~ The Kitchen by the Sea ~<br/><br/>Maddi took the fish back down to the water's edge, and after taking out her belt, cleaning that and putting it back on she eyed the large fish, biting her lip and trying not to let her mind wander while she worked out what she was going to do with it.  She really wasn't in the mood for descaling and gutting, she thought if she could find a flat enough rock she'd fillet it and skin it then they could just cut into strips or chinks and do a kind of fish stew.<br/><br/>Just aways up the beach she found the sort of flat rock she needed and working on the assumption that if it looked like a Barramundi it prob would fillet just like one she angled her knife up to cut under the fin and then turning it until she felt the backbone twisted it over and started to cut though the fish, only about half way though.  When she thought she'd gone passed the rib cage she pushed the knife all the way though and slid down the back bone to the tail. Peeling the fillet back she ran her knife over the rib cage to finish that side and then flipped the fish over to repeat it all again.<br/><br/>After rinsing the fillets and putting the carcass to one side she paused, sitting back on her haunches staring out to sea. She hadn't let herself think about the future, not really.  Yes she'd thought about food, shelter, keeping them all safe, but not the real future, what was going to become of them all.  In some ways it would be a good life, one which she'd really love to live.  In fact island life with Elijah seemed paradise found, but that was only with the sort of back up that ordinary people took for granted.  The work she'd done in the third world meant she knew what sickness, natural disasters and just plain ordinary events like childbirth could do to people.<br/><br/>Childbirth.......  she was safe for a few weeks more from her implant but after that....... a child?  Here with no medical backup, no support if things went wrong?  The idea of having Elijah's child though........... she realised just how deep her love for him had grown in such a short space of time.....  it frightened her.  There was still part of her that just couldn't believe any would choose her, stay with her, love her for who she was.  She'd learned the hard way that it was only bits they loved, and when it came to all of her they threw her back leaving her more bruised and hurt every time.<br/><br/>She'd already made the decision to take Elijah's professed  love at face value, to enjoy the time they had together and not think of what happened when they leave, but it was going to be hard, very hard.  She thought she should also be honest with him, honest about, well.......  she'd find a way, she loved him too much not to.<br/><br/>She sighed and started to skin the fillets, biting her lip again as she concentrated on the fiddly task.  When Elijah came up and with his light touch and teasing words made her feel so comfortable and so at home with him by her side, for the time being, she felt all her uncertainties drift away.<br/><br/>"I don't know, I think this kitchen is fairly amazing," she said softly, "I don't think I've ever been in a more spacious kitchen with a more amazing view."  She couldn't let his eyes go, her own mixture of happiness, sadness and even fear welling up inside, "Thank you..." she whispered, her heart aching for him, and full of gratitude for the joy he gave her, and then unable to put what she was feeling into words she smiled and added quietly, "…..I love cooking with you too..."<br/>