Difference between revisions of "Log:Like Father, Like Daughter"

6 May, 2018

Jack Fry gets the surprise and shock of his life when Sylvana shows up and tells him she is his daughter.

It's a nice Sunday. Spring is in full swing now and the weather's been very pleasant the last few days, people hanging away their winter clothes and donning shorts and T-shirts, even if it's not actually /that/ warm yet. Jack's wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, outside working - he's chopping wood with rhytmic and practiced ease, that pile growing steadily. A black german shephard is running around playing with a stick, and a beautiful Rocky Mountain horse wanders around in the large enclosure near the stable.

She was still getting the lay of the land but she had followed memorized directions to get to this place. She could not help but wonder what it is she would find, who she would find and how they would be. It was strange to her looking for someone she had only heard a little about, but such was the way of life. She stuck to the dirt road for the time being though she would much rather bee in the tree's. Above her Greyson flew giving a sharp cry letting her know he saw something ahead and she smiled to him sending a whistle up in return. Clutching the old crumpled letter in her hands she made her way towards the sound of wood being chopped.

Once she was in site of the cabin and the man chopping wood she stopped for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing forward. Today she was dressed in a simple pair of leather pants and a t-shirt with hiking boots on her feet. She could have rode her bike but she needed time to clear her head. Licking her lips she stopped a safe distance away and took a deep breath before speaking "Excuse me, would you by chance be Jack Fry? If so I have a letter for you."

The dog hears them first and gives a bark to the man; Jack turns with his axe still in hand. Noticeably, there's a hunting rifle leaning up close to him too, suggesting he's ready for trouble. Or most likely, around here? He's ready for bears. Seeing the young woman, he puts the axe down and looks at her curiously, wiping his hands off on his pants, having worked up a sweat with his physical work. The dog runs towards Sylvana but stops nearby, just wagging his tail and brimming with excitement. "Goblin, just sit there." Clearly, this is an extremely obedient dog, cause he just chuffs and sits down to wait patiently.

"I'm Jack Fry," he says, squinting at her with the sun framing her behind, coming over the tree tops into this cleared area. "You don't look like the mail-man," he says with dry humor.

Once she was sure this was the right place she gave a short series of whistles and a beautiful Northern Goshawk, not native to these parts, lands on a near by branch ruffling its feathers and eyeing the man and the dog. She crouches down as the dog comes near and she smiles putting her hand out so it can get a smell of her on the wind if nothing else. At Jack's words she looked up and gave him a soft smile shaking her head. "No sir, not a mail person. But I have got a letter for you all the same. I am sorry if I am bothering you." She carefully holds the letter out to him in her other hand. She watched him with cautious eyes but did not make a move towards him or the dog, letting them move first. By her actions though she knew her way with animals.

"Wooah," Jack says, watching the bird with a startled expression. And admiration, as it lands on a nearby branch. "You don't see that every day. You got a way with animals, don't you?" he says and now he actually smiles, because anyone who likes animals? Must be a good person. He gestures, and Goblin shoots towards Sylvana even as Jack moves close enough to accept the letter, eyes brimming with curiosity. "Don't tell me I'm being sued," he says suspiciously, as that thought comes up. Even so, he opens that letter and takes it out to read, while Goblin dances around Sylvana and begs to be petted and scritched.

She laughed, her voice was so soft but so sweet that it just seemed to draw people in. When Goblin comes closer she smiled and once Jack had taken the letter she happily gives him pets and scratches talking to him in that same sweet voice. "You are such a good boy Goblin listening to your human like you do. Do you keep him safe? I bet you do dont you? Such a sweet boy" She seems so much more at ease talking with the animals the perhaps with humans.

When Jack opens the letter he finds within,

Dear Jack,

I have tried to write you so many times but it never came out right or I knew I could not send it and it actually arrive to you without someone getting their hands on it. I write you now knowing that the one that will hand this to you will keep it safe until they reach you. I do not know if you remember me but my name is Constance and we met at my familys Beltane celebration some years ago. It was a beautiful day that I think back on fondly and hold close to my heart. I want to apologize for leaving so suddenly after that night but I knew I could not stay or you would be in danger as would others of my family. Please forgive me for that and do not take any hard feelings out on the messenger.

The messenger Jack is Sylvana Inola Lefevre and she is your daughter. I know I should have told you sooner but I just could not return home not with how my ex husband is. I did what I needed to do to keep her safe and hidden from him, but that also meant keeping her hidden from you. She is a wonderful girl Jack so beautiful and she has such a kind heart. She takes after you in so many ways, but mostly with your fondness and abilities to handle animals like no other I have seen. Shes special Jack and she needs to be watched over. I know she has a friend who protects her but there is nothing like family to keep someone safe. I have left her my glade and cabin in the woods on my families lands. She will know who you are when she delivers this to you, though I am sure that she may not understand why I kept her from you or you from her for so long and I would like to keep it that way. If she knows about him, it will be all the easier for him to find her. Again I am sorry. I hope you are well.

Forever thinking of you

Constance

Before he starts reading, Jack watches Sylvana interact with Goblin and notices how she talks to him. He frowns thoughtfully, as when she's crouched down like that and he sees her profile, something rings a bell. He doesn't realise it yet, but Sylvana and his own mother, their appearances are similar. He will soon understand why her looks give him a shiver down his spine, because he starts reading.

At first, he's relaxed, standing with one hand in a pocket, the letter fluttering a bit in a breeze - he has to hold it with both hands. The first paragraph has him smiling in fond memory and he even grins a little, because well - he remembers that night very well too.

And then, that first sentence in the second paragraph has his heart stopping; the hands holding the letter tighten around the fragile paper and the rest of the text becomes a bit of a blur. He has to reread it, to make sure he understands it all. It's only a minute, even less, but during that minute he's gone through a range of emotions; shock, anger, sadness, happiness, confusion. The letter is lowered to his side as he stares at Sylvana - yes, now he knows why she looks so familiar to him. He has no words, yet. He doesn't know where to begin, but intent burning scrutiny of her is very noticeable. Like he is trying to burn her image into his brain.

Goblin realises immediately something is happening and he turns to look at Jack, then at Sylvana, and at Jack again. He makes a whining noise.

She could not watch him read the letter. She herself had not opened it, it would have been rude and considering it was her mothers last wish she would not break it, but she knew some of what was in it. When Goblin started to look between them and whin she dropped her hands from him and gave him a smile her voice a whisper when she spoke. "Its ok, go to him if he needs you. I understand and will wait." Greyson lets out a cry from his spot on the branch and she stood looking over at him giving him a nod. "Yes i'm fine thank you Greyson. Could you make a circle and make sure the area is still safe?" The bird oddly enough, or maybe not so oddly to Jack, bobs his head and then takes off into the air once more to do a sweep of the area.

She looked over to Jack putting her hands behind her back and rocking on her feet some then looked down at the ground. "Sorry" She said softly in that sweet voice.

Jack focuses on the letter, looking down at it. He folds it and puts it back in the envelope, then puts the envelope in his back pocket for now. His heart is beating furiously, almost loud enough to hear - the dog certainly hears it, and he moves to Jack's side and licks his hand worriedly. "It's alright," the ranger says coarsely, distractedly, giving Goblin a scritch between the ears in reassurance.

Watching the girl and the bird, he knows without a doubt that she is his daughter. If her looks and that letter weren't enough to convince him, that part seals the deal. "I'm your dad," he manages to say, amazed. Stunned. "You're my daughter. I have a daughter." There's a vessel of blood pulsating near his temple, and he has to take a deep breath - he's feeling a bit of rage for not knowing before now, even if he knows why he was kept from knowing. Then there's a dry chuckle. "Beltane. Guess you're born in February too, then." Emotions switch fast - now he's half amused, half exhiliriated, eyes glittering as he watches her. He's getting there, slowly - he just needs to work it all out in his head. She's got a head start, on that.

At his first uttering of the situation she gave a slow nod and a timid smile. "Yes I am your daughter, that is what mother said. She never lied to me so I have no reason to believe she would about something like this. As for my birthday, yes February 1st 11:59pm to be exact. Mother was always amused at that fact." She shifted a bit on her feet as she watched him trying to process it all. "I understand that it is a bit of a shock and I am sorry to have dropped it on you in such a way. I hope you will forgive me."

"You didn't know. There's nothing to forgive," Jack responds quietly, moving a bit closer. He looks past her shoulder to the horizon, lost in thoughts. "Constance... is she dead?" he asks almost bluntly. Because it feels like that, to him. Like this letter was her last to him, that's her final words - that, and the fact that Sylvana speaks of Constance in the past tense. Goblin lies down with his head on his paws, but his ear flicker back and forth between the two humans, and he watches intently. "I'm sorry... if I'd known..." He rubs a temple, trying to organise his thoughts. He's usually quite levelheaded.

She took a deep breath and then gave a slow nod. "Yes I am sorry to have to bring you that news as well. She told me when it was time to come here and give you that letter and you would understand. She told me who you were but it took me time to clear my head and accept that she must have had her reasons for keeping such a thing from me. It was not like her to keep things from me." She took another deep breath and looked around giving a soft smile before looking back to him. "You have a very beautiful home and land. Your companions are lovely as well."

"Constance... I'm so sorry. She was amazing, I was very upset when she left," Jack admits, remembering that part well in his mind too. But it was twenty years ago, and he has let that be a part of his past for a long time - in difference to Sylvana, who lost a mother.

In the end, what helps, is to just... keep things simple. Jack is her dad. "I'm your dad," he says, repeating it. He sounds determined. Like this is now an irrefutable fact, and he's accepted the role and will the best he can with it. So, he moves close, puts a hand on her shoulder and will pull her close for an embrace, hand on the back of her head to pull her head to his chest if she'll allow him to; his heart beats fast still, but steady. "Welcome home."

She gave him a sad smile at the mention of her mother. "She was a very kind woman and worked hard. She is greatly missed but at peace now I hope." She could not help the small laught that slips from her as he speak of being her dad once more. It was as if he was convencing himself of the fact and it amused her some. She watched as he moved closer and she did not seem at all upset about his hand touching her shoulder.

When he pulled her into a hug she let her head rest on his chest, listening to his heart as she hugged him tightly. She had been thinking about this moment and running it through her head for a long time. She had hoped for an outcome like this but so many times her mind would go to him being upset, yelling or rejecting her. Finally seeing a favorable outcome she seemed to relax and a tension slipped from her body. "Thank you. It is good to have a home..."

Jack had never ever even thought about a scenario like this. How could he? But he's deeply loyal to family, and she is family. Stroking her hair, his eyes closed, she can feel his heartbeats slow down as he's hugging her. Letting all those emotions drain away just to be exchanged with a calm determination. "What will you do next? You're welcome to stay here," he says, leaning back to look down at her face - she's so much shorter than him. But - his mother was also short. That's another similarity. "You look like my mom when she was young," he says, giving her a smile. "I'll... fuck, you need to come to the farm. You need to meet everyone. And what about the Lefevres, have you seen them all yet?" He's got a barrage of questions now, grinning happily at her. "If you're anything like me, you'll get exhausted by all the attention."

She looked up at him her eyes opening when he pulled back and there was a tiny wet spot on his shirt. She reached up quickly wiping her eyes with a hand and gave a shrug. "Mom left me her cabin in a little glade not too far. I have to get it back in order since no one has lived there in so long. Until then it would be nice to have a place to stay. I do not have much and I promise to keep out of your way." Yup the girl had respect that was for sure, and a good work eithic all ready from the sounds of it.

She blinked at him some when he mentioned his mother. "Thank you, I hope that I can do right by her and do not disappoint." At the questions that comes spilling from him she just shook her head slowly. "I have not met them yet but it is on my list of things that I need to do. My first priority was to deliver mom's message though. She says she has told her family of me so that they at least know of me, or someone does." Shifting lightly on her feet her brow rose slowly " You have a farm? I bet it is lovely! Though what do you mean you get exhausted by all the attention?" She had her own questions but seemed to keep her calm.

Jack ruffles her hair playfully now. He's in a great mood, all grins and smiles - and he's proud. "Yeah, the letter said she'd left you her place. I'll come help you set it up, we'll get it sorted in no time. But you're welcome to stay here as long as you need - admittedly, I only got one room, but I don't snore," he jokes. He kisses the top of her head even, and then gestures for the cabin. "Let's go in, have a coffee. "The Lefevres are great people - I'm good friends with Avalon Lefevre, she runs a tea house in the Falls. I was there today, even, having lunch. And the farm? It's the family farm - busy, family everywhere, never quiet. It can get exhausting for people like us, who prefer animals." There, he's admitting he's just like her. "They'll love you and you'll be like one of the family right away. No-nonsense people, all of them." He tugs her towards the log cabin. Goblin bounces to his feet, all joyful again - he knows his human's moods and realises Jack's happy. Troll, the horse, is standing on his side of the fence watching them curiously, but Jack is too excited to let his daughter go talk to the horse right now.

Weathered Cabin

This log cabin has one large room only, except a small bathroom. Near the main entrance there's space for coats and a shelf for hats and shoes. There's two large windows facing out towards the front of the house, with simple grey curtains and no windowsills. To the right is the kitchen/living room area, the kitchen well equipped with another window above the sink; a small cooker, a wood stove that both generates heat through the house plus serves as a means to cook if the electricity goes out, a fridge/freezer combination, a little kitchen island with one high chair where you can sit and eat if you want. There's also a small table against a wall with two chairs, the table homemade out of planks and polished and laquered, the chairs mismatching - one red and one blue. Beneath the table is a large rug in black and grey wool. At the far corner next to the fridge is another door leading out to the combined stable and garage area.

There's no couch in this house, but there is a big old very comfortable orange armchair that looks like it might originate from the seventies, but most likely is a modern copy. It sits near the fireplace, and a small table next to it has a few magasines and a few books on it, perhaps a forgotten coffee mug or glass. There's a wool blanket hanging off the back of the chair, and a small footstool in front suggests this might be a place you fall asleep every now and then.

To the left of the entrance is a combined hobby room and bedroom. The bedroom area is alcoved off with curtains and a half-wall. The rest of the area has a long workbench, with various woodworking tools hanging neatly off a board nailed to the wall. Various projects stand stacked on a tall shelf, done at the top, not finished at the bottom. They depict mostly animals of the area, but there's a few mythical beasts such as dragons, griffons and so on amongst the little figurines, most of them about 4-5 inches tall.

Behind the alcove there is another door which leads into the bathroom, which is surprisingly big, mostly because half of that space is taken up by a sauna where two-three people can comfortably sit behind the wooden door with a window. The bathroom itself otherwise has a shower and a large bathtub, you have to stand in the tub to shower. Toilet and sink, with a cabinet with a mirror above the sink against one wall doesn't leave a lot of maneuver space, but it's enough.

She could not help but smile at the ruffling of her hair and kiss on the head. It was comforting to her and reminded her of the reservation and mom. She laughed softly at his excitment but it set her at ease, his quick acceptance of her letting her know that all her worry had been for nothing. She listened to his rappid speach explaining the two sides of her family as he started to tug her towards the cabin. Spotting the horse she gave a wiggle of her fingers at it before sending a set of whistles out so Greyson knew she would be inside.

She blinked looking at him at his mention of prefering to be around animals. She licked her lips some and once inside looked at him her head tilting some. "Can you...talk to them too?" Her voice was soft and timid. She remembered getting teased about such things and so she always kept her voice down when speaking of it. "I mean they can understand you and you can understand them?"

"You bet," Jack tells her matter of factly - he won't bother hiding it to her. Once inside, he pulls his arm away from her shoulders and goes to the kitchen area to get a pot of coffee going. "I can talk to them, I can travel in their bodies. And Goblin and I? We share a special bond." Goblin, who joined them inside, makes a little happy bark in confirmation to this, dancing around Sylvana joyfully. He's got another member of the little pack, now, in a sense. He knows that she is Jack's 'puppy'. "I don't really talk about it to others," he says, shooting her a warning glance, "but there's always been rumors about me. I wasn't so good at hiding it, as a kid." Taking out two mismatched mugs, and digging around in the fridge, he finds some milk and sugar if she wants that too. "You share that bond too, with Greyson?" he asks her curiously.

When he lets her go she looks around the one room cabin starting to wonder around slowly to get a feel for the place as he starts to get the coffee ready. She laughed at Goblin and reaches down scratching him when hes close enough in his little dance. "I can ride with Greyson yes, If that is what you mean by the special bond. I have not heard of any others who could ride with them though it is nice to find someone who understands." She had picked up one of the little figures looking it over before looking back to him with a smile. "I was lucky I did not have to hide it too much. I grew up on the Cherokee reservation in the Smokey Mountains. Mom said it was my grandmothers family. The medicine man there taught me how to heal with herbs and natural remidies. He could not speak to the animals like me but he understood that it was special. But I do not tell others if I can help it. The other children did not seem to understand or were jealous that they could not do the same."

She gave a bit of a shrug and put the little figure down before turning to make her way back over to him. "Greyson is my hunting partner as well. He helps with getting us food and I use the furs to trade when I can or as lining in leather boots and the like. Hes very good at hunting."

"It's... I can ride any animal, but I only have this bond with Goblin," Jack says - it's hard to explain. "With Goblin, I don't even have to make an effort understanding him, and he always understands me. Any other animal, I have to focus. What about you, is it just Greyson then? Or birds? Or any animal?" He knows a fair bit about these powers - it's been a part of the Fry family for centuries, and he's had the advantage of growing up in that family and getting information that way. "It's common amongst the Frys," he tells her, pouring up coffee for them both and gesturing for her to come sit at the table; she can fill up with sugar and milk herself, if she wants it.

Sitting down, he gives her a grin. "Of course - you're part Lefevre. So I shoulda known you're a 'witch'," he semi-jokes. "I didn't realise Constance was part cherokee though," he notes thoughtfully, nodding understandingly at her when she explains where she grew up. "I've lived in New York for fifteen years - I was a cop. K9 units. I just got back here a few months ago, but I went to college and studied to be a PArk Ranger for the last two years. I'm still a police officer."

She sits down and takes her cup of coffee putting sugar and milk in it and letting it cool a bit before taking a sip. "I can speak with any animal, I can ride any animal too but Greyson is my partner. I raised him from a chick! So we are very close. Though I still have to work to ride with him and that.." She said her brow furrowing some. Her head tilts a bit at the mention of her being a witch. "Not a witch a Shaman, Medicine woman. While I can heal others and work with plants I...well I can also deal with the spirits" She said looking down into her cup of coffee nervously. She did not speak of that side of things at all if she could help it but he is her father so he should know.

Truth is, Jack doesn't know a lot about shamanism, witch craft or thaumaturges. So, he watches her curiously and memorises what she tells him. "Wait what, you can /heal/ people?" he asks, eyes widening. He sips coffee, staring at her with fascination. This is his daughter. The animal stuff doesn't surprise him, but the rest - well alright, she's also a Lefevre. He shouldn't be surprised. He scratches the side of his neck, squinting. "Spirits, huh? I honestly don't know if they're much of a problem around here, but if they are - I'm sure glad you're here to deal with them. I sure can't." He looks proudly at her, sitting straight backed. Like a dad being told his kid scored an A+ on the test, almost. Except this being Tamarack Falls and they're being a Fry and a Fry/Lefevre - this is almost normal stuff in that vein. "I figure you want to keep quiet about that, don't worry - I won't tell a soul. It's between you and I. I'm glad you're telling me."

She blushes slightly at his excitement. "Well yes um with my herbs and that of course. Though I was told by the medicine man that people I helped seem to always get better more quickly than even the ones he would care for. He seemed very proud of that fact and said it was a great blessing." She took another sip of her coffee and set back watching him. It warmed her heart to see him so accepting of her all things considered.

She gave a slow nod when he spoke of the spirits. "I am new to the area so I have not had a chance to see what the activity is like here. Though to tell you the truth if there are any spirits they will find me sooner or later, likely sooner rather than later. That is how it always seemes to work. I have to put a ward up so I can sleep unbothered at night. I worry if I tell others about it outside of the family that is, that I will have people coming to me asking about relatives. Spirits I deal with are not ghosts. Its the spirits of nature of well everything but ghosts really."

"You're special," Jack says seriously - this isn't only because of what Constance wrote in the letter, but it's part of it. He's starting to realise there's something about Sylvana, that she's got more powers and talents than most. Maybe it's because of her mixed blood, combined with the Cherokee ancestry. He frowns, tapping fingers against his mug, thinking about the threat noted in the letter - he doesn't know how to deal with that, yet. But he wipes that frown off quickly, to not make Sylvana worry - she's given a broad, warm smile instead. "Sorry to hear that, about the spirits. If you need to set up a ward around here, I'll do anything I can to help. Do you need anything?"

It's then he realises - he has one bed here. "Uh... we need to head into town. Buy a nice mattress for you. And some wood, I'll build a bed attached to the wall over there. We'll move the work bench, set up a partition there, you get a little privacy. Maybe a curtain, might be easier. Whatcha think?" He points to the indicated corner.

She blinked in surprise looking around "Oh I would not want to impose! I can sleep in the chair it would be no problem at all. Besides I would not want you to have to move your work bench just for me!" She smiled to him and then laughed. "Ink should be arriving soon too. I want to make sure the cabin is ready as soon as possible so he has a safe place to rest from the trip. I know hes going to be sore at me for leaving before him."

She sips her coffee and then looks up at him realizing she had not explained. "I am sorry. Ink is a good friend of mine. I found him hurt near the reservation and helped him get back to good health. He has been a good friend ever sense and watches over me. I think hes over protective at times but he insists that I have to have someone to keep me safe and that it was what mother wanted."

"I've been meaning to sort out that messy corner for ages. I won't take no for an answer - there's always going to be a bed here for you. I got a really good idea for it, it won't take up much space," Jack says. He's so excited about this, she won't be able to stop him. He hasn't even considered, once, the fact that he's a lone wolf and not used to living with someone else any longer; nothing could stop him from trying. Besides, it'd only be temporary, even if that bed will always be there for when she needs it.

He raises an eyebrow when she talks about Ink, then makes an 'aah'-sound when she epxlains. "Your mother mentioned someone like that in the letter. I thought she mighta meant your bird, but guess I was wrong. I'd wanna meet this Ink too, soon as he arrives."

She could not help but laugh and give him a little nod. "Far be it from me to stop you from doing what you wish with your home. I can see this is important to you so I will not protest it." She could not help but giggle again. "I am excited to see what it is you have planned for it. Perhaps I can have you help me with things around my cabin. I am sure that I will need a couple beds since its been so long since anyone lived there."

At the mention of Ink and the confusion about her friend she gave a nod. "Yes I could see why you would think that. Greyson is a protector in a way. We have worked together long enough that should someone threaten he knows commands for distraction or taking out eyes so I can get away. I have not had to use those though thank goodness. Ink himself is a nice man. I will be sure you meet him when he gets here. He had a few things to take care of on his own so I let him do those and came here. I did not want to wait longer than I had to to get the letter delivered."

"Well, I got a reason to sort it out now," Jack says softly, reaching a hand out to pat hers. A bit awkwardly. That hug earlier, that was spontaneous - but he's not the best showing emotions normally, but there's no denying that his heart is filled to the brim with love for her. And a burning desire to protect her from everything - she might soon realise that he'll be just as bad as Ink... "I'm going to make beds you fold up against the wall. I know just how to do it. So, when not used, they take up no space. We could set up something similar at your place, for guests. I mean - I might decide to stay the night there." She won't get rid of him, now!

He gets up, walks to the fridge. "You hungry? I got some bread, cheese, ham - could make you a sandwich. I'm afraid I'm a lousy cook." He shoots her a grin. "I hope you didn't inherit that inability from me too..."

She smiled at the pat on her hand and her eyes light up at the idea. "Oh I like that Idea for the rooms themselves too! It makes it easier to clean and move room do things when awake. I like to meditate so it would be nice to have a place to do that in my room so as not to bother Ink." She gave a laugh and nod at his mentioning he might come to stay the night. "You will always be welcome at my cabin dad." It felt strange saying that but a happy kind of strange.

She shook her head slightly " I am not hungry. I stopped and got something to eat before coming here. As far as cooking I am better at doing that on an open flame but I have learned to use a stove pretty good as well. I have some of mom's recipes and a lot from the reservation as well. I will have to make you dinner some night I think you would like some of the things they made back home."

Jack stands up straight. Dad. She called him dad. His knuckles turn white around the fridge handle as he slowly closes it. It hit him like a hammer, again - he has a child. "Kiddo," he says, his voice all choked up as he turns to look at her. He swallows and has to fight back tears and wipes at his eyes impatiently, taking a few deep, calming breaths. "I need a drink," he decides and grabs a bottle of whiskey from a cupboard, and a glass. He pours a few fingers into it and gulps it down in one go; the burning sensation helps him get back to something normal. HIs hand trembles though, when he puts the glass down. Goblin looks up now, having been lying down in contentment for a lingering moment - he whines, not sure he understands Jack's emotions.

"Syl," Jack says, "I need to know everything. I want to see pictures. Tell me silly stories about when you were a kid. Happy ones, sad ones. I've missed twenty years."

She gave him an understanding smile and a nod at his emotions. Watching him get his whiskey she gave him time to settle his emotions before she set to speaking. "I have a tote that has my baby book and as many photo's as mom could have ever taken possible. I swear that she knew eventually she would not be there to share the moments so she documented them all. She even took pictures of Greyson when he was a chick growing up so I had them. He was such a funny little thing with fuzz and no feather yet. There are pictures of her in there too, and you are welcome to have some to remember her with. I know she would have wanted that, she was that kind of person."

She took a sip of her coffee and leaned back some watching him and then looking to Goblin and back to Jack. " Let me see. When I was really little I think mom managed to get a picture of me trying to follow along with the dancers once. I never was good at mastering those dances and eventually the Medicine man said it would be better for me to concentrate on the things I was good at, rather then trying to force myself to be good at something I was not. I think he was just tired of watching me fall over my feet and get all skinned up." She laughed. " Then there was the time he showed me how to make a sacrifice to the spirits." She shuddered frowning. "I know it needed to be done but I did not like it. I swore that day that if I ever had to offer anything it would not be an animal. I could not bare it, but it was his way and a lesson that needed to be taught."

Jack remains standing by the counter and refills his drink, hand a bit steadier. He listens to her and looks relieved to hear that there's many photos and that Constance documented it - but it makes him tear up a big again too, thinking about how Constance must've felt about it all. "Fuck," he mutters and turns away for a moment, wiping his eyes, drinking more of the strong brew. He looks back, leaning over the kitchen island and being oddly exhausted. Emotional roller coasters, does that to you.

When she talks about dancing, he laughs out loud. "I can't dance either." They're so much alike, so many commonalities - and plenty of differences, too. "Yeah, I understand." Even if Jack hunts and grew up on a farm, where animals had to die sometimes, he has a lot of respect for animal life.

If she noticed his tearing up she did not bring attention to it, not wanting to make up feel embarased at all about such emotions. She gave a little nod and a smile. "Good to know I am not the only one who seems to stumble over their own feet. The medicine man knew I was close to animals, its why he showed me the sacrifice using one. It was a lesson that all things were connected and as much as I wanted to never let harm come, or do harm, that sometimes it was nessisary. It was not long after that he started to let me help with hunting and taught me the prayer to send a spirit peacefuly on and thank them for their offering."

She took a deep breath letting it out slowly to release the sadness from the memory. " There was one time I climbed too high up in a tree and he had to come get me. " She laughed some. "He was afraid of hights so it was funny watching him try to climb up to me. In the end he had one of the young boys who liked to climb tree's come and show me how to get down." She looked up at him tilting her head some. "Mom used to cook all the time. She would help the other women out with feasts and lunches for the men when they would go out. She was good at making clothing too so she would fix what she could and make new things when they were needed."

Jack soaks it all up, every detail. He pictures it in his mind, and it makes Goblin get up and walk over, wagging his tail - he can see what Jack sees in his mind, broadcasting it clearly. Goblin gets to know Sylvana too. "I like climbing," Jack says. "I scared mom half to death least three times a year, climbing trees. Or cliff walls. Or up on roofs..." He rubs at his clavicle bone. "I broke this, when I was ten - I fell from a tree, hit a branch on the way down. I was lucky." He smiles at her. It might just be wishful thinking, but he wants them to be alike. Like any parent, to find themselves in their children. He finishes the whiskey and puts the bottle away - he's had enough for now.

"I'll want more stories later, but I need to slow down now," Jack admits. "I'm... overwhelmed. Let's head into town, get some stuff for here so you can stay the night?" He needs to do something practical, but he wants her to be with him.

She smiled listening to his story and nods. "I still like to climb myself but I am more cautious about it." She finished her coffee and stood up stretching some. Giving a nod she smiles. "I like that idea. I have not really gotten to explore town too much so it would be nice. We can get some groceries as well and I can make dinner for you while your working on the bed. " She looked at Goblin and smiled to him. " Will you be coming too or are you going to stay here and watch the house? I think it would be a good idea for Greyson to stay and get used to his surroundings or hes going to want to go into every store with me." She laughed.

She glanced to Jack and bit her lip some. "I walked here as I dont have a vehicles myself, just my bike. So I didnt bring any changes of cloths or anything. I hope thats not too much of a problem." She was a bit sheepish at the fact she had forgotten such a simple thing as changes of cloths. "Other then that I am ready when you are."

With a course of action set, Jack's got a much easier time to handle all this. He jumps to action, gathering up his jacket, his wallet, phone - he sends a quick text to someone, probably to tell someone he just became a father - but that person will get a very confused text message and not anything else for a long time. "Yes, we'll do all that shopping," he agrees. "Well, where's your bike and your clothes? We can go pick them up," he asks, moving to put his shoes on and find the car keys; there's a large parge ranger Off-road SUV parked outside. "Goblin will come with us but he'll stay in the car when we go shopping. I bring him pretty much anywhere. If I could I'd bring Troll too, bust most don't appreciate having a horse inside and he's a bit big for the car," he jokes. He understands, about her bird. It'd draw quite a lot of attention. Having a dog? So much easier.

She laughed and let out another breath she didnt know she had been holding. "I stayed at a little bed and breakfast lastnight and the lady said I could leave them there while I came out here to talk to you. We can pick them up I am sure she would be glad to have them not in her closet or on her porch for too long." She laughed some. She blinked at his phone some, not something shes used to having. "Oo that is a cool phone! The ones back home were all in the houses." Yup sheltered from most technology clearly.

She stepped outside while he gathered things and gave a few whistles to the air. Greyson landed on the rail of the porch and she went over petting him and smiling. "Greyson I am going to go in town with dad. I want you to stay here and keep an eye on the house and on Troll the big beautiful horse over there ok? Find good places for you to ge safe incase we are here and something comes calling." The bird fluffs his feathers and bristles some at not going with her. He nips her finger gently but then hops up and flies off. She moved to settle into the SUV not used to riding in big trucks but she would survive.

Locking up, letting Goblin into the door, making sure Troll has food and water, Jack soon joins her in the car and starts it up. He turns to look at her for a moment, as if can't believe this is real, still. "Yeah, we'll go get your stuff," he says and smiles. And the two drive off towards Fort Brunsett.