Forever and a Day (44 page)

Hell no! She thought then whispered hoarsely, “Weird? Not in the least. My back feels looser, a little better…”

“Oh, good!”

She heard relief in his voice and knew why: those delicious tingles and warmth. Was he really afraid of making her feel good?”

“Ready for the cupping?”

“Yes, thank you.” She whispered. She felt him place the cups on her back. It was hot, but not unpleasant. She drifted back to thinking about his hands on her again, she remembered JJ saying that she tingled when he shook her hand. How odd, she thought. “Xander?”

“Yes, is it too hot?” He asked quickly.

“Oh, it’s fine. Do you think you can try that pressing thing again later? My back feels a bit better…”

“Oh. It would be best if we waited until tomorrow, if that’s ok?”

“Of course. You are the doctor!” She whispered with a giggle. Yeah, he can play doctor with me anytime she joked to herself.

“How did you hurt your back?”

Halo scowled, “I think it was when… I kicked Johnny Stoner in the balls… err, his groin. Sorry, about my French.”

“Oh, no worries! I speak French too!” Xander joked, “Are you ok? I mean I still see a little bump on your head.”

Halo grimaced, “Oh my! I forgot about my head! Um, am I ok? Yes… do you know what happened?” She asked trying to look at him with her face turned sideways on the silver emergency blanket. She watched him lean over to her with concern written all across his face and look into her eyes.

“Uh, no, not really. JJ said something about he went too far in the scene.”

“Johnny tried to rape me.” She watched his look of concern shoot to a look of horror then his face went red with anger. She watched his eyes narrow and he clenched his jaw tightly.

“I am so sorry Halo.” He uttered through gritted teeth.

She smiled reassuringly at him, “He learned not to fu… uh mess with me. I knew he’d try something. I figured it would be a grope… or something like that. He did catch me off guard, but I made him pay for it… dearly.” She watched the anger fade from his face and was replaced by a look of… something… something entirely different.

“Sounds weird for me to say this to you, but I am proud of you for fighting back. How are you doing, uh inside,” she watched him point to his heart, “if you don’t mind me asking?”

She did not answer him for a few moments. She recognized the look of concern written on his face, so she told him the truth, “Still feels like I was wronged, I don’t know how to put it.” She watched him nod to her, so she continued, “I—I cried like a little baby, thank God JJ was there. Knowing I hurt him for trying to do that to me, helps I guess. I feel a bit vindicated. I think I’ll be ok…”

“Good! Good for you, Halo.” He looked away to check the bowls on her back, “So what did you do to him?”

She chuckled, “Let’s see. Stitches in his… penis and scrotum. Broken nose, that was the bruise on my foot, concussion, broken rib, I think.”

“Good job! So, you’ve had training? I mean in fighting?” He asked looking at her.

“Yes, a little. Nothing like you I’m thinking. I saw how you handled Joel; it was so smooth…almost like you didn’t touch him… kinda like a dance too. I hope that didn’t offend you.”

Xander laughed, “No, not at all! That in fact was a very high compliment. When it looks smooth then I might be getting it right.” Xander winced then paused for a moment, “I used to help instruct a women’s self-defense course, seems like eons ago, but I remember some of the women who had been attacked seemed so… lost or empty? I dunno, that’s why I asked. That stuff really bothers me, there is a sad story involved…”

Halo saw that look of sadness in his eyes again, “I’d like to hear it if you would like to share?”

“That may take copious amounts of alcohol...”

She smiled, then let it fade as the talk of sad stories made her worry about JJ, “Xander… do you think JJ and the others made it?”

He looked away then back to meet her gaze, “If they used the ELT, sure. I think JJ made it, I have a feeling Joel paddled his ass off to get away. The others? Maybe not. We were extremely lucky...”

Her look darkened and she let out a little sigh, “Xander, I don’t know how or even if I can ever repay you…”

“There you go again! No need to repay me. I am happy I was there to help. Besides, the way I look at it? I owe you…” He smiled and left her frame of view and began taking off the bowls.

“Did you say that to me before?” She asked.

“Uh, what?”

“The, I owe you. Why would you owe me? I got you into this mess.”

He leaned forward into her view, “Alcohol. Lots of it, and I may tell you!” He chuckled and resumed taking off the bowls.

“You a big drinker?” She asked with a smile. He leaned down to look at her and smiled again.

“Nope.”

“Don’t drink, eh? Is that it?” She gave him a wicked little grin.

“I do, but not into it… well I do like my tequila.”

“Oh ho! Party boy! I think I packed enough… tequila for quite the party!”

“Yes, yes you did! Uh, why?” He asked as he began gently rubbing her back with a cool liquid.

“Is that vodka?” She quickly asked.

“Yeah. It’s the only alcohol I have, and it’s supposed to close up the pores. Also cleans…”

“Oh… um, the booze? I figured we may need it as a disinfectant or to get you drunk off your bum.” She deadpanned.

Xander leaned over to see her face, “Serious?”

“Of course. I know you from somewhere… didn’t you say we would talk about it?”

Damn, she remembered he groaned inwardly, “Yes, I think I did. When you are better, we should have a drink or two and see about it.” He hoped she would bite.

“I hold people to their deals, Mr. Mystery man.”

Xander chuckled as he refastened her bra with trembling fingers, “What is with that?”

“You are a Mystery, are you not? You appear in front of me out of nowhere… put on my mask. You go into the cockpit and save the plane… you save Doug from the sharks.” Halo paused a moment to catch her breath then continued, “You save me again in the water. You keep me alive in the raft and here you are taking care of me. All of that in one week! Makes you very mysterious, besides I know I’ve met you…”

Xander helped her turn over with trembling hands and got her T-shirt back on, all the while doing his best to ignore her pink lacy bra, “No, we have never met. About what you said? I just reacted, I’m sure someone else would have done something…”

“Oh come on! Are you kidding? Everyone was scared shitless, me included.” She paused looking up into his eyes, “Why weren’t you?”

Xander sat back on his bum and shrugged, “I saw how scared you were. I told you I wouldn’t let you down, I figured we were going down anyway, so I reacted.” What he wanted to say was he would rather die than let her be hurt.

“See, that doesn’t sound mysterious to you from my point of view?”

Xander looked away for a moment then back to her and shrugged.

He made a move to leave the tent and she weakly stopped him with her hand to his knee. He turned to her and she took a long curious look at him, “Who are you, really?”

“Just a guy, Halo. Just a guy.” He patted her hand and crouched his way out of the tent.

He turned back to say something and she looked at him with head slanted sideways at him, her blonde eyebrow was arched up at him, “Clark Kent, is just a guy too.”

Xander chuckled, “That he is, but like I told you before, I’m just his shoe shine boy!” He unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt and held it open, “See! No red ‘S’!” With that, he left her alone in the tent with her shaking her head at him.

Xander hurried to the nearest tree out of her line of sight and fell back hard against it. He stood bent over with his hands on his knees as he looked down at the sand between his feet. He struggled to catch his breath as his heart hammered in his chest. That massage he just gave her… the feeling he got from her was breathtaking. It took everything he had to maintain a courteous demeanor and try to not shake uncontrollably. He took several deep breaths and calmed himself. “I must be dead or dreaming…” He muttered quietly.

After a few minutes, he stood up and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He headed back to the tent, stopping first to pick up a water bottle. He saw that she was looking out at the beach as he poked his head in, “Hey, mind if I go and do my chores?”

“Be careful, ok?” She whispered with a faint smile, “I don’t know how I could take care of you…”

“Yes, my lady.” He set the water down close to her and gave her a flourish with his hand then a bow.

“Silly…” She whispered back.

He turned away from the tent and grabbed a water bottle, checked his gun and decided he would go scout about first, then get the water collector ready.

With a last look towards Halo’s tent, he started his walk counter-clockwise around the island. The white sand of the beach looked inviting to bare feet and he considered taking off his shoes so he could enjoy the feeling of the sand on his sore feet. He decided otherwise in case there was a jellyfish or something sharp he might step on. His trek eventually took him to the northern most part of the island. Looking back towards the jungle, he saw hundreds upon hundreds of palm and coconut trees as well as other types of green leafy trees.

Continuing on, the first useful debris he found was an empty plastic milk jug half-filled with water resting half in the sand close to the surf. He picked it up, emptied it out, and examined it for holes. Finding none, he carried it with him as he continued on southward. Looking at his watch he noticed that it took him a good twenty minutes to come this far. He glanced towards the other island as the lagoon came into view from behind the dense copse of trees; there were no signs of smoke visible.

A rusty piece of metal sticking up in the sand caught his attention; he reached down and gave it a pull. It came up easily and he examined the narrow, long piece of metal. He thought it might be a part of some hatch handle from a ship. He wiped the sand away, added it to his other find, and continued southward.

He came to the westward most part of the island and stopped, glancing towards the other large island. He wished he had a pair of binoculars as he looked out across the light green waters of the lagoon. He turned back towards the jungle and he saw an anomaly in the tree line. He began walking towards the trees when he realized a pathway opened up amidst all the dense foliage and trees. He reached around to his back waistband and checked for his gun, feeling it there gave him a sense of security as he approached the path.

He stood looking down at the pathway: mostly overgrown with grasses the path had not seen traffic in some time. He guessed that it led into the center of Halo’s Island.