Seahorse Cabin Steps: Early Wednesday Morning

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

The sun was just pulling over the tops of the trees when Jack settled onto the Seahorse cabin steps.

He'd woken when the sun had slanted through the window. Cedric had been curled around him, muttering in his sleep, and Jack had taken a moment to simply enjoy it before easing away and slipping out of bed.

The Dining Hall had beckoned him with its promise of coffee, so he was a bit bemused to find himself sitting here, drinking tea.

But it was a beautiful morning.

[ooc: open and completely botherable. Content of Jack & Isabel's conversation NFB, please, but that they talked is fine for broadcast.]

Comments

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel had heard on the radio that Jack was back, so she set her alarm to give herself some extra time before karate in order to go check on him. Hugging her arms in the still cool morning air, she headed over to Seahorse cabin.

She smiled when she saw Jack on the steps. "I was looking for you."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Isabel." A smile spread across Jack's face at the sight of her. "You found me. And you are beautiful this morning."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Flatterer," she laughed as she took a seat next to him on the steps. "Radio said you were back. I just wanted to see how things went. How's CJ?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack shifted his tea to the other hand so he could put an arm around her. "CJ is- " He paused, not sure if there was a simple answer to that. "She was happy to see me," he offered.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel leaned into his side, appreciating the warmth. "Of course she was." She paused for moment, sure there was more to the story, but not sure if she should push. "Do you want to talk about it?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack rubbed her arm and turned his head to kiss her temple. "I want to tell you about it. It's just not as simple as how CJ was. It was...hard. For both of us."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," she said quietly as she slipped an arm around his waist and squeezed. "I wish it could have been different, easier for you both."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Me too, especially for her. I could see her hurting, see her needing things from me that I couldn't give her." Jack took a drink and offered the cup to Isabel. "Tea? She's an extraordinary woman, though."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Yawning as she made her way down the steps of the cabin, Sam waved to Jack and Isabel, if she was still there. "Morning."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Tea? That's sacrileige around here. You're supposed to be drinking coffee." Still that didn't stop her from taking the cup and having a sip. "She wanted you to love her."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Good morning, Sam." Jack patted the stairs next to him which were empty because Isabel had left. "This makes two days I've missed giving you coffee. I'm going to have to do something major to make up for it."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I was just in the mood for tea." A small smile made a brief appearance. "She did. She wanted it so badly, and I would have traded almost anything to give it to her. But I just didn't feel it." Jack's shoulders slumped. "We talked, and I explained as much as I could, and she listened, and told me what she could."

He decided against mentioning the letter or her reaction to it. The emotions tied up with that were too confusing, and he wasn't ready to try and explain them to anyone. Not even Isabel.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

She took a seat on the steps. "No, you don't. I'll get my sad and lazy self up to get coffee at some point. Where were you, anyway? I would have figured you for center stage during the kissing extravaganza of two nights ago."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"There was a kissing extravangza?" Jack's jaw dropped. "I missed a kissing extravanganza? That's just so wrong." He shook his head. "If I'd known that I wouldn't have gone away. And I promised you coffee, every day we were here, remember?"

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Jaye and Rory, then Alec and Dean, then Anakin and the other Sam," Sam smiled at him, although she noticed he hadn't answered her question about where he went. "There was a lot of alcohol involved. And I know you did, but I didn't meant to hold you to it, Jack."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I wonder why," Isabel replied in a tone that made it clear she had a pretty good idea why. "Give it time," she said quietly. "If you're willing to see her again that is."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack's smile widened and he stared into space, happily imagining what Sam was describing. "I can't believe I missed that. I wouldn't have needed the alcohol." He turned and rested his hand on her back. "Hey, I offered, and you're an easy woman to do things for, Sam."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I can't imagine you would have," she chuckled, leaning back into him. "Thanks. And you may be the first person to say that to me ever. Usually I get complaints about my being too self-sufficient."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"It would have been a sight to behold." Jack grinned at her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. "And I'm not saying you'd make it easy, because, yeah, I can see the self-sufficiency thing, but it's certainly worth whatever effort it takes."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"We have a very attractive cabin," Sam acknowledged. "And how do you do that?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"That we do. It's a shame there's not a competition, the other cabins wouldn't stand a chance." He tilted his head to look at her. "Do what?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Tea is good," Jack said. "I promised her I'd call, and write, as often as I could manage." He leaned against her, tightening his arm. "I should have stayed longer, but I just couldn't. It hurt too much, not being able to give her what she wanted."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric's still yawning when he finally makes it outside, taking a seat next to Jack on the steps.

"Awake early again? You all right?" he asks.

[tyler-gone.livejournal.com]

Tyler was on a walk around the campsite. He raised his hand in half a wave to the small cluster of students.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"You make me feel special, just by talking to me for a couple of minutes." She smiled at him and stretched her feet out in front of her. "It's a real gift."