***The next day***
Jonathan woke up and put the clothes he was using to cover up with on Jennifer, who was still sleeping.
He got the fires going again, and then collected more wreckage.
He used a piece of wreckage to spear them some fish, sort of.
He had just put them on a metal stake from the wreckage and arranged it over the fire when Jennifer came out of the hut.
"Morning".
"Morning".
They spent most of the day trying to figure out ways they could get rescued.
Jonathan decided that one of the fires could be used to burn pieces of the wreckage because it made darker smoke.
Jennifer made some more rope braids, to pass the time if nothing else.
They sat by the fire, chatting aimlessly.
"What do you think they are doing, back home?"
"I would imagine by now that word of the plane crash has gotten out. And I would imagine that our loved ones are planning our funerals, and figuring out how to go on without us".
"I hate that they are having to do that".
"Yeah, me too."
Jonathan did another wreckage collection and started jumping for joy on his one good leg.
"What is it?"
"Part of the jet fan. We can use it as a grill. And also, here's a net, which will help us catch fish".
"Wonderful".
Jennifer dug through some of the suitcases that had washed ashore and found 2 small blankets.
They were pretty wet, so she hung them on the clothesline and hoped they would be dry by the time they went to bed that night.
When the fish was ready, she came and sat by him.
He had found 2 trays in the food box, and they used those for plates.
It was hard to pick the skin off the fish at first, but they managed and ended up being able to eat the fish pretty easily.
After they were done eating, Jennifer decided to cool off in the ocean. She found a swimsuit that she could wear in someone's suitcase and put it on in the hut and then went out into the ocean.
She swam for a long time and then came back. Jonathan was grilling more fish on the fan grill.
"Feel better?"
"Much. I saved you some shampoo if you want to use some".
"Thank you".
She changed out of the suit and hung it on the clothesline.
She came and sat by the fire and tried to gather her thoughts.
She wasn't used to this much downtime. She had never been the kind of person who just laid around and didn't do anything. Plus, seeing Jonathan work so hard at trying to get them rescued was making her feel like she had to do something.
She decided to try and organize the clothes on the clothes line.
"Jennifer, can you bring me a rag, please?"
"How about this shirt? Will it work?"
She handed him a long-sleeved shirt from the clothesline.
"Yeah, that's fine. Thank you".
"How can I help?"
"You can't. This is a man's job".
She was taken aback, so she turned and went to the other side of the island without another word.
She spent a few hours sitting on the shore and soaking up the sun, and letting the waves overcome her thoughts.
She got a wild idea and went to the hut to get a couple shirts that she could use as a net.
It only took her a few minutes to put it together, and within about 20 minutes, she had caught several nice sized crabs.
She took them back to the fire with the grill on it, and laid them on the grill, and put a piece of wreckage on top of them to hold them.
About 12 minutes later, she had some perfectly grilled crabs.
She sat down and started eating them.
Jonathan came over and sat next to her.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you. I apologize."
"Thank you".
"Anytime you want to help me, you are more than welcome".
"I promise you, I won't ask again".
She finished eating her crabs and then went to the hut.
He came in the hut just after sundown and was shocked at what he saw.
"What's all this?"
"I did some redecorating. You now have your side, and I have mine."
Jennifer had made three new braided ropes and hung them down the middle of the tent at different heights. After, she had hung several pieces of clothing on each so that they wouldn't be able to see each other.
"I didn't realize I upset you that badly".
"Well you did. This is for the best".
They went to sleep that night without any further conversation.
***The next morning***
Jennifer was up before Jonathan. She got the fires going again, and caught a few more crabs to grill. Jonathan came out and joined her and she let him have 2 of the crabs.
"Jennifer, can we talk a minute?"
"Sure".
"Can we start over? I feel like there's this awkwardness between us and I think that we will enjoy our time here better if we can just start with a clean slate".
"Why do you think there is an awkwardness?"
"I'm not sure, really. I just feel like there is".
"Oh there's an awkwardness. It's there because you caused it".
"Me? How?"
"Well let's see. You and I had 2 great days of sex in London, and then you basically told me you never wanted to see me again. 30 minutes later, you ended up sitting next to me on the plane. So, I told myself just get through the plane ride, that's all you have to do. Then, we crash, and we end up on this island, and you keep making rude remarks to me. So, yeah, there's an awkwardness".
"First of all, I never said I never wanted to see you again".
"We were in the cab and you told me not to get my hopes up of you ever contacting me again when you are in London, that you do first dates, but not second ones. Please, explain to me how to take that".
"Ok, fine. I don't want to argue".
"I think it's best if we keep our distance. And once we get out off this island, we should continue to keep our distance".
"Fine, if that's what you want, fine with me".
"Finer by me!"
He went to the hut to cool off.
A few hours later, she was sitting by the fires when she heard a strange noise. Not strange in the sense that she had never heard it before, but rather strange in the sense that she hadn't heard it in awhile and needed a few seconds to identify it.
A few seconds later, Jonathan came running out of the hut towards the fire.
He saw it coming before she did.
"Look! A plane!"
He started waving his hands.
The plane buzzed low enough to drop something down to them and then flew back up again.
He went and found the item that had been dropped.
It was rolled up, white, and could have been mistaken for a newspaper.
He unrolled it and found a couple rocks with paper wrapped around them.
"We are the Coast Guard. We will be back with the proper equipment to rescue you".
Jennifer went to the hut to gather up the things she wanted to take with her. Jonathan set about gathering up pieces of the wreckage that had the planes identification numbers on it, as well as the black box.
A very long 4 hours later, the plane came back to rescue them. It was one of those planes that sits on the water. Jennifer hoisted herself up into the cabin, and Jonathan climbed in after her.
They barely acknowledged each other at all.
2 hours later, they landed in New York City and were immediately taken to Manhattan General hospital.
The FAA was trying to keep their survival a secret from the press for the time being.
They put them in the same room, and put an armed guard outside their door.
When the FAA man came in to talk to them, he found Jennifer on one side of the room and Jonathan on the other.
"Mr. Hart, I will interview you first".
"Excuse me, while he's being interviewed, may I be taken to a room with a phone so I can call my father?"
"I'm sorry, neither of you are permitted to leave the hospital or contact anyone until our investigation is over".
"How long will that take?"
"A few days, maybe a week".
"That's preposterous! My father is probably going out of his mind with grief right now! I'm his only child and he thinks I'm dead. DEAD."
"I'm sorry, those are the rules".
She sank back against the bed, trying to control her temper.
The nurse came in and took her vitals and prepared her for the physical she was going to have while the investigator spoke to Jonathan.
It was a long and daunting process, but a few hours later, they had both been given physicals, and they had both given their statements to the FAA.
"Ok, we are closing this investigation, provided the black box you provided us reveals what we expect it to. You will be discharged from the hospital as soon as your ankle is casted, Mr. Hart. Miss Edwards, you will be discharged momentarily".
"What? You cannot do that! I don't have any of my belongings. They were all destroyed in the plane crash. I have no money and no way to get any".
"I'm sorry. I really must be going."
The investigator left the room.
Jennifer got up and went to the phone to call her father. Before she even dialed the first number, she hung the phone back up.
"Something wrong?"
"It's almost 2 a.m. He turns the phones off at 11 every night".
"Well, at least you will be able to try him in the morning".
"Yeah, only who knows where I will be then".
"Look, I have an apartment here in the city. You are more than welcome to stay with me until you can get in touch with your father."
"You really think that's a good idea?"
"I do. I feel bad about our previous conversations, so this can be my way of making it up to you. And since my ankle is broken, I will need someone to help me in the apartment. You will have your own room and bathroom. I will even pay you for helping me, if that's what you want".
"Deal."
They shook hands and then she went to the bathroom.
Jonathan ordered 2 pizzas and some drinks while she was in the bathroom.
The nurse came back in and he instructed her that he would cover Jennifer's hospital bill and that she would be staying till he was discharged.
He turned on the tv and watched a game till his pizzas got there.
The nurse gave her some scrubs to wear, so she put them on and climbed in bed.
They were watching tv when the delivery man came in.
"Food?"
"Yeah, I ordered us some pizza".
"Bless you".
He paid for the pizzas and then handed her one.
"New York Style Cheese on one, and Ultimate veggie on the other".
She grabbed a piece of cheese pizza and practically inhaled it. After she was done with that piece, she started on a piece of veggie. Jonathan was enjoying the cheese pizza as well.
"This is amazing. I can't remember when it has tasted better".
"Yeah, it is".
When they were finished, she set the pizza boxes over on the counter and then climbed back in bed.
Within minutes, she was fast asleep.
He got out of bed, and limped around to her bed, and put the inside rail down. He limped around to the other side and pushed her bed towards his. She was so asleep that she never woke up once.
He limped to the closet and got out a blanket and came back and climbed in bed and covered her with it.
A few minutes later, he fell asleep right next to her.
***The next morning***
They came and put a cast on Jonathan's ankle bright and early. He picked red and yellow striped.
"Red and yellow stripes?"
"Yeah. I went to USC. It's their colors. And it's football season".
After he was discharged, they headed downstairs and he paid for a cab to take them to his apartment.
Jennifer helped him into the cab, and they rode along quietly. She was glad to be back in New York again, but she was feeling very out of her element. She had lived in London for almost 4 years.
They pulled up to his building and her jaw dropped open.
"You have an apartment at the Plaza?!"
"Yes".
She helped him out of the cab and they slowly made their way inside.
The front desk gave him new keys to his apartment and then they made their way to the elevator.
"What button do you want me to push?"
"P".
She pushed it, and a few moments later, they were in the penthouse. His penthouse.
They walked in and she helped him get settled on the couch.
No sooner had they sat down, a man slightly larger than Jonathan and at least 2 decades older came out of the bedroom.
"Is someone-Mr. H.! What are you doing here?"
"Max! Great to see you!"
"What the hell happened to you? The airlines said there was no survivors".
"We were the only ones, Max. Max, this is Jennifer Edwards. Jennifer, this is Max. Max is like my father, he works for me and takes care of the house and whatever I need".
"Mr. H. is the only son I ever knew".
He came and sat next to him and Jonathan put his arm around Max.
Jennifer left the room and gave them some privacy to get reacquainted.
About an hour later, she heard him call her from the living room.
"Yes?"
"I just wanted to tell you that Max made lunch. You're welcome to join us".
"Oh, thank you".
They all sat down at the table and had lunch.
Jonathan looked over at Max.
"Max, you never told me what you are doing here in New York".
"I was at home in Los Angeles when the FAA called. They were having a meeting with the surviving family members and they asked me to come".
"When is the meeting?"
"Tomorrow at 10, right here in the Plaza. Down in the ballroom".
Jennifer stood up.
"Excuse me, I'm going to go find my father".