CHAPTER 2 QUESTIONS BUT NO ANSWERS

"I think, Colonel John Sheppard, that we should get you out of the sun and get you something cold to drink. Normally I would not allow strangers into my house, especially ones who appeared disorientated and a little unstable, but you are attired in military uniform, and fortunately, you have chosen to come across the daughter of General, so I feel an obligation to ensure you are safe. My father would not be happy if I chose to simply ignore your situation."

She smiled at him now, and turned to head back through the foliage from where she had come, tossing a look over her shoulder to make sure that he was following. The dog had picked up his ball and ran on ahead, obviously knowing the direction in which they were heading. He took his first steps, then faltered as the pounding headache threatened to take over the few remaining senses that did not appear incapacitated. Her smiled dropped and she moved quickly back to him, bringing her small body to his side and slipping her shoulder comfortably under his arm so that he could rest of her.

"If my cottage was not the closest, I would certainly get you to the hospital first, but I don't imagine I have the strength to get you that far on my own. Come on Colonel Sheppard, it's not too far. We shall take it slowly, and soon we will be out of this heat and into the shade. Perhaps movement will be easier for you then."

He grunted once, both with pain and as a response to her comment but did allow himself to lean slightly on her. She was stronger than she looked and took part of his weight easily and the smell of coconuts drifted up into his nose and some sort of other tropical fruity smell, and he turned his head slightly so that his nose briefly brushed across her hair. Yep! Coconuts, pineapple... pina colada... Hawaii? Just what the hell is going on here Sheppard?

She moved easily through the palm trees, which thickened to heavily foliage with a small trail that ran through it from the beach. It was a very narrow trail and he felt the cool leaves push against his face, a not altogether unpleasant sensation. By the time they got to the small clearing where her cottage stood on it's own, surrounded by a mass of coloured flowers that waved enticingly in the island breeze, his face was bathed in sweat and he had to fight the blackness that kept threatening to overcome him. She paused before they got to the door, looking up into his face, immediate concern for him them.

"We'll get you lying down with a cool cloth on your head Colonel, then I shall phone my father to get him to come."

John's hand moved fast, faster than he thought he would have the energy for given how bad he was feeling.

"Please... don't ring him just yet. Give me a little while to get my bearings, get some of my thoughts in order... please..." He had gripped her wrist tightly to get her attention, and he felt her intake of breath and looking down into her face saw her wince slightly. "I'm sorry... please..." Immediately he lessened his grip but kept his hand circling her wrist, a bit more lightly now, but kept looking into her upturned face to see whether she would respond to him request.

"I won't make any promises Colonel. If you're sick, or here for the wrong reasons..." she deliberately let the word 'spy' hang in the air between them, " then I am certainly doing myself nor my country any favours by keeping my mouth shut. And believe me Colonel, I will not stand by and let anyone bring shame nor dishonour to the country that both my father and my brother have chosen to honour and defend. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly Gina, and I can assure you, this is as much my country as it is yours and while I have sometimes been in the position where I have had to question various orders from the higher ups, I have always held this country in the highest regard and am certainly no traitor. I don't know yet, the reasons for my arrival here in this manner, although I do have some theories that I cannot discuss with you just yet."

He attempted to draw himself up to his fullest height, feeling uneasy that he would be considered anything less that loyal to his country, but given the circumstances of his arrival and the fact that he likely seemed a little 'odd', he could understand why her thoughts would perhaps lead in this direction.

She searched his face, and nodded – obviously finding something there that set her mind at ease. "I can sense that you have realised something about your arrival here, and it does not sit easily with you. I will allow you some recovery time, but I do need to contact my father. If he were to find out that a stranger had arrived on the island and was staying here, it would be a very short time between his despatch from the base and his arrival here... believe me! He treats me as a child still, and perhaps the decision I make to bring you into my home gives weight to his regard of me..."

A small chuckle escaped her as she pushed open the front door and he was able to step into the blessedly cool interior of the cottage. "And it sometimes gives me great pleasure to do something that he does not consider … appropriate. Being a general's daughter? Let us just say that there are easier things in life..."

He managed a grin at that. Having experienced his own share of general's over the years, he could fully understand the pressure that one of their family members would be put under. Constant scrutiny, the need to always be totally above board and reproach, the constant need to follow every rule in the book and the total regimentation of every day life. It would not be an easy existence, especially for a child. Although this young woman was certainly not a child any longer. Her lovely curvaceous body in the swimsuit had felt... pleasant... alarmingly so, as it had been pushed against his side in order to offer him assistance. Aah Sheppard, just say it damn you. She turned you on. You're on an island you can only assume is on earth in what is likely is a different time zone and rescued by a woman that gets your blood heating. Seriously Sheppard? Can't you keep that damn libido on the shelf for any length of time? A general's daughter to boot. Playing with fire, my friend...

She took him through to her bedroom which had the shades pulled down to keep out the hot island sun, and eased him down gently on the carefully smoothed covers. They felt blessedly cool and she heard him sigh as his head touched the soft pillow and smiled down at him, bringing a hand up to settle lightly at his forehead.

"Yes – hot and a little feverish. I'll get you a cool cloth and an even cooler drink. Close your eyes for a little while..."

His hand snaked out again to grip her wrist and once again he forgot his own strength and it was too tight. He felt her small bones push together in her wrist and his eyes, which had shut briefly, flew open in silent apology to witness the wince of pain. His features twisted and he forced himself to both relax and to speak. "I'm sorry, again... I'm working with pure reflex at the moment. Please, come back soon."

She didn't reply, just waited until he had released her wrist and using the other one to massage it slightly, she watched as his eyes were drawn to that movement and hastened her departure out of the room. She did not wish to make him feel worse than he already did.

She muttered to herself as she moved into the kitchen to get the cool drink. "You father is not going to be happy Gina.. you know nothing about this man, and bringing him here? Into your home? You should have left him where you found him, or perhaps just pulled him into the shade, then rung dear old dad to come and pick him up. You know what he's going to say when he finds out... Yeah, but aren't you sick of him telling you what to do? Always looking over your shoulder, questioning every decision you make? You're a grown woman Gina... you've been under his thumb all your life, and now your brother adds his weight to his overbearance. And yet you chose to stay on the island... why? You should have left, found a new life somewhere on your own, out from their constant interfering and domination into your life. You're the fool... and admit it – that man you rescued from the beach... admit it – he makes you tingle just a little...and it's been a long time since you let someone get close to you... like that...