Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 I will always love an early morning rain.\u00a0 Oh Dark Thirty has some of the best storms, the best rains, you\u2019ll ever see.\u00a0 The temperature drops, a cool wind comes in, and the rain starts to fall, cleaning off the grime of a long day.\u00a0 The sun comes up and a beautiful clean world, ready to welcome it.\u00a0 It\u2019s all because of the rain.\u00a0 And I will always love to stand in one, reveling in the power of nature to begin anew, every day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It was a dark and stormy night.<\/p>\n
Jack laughed as the words from an ancient story traveled through his mind.\u00a0 The lightning was certainly lighting the sky, and the rain was coming down in sheets so bad even the dogs<\/em> weren\u2019t chasing the cats out there.\u00a0 Which was a good thing.\u00a0 Jack hated the smell of wet dog.\u00a0 The thing that made him laugh was that it wasn\u2019t even night all.<\/p>\n The storm clouds had rolled in off the ocean, sometime after what passed for midnight on New Earth, and even now after the first sun should have risen it was still<\/em> dark as night.\u00a0 The lights of Leif Erikson Spacebase illuminated the sheets of rain power washing the base and Landing City in the distance.\u00a0 Jack couldn\u2019t even see<\/em> the nearby city through the clouds and the rain.<\/p>\n He could barely see the landing field, where the spider-like shuttles sat with their ramps closed against the weather.\u00a0 The skies were devoid of traffic due to the storm, but at least the last of the trucks had been close enough to finish their route via surface streets.\u00a0 They now huddled beneath the shuttles, waiting for the storm to end before they packed the shuttles with the last of the supplies.<\/p>\n Looking out on the base through the windows of the main administration building garnered an amazing sight.\u00a0 Jack whistled as a pair of figures ran through rain, the flaps of all-weather coats held nearly straight out by the wind.\u00a0 The figures grasped their cowboy hats to keep them from flying off, but Jack didn\u2019t know how much actual protection those gave when the rain fell sideways.\u00a0 The doors slid open and a spray of rain flew into the building along with the two figures.<\/p>\n \u201cHoly frak!\u201d Jay bellowed at the Cowboys arrayed throughout the main entrance of the administration building.\u00a0 \u201cIt is frakking wet<\/em> out there!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo shit, Sherlock!\u201d Jessie answered with a laugh and clapped the towering Indian on the shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cTell us something we don\u2019t<\/em> know!\u201d<\/p>\n Jay shook himself away from Jessie, took off his coat, and hung it on one of the many pegs next to the door where it continued to drip water.\u00a0 Jay removed his cowboy hat long enough to shake himself some more, spraying the inside of the administration building\u2019s main entrance with salty water, before placing it back on.<\/p>\n \u201cChief!\u201d Jay called out, turning to Charles.\u00a0 \u201cEverybody\u2019s good out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles shook his head slowly.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re staying?\u201d<\/p>\n Jay shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re happy.\u00a0 As long as the wind don\u2019t go over a hundred, they\u2019re staying.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles let out several tsks and shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cFine by me, then.\u00a0 We offered.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty walked over and tapped Jack\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cSamantha\u2019s on the way,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n Jack frowned in surprise and turned to her.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u00a0 Here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Betty whispered with a nod.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Jack asked as he rifled his brain for an answer to the question.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re leaving<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Jasmine stepped up with a shake of her head as if she were talking to a particularly dim child.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe she wants to see<\/em> you.\u00a0 Or say goodbye<\/em>,\u201d she added with a wink after Jack shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well,\u201d Jack whispered with another shake.\u00a0 \u201cI think I got the message.\u201d\u00a0 He turned away and began walking towards the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cJack!\u201d Jasmine shouted through the speaker in his left ear so loud he cringed.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a girl<\/em> driving through a hurricane<\/em> to see<\/em> you!\u00a0 If you don\u2019t go out and talk to her I\u2019ll\u2026I\u2019ll\u2026\u201d she trailed off and he turned back to see her standing in place, quivering in anger.<\/p>\n He smiled at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, it sorta takes the threat away when you can\u2019t come up with a threat.\u201d<\/p>\n Jasmine glared at him.<\/p>\n Jack sighed and looked at Betty.<\/p>\n She smiled and tilted her head to the side.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t say a word, but she didn\u2019t have to.\u00a0 Her expression told him that she trusted him to make the right decision.<\/p>\n Damn her.<\/p>\n He shook his head and looked at Jasmine.\u00a0 \u201cAnd for the record<\/em>, it\u2019s not<\/em> a hurricane<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n She stuck her tongue out at him.<\/p>\n \u201cBe careful,\u201d he growled back.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll get stuck<\/em> that way.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty placed a hand on his shoulder and he turned to meet her gaze.\u00a0 She still trusted him.\u00a0 Damn.<\/p>\n He looked down and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cOK, OK.\u201d\u00a0 He turned towards Charles and pulled in a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Chief!\u201d<\/p>\n Charles turned to him with a questioning gaze.\u00a0 Dorothy leaned in and said a few words.\u00a0 Charles turned to look out at the storm buffeting the base.\u00a0 After thinking a moment, Charles smiled and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Cowboys!\u201d he shouted, raising a hand to call everybody closer to him.\u00a0 \u201cIt seems we\u2019ve got a bit of a storm here.\u201d<\/p>\n The assembled Cowboys laughed at the understatement, slapping each other\u2019s backs.<\/p>\n \u201cDue to the storm, Leif Erikson Spacebase is to all intents and purposes shut down for the duration.\u00a0 I\u2019m therefore placing all Cowboys on liberty<\/em> until the storm breaks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOorah!\u201d the Cowboys shouted back in enthusiasm.<\/p>\n Charles chuckled, shook his head, and eyed Jack with a smile that said he was never going to forget the reason for his next order.\u00a0 \u201cNow don\u2019t do anything that will get me called<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cowboys from Earth laughed and slapped Jack on the shoulders.\u00a0 The new recruits from New Earth didn\u2019t look certain if they should laugh or frown.\u00a0 Making fun of the local laws wasn\u2019t high on their list of things to laugh at.<\/p>\n Betty smiled at Jack and walked over to the coat hooks on the wall.\u00a0 Jasmine followed and they pulled their virtual all-weather coats off their virtual coat hook.<\/p>\n Jack extricated himself from the backslapping Cowboys and walked over to grab his all-real<\/em> all-weather.\u00a0 He paused to watch them pull their coats on with a smile, until they glared at him.\u00a0 Then he averted his eyes and slipped into his with all due speed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019re you going?\u201d Jay bellowed as he stomped over.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s wetter than my grandfather\u2019s rain<\/em> dances out there!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack paused and cocked his head at the Indian in confusion.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you did rain dances when you were asking<\/em> for rain?\u201d<\/p>\n Jay laughed and waggled his eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cGrandfather got fast answers.\u201d\u00a0 He aimed a finger at Jack.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you\u2019re<\/em> changing the subject<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re<\/em> crazy to think a rain<\/em> dance brings rain<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Jay poked him with a finger the size of a sausage.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re<\/em> crazy to doubt<\/em> it without ever seeing<\/em> it.\u201d\u00a0 He stepped in between Jack and the door with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I\u2019m not getting out of your way until you tell me what\u2019s so God-awful important out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cIn case you missed it, the Chief<\/em> just gave us liberty<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Jay chuckled and leaned towards him.\u00a0 \u201cAt your<\/em> urging,\u201d he answered, poking Jack in the chest.\u00a0 \u201cThe rest<\/em> of us are getting a game<\/em> in.\u00a0 You\u2019re<\/em> running off into that<\/em>.\u00a0 Why<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack glared at him.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe I enjoy standing in the rain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah!\u201d Jay erupted.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s not rain<\/em>!\u00a0 That\u2019s a flying lake<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s perfect<\/em>, cause I grew up<\/em> in lakes!\u201d Jack retorted.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got a girl<\/em> waiting for him,\u201d Jasmine interrupted the argument with an impish smile.<\/p>\n Jack spun his glare to shoot daggers in her.<\/p>\n A booming laugh washed over him and Jay slapped him on the shoulder hard enough it almost knocked him off his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u00a0 Watch the bones!\u201d Jack growled back.\u00a0 \u201cI like<\/em> \u2019em where they are<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack felt his hat come off his head and Jay\u2019s other hand ruffled his hair like he was a kid.\u00a0 \u201cHey boys!\u201d Jay bellowed.\u00a0 \u201cThe girl\u2019s finally comin\u2019 for him<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOorah!\u201d the other Cowboys shouted and came over to ruffle his hair or slap his back.\u00a0 Jack weathered their expressions of approval with all the composure he could muster until Jay finally placed the hat back on his head and patted his shoulder again.<\/p>\n \u201cSee?\u201d the larger man asked.\u00a0 \u201cThat wasn\u2019t hard at all.\u201d\u00a0 With that, he stepped out of the way and waved his hands for Jack to continue.<\/p>\n Jessie and Ken stepped up on either side of him, shaking their heads.<\/p>\n \u201cYou really<\/em> going out in that?\u201d Jessie asked in a skeptical tone.<\/p>\n Jack looked at Betty and Jasmine who both nodded before shrugging as if to say \u201cwhat else<\/em> am I going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n Jessie shook his head slowly.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re a stronger man than I.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack snorted.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not that bad out there.\u00a0 But remember this moment the next time Mary<\/em> tells you to do sumpin crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot gonna happen,\u201d Jessie said with a shake of his head.\u00a0 \u201cMe an\u2019 her know who\u2019s in charge.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack looked around Jessie to see Mary glaring at her pilot.\u00a0 Jack tipped his hat to her with a big smile and she nodded back.<\/p>\n Jessie gulped.\u00a0 \u201cSay, you need a wingman?\u201d he asked in a hurried manner.<\/p>\n Jack snorted and patted Jessie\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou know what?\u00a0 I think I got this covered.\u00a0 But thanks for the generous<\/em> offer,\u201d he finished, gathered his courage, and stepped towards the door.<\/p>\n The door slid open, letting in the howling wind and the water it drove before it.\u00a0 Muffled curses came from behind and Jack smiled as he stepped out into the downpour, holding his cowboy hat down to secure it to his head.\u00a0 The rain drummed into his all-weather coat, running off the ends to pour onto his boots where it met the water running across the base pavement.\u00a0 The rain drenched his face in less than a second, and in that moment he realized that it really was<\/em> that bad.<\/p>\n He paused for a moment, considering his options as the marines behind him cursed at him.\u00a0 He could turn back around right now and\u2026and his buddies would never<\/em> let him live it down.\u00a0 He blinked into the rain and realized that the storm itself was the answer.\u00a0 She was weathering this<\/em> to see him.\u00a0 The least he could do was meet her at the gate.<\/p>\n He pulled in a deep breath through his nose, to keep from breathing the water in, and plunged out into the storm battering the base.\u00a0 The wind picked up in the street, but it was steadier than the whipsaw of wind around the building, and much easier to walk in.\u00a0 He focused through the rain, smiled, and walked down the deserted street, Betty and Jasmine on either side of him.<\/p>\n It actually felt oddly refreshing, like an early morning storm coming off Rainy Lake, only much stronger.\u00a0 It also tasted of salt, and he could tell he was going to need a shower to get that off him.\u00a0 And the salt made it smell wrong too.\u00a0 Still, it reminded him of those storms, and he smiled as they passed through the base like ghosts.<\/p>\n They sloshed up to the main gate and stopped just inside the arms.\u00a0 There they waited, the wind and rain running over and down them.\u00a0 Within seconds, the guard shack opened and one of the local marines stepped out to see what was going on.\u00a0 The marine saluted them and they returned the gesture.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I help you, Sir?\u201d the marine shouted through the downpour<\/p>\n Jack shook his head with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cSomeone\u2019s coming in to see me,\u201d he shouted back.<\/p>\n The marine gave a wondering look down the road.\u00a0 \u201cIn this<\/em>?\u201d he asked in a disbelieving tone.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen,\u201d Jack returned with a shrug and steadfastly ignored the glares Jasmine and Betty aimed at him.<\/p>\n The marine snorted.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Sir.\u201d\u00a0 He looked down the road again.\u00a0 \u201cYou good here, Sir?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m good,\u201d Jack answered with a smile.<\/p>\n The marine nodded towards the shack.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll just wait in there, then,\u201d he shouted and turned moved back to it.\u00a0 \u201cJust wave at me if it\u2019s your people!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack nodded, the guard shack door closed, and they waited alone again.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t long before car lights appeared in the storm, highlighting rain on the main road outside the base.\u00a0 Betty pointed at the car with a nod, telling him that it was the one.\u00a0 Not like there were others out there.\u00a0 Jack waved at the guard in the shack as the car turned onto the military road and slowed to a stop outside the gate.<\/p>\n The passenger side door opened and a figure stepped out that Jack recognized easily, even under the trenchcoat.\u00a0 The rain plastered red hair to her face and she brushed it to the side.\u00a0 She stepped between the arms of the gate, walking up to stop before him.<\/p>\n He smiled at her.\u00a0 \u201cGood morning, Sam.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha made a show of examining the storm plastering them.\u00a0 \u201cYou have a strange definition of a good morning, Jack.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack gave her his best charming smile and spread his arms out wide.\u00a0 \u201cAny<\/em> morning that has you in it is a good morning.\u201d<\/p>\n She raised her eyebrows at him and took another step closer.\u00a0 \u201cYou never give up, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re<\/em> the one standing<\/em> here,\u201d he returned with a beaming smile.<\/p>\n \u201cSo are you,\u201d she said, cocking her head to the side with a wry smile.<\/p>\n He sucked in a deep breath and uttered the single word that he could never take back once he said it.\u00a0 \u201cAlways.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha blinked, her mouth hung open, and she wiped the rain of her face with one hand.\u00a0 \u201cGod!\u201d she finally shouted in exasperation.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know why I bother<\/em>!\u00a0 You always<\/em> have one of your quips<\/em> ready!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sighed and kept his eyes on her until she met it.\u00a0 Then, making certain she could see the truth of his words in them, he finally answered her.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I mean every<\/em> word.\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyes widened and she chewed her lower lip for a moment before shaking her head.\u00a0 \u201cFine!\u00a0 You want to be Mister \u2018I Cannot Tell a Lie,\u2019 I\u2019ll take you up on that!\u00a0 Why<\/em> did you destroy that mugger the way you did?\u201d she finished with a shout.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was a threat,\u201d Jack answered with a shrug.\u00a0 \u201cHe had<\/em> to be broken or he would have threatened more people in the future if I\u2019d let him get away with it this<\/em> time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat!\u201d Samantha shouted, stepped in and jabbed him in the chest with a finger.\u00a0 \u201cYou thought he<\/em> was a threat so you broke<\/em> him!\u00a0 But you thought that floozy<\/em> last night was a threat and you didn\u2019t<\/em>!\u00a0 Did she promise you a good toss<\/em> when you two had your little chitchat<\/em>!\u00a0 Is that<\/em> why you didn\u2019t say whatever<\/em> it was you were prepared<\/em> to say?\u201d she shrieked, her emerald eyes blazing hotter than the lightning above them.<\/p>\n At the question, Jack just smiled and shook his head.\u00a0 She really was good.\u00a0 She\u2019d read him like a book on that stage.\u00a0 He only hoped that no one else had.\u00a0 He brought both hands up and placed them on her shoulders.<\/p>\n She bristled under his touch and glared at him, demanding he answer her question.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked<\/em> her if she meant<\/em> that last question,\u201d Jack said in a soothing tone.\u00a0 \u201cOr if she was just trying to find ammunition to use against me for the people who got<\/em> her the interview.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha continued to glare at him.<\/p>\n \u201cLook she had a question or something that she thought could hurt me,\u201d Jack explained.\u00a0 \u201cShe didn\u2019t ask<\/em> it.\u00a0 Instead she wanted to know<\/em>.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t destroy<\/em> her career after that<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha shook her head and chewed her lip some more, quivering under his touch, though he didn\u2019t think it was anger now.\u00a0 \u201cSo is this<\/em> how it\u2019s going to be then?\u00a0 You looking for threats everywhere and trying to stop<\/em> them?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sighed, considered her question, and shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you do before the Marines got you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I ran away<\/em> from most of the fights.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n Jack cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, most of them were fathers and the last thing I wanted was the girl blaming–.\u201d<\/p>\n She slapped his arm to shut him up.\u00a0 \u201cQuit while you\u2019re ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n She shook her head again and gave him a worried look.\u00a0 \u201cSo where does\u2026this\u2026leave us<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack swallowed and gazed at her drenched face.\u00a0 In that moment, he realized that he would be happy with whatever she decided.\u00a0 It might hurt, but he wanted what she<\/em> wanted, and that was just it.\u00a0 \u201cWherever you<\/em> want it left.<\/p>\n \u201cGod!\u201d she shouted with an angry shake of her head.\u00a0 \u201cDamn<\/em> you!\u201d she shouted and punched him.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t any little girl punch he\u2019d ever had before.\u00a0 She\u2019d grown up in ten percent higher gravity than he had, and when her<\/em> punch landed, it hurt<\/em>.\u00a0 \u201cYou really mean<\/em> that!\u201d she continued, her eyes blazing again.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he said through gritted teeth.<\/p>\n She grabbed him, pulled him down by his coats lapels, and kissed him hard with electric lips.\u00a0 The shock ran through his body from head to toe, standing every hair on end.\u00a0 He responded to her kiss and the urgency of it morphed into fire that burned through them both so hot that the rain itself must have evaporated.\u00a0 The moment stretched out into an eternity until she pulled away to take a breath.\u00a0 Jack opened his eyes to see they were still drenched to the bone with the salty ocean spray.\u00a0 His mouth hung open as he tried to catch his brain back up to the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026for luck<\/em>\u201d she shouted and punched him again.\u00a0 \u201cBastard<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Pain snapped through his body and Jack felt himself driven back a step.\u00a0 He snapped his mouth shut and felt thankful for the rain flowing over them.\u00a0 It masked the tears of pain.\u00a0 She was much<\/em> stronger than he\u2019d given her credit for.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t realized she\u2019d been holding back so much.\u00a0 He licked his lips, examined her panting face for a long moment, and knew he had to walk back into the minefield if he didn\u2019t want that to be their last kiss.<\/p>\n He forced a smile, pushed the pain from his mind, and stepped in.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he said in a calm voice, barely loud enough to carry over the sound of the storm around them.\u00a0 \u201cWhere I\u2019m<\/em> going, I think I might need an awful<\/em> lot more luck than that<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha panted, her anger fading as she looked into his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2026you\u2026never<\/em> give up, do<\/em> you?\u201d she asked in a wondering tone.<\/p>\n \u201cI never have,\u201d Jack answered with a wry smile.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, I\u2019m on liberty until the storm ends.\u00a0 As long as you\u2019re not walking away, I got a while to not give up.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha shook her head for a long time, her mind racing behind her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cReally?\u201d she asked in a tone that gave him no leeway at all for his normal bravado.\u00a0 \u201cYou think you do?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack swallowed, considered his feelings for any hesitation on the matter, and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n She met his gaze for several seconds, studying him before coming to her decision.\u00a0 She turned towards the car, waved it away, and wrapped an arm around his.\u00a0 \u201cOK.\u201d\u00a0 She let out a long breath and smiled at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re on the clock, so make it make it count.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he answered and began to walk down the street as she hugged his arm tight enough he was afraid he was going to have to worry about blood circulation.<\/p>\n Several hours later, after a very long shower, they watched the clouds retreat.\u00a0 Every inch of Jack\u2019s body complained, and even his<\/em> focus was having trouble keeping the groans of pain at bay.\u00a0 Samantha was seriously<\/em> strong.\u00a0 He was pretty certain he had at least one cracked rib, maybe more, and he didn\u2019t want to think how many of his muscles were pulled or torn.\u00a0 He knew for a fact that his shoulder had popped out once.\u00a0 That had been fun putting back in place.\u00a0 And he didn\u2019t even want to think<\/em> about the bruises the shower had revealed.\u00a0 He probed his mouth with his tongue, tasting blood and, yes, noting a loose tooth.<\/p>\n \u201cNot bad for a puny Earthling,\u201d Samantha whispered with a sly smile as the sun began to glint off the storm-cleansed buildings.<\/p>\n \u201cHeh,\u201d Jack returned, trying really hard not to laugh.\u00a0 It hurt to laugh.<\/p>\n Betty flickered into being next to them and nodded to Samantha with a sad smile.\u00a0 \u201cLiberty\u2019s up, Jack,\u201d she announced in a matching tone.\u00a0 \u201cFive minutes to assemble.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Samantha whispered to the cyber.\u00a0 As Betty flickered away again, Samantha turned Jack towards the administration building with a firm hand.\u00a0 \u201cLet me walk you back.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t want you to fall down and hurt yourself,\u201d she added with a wink.<\/p>\n \u201cHeh,\u201d Jack repeated, still trying very hard not to laugh.\u00a0 \u201cVery funny.\u00a0 I think I might be safer<\/em> falling down.\u201d<\/p>\n She raised an eyebrow at him.\u00a0 \u201cWell, if you\u2019d rather,\u201d she said and started to step away.<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d he retorted without hesitation, holding her fast.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n She gave him a knowing smile, stepping in closer to hold her body tight against him.\u00a0 Then she began walking towards the administration building, stepping through puddles in the street that glinted in the new sun.\u00a0 They walked in silence until the finality of the administration building rose above them and Jack swallowed.<\/p>\n Samantha stopped, looking up to the building with a sad shake of her head.\u00a0 \u201cSo this is how it ends?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNot if I<\/em> have anything to say about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if you don\u2019t?\u201d she asked, a worried look on her face.<\/p>\n Jack laughed and sucked in a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cThen me an\u2019 God are gonna have some words on where my heaven is.\u201d<\/p>\n She gave him a soft smile.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you didn\u2019t believe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf He can get me back here, I\u2019ll give Him the benefit of the doubt,\u201d Jack returned with a shrug and a wink.<\/p>\n Samantha shook her head, sighed, and reached up to pull him down by his coat lapels again.\u00a0 She stopped him, centimeters from her lips, with one of her patented mischievous smiles.\u00a0 \u201cYou really are never going to give up, are you?\u201d she asked, her warm breath playing across his face.<\/p>\n Jack pulled in a deep breath, filling his nose with the scent left after the water washed away all the perfumes.\u00a0 It was a good scent.\u00a0 \u201cNo, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he whispered with another wink.<\/p>\n She nodded in approval and patted his arm.\u00a0 \u201cThen\u2026\u201d her voice faded away and she cleared her throat.\u00a0 She released her hold on him, reached for her neck, and slipped her necklace off.\u00a0 She quickly slipped it around his neck and clasped it.\u00a0 \u201cBring it back,\u201d she ordered.<\/p>\n Jack almost saluted her on the spot.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he said, acknowledging the order.<\/p>\n She smiled in approval before pushing him away with firm arms.\u00a0 She turned him to face the administration building\u2019s door and pushed him forward.\u00a0 He did not resist and did as she ordered.\u00a0 Beside him, Betty and Jasmine flickered back into existence and followed him into the building where the Cowboys were to assemble one last time.<\/p>\n His eyes adjusted to the relative gloom inside the building, he focused, he saw that he was the last to arrive.\u00a0 When the lusty cheers started, he remembered that everything was visible from the inside.\u00a0 He groaned as Jay walked up to give him a hearty slap on the back.\u00a0 The other Cowboys followed his lead, and once they realized Jack was genuinely in pain, they of course<\/em> redoubled their efforts to congratulate him on his luck with crocodile smiles.<\/p>\n They were real bastards.\u00a0 Jack smiled and weathered the abuse without complaint though.\u00a0 They were his<\/em> bastards after all.\u00a0 He would remember them all.\u00a0 And paybacks for something like this\u2026well\u2026there was a word for that, and as Jack weathered their friendly ribbing, sometimes literally, he made mental notes, his mind already planning his sweet revenge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 I will always love an early morning rain.\u00a0 Oh Dark Thirty has some of the best storms, the best rains, you\u2019ll ever see.\u00a0 The temperature drops, a cool wind comes in, and the rain starts[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2304-forge-of-war-1stdraft","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-jack"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=952"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/952\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1853,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/952\/revisions\/1853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}