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Sherry was looking forward to food, just not necessarily whatever was awaiting her in the cafeteria. She knew (hoped) that things would improve with time, but she was also seriously considering a shopping trip. Unfortunately, she didn't have time for such frivolity at the moment. Really, she thought as she stood trying to decide what to eat, I can't complain.

She was alive, for one thing. Everyone was. That was more than enough of a blessing. Sherry did her best not to cringe as she suddenly remembered the taste of sand in her mouth and blood on her hands. It had not been a good mission, cookie at the end or not. Not a good one at all. She glanced down at her hands as the memories flooded her mind. She was no longer hungry; the emotions that bubbled up insider were too overwhelming. With the tiniest hint of a sigh, Sherry turned around, ready to leave the cafeteria. The sight of a certain Death trainee caught her attention. It was actually surprising she'd missed him before then.

Sherry watched Jake for a moment, noting that he didn't look well all hunched over with his head on the table.

Armagnac's voice rang coldly in her mind.

Sherry found herself not listening to her weapon. She didn't even give the lindwyrm a reply. Sherry couldn't just turn and walk away, not after what she and Chester had talked about. And certainly not after the mission. He seemed to shiver as she neared, and she wondered what could trouble Jake enough to act like that in public. It was possible he was sick.

Armagnac protested, but Sherry slid into the spot next to Jake, and before she knew what she was doing her hand was reaching out to him.

Her touch was soft, perhaps a bit hesitant, and meant to reassure him as much as her. First her fingertips then her palm, lightly resting where not long ago there had been a gaping hole of red. It was still hard to believe that all of it had happened.

Sherry probably should have said something to Jake.

She may have felt a little bad about startling him, but she was completely taken aback by the fact that by his overall reaction. She had honestly been expecting more of a harsh reaction. So, now she was even more worried.

Sherry didn't move from her spot, and her hand moved to Jake's shoulder in a friendly gesture of support. "Jake, is everything alright?"

Sherry put her hands in her lap. For a long moment, she just sat there and looked at them. The taste of sand was back in her mouth, and the sight of blood...

"You should probably," she began, ignoring Jake's request, "thank that tall blonde Lifer at some point. Not Robert, but um...Melvin I think his name might be? Robert, too, I guess. And, um, a couple of moons tried to help. Nevada gave up her coat and fought to defend..." she trailed off, remembering. Her hands clenched at the edges of her coat and it was all she could do to keep her voice from shaking. "I don't know how much you remember, but something bad happened in that desert and they all tried really hard to save you."

They had, and it had been useless. Sherry truly didn't know if Jake would have made it even if they had gotten him out of there the first time. A very dark and cold realization settled over Sherry. No wonder she had been so out of sorts since the mission. Jake had basically died and there had been nothing she nor anyone could have done. True, they had all died, but when Sherry looked at her hands it wasn't her blood she saw.

She might have lost her appetite earlier, but now she just plain felt sick. Sick and gutted. Tears threatened to fall, though Sherry did her best to stifle them. It was all suddenly very, very real to her. Real as it had been when it happened.

They were lucky. Nothing more, nothing less. No...that wasn't right. They'd been allowed to live. But that...that wasn't the point right now. The point was nobody was dead. Jake wasn't dead.

"If it's all the same to you," heavens, she hoped she didn't sound as choked up as she felt, "I'm going to sit here and be glad you're alive for a few more moments. Then I'll leave you be. Unless," she added quickly, realizing she might have said too much, "you're ill, in which case you should go to the infirmary." She nearly reached out to touch him again, but she resisted the impulse. He didn't seem to like that.

Sherry shook her head and sighed. She almost laughed. Of course Jake would wonder why someone cared. Of course.

She turned to look at him when she saw him move. "Jake, are you sure?" He didn't look overly steady as he stood and started to walk away. Rest she could agree with, but...between the mission and the cafeteria food the infirmary might be--

"Jake!" She was at his side a moment later. He was clearly not fine.



A few eyes in the room might have followed the scene, but they were either uninterested, or the tree on her coat seemed to stem their worries. Either way, no one seemed enthused to help. Sherry really didn't notice them anyway.

"Jake?" She was reaching for his face with one hand, to make sure he was conscious.

Really, Jake, this was not 'fine'.

She'd been expecting a scowl of some sort. Just like she'd been expecting him to push her away and stand up on his own. She'd half been expecting him to fall again, too. She didn't care what he said, he was clearly shaky on his feet and just plain not well.

Sherry hadn't been expecting him to fall quite that quickly though. Her plan to lend him a shoulder had to be scrapped as she attempted to stop him from falling. She was not in a good position for that, she discovered far too late. She caught him around the ribs, her arms under his, but she was too close. She might have been able to keep him up if her own balance wasn't off. Her footing was wrong, and her attempt to correct everything with a step back only ended with her own feet tripping her up. With Jake's weight dragging her down, Sherry didn't stand a chance of keeping them upright.

There were now two intermediate trainees on the floor.

Sherry sucked air in between clenched teeth. Her tailbone had taken the brunt of that impact, and at that moment it hurt. At least it meant her head hadn't hit the floor, even when momentum had tried it's best to see that it did. As it was, she could feel the coolness of the floor on her back, and the weight of Jake pressing down on her.

Her brain processed three distinct thoughts. She was going to be sore later. Jake was not well. He was also much warmer than the floor. Heck. If she weren't so worried....



"Hush," she whispered. "Jake," she said with her next breath, "you are not fine. And if you hurl on me...." She didn't bother to finish, seeing as it would have been an empty threat anyway. "Will you accept my help now?"

Sherry did her best to ignore the pleasant shiver that ran, without permission, down her spine at that whisper. Not the time or place, Jake was sick, and they were in the cafeteria. Sherry would have to see about getting her coat washed.

"Alright then," she said as she pushed him off of her. "This would have been easier if you let me help from the start." To a few of the more curious or concerned hunters in the room she said in a slightly louder voice, "Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about."

She gave the room a reassuring smile as she knelt on one knee next to Jake, hands grasping his arm. Then she leaned in for a whisper of her own. "Think you can hobble there with a shoulder to lean on? I don't fancy carrying you." Her head tilted, and she offered said shoulder.

...She didn't tell him the part about how if he couldn't walk with help back to his room, she would be calling someone over to drag him to the infirmary.

"Ok," she said, getting them to their feet.

"See, all fine," she smiled to a few of the onlookers. Then, on hand holding Jake's over her shoulders and the other around his back, she turned to lead him out of the cafeteria. It was times like this she was grateful for her Hunter training. Not only was she strong enough to offer decent support, but she was able to walk without hinting at the pain from the fall.

"You sure you want your room?" she asked as they exited the cafeteria. She headed that way anyway, seeing as she was pretty sure she knew the answer.