JUSTIN: * Shane hears the door, though he doesn't think too much of it when he glances back to see Jo hasn't yet resettled herself in the kitchen. He shrugs his shoulders and gets back to work, assuming she's either going to use the bathroom or fetching something upstairs. It will be a little while yet before everything is done cooking, and he can't really leave it, so he lets her go about her business without wandering off to stick his nose in it.

JENNA: "How much longer?" Jo asks lightly as she settles into place, resting her chin on her hands. "The sheep is happy we're home.. I think. Looked like he'd been eating well enough." She smiles faintly. "Probably better than we have been, if you think about it." She pauses, lifting her head to take a deep whiff of the smells from the kitchen. Then she sighs when it only makes her hungrier.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles vaguely, wondering what life would be like if people spent their time grazing in fields. It would certainly be amusing from a spectator's point of view, but he doubts he'd much enjoy participating. "Shouldn't be longer than twenty minutes. Think you can hold out that long?" He glances over his shoulder, arching an eyebrow at her, slumped over the table in the adjoining room.

JENNA: "I hope so," Jo grins, folding her hands on the table. "It would be inconvenient if I starved right here in the dining room." She leans her head down again, closing her eyes and apparently content to listen to him cooking while she waits. For some reason, the sound is very relaxing, and it takes her some effort not to fall asleep.

JUSTIN: "That would be ironic, that's what it would be." Shane grins, shaking his head slightly and giving a few things a stir on the stove. His promise holds true, however, and nobody has the chance to die of starvation before the food is ready twenty minutes later. He ferries the various dishes over to the table and pokes Jo with the end of a wooden spoon. "Best take as much as you can with your first serving, because I might just eat everything that's left." He sets a plate down in front of her -- pre-stocked with an assortment of vegetables -- and nudges the tray of grilled meat closer to her.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't answer or argue, taking her own fair share of the meat and everything else available before digging in hungrily. She doesn't talk much, as is her custom during meals. She doesn't make any attempt to slow down until she begins to feel some of the meal hit her stomach. Then she sighs contentedly, reaching for a drink of water. "Definitely .. better than jerky and cold bread."

JUSTIN: * Shane chuckles, his own meal going down at a much more reasonable pace. "Aren't you glad you shacked up with an able cook?" He spears a piece of sliced meat and tucks it into his mouth, chewing thoroughly before swallowing, and chasing it with a sip of water. Leaning back in his chair, he stretches lightly and lets out a rather contented sigh of his own. "My talents are few, but at least they're practical."

JENNA: "Better than nothing," Jo says agreeably, finishing the last of her meat and picknig at the vegetables. "I think I'm ready for rest, though, after this." She looks up, smiling faintly. "I feel so lazy.. but that job ended up more stressful than I expected." She turns to her vegetables, mowing through them only slightly more slowly than the food she actually likes.

JUSTIN: * Shane leans forward against the table, resting his cheek in his hand while he ferries small bites of food to his mouth with the other. After a few of these, he sets his fork down and rubs at his eyes, half-frowning. "It could have gone a little smoother at the end, I admit. Though I guess just being in Morroc is enough to make you anxious." Which is, admittedly, mostly his fault -- though they've obviously moved past that. "And more importantly, all that sand gets in your pants, and that's just not comfortable." He twitches a slight grin, steering his eyes back to her again.

JENNA: * Jo snorts faintly. "Well, it is in the middle of the desert. Sand is generally expected." She leans back, having finished the last of her vegetables. "But I would rather not take any more jobs there ... the less contact I have with the guilds, the better off we are." She stares moodily at her plate and shrugs. "I suppose we have the option of refusing, though," she grins.

JUSTIN: * Shane shakes his head a bit, staring back at his plate and pushing the remains of his dinner around with his fork. "It would make things a whole lot simpler if your guild wouldn't hold stupid grudges." He shoves his plate away and leans back, tilting his chair back for a moment before dropping it on all fours again. "But then, I guess the last thing a group of brigands want is to get a reputation for being merciful and generous." He stands slowly to his feet and starts to collect the dishes and pans, stacking them off to the side.

JENNA: * Jo gives him a hard look, then she shrugs, pushing her chair away. "It's not that simple," she says quietly. "But never mind it for now." She's fairly certain he doesn't even want to understand it, so there's not much point in trying to explain the situation to him. "Want any help with the dishes..? I'll just head to bed otherwise."

JUSTIN: "I can manage," Shane says easily, already scooping them up to carry into the kitchen. "Go on ahead, I won't be long." He continues to the sink, dumping his armload before returning to claim the remaining dishes. "Just don't get too comfortable without me, okay?" He arches a brow, turning her a mock-stern look.

JENNA: "I wouldn't dream of it," Jo says, rolling her eyes mockingly. She pushes away from the table and ambles back to the room, shedding her trousers as she goes and tossing them onto a nearby chair. She pauses, lacing her tunic up a little bit tighter, hen flops down on the bed, curling up slightly as she rests her head on her pillow. Her eyes drift now and again, but for the most part they stay fixed on the door, waiting for Shane.

JUSTIN: * It takes Shane a good ten minutes to get the dishes cleaned, leaving the worst of the pots and pans to soak overnight. He turns out the lights in the kitchen and then makes his way down the hall, unbuttoning his shirt as he goes, and leans against the frame of the bedroom door to watch Jo. "Still awake, miss Jocasta?" Tugging his shirt off, he balls it up and gives it a light toss in the direction of Jo's face.

JENNA: * Jo reaches up an arm to block the volley, though she's not quite fast enough to catch it. Instead, she picks it up again and throws it off the bed. "Haven't fallen asleep yet, no thanks to you." She arches an eyebrow, looking at him. "Are you going to stand in the doorway all night? I didn't think watching me sleep was that interesting ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane tuts quietly, closing the door as he moves to amble across the room in the direction of the bed. "There are worse things to look at." He undoes his belt and lets his pants fall, then crawls over the covers to lie down next to her, propped up on his elbow. "And your skin tone goes so well with the color of the bedspread..." He smiles, plucking at the blanket and then rubbing idly at her leg.

JENNA: * Jo arches a brow, scooting closer to him and smiling faintly. "I'll just take your word on that," she remarks, reaching over to rest her hand on his ribs, fingers playing lazily against his skin. Then she gives a drowsy yawn, letting her head drop to the pillow and sighing faintly. "Good to be back, I suppose."

JUSTIN: "I knew the idea would grow on you." Shane smiles drowsily, and leans forward to give her lips a brief kiss. "Even if it's only for a few weeks at a time." This brings a teasing grin to his face, but he settles down into the bed and lets his eyes slip shut in innocence, lazily running his fingers back and forth against her leg. "But if nothing else... it is comfortable."

JENNA: * Jo puffs a faint sigh, but she is too tired to even pretend to argue and settles for nuzzling against him. For a few moments she attempts to think of some way to extend the conversation, but she decides this is also not worth the effort and yawns again, letting herself drop into a doze.

JUSTIN: * With the silence that follows his last words, Shane doesn't take too long to cozy up and drift off, himself. Warm and comfortable, even in spite of the cool weather outside the walls of the house, the night passes with blissful uneventfullness. The sun rises without fanfare, the strategic positioning of the bedroom keeping out offending rays, and instead the room's interior grows slowly brighter with much less intrusive amounts of light.

JENNA: * That is the first in a series of very lazy days, productivity consisting largely of working on what little is left to work on with the house and sometimes working with the new pecos. The original pair seems to have taken quite comfortably to retirement, to Jo's amusement and contempt. She spends the time she isn't training, swimming or hunting up in the loft weaving, where she is slowly getting the hang of larger projects.

JUSTIN: * While Jo is in the loft doing her weaving, Shane finds himself rearranging things in the bedroom, moving knick-knacks from shelf to shelf, as he apparently has nothing better to do at this time of the day. While he's engaging in this mostly pointless exercise, he finds himself fiddling around with the few books he's managed to hold onto since he sold his house, realizing they don't quite fit amongst the smaller baubles and trinkets. After a moment scratching at his cheek in thought, he shrugs and snatches them up, heading out of the room and humming quietly to himself. He trots around the corner and by the stairs into the small, empty library, and chooses a shelf to start placing books on. When he turns to leave, he spots another line of books on the opposite shelf, and pauses to stare with a brief spot of confusion. It passes, and he snags them to start rearranging them in alphabetical order. It's during this process that he suddenly realizes these are all books he recognizes -- and he hasn't yet had the chance to purchase any new books. He grabs one off the shelf and flips it open, and sure enough, scribbled on the inside cover is his name. "...oh, by the gods." He slams it shut and tucks it under his arm, exiting the room to plant himself at the foot of the stairs. "Jocasta, dear," his voice raises slightly to make sure she hears him, "I'd like to have a word with you."

JENNA: * Jo's ears prick, and she looks up from her work, tying it off for the moment before starting for the stairs. She isn't entirely certain why he'd be calling her in that kind of tone, but halfway down the stairs she nearly stumbles, realizing where he's calling from. She fights to keep an amused expression from her face, meeting him at the bottom with a look of inquisitive innocence.

JUSTIN: * Shane looks distinctly cross, brow furrowed in disappointment as he considers her for a moment in silence. He finally takes a breath and holds up the book in his hand, tapping it lightly against his opposite hand. "The strangest thing just happened. You see, I walked into an empty library, only to find it wasn't empty. Instead, it had an entire shelf of books I left behind in Juno over a year ago." He lowers the book again, tapping it against his leg instead while he continues to stare at her unconvincingly innocent face. "Now, would you happen to have any theories about how this could be possible?"

JENNA: * Jo arches an eyebrow, shrugging very slightly. "No theories ... just fact." Her mouth curves in a grin. "I told you I wasn't sick." She slips past him and starts toward the library, sticking her hands behind her head. "I'm planning to go back and get the rest, but ... I figured I'd just leave those in the library as a surprise."

JUSTIN: "You let me /believe/ you were sick--" Shane turns to follow her as she retreats from the stairway, looking even more frustrated now that she's openly admitted to it. "Just what in the world were you thinking? Don't you think we have enough trouble in Juno as it is, without you going and breaking the law? /Again/? I don't think the next guard will be content to chase you around the countryside like I did!"

JENNA: "The simple answer to that is not getting caught," Jo points out, pausing in the library's doorway before stepping inside to look at her haul. Then she looks over her shoulder at Shane with a frown. "They're not doing anyone any good in that warehouse, collecting dust. And besides.. they're your books. I haven't got many talents either, Shane, but I can use this one to do something for you for once." She turns back around, letting her hands drop to her hips.

JUSTIN: * Shane deposits the book on a random, nearby shelf and steps up behind Jo, placing a hand to each of her arms. "Jo, the difference is that your talent is /illegal/! I don't /like/ knowing all my things are going to be sold off to random people, but the law is the law!" His hands clench a little tighter, before he lets go completely and turns around, placing a hand to his forehead. "And you didn't do a particularly good job of not getting caught the first time. What would I have done if you'd been locked up? You know I wouldn't have condoned this if I'd known!"

JENNA: "You have no idea how many successful break-ins I pulled off before that one piece of bad luck with you," Jo retorts, admittedly tired of his constant referencing of the incident. She glances over her shoulder at him. "If you're so unhappy.. don't read them. Sell them. Return them. They're yours to do with as you please." She shrugs. "And do the same with the rest, once I get those back."

JUSTIN: * Shane turns to face her again, stepping quickly back up behind her. "You'll do no such thing. Didn't you listen to anything I just said?" He takes a hold of her arm again, tugging insistantly to make her turn around. "You can't do it, Jo, it's theft of government property! How can you put me in this kind of position?"

JENNA: * Jo lets him turn her, expression stony, then shakes her arm loose from his grip. "What are you going to do about it?" she challenges him. "Tie me up? Turn me in? Just pretend you dn't know about it. Pretend it's magic." She turns away, starting for the door. "And if I do get caught, go ahead and pretend you don't know me." She stops, however, and turns, directing a flinty stare in his direction. "But I won't get caught."

JUSTIN: * Shane glares after her, not sure what he is supposed to say to these sorts of arguments. "Don't talk to me like that. You make it sound like I /want/ you to get jailed." He sets a hand to either side of the doorframe, leaning closer to her. "Is it really so match to ask that you just obey the law? I don't need a criminal for a girlfriend!"

JENNA: "You've already got one!" Jo snaps, bristling. She clenches her fists at her sides. "I don't care how legal our activities have been over the past couple of years, I'm still a thief." She turns her head for a moment, then shakes her head. "It's not like I pick pockets anymore, is it? It's not like I'm stealing without cause." The frown turns into a scowl, and her face goes somewhat red. "It's my fault you lost the damn books anyway."

JUSTIN: "It is not your fault, damn it!" Shane lets go the doorframe and takes a hard step toward her, hands bared at his sides in exasperation. "Why are you trying to justify it? It was my decision to sell my house, and I accepted the consequences!" He looks suddenly tired, and he rubs at his eyes with a ragged sigh. "Jo... look, I appreciate the sentiment. But did you really think I would pat you on the back and say 'good thiefing'? You know I can't."

JENNA: * Jo huffs a faint sigh, still looking away from him. "I knew it was a mistake telling you before the job was done ..." she growls, giving her hair an angry toss before glaring up at him. "But I really didn't have anywhere else to keep the books, and I thought you'd want to know." She turns away from him. "My mistake. I'll look for somewhere else to keep the rest of them."

JUSTIN: * Shane grits his teeth, thinking this is just getting more ridiculous the further it progresses. "Then what's the point in stealing the rest of them if they aren't even going to be used? Just to prove you can do it?" He takes her by the shoulder and rotates her to face him once more. "What sense does that make?" He puts a hand to the back of her head, making sure she doesn't turn away again.

JENNA: * Jo struggles against him angrily, bracing herself to press as far away as she can. "It's up to /you/ whether they get used or not," she growls. "I'm just taking them back and putting them on the shelf." She tries not to look too petulant -- or even too angry, for what that's worth -- as she feels the conversation isn't going anywhere and will only continue in that fashion.

JUSTIN: "Then let me guess," Shane doesn't let her go just yet, in fact tightening his grip against her struggling, "you're going to go whether I want you to or not, is that it? Now it really is about proving something." He lets her go then, and stalks past her into the living area beyond, where he leans heavily against the back of a couch. "You're so... frustrating..."

JENNA: * Jo rubs the back of her head when he releases her, folding her arms as she follows him back to the living area. She doesn't say anything, only looking at him for a moment, then she unfolds her arms and walks away, heading back toward the stairs and walking up them in silence.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns his head, watching her mount the steps from the corner of his eyes, then shakes his head and pushes from the couch. For a second he's tempted to go after her, but with a grinding of his teeth he fights the urge and makes for the front door, intent on working off his mood in the yard.

JENNA: * Jo stays upstairs for the remainder of the day, bored and restless, but she stubbornly continues to work on her weaving rather than go down and risk tangling with Shane again. As the sun begins to set, she moves out to the balcony, abandoning her work, then decides that isn't isolated enough and makes her way to the roof. Once on the roof, she loses track of time entirely, missing dinner and barely feeling it.

JUSTIN: * After spending the entire day working outside, Shane spends some time scrubbing off in the bath before he thinks to get started on some dinner. It's almost an hour before he's finished cooking, and he's already set the table and begun carrying over food when he realizes Jo hasn't come down from the loft all day. He sets the dishes down on the table and fixes his sleeves (rolled up while working in the kitchen) and slowly takes to the stairs.

JENNA: * Up on the roof, Jo has found a moderately comfortable place to sit and stare at the sky, expression blank. She doesn't notice the irritated rumble from her stomach, now accustomed to regular meals, nor does she notice the activity from down below -- even when pleasant, food-like smells begin to waft from the dining room. Staring upward, she seems to have found a place of meditation.

JUSTIN: "Jo, I made dinner if you want to eat." He stops halfway up the stairs and leans against the wall, the dim light of a lamp in the room beyond sending flickering shadows across his view. When he gets no response, he shifts on his feet and turns to start back down, gritting his teeth. "Well, I'll wait for you, but I won't wait all night. I'm going to put it away if you don't come down soon."

JENNA: * Jo doesn't hear his summons, and it's difficult to say whether she would have answered it if she had. As it is, the meditation has dropped away into something more soothing, and with the cool breeze rustling her hair, it isn't long before she falls asleep. Uncomfortable as the roof is, she seems to have forgotten for the moment that she has somewhere besides it or the forest floor to sleep.

JUSTIN: * Shane waits a lot longer than he might otherwise, and his own untouched food is long cold before he finally stands up from the table. He starts packing things away for storage, moving with a sort of depressed sluggishness, and it's another twenty minutes at least before he's gotten all the dishes washed and put to the side to dry. As he's toweling off his hands, he debates over his different, conflicting urges. One is to go straight to bed and let her continue to avoid him for as long as she wants. The other, and perhaps more nagging one, is to go and try to initiate conversation again. In the end, he finds himself mounting the steps again, unsure whether this is a terribly good idea.

JENNA: * Unfortunately for Shane, Jo is long gone from the room, comfortably adrift in dreams, though the dreams themselves may not be particularly comforting. Her weaving lies unfinished where she left it, and most of the room is undisturbed, though the door to the balcony is open a crack.

JUSTIN: * Shane trudges across the room in the direction of the balcony, turning the weaving a sideways look as he passes. When he gets to the door and sees the balcony is completely empty, his eyebrows raise in surprise, then furrow in confusion, and he quickly steps out to lean against the railing and look around the yard. "Jo...?"

JENNA: * The yard is empty as well, and dead silent. There's no sign at all she's been out on the balcony, aside from the open door. Up above, however, Jo stirs slightly at the sound of her name, halfway between waking and sleeping. It doesn't compel her to do much but roll over, though, and she goes still again, sinking back into deeper sleep.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns back into the room behind him and does a quick, not-quite-desperate search of the area. She's not in the pillows, she's not in the closet (maybe a little desperate), and she certainly wasn't on the balcony. He calms himself and reasons that she could have left the house while he was outside working, and slipped by when he wasn't looking. So it would be reasonable to assume she could be down at the beach, or in the stable -- at least, he hopes that's the case. He descends the stairs with a far quicker pace than usual and jogs to the bedroom to grab his coat, then makes immediately for the door.

JENNA: * No matter where he searches, Shane is unlikely to turn her up, as he was closest when he was standing on the balcony. The beach is peaceful and empty. The stables, though not empty, are relatively peaceful, and Jo is sound asleep on the roof, where she remains until dawn breaks over the horizon.

JUSTIN: * With a fruitless search turning up nothing, Shane eventually gives up and deposits himself in the livingroom in the hopes that she'll turn up on her own before the night is over. Clearly that doesn't happen, and he eventually falls asleep where he sits in one of the large armchairs, slumped over and nearly falling over the side. It's no surprise that he doesn't wake when light begins to come in through the windows, having fallen asleep only a mere couple hours before dawn, and he's snoring mutedly even as the room brightens around him.

JENNA: * Jo sits up slowly and a little creakily as the light invades her vision, rubbing her eyes irritably at how stiff and achey she is. She wobbles slightly before she regains her balance, nearly sliding from her seat, then looks around blankly. "Oh," she says after a moment, then shakes her head and slowly makes her way down to land with a thump on the balcony. She looks around vaguely, wondering why Shane didn't call her for dinner, then she recalls the fight from the night before and grimaces. Doubting he'll be awake yet, she starts down the stairs to grab something from the kitchen, bread and cheese if nothing else. She also runs herself a glass of water and yawns, leaning against the counter.

JUSTIN: * An hour or two ago, Shane's sleep might have been light enough for him to wake up at the sound of her walking around. As it is, however, he's a little too far gone, brain spinning dream webs to snare him in place. He doesn't even shift, breathing slow and quiet, while his body remains precariously balanced against the arm of the chair.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't take too long in the kitchen, wolfing down her food and another full glass of water before filling it up one last time and heading out again, presumably in search of Shane. It doesn't take her long to find him, slouched as he is in plain sight, and she tilts her head, puzzled at his choice of venue. After a moment, she ambles over and leans on the arm of the chair, prodding him idly. "Hey. If you're going to sleep, you might as well sleep in the bed."

JUSTIN: * Shane stirs at the much closer, much more noticable sound and physical prodding, and he snorts quietly as he sits suddenly upright. "What... I'm not..." He blinks, turning a bleary look at Jo, a little disbelieving. "Where were you? I looked for you all night..." In fact, he's still wearing his coat and muddy boots. He looks a combination of annoyed and relieved, and clearly not sure what she intends to do with him.

JENNA: * Jo shrugs, offering him her glass, still mostly full of water. "I was looking at the stars, and I fell asleep," she says, shrugging once again and pointing upward, finally, to answer his question. "The roof." She looks at him for a moment, then turns to amble away. "You should probably eat something. And go sleep on the bed."

JUSTIN: "The... the roof? Why would you..." Shane takes the glass and sips at the water without looking at it, then gets shakily to his feet. "Where are you going? You're not going to go to bed...?" He attempts to follow her, though he wobbles more than he walks, still half-asleep and extremely tired.

JENNA: "I pretty much slept all night.." Jo says doubtfully, but her voice trails off when she glances back at him, and she turns. "I can come if you want me to," she says, though she looks as though she doubts this is the case. Seeing him stagger, she walks over to take the glass away from him before he can spill it.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't seem to notice the glass leave, holding out his newly freed hand to steady himself against a piece of nearby furniture. "I... I didn't, I mean... If you don't want to..." He frowns, straightening himself and standing a good deal more steadily. "I guess I'll just... see you when I wake up, then." He turns and starts for the hallway, half-heartedly tugging his coat off as he goes.

JENNA: "I didn't say that, either," Jo growls, temper somewhat pricked. She sets the water down -- a little harder than usual, admittedly -- on a nearby table and stalks after him, catching his coat as it falls and tossing it somewhere slightly more suitable than the floor. "You're the one who didn't sleep all night," she says irritably, pulling him to a halt and walking around in front of him. "You're the one who can barely walk." She scowls, reaching up to start unfastening his shirt and continuing to grumble at a lower volume.

JUSTIN: * Shane makes a face, grabbing her hands and holding them to keep her from continuing what she started. "Jo... I can do that." He lets go and backs up an inch to work at the buttons himself, steering to step slowly around her and toward the bed. "I wasn't accusing you of anything... But if you wanted to be around me, I doubt you'd have hid on the roof all night..."

JENNA: "I said I fell asleep." Jo steps around him again, resting her hands on her hips and looking singularly unimpressed. "And if you'd wanted to be around me, you probably would have come up before I fell asleep." After a moment of further glaring, she relents and shrugs, stepping aside. "But if that's how you want to leave it ..."

JUSTIN: "And if you'd wanted to be around me, you could have come down before you fell asleep -- what's your point?" Shane is almost sorry he brought it up at all, shrugging out of his shirt with overly harsh motions and throwing it into the corner without a care. "And why would I have gone after you? You obviously wanted time to yourself." He ignores his pants and just sits down on the bed, rubbing at his arm. "Just... go do whatever you want. That's how you like it, anyway."

JENNA: * Jo's fists clench, then unclench, and she stalks toward him again, stiff-legged. After several rapid, unsuccessful attempts to calm herself down, she lashes one hand out to cuff him upside the head. "By all the gods, I /hate/ it when you /sulk/!" she shouts. "I don't care /how/ hard you try to play the victim, I'm not buying it -- it's not like you aren't at least partly to blame here --"

JUSTIN: * Shane ducks his head from the blow, admittedly a far delayed reaction that doesn't same him from the sting, and he just about leaps to his feet, turning to stare Jo down with a distinctly unamused expression. "Partly to /blame/? Is that what this is all about, then? Need someone to share the guilt with? There are no victims here, Jo, just angry bystanders!" He's suddenly not very tired anymore. Growling in disgust at this entire conversation, he brushes past her and leaves the room, not sure where he intends to go. "Just pretend nothing happened, Shane! That would make it so much easier for me!"

JENNA: "Guilt?" Jo's voice goes up a notch, and she stalks after him, completely unwilling to let him escape so easily. "I haven't got any reason to feel guilty -- you're the one who's so wrapped up in city laws!" Here she stops, but her voice continues after him, if slightly lower. "I never made any promises to you. I don't remember any time I said I'd stop stealing. And when it's the most deserving solution, I don't have any problem doing it again." She tosses her head and starts walking again, though this time it isn't particularly to follow him.

JUSTIN: "Oh, so that makes it all better, then." Shane enters the kitchen and leans heavily on the counter by the sink, not-quite looking out the window in front of him. "You didn't tell me you wouldn't, so I shouldn't care if you do, huh?" He turns around to face her, whether she's following him or not, and spreads his arms in a questioning gesture. "What makes you so special, Jocasta? Why do you think you're an exception to the rules that every other honest, hard-working human being tries their best to follow?"

JENNA: "Why do you think every other honest, hard-working human being follows them?" she asks flatly, walking past the kitchen to where her pack lies in the hallway. "I'm not an exception to the rules, Shane. I just don't care if I break them." She pulls the pack up on her shoulders, adjusting it slightly and ambling back into view with a smile. "It's part of who I am, I'm afraid."

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't find anything worth smiling about in this entire exchange, and it seems pretty clear by the dour expression his own face keeps. "Then it's the worst part of the whole. The rules are there for a reason -- the rules are there to protect people!" He sets a fist to his forehead for a moment, trying fairly uselessly to calm his anger. Then he steps closer, grabbing her by the strap of her pack. "Do you /ever/ stop to think about how your actions affect other people? Did you think taking my mother's cross was doing me a favor?"

JENNA: * Jo jerks loose, giving him a chilly stare. "No, Shane. /That/ I did entirely to make you angry." She retreats a few steps toward the door, laying a hand on the handle and shrugging. "I don't think the disappearance of your books is going to make anyone unhappy, to be honest with you, but all right. I won't steal any more of them." She shrugs and pushes the door open. "No particular point in it now."

JUSTIN: "Where are you going?" Shane questions, loudly, and moves to the doorway to watch her as she leaves the house. "The beach? The woods? Someone's roof?" His jaw hurts from the pressure of his grinding teeth, and he braves the chill air of late autumn against his bare skin as he steps out after her.

JENNA: "I hadn't really thought about it," Jo answers comfortably. "I wouldn't worry about it -- it's not really your problem where I go from here." She tilts her head consideringly, however, and glances over her shoulder down the path. "There might be merchants in town this week. I could probably hitch a ride with one of them."

JUSTIN: * Shane practically lunges, grabbing at her with both hands and holding on tight against any possible attempts to shake him off. "What are you talking about?! You aren't -- you're not..." He moves his hands from her shoulders to grab about her waist with his arms, a more secure method. "This is ridiculous! If you need a few days apart, take a few days -- don't /leave/."

JENNA: * Jo's expression goes blank for a moment, and she struggles against his grip at first, instinctively. Then she forces herself to go still, turning her head slightly in puzzlement. She almost asks why not, but the question dies in her throat, and she glances away over the ocean for a moment. "Oh," is all she manages to say, looking slightly embarrassed -- and still a little confused.

JUSTIN: * Shane lets out a ragged sigh, eyes closing in frustration and an admitted degree of confusion. "Just... come back in the house. Don't do anything rash." He lets her go -- reluctantly -- and stands waiting to see what she'll do, one way or the other. "Please?"

JENNA: * Jo watches him for a moment, expression still puzzled, then she walks past him toward the house, though she doesn't make any move to unsling her pack once she's inside. Instead, she stands in the middle of the hall, watching Shane again, as if judging what move he'll make next -- if any.

JUSTIN: * Shane closes the front door behind him quietly, tempted to lock it, but more worried that will send the wrong message. He isn't trying to imprison her here, after all. "I'm... going to go to bed," he says, sounding ten times more weary than he did just moments ago. "I put away last night's dinner. You can eat it, if you'd like. It'll be good for another couple of days, anyway." With that, he starts for the bedroom, hesitating only a moment when he reaches her position in the center of the hall, then gently steering around her.

JENNA: * She shrugs and follows him up the hall, catching up to him when he reaches the bedroom door and catching him around the waist. She pauses there for a moment, then rests against his back for a moment, giving a faint sigh and squeezing her arms around him. Then, after a moment or two, she releases him and takes a step back.

JUSTIN: * Shane pauses long enough for her to complete the brief hug, and he lets out a long, quiet exhalation when she finishes, turning around to face her. "I wouldn't mind your company... if you'll stay, at least until I fall asleep." He puts a hand to her arm, much more gently than the last several times he's touched her, and rubs at it soothingly. "If you'd rather not, I understand."

JENNA: * Jo sighs, managing a faint smile and tangling her hand briefly around his. "Take your boots off and get in bed," she says drily, releasing his hand to walk forward and nudge him along, curling her now-free arm around him. "I'll stay for a while."

JUSTIN: * Shane does as he's told, just grateful for the hostilities' end, and he tiredly removes his boots and crawls onto the bed, far too exhausted to bother with his pants or the blankets. He remains lying on his chest, eyes half-closed while he tries to maintain wakefulness long enough to enjoy Jo's less violent, more comforting presence -- and not take it for granted.

JENNA: * Jo follows him absently, shedding her own boots before crawling up beside and slouching against him for a moment. After that brief rest, she lifts her arms to start kneading his shoulders, expression weary. She's fairly hungry, but for the moment she's content to work at his back until he falls asleep.

JUSTIN: * With such pleasant treatment, it doesn't take long at all for Shane to all but forget the earlier arguments, Jo once again proving she's not all bad. He tucks his arms around a pillow and lets his eyes finish closing, murmuring some kind of grateful word or two before he begins to drift out of consciousness. Soon his breathing is quiet and even, muscles relaxed, and he doesn't stir or speak from her attention, making it safe to assume her task is complete.

JENNA: * Jo stays where she is for a while, even after it's evident he's fallen asleep, rubbing her hand over his back and staring absently into space. It's some time before she removes herself from the bed to get some food and a drink, and after some consideration, she makes her way shortly back to the bedroom. She gives a long, drowsy stretch, then sheds her trousers and flops down next to Shane again. Even if she doesn't sleep, she's content to stay curled up next to him.

JUSTIN: * Shane is out like a light, and for once he doesn't even move to accomodate Jo's arrival, though the large bed leaves plenty of room for both regardless. He stays out for several hours, and the sun is already falling from its apex in the sky before he shows the first sign of coming out of it. He rolls over from his stomach to flop onto his back, gurgling quietly and giving an unconscious stretch in all direction.

JENNA: * Jo, who has been drifting in and out over the course of these several hours, snaps awake at his sudden movement. She glances at him with a faint smile and scoots over to rest against him, laying one arm across him and going still again to wait for him to finish waking. Or whatever he intends to do. Not much caring, she nestles down, half-closing her eyes.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't quite finish the waking process, content to let some more time pass lying on his back with Jo's comfortable weight and warmth against his chest. He does sneak an arm loosely around her, not sure if he wants her to know he's awake -- as she might make him get out of bed -- but unable to resist. A slight smile twitches at his lips, and it's all he can do to keep from opening his mouth to address her presence. He'd mostly assumed she'd have left a long time ago.

JENNA: * Jo responds to this by nestling closer and closing her eyes the rest of the way. She tightens her arm around him briefly, then gives a faint yawn. Whether he's awake or not, she doesn't seem at all inclined to move, let alone force him out of bed.

JUSTIN: * Shane is mildly surprised, though not unpleasantly, that she seems just as content to stay in bed as he is. Thus encouraged, his other arm sneaks up to join the first around her, rubbing at her back, and he scoots down a bit to cuddle her closer into him. "Good morning, Jo." His voice is groggy, barely above a murmur, but the words themselves aren't all that important.

JENNA: "Something like that," Jo answers agreeably, nuzzling him with a faint smile. "You can go back to sleep if you want. I'm not going anywhere." Her hand reaches up from around him to stroke his hair, cupping his jaw for a moment, then returning to its previous motion.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles softly, peeking open one eye to look down at her, then shutting it again. "In a situation like this, I think it's more enjoyable to be awake..." He lifts a hand to rub at the back of her neck, kneading gently at her muscles as he does so. "So you just keep doing what you're doing, I'll stay right were I am," he pauses to yawn quietly, "and we'll both be happy, hm?"

JENNA: "Sounds reasonable to me." Jo tugs his hair lightly, pausing long enough to lean up and kiss him before returning to her lazy ministrations. "And if we do both fall asleep again, well.. so be it." She wrinkles her nose and grins, relaxing again to let him work at her muscles until such time as he becomes bored with it.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches his eyebrows slightly, moving his other hand to join the first in massaging her neck and shoulders. "I think that's the most agreeable thing I've ever heard out of you... you aren't getting /soft/, are you?" He grins a bit, only increasing the magnitude and scope of his impromptu backrub to emphasize the question.

JENNA: "Even I have my lazy days." Jo wrinkles her nose, opening one eye to glare at him for a moment. Then her expression relaxes, and her brows lift inquisitively. "I don't know, though, you seem to be in a better position to tell than I am." She leans over to kiss him again. "You tell me."

JUSTIN: * Shane likewise leans up to accept the kiss, smiling slyly as his hands take up her challenge, slipping under her shirt to prod and squeeze at her flesh in the name of research. "Oh, I don't know," he fingers the harder muscles of her arm, then traces down the curve of her sides to give her butt a teasing squeeze, "some parts are definately softer than others..."

JENNA: * Jo attempts with very little success to squash a startled giggle at his exploration, then slips her hand down to trace the muscles of his chest and finally come to rest rubbing lazily against his stomach. "I think it's normal for me to be a /little/ soft in some spots ..." She glances up at him, mouth twitching into an amused, challenging grin. "You're not saying you'd rather I wasn't, now are you?"

JUSTIN: * Shane drums his fingers against her backside and smiles innocently, eventually moving the hand to rub at the small of her back, instead. "On the contrary, your soft spots are some of my favorite." His innocent look breaks into a grin, and he tugs her into another kiss, cupping the back of her head with his other hand. "And not just your body... I doubt we'd be here right now if you didn't have a least some softness to you."

JENNA: * Jo returns the kiss, pulling away with some embarrassment at the statement that follows. "Not everybody I know would say that was a good thing.. particularly at the time." She grins faintly, however, closing the space between them to kiss him again. "But I know better," she says, leaning down to nuzzle against his neck. "Besides.." Her hand undertakes the task of stroking lazily over his skin again. "I'm not the only one who went soft in the course of that little trip."

JUSTIN: * Shane strokes his fingers through her hair slowly, arching an eyebrow as he looks down at where she lays, though he can't see her face. "Have I, really?" He slips his hand under her shirt again to rub at her bare back, tracing the muscles absently. "I still wear the uniform... can't I pretend I'm still a hard-as-nails officer of the law?" He smiles in a strange way, thinking back on the long, overly eventful trip that brought them together in the first place. "Though, I suppose I never was too good at it even when it /was/ my job description." He's sure admitting something like that two years ago would have been the equivalent of gouging out his own eyeball.

JENNA: "Well, I suppose you tried," Jo says with an impish grin, nuzzling under his jaw and laying a string of kisses down his throat. "But I have to say, I prefer it now that you're not." She slips her hand up to trace along his ribs and back down again, sighing softly. "It makes life a little less awkward, anyway."

JUSTIN: * Shane arches slightly, tilting his head back to let Jo's lips have more room to roam, and he chuckles quietly. "It would be a shame if we had to stay in Juno all the time, for sure." He sits up suddenly, only to turn and lay Jo out on her back so that he can lower himself over her and kiss at her own throat. "And the constant urge to lock you up if you misbehave could get a little out of hand." He grins, nuzzling down into her chest and nosing the fabric of her shirt.

JENNA: * Jo's startled squeak turns into another muted laugh at the attention, and she drops her hand to tangle it loosely in his hair. "The guards might get tired of it if you locked me up /every/ time I misbehaved," she murmurs. "Though I guess that depends on what you mean by misbehave." She arches an eyebrow, wriggling slightly in a vain attempt to expose more skin and less shirt. "Mm.. I may need a little help with that."

JUSTIN: "I think I can be of assistance, there." Shane leans back a bit, coming to rest in a sitting position, and slowly peels Jo's shirt away from her skin. "Arms up," he quips, grinning roguishly as he wiggles the shirt up to her chin, then carefully and gently works it over her head. "Better?"

JENNA: * The shirt is cast negligently aside, and Jo levers herself up into a sitting position, reaching forward far enough to catch her hands around his shoulders and pull him down into a long kiss. "Much better," she murmurs when she finally breaks it, though it isn't long before she kisses him again.

JUSTIN: * Shane is quick to return the affection, settling against her and kissing for as long as his lungs are willing to hold out. Eventually he realizes the annoying presence of his pants, so out of place against the purely nude form of the woman beneath him. With a sigh, he reluctantly pulls out of the kiss and works at the button of his pants, smiling with some embarrassment. "Clothing is such a bother, really."

JENNA: "I've always thought so," Jo says wih a grin, sitting up again and offering her own hands in assistance -- though her assistance is teasing as much as it is helpful. More than once her fingers, tugging, slip beneath the waist of his trousers, as if hurrying him along.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches an eyebrow at her toying, teasing fingers, and lightly falls onto his back to finally free the clothing from his hips, both pants and undershorts. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to start something..." He grins mischievously, wiggling and kicking the legs of his pants off. "Or did I already do that?" Reaching up, he grabs hold of her by the waist and draws her over him, kissing at her chest and neck before murmuring quietly. "I guess we'll be in bed for a while yet."

JENNA: "Seems like," Jo agrees, shifting just enough so that she can capture his lips with her own. She pulls away after a moment with some reluctance, levering herself briefly into a sitting position and grinning at him. "And I would definitely say you started it," she adds, leaning over him again. "So you'd better be prepared to finish it."

JUSTIN: "Does that even need stating?" Shane presses into her lips again hungrily, trapping her with his arms and falling together into the bed again. He keeps this kiss going for at least a couple minutes, then finally slips his head down to nuzzle into her neck and quickly catch his breath -- even if he fully intends to lose it again. "Mm, besides, it takes a mutual effort, Jo... I hope you're planning to help finish things."

JENNA: * Jo's breathing, more rapid now, catches when he nuzzles against her, and she tilts her head to murmur in his ear. "More than planning," she breathes. "Wouldn't want to leave you all the fun." Her lips curve in a very brief grin, and she moves to recapture his mouth, kissing him with an air of finality that would seem to indicate she wants the talking to cease entirely.

JUSTIN: * Shane can't argue with this assertion, nor would he want to. From the moment of that kiss on, speech is limited to short, insistant phrases uttered only when necessary -- or when uncontrollable. The morning's argument seems like ancient history, and not even growing hunger seems enough to pry them from the bed, or each other. After a full day of lazy rest, they seem intent to make up for it with a full evening of vigorous exercise -- and Shane, for one, doesn't complain in the least.