Shooting range, Friday morning

[moonbrain_tam]

River posted the safety rules for the first time.

SAFETY RULES:

· TREAT ALL GUNS AS IF THEY WERE LOADED

· KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO FIRE

· BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT’S BEYOND

· ALWAYS WEAR HEARING AND EYE PROTECTION

· NEVER USE ALCOHOL OR DRUGS BEFORE OR WHILE SHOOTING.

· CHECK IN ALL WEAPONS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE RANGE.

She'd

Comments

[anextimeagent]

First place Jack went on his first morning back was the range, heading to the weapons locker to retrieve a gun. The 9mm felt right, given where he was, so that's what he grabbed, gathering spare clips and safey gear, before heading over to snag an alley.

He didn't make it, stopping dead when he saw who was already there. River.

[anextimeagent]

His grin got lazier and his stance more relaxed to cover the spike of anger and something more complex he couldn't define. "What makes you think I'm afraid, River?"

[moonbrain_tam]

River made a point of looking at him, letting her gaze travel along the shape of him as she spoke. "Your body tells me. Your voice. The way you look at me. I know your mind, Jack. You let me see it. I can make an approximation of the changes your recent experiences have caused, and they will be nothing but an estimate of course, but close enough. All that evidence is conclusive."

[anextimeagent]

He shrugged. "Fine. They're conclusive. What does it matter?" He was nowhere near as relaxed as he looked, vortex insertion points swirling through his mind almost desperately. "You already wrote me off. The second I didn't allow you full access, you decided I was the bad guy. So think whatever the hell you want. I don't care."

[moonbrain_tam]

There River lost her temper. She kicked his leg, not hard enough to cause damage, but hard enough to make it hurt. "You're not paying attention." She reached out and tried to grab hold of his neck, not to choke him, but to hold his head still. "You're trying to hurt me. Have never overstepped your boundaries before. Have never questioned them. All I did was ask why."

[anextimeagent]

If she hadn't kicked his leg, she would have managed to grab him. But Jack was already moving, reacting to the pain, when she reached out, and he twisted out of the way, throwing himself backwards. "And I thought I was arrogant," he snapped, then deliberately crowded back into her space. "Not everything is about you."

He took a deep breath, striving for calm, took another. "I am not trying to hurt you, and not everything is about you," he repeated, far more softly. "Trust me, this is better for both of us."

[moonbrain_tam]

"Then listen to me when I tell you that it hurts!" River hissed back. She had struggled to hold back and keep her anger under control, but it was useless now. All she could do was avoid hurting him seriously. She tried to slap him across the face, then took a step back. "No, Jack. Don't trust you anymore."

[anextimeagent]

He didn't even try and avoid it, and it snapped his head back, rocked him back on his heels. His face lost all expression and his eyes were very, very cold. "Maybe you never should have," he said flatly and reloaded the gun. "Are we done?"

[moonbrain_tam]

River hesitated for a moment. "Done," she whispered. She turned around and walked back to her alley, not looking back.

[anextimeagent]

He closed his eyes and breathed deep, both hands wrapped around the gun, until he had control. One more deep breath, and he locked everything down, pushed it away, until he had control again.

Transferring the gun to his left hand, he smoothly and methodically began firing, every shot settling him a little bit more. By the time he'd worked through three clips, he was smiling again.