As the mayhem was unfolding in the hospital, there were two things happening elsewhere that would play critical roles in the events of the following days.  One was off the campus, at the destination of the radio signal Ruby’s radio was sending out.  The other, however, was on campus.  Abby and Jim were walking away from the hospital, completely unaware of Ruby’s aggressive assault on Sarah.  Jim was laying down in Abby’s palm, his crutches set beside him and his head resting against one of her fingers.  He was in slight pain from the walking, but anything was better than what was happening with Ruby.

Abby made her way across campus, eyeing Jim the entire time.  He acted like he desperately wanted to get out of that situation.  Was there something wrong between Jim and his wife, or was it merely the headache, as he’d suggested?  There were a lot of things troubling her at that moment, and she couldn’t help but wonder about that woman and the things she’d said.  She’d been extremely rude around Jim, and kept talking about “Giant-Huggers”.  All of it was rather unsettling for her as she tried to understand all of this.  However, she soon planned to get the answers she desired from the only person she thought who could, the man laying down in the palm of her hand.

It didn’t take Abby much time to find a nice field to sit down in.  She wanted some answers, and she was sure the constant movement wasn’t good for Jim’s injuries.  She held her palm steady as she slowly sat herself down.  Unlike the last time they’d sat together, Abby slipped off her shoes and crossed her legs.  She looked down at her legs, trying to find an ideal spot to set Jim down.  She’d initially thought of putting him on her lap, where he would be the closest to her.  However, she looked at her leg.  One leg was being held up by her ankle.  Getting an idea, she slowly set Jim down on her leg, right next to her knee.

Jim had been trying to keep himself steady as the two of them walked across campus.  When Abby had stopped, Jim wasn’t very surprised to see they were in a field.  After all, that’s where he and Abby had sat together before, when they were getting to know each other and sharing their histories with one another.  He slowly leaned up as the giant hand that was holding him slowly came down.  He expected to be put in her lap, where he’d be close to her, were anything to happen, but he wasn’t.  Instead, he was lowered and slid onto the side of her leg, by her knee. 

He took a few deep breaths as he got used to his new environment.  To the side, sticking out just below was one of Abby’s feet.  In front of him was a stretch of leg, leading to Abby herself.  Unlike when he was on clothing, he could feel a good deal of warm air coming into his system.  Being on Abby’s bare flesh like this definitely had it’s perks.  He was cold from his time in the hospital, and this was helping to comfort him.  He looked up towards Abby, whom had a strange look on her face.  She was smiling, but it was almost like she was concerned about something.  Unfortunately for Jim, she was concerned about something.

As Jim was looking up, getting used to his new position, Abby was watching him with a warm, yet nervous smile on her face.  There were a few things going through her head at that moment.  She was curious about Ruby and the things she said, but she also felt something strange.  Something had driven her to put Jim on her bare skin, where he might’ve been able to fall, rather than her clothed lap, where she could grab him easily were he to lose balance.  There was just something about the idea of him being on her skin that made her feel strange.  She wasn’t sure what it was, but she had it all the same.

Abby was looking him up and down, covered in bandages.  The previous day had definitely taken its toll on the poor guy.  He was introduced to the large folks that day, and he’d been kidnapped.  Deep down, Abby knew Fran hadn’t meant to take things that far, but she could not even begin to imagine the stress he must have been going through before she’d arrived and taken him from the house.  It must have scared him to death.  She was amazed he still trusted her, or any of the bigger people around. 

Abby knew that in order to find out what she was curious about, that she would need to start getting Jim to talk.  She was unsure how comfortable he was, having woken up from all of that medicinal help from Sarah so quickly, so she decided not to drop the question on him right away.  Taking a deep breath, she stared down at the tiny man and slowly parted her lips.  “So, are you doing okay?  Does anything hurt?”

Jim had merely been staring up towards Abby, concerned about her face, almost knowing she was about to ask the thing he didn’t want her to ask.  Fortunately for him, though, she didn’t.  She’d merely asked him if he was doing okay.  He started to feel a little more comfortable, despite the soft aroma of feet and the heat from her body being all around him at that point.  “N-No, I’m okay!  My leg hurts a little bit, but I’ll be okay!  T-Thanks for bringing me here, Abby.” 

Abby was very happy to hear the words and statements Jim had spoken to her.  Not only had he responded, confirming that she had not hurt him on the trip over there, but he was also giving her the perfect chance to flow the conversation into the topic that she wanted to discuss with him.  Widening her smile slightly, she began to respond as she nodded towards him.  “I’m glad to hear it, Jim.  I was a little afraid the trip from the Infirmary had hurt you.  Speaking of the Infirmary, Jim…I have a few questions I’d like to ask you…about your wife.”

Jim’s optimistic attitude immediately plummeted as he heard those words coming from Abby.  He’d been much too bold to think that this conversation wouldn’t end up with him talking about Ruby, telling Abby what she was really like.  He sighed and took a gulp as he looked up at her, nervously responding.  “W-What would you l-like to know, Abby?”