"I want to go outside."

"And good morning to you too," Jack yawned in reply. Ellie stood obstinately in front of him, dressed in a too-big pair of jeans and a turquoise t-shirt. Jack took in the outfit and raised an eyebrow.

"What? I'm supposed to wear pyjamas outside? You're the one who gave me back my bag. And I finally managed to get the smell of the ocean out of them." It was strange how much lighter Ellie seemed, Jack thought, since she had finally spoken about her parents. Even though it had only been two days before, she seemed to walk taller, speak more confidently. And she had stopped crying in her sleep. The only thing which hadn't changed was her stubbornness. Apparently, when Ellie Monroe made up her mind to do (or not do) something, no-one had a chance of changing her mind.

"You can't go outside." He finally replied, noting that Ellie's bare foot was tapping impatiently.

"Why?"

"Because." Jack answered, wracking his brains for a reason why as he sidestepped around her and wandered through the hatch

"That's not a reason." Ellie shot back, following Jack closely, "Why can't I go outside?"

"Because..." Jack glanced again at Ellie's bare feet, "You don't have any shoes!" He answered triumphantly. Ellie, however, smirked at him, turned on her heel and skipped over towards the bunk. Her duffel bag was resting on the floor at the end of the bed. She knelt down and rummaged inside it; finding a pair of socks. She waved them at Jack, and he couldn't help but grin at her as she slid on her belly underneath the bunk to retrieve a ratty pair of trainers; the only footwear that had been in the duffel bag when it washed up. Since then other items had been found along the shoreline; a dog-eared teddy bear, some sodden books, and various pieces of clothing. Ellie hastily pulled the socks on, and shoved her feet into the shoes without undoing the laces. Then she stood up, hands on hips.

"What's your next excuse?" she asked him cockily. Jack sat down on the couch, rubbing his hand over his face.

"I don't know if you're ready yet..." He answered. Ellie opened her mouth to protest but Jack interupted her, "And I don't know if everyone else is ready yet." Ellie looked as if all the air had gone out of her. She walked over and sat next to him on the couch, her hands clamped underneath her denim-clad thighs.

"Maybe I need to make the first move? Show them all that I'm not what they think I am; that I don't have 666 tatooed on my skull." She was only half-joking but Jack smirked.

"You sure about that one?" He laughed at her as she threw a sofa cushion at him.

"Seriously though. I have to go outside sometime, I can't live in here forever. C'mon don't be such a chicken. Bite the bullet." Her voice was light and sing-songy as she teased him. Jack felt himself smiling as he listened relented,

"I'll make you a deal. You can go outside..."

"To the beach." Ellie intervened matter-of-factly,

"...to the beach, if you tell me why you were on a boat in the middle of the ocean." Jack glanced over at Ellie, convinced she would refuse to talk. Her whole face had changed; before she had exuded energy, her cheeks had glowed a healthy pink and her green eyes had been sparkling. But now her face was white and her eyelashes were spiked with tears.

"My grandfather thought it would be a good idea to get me away for a while. He taught me to sail when I was little and it's not like I would have gotten on a plane anyway. We weren't going anywhere special...just...away." She swiped away at a tear which was making its way slowly down her cheek, then stood up and made her way defiantly through the hatch.

"Are you coming or not?" Jack heard her call. He sighed. This girl was so confusing...