(no subject)

"Um..."

She thinks on this a moment, her slight frame trembling a little from the cold walk up in her damp trousers. It might be nice to get something dry on first, but she hasn't eaten since early that morning, not counting that strip of jerky, and she's thinking the fire might just do nicely so they can go on and eat.

"You know, I think I'll be all right to stay by the fire a bit. It ain't all that bad, just a lil' chilled is all."

Doc has no problems with stealing one of the blankets off the back of the couch and wrapping it around her shoulders, to replace his arm around her.

"Alright. Fireplace it is," he agrees. "You want tea or somethin'?"

He's planning on a good cup of coffee, himself.

She smiles at the gesture, curling her fingers around the blanket so he can let go.

"Mmm... I'll have whatever you're having," she shrugs. "An' I'll get us set for lunch by the fireplace, so you can go on."

And when he gets back, he'll find that blanket spread on the floor, she with the basket in the middle, her coat and scarf hung on a coat-rack off in the corner of the room.

He returns after a minute or two with a pair of coffee cups and a thermos, as well as a small bottle of milk and a few sugar packets (for her, if she wants them) and another blanket. The stuff gets set on the floor, the second blanket gets wrapped around her shoulders (don't think you're getting away that easy) and then he hangs his coat and scarf near hers.

Doc kicks his boots off in the direction of the fireplace, and then settles down, sitting cross legged.

"Coffee."

She's sitting on her hip, her legs spread off to the side near the fireplace, boots still on her feet (but off the blanket, to be polite, of course). She can't hold back a laugh when he drapes another blanket around her shoulders, accepting it with a roll of the eyes.

Her smile hasn't lessened any by the time he settles near her.

She has pulled two plates from the basket, along with forks and knives, and is now retrieving the Tupperwares of food.

"Coffee sounds good," she nods, grateful for something hot to drink. "Could you put some milk and a lil' sugar in mine, if it's not too much trouble?"

"Not at all."

Doc fixes her coffee the way she requests and then fixes his own, with just the milk and no sugar, as he settles on the blanket and allows it to cool a bit.

"Wouldn't do for y'to catch somethin'," he chides, lightly.

The smile on her face is playful as she shoots him a sidelong look, while she fixes his plate.

"I've only been sayin' the same 'bout you for the last day and a half," she chides right back, nudging his shoulder. "After all, a day like today after you was out riding in the cold 'til all hours on that gelding, you should be mindful you're taking good care of yourself."

The 'or else I'm gonna have to take care of you instead,' is implied in the subtle twitch of her lips when she passes him his full plate.

He would protest that he could put his own plate together, but he knew she'd just protest right back, so he kept quiet until she passed him his food.

"I 'preciate you puttin' all this together," he says.

Doc shrugs a bit. "I got a good immune system. Takes a hell of a lot to actually git me sick."

He's a very perceptive man.

She shrugs lightly, fixing her own plate. "Wasn't nothin'. Bar's the one done the cookin', anyway. We should be sure to thank her once we're finished."

She sets her plate down in front of her and leaves the spoons in the food and condiments, so Doc can help himself to anything he likes as they eat. She picks up her coffee and takes a few grateful sips, still amazed at how smooth it goes down compared to homebrew.

"That right?" she murmurs into her cup, one eyebrow arched at him. "You know I'll hold them words against you, if'n you ever do 'come ill."

Doc takes pride in being perceptive. If he wasn't, he'd end up dead. It's habit.

"We will," he agrees, as he stretches slightly for his coffee, it's still pretty hot but he's used to it scorched and worse. This is nothing. "But ridin' ain't something I quit doin' just 'cause it's cold out."

"Wouldn't imagine you would," she admits, stretching her thawing muscles a little in the warm room. "Don't mean I don't have license to worry 'bout you, though."

"True." He smiled. "To be honest, I kind of appreciate that as well. Reminds me not t'run myself down too ragged, if you know what I'm sayin'?"

Her face is turned towards her plate, but you can still see the way she slowly smiles with pride.

"Good," she says, lifting her head to look at him, blue eyes sparkling in the low light. "'Cause you had better not."

"I'll do my best," he admits, over the rim of the coffee mug. "Sometimes I just...can't help it, I reckon."

Not like that's an acceptable excuse and he knows it.

It's not.

But she doesn't scold him for it.

"I know," she sighs instead, putting her mug down and straightening a little as she starts to run her hands through her hair, still soft and long against her shoulders.

She knows what it's like, sometimes, to work yourself too hard. When you're on your own, trying to make ends meet and be available for more than a dozen children every day, sometimes you push yourself to do more than you should.

She's trying to work her hair into some sort of bun, since she is without the assistance of her hairpins, and with the action the blanket around her shoulders gently falls to her hips.

"But you know I'll be watchin', now. So you ain't got anymore excuses, when it comes to getting the rest you need," she reaffirms, shivering against the sudden cool at the back of her neck.

Doc watches her as he eats, and nods in the affirmative to her statement about being watched. He knows that she'll kick his ass if he lets himself get too worn down, but sometimes he just has to push himself.

If he stops working, he feels that itch.

And he doesn't want to feel that itch. Not here, anyways. The sandwich gets eaten between swallows of hot coffee, and he knows he's hungrier than he let on.

She knows it, and it makes that little smile of pride return to her lips and her eyes as she starts in on her meal. She was hungry, too, and it's been a while since the last time she truly felt like eating a whole meal.

But she does. With relish.

And, despite her earlier protests, she is grateful for the blanket around her body, as she is still chilled from their ride. It'll be a little bit yet before the legs of her trousers dry, but they're slowly getting there.

As she eats (and actually eats) for once, Doc can't help but grin a bit to himself, knowing that it's a very good sign.

For the both of them.

Once he's eaten his sandwich, and munched on the fried squash flowers, he tops up both of their coffees and them contemplates something, out loud.

"I think today was good, gettin' to see how Lionheart reacts to the other stock."

She slowly chews a forkful of potato salad as she considers the same, nodding her head softly.

"I think so, too. He's a beautiful creature, if not a bit temperamental," she says.

"He'll settle down. I think he's used to bein' stabled more on his own as well, ain't used to a whole barn full of other horses. That can't help matters much, but he'll just have to deal."

"There's always an adjustment period, when you've gotta get used to the idea that you aren't gonna be alone anymore," she nods. "Sometimes it's hard losing that independence."

It's no less true for horses than it is for humans.

She sets her plate and fork aside with a soft sigh, feeling fuller than she has in she doesn't even remember how long. She has to stifle a yawn, her full stomach and the warmth from the fireplace working together to make her tired.

Doc gathers up the items and then puts the plates and extras back in the basket, before he pulls her a little bit closer as he stretches his feet out, coffee on one side, her on the other.

"There is. When you gotta start carin' 'bout what other folk say or think 'bout what you do. Of course, there's one on the opposite side as well, when you go from bein' with someone to bein' alone."

"'Least let me pull my boots off!" she chuckles when he pulls her closer to him without a word, nuzzling at his jaw affectionately.

She ponders his words for a moment, nodding with a soft sigh.

"S'pose that's true enough. It ain't easy losin' something you've come to rely on so much."

"You want to take your boots off, go right ahead, but you git back here and let me keep you warm."

Doc smiles, and nods a bit.

"And it ain't. It's like learnin' how to live all over again."

She laughs again, pulling away from him.

"Mighty bold request to make there, Doc," she teases, drawing one slender leg up to untie her boot and slip it off, repeating the process with the other. When she's done, she feels much more comfortable spreading out on the blanket.

"Like learnin' how to live all over again," she repeats, slowly scooting back to his side. She nods. "S'what it's like, all right. Like dyin' and startin' over your own self. As someone new."