<em>~Mari and Nicci on their first morning run together~<br/>((Joint IM Post))</em><br/><br/>Nicci stepped out into the quiet dim light of the predawn morning.  She couldn't help but stand there just breathing for a moment. It was cold – but not uncomfortably so, the air crisp and slightly damp and salty from the sea.  As her eyes adjusted to the dim light the small road in front of the castle stood out like a ribbon across into the distance, the moon casting just enough light to see it by and the sky lightening to that pure deep blue that heralded the dawn.  With no streetlamps to light the way she'd have to bring a torch, she thought, as the nights drew in and the moon waned.<br/><br/>She started her stretches and warms-ups, letting the day and all it's possibilities stretch out before her in her mind.  She was wearing her windproof hooded running jacket over her vest top, but that normally ended up tied round her waist no matter how cold it was, her running gloves though, she always kept on as she found her hands got painful in cold air.<br/><br/>This was becoming a habit, Marisol thought to herself as she closed her bedroom door quietly and made her way down the stairs. She had woken up when the alarm had sounded...and then she had hit snooze. She hadn't hit snooze in the longest time. As she took the stairs down, she hoped that Nicci wasn't too mad about her being five minutes late.<br/><br/>She had dressed in her black and white nike jogging outfit with a pink sleeveless top underneath. She had a feeling, she'd be taking the jacket off but she wasn't too worried about the. As she shut the front door behind her quietly, she looked at Nicci with a sheepish smile, "Late again." Watching her warming up, Marisol quickly joined her, stretching out her muscles as she commented quietly, "How'd you sleep?"<br/><br/>"Hi," she said smiling, "I slept really well, I had to learn a long time ago to make myself sleep almost anywhere - ready for early morning starts where ever I was. So I'm lucky, I can sleep standing up almost."<br/><br/>"I'm looking forward to this, I didn't get a run in yesterday with the traveling etc and I miss it when I don't"<br/><br/>"Yeah I feel a little lost when I don't run. It's become almost a form of self-medicating when I'm under stress." As Marisol stretched, she raised her head up and looked at the dark sky, her voice low, "It's really beautiful out here. You tend to forget in the city how...different everything is without the buildings and the sound of traffic covering it." She felt her lips curve into a relaxed smile, anticipating the run and the view of the scenery. Raising herself up, Mari bent her knees as she breathed in the air, her voice soft, "It looks amazing..."<br/><br/>"Yes, it does, I think I fell in love with the Island the moment I saw it."  Nicci stood up and did her final long stretch, watching Mari to see when she'd finished.  She gently swung, twisting her torso with her arms bent while she waited, "I can imagine though, being this exposed they'll be quite a few days we won't be able to run, I think I'll use the pool on those mornings instead – do you like swimming Mari?"<br/><br/>She stretched her hand above her head and leaned back as far as she could before she straightened up, nodding, "I love swimming. Those are my two favorite things to do." She smiled as she stopped stretching, her voice hopeful, "But I'm hoping that Mila will teach me some yoga. Maybe I can do that when I can't run and don't feel like swimming?"<br/><br/>Nicci felt a little warm glow as Mari said she loved to swim too, "Perhaps Mila would like to swim with us too, that would be lovey – I must admit I love yoga, I was going to ask both of you if we could have a regular afternoon session all together, but not unless you want to of course... " she realised she might be assuming a bit too much, there would be plenty of times they'd need alone time, especially running the house together.<br/><br/>"That'll be great," Mari said sincerely as she looked at Nicci. For her, even though each person would need alone time, being together doing different activities would also be very vital for their relationships. At least...she thought so. "I think Mila would like it..." She looked at the sky and then at Nicci and grinned, the excitement in her voice, "So...ready to tackle this? Oh! And I run for about...an hour or so...Is that okay?"<br/><br/>"An hour would be great, " she could see the grin on Mari's face and let the infection spread to her smile as it broadened, feeling the same excitement of a new day and a shared pleasure with a new friend, "All set......"<br/><br/>With a nod, Mari smiled brightly, "Yep!" She took a deep breath, relaxing her muscles as she began to jog lightly down the road, making sure to copy Nicci's pace so that both of them were side by side. The feel of the chill against her body made her shiver slightly before she lost herself in the way her body felt, and how great it felt to run with someone else.<br/><br/>Nicci was about two inches taller than Mari so as they set off she shortened her stride a little, so they could run comfortably side by side.  Hearing the echo of someone else's feet and the soft swish of clothing by the side of her was soothing and really special.  Special because beside her was someone she hoped would become far more than a friend and this first run together, the beginning of a  whole new chapter in their lives.<br/><br/>She wondered what Mari thought of her, and what she'd think of her as the days went by and turned into weeks.  It struck her that although she'd thought they would get to know each other very well, she hadn't really taken on board just how much.  It was scary in a way, especially for someone who had had to fend for herself for so long.  Trust she thought, and vulnerability, that would be hard....<br/><br/><br/>Even though Mari had grown up in a houseful of siblings and she had been surrounded by love and affection, her siblings had never truly understood her. Especially when her preferred lifestyle came out. Knowing that Nicci not only knew about the lifestyle and participated in it made Marisol feel like the bond between them would be even stronger. As they ran side by side, Mari knew that there would be times that it would be difficult but she was certain - and hopeful - that everyone's differences would be met with acceptance. There was a fear that she would be requested to leave but she tried to stomp it down with the reassurance that she was building friendships and relationships with all of them. Most importantly: Nicci and Mila.<br/><br/>She forced herself to relax, to stop thinking and to simply enjoy the view. And it was a spectacular scenery. She could smell the sea in the breeze and even though it was dark and a bit scary, she had no fear. The island was truly peaceful and downright captivating. Every time she would start thinking of the experiment and the group of them, she would push it aside. There would be enough time for that later on. For now, she just wanted to enjoy her run and Nicci's company.<br/><br/>She let the rhythm of the pace fill her up.  She realised that the silence between them didn't feel uncomfortable at all.  If she'd run with another model or actress on a shoot, there was normally that feeling that yo had to make some polite conversation.  And it was dam silly seeing that it wasn't that comfortable to talk and run anyway, well not for long.  But running with Mari felt right, with no strings attached to it all.  How easy it would be if everything was this simple.<br/><br/>She let her mind drift to the others, imagining them fast asleep.  Possibly  not Bo, he said he was an early riser too.  But perhaps this was too early even for him. Perhaps there would come a time when  Mari and she went back to wake them. The main sharing bedroom with them tangled in sleep was suddenly so vivid to her it seemed more like a promise more than a perhaps.<br/><br/>Running next to Nicci helped Marisol keep her attention on the run and not wrapped up in her own thoughts. It felt nice to run with someone, especially someone who seemed to have a love for running as Mari did. The smell of the ocean grew and Mari wondered if they were nearing the water, smiling as she took another deep breath. She could see herself living her, making a life not only for herself but for the people in the castle in this small island.<br/><br/>Here there was no judgment, no prejudice. Within this island they could all be together and it wouldn't be a secret. Their lives would be simple and it would be...beautiful The image of Mari, Nicci and Mila all cooking dinner while Bo and Marcus were in the parlor...or maybe outside...it was...so perfect. And it further drove home the point that this experiment HAD to work. But even if it worked...what then? And suddenly Mari didn't know. She had on idea what would happen after the six months were done. And the fear of not knowing that answer clutched at her heart.<br/><br/>As they climbed upwards and the road curved towards the sea Nicci wondered if they would end up running past the bigger beach she saw from the boat on the way here. When she'd first seen it she'd thought of picnics and lazy days.  She'd been on a day out as a small child to the beach, all the kids from her school had gone.  It had made a huge impact on her, so different from the environment she had lived in that she fell in love with the sea instantly.<br/><br/>As an adult feeling the sand in her toes seemed to bring back that innocent infatuation and the glee running round on the beach had bought her.  She thought about all the innocent pleasures the five of them could share together on the island.  Not just the big ones, but the little things, the ones that memories were made of.<br/><br/>((To be continued))