Explanations

<Snip>
"Yeah I know" Cass sat back down on the beach towel and reached forward to scoop up a handful of white sand, which she sifted through her fingers "It's all any of us can do" she said gloomily, idly wriggling her fingers as the last of the sand trickled out
Stirring a finger around in the sand for a reflective moment, Cass finally glanced back up at Jade, her eyes lost behind her sunglasses
“I’m going back to the ‘bug to grab a beer” she grunted as she clambered to her feet “Maybe two. And then I’m going for a stroll around to check this place out. Want to come?”
</Snip>

"Sure, I could do with a walk." Jade said, as much to keep an eye on Cass as she fancied exploring. "It'll be nice to know what's lurking out there." Jade chuckled watching the nearby tree line as Jamie swung expertly from one tree into another and cut down some of the more supple branches.

Cass disappeared off into the bug for beer and Jade stood and stretched, working out the stiff muscles and cricks from being leant against a tree for a few hours. Eve was on her way over to Jade, she looked like she'd calmed down somewhat since her discussion with Jay.

"Do you think you could have a word with Jay and Cass?" Eve said, flicking her hair behind a shoulder in such a way that her breasts were shoved forwards. She looked down at Jade and smiled a sweet smile, a 'butter wouldn't melt' smile. Her eyelids fluttered slightly and she leaned almost seductively against the tree.

"Really? I know I'm bisexual, but honey please don't try that stuff on me." Jade smiled as the dripping wet Eve seemed to deflate slightly. "And I'll warn you against trying that on Cass now. She'll 'tear you a new one'" Jade said with a smile, imitating Cass's voice at the end.

"But Jaxx should be here! He loves water! And it's not his fault Katrina died!" Eve wailed, tears welling up in her eyes again.

"What?" Jade said, surprised at the statement. "Who said that?"

"It's true isn't it! Jay blames Jaxx!" She sniffed, almost hysterical. Cass popped her head out of the bug and looked over, scowling at the frantic woman. Jade glanced over and shot Cass a smile, letting her know it was OK. Cass's frown deepened but she went back inside.

"Oh no. Honey that's not it at all." Jade said, hugging the almost naked woman. "Jay and Cass restricted him to his quarters because of his actions against the crew at the mine. Amongst other things, but that was the main reason."

"He was just protecting me!" Eve protested.

"He was locked in his lab as Jay sees him as a danger to the whole crew. Katrina is only a small part of that. It is his zealous protection of you that has him locked away."

"Isn't he in my quarters?" Eve asked "The door is locked."

"No, he was moved to his own quarters and locked in there. You might want to have a word with Jamie if the door is stuck to yours..." Jade said.

"He didn't kill anyone!" Eve said after a long pause in the sunshine.

"He was a major factor in the deaths of all of those miners. He enabled their deaths as surely as if he'd done it himself endangering all of us in the process. The way he went after Jacky... He's have killed us all to save you." Jade explained to Eve, who was looking more and more in denial as it went on.

"No... no... It's not that!" She wailed, sinking into the sand in shade of the palm tree.

"Did you know that one of the people he knocked out, the one that was shot in the gut and slowly died was called Eve? She had kids back in her own time. They'll never know what happened to their mum now. I spoke to her that morning. She was sharing a cell with the one that Jaxx used his whips on to hold still whilst the machines tore her limbs off. I think her name was Mary..." Jade recalled the bloodbath at the mine and shuddered.

"He wouldn't have hurt the crew... He wouldn't have.. He was jsut..." Eve said, quieter now.

"But he did. He did it all for you. All of those people, dead just so he could save you. And his actions would have killed us all if not for lady luck." Jade said, sitting down and placing an arm around Eve. "I know you love him. I know he means a lot to you, but he has hurt you too." Jade said slowly.

"Never!" She gasped in horror.

"Maybe not physically, but before you got together with him, you were a strong, independent woman. Remember how you tackled the obstacle course to try and help us all when Justin had his small psychopathic episode?... Back after Fernando's?" Jade said. "Love changes us all I know, but you need to be that strong woman again. Not this, limp seductress trying to flirt Jaxx free. It's not who you are. It's not what he needs right now."

Eve went quiet.

"Look. I know it's hard, but what Jaxx needs now is someone who can help him to understand what it means to be part of a team. Part of the crew, for all of us without violence. What he also needs, is someone who can tell us what his actions really mean, he lashes out at us all so often that we come to expect it. He needs someone there to step in and say 'Hold on. Look at it this way.' In a logical, calm and concise way. Do you understand?" Jade said, moving her arm away and standing up.

"I... I think so." Eve said, sniffing again, trying to hold back tears.

"Think about it. Try and see it from our point of view. I'll do what I can so get Cass and Jay to see it from yours, but they've seen much more of his behaviour in the past than you or I... It will all be sorted in the end. Stay strong." Jade said, smiling sympathetically at the girl.

Jade walked over to the bug, the long flowing cotton trousers and long sleeved top catching slightly in the breeze.

"You OK?" Cass asked, raising an eyebrow. In response, Jade picked up the other open beer and drank about half of it in one go.

"Yeah." Jade said, sitting heavily in the chair opposite Cass. "So, where did you want to walk?" She asked.

<Tag!>

OOC - I tried to explain as best as Jade sees the situation. If it's unclear drop me a message and I'll tidy this up.