Unexpected Outcomes

The Train Hideout

With a furrow of your brow and a lowly groan, you shuffled uncomfortably where you lay, unable to rid your body of the painful ache that had began to slowly wrap itself around you once again.

A moment or so passed and you lifted your heavy, hooded eyes open with a slow and tender flutter. The splitting headache that kicked from behind them made you groan quietly in remonstration of a unknown soft light source that came through the darkness from close by.

Finally finding some soft focus through the dim night light , your eyes struggled initially before distinguishing the shadowy outline of a male sat close by. A slightly weather worn looking man sat somewhat reclined in a high backed leather chair, arms and ankles folded and top hat pulled down over his eyes as he seemingly slept. With a sudden quickening of your heart and an immense sense of relief that engulfed and warmed your aching body, you realised the male sat opposite you in the chair was in fact Jacob.

You gave a deep but gentle moan ,  both at the pain that tugged at your side once more and the warm feeling of relief which coursed quickly through your veins at the mere sight of him . Your slight troubled mewing pulling Jacob quickly from his rest.

A dirtied, weather worn finger lifted and pushed the brim of his hat slowly from his eyes as he began to sit forward. Placing his elbows on the well worn material of his knees he leant closer to you. The soft light from the nearby gas lamp bathed his face and made his deep pooling eyes glint brightly as they looked reverently over you. It felt so good to see his friendly familiar face once again.

"Jacob" you croaked as you tried to push yourself up quickly from the beds surface. Your aching limbs protested at such a hasty  movement making you wince loudly, with eyes clenched closed you cautiously lowered back down.

"Whay.... I don't know where you're expecting to go love but it's certainly not going to be far.... Not for a while anyway... Not yet" he spoke quietly, his voice deepened and ragged from the sleep still lodged in it. You nodded as you shuffled slightly trying to get comfortable once more.... "how are you feeling?"

"Quite honestly?........ Like I've been trampled on by a herd of bloody elephants" you croaked as your fingertips rubbed at your hooded eyes

Jacobs face illuminated with a smile, pleased to see a slight glimmer of your humour poking through once more "you will do for a while love.... That's why it's important to rest"

There was a brief silence as your eyes cast around momentarily, trying hard to place your new surroundings.The steely screech of rails, the burning coke smell, the juddery movements could only mean one thing.... You were aboard the train hideout, a place not many Rooks got to go at all.  A further thought and more importantly, you found yourself in a proper down bed with pillows and sheets and the softest mattress you thought you'd ever lay on, this could only mean one thing.... You found yourself within Jacobs bed.

"Jacob I can't stay here" you started awkwardly, becoming a little overwrought by it all. Your fingers grasped the cotton sheets that had been wrapped around you and you  threw them quickly from your body revealing your battered and bruised legs. Your eyes widened, little alarmed to see the dirtied cotton gown you still wore from the hospital.

"Hey...... No no no.....I won't hear of it, you need proper rest... for the night at least" he said as he lifted slightly from the chair and began to cover you with the sheets once more

"But this is your bed Jacob.... I can't possibly take your bed" you stammered feeling a little embarrassed at finding yourself within the neat and comfortable sheets knowing he'd been napping rather uncomfortably on the chair opposite