JENNA: * Jo attempts to prolong the bath, as promised, but in the end she mostly scrubs down, washing quickly and taking her time drying once she's out of the water. She paces to and fro a while, attempting to master her returning nerves. Once she has done so -- to the best of her ability -- and pronounced herself sufficiently dry, she dons the dress, adjusting it once or twice in front of the mirror before giving up on that as well and pushing open the door to step out into the bedroom. She hesitates, then shuts the light off behind her, taking a few steps toward the bed.

JUSTIN: * Shane shifts at the sound of Jo's return, opening his eyes -- he was just resting his eyelids, honest -- and sitting up. He freezes in place immediately, staring at the sight in front of him with disbelief and incomprehension in his widening eyes. It's only after several seconds of dead silence that he manages to tear his gaze away from Jo's provocatively-clad body to her face, looking like he's just realized he fell into a trap. "...J-Jo?"

JENNA: * Jo takes another couple of steps forward, swaying slightly as she moves -- keeping the beat in her head. "I said I wouldn't wear it in public," she says with a faint smile. "And this is a special occasion ..." The smile fades slightly, and she closes her eyes for a moment, opening them to meet Shane's gaze almost pleadingly. That expression is gone in an instant, however, and she lifts her hands above her head and slowly begins to dance.

JUSTIN: * Shane opens his mouth to respond, but it decides instead to simply hang, wordless in wonderment. His eyes, no longer heeding his instruction, drift downward until they're locked on Jo's form. As the dance begins to take its seductive shape, he can only stare with helpless fascination -- just like the first time he saw it, only somehow more profound. His jaw manages to wind itself back into a closed position by itself, and his body positions itself to rest comfortably against the pillows and headboard.

JENNA: * Jo actually doesn't pay too much attention to Shane once the dance has begun, concentrating instead on getting the steps right and not banging into anything. With her care, there seems to be little chance of disaster, and for some time she permits herself to be lost in the swaying, swirling movement of it, enjoying the feel of the fabric against her skin. Once or twice her gaze does flick toward Shane, hoping she has his attention, even as the dance steps carry her slightly closer to him.

JUSTIN: * Shane's attention is raptly offered to her. Any panic or embarrassment his brain might normally feel is simply no match for the powerful grip she has on him in this moment. The lack of music, or even an audible beat, doesn't seem to matter, as the dance creates an all-encompassing atmosphere by itself. He can almost feel the muscles in his body trying to move on their own, to reach out and take the focus of their desire. Be it lucky or not, he's simply too paralyzed to comply, and so he remains where he is -- sitting, watching, silent.

JENNA: * For Jo, the room is slowly coming back into focus as the dance winds to a close, and she's pleased and surprised at how well it's gone over. Most of her fears had centered around a panic attack, and she is relieved that one does not appear to be forthcoming. As the last, swaying steps bring her to the edge of the bed, she lifts her arms again, unclasping the dress with a quick flick of her wrist to let it fall loosely around her ankles, needing only a slight shake of her hips to persuade it. With that, and barely giving herself a chance to breathe, she slips on to the bed itself, moving with apparent laziness until she's settled pretty much in Shane's lap and leaning forward to draw him into a long kiss.

JUSTIN: * Shane's eyes widen as Jo's dress departs, but it's a barely noticable change. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the last of his childish fear is certainly trying to sound the alarm -- but for the first time since they met, his eyes remain fixed upon her unclothed form and he doesn't make any move to run or hide. He straightens with a sharp breath as she crawls over him, heart racing, but contrary to his escalating nerves, he places his hands against her back... and returns the kiss.

JENNA: * Jo is almost inordinately pleased by his positive response, restraining a startled shiver and flicking her eyes open very briefly. She closes them again almost without a thought, resting her body gently against him and teasing his mouth into a deeper kiss. One hand appears to be acting independently of the rest of her body, reaching out and fumbling only momentarily in order to gutter the lamp and leave them in a very private sort of darkness.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't let out any sound of complaint -- as if he could, lips so occupied as they are. Whether it be some sort of magical hypnosis or reckless abandon, he casts all his doubts aside and accepts Jo with willing hands and body. What happens thereafter is unarguably one of the most profound moments of his adult life, but by the time morning rolls by (long after the both of them have fallen into a contented, exhausted sleep) his mind isn't so certain what transpired wasn't simply another dream. He wakes almost with a start, jerking up from the blankets but not into a full sitting position. His chest is bare -- that's nothing new. He shifts, and it's only then he notices that his butt is bare -- that's definately new. His head turns sharply to the side, bleary eyes fighting to form sight in the hazy light that filters through the drapes. Jo lies beside him under the blanket, and for a moment his breath catches in his throat. With a shaking hand he reaches over and takes the blanket in his fingers, then with wary slowness he pulls it back to find all his suspicions confirmed. "Oh... my gods."

JENNA: * Jo stirs very slightly at his movements, making a slightly grumpy noise at the sudden wash of cooler air underneath the covers. In order to combat the chill, she wriggles closer to Shane, nestling against him with drowsy smile and a contented sound that could easily be mistaken for a purr. Though she hasn't woken, it probably wouldn't take much persuation to get her to do so.

JUSTIN: * Shane's eyes widen again, and he quickly clings Jo against himself, dropping the blanket back down to hide their nudity. He looks around the room without seeing it, mind racing as he tries to recall the details of last night's events from the blur they've become. His breathing begins to quicken as he fights back a wave of panic, unable to believe he actually did what he did. The panic immediately begins to transform, however, into pure adrenaline, almost excitement, feeding on the disbelief as realization dawns on him of what he's accomplished... but /how/ he managed to accomplish it, he has no idea. But he smiles a stupid, boyish smile all the same.

JENNA: * Jo stirs again, groggily, uttering a faint grumble when she's dragged against Shane. She nestles against him, opening her eyes with a sleepy sigh. "Good morning," she murmurs, wrapping an arm lazily around his waist. "You're awake awfully early, you know ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane's attention snaps back to Jo at the sound of her voice, and for a moment he just stares -- as if in awe -- at her form beside him. It's as though he's never woken up beside her before in his life. "Jo." He states, as if she needs identification. His stupid smile twitches on his lips, unsure of what to do with itself, and he tightens his arms around her another degree. "This was all your doing, wasn't it?"

JENNA: * Jo arches an eyebrow, prodding him gently in the ribs. "I don't know ... I think you helped out for part of it." She grins, nuzzling against him, then looks up a little warily, scooting up so that she can kiss him gently. "That's not a complaint, is it..?" She endeavors not to look worried that it is.

JUSTIN: * Shane kisses her back, almost absently in his state of bewilderment, but his eyes widen at her question. "No, no -- of course not!" He moves a hand to cup her cheek, and smiles at the look on her face. "I'm just... unabashedly surprised. I suppose you might call it..." He rolls his eyes away in thought, but they slide back immediately. "Shocked disbelief?"

JENNA: * Jo grins faintly, wrinkling her nose. "I suppose that's better ..." She lowers her head to rest against him, relaxing into the bed -- and Shane. "Mm, you woke up too early ... I don't want to get up yet." She nuzzles him comfortably, closing her eyes halfway with a soft sigh.

JUSTIN: * Shane wiggles down into the bed again, blushing profusely and clinging to Jo with abnormal enthusiasm. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to. We can go back to sleep, if you'd like." Though, to be honest, no matter how high on life he's feeling right now, he truly would like to put his underwear back on. "Oh... uh. What... what happened to my shorts...?"

JENNA: "Mm.. not sure." She does not relinquish her hold on him, however, in fact tightening her arm around him and wrinkling her nose. "Look for them later ..." she says a little plaintively, nuzzling him as persuasively as she can. "Just a little bit longer." She hopes he'll let her win this particular argument, as she really doesn't want him to move right now.

JUSTIN: * Shane grips at Jo's back reflexively, his legs crossing beneath the blankets. No matter how hard he tries, he can't help feeling extremely naked. Probably because he is extremely naked. "O-okay... Okay, I'll get them later." He sinks into the pillows and hides his face in Jo's hair, likewise noting how very naked she feels. Probably because she is very naked. Considering their proximity, he does his best to ignore such provocative thoughts.

JENNA: * Jo, on the other hand, doesn't mind at all that they both feel very naked, in fact revelling somewhat in the feeling. After all, she muses drowsily, he kept her waiting long enough. She pauses, however, and raises herself up slightly to kiss him again, parting after a moment with a smile and bending to murmur a very soft, "Thank you," in his ear. From there she nuzzles against his neck, kissing his skin drowsily.

JUSTIN: * Shane breathes in deep and holds it for a while, then lets it out in a long, calming sigh. "You're welcome..." He murmurs quietly, and just barely fails to suppress a shiver at the feel of her lips against his skin. He squeezes her, nuzzling into her hair, and relaxes as best he can to allow them another few hours of sleep.

JENNA: * Jo sighs again, content, and lets herself rest against him comfortably, happy to just lie against him without falling asleep, for the time being. Her insistence on a little while longer wasn't entirely without cause, however, as she is still drowsy, and it's no longer than twenty minutes before she drifts off again entirely, nestled firmly against him.

JUSTIN: * In the wake of his excitement, Shane begins to feel just a little bit achey and tired himself. The adrenaline has flushed from his system, leaving him with no defense against encroaching sleep. He's out again not long after Jo, the awkwardness of their nudity becoming a mere comfort as he rests with and against her. The sun eventually leaves the horizon and works its way overhead, shifting the shadows in the room minute by minute.

JENNA: * It's a couple hours into afternoon before Jo stirs again, sleepy-eyed and reluctant to move. She does, however, kissing Shane lightly before she scoots off the bed as carefully as possible and ambles into the bathroom, stretching luxuriously as she goes. Aware she doesn't have much time for a long soak, she runs the water quickly, stepping in before it's very deep.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles a little in his sleep, rolling over onto his stomach in Jo's absence and yawning silently. He doesn't quite wake, though he's vaguely aware of his surroundings and closer to the surface of wakefullness. It's the sound of running water in the distance that brings him slowly, gently to that final point, his eyes drifting open to appraise the far wall. Despite this, he doesn't move, content to lay there comfortably until Jo forces him to do otherwise.

JENNA: * Jo's bath finishes in record time, leaving her several minutes to towel off thoroughly. She notes with some interest that her clothes from the night before are still in the room, and she shrugs, pulling on tunic and trousers before she slips back into the bedroom. Spying Shane, she ambles over to the bed and slips lazily over against him, lounging across his back and nuzzling into his neck. "Time to get up," she murmurs.

JUSTIN: * Shane lifts his head, turning it slightly in a half-hearted attempt to look over his shoulder. "Are you sure?" He drops back to the bed again and burrows into the mattress, murring. "I could have sworn it was time to stay in bed..." One of his arms slips up and around to rest against Jo, scritching idly with his fingers.

JENNA: * Jo sighs, catching his hand and carefully crossing over him to flop on the other side of the bed, attempting to burrow between him and the mattress. "That's what time was last time," she says, working an arm across his back and nipping at him lightly. "Now it's time to get out of bed, because it's already late in the day and we have things to do ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane heaves a giant stretch and captures Jo in his arms, burying his face in her neck with an overdramatic sigh. "Things to do, things to do... always things to do." He kisses at her skin a few times and then suddenly sits up, rotating his shoulders and rubbing at one of them. "Mmf. Now I don't suppose you could be a doll and find my underwear, since you're the one who misplaced it." He casts a look back at her, arching an eyebrow with a smile.

JENNA: * Jo sits up lazily and gives a soft 'tch,' reaching over to knead at his shoulders for a moment. "I should make you find them yourself ... It's not like either of us was paying attention to where it went." She does, however, scoot off the bed and amble around the room in search of it, finally finding it halfway across the room and ambling back to Shane with the requested clothing in hand. All she demands for her services, in the end, is a long kiss.

JUSTIN: * Shane pays his due, returning her kiss and giving the back of her hair a ruffle for good measure. "Thank you, Jocasta dear." He smirks and disappears under the blankets, emerging again shortly after and sliding off the bed. He fixes the waistband of his shorts a bit and nods in approval, then whistles quietly as he collects the clothing he took out the night before yet never used, getting himself dressed lazily.

JENNA: * Jo snorts at this, shaking her head and giving a long stretch. "We'd better get some food.. tend to the pecos." She wrinkles her nose, starting for the door. "And settle accounts. And then what, I wonder ..." She scratches her cheek, sighing faintly as she starts into the hall, wondering what she will be finding to keep herself busy.

JUSTIN: * Shane buttons up his shirt as he follows her down the hallway, rubbing at his face drowsily. "I don't know about you, but I've got painting to do." He sniffs, looking around at the walls as he walks, stopping when he reaches the kitchen and heading immediately to get a glass of water. "And a few things to set up outside. You can help, if you want. Or go hunting, or swimming, or... whatever else it is you do when I'm not looking." He grins, turning to lean back against the counter and take a sip of his drink.

JENNA: "I think you already figured out what I was doing," Jo says drily, getting a drink for herself before poking around for some bread. "I hope it didn't worry you too much." She tears off a chunk of the loaf she finds and starts eating, eyeing him with interest. "I'll help if you want me to. Just tell me what to do."

JUSTIN: "Well, for a moment I was worried that you hated me." Shane takes a long sip of his water, then sets the glass down on the counter. "But I suppose if that was the case, you wouldn't have seduced me in the bedroom. So I must have been mistaken." He smiles slimly, reaching over to brush his fingers through her hair. After a second of watching her he sighs, turning to look out a window overlooking the large, open field behind their house. "As for the work... I was planning on setting up some targets and dummies for training. I've got all the materials in the basement, I just need to put them together and lug them out there."

JENNA: * Jo watches him with interest, nodding thoughtfully. "Sure, I can help with that. I doubt you do much daggerwork." She finishes off the bread and pauses to down the rest of her water. "And I thought it worked best as a surprise, so I hope you'll forgive me for not telling you what I was up to." She eyes him over the edge of her glass and grins. "And I won't promise not to do something similar in the future."

JUSTIN: * Shane arches his eyebrows, lifting his glass and tipping it to her briefly. "I guess I'll have to keep on my toes, then, won't I." He smirks and down the last of his water, depositing the emptied container in the sink. "Come along, then. The sooner we get them set up, the sooner I can put holes in them with my pistol." He pushes away from the counter, heading out of the kitchen toward the cellar door.

JENNA: * Jo follows him without comment, and it isn't long before they're hauling supplies outdoors and hammering things together for a proper training ground. It's almost evening by the time they've finished, and they're stumbling back to the house for a meal, sore and weary in a satisfying way, when a pair of figures appears on the slope, headed their way.

JUSTIN: * Shane stands up a bit straighter as they near the front of the house, peering down at the approaching figures. "Well, I wasn't expecting any company... were you?" He swipes some of the sweat from his forehead with a cloth before tucking it into his back pocket, and looks over at Jo.

JENNA: "If anyone was going to be expecting company here, it'd be you," Jo replies. At a second glance, it appears one of the figures is carrying something, and as they draw closer, they reveal themselves to be none other than Elise, now heavy with child, and her husband. The third member of their party appears to be a sheep -- albeit a small one. Once they've drawn closer, Elise waves, smiling, then stops to fan herself. "Well, it's a fair walk to get here, isn't it?"

JUSTIN: * Shane's face brightens some, and he trots over to the pair -- trio -- to welcome them, waving as he goes. "A bit out of the way, but with a spot like this, can you blame us?" He's not sure what to do with his hands, having no hat on his head to take off and hold, so he simply folds his arms behind his back. "What brings you fine folk out to our humble plot? ...hm?" His eyes slide to the small sheep, openly curious.

JENNA: * Jo walks up behind him, eyeing the sheep with similar curiosity, and Elise turns to her husband, nudging him forward a step. "Well," the young man begins. "Seein' as you two are movin' here official-like for the first time, we thought we ought to bring a house-warmin' gift ..." He trails off, looking hesitant, and Elise nudges him again. "Now -- I don't know about you, sir, but I know your missus took a likin' to the sheep, so what with one of 'em givin' birth, we thought we'd make a gift of the babe."

JUSTIN: * Shane blinks his eyes in surprise, turning to look at Jo with an arched eyebrow. "Is that a fact? Jo, I never would have guessed." He turns back to the sheep again quickly, stepping forward to set a hand against its side, petting at the soft wool. "That's... that's quite an offer. Are you sure you want to part with it?" He's thinking about their livelihood, being ranchers, though the more he looks at the small animal, the more adorable it seems. "Cute little guy, isn't he, Jo?"

JENNA: "Oh, no, sir. We got plenty of others. Elly's ma and pa agreed it was a good idea, even." He looks a little embarrassed, offering the small animal to them. It bleats, puzzled at all this attention, and Jo reaches over to stroke its nose absently. "They ain't my sheep precisely to give, so naturally we asked." Elise nods, smiling happily, and Jo takes the sheep from him with a polite nod.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles broadly, leaving the sheep to Jo for the moment and turning his attention to Elise and her husband. "We'll do our best to give him a good home, don't worry about that." He offers both of them a handshake in turn, and looks somewhat at a loss for what to say. Nobody's ever given him a sheep before, after all. "Thank you very much. Ah..." He turns to look at the house behind him, then over to Jo, and again toward the pair in front. "Would you like to come in? We were going to eat supper soon, you'd be welcome to join us. It's the least we could do, since you came all the way out here."

JENNA: * Elise and her husband shake their heads almost at the same time, the former smiling ruefully. "We got to get back -- Mama and Papa are settin' out dinner soon." The shepherd snaps his fingers suddenly. "Now, if you pen him up, he can just eat grass, but I'll bring by some feed in a day or two that'll be a mite better for him, yeah?" Jo nods, glancing over her shoulder for something they could use for the animal.

JUSTIN: "That would be great, thank you very much." Shane turns and reaches over to give the little sheep's head a gentle pet, and grins. "I should be able to section off a part of the pecos' pen for him. Until then, I'll just commandeer one of the bird's stalls. It's got protection from the rain, and they haven't had the opportunity to stomp out the grass yet. It should do fine for a couple days."

JENNA: * This seems to suit the shepherd, and the pair gives a final farewell before turning and starting back to the village. Once they're gone, Jo looks down at the sheep with some puzzlement. "Well," she says, then starts for said stalls, petting the small animal absently. "What say we feed it, then feed ourselves? I'm kind of hungry."

JUSTIN: * Shane flicks the back of her hair as he follows along after her, stepping ahead to open the gate to allow them through. "It would probaly be in poor taste to suggest roast lamb." He pats the animal's side and smiles innocently, continuing on ahead again to likewise open one of the peco's vacant stalls. "But I guess there are plenty of other animals to choose from."

JENNA: * The lamb bleats again, and Jo gives a faint snort, setting it down in the stall and backing away to let it amble around on its own. "Long as it's not him we're cooking, I don't see how he'll know the difference." She stoops to pet it one more time, then backs out, closing the stall. "Almost hungry enough to eat a whole one, anyway."

JUSTIN: * Shane steps up behind her and scoops her up without warning, giving her a light toss to fix his grip on her before heading back toward the house. "That is because you've only had a piece of bread all day. I haven't had anything to eat, and you don't hear me complaining." He tilts his head down to kiss at her throat, and growls teasingly. "Maybe I'll be cruel and let you starve." He closes the gate behind them, carefully balancing Jo in his one arm until the other can rejoin it.

JENNA: * Jo utters a startled yelp when he picks her up, clinging until she's sure she won't be taking a fall. "You'll do no such thing," she retorts, nuzzling against his neck. "Because I have access to that kitchen, and I can beat you up." She nips lightly at this last point, grinning in a challenging way.

JUSTIN: * Shane pinches her side lightly in retalliation, turning his head to look down at her with a wry grin. "Oh you think so, do you? Well, that's a claim I'd rather not put to the test, so..." He drops her lightly to her feet at the front porch, opening the door and bowing slightly as he motions for her to enter first. "I guess I'll just have to keep you well-fed."

JENNA: * Jo steps inside, sticking her hands behind her head. "Sounds like a plan," she says, ambling toward the kitchen. "What did you have in mind?" Not that she's picky, as far as meals. She's ridiculously hungry, and would probably settle for bread and cheese, but she doubts Shane will hear of that.

JUSTIN: "Oh, I don't know..." Shane shuts the door behind him, giving a slight stretch and a quiet grunt as he enters the kitchen and moves toward the sink to wash his hands. "Something that won't take too long to cook, if I can take a hint right." He looks at her over his shoulder as he gets the water going. "Maybe a stew of some sort. Take a look at what we have, and grab whatever appeals to you. I can whip something up."

JENNA: * Jo shrugs, making her way to the table and sitting down. "Mm.. whatever you can find. Just make sure there's meat, if we have it. I'm not picky." She leans her head against the table, glancing into the kitchen. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy."

JUSTIN: * Shane shrugs his shoulders, flicking his hands dry and turning off the faucet. "I can make something fancy as easily as I can make something simple." He towels off his hands and goes to inspect their supply, selecting a few items -- one of which is meat, for Jo's sake -- and then returning to the counter to lay things out.

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head, an odd motion, as it's resting against the table, and lets him do as he pleases. Food is definitely not something worth arguing about. "You know," she says after a moment of staring at the walls, "I haven't really seen the rest of the house ..." Her primary concerns so far have been the kitchen and the bedroom.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches an eyebrow, tending to his food with practiced speed and professionalism. "I would have thought you'd poke your nose around when I wasn't paying attention." He smiles a bit, glancing back at her over his shoulder before returning to his work. "Just as well you haven't, though. I only just finished arranging things in the loft the other day. After we eat, I'll give you the proper tour."

JENNA: "I"ve been busy," Jo says with a faint smile, tracing her fingers lazily along the table. "Happy to have a look around after dinner, though." She looks up slightly to watch him at work, smile turning lazy. "Guess we'll have some work to do tomorrow with the new addition."

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his head in agreement, transporting his food to the stove in a small, black pot, and putting on the heat. "Three animals, and only two of us. I'm not so sure about those odds." He grins, fishing a wooden spoon out of the drawer nearby to stir the concoction with. "Those snotty birds better not teach your new pet any dirty manners."

JENNA: "Well, it is young and impressionable ... but I doubt a sheep has to worry about being lazy when we travel." She pauses, setting her elbows on the table and leaning her chin in her hands. "Just being fed." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "But I imagine we can find someone to tend to that, too."

JUSTIN: * Shane sets the spoon aside and places a lid over the pot, turning down the heat. "It'll need to simmer for about ten minutes, then it'll be ready to eat." He wanders away from the stove to sit down at the table besides Jo, petting at her hair softly. "I'm sure there are plenty of people in the village who would be happy to help. It's that or we hire permanent help, but... I think I prefer privacy." He smiles, leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

JENNA: "Agreed," Jo says absently, reaching over to catch his hands and twine her fingers through his. "Hiring permanent help would be ... embarrassing," she says, mouth curving into an amused smile. "I'd feel like I was back in Al De Baran." She pauses, gaze growing momentarily distant. "Though the fountains were nice."

JUSTIN: "We'll have to visit again, sometime. Check on that stone of yours." Shane gives her hand a squeeze and sets his other to the back of her neck, rubbing in a soothing manner. "I think that was the closest thing to a date we ever had." He tilts his head, lips twitching into a smirk. "Unless you want to count Jawaii or Comodo."

JENNA: * Jo makes a disgruntled noise. "You were still trying to arrest me in Jawaii," she points out, wrinkling her nose. "And I don't think a situation where I nearly killed you ought to count as a date." She grins at him, rubbing her thumb against his palm. "Even if it was an accident."

JUSTIN: * Shane rolls his shoulders with a light shrug, moving his massaging fingers down to her far shoulder. "You know I was more worried about you hurting yourself, than about you hurting me." He smiles distantly, turning his eyes from the table to match hers. "Seems like that was a lifetime ago, but it was only... a year and a half? Maybe a little more."

JENNA: "Were you? Most of what I remember was you shouting at me." She scratches her cheek, looking thoughtful. "But then, I had hit my head a few times that day." She smiles comfortably, relaxing as his fingers do their work. "A year and a half, maybe more, is a long time, given the general life expectancy of the trade," she says, grinning faintly.

JUSTIN: "Mm. Maybe we're just good at what we do." Shane grins a little, then leans in to give her a brief kiss. "And of course I shouted. Just because I was /more/ worried about you, doesn't mean you didn't almost blow my head off." He grins broader and moves his hand to tweak her nose before standing up. He gives her shoulder a final squeeze and turns to amble back into the kitchen and tend to their meal.

JENNA: * Jo watches him absently, not really sure whether she believes him or not -- not that it really matters now. "Never touched your gun after that, though, did I?" She grins again, amused, and taps her fingers against the table. Her stomach is now protesting the lack of food quite vocally, though she does lay one hand across it in order to stifle it a bit.

JUSTIN: * Shane quickly gets the food divvied out into two large bowls, and snags two spoons from the drawer before heading back to the table. "If I could convince you to let me give you proper instruction..." He sets a bowl down in front of her and drops a spoon into it, then sits beside her once again. Once settled, he turns her a cheery smile and reaches over to play with her hair. "But I guess you've got your own ways of putting holes in things."

JENNA: * Jo shrugs, poking at the soup for a moment before taking a cautious bite. She swallows it quickly, as it's a bit hot, then glances at him sideways. "I assumed you wouldn't really want me messing with it anymore." She tries the soup again, blowing on it a little this time. "So I never asked. But if you want to teach, I'll learn."

JUSTIN: * Shane arches an eyebrow, clearly trying to find any hint of insincerity in her statement. "Really..." He turns to his soup, shoulders shrugging gently as he lifts a spoonful and blows on it, the steam rolling away. "Then I suppose we'll have to do something about it." He takes a small, cautious taste, judging the heat, then spoons the rest into his mouth.

JENNA: * Jo smiles and continues to eat, deciding his statement really needs no particular response. Once the soup has cooled to a point where she can eat at her usual, ravenous pace, she proceeds to do so, slowing only once she's halfway through the bowl. "At least we have a training yard now," she remarks, pausing.

JUSTIN: * Shane eats with his usual, deliberate pacing -- though whether he always eats like that, or if it's only a habit he's picked up in spite of her is uncertain. "I thought you might find that useful." He looks over at her with a crooked grin, leaning his head in his hand for the moment. "I tried to think of things that would keep you feeling productive while we're home." He stretches a bit and returns to his meal, eating with an even more casual pace, pausing only to speak again. "I know you don't like laziness."

JENNA: * Jo nods, picking at her food a little more slowly and doubting anything will take the edge off being cooped up in a house besides getting out of it. She doesn't voice this opinion, however, taking a few, measured bites, and looking at him sideways. "I guess I'll see when we get there, right?" she says, curious in spite of herself.

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his head absently, hurrying up his eating in an effort to polish off his meal. When he's nearly done, he sits back for a break and rubs at the side of his face in thought. "I did what I could think of, anyway... If you ever want anything, don't hesitate to ask, though, all right?" He turns toward her, looking fairly serious about the statement. "I know it's only a rest stop for you, but I want you to be as comfortable as you can be while here." He shakes his head slightly, wondering why he keeps bringing it up over and over again, considering how many times they've discussed it. He leans closer, pressing his lips to her cheek in a non-kiss, then murmuring against her skin. "Just say 'okay'."

JENNA: * Jo reddens, embarrassed first by her transparency and second by his willingness to accomodate her. "Okay," she says weakly, turning and catching hold of him to look silently into his eyes for a moment. Then she kisses him gently -- apologetically -- fingers tangling in his hair for a brief span before she pulls away.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles with some relief as she pulls away again, and he quickly leans in to give her a second kiss, moving a hand to brush her cheek. "Thank you. That's all I wanted." He pulls back again, with a little reluctance, and eyes what little remains in the bottom of his bowl with disinterest. Not wanting to be wasteful, however, he finishes it in a few quick bites, and then gets to his feet. "A glass of water while we tour, Jo?"

JENNA: "Sure," she says, polishing off her soup in a couple of quick gulps. She gets to her feet to follow him, sticking her hands behind her head as she goes. "And hopefully nothing will be damaged beyond repair if I spill." She grins faintly, slipping behind him to tuck her arms around his waist.