Part 51: Two's Company

John wiped his sweat with his forearm as he walked away from the main tent. Kristy had just been attacked by a Sea Anemone and he thought was best to leave, allowing Tony and Marita the room to treat her. The archer was getting sick of the heat. He hoped it would rain again soon. It would also make things easier for their water collection bin they made the other day.

As he walked along the beach, he found himself at Natasha’s tent. The lovely brunette was lying against a reclined chair from the wreckage of the plane. She was reading a issue of Vanity Fair. John walked up to the entrance of the tent, just smiling at the buxom brunette. Once she noticed him, she smiled, placing down the magazine. ”Hey,” she cooed.

“Hey, yourself,” John smirked, “Is it a good issue?”

“Hard to say. This is the second time I am reading it.” Natasha smiled, taking off her sunglasses.

“Then we’ll have to find you something else to occupy your time,” John said, reaching up and gently pulling on the tarp above,” How is the shelter holding up?”

“Considering that you made it, just fine.” Natasha then leaned up and patted the other chair in front of her, “Come in. Get out of the sun.”

John couldn’t argue with that. He tilted his head and came into the encampment. Turning around, he sat down on the other chair from the wreckage. He pushed it back somewhat, testing it’s toughness. “How did you get these chairs?” John asked.

“Seth and Brendon were pulling them out of the wreckage. I asked them to bring some to me.” She smiled.

“Do you always get men to do your work for you?”

“Always,” she giggled, “But what can I say. . .I always reward them handsomely.”

“I’m sure you do,” John grinned.

“Well, Johnny,” she said, leaning back, “What’s on your agenda for today?”

“I don’t have anything planned. I was just going to stick around the beach today. How about you? You gonna try to find another magazine?”

She reached over to her right side, picked up a plastic tube and handed it to John. The archer examined it and smirked when he saw what it was. “Blonde dye?” he laughed.

“I am going to put streaks in my hair. It’s the IN thing, you know?”

“I’ll take your word for it.” He said, giving her back the tube.

“You wanna help me with it?” she asked coyly.

“I wouldn’t know what to do.” The archer confessed.

“It’s not that hard. But it might be in the end,” Natasha said, blinking her eyes twice.

John couldn’t help but be aroused at her. He wondered how many other men had fallen under her spell. He was dangerously close to falling as well but then something broke his concentration. Mia was in the distance of the beach, walking toward Tony’s encampment. What John noticed about her was that she had her back pack on and a bandana over her head, just like when they were hiking the other day. “What the hell is she up?” John whispered.

“What?” Natasha turned and saw Mia as well.

“I better go see what she is up to,” John said, starting to get up.

“No, John, stay. Mia already screamed yesterday how she can make her own decisions.”

“Yeah, but if she is gonna do what I think she is gonna do, I have to talk to her, “John then quickly leaned forward and kissed Natasha on the cheek, “I’ll talk to you later.”

John then got out of the tent and ran toward Mia. Natasha grunted, propping her head up with her hand on the chair. This was the second time Mia had taken John away from her. The brunette wondered if she was going to have to get drastic about this.


“Mia! Mia!” John called to her as he ran toward her.

The young Lakota woman turned and smiled. “Hey, John. What’s up?” she asked.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked.

“Yeah, I am hiking up the ridge toward the valley,” she said, “I want to check it out further.”

“We checked it yesterday. There is no need to go back up there.”

“I don’t want to just recheck the valley. I want to go past it.” Mia confessed.

“Why?” asked John.

“Because I need to see what is past it.”

“Wait. What do you mean that you need to see it?” John said, confused.

“It’s hard to explain. Someone has to find out what more is out there, right? I’m stepping up to the plate and doing it.”

“Okay. Then who is going with you?”

“Nobody. Just me.”

“Mia, you don’t strike me as a stupid person. There is no way in hell you are going up there by yourself. Not with the polar bears, boar, and hell, that Polliwog thing.”

“I’ll be fine, John. I promise.”

John paused for a second. He was both frustrated and respected her determination. “I can’t talk you out of this?” he asked.

“Not really,” she smiled.

“Then give me five minutes. I’ll grab my gear and go with you.”

“John, thank you but you don’t have to.”

“YES. I do.” He said, walking back toward the main tent to grab his equipment.

Mia felt slightly bad, practically guilting him to come with her. He was a good man, she could see that. He wanted to protect people, she was certain of that. Now he vowed to not let Mia go alone. She didn’t feel like he was going to have to protect her on this journey.

But she felt better anyway.