what looked to be a long stick with a blade at the end. Jill took it cautiously.

"No. A glaive." Jack said, still smirking. Jill took the time to investigate her weapon. The stick was about 5 feet long. Made of a dark mahogany. The last foot of it was wrapped in a dark brown, almost black leather. At the top inch of the stick, a foot long blade curved out. Looking at the blade, Jill noticed that a dragon was embossed in the steel, and that a similar shape was twining down the wood.

"It's…beautiful…" Jill said in awe. Jack just smirked and pulled out his own sword. It was black and twisted, with red designs though out it. It looked terrifying to Jill.

"Don't worry Jill. It's just a blade Orlock gave to me." Jack said, relishing in Jill's startled yelp.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better about this?" Jill said, her eyes blazing in anger. Gripping her glaive tighter, Jill was startled to see that she somehow knew how to hold it. Staring at the glaive in shock, Jill turned to face Jack.

"Ah, yes actually." Jack said with a sheepish smirk. "And, now, prepare yourself." As Jack said that, he suddenly lunged at Jill. Jill didn't know what to do, so did the first thing that came to mind. Yelping in surprise Jill brought her Glaive up horizontally to block Jack's sword. Jack just smirked and brought he sword around again, from the side. Jill hardly spared a thought while she continued to block Jack's strikes. After about a minute of this, Jack decided to goad Jill into a more offensive position. "Come now Jill, is that all you've got? Please." Jack said while rolling his eyes in mock disgust. Jill growled and slashed her glaive at Jack, and although he dodged it with ease, he smiled. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" Jack said.

"Well, hold still then!" Jill said with a growl, still mad at Jack. Jack just raised and eyebrow and dodged another strike from Jill, this one uncomfortable close to hitting him across the face.

"Um…Jill?" Jack said nervously. Jill answered by slashing sideways, then curving back to slash upwards diagonally across Jack's chest. Jack jumped back and dodged most of it, but his shirt still got ripped open. "Jill? Um, I think we're done now!" Jack said, trying to reason with Jill.

"You wanted me to fight back!" Jill exclaimed. "So I am!" Jill said, once again bringing her glaive around. But this time Jack caught it.

"Look, lets take a rest ok? I think you're mad at me." Jack said softly. Jill glared at Jack and put her glaive down, sitting heavily next to it.

"Of course I am!" Jill said huffily, crossing her arms over her chest. Jack sat down lightly next to Jill, his head tilted in curiosity, his eyes alight with worry.

"May I ask as to why?" Jack asked softly., placing a hand on Jill's shoulder. Jill just brushed his arm off, and turned so her back faced him. "Please Jill." Jack asked softly, his voice laced with compassion. Jill surprised at his tone, turned back to look at Jack. "Please, at least tell me why you're mad." Jack continued. Jill sighed, lacing her fingers together and placing them on her lap. Jack placed a gentle hand on hers, and placed his other under her chin, lifting her eyes to meet his. Jill trued to hold back tears. Jack rubbed her cheek lightly. "What's wrong?" he asked once again. Jill sighed.

"It's just…sometimes, I feel so close to you, and I start to think that you care…care about me, and then you change. And then you suddenly bring up training or something. I mean, I know why I need training, and I kn-" Jack stopped her flow of frantic words with a finger. Jill just stared at Jack with haunted eyes. Jack sighed and gripped her hands tighter in comfort.

"You know I care for you Jill?" Jack said slowly. Jill nodded slightly. "I…think I may be starting to love you." Jack continued, his voice breaking slightly. At his confession Jill's eyes lit up and she dove at Jack to hug him. Jack wrapped his arms around Jill as a reaction to her hug, still in shock of her response to his words.

"I…love you too Jack. I know I do." Jill said, staring up at Jack, her eyes brimming with tears of happiness. Jack smiled down at Jill and kissed her tears away.

"I love you Jill." Jack said, hugging Jill to him, not caring what tomorrow would bring, just caring, at least for the moment, about the women in his arms.

Army Babe: Ok, I changed my pen name...not that anybody CARES! I know I said I wouldn't update unless I got some Reviews, reviews I did not get by the way, except for one lovely person, the fablous sutoreta! For the rest who are reading this, you suck. Thanks for your support...Not. -- Now, I am writing more, maybe. But if I don't start getting some reviews...or support, I'll stop trying. So, yeah. glares