Announcements: Cutting Costs (2024) » January 2024 Copyfraud Attack » Finding Universes to Join (and making yours more visible!) » Guide To Universes On RPG » Member Shoutout Thread » Starter Locations & Prompts for Newcomers » RPG Chat — the official app » Frequently Asked Questions » Suggestions & Requests: THE MASTER THREAD »

Latest Discussions: Adapa Adapa's for adapa » To the Rich Men North of Richmond » Shake Senora » Good Morning RPG! » Ramblings of a Madman: American History Unkempt » Site Revitalization » Map Making Resources » Lost Poetry » Wishes » Ring of Invisibility » Seeking Roleplayer for Rumple/Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time » Some political parody for these trying times » What dinosaur are you? » So, I have an Etsy » Train Poetry I » Joker » D&D Alignment Chart: How To Get A Theorem Named After You » Dungeon23 : Creative Challenge » Returning User - Is it dead? » Twelve Days of Christmas »

Players Wanted: Serious Anime Crossover Roleplay (semi-literate) » Looking for a long term partner! » JoJo or Mha roleplay » Seeking long-term rp partners for MxM » [MxF] Ruining Beauty / Beauty x Bastard » Minecraft Rp Help Wanted » CALL FOR WITNESSES: The Public v Zosimos » Social Immortal: A Vampire Only Soiree [The Multiverse] » XENOMORPH EDM TOUR Feat. Synthe Gridd: Get Your Tickets! » Aishna: Tower of Desire » Looking for fellow RPGers/Characters » looking for a RP partner (ABO/BL) » Looking for a long term roleplay partner » Explore the World of Boruto with Our Roleplaying Group on FB » More Jedi, Sith, and Imperials needed! » Role-player's Wanted » OSR Armchair Warrior looking for Kin » Friday the 13th Fun, Anyone? » Writers Wanted! » Long term partner to play an older male wanted »

0
followers
follow

Owen Thompkins

"My family is the only thing I have."

0 · 1,956 views · located in The Wild West

a character in “A Handful of Dust Remake”, as played by supertoastgirl

Description

Image
Image







Image
Image

Name: Owen Redford Thompkins
Role: Male 4
Age: Twenty-six
Occupation: Has been a scavenger all his life

Likes:
- Ginny, his wife and the love of his life
- His brother in-law, he likes him enough anyway
- The wilderness, he’s made a good life for himself out there
- Water, he could swim for hours
- The sound of coyotes howling in the distance, makes him very nostalgic
- Cars, although rare he has a knack for those things
- Cold nights, he loves to hold his dear close to him
- Fist fights, though he's smart enough to know when they're necessary
- Agriculture, he is also very good with growing things, especially in this desert terrain

Dislikes:
- People who are afraid of those who have lived in the wilderness, they’re always so narrowed minded
- Dust, he actually isn’t too keen on the idea of living in a town run by just a couple of people, there’s too much corruption and betrayal
- Horses, he will ride them and use them as a tool but when he was young he got bucked more than a few times
- Worrying, he tries to stay easy and calm at all times
- Disorder and chaos, Jack most always has everything under his cool control
- Causing any kind of harm, Jack is strong and demanding but tries not to be violent and spiteful


Fears: Owen wants nothing more than to provide for his wife and his future child(dren). There is a low burning ache whenever he feels he's not living up to the promise that he made his wife when they got married. All he wants to do is protect her and their kid. However cool and collected he may seem in town, he is constantly pulling his hair out. He fears the life of not only his wife, but his future child. Along with that, he doesn't believe that he's ready to be a daddy. If he can't take care of himself and his wife, how is he supposed to raise a child?

Dreams: It's a little too obvious what Owen wants in life. He wants to be settled down in the wilderness, raising an armful of children and providing for his family. Ideally, he dreams of building the perfect little home for them not too far from water, and not too far from a friendly town than Dust. That way he would be able to just live the pleasant life of being a farmer.



Image
Image

Personality: Owen is his own man. He grew up on his own, learned how to survive on his own, and struggled alone. It wasn't even until he was married that he was a team player. He bounced around from one group of travelers to another until he settled on his own in a deserted hunting cabin. His strength and controlling persona are quiet, but his opinions and willingness to negotiate are loud. He rarely yells, and tries to coolly deal with any problem. Though most would dub him as a bit more reserved than most, he is confident and walks with purpose. Owen leads with ease and always in trying his hardest. He's realistic, but his good heart makes him seem like an optimist.
He is passionate, and careful, but he isn't afraid to kill for good.

Background: Owen isn't quite sure where he came from, or who his parents were. The first thing he remembers in his life is finding food by himself when he was just seven years old. Everything before that was hazy. Thankfully, he was a remarkably smart child and has a good sense of survival. Since then, he wandered through the desert, dropping in and living with small tribes and other towns for a few years at a time. He liked living with other people well enough, but he never felt respected as the outsider. He always did his fair share of work and helped out any one in need when he lived in town. People liked him enough, but of course there were always those who didn't trust him just because he was from the outside.

Eventually, after going from at least three towns and six tribes, Owen decided to go his own way. He knew the desert well enough and could provide for himself. It was then, when he was struggling just as much as everyone else that he met Ginny. She was smart and fiery and beautiful and Owen just couldn't walk away. Not too soon after meeting her or the first time, her father let Owen marry her. All the beautiful words in the world couldn't help Owen describe the love that he felt for Ginny. She made him a better man and kept him on his toes. In the beginning of their marriage they traveled often, trying to find a safe home with her brother Robin. Before they knew it, they had been married for eight years. Though they never spoke about it, Owen after wondered if Ginny was barren, considering they had trouble conceiving. Or whenever they had conceived Ginny would loose the baby in one way or another.

Owen was more than pleased that they were expecting a baby now. However inconvenient the pregnancy was. In all honesty, Owen was just glad that they were able to have children. Now, they have other troubles to deal with, but Owen was trying to look on the bright side of life.

So begins...

Owen Thompkins's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Juniper Jacobs Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Pamela Clay Character Portrait: Dana Clay
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
'For the love of god, it's hot.' Evanne Remmington thought to herself, wiping her forehead on the back of her sleeve. She couldn't wait for the temperature to drop, even if it was only a few degrees. She dabbed a cool rag on a man's forehead. He must have been miserable with a fever and the shakes. She couldn't do much to cool him off. All she could do was keep switching out his towels for cool ones. She had given him enough medicine to help the fever subside but it wasn't working. It looks like the leader Clay wasn't the only person they would loose soon. She got up, walking over to Mrs. Milton and explaining what she needed to do for the time being. She told her as delicately as she could that she didn't think Mr. Milton would be alive much longer. She promised she'd send Risalda over as soon as she was free.

The blonde stayed by the woman's side for a long time, comforting her and doing all that she could for her. But in the end she had to leave. It was nearing the time she needed to pick up Evelyn from daycare. On the days she didn't have her daughter with her, she felt like a piece of her was missing. Every fiber of her being demanded that she had to be there twenty four seven to protect her from anything and everything.

Packing her things, Evanne made her way outside into the blistering heat. She almost went back inside for the shade but she kept walking. Unlike her, she was the only one out there. She shouldered her bag and pulled her hair into a messy bun that she tied with a red ribbon. She wore a button down shirt that she had tucked into her shirt. Under it, she had a tank top that was mostly soaked to the bone with sweat. She wore a pair of jeans with a few rips in them. She also wore her favorite brown leather boots. They came up to her shins and laced all the way up.

Out of no where Evanne heard Pamela shout. She jumped, spinning around to see them. She walked towards them, covering her eyes so she could look up at the roof. She smirked when she saw Juniper and Chip. "Hey guys, getting into trouble again?" She asked. She smiled at Pamela and Dana. "Hey guys, don't be too hard on them Pam. Boys we'll be boys." She told him. She bit her lip, looking away towards Juni so she wouldn't get caught laughing. Oh yes, she knew Juni had also shot at her but that didn't mean she couldn't get in trouble too.

"I have an idea. How about I punish them but making them help me out?" She offered. She tucked a blonde curl that had escape behind her ear. "I need to go pick up Evelyn and go to the grocery to get some stuff for me and I was gonna get a few things for the newcomers." She said, shrugging as if to say she was just being charitable.

Evanne knew all too well that Pamela was against letting the newcomers stay. It made her angry that she could be so close minded about this. These people needed their help. Wasn't that how Dust was founded? Outsiders came together and made a safe place to raise a family. Now there was a family out there that needed their help. How could they deny them?




Image
This was not a good day for Virginia Tompkins. She knew her baby would be coming any day now. She was trying not to worry her brother or her husband but they had eyes on her like hawks. She leaned back a little as she waddled around, her hands on her back. She definitely looked like the poster child for any woman thinking she wanted to have a baby.

She only stopped in her pacing to gulp down some water. It didn't help her cool down at all but at least she was staying hydrated. That was one thing Evanne had stressed to her. She began to pace once more. She could feel the pressure of the Braxton Hicks hitting her again. She tried not to show on her face. Her body was ready to give birth to this baby whether she wanted to or not.

She heard the squeal, jumping at the sound. She turned and could just make out one of the meaner girls in town with what she thought was her sister yelling at someone. She had to squint at where she was looking but then she saw Juniper up there. She shook her head, snorting. Of course, Juni was causing some sort of ruckus. Leave it to that girl to liven things up and this heat.

Slowly, she made her way over to a chair and eased herself down. Sure, moving helped with the pain and the labor but her ankles were basically double the size they usually were. Her feet and ankles were sore. She sighed, closing her eyes. She adjusted the hat that covered her head to give herself more shade.

The only thing that really fit her at the moment was a large sundress that she had to adjust the top so it actually covered her chest. Beads of sweat covered her skin. She would love to soak in a cool whirlpool somewhere but that wasn't going to happen. They would be lucky to even have a portion of the town vote for them to stay. Would they let them? They seemed like a community that was all about doing right by kids. Did that give them the sympathy vote? She worried that even if they allowed Owen, herself, and the baby, they wouldn't allow her brother to stay.

Could she stay if her brother couldn't? She didn't think so. Maybe if she could get Juni and her brother back together the town would vote to keep them as well. It wasn't like they could deny love... right?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Owen's dark tired eyes had been open all night. With the pressure of first trying to fit in and be accepted into this town Dust, and second the idea of being a father, Owen wasn't getting much sleep these days. In fact, most nights he walked around in the chill of dark thinking of the best way to solve his current issues. He of course was careful, avoiding the houses he knew weren't too fond of him in the first place, and not venturing too far into the wilderness either. After all, there were coyotes and all sorts of night crawlers that could easily take Owen's life.

Last night Owen had mostly just sat outside of the little shake that the people of Dust offered them. He liked to feel the complete solitude of the darkness consume him, he felt that he could think best in that environment. Lying next to his slumbering wife while trying to think such deep thoughts was taxing. It of course wasn't his wife herself, but it was watching her sleep in such peace and knowing that he won't be able to give her that amount of safety while she was awake that made him a tired man. Owen loved Ginny. He loved her more than anyone he had ever had the chance to love before. And he was trying, and maybe trying too hard, to make everything okay.

Owen had been catching a cat nap inside the shack before the usual hum of people around turned into a little bit of ruckus. He had been sleeping lightly and just the slightest bit of tension woke him these days. Perhaps he was just waiting for the night when the Dust people came to their shack with torches and pitchforks to throw them out. His left eye opened first, looking around, then his right eye. The singular door was open and he saw his brother in-law and his wife out on the porch. Owen could tell already from the lame excuse that Robin made to come inside meant that whatever was happening outside had to do with Juniper. Rob wasn't one for running away from a situation, but Owen had never seen anyone make the boy walk the other way as fast as Juni did. Of course, it hadn't always been like, and Owen had always joked with Robin that he had been lucky to escape what could have been marriage. But since coming to Dust, he stopped talking about that all together.

Owen got up quickly, sent a simple nod to Rob before reaching into a bucket of water that sat close to the bed with a handful of rags in it. He had retrieved the thing the other day to help keep Ginny cool. He wrung one of the red rags quickly and tossed it toward his brother in-law. "Catch." He said swiftly before the rag reached Rob. Owen didn't care too much to see if Robin caught the thing, he just picked up another rag and went out to his wife. She had a certain glow when she as carrying, and perhaps the sun made her seen even more radiant than usual as well. "What's happening out here?" He asked casual before kissing his love. He sat down beside her as he noticed her swollen feet and ankles. Almost absentmindedly he began to grab her feet and let the water from the rag dribble over her tired toes.

At some point he would have to leave his wife and go into the town and work. Though he was not welcome by most in the town, a few of the older folks appreciated the help he had to offer during such a busy time in the season. After all, he was nice, hard working, and when he needed to be he could be quite charming. Owen not only worked to support his family at this time, but he also worked for the vote.

He looked out at the situation and soon noticed a character he knew well. Juniper. Owen back at Robin he joked, "Why don't you go out there and show them that Juni can't harm nobody?" Yes, his joke was a little cold, but he figured it wouldn't do too much harm to Robin.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image



Ginny smiled at her brother. No, she couldn't stay there without him. She hoped he knew that. Did he know how much she loved him? He was the only one left that she had known all- well, most- of her life. She couldn't lose him. Her child needed her uncle around whether Robin knew that or not. "Oh, you know Juni. She has to make a ruckus out of a quiet day." She told him with a smile.

Her face face fell when she saw his. Rob loved her, she knew it. Why couldn't he just admit it already? Wasn't that the real reason Juni didn't stay with them? She was more than welcomed to and Juni knew it. She nodded, not commenting on his sudden change in attitude. "Yeah. I hung some out to dry after I washed them last night."

Ginny perked up when she saw her husband finally crawling out of bed. "Hey, sleepy head. How did you sleep?" She asked, watching him toss a rag to, more like at, her brother. She smirked at that. Owen would be sad if Rob couldn't stay. They were two peas in a pod. It sometimes annoyed her how they were so much alike and even best friends. Sometimes when she and Owen had a fight, Robin would even take his side. So much for family sticking together. Yes, Owen was her husband and family, but sometimes it was nice to have someone on her side for once.

The dark haired woman smiled at her husband, leaning up to meet his lips in a kiss. "From what I can tell, Juniper played some sort of trick on that bitchy woman in town. You know the one; dark hair, tan, looks mad all the time?" She told Owen. She reached out and stroked his hair as he tended to her swollen feet and ankles.

She sighed as the water trickled over her feet. "That feels amazing." She told him, relaxing into the chair more. She continued to play with his hair. She tugged on his hair when he teased her brother. Pursing her lips, she gave him a look that clearly told him to leave him alone.

"How soon do you have to leave to go work?" She asked him. She hated basically being stuck in the shack all by herself when the boys went off to work. She couldn't do much but even mending clothes wasn't something anyone in town was most likely going to come to her for.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image

Entry:

I've been able to make enough improvements
on an abandoned shack not too far from the town
proper to make it livable enough. I had Owen help
fashion three bed frames. We don't have any
mattresses—not that we could ever afford that
luxury—so the sleeping bags we brought should
do. Will have to remember to make one for Ginny
if we can get the vote. Hopefully that's soon.

This is the sort of town that would readily support
families, if the numerous children are anything to go
by, but it's clear that part of the town perceive me as
a threat. Some uppity dark-haired miss has an eagle
eye on us.

I spotted Juniper at the daycare. Little ones suit her.
Thank Owen for providing that split-second distraction. He quickly grabbed the rag, running it over his face and hair before slinging it over his shoulder.

"Thanks," he grumbled in response, "and no thanks for that, dick. I know what you're trying to get at."

Of course he was going to tease him about Juniper. That one person he hoped he didn't have to meet again. He detested himself for feeling this weak just seeing her there. She was the stuff of nightmares—or his, rather—and the possibility of staying in the same town as her, even if she lived near the outskirts of it, only made this whole emotional conundrum worse. His only consolation was the fact that his sister was taking his side and tugging at her husband's hair as punishment. Far better than picking a completely unnecessary fight with him that could end up getting them out of town before his nephew or niece's birth. He was determined not to do anything stupid this time around.

Rob shrugged. "Dunno. I was just about to head to Mech Hall before that happened. You know what, I'll stay. Take care of you, too. Let this asshole toil in the fields for the day." He shot a withering look at Owen, then turned back to his sister. "I have to fix that fucking rainwater filtration system I was making. You know, to be useful to this goddamn town." He was sure he spat out those last sentences but he was far too offended and angry to care. He stormed back into the house, slamming the back door behind him, and rummaged through the crates in the back to find a bit of the moonshine he had brought with him. He took a gulp, savoured the painful burn, and promptly hid the bottle before getting back to work.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Owen wasn't ready for the spit fire that Robin had. Maybe Owen had stepped over the line, but he figured by this time Robin would at least have a handle of his emotions. Owen was obviously wrong. The dark hair man made a noise when his wife tugged warningly on his locks. Though it hadn't hurt like many of the injuries he had acquired over the years, it was still enough to make him squirm. Regardless though, he finished up running Ginny's feet, shrugging at the situation. If his brother in-law needed to brood about his lose and stay with Ginny then that was fine. Owen was perfectly capable of going out and working in the fields.

Regretful, Owen looked at his wife and said "I need to work soon, if not now." He then made the decision to get going. After all, he had already woken up really late. That meant that people were either going to wait for the heat of the day to pass before continuing or they weren't going to need anymore help. His eyes looked up and down his lovely wife as he stood up, laying the rag on her shoulder. Yes, it was dirty, but there weren't many options now-a-days. "I should go." He ran a hand down her radiant face before laying a kiss on her lips. "Don't get into too much trouble." He joked, then he thought of Robin and spoke seriously, "Keep an eye on him." Owen knew that Robin was having a hard time with this, and knew that he should try and support his brother in-law rather than make things worse.

Owen left, making his way around the town, trying to find a place to start working. Unfortunately, people were not about getting late help. At least not any late help from an outsider. By the time he had gone for four other houses he made his way toward the town run facilities. Maybe some one could use his help there. He looked to the library then shook his head, then looked to the Mech Hall, he could definitely find some work to do there. But something about the Medical Hut caught his attention. Walking briskly he entered the large tent. He wondered why the town had never build an actual building for the medical work, but figured there was a story to go along with it. He looked around for a moment, not many people were there. Not knowing any kind of doctors office etiquette he began walking around trying to find someone. As he walked he looked for Rislanda or Evanne he noticed the abundance of medical supplies. Silently he wondered how they kept such a mass of supplies when Dust was obviously a self sufficient town. He didn't let that bother him though. Soon he found Risalda with a patient. A little embarrassed he stayed just outside of the flap of a wall that separated them from him. Maybe she needed help.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Juniper Jacobs Character Portrait: Noah Ripley Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Pamela Clay
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Evanne was still snickering when she heard a very familiar voice. It was one that made her want to scream and run but also stay and talk with him. Things had been awkward between them since she had arrived back in town. They hadn't completely discussed all the reasons she left or came back.

"I could go with you as well, Evanne. I need to speak with the newcomers anyway. And Juniper and Chip might require some extra supervision."

'With Evelyn? Come with us to get Evelyn and then go to the newcomers with food for them?' The only problem was Evanne couldn't find anything wrong with this. In fact, having an extra pair of hands wouldn't be so bad. She smiled at him and nodded. "Sure thing. I'm sure they'd love to have you over." She told him, looking away from him as soon as Juni came into sight. She was a welcomed sight

Evanne smiled at her friend. She could always count on her to be by her side when she needed her. And then Chip ran off after a bit of teasing from Juni. "Bye Chip!" She called after him, waving.

She couldn't help but look at Pamela then at Juniper when their staring match started. She frowned, confused. She had never heard what happened between them. She would definitely need to get that out of Juniper at some point. It wasn't right that she knew all of Evanne's secrets and she knew none of Juni's. She looked at Noah and nodded her head at the two as if to ask him what was with them. If she couldn't get it out of Juniper, she'd get it out of Noah. She could tell it was more than their usual bickering that they had been doing since childhood.

Evanne couldn't help but roll her eyes, crossing her arms. Sometimes, well most of the time, she just wanted to go right up to Pam and smack her. She didn't care who she was, no one treated her like that. "Did you ever think he might not want to talk to you, Pam?" She called after her. Sure, she didn't really want Noah to come but she was not going to sit there and be push around by that pampered ass.

Evanne grew up with Pam and couldn't stand her. Their families often had dinners together. "You don't have any servants here. Don't ever talk to me like you're above me." She warned Pam as she walked to the daycare in the direction Dana had run off in. As she passed Pam, she bumped into her with her shoulder and continued walking. "Noah, if you don't find us at the store just meet us at their shack." She said to Noah and even offered him a smile.

"Why the hell does she think she's so much better us? You know if she had to go survive outside these walls, she wouldn't even make it one day." Evanne told Juni, trying to calm herself down. She didn't know why Pamela always riled her up so much. Dana was so sweet and so likeable. Apparently Pamela had been hit with the unpleasant stick when she was born, more than a few times.

She saw a crowd forming around the Mech Hall but she kept walking. When she stepped up to the little house that the day care was in. She walked up to the door. It was a split door and the top part was opened in so they could get some light in there. Evelyn always seemed to know when her mother would be there for her because there she was, reaching up for her. She started grinning and babbling the moment she saw her mom.

Evanne couldn't help but smile at that. She opened the door, scooping her up. "Hi baby!" She held her at her side and user her hip to keep her up. She grabbed the baby bag that held Evelyn's things and added it to her shoulder with her medical bad. "Thanks, Helen! We'll see you later!" She told her, waving at her and left. She turned back to Juni as she shut the door. "Ready to get some supplies?" She asked.

Image
Ginny sighed. Of course, Owen was going to have to go soon. She felt like she never got to see him anymore. She rubbed her huge stomach. Was he avoiding her? She often awoke to find herself alone in bed. Had he found someone in town that he'd rather spend his time with? These and more questions raced through her head. She knew he loved her, she could see that clearly in his eyes. He always saved one look for her, even the first day they met each other. She always knew it would be him. They didn't even wait that long before they were married.

"Dunno. I was just about to head to Mech Hall before that happened. You know what, I'll stay. Take care of you, too. Let this asshole toil in the fields for the day. I have to fix that fucking rainwater filtration system I was making. You know, to be useful to this goddamn town." Robin said.

Ginny looked at her brother. She jumped a little as he slammed the back door. She sighed, moving the rag to her neck. "You went to far that time." She warned her husband.

"I should go. Don't get into too much trouble. Keep an eye on him." Owen said.

She gave him a weak smile and nodded. "I will.. you don't get in trouble either." She told him. She leaned up and kissed him back. Sighing once more as he walked away, she pushed herself off the rocking chair. "I love you, Owen!" She called after him.

Heading back inside, Ginny shut the door behind her. At least without so much sun pouring in they didn't have to worry about it being as hot in there. She dipped the rag into the water again and wrung it out a little before putting it back on her neck. She waddled out the back door, leaving the door open.

"Owen wasn't trying to be mean." Ginny told her brother who was already hard at work.

She found a log and eased herself down on it. "Can I help with anything? I hate not doing anything... That's all I do now. I'm just waiting for this baby to get here." She sighed, rubbing her belly. She bit her lip for a moment. She had to tell someone how nervous she was.

"Promise me something." Ginny told her brother. "Swear to me that if anything happens to me, you won't leave Owen alone here with the baby? The baby needs his uncle... even if I am around. I want you to stay with us... If you can't stay... we won't stay either.

She opened her mouth to continue but she heard the knocking at the front door. Sighing, she stood up again. She probably shouldn't be moving around so much but Robin looked a little held up at the moment. She went through the house and opened the door, smiling at the girl she had seen before but didn't exactly know her name. "Hello, Dana. I'm Ginny Thompkins. I'm sure my brother would love some help." She moved out of the way to let her in then shut the door behind her. She lead her out back. "Robin, this is Dana Clay. She's here to help you with the filter. She looks very handy." She smirked at her brother. She knew he prefered to do things by his self. It would be interesting to see how he worked with this girl.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

ImageImageImage
Image



Risalda nearly had a heart attack as she heard the man shuffle in.

"That's all. I hope you feel better." The elderly woman nodded as she left.

"May I help you?" Risalda peeked her head around the corner. She wasn't sure of his name, but it was the husband of that heavily pregnant woman. "Is your wife alright? I expect that baby should already be here, shouldn't it?" She chuckled softly.

She paused for only a second as she remembered life with... a fiance, almost husband. God, it was so nice.

Risalda walked over to the counter, investigating the pills again. She'd never bore of that.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Startling the doctor wasn't what he had intended, but it was what he had achieved. And while she was still assisting an elderly lady. Feeling like a fool he shot a hand down his brunette locks, ruffling his hair. Maybe he should have just stayed put in the front area. Risalda would have known he was there eventually, right? However, it wasn't like he needed immediate care, he was just sillily looking for a place to help out. At this point Owen wasn't even looking for food or hospitality, he really just wanted to get his mind off of the pressing matters. Do something more with his life than try to convince others that this life of his was even worth living.

After the woman who was being treated left Owen smiled at the pretty young doctor. He hadn't ever met a doctor, but he knew the amount of work that they put into their career and remembered that they needed to memorize everything about the human body. Just the very thought of someone being successful in the medical field impressed him. That wasn't an easy job to have, especially in these days.

"I'm sorry I startled you." Owen said first. He didn't really have a real reason for being at the medical hut so he avoided the question of whether to not she needed help and went on with the small talk. "My wife is doing just fine..." He thought of her swollen ankles, her aching back, the sweat droplets that dripped down her face, even the sundress that she smuggled to fit into. In all respects his wife wasn't doing fine, and most everyone knew it. She was constantly in pain and would soon be in even more, if she didn't die first. Owen let out a soft sigh. They shouldn't have even tried for a baby in the first place. From the previous pregnancies they knew that it would be hard to come to term, but of course he had to have a kid. Now, with so little time until the vote, he felt like he was going to loose both the love of his life and his unborn child.

Owen was silent for a long moment, thinking all of this over, before speaking again. "Oh, anyway, I was wondering if there's anything I can do for you here?" Owen shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't sure what he'd be able to do. "Maybe I can organize something or fix something?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Noah Ripley
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

ImageImageImage
Image



"I'm sorry I startled you."

"Nonsense.. just a little jumpy nowadays. I'm sure it's not the best habit for a doctor.. but.. no one's perfect, right?" She smiled charmingly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her arms crossed, leaning against the counter, she listened to him.

"My wife is doing just fine..."

"I'm sure you both are excited." She said simply. She didn't want to push it as they were the Newcomers, or whatever the town called them. Nevertheless they had her vote.

"Oh, anyway, I was wondering if there's anything I can do for you here? Maybe I can organize something or fix something?"

Risalda rubbed her arm, and looked around the tiny hut she'd rather call a building, but whatever. "Something to do...I'm sure I can find something." She smiled a nice smile, almost motherly in a sense.

God, she wanted Noah back so bad... she needed him. She thirst for his muscular form hugging her tight. His deep eyes.. god, why'd she screw up her life like that? She hated it. She hated her.. Risalda was on the brink of insanity.

"Hmm.. well.. for starters, you can come with me to the building where I get supplies, and help me bring back some boxes. I need some more needles and medication for some townsfolk." She looked up at Owen, and smiled.

"Follow me." Risalda still had her doctor's coat on, to establish her authority, as if the town didn't know their only doctor.

Hell, if it wasn't for her, there'd be half the town you see before you.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Owen nodded awkwardly at the small talk they were making. Owen loved talking to people and getting to know them, but he hated small talk. He like a genuine conversation that could go somewhere... But it seemed like they were part of two separate worlds that weren't meant to be mixed. Owen understood that to a point. He was from the outside, a scrapper and a criminal to these kind of people. Doctor Enudo was a classy woman who was single handedly keeping a lot of these townsfolk from falling apart at the seams.

When Risalda said that he could help out Owen clapped his hands together. "Great." He exclaimed, happy to be doing something worth while. Owen stood up straight, ready to get some work done.

He followed her, thinking that they were going to go to some kind of cellar or warehouse. Again, a thought of how many supplies they had went through his head. And the second thoughts followed shortly after. How did the town that refused to cooperated with new people have such an abundance of outsider material. Owen was suspicious... But he didn't dare ask questions, yet.

Once they had reached the building he put his hands on his hips and said, "Okay, which boxes?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

ImageImageImage
Image


After Risalda had taken them to the building, she looked around. "Um.. I need green labels and white labels." She scratched her head, finding a few small green labeled boxes and picking them up. "Just.. Just get those two big ones in front of you, and we should be good." She smiled, then started walking back with him.

After they set the boxes down in the hut, Risalda had her hands on her hips. "Now.. You up for some organization?" She chuckled, opening one of the boxes with a knife. "All these needles go.. Here." She walked to a cabinet. "Then, I'll deal with medicines."

"Just make sure to stack them in somewhat neat stacks. They should all be the same. Those are the ones for IV's and shots.." She trailed off as she opened a big box full of pill bottles.

"After you do those, open the other boxes, the green ones. I'll tell you where everything goes."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Owen kept quiet while the doctor gave instructions. He had only lived in a couple of towns with a doctor or nurse and had very little knowledge of the medicine world. So little in fact that he was having trouble trying to remember what an IV was. As for shots, he had only had one in his life, and never planned on getting another one ever again. Having a needle stuck into him was on the higher end of his 'Never Again' list. Instead of responding verbally he just nodded his head with understanding and started to organize.

A couple of minutes had passed before he simply could not stand the idea of being so coldly professional with this woman. Owen liked to serve people, not just work for them. "So," He started, trying to think of some kind of subject that she would hook on to. "How did you become a doctor anyhow?"

Owen really didn't want to talk about her self righteous journey of becoming a healer, but he figured at this rate that was all she cared about. Maybe she had a family or even a child herself, but perhaps that would come up a little later in conversation. Owen wasn't just going to stand there doing busy work in silence with a woman he barely knew. While trying to be friendly his hands worked fast and accurately. He was good at little organizational jobs like this.

Half heartedly he looked over to Risalda and smiled at her. It would be a smart thing to get on the good side of the doctor, especially with that kid on the way. Owen also figured that she probably held some kind of influence in the town, being the only of her kind, and that her vote was an important one.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

ImageImageImage
Image



Risalda was becoming lost in her thoughts, as she usually did so easily nowadays. Thoughts about Noah, her past, the future she could of had... when she was brought back to Earth.

"How did you become a doctor anyhow?" Owen asked, rather sincerely. He gave her a nice smile, and she smiled back.

"Ah.. the most common question a doctor is asked." She chuckled lightly, before going back to her busywork. "Well, if I'm being honest, a guy kinda talked me into it after he saw how good I was at being one."

She sighed, thinking about Noah and that day. He'd finally seen just how good she was at being a doctor, not even going through proper medical school training yet. She knew exactly what medication was used for what, all the bones and muscles in the body, everything that should be common knowledge.

"And after being pushed to go, I just went, and.. here we are unpacking medical supplies." Risalda ran a hand through her hair, and picked up another pill bottle, spilling it's contents onto the little silver tray in front of her. Then, she put exactly 10 pills in each of the little baggies, which there were millions of.

"You don't think there are that many people in town, until you start sorting out medical things. " Risalda laughed a little as she worked.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Owen worked quietly as he listened to her brief story. He wondered who the man was that saw the talent in Dr. Enudo. Maybe it had been her father. The way that she talked about it was vague and a little off putting. Her eyes grew weary when she spoke about it. Perhaps it was the doctor before who had passed. Owen knew what it felt like to lose a mentor, it was like losing a friend and a father all in one blow. He thought maybe that's who she was referring to.

He could feel the uneasiness around him and decided to keep that question for another day. Though he admired her smarts and willingness to help people, he wasn't sure about her. Risalda seemed tired and broken in some obscure way. Owen was generally pretty good at reading people, but this was a whole different kind of monster. His eyes watched her fingers toss little pills into baggies.

"Where does all of this stuff come from anyway?" He asked without even really thinking about it. He stood with his mouth open for a moment, in disbelief that he had actually asked that. Owen wished hadn't. Usually when there was something a little bit strange about a town they're sore about the subject. He may have just messed up his chances with the woman he hoped would help deliver his child. Owen turned to look at her with a deer in the head lights kind of look. He was nervous that she won't respond well to this. Sometimes Owen was a little too curious for his own good.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Juniper Jacobs Character Portrait: Noah Ripley Character Portrait: Rob Braddock
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Evanne remained quiet standing near the door separating the kitchen area from the small bedroom. She watched the exchange between Rob and Juniper just like the others. She didn’t exactly know what their history was but even when she came across them in the wilderness, there was definitely something going on.

Her cheeks turned bright red when she say Noah enter the shack. He didn’t notice her in the dark corner. When his eyes didn’t immediately find hers, her heart sunk a little. She frowned when Robin introduced Noah. She heard Ginny chuckle from the bed. She guessed it must be some sort of inside joke. She stepped forward as Noah shook hands with Ginny. She watched their exchanged. She couldn’t help but wonder if it would be better if she and Noah didn’t now each other. What if they had a fresh start? Sure, it wasn’t possible but sometimes she thought it would be better that way
 almost. She decided to make her presence known.

"Hey, so I guess you managed to pry yourself away from Pam?" She smirked at him. ”I hope I didn’t get you into any trouble with her. Her tone was playful, almost as if she didn’t mind causing him a little bit of trouble every now and again.

Evelyn clapped and cheered, making her mother laugh. She reached out for Noah to take her. "No, no, baby, Noah can't hold you." She told her. She tickled her daughter’s sides causing the most adorable giggles from Evelyn. She squirmed. The sounds of laughter were short lived as a screamed pierced the dry air.

Evanne immediately jumped into action, passing Evelyn off to Noah who was now closest to her. She moved around Robin and Dana to kneel beside Ginny who was grimacing in pain. ”Breathe Ginny.” She told her friend in a calm voice.

The one thing Evanne could always be credited with was being calm in the most extreme circumstances. The only time she broke was when she was in labor. She took Ginny’s hand, helping her sit up. The blankets and mattress was wet from Ginny’s water breaking. ”You and your baby are gonna be just fine. We’ll get you to Dr. Enudo.”

Image
Evanne was finally back, just in time to grab her daughter before the knock on the door. Noah was someone she had never seen before. She smiled at him. "Hello, Mr. Ripley. It's great to finally meet you. Feel free to call me Ginny." She held out her hand so he could shake it.

She glared at her brother’s joke. ”Ha. Ha. Very funny.” She grabbed Owen’s pillow and threw it at her brother with as much force as she could manage. That was a mistake. She didn’t exactly know what happened next but she knew something was wrong.

She felt wet. Did her water just break? No, no it couldn’t have. They needed to wait until the vote. The baby could wait until then. She didn’t hear the exchanges around her after that. She knew something was wrong.

Then the worst pain imaginable ripped through her body. She heard the scream just like everyone else but she didn’t realize it came from herself until she saw everyone looking at her. And then Evanne was by her side. Ginny didn’t want to move but she let her sit her up. She didn’t hear her words. The only thing was pain. So much pain.

”Something’s wrong
 I can tell.” She cried out, staring into Evanne’s eyes.

Evanne shook her head. ”No, everything is just fine, I promise. It’s just labor. You can do it. Now let’s get you up and walking. It’ll help it go faster.”

Ginny couldn’t say no to that. She let Evanne pull her too her feet even though it hurt so much. Her mother had told her about how long labor could take. If moving around made it go by faster, she’d do whatever to make it not last as long. Soon she would be staring at their child. The only thing that matter was the child.

"I need Owen."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Noah Ripley Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Dana Clay
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK



Image


Evanne’s eyes met Noah’s as she helped Ginny stand. Noah. Noah take Evelyn away. Well, not away just ahead of them to the hospital. She hesitated. The only time she let Evelyn out of her sight was when she had to work and she left her at the daycare. But now, with Noah? Then again if she could trust anyone with Evelyn’s safety it was him. He was her best friend after all. But still she couldn’t give the okay until she watched Evelyn rest her head on Noah’s shoulder while looking back at her mother. Her heart squeezed. She nodded. ”Okay. We’ll be right behind you.”

The blonde pushed the worries of her daughter out of her head and focused on Ginny. ”That’s right Ginny, just move at your own pace.” She encouraged her friend, grateful to see that Robin pulled himself out of his stupor to come and join her at Ginny’s other side. Ginny needed everyone now. ”We’ll find Owen, don’t worry.” She looked at Dana. ”Check and see if anyone saw him okay?” She didn’t know if the teen would listen to her but she kept moving, not looking back.

She never let go of Ginny as she and Robin ushered her to the Med Tent. They had to go right passed Juni and Aaron. She only met their gazes for a second. She knew Juni would eventually come to check on Ginny. There was not much she could do without medical treatment. ”We’re almost there. You’re doing great.” She soothed her.

As soon as they were in the tent, Evanne slipped away from them after making sure Rob had her. She pulled back a curtain to an empty bed. ”Ris!” She called, hoping her friend would appear. ”Let’s get her on the bed.” This was directed at Rob as she came back to them. She helped ease Ginny just as she cried out from another contraction. She moved out of Rob’s way so he could take her hand. She knew he wouldn’t leave her, at least not while Owen wasn’t there. She washed her hands and put on a pair gloves before moving back to her.

Her movements were precise. She covered Ginny with a blanket and took off her undergarment for her. She disgaurded them before helping Ginny’s feet into the stirrups. She had plenty to do before Ris showed up. She inspected Ginny. She was surprised to see how far along Ginny was without feeling the contractions sooner. ”You’re 10 centimeters dilated. The baby is well on his or her way.”


Image


Her legs felt so heavy as Evanne tried to urge Ginny to walk. She wouldn’t be able to make it. That’s when her brother slipped his arms around her as well. They took the weight off her painful feet and ankles. They made it easier for her to move but it was still a very slow process.

” Hey, Gin. Guess the kid didn't like me making fun of his momma and decided to give me the old what fer.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at her brother’s bad joke. Her laugh turned into a groan. She could barely hear what he said as he continued. ”As long as the child is a menace to you too.” She tried to joke back.

How long had she been walking? It felt like forever. Her head was spinning. They had to stop several times when she was overcome by painful contractions. Perhaps walking was helping the labor move on. She didn’t know. She couldn’t even feel the pain in her feet or ankles now that they made it to the tent. It was just the contractions that hurt. ”Where’s Owen?” Ginny whimpered as she was eased onto the cot. She cried out as another contraction ripped through her. Was this what it felt like to die? She squeezed her brother’s hand, unknowingly digging her nails into his skin.

It had been a long time since Ginny had been embarrassed by much these days. She didn’t fight when Evanne took off her underwear then examined her to see how far along she was. Sure, she wasn’t a nurse but Evanne had explained before how many centimeters she needed to be dilated before she could start pushing.

”What? But Owen’s not here yet. I can’t start pushing!”

”He’ll be here soon, don’t worry. He won’t miss the birth of your child.” Evanne tried to assure her but how could she be so sure?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

ImageImageImage
Image



Risalda nearly dropped her medications she was dishing out as the very pregnant woman was waddling in with Evanne and.. a man? Ginny, was it? That didn't quite matter at the moment. She pulled her hair into a quick ponytail, it turned out with no strays, which she silently applauded herself for.

"Dear Heavens, Ginny, you could've come a little sooner, huh? " She tried to lighten up the air, and nearly lost it as Evanne started checking out Ginny. That was her job. She was the fucking doctor, not that little blonde thing. "Excuse me, I need to do my job." She said hurriedly, pulling on a pair of gloves, and smiling at Ginny. "You're doing amazing, Ginny. Just breathe in and out, okay? I'm gonna check the baby. " She walked to the side of the bed they'd hoisted her up on, and put her stethoscope on Ginny's stomach, then feeling it. "That baby of yours sure is ready. " She muttered, and disappeared behind the curtain, the wheeling a little silver table with scissors, and a plastic wrap to cut the cord later. There was a little baby bed on the other side, as well as some other newborn machines.

"Alright Ginny, you gotta push, okay? I know Owen's not here right now, he'll be here any second. But you need to push, this baby needs to come out now." She said sternly, but trying not to cause Ginny to go into panic mode. Risalda could almost see the head, and knew that there was something wrong. She set up the leg holsters, and gave Ginny another pillow to lean on. "Ginny, on the count of three I want you to send this baby that much closer to flying out at me." She said quickly, rolling up her doctor's coat sleeves, her name I.D. shining on her pocket.

Ginny continued watching for the baby, rolling up closer in a little stool with wheels. "I want you to break your brother's and Evanne's hands, okay? Ready, 1... 2... 3!"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Noah Ripley Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


Owen supposed that the pretty young doctor didn't really want to talk to him, because instead of engaging a little more conversation she went to the other room to continue separating medications. The tired man sighed. At least he tried. Then again, he was being a bit too curious and bit too forward about all of the old medical supplies the town had acquired. That was none of his business. It was none of his business until he had been accepted into the town... Then he might start asking questions. Right now he didn't really care though. All of this old world stuff would hopefully save his wife and unborn child.

He finished his boxes quickly and went out back to get another load of supplies. When his feet hit the hot ground wafts of dusts swirled around him. The heat was becoming unbearable and he wondered if the rest of the farm hands had decided to call it a day. From experience in other towns, he knew that if the heat was too much everyone just went home and stayed inside to avoid any nasty sunburns or heat stroke.

Inside of the cellar that held the other supplies, Owen thought he heard commotion above on the street. Naturally he turned his head to hear, but everything was much too muffled for him to make out anything. He figured it was just a group of farmers going home or people out and about getting help from the Mech Hall. Owen stacked a couple of boxes on top of each other and went back. He looked around while on the street, seeing no Ginny on the porch. Owen frowned, perhaps she was taking a nap out of the sun.

Approaching the Med Hut Owen heard familiar voices, all frantically trying to instruct and calm. Oh God. Owen put down the boxes as he heard, "Ready, 1... 2... 3!" It was happening. Ginny was having their baby right now and he was missing it. Owen cursed himself as he watched Robin and Evanne hold Ginny's hands while she pushed. Owen ran a nervous hand through his hair while he did a slightly hysterical twirl around the room. "Oh God." He mumbled. Everything he had been stressing about, everything that kept him up at night was coming to a head right now. His wife, his Ginny, might die in just a few moments. But he couldn't loose it right now. He was supposed to be the strong one, and be the one in control. "Excuse me," he said to Evanne, pushing her out of the way. He needed to support his wife.

"I'm here, Ginny. I'm here."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Noah Ripley Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image


"Okay. We’ll be right behind you."

Noah didn't wait for another word or look from Evanne before he was out the door with Evelyn, headed straight for the medical hut. As he walked, he kept glancing at the child that had laid her head on his shoulder, which proved to be a mistake when he ran into a woman, nearly pitching himself to the ground.

"Oh, Noah!" Martha Remmington exclaimed, her hands on both of his arms, steadying him. "And Evelynn! What a nice surprise!" She seemed to be looking for someone else. "No Evanne?" she asked, not sounding terribly disappointed.

"Uh, no," Noah replied, "she's back with--"

"That's too bad," Mrs. Remmington interrupted. Her hands still held him in place, and her eyes suddenly widened as if she had been struck with a brilliant idea. "I know! Why don't you two come over to the store and talk for a while!"

"I can't." Noah's voice sounded tight, even in his own ears. "The newcomer's have her baby, and I have to--"

"Nonsense. We'll just get you something to bring to the new mother!" Mrs. Remmington wrapped both hands around the arm that wasn't holding Evelyn and pulled him along with her to the general store. Every time Noah opened his mouth, she silenced him with further enthused, pseudo-polite gushing about how lovely it was to see them and how ecstatic she was that they could come with her.

Before Noah saw a chance of escape, the general store's door had swung shut behind them and Mrs. Remmington was already digging around behind the counter. "I'm so glad you stopped by," she said.

I did not.

"I'm worried about Evelyn. It can't be easy for Evanne to be raising her alone, you know." More of that saccharine insincerity leaked into her voice, and Noah bristled.

"I think she's a great mother," he replied gruffly. Mrs. Remmington shot up and put her hand to her chest in mock offense.

"Oh, of course she is!" she drawled. "I just meant that parenting is no simple task with two people, much less with one!"

"If anyone can manage, it's Evanne." Evelyn squirmed playfully in Noah's arms, one tiny hand smacking him square in the nose. "We really have to go now, Mrs. Remmington. Very important business. Baby on the way."

Martha frowned, but she nodded "Okay," she conceded. "Just take these with you." She came around to him and handed him a burlap flour sack. A peek inside revealed jars of baby food and cans of formula.

"Thank you," he said. He turned and left, on his way to the medical hut.

"I'm here, Ginny. I'm here," came an unfamiliar voice from inside. Noah entered into the chaotic scene quietly with Evelyn and the burlap sack, trying to avoid drawing attention to himself and his lateness.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Risalda Enudo Character Portrait: Evanne Luna Remmington Character Portrait: Owen Thompkins Character Portrait: Noah Ripley Character Portrait: Rob Braddock Character Portrait: Ginny Thompkins
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image
Image

Entry:
coming up
































”Let’s get her on the bed.”

”You’re 10 centimeters dilated. The baby is well on his or her way.”

”What? But Owen’s not here yet. I can’t start pushing!”

”He’ll be here soon, don’t worry. He won’t miss the birth of your child.”

"I want you to break your brother's and Evanne's hands, okay? Ready, 1... 2... 3!"

The flurry of information coming all at once was overwhelming, and while he struggled to keep himself from being overwhelmed he fought to cope. He steeled himself by going through all the bloody memories to remind him that this was far less gruesome than anything else that he had ever seen out there. However, as soon as he convinced himself that imagining all that was a good idea he changed his mind. True, this looked like one of the many, many tortures he'd witnessed and even facilitated, but it was different watching a loved one go through the same thing. The feeling of having those tables turned felt like a kick to the gut. He most certainly didn't need all existential crises to come tumbling down on him. Not now.

"Christ," he bit, any further protest was cut off at the first hint of pressure around the bones of his hand. She had it in a vise. He clapped a hand over both their gripped ones, and while he normally would have wrenched his hand out of the way, or the other's off his, he let it stay. Who was he to refuse her comfort? "All right, Gin. Remember to breathe, yeah? You're gonna... Owen should be here any minute now."

"Excuse me."

"Well, about fucking time! Where have you—"

"I'm here, Ginny. I'm here."

"Never mind. Take her hand, she needs you too."

He glared at his brother-in-law intently, wary he would leave her again to go wherever the hell he thought was important, but that settled when Ginny let out a whimper of discomfort. He felt a lump grow in his throat and his chest twist with something he didn't bother identifying. He took to rubbing and patting her forearm, not necessarily in that order, to try and distract her. "Look, Gin, we're going to have to discuss that exercise plan for you when all this is over," he tried joking, and tried laughing as well, though it ended up sounding rather pitiful.

cron