Job Hunting [jacklexington/open]

"Yeah," she said,"But in my parents case they weren't going to anyway. He is alive somewhere but my mother won't tell me who he is. He is a Peacekeeper is all I know." Molly hated to think that she had been a mistake but in truth she had been. Her mother had had a fling with a Peacekeeper and then he had left her when he had learned about the pregnancy.

She held the nail as he beat and the end of the board as he beat in the nail. She smiled a bit. "Guess I can hold my own after all," Molly said.

"Miss Hammer? Interesting. Better then little girl at least since I bet we are about the same age," she said as she picked up a new board to hand to him as she grabbed up the hammer again.

"Doubt it," Molly said as she hammered away, "My father stopped seeing my mother when he learned about the pregnancy. I don't know why my mother was sleeping around with a Peacekeeper in the first place. Probably hoped he would marry her and get her out of this place. I honestly don't ever care to meet a man who would leave a pregnant woman to fend for herself. Plus I loath Peacekeepers. One of them murdered someone I was very close too."

She was really beginning to like Jack. He would make an excellent friend. "Glad to see I am not the only one who feels that way about Peacekeepers," she said driving her last nail into the board.

Molly took the nails from him and continued to hammer as she talked. "I have too long to go for my tastes," she replied, "Around a year and a half right now. Much too long to be comfortable. I am frightened that I will be reaped. My mother won't be able to get by without me."

"I wasn't told another task so I could help you out if need be before inquiring about another job," she said.

Molly had also begun to realize how much they were similar. She normally wouldn't even go out of her way to speak to anyone since Alex had died. "I wish they would just all disappear," she said, "Why must we be punished for a stupid war that occurred so long ago?" She barely heard him mention his brother. She knew the feeling all to well. she cleared her throat to avoid the tears that sometimes came when she remembered that day. It had taken so long to get the blood off of her. Sometimes she felt it was still there.

Molly finished and the hammer was taken from her and she was given the water bottle instead. "Thanks," she said before taking a drink.

As he walked away she felt shocked by what he said. Jack really did not mind her being here. Molly had faltered for a second but now she followed after Jack. She smiled a bit not mentioning that it was only a trial day since that would be a total buzz kill. Molly really hoped they would keep her around. She liked being around someone who seemed to understand her for once and might not judge the temper she got when she was upset.

She caught up to him and started walking beside him. "It is nice meeting you too Horseman," she said looking at him with a smile before actually getting a bit ahead of him.

Molly smiled as he bragged a bit. Men. They did have that tendency. "See you soon," she called as he walked off.

She entered the stables and smiled. Gorgeous horses and shiny leather equipment lie with in. The smell of hay and horse hair tickled her nose as she entered it. It was amazing to be in such a place. Molly patted the neck of one of the horses as she waited for Jack.

Jack finally shows up and hands her a tool. "I've seen it done before but never done it myself," Molly said taking the tool from Jack. She patted the horses neck again and it snorted at her a bit. She smiled. she never had really been around horses so much growing up but she had always loved them. So majestic and strong. One of the few animals that could be raised and not slaughtered once they had grown up.

"I normally would already be in the fields but not until a bit later now," Molly said, "I only have to manage the irrigation system for a couple hours tonight." The horses hair was soft under her fingers and she started rubbing the tool over the horses coat and it got rid of the tangles and extra fur. "Looks like I figured it out," she said smiling.

Molly ran the first tool over the horse trying to get rid of all the dust and hair. It took awhile to do so. It seemed that the horse was carrying its own sandbox. She let out a light sneeze as a puff of dust agitated her nose. Finally she set the one tool aside and noticed that Jack had moved on to his second horse.

She grabbed up the brush and stroked it across the horse's coat until it was soft, smooth, and shiny. The horse began snuffling and snorting at her hair and Wolfy playfully batted at its nose. "It may look like hay but it isn't you silly horse," she said as she smoothed the brush over the muzzle to finish off the brushing. She gently patted the horse's forequarters and smiled. She picked up the tools and was just about to move to the next stall and reply to Jack when the owner came in.

Molly's stomach dropped a little bit. She was happy to hear that Jack would keep his job but she was afraid. Would they possibly keep her too? Could they possibly think she might be worth keeping around?

"You've always worked quite hard for us, Jack," the raspy voice man said as he walked further into the stable, "Despite my misgivings for you I did have to consider that. And as for you..."

He looked towards Molly and she held her breath without realizing it. She was a bit frightened about what he would say. What was he going to say?

Molly felt relieved. A week. It could help immensely. "Thank you oh thank you," she said as he started to leave. She did not yet know the man but she was certain the small smile he had worn wasn't usual and was not surprised to see it leave. When Jack turned to Molly and smiled she could not help but beam back.

"Oh it is so amazing," she said letting out a small laugh of relief. Molly twirled around because of her happiness. Then because she can not help it she goes and throws her arms around Jack. Realizing she had probably just really violated his personal space she backed away.

"Sorry about that," she said not looking him in the eye. Molly hoped he had not felt awkward after the hug. It would be awful to already ruin a friendship she was hoping to make. It had been a long time since she had had any friends since she had pushed them all away when Alex had been murdered. The mere thought of Alex caused her stomach to tighten and for her to lose her smile. She silently prayed she wasn't losing it again. Not here not now.

Molly looked down at her hands realizing she was still gripping the tool so hard that the knuckles were white and her hand was shaking. She had to calm down. She had to relax and concentrate on the present not the past. But Molly couldn't help but remember the sound the gun had made and the blood. All that blood. Molly felt as if she was still there sometimes. She managed to release the tool but as it fell to the ground she closed her eyes trying to think of anything but that day.

"I am so sorry I am freaking out," she managed to say, "Memories sometimes really hurt is all." Molly didn't look up because she couldn't. Her eyes had started tearing up as she fought hard to think of anything else. She tried to tell herself to calm down and go back to working with the horses again.

He had started just rubbing her arm to try and comfort her but then he hugged her and Molly wrapped her arms tightly back around him as if he were her anchor to the present to make her forget that awful day. Jack had thought that he had caused this and Molly finally calmed down enough to talk.

"No. Oh my Lord no you did not cause this," Molly said looking up at Jack. She still sniffled a bit and some tears still managed to work their way out but the shaking had stopped which was a good sign. Somehow this man she scarcely knew had managed to calm her down away from the peak of her freak out. No one really ever had been able to calm here down when she had reached that point.

Her fingers slowly got feeling back in them and she flexed them just a bit before wiping at her eyes. "I sometimes but can not help remembering the day that the only person besides my mother who cared about me at all was murdered," she started to say, "It was just so awful. The shot to the head did not kill him right away. He bled out in my arms as the Peacekeeper walked away uncaring. Randon things remind me of that day. Normally I can handle it but remembering him hurts so much. He was the only person to care about me other then my mother. My mother cared about me because I am her only child who does care for her but he he made me feel better. I wasn't afraid and I was happy. Now I have no one and can not help but remember the blood. All that blood."

"I really wish you could help me Jack," she said looking up at him all tears finally gone but no light in her eyes, "But I'm the one broken thing you can't fix. I don't think anyone can."