Fields of Gold [open]

[Simon Foxx]

It was a sunny, beautiful day at Pinewood Stables; a day that nobody would want to spend indoors, even in autumn. Simon Foxx was one of those people. Even if it were an overcast, rainy day he would find some sort of excuse to be out of doors; as a kid he could hardly remember ever staying in the house to watch the television or to just "hang out". That just wasn't in his nature.

Simon clucked his tongue for the hundredth time, giving the lead rope he was holding a light tug. The horse on the other end of the rope was a beautiful dappled grey mare. Her coat looked like speckled silver, and her mane and tail looked like spun sterling. Even though Simon was just over six feet tall, the mare stood at 16.3 hands; a good match for his height. They often sized each other up, both trying to be the dominant one.

"Come along Radio" Simon's kept his voice low, though his English accent was still just as prominent. The mare tossed her head up and down, planting her feet. She was stubborn ninety percent of the time; the other ten percent was sheer laziness. She was a clever horse if he ever saw one, and when clever and stubborn mix together, you get one hell of a horse. Simon hadn't known what he was getting when he bought Radio on a whim at a cheap auction eight months earlier. It didn't really matter anyway; even if he had known that she was a tough horse to handle, he would've bought her. Spirit, he often told himself, she has a lot of spirit.

Even trying to lead the mare to her pasture was becoming a battle. She simply stood there, staring at her owner, looking pleased with herself. Simon could almost imagine what she was thinking, "Well, I've outsmarted him. It's all about proving a point. Him, leading me to a pasture? I always lead, not the other way around!" Radio flapped her lip at him, as if to rub in the fact that she was a thousand pound animal with her own will. He rain a hand through his already messy hair, sighing in defeat. She was a smart horse, and she was a challenging horse.

"I don't know why you think you're so clever," He said with a soft chuckle, "All of the good grass is in the pasture. You're getting nothing by standing here." He didn't mind that he was making conversation with a horse; it was something that he did all of the time. When he spoke, Radio listened, whether she could understand what he was saying to her or not. Most people would probably be surprised to hear Simon speak at all. He didn't talk to humans; he much preferred the horses. Radio tossed her head again, her silver mane bouncing up and down. She snorted, pawing at the grass with one hoof. He stood next to her, patting her shoulder, "Come on pretty girl, I'll let you lead."

Radio snorted again before touching her nose to Simon's shoulder. He sighed and rubbed her neck in small circles. He wouldn't mind standing outside of the pastures with his horse all day. She was what he lived for, after all.

He looked around at the beautiful rolling hills, dotted with horses of all colors and sizes. This wasn't even close to feeling like home, but he still loved it. Today was Radio's first day as a Pinewood boarder, but it was Simon's first day too. He expected to spend all of his free time here; when he didn't have to be at the bank he knew that he would be with Radio. He had spent the morning introducing himself to all of the horses; it took all morning because Pinewood had so many boarders. He had never seen so many horses in one place; it was like some dream come true. Simon had yet to run into any people, but it was only a matter of time before he had to talk to one of the boarders or grooms.

It was too hard to worry about talking to people when he was at the top of the world, looking down at fields of horses.

[Bailey Jenssen]

Every new beginning comes from another beginning's end...

What is life without a few obstacles? Nothing would be worth anything if you didn't have to work for it, if you didn't have to sacrifice. In Bailey's mind however, that was not true. Sacrifice was not something you wanted to go through. At least not the kind of sacrifice she made to get where she was now. Yes, it had been almost a month now since she had seen his face but the bruises that he inflicted, both physical and emotional, were slow to heal. Those bruises were what allowed her to get a horse and a new life, but that was too much to give in order to receive.

The windows of her truck were rolled down as Bai drove towards the barn. She had already been out here the night before to get her horse settled in but she did not count that as her first real trip out here. That was what she was doing today and for the first time in a while she was looking forward to something besides being alone. Turning onto the drive up to the stables she glanced around. This place was incredible.

Trimmed and groomed to perfection, the grass and shrubs stood like tiny soldiers all lined up ready for battle, and the trees swayed in time with the slight breeze outside. The only thing not in perfect order were the leaves that dropped from the branches above, all different colors and all over the place. It gave the whole place an inviting feeling so as she pulled the truck into an empty parking space she finally felt as though she was home.

Stepping out of her truck, Bailey tucked her stray hair behind her ears. The breeze seemed to dislike this so it picked up in speed for a moment just to mess everything back up. Giving up on taming her long tresses for the moment she walked into the barn for her first inspection. As soon as she stepped into the building the familiar smells of horses met her nose as well as the crisp scent of hay and the clean, clingy scent of leather. Moving down the long aisle Bailey peered into each stall. She was met by gentle nickers and long looks of suspicion and she was contented by the easy feeling she had around the equines.

Finally she reached the stall where her precious horse was to live from now on. Mr. Bojangles, or Bojo, immediately stuck his head over the door and nudged his owner. Smiling, she took out a small apple and when the horse ate the entire thing in one bite she could not help but chuckle. "Oh Bojo," she said softly, "how I have missed you these last few days." She petted the velvet soft muzzle for a moment just because she could and then she grasped his leather halter unlatched the stall.

The horse was eager to get out of his confines so he practically shoved his nose into the halter. "Easy boy," Bai said, laughter filling her voice, "You will get out soon enough." Stepping into the aisle once again, this time with Bojo on her heels, she went towards the door that would lead out to the pastures. As she walked into the chill autumn air she paused for a moment to take in her surroundings. The pastures were dotted with horses of all shapes and sizes. Never had Bailey seen so many equines in one place. It was awe inspiring and beautiful and at that moment she never wanted to move.

But Bojo did. He pulled ahead of her leading instead of being led. Bailey had to smile at this as she walked along beside him. She had no idea where he was leading her but for the moment that was fine. Then she heard another voice. This voice was obviously male and it held an educated British accent. Intrigued, she stopped an looked towards the sound.

What she saw was a tall silver horse and a tall handsome man. Her first reaction was to walk the other way, but for some reason she could not move. It was they way he spoke to his horse. The fondness and the emotion he put into his words captured her attention. She thought she was the only person who actually talked to her horse, but in this moment she was proven wrong.

That moment was also when Bojo decided he wanted to walk again. He pulled forward causing Bai to stumble after him. She let out a small squeak of surprise and when she finally regained her balance she realized where her horse was going. Bojo had never been the nicest of horses, at least not to others of his kind, and he was going straight for the silver horse.

"No! Bojo, stop!" She pulled back on the lead but her stubborn horse ignored her. He pushed on and tried to reach the mare, but in the last moment she managed to pull his head around and bring him to a halt. "I am so, so sorry about that," she said to the man, extremely embarrassed. "My horse... he's not very nice... and..." she stumbled over her words not sure of what he wanted to hear.

Status: Finished
Words: 906
Notes: First post in more than a year... hope its okay!

[Simon Foxx]

Simon was enchanted by the horses, especially his horse, still resting her head on his shoulder. Radio seemed content to just stand in the sun and nap. This place was something special, he knew it. It was a place to forget all of his problems. The ghosts of his old life couldn't haunt him here if they tried. Radio seemed just as relaxed at Pinewood, and it certainly didn't seem as if she were thinking of her not-so-perfect past. He knew that she had received beatings- not just simple kicks or slaps; being hit around the head with hard objects, and being ridden to the point of exhaustion. On top of that, she had been starved and isolated. It was amazing how she had learned to trust again. Already, she was more trusting of people than Simon was of anyone. He didn't know if he could ever trust or love again if he had been in the same situations as his beloved mare. How did people learn to trust after going through things like that? He sometimes wondered about those things.

He jumped when he heard something, or someone, behind him. It was a light, female voice, "No! Bojo, stop!" Another horse was lumbering toward Radio, who was still half-asleep and unaware. Simon saw a potential for danger right away. Radio could be nasty to other horses, especially strange horses, and she was bigger and stronger than he was. He stepped in front of the mare, holding out a hand toward the strange horse. Simon didn't have many people skills, but he made up for it with his abilities with animals. He didn't have to worry, for the horse's head was pulled away before he reached either Simon or Radio. He saw for the first time the person responsible for the "rude" horse. She was a girl about his age, he guessed, with brown hair and eyes of the same color. He hated to admit it to himself, but she was pretty and she seemed genuinely sorry.

"I am so, so sorry about that," She seemed flustered, stumbling over her own words, "My horse... he's not very nice... and..." He hated seeing people upset to any degree, and he knew the embarrassment of not being able to control a horse at times. His horse was perfect proof of that. Radio was now wide awake, her ears turned forward and her eyes on "Bojo". She snorted before tossing her head and flicking her tail. It looked like she was trying to speak to the other horse, and Simon couldn't help but laugh. When he laughed, his smile lit up his face, and suddenly he didn't look or feel so weighed down by his own depression. He caught himself, and then wondered if he could remember the last time he had laughed.

"Bojo here seems like a nice horse to me," he smiled at the girl, "Trust me, I know a mean horse when I see one" Simon had seen his fair share of mean horses over the years, and Bojo honestly didn't seem to fit into that category. The first horse he had ever ridden was a "mean horse", and had thrown him numerous times as a five-year-old. He reached up to stroke the horse's soft nose, letting him sniff his fingers and clothes. Behind him, Radio snorted, lipping at Simon's already messy hair. He turned around to push her nose away, getting licked by the mare in the process.

He turned back to the girl, remembering his manners. Manners were the only thing his father had ever preached on; as a kid he was constantly reminded to shake hands and say hello and be perfectly proper. Simon offered her another, this time smaller, smile. His heart was beating too fast, and he was almost sure that his palms were sweaty. That's what social situations always did to him. He was handsome, he was clever, and he was socially awkward. When he had lived in his small village there was no need to worry about meeting a lot of people. Now he was boarding at one of the largest and nicest stables he had ever seen. He was going to need to talk to people eventually; why not try now? The worst she could do was say something mean, but already she didn't seem like the type to do that. He tried not to think of the worst that could happen anyway.

He wiped one of his sweaty palms on his jeans and held out his free hand for her to shake. To his own horror, he saw his fingers trembling slightly, "I'm Simon Foxx....quite new here. This is Radio Flyer," He laughed nervously, "Otherwise known as the queen of everything and everyone" As if to prove Simon's point, Radio nudged him, nearly knocking him off balance. He quickly regained composure, biting his lip and waiting for her reply. This would either go well or all wrong.

- - -

Loved your post! Sorry mine wasn't very good. I promise I'll write a better one next time!

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[Bailey Jenssen]

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn as we go through life.

The only thing that was keeping Bailey from turning and running from this devilishly handsome man was the fact that Bojo was not going anywhere. He was thoroughly interested in the silver mare, a beautiful horse if she had ever seen one. This was good that her horse was learning to be nicer to other horses but did he have to choose this horse? Go figure that Bojo would pick the horse whose owner happened to be the cutest guy she had seen since Kevin....

She flinched at that thought. Literally, she flinched and she knew that it would look really stupid considering this man had been nothing bu nice to her. He had even said that Bojo seemed nice after he had been about to attack this guy's horse. And then Bai just had to go and flinch right in the middle of him saying something. He was going to think she was delusional. Great.... in the first day of being here she was going to be labeled as a freak.

Bailey could feel the blush rising in her cheeks, not much but enough to be noticeable. Trying to focus back on what the man was saying she finally took the time to study his manner. He was polite, almost too much so. He had seemed so relaxed when it was just him and his horse, but as soon as she had arrived he had stiffened. It was slight, but after being beaten by her boyfriend she had learned to detect the tiny differences in mood and stance. The slight change between tense and relaxed could mean getting out unharmed or having to crawl out because she was in so much pain.

Then he stuck his hand out, just to shake hands with her, and she knew it was irrational but her body reacted just like earlier. She shrank back just a little bit and her face turned to the side just the slightest bit as though expecting a blow. It only took her a second to regain composure but it was long enough for anyone to notice. It was enough for this guy to think of her as absolutely insane and for once in her life, even though she didn't know why, she cared what he thought of her. She took a deep breath as he said his name and then reached her own hand towards his.

Taking his hand, very lightly, she let her face mold into a tentative smile. It was genuine, have no doubt, but she still found it hard to smile like she used to when she knew what went on in the world. Finding her voice she finally introduced herself. "I'm Bailey Jenssen," she said softly, "but if you want to you can call me Bai." Bailey managed to look into his eyes for a few seconds before dropping her gaze back to the dirt. Letting go of his hand she began to rub circles on Bojo's neck while he inspected Radio.

"Well," she said smiling slightly at the horses, "they seem to be getting along okay. No blood yet..." Bai watched her own appaloosa stretch his neck out a bit farther. The spots on his back seemed to stretch as his muscles flexed and contracted and his dark, knowledgeable, eyes seemed to be appraising his companion. At that moment though, the breeze picked up a little and her hair, which had been cooperating, caught the breeze and swirled around her face. When she reached up to fix it her lead line flew out and popped Bojo on the nose making him toss his head and throw her off balance again.

She stumbled into Bojo's side having to grab at his neck to stay in an upright position. She did stay standing but not in a very graceful manner and she felt something building inside of her. Her eyes widened and her shoulders hunched forward a little and then something happened that had not happened in a long, long time.

Bailey laughed at herself. She actually giggled and smiled, her straight white teeth showing, but it didn't last long. Just a short burst of mirth, yet enough to help her feel a bit better. She let out a slight sigh, and that was when she remembered that there was someone else there. "Oh! Im so sorry for that," she said, her face coloring for the second time that day, "I can be terribly clumsy." That was said with a bit of remorse in it.

When she would do something embarrassing with Kevin, the abusive boyfriend, it would result it some sort of reprimand. A slap across the face or maybe a lashing with his belt across her back. Or maybe it led to a nice, sound punch in the gut. Anyway, her clumsiness has never resulted in anything good. Ever. And now that familiar sinking feeling filled her stomach. She was sure her expression had changed, especially in her eyes, so she turned to look at her gelding.

"I'm sorry," she said again. She seemed to be forever apologizing to Simon. "I... ah... you must think I'm crazy."

Status: Finished
Words: 884
Notes: Kinda random... sorry if it's confusing. Im still getting back into the swing of things.

[Simon Foxx]

Simon was relieved when the girl finally shook his hand, introducing herself as Bailey, or rather, Bai. There was something unusual about her manner though. She had flinched while he was talking, and he knew that it had nothing to do with him. After all, he was trying his best not to appear cold or intimidating. Her face had grown slightly red, and it was easy enough to tell that she was embarrassed about the little flinch.

Simon really knew that something was wrong when he held out his hand for her to shake. She hadn't paid any mind to his trembling fingers; instead, she turned her head and braced herself for some sort of blow. His mouth was slightly agape now, wondering why on earth she would react to a handshake in that way. He was almost sure he knew the answer, but didn't want it to be true. So he just pretended that he hadn't seen a thing.

"It's lovely to meet you Ms. Jenssen." He quickly corrected it, reminding himself that Bailey wasn't someone from work; she was potentially a friend, Or Bai, rather." Bai's eyes had already dropped to the ground, and she was stroking her horse gently. Simon let his guard down once again, feeling more relaxed now. He had nothing to be afraid of after all; she wasn't threatening at all.

"Well, they seem to be getting along okay. No blood yet..." He watched as the Appaloosa dared to move a bit closer to radio. The silver mare touched noses with the other horse, breathing out softly. Simon rarely saw her get along with other horses, or even stand still for so long. He smiled softly, putting one hand on Radio's muscular neck, "A rare moment in history indeed. It's not very often that my lady friend gets along with another of her kind." A slight breeze began to stir up the few leaves that were on the ground, blowing Bai's hair into her face in the process. She quickly tried to fix her hair, but the lead line popped Bojo in the nose.

It seemed to happen in slow motion for Simon. The Appaloosa tossed his head, and Bailey was caught off balance, grabbing her horse to stay upright. In his mind worse things were happening- Radio was rearing and Bojo was bucking and somewhere in the chaos Bailey was hurt. But no, none of those things happened. Simon dropped Radio's lead line, knowing that his horse wouldn't go anywhere without him.

Then he heard her laugh. It was a quick, small little laugh, but a laugh nevertheless. He let himself take a deep breath, knowing that the situation could've been worse, but that she was absolutely fine.

"Oh! I'm so sorry for that," Her face was red again, and the smile was gone with it, "I can be terribly clumsy." She even sounded sorry; sorry for accidentally stumbling. Never had he heard so many apologies from one person. Before he could say anything, Bai's expression changed; it was a look of fear and anticipation, "I'm sorry, I... ah... you must think I'm crazy."

Simon shook his head, "Not at all, love." He stepped closer, putting a hand on her wrist, "You just had me worried for about five seconds there." He quickly drew his hand back, realizing his mistake. He had been piecing together Bailey's strange behaviors in his mind, wondering what she was afraid of. When he reached out a hand, she had acted like he was going to strike her. She must've apologized twenty times for silly little things. She looked afraid.

There was really only one explanation in his mind. After he had bought Radio, she had been afraid of people after being beaten and hurt. His horse had shown almost all of the same signs that Bailey was demonstrating now. Someone had hurt the girl; someone must've intentionally beaten her. It was the only thing that made sense. He felt a pang of something in his heart; maybe sorrow, maybe pity, or perhaps a mix of both.

"I promise I won't hurt you." The words only came out as a whisper, but it was just loud enough for Bai to hear. He had made the same promise to Radio after she was saved from her abusive situation. It seemed like everything Simon knew, he had learned from a horse. That was almost true; horses had taught him everything but reading and writing and math. They had taught him the more important things- in this case, how to know when somebody needs a promise.

He wanted to ask her what son-of-a-bitch had hit her, or what had happened to her to make her so afraid. But if he were in the same situation, he wouldn't want any questions. Simon kept his mouth shut, hoping that this girl would trust him enough to know that he could never hit her.

- - -

Your posts are really awesome! If anything, mine are the random ones. I really like this thread!

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[Bailey Jenssen]

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

What was it that would not let her go? That same, gripping, terrified feeling squeezed and twisted her insides as she watched Simon. He was perfectly nice, she told herself. He was a complete stranger and he would never hurt her. He was not the kind to strike an innocent girl. Was he?

"Not at all, love. You just had me worried for about five seconds there." Those words made her let out a breath that she had no idea she had been holding. Bailey relaxed, not all the way, but partially. Her eyes softened and her lips went from pursed to parted. Then he came closer and all that relaxation that had been there a moment ago vanished into thin air. He laid his hand on her wrist, feather light in touch and so brief that it was almost like it had not happened, but he was the first male she had let touch her since Kevin. She had even shied away from her father and brother.

Bailey began to chew on her lower lip in confusion. These were not normal circumstances for two people to meet under. She had been abused, her horse had literally dragged her over here, and she had acted, to what anyone else would see, like a lunatic. Yet here this man stood understanding and comforting in presence and Bai could honestly say he was the only person she felt okay around. And she had only know him for a few minutes.

Then, as though he was reading her thoughts he reinforced her comfort level near him by whispering a simple phrase. "I promise I won't hurt you." It was all she needed to be herself. No one, not even her family, had made that promise to her before. Not in the time following her bad relationship, and come to think of it, not in the time before that either. They had said things like, "I love you," and, "It will be okay," but never had the words, "I promise," left their mouths. This tiny utterance gave Bailey some of her security back.

"Thank you," she said quietly back to Simon. She had relaxed again, this time fully, and it did wonders to her features. Her wide, brown eyes now held a bit of light along with the sorrow that was now permanent, and the corners of her lips tilted up. The creases that were engraved into her forehead disappeared and it almost seemed as though real weight had been lifted off of her shoulders as she stood a little straighter. She was transformed from a small, mousy girl to a young women.

Finally, after a moment of silence, she cleared her throat and looked back up to Simon. "Bojo and Radio seem to be making friends with one another. I normally can not turn him," she said throwing a pointed glance towards her horse, "out with any others, but maybe we could give putting these two together a try?" The last attempt at putting Bojo in a shared pasture had resulted in a broken finger, a vet, and a large sum of money. It had been, so to say, not pretty.

A large bird chose that moment to sweep across the blue sky. It's golden brown wings glided effortlessly over the wind and it appeared to be at a stand still. Eventually it flapped it's wings, massive in size, and with each powerful stroke it rose higher and higher into the blue until there was nothing left to see besides a tiny black dot on a backdrop of autumn sky.

"Isn't it a wonder that beauty and hideousness can coexist so easily together?" Bailey wondered aloud as her eyes followed the bird into the heavens. "I could never understand how good and evil have not managed to destroy the Earth in their constant battle." That had been a big subject on her mind ever since she had gotten away from her terrible fate. How could something as precious as a flower survive after a fire burned it to ash? How could people like Marie Curie and Hitler live on the same planet? How could one get over the loss of something dear to them? It was puzzling and these thought were constant companions to Bai.

Bailey didn't realize that she had said anything out loud as her attention focused back on her horse and the silver mare in front of her. It was one of the quirks that came with the package, her out loud thinking. She did this when she read and when she took tests and even while she was on the computer. It was just one of those things that made her unique, though it did get her into a lot of trouble. "Shall we?" she said motioning to the horses and the field.

Status: Finished
Words: 854
Notes: Gah! I was slightly muse-less when writing this, so I hope it is okay. Loved your last post btw. And I was thinking we could make a plot from this thread if you wanted to. It might be fun.

[Simon Foxx]

Simon watched closely as Bailey began to relax, and he too started to calm down. His heartbeat had almost returned to normal, and his hands were shaking less. She wasn't like other people; he could already tell. Ten minutes of conversation and he was already finding himself more relaxed and comfortable than he had been since leaving home. He almost wanted to thank Bojo for dragging Bailey over to him. Instead, Simon just stroked the Appaloosa's nose and smiled. He certainly wouldn't have talked to her under any normal circumstances. In normal, everyday situations, he was a complete mess. Would he have even been able to talk to her if he had just simply seen her in the barn or around town? Probably not.

As soon as he had given Bailey his simple promise, she seemed to change into a different person. It was like the clock had struck midnight; and she was turning into a more sure person, "Thank you," He shook his head, "Don't thank me..." He had almost added, "for a promise you deserve", but left it out at the last second. For a moment, he dared to look in her eyes. There was some sort of spark left there; the same spark that he had seen in Radio. It was something that said to him, "I'm still fighting". He wondered what she saw in his pale blue eyes. Did she see the coldhearted person he had been lately, or the person he had been before that? He quickly looked away, not wanting to make things awkward; wasn't staring into someone's eyes considered awkward?

"Thank you," she said quietly back to Simon. She had relaxed again, this time fully, and it did wonders to her features. Her wide, brown eyes now held a bit of light along with the sorrow that was now permanent, and the corners of her lips tilted up. The creases that were engraved into her forehead disappeared and it almost seemed as though real weight had been lifted off of her shoulders as she stood a little straighter. She was transformed from a small, mousy girl to a young women.

Bailey was the first to speak, "Bojo and Radio seem to be making friends with one another. I normally can not turn himout with any others, but maybe we could give putting these two together a try?"

Simon had almost forgotten about his horse, standing impatiently at the other end of the lead rope. He looked toward the two horses, observing Radio's strangely calm behavior. She was acting like a lady toward Bojo. That was a strange sight indeed, "Yes, we should definitely try these two together. I haven't seen Radio this sweet since..." He dug back through his memory, "Ever" Normally when the mare was turned out, she became the boss of everyone and everything- and she could use violence to get that status.

He looked up as a large, golden bird flew over their heads, moving on the current of the wind. Simon watched the bird until it was finally out of view. It took a moment for him to realize that Bailey had been watching the bird too, "Isn't it a wonder that beauty and hideousness can coexist so easily together?" Simon was almost surprised by the question when it came out of the blue. He too had a habit of thinking out loud; he didn't think that other, more "normal" people did such a thing, "I could never understand how good and evil have not managed to destroy the Earth in their constant battle."

"Good and evil are a constant balance," He spoke softly, his mind traveling to another place, "It's Ying and Yang. The good and the bad things are always weighing each other out. Without the bad, we wouldn't appreciate the good. Without the good...well, without the good, we would all just shoot ourselves,"

He chuckled softly, though in his mind he was reliving a moment from years ago. "Your mother and sister have perished in a car accident. Your mother and sister have perished in a car accident. Your mother and sister have perished in a car accident." It played over and over in his head; the memory of the police officers coming to his door and delivering the news without a hint of emotion. Simon quickly shook his head, returning to the present.

"A wise man once said that anyone who lived a completely happy life would go mad." Although he knew what he said was true, he wished that he could at least have the chance to live a completely happy life, even if it turned him mad.

"Shall we?" Simon's mind snapped back to what was going on once again. He looked at Bailey as if he were seeing her for the first time. How long had he been caught in a flashback? He wasn't sure, "Yes, let's get these two to a field before they decide that they don't wish to be friends anymore."

- - -

Thank you! ^.^ I love all of your posts! And I'm definitely up for plottage. I think we could really come up with something great between Bai and Simon. Ideas? PM me.

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[Bailey Jenssen]

The most important thing in life is not to learn how to give out love, but to let it come in.

"A wise man once said that anyone who lived a completely happy life would go mad." Bailey listened to those words and thought about the person who had originally said that. His life must not have been bad, or at least it was tolerable, for those words were so wrong. Life was supposed to be good, not totally, but better than she had it. He had never been abused, and why should he have been. He was a man. That man probably had a mother, one who didn't decide that she wanted to just pack up and leave when she wanted to. That man probably had a family he could depend on when he needed them the most. That man probably had know what love really was.

"Yes, let's get these two to a field before they decide that they don't wish to be friends anymore." The words sliced like a knife through her morbid thoughts and re-focused her attention on Simon, Bojo, and Radio. The horses, both of which apparently disliked others of their kind, were nosing each other and acting as though they were the best buddies in the world. Her own gelding looked content, and, not for the first time, Bai envied her horse. Yes, she envied an equine but life did seem much simpler when the most pressing thought in your head was about grass and who was going to make you work next.

Turning, Bailey walked to the closest pasture that was empty and unlatched the gate. She pulled her horse through the opening and then held it agape for her companions to follow. She unclasped her horses halter and let him go, even with the open gate, and watched as he bent his head to the earth to sniff and eventually take a big mouthful of crisp, green grass. Even in the fall this barn managed to keep it's grass nice and ready for the horses.

The chill autumn air caressed Bailey's arms and face, both of which where bare, giving her a light, airy, feeling. The sun pressed it's rays of gold down onto her face warming her where the air chose to cool her off. This day was turning out to be perfect, a day that she would cherish and replay in her mind for a while as one of the few happy memories she still held. Some other memories included a brief glimpse of her mother and the day she started riding, but all of that occurred before Kevin. This day was the beginning to something better. This day was the beginning to a brand new start.

"I know this is a bit random," Bai blurted without thinking, "but where exactly are you from?" Her head thingyed the tiniest bit to the side, barely perceptible but enough if you were observant. "I figured your accent was British, but I can't be certain considering I have never met anyone from England." Her eyes caught the sunlight, a glow of curiosity in them.

England had forever fascinated her, all the history and famous people. Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, and so many others who had kept Bai's head in a book had lived there at one time. It would be amazing to travel there, but in so many ways she was too afraid to even look at the price of a ticket.

It was not that she had no money, not that at all. She was given two hundred thousand dollars a year from her father to be able to live on. Her father, being a very wealthy man, had arranged for her to live off on her own. He said it was in her best interest, but in all truth she thought it was an elaborate and well executed plan to get his insecure daughter off his hands. It was a mean thought, yes, but Bailey would not put it above her father to try such a thing. There was nothing he would not do to keep his life simple.

Now here she was standing with the only person she liked, a stranger named Simon, and she found she was thanking her selfish father for putting her here. She had allowed her to get a horse, a house, and a life of her own, and maybe now she was even going to have a friend. That was more than she could have had in her old life. It was more than she deserved, but if someone like this was going to waltz into her life, or in literal terms her dragged into his, she was not going to give it up. This could be her only chance at a good life, and no way in hell was that slipping through her fingers.

Status: Finished
Words: 828
Notes: Wow... got really bad there at the end. I was scrambling for words. Sorry for the crappiness, but it was all I could think of.

[Simon Foxx]

Simon watched Bailey as she seemed to turn over thoughts in her head. There was no doubt that she was thinking of the last quote he had thrown at her. It was a stupid little saying, really. Had anyone ever gotten the chance to live a completely happy life? Of course not. The world was a dark place, he knew firsthand, it's impossible to escaped unhappiness. He started to wonder about the girl standing just paces from him. Had she seem similar tragedies? Worse things even? He had the sinking feeling that she had seen darker things with her eyes; things not even nightmares could compete with. What could happen to someone to make them so completely afraid?

His thoughts turned back to the horses when Bailey led Bojo to the nearest gate, holding it open for he and Radio. Simon waited for the spotted gelding to be released before he even thought of letting his own horse off of her lead. He wanted to see how she would respond to being in the pasture with Bojo- she did have a history of being a nasty boss mare after all. But Radio seemed to be behaving especially well today, and Simon was only slightly suspicious. Why couldn't she be this easygoing all of the time? Mares.

"Be nice Radio. Nobody likes a bossy mare." He spoke softly, hoping that Bailey wouldn't hear, but not exactly minding if she did. She seemed completely at home with the way he talked to horses. Simon unclipped Radio's lead, and the mare sauntered a few paces toward Bojo before spying a patch of grass that looked more appealing. She set off at a slow trot across the pasture, her tail waving in the air like a flag. She was pure shining silver in the sunlight, and she seemed to know it too. He watched with a smile on his face as Radio explored the water trough, snorting at her reflection. It wasn't every day that a horse could be completely saved from an abusive oblivion. This Thoroughbred was his pride and joy; his proof that anything could get better.

"I know this is a bit random, but where exactly are you from?" Simon looked over at Bailey, a slightly amused expression on his face. Her head was tilted to the side, and her eyes seemed a little brighter in the sunlight, "I figured your accent was British, but I can't be certain considering I have never met anyone from England." It was a question he had gotten often since moving to the states. Most of the time, his answer was simply "England", and he would quickly turn away and find something to busy himself with. The thought of his hometown, his homeland, was still painful. The pain had turned from a sharp stab to a dull ache as time moved on.

"I," He began, the little smile fading from his face, "Am from a little town called Nottingham, in the East Midlands of England." He tried to think of something interesting to say about it, "Home of Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood spent his days looting the rich to feed the poor" Simon had always been bored by Sherwood Forest as a kid. There were trees, trees, and lots of trees. Every summer there was a Robin Hood festival, with fire-eaters and musicians and jesters. That was the one perk of living on the outskirts of the vastly boring forest.

Simon was looking at the horses again, but anyone could see that his mind was somewhere else. He wondered how his father was doing; if he ever thought of his only son, alone in America. Probably not. He would be busy making money or counting it or saving it. Simon despised money- money had taken up all of his father's time and patience and maybe even love. He ran a hand through his hair, looking back at Bailey and smiling softly, "What about you? Where are you from?" Of course he wanted to know more than that; did she have any family? How did she find Bojo? Was she completely new here too? His overwhelming curiosity surprised even him. One question at a time, Simon. You don't want to scare the poor girl off.

- - -

i luffed your post! <3i was kinda musedead so this probably isn't very good on my part.

[Bailey Jenssen]

What you fear may be irrational, but there is no such thing as irrational fear.

A real smile cracked through Bailey's usually sullen demeanor as she listened to Simon talk to his horse. It was something that she liked about him; he was not ashamed to talk to his mare. Too many people in the world thought that it was crazy to talk to animals, that just because they cannot speak that they cannot understand. That was something that she totally disagreed with. Bojo had been her world, her everything, after Kevin. He had been the only thing that kept her going for almost a month, and even now he was her sole confidante. In so many ways he understood her better than any human ever could. He was her best friend.

And she had a suspicion that Radio was like that to Simon. The two seemed to have a bond, something that ran deeper than just simple like. They seemed to be perfectly suited to the other and it was a nice thing to see. Then her attention went fully back to Simon as he began to answer her earlier question.

"I am from a little town called Nottingham, in the East Midlands of England. Home of Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood spent his days looting the rich to feed the poor" It seemed interesting enough to her, but Robin Hood seemed as though he was no more than a symbol. Plus, a forest was a forest. Nothing more. Trees upon trees upon trees was all that there was, and because of her own tree lined hometown, trees were generally not a nice reminder.

The other thing she noticed as he spoke was that he seemed to grow distant. His smile faded, his eyes went kind of blank, as if seeing nothing, and it was obvious that he was thinking of some far off time and place. She wondered if these were good or bad memories that he was seeing, but as she really did not know this man she was not about to ask. She was going to look back to the horses and just let Simon think but he beat her to it by saying something to her. "What about you? Where are you from?"

All the sudden she was back in Pine Level, North Carolina. It was a quiet little town out in the middle of nowhere. Everyone knew everyone and everyone called you a friend. Everyone but Kevin.

"I..... I.... uh, I am from North Carolina," Bailey finally managed to choke out, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "I lived with my dad and brother and sister.... and..." It took all her will power not to let the tears that welled behind her eyes spill over and run down her cheeks.

And she lived with Kevin. At least she had for the last week with him. He locked her in his basement and would not let her out, coming down only to take out his anger...

A tear did slip down her cheek here. Just one, small, salty droplet. She snapped her head away, looking out to the pasture as she did so. What was it about her home that did this to her? Her pain, of course, but why was she so terrified to even speak of it? She tried her best to focus her attention on her horse, who had come over to the fence, but through her clouded eyes she could see only a blurry outline. Finally, not caring what he thought about her she turned back to Simon."I... please don't ask me about home," she said through her tears. "Please... it is all darkness and pain." Her eyes shut here as another flashback caught her.

She was now with Kevin, his broad figure blocking the open door. He held his had up and brought it down on her face, the first time ever striking her here where the bruise would be visible. Finally she got up and ran for the door even as he grabbed at her, arms flailing to grasp some part of her, but she made it upstairs and out the door and to a neighbor's house before he caught her. By then it was too late for him to hide it.

When her eyes opened back in Pinewood for a moment she saw Kevin in front of her again. It was Simon with Radio's lead in hand. It was just an illusion, but her mind a body both reacted. She pressed up against the fence and hugged herself. "Please.... Kevin don't do it, not with the belt..." she whispered before realizing that it was Simon, and not Kevin, standing only feet from her. Her eyes opened in shock at her actions and words as she slowly began to back away.

"I'm sorry... I really should be going.... I have... well... um..." she stopped for a moment looking back at Simon. She must look nuts. She must look like a lunatic. In reality she was just scared witless, and for once in her life she cared that this man may think she was senseless. For once she cared that he might call her crazy...

Status: Finished
Words: 887
Notes: Wow... this might be a little fast in our plot, but the question was a perfect way to get her to think and say something about herself so I went for it. If you want it changed to go on longer I can modify it.

[Simon Foxx]

As soon as Simon asked the simple question, 'where are you from?', he knew that something was wrong. Something changed in Bailey's eyes, and he could see it. Somehow he knew that it wasn't simply homesickness, or something like that. Her eyes welled up almost immediately, and she seemed caught up in some sort of trance. Something not-so-pleasant was dancing in her head, somewhere behind those eyes. He wanted to take the question back, pretend it was never asked, and just keep talking like they had been before. It was too late for that. He had asked what he assumed was a safe question, perhaps one that was harder to answer than he could imagine.

"I..... I.... uh, I am from North Carolina," Her voice was no more than a squeak, and every word was forced, "I lived with my dad and brother and sister.... and..." Simon felt his heart breaking as he helplessly watched her crumble. He had known this girl for less than an hour, and he already cared about her like she was an old friend. She was his first friend here, that was one thing he knew for certain. If he were being honest with himself, he would know that Bailey was the first friend he had made in years. He had been able to talk to her without panicking or running; it took a special person to make him feel that comfortable. If anything, Simon was a person of action. To stand here and not be able to help hurt like a bullet to the heart.

A tear slipped down Bailey's face, and he gripped the lead rope in his hands tighter and tighter until his knuckles turned white, fighting every urge he had to hug her. Thinking back to the way she had flinched from human touch, he knew that was a terrible idea. There was no doubt in his mind by now that someone had hurt her, badly. She was staring at the horses with a new intensity, as if trying to look anywhere but at him. She was trying to forget something; if he only knew what that something was.

Bailey looked back at Simon, more tears tracking down her face now. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words didn't come out. He couldn't imagine what his own face looked like at that moment. Probably some mix of horror and sadness. "I... please don't ask me about home," her voice was choked with tears, Please... it is all darkness and pain."

Darkness and pain. Two words that were too familiar. She was in a much darker place than he had ever seen; Simon had never been beaten the way he was sure Bailey had been. What kind of monster hit a girl, killed her confidence, and terrified her? It was something he was sure he could never comprehend. Was it a parent? Sibling? Boyfriend? The urge to know was overwhelming. It wasn't just the urge to know; it was an urge to find out and get her some sort of justice. He hoped that wherever that monster was, he was being beaten up by people twice his size.

Bailey's eyes closed, and when they opened again, they were wide with fear. She shrank back against the fence, bracing herself as if he were going to hit her. Simon knew that he could never forget the look on her face right now. She was scared, crying, and waiting for him to hit her. "Please.... Kevin don't do it, not with the belt..." Simon looked down at the lead rope in his hands before dropping it to the ground. Kevin? It took him a moment before he pieced together the meaning of the name. Somebody named Kevin was responsible for this paralyzing fear she seemed to have. For some reason, Bailey seemed to think that he was this Kevin person. Maybe it was some sort of flashback or bad memory.

She seemed to snap out of whatever sort of trance she was in, backing slowly away from Simon, "I'm sorry... I really should be going.... I have... well... um..." On top of what she had been feeling before, now she seemed embarrassed. He frowned, taking a hesitant step forward, "Bailey, who is this Kevin person? Is he still hurting you? Do you need a place to stay?" Simon never offered to let others stay with him, but this was definitely a special case. He had a decent-sized house that he would gladly let her live in if it meant she wasn't going to be hit. "I'll do anything in my power to help....if you want me to."

What was wrong with him? What was it about this girl that made Simon feel so oddly attached? No, he had told himself that he would never get close to anyone again. All people ever did was get close enough to take a piece of his heart before running off with it. Bailey was a special case; she seemed to need his help. Something made him want to trust her. "Please trust me Bai."

- - -

this was a terrible post on my part, and i know it's kind of random. i can edit anything you want if you think the plot's moving to fast or if you just plain old don't like it ^.^.

[Bailey Jenssen]

Love means exposing yourself to the pain of being hurt, deeply hurt by someone you trust.

Through tear blurred vision Bailey looked at Simon as he dropped the lead rope. His face was filled with concern and, for a moment, understanding but she was too far gone to realize that the understanding meant that something equally bad had happened to him. She was too lost in her own pain, her own sorrow, too even notice when he spoke to her. He was offering her a safe place to stay, he was offering to be her friend, but all she could think about was running. Running like she had had to from him.

She was sitting on the front porch of her house now. It was dark outside and she heard the front door open and could feel them walking across the wood towards her. She was on the swing, her legs dangling as she went back and forth. There was no bruise on her face. The hit had not been hard enough, and he was smart. Kevin was smart. He had left her alone long enough so that there were no other bruises. He had been let go. He was going to get her again.

Bailey hated these flashbacks. They reminded her of how helpless she was in life. She had no control over anything and she would never be safe if Kevin still wandered the streets as he did now. She was a sitting duck. She was just waiting to be snatched up by him again, powerless over the fact that she did not want to be.

Her father sat on the swing next to her, the boards creaking under the added weight. He did not touch her, for he believed her story, but he did smile at her. Then he proceeded to tell her that she was moving. She was moving hundreds of miles away to be safe. Safe from Kevin. But she doubted that she would ever be safe again. He would find her and that would be the end of everything. That would be where she finally closed her eyes and never opened them again...

In that moment Bailey turned and looked Simon straight in the eyes and her voice was clear but weak. "He got away with it. Kevin beat me until I could hardly move. He was my boyfriend..." Her voice cracked here before she could continue, "and he got away with it. He is still out there..." She looked over her shoulder desperately before mumbling something that was somewhat like a goodbye. Then she sprinted back towards the barn.

Once back in the barn she kept going, straight to her truck. She fumbled with the keys for a second before finally getting the door unlocked, the tears still flowing. Once inside the truck she floored it out of the parking lot. Not the safest thing to do, but there was no one else around at the moment and she had to get away. She had to get back to her house where she could lock the doors and curl up on her bed and cry. She had to turn on the television and watch bad chick flicks where everything worked out in the end. It was the closest she would ever get to it anyway, so why not?

And most of all, she had to get away from Simon. She had promised herself not to care for anyone ever again because every time she did, all they ended up doing was hurting her.

Status: Finished
Words: 547
Notes: Incredibly short... sorry bout that. There was not all that much that I could do with this one. You dont have to reply to this unless you want to. We could just move on to a new thread. And Im also sorry about how long it took to reply. I was just uber busy.

[Simon Foxx]

Simon couldn't remember ever feeling so helpless. It was one thing to be in pain himself, but a completely different story when he was standing there watching a stranger in agony. He would prefer taking the pain on his shoulders any day. Bailey looked as if she were in shock; her eyes were glassy and he could almost see the flashbacks playing in front of her eyes. He knew by now that her flashbacks were completely different from the ones he knew so well. Simon had flashbacks about the horrors that had happened to other people and Bailey had been at the receiving end of those horrors. In a way they were polar opposites.

"He got away with it. Kevin beat me until I could hardly move. He was my boyfriend..." Her voice rang out, clear, true, and scared, "and he got away with it. He is still out there..."

Kevin. Boyfriend. Beat her. Got away. Kevin. Those words rang over and over in his head. In his mind Simon could hear Bailey saying them, with her tear-filled voice and equally teary eyes. Kevin. At least he had the bastard's name now. It wasn't much, but it was enough. At least it was for now.

It was going to have to be enough. The next thing he knew, Bailey was mumbling her goodbyes and sprinting across the field. It was all he could do to stand there, watching her run. She was fast. For an instant he saw the image of her sprinting away from an attacker, flashing through his mind like an instant replay. He shook his head, his heart sinking. When he opened his eyes, she was out of sight. Gone, just like that.

What should he have done differently? Was there something he could've said to her to make it better? Should he have opened up about himself a little more? Bailey had told him so much, and all she had gotten in return was the name of his pathetic little hometown. No, Simon didn't think he could've told her more if he tried. If he had even attempted to tell her more, he would've had a mental breakdown. Bailey would talk to him again, right? She was the closest thing he had right now to a friend; a girl he had known for an hour. If she didn't speak to him again, he would just have to approach her. He knew he was going to have nightmares about her tonight; nightmares about beatings and this mysterious Kevin person. Simon clenched his jaw just thinking about the sleepless night that was to come.

He heard the snort of a horse and turned around; he had forgotten all about the horses. Radio and Bojo were standing sheepishly in the field behind him, looking like they had just read his every thought and feeling. Maybe they could read his feelings. "Sorry you two. I forgot you were there..." Simon took a step toward the fence, stroking Radio's outstretched nose. She seemed genuinely worried, at least, for a horse. She was probably the only thing with the power to console him anyway. "I'm going to worry about that girl terribly" He mumbled, to no one in particular.

Bailey had walked straight into his life and ran straight out.

notesnotesnotes!: sorry it took so long for me to reply! it's competition season, so yes, i'll make sure that doesn't happen again.
onto the next thread!