Getting Ready for the Supply Run

Posted on Tue Jul 9th, 2024 @ 8:24pm by Hale Stratton & Ethan Thompson & Alonzo Blazevic & Timothy Reynolds & René Rouen & Vienna Quinn & Serena Reynolds M.D. & Thea Matthews & Edward Harrison Jr
Edited on on Sat Jul 13th, 2024 @ 11:20pm

2,661 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Winter is Coming
Location: Quinn Hunting Cabin, Augusta, Maine
Timeline: September 7, 2010 - 05:00 a.m.

Hale was up first though it could also be said that he hadn't really been asleep. Too many people, too close together, in an unsecured location, meant that he dozed at best. So as the first threads of daylight crept up across the horizon, Hale, who had been sitting outside watching the sunrise, went inside and put together a pot of coffee. Just a matter of stoking up the fire a bit and setting the pot on the grate. One of the few things he could make reliably -- especially over an open fire. It would be time to go soon but he figured that he would let them sleep until the coffee was ready.

PJ woke a short time later, and Serena, attuned to this, woke at the same time to hush him from waking everyone else. She picked him up and looked about and spotted Hale in the kitchen area. She gave him a nod as she gathered some things to change her son, and moved to a corner where she would not disturb people as she and PJ interacted softly as she changed him from his sleep nappy to a clean one. She changed his clothes as well, making sure his clothes were layered due to changes in weather.

Hale returned her nod with one of his own as he went about pouring coffee. The first mug went to Serena. No sugar. No creamer. And not everyone's favorite. He hoped it would be good enough. He made similar mugs for the others on the team and then went around waking them up, one by one.

Too many thoughts and they wouldn't sort themselves out. Hale needed to run. Five miles would be good. More would be better but that wasn't going to be an option. He'd tethered himself. Gave up the one thing that was his alone. Just a matter of adjusting, he told himself. Adjusting. His expression turned bleak as he retreated to the porch, sitting with his back against an upright, watching the approaching. He'd been on the teams forever. The world was just one big war zone and there was a mission. Enough self pity, he told himself. Deal with the realities.

Hale finished his coffee, set the cup down, and rose to his feet to do a series of light stretches. Time to get everyone moving.

Tim awoke when he heard Hale moving about the cabin. Then, when his son stirred and Serena got up with him, he finally opened his eyes. After getting up and going outside to relieve himself, he came back in and took one of the mugs of coffee. Like Hale, he preferred his morning brew to be unadulterated, so he relished to strong bite of the black coffee. Once that was done, he smiled softly as he moved over to his family, kissing Serena good morning, then leaning down to do the same for their little boy. The scruff of his growing beard tickled PJ's soft skin, causing the room to be filled with innocent laughter.

Serena smiled and gently handed PJ to Tim as she cleaned up and sipped the coffee she had been given. Being a doctor she drank whatever was on offer. Then she moved to the kitchen area to check on the laundry and began folding the dry clothes into the piles, one pile per person.

Timothy happily took hold of their son, playing quietly with him as if he were the only thing that mattered in all of creation. As the rest of the group started to wake up, he took PJ outside, onto the little porch, where they saw Hale. "Look, PJ, it's Uncle Haley!" He said in a soft, quiet tone.

Opening her eyes Thea had heard PJ’s laughter, it made her smile thinking she had that to look forward to. Getting up she brushed her hair, and then headed to the outhouse, before she joined the others. “Good Morning” She offered a warm smile.

Still feeling a bit drowsy, the groggy Alonzo stretched and yawned a bit before delivering his wise sermon. "Every morning is a good if you get to wake up. Can't take that for granted these days. It's an even better morning when there's coffee."

Beds had been in short supply in the cabin so Ethan had found himself a bit a spot on the rug near the fire. He woke up, staring into the flames, and gave himself permission not to interact with everyone straight off. Not too long ago, he would have heard his Mom in the kitchen making pancakes while his Dad turned the music on, because their house was always filled with music, and went out to get the paper. How had he not understood back then how important that all was? How had he wasted the last days of his time with them in pointless anger? He hoped they understood that he loved them. That he would have gotten back to that ... at least he hoped he would have. There was a group now, people banding together out of necessity, and subgroups forming. Vienna and Rene, joined at the hip. Tim and Serena and P.J., ready to bail at a moment's notice for the safety of their little group. Alonzo who had been so quiet of late it was like he wasn't even there, not someone to rely on certainly, and Hale, well, Hale was there but he had responsibilities. This is what it feels like, Ethan thought, to go it alone. It's what I dreamed of back then but this? I wish I could go back and tell me of a month ago to grow up. To see what he had. Ed seemed nice enough but a complete unknown. No, he'd have to learn how to be a family of one. Nodding to himself, he rose to his feet and went in search of coffee, because that's how adults started their day. And, for good or ill, that's what he was now.

Vienna stretched as she awoke, she’d chosen to sleep close to René, but not close enough to risk accidentally hurting his leg in her sleep. She slowly got up, getting herself organized.

René opened his eyes to see Vienna stretching. He smiled warmly, despite the ache in his leg. "Bon jour ma belle." ("Good morning beautiful.")

“Bon jour handsome” Vienna smiled warmly. “How are you this morning? How is your leg?”

René shifted to a sitting position in his sleeping bag. "Stiff mostly. I don't normally sleep on my side." He tried moving his leg and was rewarded with a slight twinge of pain. "Leg still hurts, but not as bad as I thought it would."

“That’s Good then, isn’t it?” Vienna gave René a hopeful look, she noted a slight wince as he moved his leg. “Do you need any painkillers?”

René shook his head. "I'm okay. We should probably get moving. It's going to be a busy day." René got out of his sleeping bag and pulled on his socks and shoes.

“Agreed” Vienna nodded. “I need to start helping out more.”

Edward was the last to awaken, yawning and stretching like a powerful mountain lion. He then stood and went outside to use the outhouse. Afterwards, he came back in, gathered his cleaned clothes, and blocked up a mug of the coffee. "Thank you, Doctor Reynolds," he said with a sleepy smile. He took a big chug of the still boiling hot beverage...but seemed no worse for wear. When he saw the look on Serena's face, he shrugged. "I like hot coffee best. Mama always made it hot, so it would last me all morning." He looked to his left and right, then leaned in and whispered, "Don't tell her I always drank it fast, because I like it really hot!"

Serena gave a soft laugh. "Secret's safe with me."

Arriving alongside René, Vienna smiled warmly. “Good Morning.” She headed to get drinks for both of them, she needed to make sure she had breakfast as well before departing with the others on the supply run.

René eased himself down into a chair at the table and placed the crutches at his feet. He gratefully accepted a cup of coffee. He mulled over what he would be able to do today to be of help. He gave a depressed sigh. It was compounded by the fact that Vienna was going on the expedition today and he was not going.

[Meanwhile, Outside on the Porch]

Hale, who was more comfortable with children than he let on, took P.J. from his father's arms and sat back down on the porch. He started playing with the baby as he spoke to Tim, serious words spoken in a sing song voice that made P.J. laugh. "We should get going soon, Timmy. Best to travel in full daylight." He turned his attention back to the baby. "And just you wait. Uncle Hale has five brothers and between us we've pulled every prank known to man and I," he said, leaning closer, "am going to teach you all the best ones. Pinkie swear." He stuck out his pinkie and P.J. grabbed hold with enthusiasm. "My man," he said, grinning.

Timothy nodded at first, then let out an audible sigh. "Just remember, both of his parents know how to kill someone slow. And Serena was a surgeon, so, she can make it hurt even more." He grinned at one of his closest male friends in the world.

"Whereas I," Hale said, "am swift like an eagle." He stood up and did a few small swoops with P.J. "Also," he said, grinning, as he handed the baby back, "ya' gotta sleep sometime."

Ethan, coffee cup in hand, went out the back door and found a spot a few feet from the cabin. It might have been a place for cookouts at one point but being a city kid, he had no real idea. There was a long log, lying on it's side, and that was enough. Couches and comfort were part of the child's reality. He'd slept on the floor, without a blanket or a pillow, and managed to get a decent night's sleep. Logs were nothing. Coffee, which didn't taste nearly as bad as he thought it would, and then maybe bring in some firewood. That would be useful. Both of his parents had instilled in him a work ethic and he had recently begun to see that work would ensure he had a place and food to eat.

His thoughts drifted, gossamer strands that touched his mind and moved on almost before he could grasp them, as he watched the sway of the leaves in the early morning breeze. Sunrise in the middle of nowhere was surprisingly nice, Ethan thought. At least for the time it took to drink his coffee.

Serena gathered a few items and filled a bottle or two for PJ while she was off on the trip. She also put two jars of baby food with them. She made sure there were enough nappies. She grabbed her own jacket and slung it on even as she finished her preparations for PJ. Then as more got up, she made sure breakfast was handed out. It was basic. Bread toasted on the fireplace, and some left over stew.

Ethan, half surprised that Serena had found him, accepted breakfast. "Thanks," he said and he meant it. This new reality had already taught him that you couldn't count on things. Not food. Not a safe place to sleep. Nothing. He ate quickly and then headed to find Hale. They would be leaving soon and he had a question to ask.

Half-walking, half-running, Ethan dropped off the dirty dishes and headed around to the front of the cabin where Hale was gathering the group. He gestured toward Hale who responded and walked a short way away with him. "I want to come with," he said, rushing into the conversation because he fully expected to be brushed off. "I'm fast, I can carry more than you think, and I need a job. Some way to give back that doesn't just mean setting the table and gathering firewood."

Hale took his time answering which made Ethan squirm a bit but that was alright. It wasn't a small thing the teen was asking. "You're right," Hale said. "If this was a perfect world, you'd be in school but it's not. Alright, you can come but here's the deal. You stay with Vienna. She's going to be acting as our 'sniper,' taking out any not-nearly-dead that might sneak up on us. Once we're sure the facility is safe, you can help with loading. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Ethan said. "Stick with Vienna. Help where I can."

"Good," Hale said. "Then let's get going. We've wasted enough daylight, eh?"

The two returned to where the vehicles were parked. "We'll take two," Hale said. "Not that I'm greedy or anything, but I'd hate to leave something important behind because we ran out of room, eh?"

Tim nodded as he opened the driver's side door of the Blazer for Serena. "Best you start getting used to driving off road, babe. For now, when there's sunlight, I want you behind the wheel."

Serena nodded gave their son a kissed and last instructions to Thea, which basically boiled down to 'trust your instincts and keep yourselves safe."

As the team started to load up, Edward stepped outside. "Major Sutton? What should I do while you're gone?" The big man wanted to be of some help to the group that took him in.

"Along with making sure there's enough firewood and water in the cabin for tonight," Hale said, "it's going to be your job to keep them safe. You and Alonzo. I did a bit of a scout this morning and I didn't see anything worrisome, so you should be fine but in case something bad happens, there's a couple of things. First, remember that storage area in the master bedroom? I think it locks from the inside. Second, you could see about finding a way to block the windows and reinforce the doors."

"Batten down the hatches is it?" Alonzo replied with a small smirk. "I'm sure we can find some wood and nails to block the windows and reinforce as many doors as well can. If we have any empty tin cans or anything, they may be useful to string around the perimeter."

Edward nodded as he looked over at Alonzo, then back at Hale. "You can count on us, Major Sutton!" He snapped to attention and fired off a slightly sloppy, though well-meaning, salute. It was clear that he was trying to show respect to Hale, the leader of the group.

Hale saluted back. "I trust you both," Hale said. "We'll be back as soon as we can." He turned to Alonzo and added, "keep Rene off that leg as much as you can. "

Vienna joined the others with her bow and quiver of arrows. Now she had her bow she could be of much more use, she had never been more glad that her father had taught her how to use it. She purposely hadn’t said goodbye to René, simply giving him a kiss on the cheek as she’d headed outside. Goodbyes felt final and she was definitely going to be back.

Serena climbed into the blazer and got behind the wheel. She was silent as she forced herself to look ahead as she waited for Hale to lead the way.

After she climbed in, Tim, feeling her anxiety, leaned in close and whispered. "I know, Rena, I don't like leaving him behind either. Let's try to focus on the mission in front of us, then get back to our little prince after." He leaned in a bit more, giving her a quick and tender kiss.

 

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