(Untitled)

[thewordofweb]

The last time I remember packing up my whole life like this, I was going off to war to fight for the most precious of things that life has to offer. Now, my possessions lie on shore from several treks from my former home. There's nothing noble about this retreat, there's nothing to be fought for this time. All I can hope to do is find some solace

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[peeweemartin]

"The fuck ya doin', Webster?" Johnny asked, standing behind his former comrade, looking at the boat packed with personal things.

Through all this time he'd spent here, Johnny had learned a few things, like 'don't even try to walk into the dinosaur-reservation' or 'yes, the clothes box actually does hate everybody and only does this to annoy the living fuck out of you', and lastly: 'you cannot get off this island, no matter how much you try'.

So what the hell was Webster trying to do here, other than doing something stupid?

[thewordofweb]

"I'm just moving my things to my boat," I say as I wipe sweat off my forehead and stare around me at the variety of things, thinking that I have everything that had been in our room. I can't even go back to the Homestead to double-check because then I'll have to see the first room and I don't know that I can handle that.

[realnicetrip]

It was a good day - far too warm than any November had any right to be - and Harry had been lounging beneath a tree, sometimes reading, mostly dozing. At first, he'd not paid it any note when he saw Webster coming by with arms full of junk. But on the third go, he remembered where that path led, and began to get suspicious.

He shouldn't be interfering, he told himself as he walked down to the dock. Webster wasn't his subordinate any more, wasn't even really a friend, and he sure as hell didn't want to deal with his relationship drama (because they'd all heard the news and that had to have something to do with it), but somehow, he felt it was his duty to make sure everything was alright.

As he'd feared, Webster was loading up his boat with a look of grim intent on his face. Harry pinched at his nose, muttered 'give me strength', and raised his head to call out,

"Webster! What the hell are you doing?"

[thewordofweb]

I glance up from my task and stare at Welsh with a look of confusion, wondering why he's suddenly being so strangely adamant about this. "I'm just moving my things onto my boat," I respond, sounding slightly dulled. "I don't see much point of living on land anymore," I add bitterly.

[realnicetrip]

Harry could see the appeal of going out to sea to be alone with your thoughts, but the way Webster had his stuff packed up with him, he had a nasty suspicion that he didn't intend to come back.

"Well, you can't live anywhere else," he pointed out. "Don't do anything stupid."

[thewordofweb]

"I can live on the boat while I try to make this place go away," I complain slightly and take a long and deep breath. "I'm sure you know that Joe's gone, now?" I point out quietly, wishing that I didn't have to tell anyone about that.

[niceofyoutoask]

Joe was gone. As difficult as it was to hear, Lipton's first thought had been Webster. Boys came and they went, whether it was from the ETO or the island, but it still came down to who was left behind. And Webster, well, his whole life had been Joe for awhile - Lipton'd wrapped his mind around that months ago. And, despite the fact that Lipton wasn't in the best place himself right now, he wasn't blind, and he wasn't heartless, and he still cared far too much about every member of Easy on the island to not come out and watch Web go. There was no stopping him, and Lipton wasn't even entirely sure that he should. Everyone did what they had to do.

"Do you want help with these boxes?" Lipton asked quietly.

[thewordofweb]

I glance up from my bags and boxes to find Lipton standing there above me. I barely manage a nod as I lift up the heavy duffel containing the majority of my clothes and thus my life. "Yeah, yeah, I could use some help," I agree, my voice dull and tired. "Thanks, sir."

[niceofyoutoask]

Lipton just nodded, leaning down and picking up some of the various paraphernalia that made up a man's life possetions. He supposed he shouldn't be quite so surprised that there was so much of it - just because he didn't really have all that much in his small room back at the Officers' Club didn't mean that Joe and Web hadn't gathered things about them to make it home.

After a few trips, he paused in passing Web. "Is there anything I can get you before you go?"

[thewordofweb]

I stop and turn to survey what's left on the dock and gesture to one of the smaller boxes that contains some food and drink provisions. "If you could grab that one..." I suggest, already heading down to the dock and trying to keep my mind on the straight and narrow and think of nothing else but preparing the boat. I don't want to linger on thoughts of Joe, not now.

[lt_blade]

"The fuck d'you think you're going." Her voice was tired, strained from not talking for the past several days, not since her talk with Jane, and holding back the anger that was threatening to come out.

She had no right to miss him. Joe Liebgott was back home, with his family, or he would be anyway, it wasn't like he was dead-he needed to be back home. She didn't know him the way his other buddies and Web did, but damn it if his absense didn't hurt like hell.

Seeing Webster, disheveled, and with signs that he'd been drinking..it brought back memories of when Danny was taken. Her mother slowly killing herself with drink and Sonya escaping to the army with whatever sanity she had left.

She hadn't eaten in the past 24 hours and yet she still had to swallow down the bile that filled her mouth.

[thewordofweb]

"I'm moving my things to my boat," I respond, glancing over my shoulder as I continue another trip down the dock. "Anchor somewhere off-shore and just...stay there." Now that Joe isn't around to have a panic attack the minute a wave hits the boat, I can find my way outside of civilization and live on my own.

[lt_blade]

Her hands tightened into fists.

"Feel I should stop you," but she wouldn't, as much as Joe would probably get on her ass for letting him 'get away'. He did the same when she went out to the jungle for a few days when their personalities changed.

The anger didn't so much leave, but lessened to a sort of 'throb'.

Sonya looked out to shore. "Do you have a life jacket on the boat? Flotation device?" It was one thing for him to leave, but safety-even she wouldn't have forgiven herself if something happened.

[thewordofweb]

I arch a brow at her, feeling a biting comment on my tongue that wants to lash its way forward and I'm too tired to entirely stop it. "You're not my mother, nor are you Joe or my therapist," I get out tersely, hitching a bag higher up. "Whether or not I want to be out on the water doesn't matter to you, neither does my possession of life jackets and floatation devices," I go on with disdain.

Right now, of all things, how can those matter?

[ihearttomgordon]

It hadn't taken Trisha long to find out that Joe was gone, vanished from the island and her life. He'd been the closest thing to a brother or even a father that Trisha had. Hearing about it had broken her fragile ten-year-old heart. Worse, Web had been in no shape to comfort her and she'd had a hard time finding him. When she did find him though, she was horrified to see all of his things piled up on the beach looking like he was ready to ship out.

"Web?" she asked tentatively, "Where are you going, Web?"

[thewordofweb]

I turn and swallow the hard lump in my throat at Trisha's voice. I've been able to suppress any rage and grief and exhausting sadness when it's come to Joe leaving me (us), but I don't know that I can look at Trisha and give her any answer that won't be horrible.

"I'm moving onto the boat," I answer, my voice low and shaky. "I can't stay in our room anymore."

[ihearttomgordon]

She didn't answer at first, just looked from Webster, to his stuff, to the boat, and back again as if trying to work out how it all fit together in a way that didn't confirm what he'd said. Finally she spoke up again.

"You're leaving."

[thewordofweb]

"Just temporarily," I admit, my voice dull as I stare at Trisha and try to refrain from delving into the nauseous feeling that's trying to overwhelm me. "I can't stay in the room, Trish. All my memories of him are there. I look around and he's everywhere and I'm not that strong," I confess, barely ekeing out the words. "I'm not that strong, Trisha."