#jandyweek

Deep breath. You can do this.

Jasper looked at the water, stifling a shudder as a wave crashed against the shore. Even after a few Earth years had passed, she still felt incredibly afraid. She wasn't stupid. She knew Lapis wasn’t there, but every time she saw the ocean, all she could remember was the cold, dark crushing feeling of the water pinning her down…

She jumped as she felt someone grab her hand. She turned, her tension draining. It was Andy.

“We don't have to go into the water today if you don’t want to.” He looked worried.

When Steven brought up the idea of gradual reintroduction therapy, Jasper had initially been determined to prove that she didn't need it. Now, looking at the ocean… she couldn’t do this. She couldn't go in, she couldn't go near it, and she was very very not fine with this.

Andy gently pulled on her hand, leading her to a wider stretch of beach. He set out a towel, encouragingly patting the spot next to him.

Jasper carefully sat down, her shoulders still tense. Thankfully, they were far enough away that there was no danger of even a drop of salt water could touch her. Andy rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand in a soothing motion. He looked so calm as he watched the waves.

After awhile, Jasper shifted into a more comfortable position, allowing Andy to rest his head on her arm. They didn't talk, but she was glad he was there.

Things got better as the tide began to go out. From far away, the ocean didn't look so bad. The churning of the waves changed to gentle ripples, and the slight contrast between the blue sea and blue sky was pleasant.

She wasn't quite relaxed, but she was better than before. Her throat didn't feel tight.

“Thank you.” She leaned down and gave Andy a kiss.

Andy was right, this was amazing.

She may have flown at much higher altitudes than this, but on the gem ships she'd never really bothered with looking outside. Why waste time gaping outside when she could be working?

Even if she had bothered with looking outside, it still wouldn't be comparable to this. She could feel the speed they were travelling at in the wind that rushed around her. If she hadn't braided her hair, it would be an absolute mess right now. The exhilaration was amazing.

Then there was the view. When she was still working for the diamonds, she’d never really bothered with looking out the window. It would have been a waste of time. Now, she enjoyed watching the sprawling territory.

Humans may not have developed their territory to its maximum capacity, but the diversity as the land below them slipped between forest, fields, water, and the occasional city was a sight to behold. She could definitely see why Andy loved flying so much.

Her earpiece crackled, Andy's slightly distorted voice coming through. "Everything alright back there?"

Jasper was thankful that he'd managed to tailor one of the devices to fit her. Attempting to talk over the roar of nature and machinery would have been impossible.

"It's wonderful.”

“Good! We’ll need to refuel soon. There’s an airfield near here. I’ll radio now and see if they have some space.”

“Roger.”

Andy made a leisurely turn, and Jasper could hear him make the call on the radio. Thanks to Steven’s lessons on radio language, she was able to understand most of it.

“Alright, we’re going in now. This isn't a paved landing strip, so it’ll be a bit of a bumpy ride,” Andy warned, risking a glance back at her.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ve had rougher ones.” Jasper tried to sound nonchalant, but she hunched down and firmly gripped the sides of the plane. She would probably be fine. Even if there were issues, this wouldn't be like the crash. They weren't nearly as high up as a drop ship anyways.

She took a deep breath, focusing on the view as they began to descend. It went much faster than she’d expected, and soon they were hovering just over the ground.

Jasper braced herself, and with a couple of small bounces, they were down. It was better than she expected. Andy kept driving the plane, and soon enough they were stopped inside a small hangar.

She let out a relieved grunt as she stepped out of the plane, stretching her stiff legs. She would need to find a way to make her seat bigger.

“How was that?” Andy pulled off his cap. His hair was sticking up wildly, and he looked very happy.

Jasper leaned in, kissing his forehead. “I’d like to fly with you again.”