That was the second island where their quest for aid had proven itself fruitless, and Ashley was finding it harder and harder to keep her eyes open. Despite all the adrenaline of the getaway, the long hours of jetski riding and walking were taking their toll.
"Leon.. would you mind if we stay here for a couple of hours? It won't be long until sunrise and prospecting will be so much easier..." she appealed.
"Alright, do what you must. You can make yourself comfortable over there, by the creek. I'll try to find some food and I'll call you when the day breaks."
She folded her woollen jacket into a tiny pillow and soon, the sound of running water and a warm breeze lulled Ashley into the deepest sleep she had in days. She dreamt of verdant grass and strawberry cake.
The chirping of morning birds woke her up, ever so gently. She opened her eyes to a sunrise of lilac skies and golden clouds. The tides had risen and the wildlife roused. She could hear the crashing of waves, the sounds of the forest and the crackling of a campfire.
Not knowing where she was, she rose and allowed herself to be engulfed by the surrounding etherealness. She identified the semblance of her companion, sat by a fire. Too fogged to speak, she came closer. She could infer he fell asleep while drying off by the fire, his shirt and jeans over a trunk nearby.
Still engrossed by slumber and the surreal scenery, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could smell the sea, the freshness of leaves, and Leon. He was defined by mixture of embers, musk and combat. However, his fragrance was oddly peaceful and harbouring.
"Leon..." she murmured.
As if a spell was broken, she found herself laying on the sand. A blue sky indicated it was mid-morning, as seagulls squeaked at a distance. Leon was sitting by the fire, gutting some fish with his knife.
"Morning, princess." he said dryly.
"Hi..." she replied, "thank you for finding some food.".
"That's ok, I figured you should need it.".
In a few moments, they were sharing breakfast, but Ashley couldn't take her mind off the experience she had. One detail in particular caught her attention and was clear as daylight, even when the rest of the details faded.
"Do you have a tiny bruise in your lower back?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't mind.
"Don't think so, I don't bruise easily." he replied, a bit too proud of himself, "I do have a birthmark there, though, shaped as a four-pointed star.".
"Funny you should say that, I have a similar one just below my right shoulder blade." she said unthinkingly.
"I wouldn't know, as I don't spend my time analysing you as you seem to do. But it means we have a bit more in common than I thought..." he joked.
Early in the afternoon, they were walking trailing by a patch in the forest, which was clear and full of life, as the sunlight descended through the leaves.
Ashley strode a few steps behind, lost in her own thoughts. She thought of her family.
"... and I found this shed, with a couple of fuel tanks in it. It won't be long until we get there, but you will have to pull some weight, so to speak..." Leon mumbled for no one to hear.
Ashley remembered her mother telling her about a pregnancy she had when she was dating her father. He was then a married congressman, on the spotlight of the media. The boy was, sadly, stillborn. "I was devastated, and I couldn't even see the baby..." her mother would tell her, tearfully. Ashley now found it a bit too convenient.
As they could she the shed at a distance, Leon stopped and pointed at it, saying "... and that's the shed. By my calculations we can...".
"Leon, where are your parents from?" she inquired as if she didn't care.
"What? I don't know, never met them. Were you even listening to me?" he replied, clearly disappointed.
"Of course I was listening, I'm just silly some times." she concealed. "That is sad... Well, how old are you?" she continued.
"38. What's with all of these questions today?" Leon complained.
"No, it's nothing. I just thought I should get to know you better, now we're out of the woods. Figuratively."
"I suppose you're right. I'm not too good with questions, you know?" he admitted.
"Yeah, I know. You don't have to keep your walls up around me, I would never mean you harm after all we've been through." she uttered.
"Okie dokie, princess. Just promise me you won't end up loving me." Leon joked, to which Ashley replied "No, haha, it's nothing like that. You're like a brother to me. Just like a brother..."