Disclaimer: IOOMOC
J.L.: Sorry for the belated update, been balls to the wall with family functions (birthdays and weddings) and heavily busy with moving. I should get my internet back proper by this thursday, so I'll be able to continue the updates.
Chris
"What's going on?" I asked as everyone gathered up on the deck. Richard shrugged and motioned me to keep my mouth shut. Captain Wesker and Jill stood before us, calling our attention.
"Now, as you all may recall, a few weeks ago we sunk the Ruined Pearl. Now, we're heading towards Cutthroat Cove. We will be collecting any bounties that the Ruined Pearl may have had on her. However, as Cutthroat Cove is essentially a Pirate town, we will be leaving some of you off on the nearby island. Ms. Chambers and Ms. Valentine will be left on the island specifically due to the dangers of being a woman in a pirate town. Would any of you like to be their escorts?" Wesker asked. Silence echoed around, at least until Richard grabbed my arm and dragged the both of us up front.
"Chris and I will escort them." He volunteered and I glared at him.
"Any objections? No? Alright. You two pack up whatever you will need for a week. We will be dropping you and the ladies off tomorrow morning." Wesker barked and everyone dispersed. I grabbed Richard shoulder and swung him around.
"The hell were you doing volunteering me like that?" I asked. Richard glanced around and then dragged me off to the side and presumably out of earshot of everyone else.
"Look...you tell anyone else and I'll skin you alive for the sharks. Rebecca and I...we'd like some alone time." Richard threatened. I stood there for a second, blinking.
"Wait a minute...you mean to say..." I started.
"Well what the hell do you think I've been doing below deck all this time?" Richard replied. I started laughing, my image of an innocent Rebecca forever shattered.
"Why me then?" I asked.
"Who better to keep Valentine from skinning me than the guy she can't keep her eyes off of?" Richard asked. I scoffed at him.
"You are full of it." I replied. It was Richard's turn to laugh.
"Whatever. Point is, you keep her off me and Rebecca and I'll owe you big time." Richard said before walking off.
"I know I'm getting the short stick somewhere in there." I muttered to myself.
Jill
As soon as we landed, Richard and Rebecca ran off. I stood up straight, watching the two like a hawk.
"The hell are they going off to?" Chris asked.
"Probably the nearby village. The people on this island are...well uncivilized seems like a good description for them. Luckily, they're not cannibals but I'm a little wary of them." I answered.
"You? Wary?" Chris questioned. I locked eyes with him.
"I got kidnapped by them once. My father saved me, but you just don't forget something like that." I replied. Chris finished tying up the row boat and sat down.
"They kidnapped you? What for?" He asked.
"I'm not entirely sure, I was eleven at the time." I answered. I grabbed a bag out of the boat and dragged it to the edge of the treeline.
"So what do we do here while we wait for the ship to come back?" Chris asked.
"Well, the first day is dedicated to building a shelter. I'm not sure if Richard and Rebecca will return for a couple of days, the village is a ways off from here and I'm sure the villagers will offer them shelter. You're more than welcome to head over there." I offered as I made my way back towards the boat to grab more supplies. Chris grabbed a box and followed me.
"I think I'll pass on that. I don't feel much like walking right now." He said. I smiled over at him.
"Not use to having land legs anymore?" I teased.
"Sure, we'll go with that. You have an idea as to how build this damn shelter of yours, don't you?" He asked. I studied the treeline and nodded.
"It won't be the greatest, but it will keep us dry if it rains." I explained and we set out on building it.
Chris
On the third day, Jill woke me up. I glared at the woman, and then sat up.
"What is it?" I asked. She smirked at me.
"You have got to see what I found. Come on, follow me." She ushered, grabbing my wrist and yanking me out of the shelter towards the woods. It took a few minutes but we reached a small inland lake with crystal clear waters and a small waterfall feeding the lake.
"This is what you wanted to show me?" I questioned. She lightly punched my shoulder.
"First of all, this water is fresh, so we don't have to exhaust our water supplies. Second of all, you smell horrible." She replied.
"You want me to bathe, don't you?" I asked.
"Yes. Now before you get any thoughts about anyone spying on you, I'm going to keep look out and I trust you to return the favor when it's my turn. Do we have an agreement?" She proposed.
"What makes you think I'd wanna bathe?" I asked. She smirked at me, and before I could respond I was pushed into the water. The cold water hit me like a wall, splashing up around me as I fell in. When I stood up, it reached my waist. I glared at Jill, who was laughing hard.
"Oh you think that's funny don't you?" I challenged, getting out of the water and walking up to her. She kept laughing, backing away from me.
"Yes...now you keep away with that look...I mean it, Chris." She warned. I grinned as I ran after her, grabbing her up by the waist and pulling her into the lake with me. She struggled, laughing and splashing the water around. We wrestled around in the water for a few minutes before Jill got out of my grasp and backed away, water running down her face and chest. I grinned at her, secretly admiring the way her shirt clung to her like a second skin.
"Still want that bath?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and splashed at me.
"You got my clothes wet." She protested, still smiling.
"And you didn't get mine wet at all there, missy?" I teased. She smirked at me and closed the gap between us.
"Oh come on now, you should be use to wet clothes." She taunted.
"What are your intentions Ms. Valentine?" I asked. Her eyes widened slightly and she backed up a bit. A blush raced across her face and she ran a hand through her hair.
"I suppose my intentions were similar to that of Richard and Rebecca's at this time." She muttered.
"You know about that?" I asked. Her eyes caught my own.
"Very seldom are there things that I do not notice. Richard rushes up in front of the crew for this island, and Rebecca's blushing like crazy over on the side? That and Captain Wesker mentioned to me about hearing some interesting noises below deck during the night on occasion." Jill answered. I stood still, chuckling quietly to myself.
"Well then First Mate Valentine...what's going through your mind concerning me?" I asked, knowing full well that I was probably treading into dangerous waters with that question. She looked away from me and shook her head.
"That is a very loaded question to tackle Mr. Redfield. A woman's mind has more turmoil raging inside it than any hurricane or typhoon." She replied. I started laughing out loud, making my way towards her.
"Well, that's a murky way of answering me." I said. She locked eyes with me.
"Consequences are something to worry about. On the one hand we could continue down this path of uneasy tension between the two of us, on the other I could keep control of my emotions. Unlike Ms. Chambers, I am mindful of a woman's eventual fate concerning a man." She replied, her tone of voice no longer playful.
"To bear a child?" I questioned.
"Unfortunately yes. Even in this day and age it is expected for a woman to give up everything she's worked hard for to raise a child. I think we've already talked about why that's a problem for me." She answered, and sighed before wiping the water from her face.
"Well, you know where I stand. I'm no Duke, I'm just barely a sailor." I said. She smiled briefly before making her way to the shoreline.
"That...Mr. Redfield...has no influence on my decision." She called back as she stepped out, her clothes clinging to her like a second skin and leaving very little to the imagination. I decided to follow her and made my way out.
"Then what is your decision?" I asked. She stopped walking off for a moment.
"We should work on our friendship." She answered, and then walked away back towards the shelter.
Jill
As the fire crackled, I kept stealing glances at Chris. We had two more days before the ship would be back and the two of us had spent to time talking about our lives up to this point. I found myself sharing a lot of similar views with him even if we had severally different lives.
"Sounds like they're heading back." Chris spoke after a moment of silence. I looked away from him towards the treeline where two figures did emerge. As they drew closer I leaned back to get a better look at them.
"Nice night out, isn't it?" I called out to them. Richard and Rebecca separated a little as they got closer to the camp fire.
"It looks like it." Richard answered as the two sat down around the fire.
"How was the village?" Chris asked.
"Beautiful." Rebecca said, her eyes locked on to Richard.
"I'm sure, if you two made it there." I mentioned. Rebecca's face flared red along with Richard's.
"What do you mean by that?" Richard asked, shooting a glare to Chris. I smiled widely.
"Oh nothing at all. I'm sure in nine months we'll find out." I taunted. Rebecca covered her mouth, gasping.
"First Mate Valentine, if you are accusing us of-" Richard started but I sat up, glaring him in the eye.
"If you're about to lie to me, I would hold your tongue. I'm not stupid, you two. Now, whatever happens after this trip once you're back on the mainland is entirely up to you two. During the remainder of this trip, I expect that kind of behavior to come to a stand still. Considering that Captain Wesker would leave you marooned on an abandoned island given the chance, I think it is not only in your best interest to stall your relationship but in the best interest of the rest of the crew. I do not think a pregnant doctor would be much help to anyone on board, am I wrong?" I spoke. The other three just looked at me for a while.
"Yes ma'am." Richard answered and Rebecca's shoulders slumped forward. Chris cleared his throat while locking eyes with me as if to question the harshness of my statement.
"That's not to say you two couldn't be good company to one another...just cut out the bits where a child could come into the picture." I added and Chris nodded. Rebecca looked up at me and smiled a small smile.
"How was the island?" Barry asked as we boarded the ship.
"Boring. All she did was complain." I replied. Jill punched my shoulder lightly, catching my eye with her own.
"Says the man who spent most of his time lounging around?" She teased and walked off to attend matters with Captain Wesker.
"You two teasing each other? Now tell me something didn't happen out there." Barry whispered to me. I shrugged at him.
"We just had a lot of time to talk things out." I replied.
J.L.: On a side note, Why in the hell is there still snow up here? It's freaking spring!