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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 5, 2008 15:03:19 GMT -5
Jack wandered his way through some of the less dense foliage of the jungle and towards the makeshift garden a few of the survivors, Sun in particular, had taken to cultivating. He enjoyed going there even when it wasn't in need of watering, because it was a place not many people seemed to travel to, and yet was close enough that he would hear if anyone needed him back on the beach.
He sat at the edge of the garden and pulled out a small black leather bound book which he had been using as a journal. He wrote about finding the caves, about Kate, the marshal, and the discovery of Skinner's pregnancy. He had an idea she would be a good patient, despite putting up a front to the contrary, and he found he was starting to admire her spunky attitude and the way she stood up for herself.
Jack was just finishing as he heard footsteps approaching from behind him. Someone coming from the jungle. He snapped the book shut and put it back in his bag just in time to see a figure emerge through the trees.
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 5, 2008 15:12:39 GMT -5
Skinner had a particular smile on her face today, which was strange. Perhaps it was the truth that pregnant women really did glow. She stretched slighty before pushing through to the garden, then noticing Jack. She smiled a bit crookedly, walking over to him. Her stomach had slightly begun to show now that she was close to going into her 5th month.
"Why hello sir," she said with a laugh. "I do believe you're in my spot though. Can't have that, now." She grinned though, taking a seat closeby against a tree. She loved the garden, coming there to reflect and think and just wind down. She strangely found being stranded slightly relaxing. Though perhaps part of that was from not having to worry abotu her every move anymore.
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 5, 2008 15:21:02 GMT -5
"Hey Skinner." Jack replied. His smile widened when she mentioned that he was in her seat. He was about to move, but she had taken refuge in the shade of a nearby tree instead, so he went on sitting where he was. "I was just thinking about you, y'know. How are you feeling? Any more sickness or anything unusual I should know about?" Jack knew with Skinner's background she would know as well as he did if anything serious was happening or not. Still, he wanted to make sure she was okay, and taking as good a care of herself as was possible.
He decided to abandon "Skinner's seat" anyhow and move closer to her, sitting down again in front of her, legs bent with his arms wrapped over his knees. He thought he smelled violets, but he didn't see any nearby, and there were none in the garden. Must have been his imagination. "Seriously," he said, looking at her gravely, "How are you holding up? Life ain't easy for a jungle mama, you know? Always some dingo or gorilla trying to steal your baby." He laughed a bit and smiled at her. He was worried she thought he was a prude with no sense of humor after their cave adventure, and he wanted to be her friend. Partly so she would take his advice, partly because besides Kate, she was really the only person he alked to on a regular basis.
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 5, 2008 15:27:41 GMT -5
Skinner chuckled at his comment about being a jungle mama, and shook her head. She laughed softly, twirling a violet she'd had in her hand. She'd just bathed and had tried to accomodate the jungle smell with a few violets, and held one. It was rather gorgeous, reminding her of her first luau she'd been too with a friend at college. When you walked in the door the hosts would put a flower right in your hair, and though it had been a hibiscus, it still reminded her of the good times in Sydney.
"I'm fine," she answered. "Crazy as usual, homrones drive me up the wall, and i'm crazing a massive hamburger with pickles and onions." She grinned, looking at him again. "But I can't complain really. Aside from the fact I can't button my pants anymore."
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 5, 2008 15:40:03 GMT -5
Jack laughed and replied to Skinner as best he could. "Well, I can't really get a hamburger for you... Imaginary food is Charlie's department I think. But we could go looking for some bigger pants sometime if you want." Jack noticed the small bulge in her belly for the first time. She really was becoming more noticeably pregnant, both in size and personality. Her mother's instincts seem to have taken over and subdued the panic she seemed to first experience when they had found out she was pregnant.
Jack's mind drifted off the island to Sarah. She hadn't wanted children, though Jack had practically begged her. Maybe she had known even then what was happening to them. Maybe she didn't want to bring a child in to their world, knowing what would become of him. No, she had loved him, she had at the time anyhow, had been fully devoted to him.
Had she felt obligated?
Jack shook the thought away forcefully, but it was one that came back persistently, no matter what he did to try and shake it off. He instead looked at Skinner again, and her smile made him forget at least for the moment, where they were and what was happening to them. He pushed over so he was next to her, also leaning back against the tree, at a ninety degree angle from her so he could still see her but not her face, and she not his. He wanted to make sure she didn't see him crying, if he was going to. Thankfully, for once, he did not.
He did however, kick something with his foot. He held it up to the light after digging it out momentarily. It appeared to be a small rock, nothing special, but jack held on to it anyways, studying it's features as he listened to Skinner talk.
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 5, 2008 15:49:10 GMT -5
Skinner grinned a bit, sighing softly. "Pants are great but that burger.....goodness," she replied, shaking her head with a chuckle. She watched him though, sink into deep thought and seeing a twinge of something cross his face. Perhaps sadness, perhaps a morose memory crossing his mind. But either way it was plain in his features, at least to her, since she'd had that very expression upo her features time and times again.
"Looking for some pants might be nice since a few people may object to me you know, stripping and streaking on the island," she teased softly, hoping to help him out of the mood. Though she knew that he'd come out of it in due time, and he'd speak about it if he wished. When he moved she simply reached for his hand, letting him know she was there for him in a subtle way. "But you know, I'm sort of getting used to the parenting idea. I'm still scared as hell, but there's nothing I cna do about it. Perhaps I might be good at it. Though I don't know what we'll do on the island if it's another girl like me," she added, grinning a bit.
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 6, 2008 7:31:13 GMT -5
Jack smiled a smile that he knew Skinner couldn't see. "I doubt many people would object to that at all. Sawyer, for example, probably wouldn't object. If you've met him yet, you'll know what I mean." He listened as she talked about her first foray into parenting, a story he had heard all too often. It was instinct really. "I am positive you'll be fine Skinner." He thought about how hard a delivery would be on the island. He was sure she knew, but there was no reason to bring it up and get her worked up over it, not when there was still four more months to get ready. They would need the most sterile environment possible of course. Maybe he could get Charlie or Locke to help him build a table from some of the wreckage.
This was when Jack realized for the first time during his stay on the island that he had lost hope. He was no longer thinking about being rescued. He was assuming that the baby would be born on the island. The thought that he had lost any chance his mind gave him at rescue sent a shiver through his spine, and his hand found Skinner's back, rubbing gently. She was warm. Jack pulled his hand away and through the rock he had been holding in the other. It was just a stupid rock anyways.
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 6, 2008 18:29:08 GMT -5
Skinner laughed slightly at his comment about Sawyer, then scowled a bit, remembering the first encounter with his she'd had. "Sawyer and I don't particularly get along," she muttered, sighing softly. Skinner felt Jack's hand on her back and smiled a bit, the comfort welcome to her. It had been a long time since she'd csough and found comfort in the opposite sex, but it was slightly refreshing.
She chuckled softly, turning to just look at Jack out of the corner of her eyes. "But you doubt many would object to it? I bet. have you seen my thighs?" She laughed, reaching for her water bottle before settling back against the tree.
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 6, 2008 20:54:15 GMT -5
"Uh, well no, I have not become acquainted with your thighs just yet, thanks." Jack blushed slightly and smiled, looking down. He wasn't really surprised to realize he was thinking of Kate's thighs instead. Jack looked back up and laughed as he spoke. "Although I suppose I will be soon enough, unless rescue gets here..." Again, he was thinking in terms of rescue not coming. He really had to stop thinking like that.
Now he felt like he had to recover for what he said. He didn't want to sound like he didn't like Skinner at all either. "I mean, I'm sure your thighs are fine, great even, just... uh, never mind. We should talk about something else before this goes awkward. Well... before it goes more awkward." Jack shook his head and looked at the ground. It wasn't that Skinner was unattractive, she was beautiful, and smart, and funny. For some reason though, all Jack could think of was Kate. He wondered what she was doing now. Talking to Sawyer probably. He scuffed at the dirt with his heel and sat, hoping Skinner would say something to rid them of the awkward tension that had come down around them like a smoky cloud after fireworks.
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 6, 2008 21:07:08 GMT -5
Skinner laughed and pulled her knees a little closer to her, shaking her head. "So you have been looking at my thighs. Honestly. I though you were a better man than that Jack. You disappoint me," she teased, grinning. She didn't really mean to make the moment awkward, but it had and she was going to fix it, her joking nature showing through. The nature that had been do hidden the first time they'd met. Which reminded Skinner of something.
"You know, the bruises are almost gone," she said softly. "And it's...well getting easier. You know, after you prodded the truth out of me in the cave. You know. I don't really think of you as that much of a b****d anymore. I might even consider you a friend or something crazy like that." She laughed, grinning a bit.
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 6, 2008 21:15:24 GMT -5
"Well that's good, since you and I are the two biggest talkers around here anyhow," Jack said, breaking down any semblance of a fourth wall. "I mean, it would be really bad if we were on bad terms. No one around here would talk. We'd all just sit around and stare at each other. No good." Jack looked over at the garden, certain to be a good source of their food in the near future. It was as if they were starting over as farmers, like the pilgrims.
"So Skinner, what's your favorite plant here in Sun's mystery garden? I've got to go with that yellow grollop over there." Jack knew there was no such thing as a yellow grollop but he had no idea what the plant was, so he just made it up. "You wouldn't happen to know what a yellow grollop is, would you? They're very rare in this part of the world." In fact, Jack had an idea this was the ONLY part of the world this plant grew in, and wondered if Sun knew what it was herself. Jack continued with his farce. "They're so rare, people will pay millions for them, because of their special powers. The yellow grollop is the only plant known to man to cause instant... uh, gratification." He laughed out loud, it was the only thing he could think to say, and it made him laugh as he walked over to the plant to study it closer.
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 6, 2008 21:20:47 GMT -5
Skinner laughed at him, shaking her head. She watched him walk over, and she lowered herself to the shady floor of the jungle to stretch out sideways a bit while she watched him fawn over the yellow flower that did look quite rare. But she'd seen it before, before in National Geographic. She chuckled, propping her head up on her elbow.
"Love, I think that's an orchid," she teased. "But far be it from me to disrupt you and your monologue about the yellow grollop." She grinned, laughing and letting her head down and closing her eyes gently, feeling the warmth of the sun peeking through the trees a bit on her skin.
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 6, 2008 21:27:41 GMT -5
"Well, say what you want, but I know a yellow grollop when I see one." Jack pretended to be upset with her way of bringing him back to reality, muttering under his breath. "Girl spends a week on an island and thinks she knows every flower on the planet." He smiled and picked the plant, carrying it over to her and dropping it on to her stomach where she lay on the jungle ground. "I'll look up at the canopy, you can tell me if it worked." He said, winking at her and then looking away, whistling as he walked away.
He stopped at the tree they had just been at and sat down again, closing his eyes and dozing slightly as the wind rustled through the trees. It had been incredibly muggy today. He wondered if it was going to rain today. He decided it probably was. "We may want to head to camp soon, or the caves at least, get some shelter. I think it might rain."
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Post by Skinner Jones on Jul 6, 2008 21:37:58 GMT -5
Skinner laughed and picked up the bloom and sniffed of it, shaking her head. "Didn't work," she called over to him. She laughed, twirling the flower in her fingers as she gazed at the sky that was thickening with dark clouds. The island weather was quite insane and she rose slwoly as she felt the first few drops hit her.
"Perhaps we should find a nearby cave or something," she said, pulling her pack onto her shoulders.
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Post by Jack Shephard on Jul 6, 2008 21:44:19 GMT -5
Jack laughed as the first few drops darkened the areas of his shirt not already damp with sweat. He walked to her and grabbed her hand, helping her up, and the two looked for a nearby cave, which they found before long. Unfortunately, it was long enough that they were both soaked head to toe. Jack took his shirt off quickly and wrung it out, replacing it in time to hear a deep rumbling come from deep within the cave. He looked at Skinner. "Probably just rocks." He wasn't too confident in this response, especially remembering the smoke creature they had experienced on their first day here on the island.
"Probably just rocks," he said again, "Still, may be best not to stay here too long, even the boars can be bad news, and that sounded bigger than a boar..." Jack was trying not to show too much worry, but it was pushing through to his exterior. What the hell was he doing here anyways? He should be operating right now, and he was stuck in a cave with a pregnant girl wondering if a giant smoke creature was about to trample him and the entire surrounding area. He pushed against the rock wall, the rocks gently prodding his back as the rain fall pounded the ground just outside the open cave mouth. "What should we do?"
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