The Journey (looking for someone to join me on it)

[Gwindolyn]

((I was beginning to wonder.  Thank you for the note.  I'm glad it is nothing too bad.  I look forward to talking more on Wednesday.  All is well with me, relax and come back whole.))

[Ardant]

Moving much more calmly than he has previously John lent forward with another tissue, wiping the flow of tears away from Gwin's cheeks.
"You don't need to say anymore Gwin, I can see how much today has hurt..."
Was it strange for him to feel more settled now ?, as if the entire process of sharing each others stories had in someway lightened his burden in a way he never expected.
The train was approaching it's next stop. He wished he knew how far she had to go, he didn't want either of their days to end like this, and still wanted to understand her better.
A sound of buzzing rumbled in his pocket. A text, more than likely from one of his friends, checking up on his "progress" with Abby. He didn't move to look at it, he entire attention on Gwin now.

[Gwindolyn]

She turns to him, panic starting in her eyes "How far until ..."  She starts digging for her tickets "I can never remember the name of the station."  She looks to her pile of books.  "it must be in there."  She starts to reach across him a time or two before realizing there is no polite way for her to reach her books herself.  She takes a moment and gets herself under control.  "Sorry."  Her voice is a bit miserable and a lot apologetic.  She looks back to him, "This trains ends at my stop.  How long until we reach there?"  Her voice is a bit more civilized and calm.

[Ardant]

"Really ?, so the last stop is yours, that's a ways off yet, maybe a hour or so, if there's no problems on the line thats is"
Her stop was just after his, that meant she lived maybe 15 miles away. John wasn't great with percentages, but the chances had to be pretty slim of Gwin being so close.
"So, we both have a way to go yet, I'll go grab us another drink, its the least I can do. Then we can carry on talking if you like ?, any subject you want"
It was hard to ignore how nice it felt with Gwin making even the slightest contact with him. Thankfully nothing obviously showed, he really didn't need that sort of trouble.
As he stood up his phone went again. Two texts. Who would be trying to get in touch with him that badly ?.
It hit him like a ton of bricks. the photos must have gone up on friendface. If Gwin hadn't of been with him it would have destroyed him, yet now is seemed trivial, almost laughable.
He turned to her, awaiting her reply.

[Gwindolyn]

"An hour?" Her voice is pathetic, weak - even to her own ears. "that is all?  Couldn't it be longer?  Say, like until forever?" The words were so quiet, he might have missed them.  She hopes he did as she scrambled to say "Yes please, an orange juice please." 

She watches him go before she lets the words sink in further.  Defeat claims her again.  She drops her hands into her lap.  The gem of her ring catches the light and relfects it.  She closes her hands.  Then she balls them into a fist and sets her jaw. "Then so be it."  She lifts her head with a determined steel in her amber eyes. 

She had barely gotten the last word out when an orange juice was lowered before her face.  She looks up to him with fire in her eyes.  (Careful, that fire is fragile.)  Her jaw still locked, she tries to say a soft "Thank you."  But there was a bit of courageous growl in the voice.  False bravado.

[Ardant]

John heard her words, as quiet as they were, nodding to her request he set went to find a steward to get the drinks.
Gwin obviously had more to say, but John didn't want to force it, something about her had changed, her initial coldness had changed as his confidence in conversing had increased.
As well as drinks he grabbed a share size bag of chocolates, to share and to stop his stomach rumbling. It had been a long day and he'd not had anything to eat.
Upon returning Gwin looked more together, a resolve had returned to her eyes. After passing her the drink John sat back down, though this time less rigidly.
"So, anything else came to mind you wanted to talk about. I'm not sure how long we have so lets try to make the day a little better shall we ?"
Tearing the top from the packet he tipped it in Gwin's direction. 

[Gwindolyn]

She didn't mix orange with chocolate - ever.  So she waited on the orange juice.  A smile slips across her lips as she takes some of the chocolates.  That's the way to make the day better.  Chocolate always helps.  "Thank you."

As she eats the chocolates and such, the ring on her finger slips into a pocket.  She doesn't even think about it, she uses the coat pockets as she would were she wearing her coat.  Habits.  Gotta love them. 

"So tell me something cheerful about you."  She knows with his recent pains, this may be stretching it, but it might also help him too.

[Ardant]

"Something cheerful about me... you picked a nice easy one there didn't you !" John was trying not to smile while he was talking, it wasn't working so well.
"I do alot of local charity work, local paper sort of stuff, helping to clean up areas, repaint swings and climbing frames for groups and the odd jumble sale type thing. My friends think its lame, but I get a good buzz from it, and you get to meet people who really give a damn about the community."
"I remember helping out a disco at the village hall, must have been 3 or so years back now. I got dragged out onto the dance floor by a seventy year old women... for a slow dance... when no one else was dancing. Its weird, the people laughing wasn't the main thing, her grabbing my arse real tight was, I swear I had red print marks for days !"
He couldn't help but laugh out loud at the memory, that was a great night. They raised lots of money and everyone had a good time. The John of now might have gone through angst at only an old women dancing with him, the old him seemed much more resilient.
Thinking back, he wondered why he ever changed his outlook.
His father had said to him time and time again "Son who's a girl gonna go for ?. The angry tear stained guy in the corner, crying out for attention. Or the guy laughing, smiling and just living the moment"
Right at this moment John felt like guy number two.

It was an amazing feeling.

[Gwindolyn]

Gwin listens and can't help but smile at the thought of the little old lady.  She even laughs.  The troubles parting for the moment of light.  The enjoyment in her eyes was a change.

She brightens and says "Oh that so reminds me of my father.  Well not the grabbing my arse thing, but the dancing thing... I mean..."  She laughs "Let me restart.  My father use to dance with me at weddings, father-daughter events and so on.  He always had this strained look on his face.  I didn't understand it.  After I got older, he started to beg away from them.  I was sort of hurt by that at first.  That is until I was at this wedding once... Dad wasn't there.  I was in the wedding party.  So I had to dance.  I even had to dance with this really good-looking, but jerk of a guy for the bridal party dance.  As we went, he made no pretense in letting me know I had no ability to dance.  His limp away was worth it though."  A wry grin colors her amber eyes.  "I quickly forgave my father and we laughed as he shared the pain I left him in." 

She finishes the chocolates, a much easier demeanor about her.  She even realized she was dry.  She pulled off his coat, having become warm and hands it back with a sincere smile "thank you so much for that.  I think I would have froze to death had you not shared your coat."  This day was feeling quite nice for this moment.