Round 05 - Winter Visitor
Title: Winter Visitor
Author: Erin (erinm_4600@yahoo.com)
Characters, Pairing: Jeb, DG and and OC (mention of Cain, Glitch, Raw and another OC)
Rating: G
Summary: A few months after his father's death, Jeb Cain gets a visitor on a winter's day.
Warning: post-series *Inspired by THIS icon, by way of potionmistressm
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The OCs are mine.
Word Count: 757
A small body ran through the snowdrifts, headed for the cabin on the far rise. Normally, the trip didn't take him long, but the snow was definitely slowing him down. He also had to be careful not to slip and fall, because who knew how long it would take for him to be missed. Well, when he didn't show up for dinner, his mother might head to the porch to call for him.
Inside the cabin, his father could see the eight-annual-old coming toward the house and he stepped out onto the porch. Movement on the far side of the property caught his attention and he looked from the boy toward the trees and the horse coming on the road from town.
"Papa!" the boy called out, sliding on the ice as his little legs finally gave out. A few feet away from the porch, the boy placed his hands on his legs and took a deep breath, swinging an arm back. "Someone's... coming..." he gasped. On the porch, Jeb Cain couldn't help but smile at his son as the boy pushed himself up and took another deep breath.
"Thank you, Daniel," he acknowledged with a nod and then motioned toward the door. "Go on inside and take a rest, kiddo." Daniel Cain nodded and slowly moved toward the porch. Jeb reached over and rested a hand on Daniel's head as the boy passed, giving him a grin. Once Daniel was inside, Jeb turned back to eye the approaching visitor.
Jeb smiled again, once he realized who was on the horse and he leaned against the post. A few yards away, the rider pulled the horse to a stop and nodded to him. "Aren't you supposed to have an escort?" Jeb called out with a smirk.
"Pfft," DG replied, rolling her eyes. Jeb pushed himself off the post and headed off the porch and to her side, holding out a hand to support Her Royal Highness as the woman climbed down from the horse. "Amazing what you can get away with when you're in charge," she added with a wink as he directed the horse into the small pen.
Jeb relatched the gate and turned back, pulling her into a hug and then leaned back, just enough to turn and lead her toward the cabin. "So, what brings you by?" he asked, as if he didn't know exactly why she was there.
"Eh," DG shrugged, "just one of those days. Decided I would rather be with family than-" Jeb gave her shoulder a light squeeze and raised an eyebrow.
"So you came here?" he teased. "What would your family say about that?" DG rolled her eyes and poked him in the side.
"You are my family, too, stupid." Jeb laughed and nodded. Jeb and DG had grown to be as close as siblings over the annuals, and had a bond which their spouses were almost jealous of. "I just..." DG started as they stepped onto the porch. Shaking her head, DG moved over to the bench under the window and sat down. Jeb sat down next to her and stared at his lap for a moment.
The last few cycles had been difficult for both of them - moreso for DG, as she had royal duties to attend to - and neither of them had really taken the proper time to grieve for Wyatt Cain. Jeb's father had died in his sleep, four cycles previous, and it had affected everyone he knew; Glitch had disappeared into himself, while Ambrose locked himself in the lab, and Raw wouldn't speak to anyone.
DG had been the one to tell Jeb; she'd made the arrangements to have her best friend buried next to his wife; she'd packed up his small quarters, as she trusted no one else to do it with care. Life in the Zone went on, of course, so she didn't have time to sit in a corner and blubber. Jeb had a farm to run and a expectant wife, and showing emotion only went so far with a Cain, so... Wyatt Cain didn't want anyone crying over him, after all.
DG laughed to herself as that realization moved into her head and reached up to wipe at her eyes quickly. "You know what he'd say," she started, turned slightly to see a smile and nod from Jeb. Sighing, Jeb sat up straight and nodded toward the cabin.
"Come on inside. Can't have you gettin' sick." He stood and offered a hand to DG. "Claire'll be happy to see you."
Author: Erin (erinm_4600@yahoo.com)
Characters, Pairing: Jeb, DG and and OC (mention of Cain, Glitch, Raw and another OC)
Rating: G
Summary: A few months after his father's death, Jeb Cain gets a visitor on a winter's day.
Warning: post-series *Inspired by THIS icon, by way of potionmistressm
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The OCs are mine.
Word Count: 757
A small body ran through the snowdrifts, headed for the cabin on the far rise. Normally, the trip didn't take him long, but the snow was definitely slowing him down. He also had to be careful not to slip and fall, because who knew how long it would take for him to be missed. Well, when he didn't show up for dinner, his mother might head to the porch to call for him.
Inside the cabin, his father could see the eight-annual-old coming toward the house and he stepped out onto the porch. Movement on the far side of the property caught his attention and he looked from the boy toward the trees and the horse coming on the road from town.
"Papa!" the boy called out, sliding on the ice as his little legs finally gave out. A few feet away from the porch, the boy placed his hands on his legs and took a deep breath, swinging an arm back. "Someone's... coming..." he gasped. On the porch, Jeb Cain couldn't help but smile at his son as the boy pushed himself up and took another deep breath.
"Thank you, Daniel," he acknowledged with a nod and then motioned toward the door. "Go on inside and take a rest, kiddo." Daniel Cain nodded and slowly moved toward the porch. Jeb reached over and rested a hand on Daniel's head as the boy passed, giving him a grin. Once Daniel was inside, Jeb turned back to eye the approaching visitor.
Jeb smiled again, once he realized who was on the horse and he leaned against the post. A few yards away, the rider pulled the horse to a stop and nodded to him. "Aren't you supposed to have an escort?" Jeb called out with a smirk.
"Pfft," DG replied, rolling her eyes. Jeb pushed himself off the post and headed off the porch and to her side, holding out a hand to support Her Royal Highness as the woman climbed down from the horse. "Amazing what you can get away with when you're in charge," she added with a wink as he directed the horse into the small pen.
Jeb relatched the gate and turned back, pulling her into a hug and then leaned back, just enough to turn and lead her toward the cabin. "So, what brings you by?" he asked, as if he didn't know exactly why she was there.
"Eh," DG shrugged, "just one of those days. Decided I would rather be with family than-" Jeb gave her shoulder a light squeeze and raised an eyebrow.
"So you came here?" he teased. "What would your family say about that?" DG rolled her eyes and poked him in the side.
"You are my family, too, stupid." Jeb laughed and nodded. Jeb and DG had grown to be as close as siblings over the annuals, and had a bond which their spouses were almost jealous of. "I just..." DG started as they stepped onto the porch. Shaking her head, DG moved over to the bench under the window and sat down. Jeb sat down next to her and stared at his lap for a moment.
The last few cycles had been difficult for both of them - moreso for DG, as she had royal duties to attend to - and neither of them had really taken the proper time to grieve for Wyatt Cain. Jeb's father had died in his sleep, four cycles previous, and it had affected everyone he knew; Glitch had disappeared into himself, while Ambrose locked himself in the lab, and Raw wouldn't speak to anyone.
DG had been the one to tell Jeb; she'd made the arrangements to have her best friend buried next to his wife; she'd packed up his small quarters, as she trusted no one else to do it with care. Life in the Zone went on, of course, so she didn't have time to sit in a corner and blubber. Jeb had a farm to run and a expectant wife, and showing emotion only went so far with a Cain, so... Wyatt Cain didn't want anyone crying over him, after all.
DG laughed to herself as that realization moved into her head and reached up to wipe at her eyes quickly. "You know what he'd say," she started, turned slightly to see a smile and nod from Jeb. Sighing, Jeb sat up straight and nodded toward the cabin.
"Come on inside. Can't have you gettin' sick." He stood and offered a hand to DG. "Claire'll be happy to see you."