Chapter 6:

Jack woke the next morning to sun shining in his eyes. He looked over at Jenifer, who was still asleep, and then looked down. He smiled as he realized that they were still holding one another's paws. He carefully set her paw back on the bed, got up, closed the blinds so the sun was not directly on her face, then left the room.

He walked down the hallway and made a right. Arriving at the nurse's desk, he asked if Jenifer was allowed to have breakfast from the cafeteria. She said it was alright, and gave him directions. He arrived a couple minutes later just as it was opening up. He placed an order of two eggs, a slice of toast, and 2 links of sausage for the both of them. When they were ready he carried them back up to the room, hoping that she might be awake.

Sure enough, when he entered the room, she was just starting to stir. He set down the breakfast, closed the door, and said, "Lights 50". The lights came on to the adjusted setting. He pulled the table to her bed, set both trays of food on it, and then sat down himself. He saw her black nose twitch slightly as she smelled the breakfast. She then yawned and slowly sat up. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned again before seeing Jack. She smiled.

"Good morning," he said to her. "I brought us some breakfast. I hope you like eggs." He pointed to the two trays on the table.

"That's so sweet of you," she said to him. "I love eggs. I didn't get any real food in that prison except for stale bread and water, and they fed me only once a day." She turned slightly so that she faced the table and pulled a tray closer to her.

Before they began to eat, Jack said, "I'm sorry about what you went through. I feel partially responsible."

"How can you?" Jenifer asked, taking a small bite of egg. You never knew me until you found me in that dump and I never knew you until I woke up last night."

Jack looked down at his tray and sighed. "My brother is the leader of those pirates." Seeing the expression on her face, he quickly added, "You don't have to worry, I'm nothing like him. He's mentally sick. He has been ever since I was sixteen."

"Well, it's not your fault. You can't control what he does, so I don't blame you. How old are you?" Jenifer asked.

"Twenty four," replied Jack.

"Wow. It was that long ago? What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

When I was sixteen my brother, Alec, was at college, and we were on our way to watch his last football game of the season. My parents were killed when our car exploded at a gas station. I was half way across the parking lot on my way back to it when it happened. Two days later, I found out that the explosion was not an accident. My brother had hired someone to plant a bomb on the car that was set to go off with me in it, but it didn't work."

"I blindly lived with my brother in my parents' house until he was old enough to move out and get his own place. Just before my senior year was to begin, the house was torched. There was a note on the front gate from Alec. It was he who had started the fire. He also admitted to hiring someone to plant the bomb on the car as well. He had tried to get rid of me, and did not care that he had killed our parents instead. So I dropped out of school and became a mercenary so he could not find me through my job. I've been keeping an eye out for him ever since. That's why I carry this everywhere I go, in case I find him," he said, pointing to the blaster on his belt. "I plan to go back to school this year and finish up my senior year."

He looked up at Jenifer. She had stopped eating. Her face was covered in sorrow and shock. "I'm so sorry," she said. "It seems that we both had a traumatic childhood."

"What happened to you?"

"When I was just a baby, my parents were held in a hostage situation," she began. "I was at my grandparents' house then. A Venom fanatic had entered the building they worked in and threatened to blow it up if he didn't get what he wanted. The police tried to set a trap, but he caught on and blew up the entire place. No one inside survived. That was so long ago, and here I am now, twenty two years old."

Tears began to form in her eyes. Jack held her paw in his to help calm her. She continued with her story. "When I started school, my grandparents were very poor, and could not afford the best clothes for me. I was always teased at school because of what I wore and nobody wanted to be my friend." She looked up at him. "You're the first friend I've really ever had."

"I only have one other friend," Jack said. "And I rarely see him because he works in a mine. You're basically the only real friend I have, too."

They continued their breakfast. Afterwards, Jack insisted that she get some rest. After Jenifer was asleep, he went to talk to the nurse to see when she was allowed to leave. The nurse told him that it would be ok for her to leave the next day. He went back to Jenifer's room and sat down. When she woke up an hour later, he told her what he had learned.

"That's a relief," she said. "But I don't have anywhere to stay. The company I worked for provided housing for the employees, but I don't want o work for them anymore. I don't have any living relatives either."

Jack thought for a moment. "You could stay with me at my house, if you want. I have a guest bedroom that I don't use."

"Oh no. I couldn't possibly…," Jenifer said. "I don't want to impose."

"No. It's ok. I don't mind," retorted Jack. "I'm a mercenary, and I just got paid a fortune for infiltrating and blowing up that station. You don't have to worry about paying me back."

"It just dawned on me that I still don't know your name," she said.

"Oh, yeah," Jack replied, embarrassed. "I'm Jack Thunder."

"Jenifer Reynolds. Pleased to meet you, Jack." She held out her paw, and they shook. "But you can call me Jen, for short."

"Well, Jen, it would be my honor to have you stay with me as my guest for however long you need."

"I would like that very much." Jen said.