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Doc just snickered in response. He got himself up and pulled her up, supporting her as the feeling returned to her leg. Arm in arm, they returned to the horses. They kissed again before he helped her up and finally got on his own.
They finished the casual ride back to the house where he once again began cracking jokes about Gallics and Bretonians. For him they made easy targets considering the snobbish responses he had gotten in the past from both groups.
"If a Bretonian and a Gallic jumped off of a tall building at the same time, who would hit first?" he asked. When she didn't know, he just answered with a smile, "Who cares!"
By late afternoon they rode up to the house. He assisted her down and then began removing the skid from the horse. For the moment, he tied the horses to a rail as he drew his knife and began skinning the elk. It didn't take him long with a sharp knife and much experience. He then took the animal out behind the house and hung it, head down, to drain the blood. "I'll butcher it later," he said as he sheathed his knife. He then hung the skin in the horse barn and coated it with some oil. He would later return to apply another coat when he brought the horses in for the night.
As dusk approached, he was worn, sweaty and dirty. He returned from his room ready for a swim. Smiling at Ashea, he dove in.
She shook her head, smiling as he told his jokes. She hadn't had much to do with either Bretonians or Gallics but they didn't sound like the most lovely of people. She looked across at him, seeing him smile she couldn't help but do the same.
She watched him skinning the animal amazed at how skilled he was at this. She walked across and stood beside him. A part of her felt sorry for the animal, but she understood that it was necessary. She hid a yawn before quietly asking "You do this often?" As he left, she walked back over to the horses giving them some attention.
Seeing that he had returned and was about to dive into the water, left the horses and followed him into the water. After surfacing, she grinned and moved her hair out of her face. Looking up at the sky she pointed out the first star. "The first star is lucky... It's said if you make a wish on it, it is likely to come true." She nodded and briefly looked in his direction with a slight shrug "Whether it is true or not, finding the beauty... And the wonder in the small things... makes life that little bit more exciting."
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He caught her as she swam to him in the water, his hands upon her sides.
"I don't skin animals often but I was well taught," he answered. "The hide is either worth some credits or I can have it made into something useful say, a coat, rug or something like that."
He moved to her side as she pointed at the star and made her speech about it.
Together, they just looked up at it. When she turned to him, he just gave a light, closed mouth smile after her shrug and answered, "Yes, it does." He then looked to the star, "I remember hearing about wishing upon that first star. I always wondered how if those wishes really did come true or not as I never really made a wish on one."
He looked back at her, standing still in the water. She was beautiful and she made him feel at ease.
"I also know that to tell your wish is to make it not come true....or so it's said," he added, "so maybe we should keep them to ourselves for now."
She dropped her gaze "It's just... I know its childish. But it's something I use to always do when I lived planetside." Shrugging slightly she looked up at him "I guess it worked... I mean, I got away from the life I was living." She nodded quietly as he suggested keeping their wishes to themselves.
Ashlea smiled and looked around. It was still, peaceful. The quietness had taken some getting use to, especially after being on the Rogue bases, but she was enjoying it more and more. Especially with him as company. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head slightly "I don't know about you, but I will sleep well tonight."
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"Childish? Nah!" he answered. "Somewhere you made a wish and just maybe it's coming true."
He gently turned her towards him, placing his hands at her sides as they still stood in the water, her shaking her head a bit and rubbing her eyes.
"I have plenty left from last night for dinner if you're hungry," he said to her. "I wouldn't want you going to bed hungry."
The more they stayed together, the stronger he felt for her. Less and less of his subconscious told him to give things more time. He hand't even felt this way about Midori when he courted her. He swallowed a small lump in his throat as he softly spoke when they made eye contact.
"I'll sleep well tonight myself. Ashlea, may I have the honor of being at your side tonight?"
She realized he could well be right about the wish. Unlike many of the girls she grew up with, she wished for an escape and happiness rather then fame and fortune. She decided not to tell him this, just on the off-chance it did have something to do with it.
His request caused her to fall silent for a moment. She rested her arms on his shoulders before stealing a kiss. She had thought he wouldn't have wanted to spend the night with her. Eventually she nodded with a smile "I would like that.. A lot."
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Her arms on his shoulders, his hands at her sides, he softly smiled. "It'll be dark soon. We should at least head in." After a kiss, he escorted her from the water into the house, handing her a towel once inside. He motioned towards her room with a nod of his head, "You had better change into something dry. Wouldn't want you to catch cold. I'll have us something to eat and drink when you get back."
He thought little of himself at this point. He was more concerned with her. Wouldn't want you to catch cold he thought to himself. With a snicker and a head shake, he just muttered to himself, "Quit being such a doctor, Holliday!"
He assumed she had gone to change and turned to the small room where his bags were. He too needed something dry. Pouring himself a glass of Brandy, he turned to do the same as Ashlea.
She shook her head at his comment with a smile "If I caught a cold, I think I would be well looked after" She playfully poked out her tongue and went to get changed. After some time she returned, drying her hair with the towel. She looked across at the door to the room where his bags were, wondering if he was still getting changed. Assuming he wouldn't be she stepped outside.
Happy that her hair was dry enough, she ran her fingers through it, getting most of the bigger knots out and making a mental note to brush it again later. She couldn't help but smile as she thought about her time here with Doc. A part of her believed it too good to be true, but she didn't question it, instead just enjoying the time they spent together. She hid a yawn with her hands before turning to head back inside and find Doc.
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The light of the oil lamp from his room dimmed and then went out before Doc came out of his room in a pair of sweats and wrapped in a fine bathrobe. He still had the half-finished glass of brandy in his left hand as he placed an older, loaded pistol between the tops of some books and the roof of the book case they occupied with his right hand. With a smile, he just admired the sight of Ashlea.
"Stunning," he simply said, raising his glass to her and finishing it's contents. He walked over to where the bar was and offered her a drink.
"The same as last night, Dahlin'," he said in his old southern gentleman's drawl, "or something else?"
He put his glass on the bar top, prepping to fill it.
Frowning slightly, Ashlea watched him put the gun down. Normally it would make her uneasy, especially as she hadn't kept hers in its usual spot on her hip since she had been here. She trusted Doc, and didn't question what he was doing.
"Stunning," With his comment, she looked down with a smile, blushing. Walking across to where he was standing at the bar, she stood beside him, her hand resting on the small of his back. "I have to admit.. You are looking quite handsome yourself." With a quick kiss on his cheek she added "Even more so at the moment as you look to be happier..."
After some thought, she bit her lip unsure of what she would like to drink. "Surprise me."