JUSTIN: * During the time that Jo's been gone, Shane has done just about everything he can think of to keep his sanity. Questioning people in the village hasn't turned up any leads about where Jo might have gone, no clues make themselves known on their property, and none of the animals are talking. That doesn't stop him from talking to them, however. The longer she's gone the more depressed he gets, and on more than one occasion he's stayed all night in the stable with the sheep, thinking out loud and asking questions that get no answers, feeling lonely and useless. Elise visits a couple times during the weeks since her disappearance, and he does his best not to be a wreck while she's around, but it's fairly obvious that only one thing is going to cure him. It's the middle of the night at the end of the third week since she disappeared, and he's sitting in the balcony, back against the wall and dark circles under his eyes. Sleep hasn't been his friend lately, and it shows all over his face.

JENNA: * Jo returns as silently as she left, slipping in the front door and sliding her pack to the floor nearby. She ambles first to the bedroom, glancing in the kitchen and dining room on the way, then, not finding him there, tries the library. When it turns up empty as well, she's almost at a loss, wondering for a moment if he really did leave, then she decides to try the loft. With it empty as well, she supposes she hasn't tried the stable yet, either, but instead she walks out to the balcony, tugging the door open and ambling over to lean on the railing.

JUSTIN: * Shane is more than a little out of it, to the point he doesn't even hear the woman as she walks around the loft, or even when the doors open. It isn't until she passes right by him that he is made aware of her presence, and at first he sits up in alarm, thinking there's an intruder in his home. It doesn't take him long to recognize who this "intruder" is, however, even from this angle, and his breath chokes to a halt in his throat. He scrambles up to his feet and reaches a trembling hand out to touch her shoulder, not convinced he isn't having a hallucination brought on by lack of sleep and food.

JENNA: * Jo jumps, badly startled at the sudden touch, and whirls to face whoever's there without thinking of who it probably is. She lets her hands drop when she sees who it is, expression changing just as quickly to one of careful neutrality. "What are you doing out here?" she asks finally, unable to think of anything else to say.

JUSTIN: * Shane blinks, watching her for a second as if not comprehending her words -- he's still getting over the shock of realizing this isn't a hallucination. "I was... I was just... sitting..." His face looks incredibly strained, the dark blotches under his eyes almost ridiculous in their prominence. He takes another shaky step forward, touching her neck and finding she's still tangible since his first inspection.

JENNA: * Jo manages to keep from flinching away from his touch, figuring out almost immediately that it's not hostile. "How long have you been out here?" she asks, arching an eyebrow and reaching out to touch his face. It's safe to say he doesn't look like he's been eating or sleeping, which brings on a brief pang of guilt.

JUSTIN: "I don't know..." Shane answers simply and honestly. His expression cracks slightly as she touches him, and he's obviously trying very hard to hold himself together, from the way his hand is shaking against her neck to the way his lips tremble. "Jo... I didn't..." He loses it pretty much all at once, eyes spilling out tears like a spring pour, and he stumbles onto his knees to bury his face against her stomach, sobbing despite his best efforts to stop, while fingers curling into the fabric of her shirt.

JENNA: * Jo stumbles back against this assault, managing to keep her balance and slowly letting her arms curl around his shoulders, one hand sneaking up to stroke gently at his hair. "Yeah," she says after a moment. "I know." She sighs, letting her gaze drift skyward for a moment.

JUSTIN: * Shane tries to plug his waterworks long enough to say something, sniffling and gurgling with the attempts. It takes him at least a minute before he can breathe enough to speak, and he sits back against his feet to swipe at his face, a stray sob or two still sneaking out here and there as he stares down at her boots. "I thought you left for good," he says quietly -- by the sound of it, as loud as his voice can manage. "I should have apologized... I shouldn't have been so careless to begin with..." He threatens to start crying again, but manages to keep it down.

JENNA: * Jo drops down in front of him, resting on her knees and letting one hand fall to his shoulder while the other keeps soothingly at his hair. "I came back," she says, shifting closer to him and tugging him toward her. "It's all right." She smiles wanly, not entirely certain what to do about bringing him to tears.

JUSTIN: * Shane takes a deep breath, replenishing the air spent on his sobbing and sputtering, and burrows into her neck with closed eyes. "You know I love you," he says, muffled, "I don't know why I said the things I did." He curls his arms around her in a proper embrace before pulling back to look at her, eyes now red to match the black circles beneath them. "Why... /did/ you come back?"

JENNA: * Jo smiles wanly, reaching a hand over to brush his bangs back. "I didn't have a choice," she says after a moment, smile becoming slightly pained. "I love you, too." Her shoulders lift in a very slight shrug. "I couldn't just go. Not without making sure." Making sure of what she doesn't say, instead letting her hand drop to cup his cheek.

JUSTIN: * Shane manages a smile at this comforting response, though it looks mildly out of place on his otherwise miserable and drained face. He rests his forehead against her shoulder and lets out a ragged breath, feeling fairly weak after his outburst, which only serves to highlight his the horrible condition he's let himself fall into. "I promise I won't push you away again. I promise I won't hurt you like that anymore."

JENNA: "Shh." Jo curls her arms around his shoulders, rocking him slightly and tilting her head to rest against him. "I said it's all right." She falls silent for a moment, letting her hand rub against his neck, then lifts her head to look down at him. "Have you been eating?" she asks, practicality taking over again.

JUSTIN: "I... I think so..." Shane looks up, not sure why she's asking this question. Truth be told, the last couple of weeks are a complete blur, and he doesn't remember any specifics such as eating. If he is hungry, he's long since managed to block the pain from his conscious mind. "Do you want me to make you something? Are you hungry? I can cook, if... if you want."

JENNA: "Don't be an idiot," Jo grunts, making to rise and attempting to pull him with her to his feet. "I'll cook." She smiles faintly. "I may not be as good as you, but you can probably barely even hold a fork right now." She stays close to him, offering what support she can, should he need it to walk.

JUSTIN: * Shane gets to his feet with a little stumbling, but in spite of how he looks, he's able to keep his feet under him fairly well. He doesn't pass up her help, though, holding her around the shoulders as they go. Part of him wants to protest her claim that he's unfit to cook, but if preparing the meal herself is what she wants, he's willing to let her. She can't stop him from cooking the morning meal, anyway.

JENNA: * Jo leads him silently down the stairs and deposits him at the table, ambling into the kitchen to see if there's anything there still edible. She finds some bread, and some reasonably good-looking cheese, and it takes some scratching around, but she even finds some jerky. "Better than nothing, I guess." She toasts the lot into a melt and sets it aside to cool, spying some apples, which she contentedly begins to chop up.

JUSTIN: * Shane resists the constant urge to get up and go help her, knowing he'd only be turned away and not wanting to be a bother. He places his hands flat on the table and idly drums his fingers, watching her with a happy, if fickle smile, still feeling rather awkward and anxious in this entire affair. As relieved as he is by her return, he realizes things won't be fully normal again without some work and patience -- especially on his part.

JENNA: * Once finished, she takes the somewhat meager meal out to the table, setting Shane's portion in front of him. "It's not great, but it's food," she says, turning to pop a piece of apple into her mouth. She's fairly tired from her walk, but not the bone-deep weariness she's been feeling the past few weeks. All the same, sleep is probably the step after food.

JUSTIN: "I'm sure it'll taste just fine," Shane is quick to reply. "You haven't ever made anything that's made me sick, right?" He smiles a little and takes a bite of his melt, slouching down in his chair -- not so much from lack of table manners as sheer weariness. It's only once the food has hit his stomach that his raging hunger becomes apparent again, and he winces at the pain, quickly following up his first bite with an even bigger one.

JENNA: "Don't eat it too fast," Jo says absently, watching him before she turns to her own meal. "There's plenty of apple, too." She pauses, then gets to her feet to trot back to the kitchen and get some water for them both. Upon returning, she sets a glass in front of him and seats herself, continuing to watch him more than eating her own food.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't have much room to answer her, so he doesn't bother, though he acknowledges her point by chomping down on a few pieces of apple. When she returns, he gladly takes the water to chase down his last mouthful of food, stomach already getting too full to fit much more down, in spite of his painful hunger. He leans back and sighs, rubbing at his burning eyes, and fingers his glass absently. Nothing worth saying seems to come to mind, so he simply sits in silence, staring at the nearly empty plate.

JENNA: * Jo finishes her meal shortly afterward, then gets to her feet with a long stretch. She hesitates, then walks over to Shane, absently stroking his hair. "You should sleep. You haven't been doing that, either." She's quite matter of fact, leaving no real room for argument.

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his head, taking a last sip of his water before getting to his feet to collect the dishes. Whether she wants him to or not, he's at least going to carry them to the kitchen. "Will you be going to bed also...?" He glances over his shoulder at her, setting the few plates and whatnot down on the counter.

JENNA: * Jo looks at him silently for a moment, not completely sure how he intends the question. "Yeah. I'm tired." She glances at the dishes and shrugs. "We can wash them tomorrow," she suggests, bending to remove her boots and tossing them lazily aside. She then turns and waits for Shane.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't argue, leaving the dishes where they are and turning to follow after her. He hesitates for a moment, not sure if she intends to pick up where they left off and go to sleep in the loft, or if she's going to be joining him in the bedroom. Figuring it's better not to outright ask, he continues on down the hall toward their room, slowly popping the buttons on his shirt free.

JENNA: * Jo watches him go for a moment, folding her arms wearily, then sets off after him, footsteps fairly slow. She isn't completely sure she's welcome, but it's at least worth a shot. She waits until he's beyond the door before walking after him, pausing in the doorway to shed her trousers and give a long, weary stretch. Tossing the trousers aside, she angles for her side of the bed.

JUSTIN: * Shane drops his shirt onto the floor and turns to look at her, blinking a couple times. He'd certainly hoped she would choose the bedroom, but for some reason his mind wouldn't let him believe she actually would. He smiles a bit and continues to undress, dropping his pants (his boots weren't on to begin with) before getting into bed.

JENNA: * Jo, as undressed as she's planning to get, glances at him with some relief and slips under the covers, letting her head fall against the pillow. "Much better than the dirt," she remarks, looking at him again. "I guess I've gone soft after all."

JUSTIN: * Shane grins a little, tucking an arm under his pillow and watching her with half-lidded eyes. "Nothing wrong with liking a soft bed to sleep on," he says quietly. "Better for your back, anyway." He reaches out to brush a bit of her hair back from her face, notcing she cut it but not saying anything about it right now. Right now, he just wants to sleep. It's likely the first uninterrupted sleep he'll have had since before their argument.

JENNA: * She reaches her up to catch hold of his hand, twining her fingers through his. "I guess," she says, letting her eyes drift closed. "Either way.. I'm tired." Though this is spoken with an air of finality, she doesn't relinquish his hand, apparently wanting at least some physical contact before she deems it safe to go to sleep.

JUSTIN: * Shane lets her keep her hold on his hand, squeezing once before settling into his spot more comfortably. "I'll see you in the morning, then," he says, mostly for his own reassurement. "Goodnight, Jo." His eyes slip shut, eternally grateful for the chance to finally rest their bloodshot, burning orbs, and he yawns quietly. In his present state, it takes little more than seconds for him to fall asleep.

JENNA: * It takes Jo only a little longer to drop off -- she's had a long walk -- even as she does so edging closer to his body heat as long habit dictates. This motion continues even after she's asleep, almost instinctive in pursuit of warmth and comfort. Traveling the roads alone always was a little chilly.

JUSTIN: * Whatever reservations Shane had while awake, his unconscious self is only too happy to have Jo's warmth and soft comfort after so long without it. He curls an arm around her and cuddles up to her, murmuring incoherently in his slumber before going still once more -- as if only now can he really be asleep.

JENNA: * Jo stirs later than usual the next morning, but still earlier than they were accustomed to on breaks, blinking blearily as she slowly figures out where they've migrated during the night. Then she gives a comfortable sigh, not particularly wanting to move after all, and leans over to kiss Shane gently before nestling back against him. Breakfast can wait.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles vaguely in his sleep, spurred to nuzzle in closer to Jo after he brief, but pleasant kiss. He yawns quietly but doesn't wake, smile fading again as his face returns to neutral contentment. It would seem that any plans he had to make breakfast are foreit at this point.

JENNA: * As much as she relishes the warmth and proximity, Jo eventually stirs again, attempting to wiggle free of Shane's grip without disturbing him too much. Once she's loose, she bends to kiss him again, then scoots off the bed and wanders into the kitchen to search out something more substantial for breakfast. She does her best to get it done quickly, but her hunt still turns up minimal supplies -- but at least there's some real meat this time, and some more fruit.

JUSTIN: * Shane stirs a little at her departure, but he doesn't actually wake until the heat from her body begins to leave the blankets beside him. He sits up slowly, rubbing at his eyes, and looks over to where Jo is conspicuously absent. He jerks, getting up on his hands and knees and scurrying around the bed as though he might find her somehow hiding in the blankets. He tumbles off the bed and searches under it, in the bathroom, the closet. When his frantic search comes up empty, he is briefly tortured by the thought that he might have dreamed the entire event of her return. Of course it was a dream -- how could she come back so easily, after what he did? He takes in a ragged breath, unwilling to let this be the case, and sprints down the hallway to check the rest of the house before he'll accept it was a nightmare. His run comes to a screeching halt when he sees her in the kitchen, however, and he slips on the smooth, tiled floor, feet flying out from under him until he lands on his back with a noisy thud.

JENNA: * Jo jumps, managing not to spill the meat she's cooking, then sets it aside and looks over to see what made all that noise. "Shane! What the hell --" She scurries over to kneel next to him, uttering a put-upon sigh. "I was afraid I wouldn't get done before you were up ... are you all right?"

JUSTIN: "I-I'm fine," Shane says, voice shaky with embarrassment and receding fright. He fumbles a bit as he tries to get his legs back under him, and he blushes belatedly. "You're making breakfast?" He tries to steer things away from his own idiotic display.

JENNA: "Yeah." Jo helps him upright, ambling back into the kitchen once she's sure he's on his feet. "I figured you needed the sleep, so I was trying to get done before you woke up." She puts the meat back on, glancing at him. "You can make toast if you want. Or just sit down. It's no big deal."

JUSTIN: * Shane dusts himself off -- pretty needlessly, considering he's only wearing his shorts and the floor is spotless. "I can help. I'll make toast." He sounds fairly excited about it, somewhat ashamed at his oversleeping but mostly eager to stay at Jo's side.

JENNA: * Jo waves a hand toward the bread she found the night before, leaving him to his part of the work and returning her attention to the meat. It's cooked before too long, and she sets it aside after slicing up their portions. Then she absently starts slicing up the fruit. Less work eating it later. That done, she glances at Shane to see how he's doing.

JUSTIN: * Shane's got the bread all sliced up with cheese, butter, and garlic all ready to be toasted along with it. Not the most healthy breakfast, but they can afford to splurge a bit. When she's done with the skillet, he tosses his food on and gets to the toasting, making sure the cheese is properly melted and the bread properly browned before setting them aside.

JENNA: * With everything portioned out, Jo ferries the plates to the table, directing Shane to get drinks as she sets everything down. She then seats herself, stretching lazily, and waits for him to join her before starting in on the food. Her gaze drifts lazily off into space, wondering vaguely if he'll care that she passed on the paycheck for their last job.

JUSTIN: * Shane isn't long in following her, a pair of glasses in his hands. He sets one in front of her and then sits in his chair, sniffing at the food. "You know, I think you could be a fine cook if you practice. Maybe we should take turns with the meals from now on." He picks up his fork and stabs at a piece of meat, swallowing it down in short order. He's still famished from the previous day.

JENNA: "You're the one who always wants to cook," Jo remarks, starting on her fruit before digging into the meat. She's silent for a moment, then glances up at him, setting her silverware down and leaning her head against her hand, watching him. "I went back to Jupteros," she says, feeling the explanation is somehow necessary.

JUSTIN: * Shane's chewing slows, and he looks over at her with a strange expression on his face before swallowing. "By yourself? Why would you do that -- it's dangerous." He washes his previous bite down with some water and gnaws on a bit of fruit.

JENNA: "Not as dangerous as you'd think," she answers drily, swallowing another piece of meat before continuing. "I just.. wanted to make sure. And tend to the bodies." She gazes off into space again, reaching absently for her water. "The sentries didn't bother me while I was there. Just let me take what was left and bury it."

JUSTIN: * Shane pushes food around his plate with his fork, staring into not much of anything for a moment, himself. "Was it... bad?" He looks over at her again, not really having any recollection of what happened that day beyond the initial fighting.

JENNA: * Jo turns back to her meal for a moment before answering, then nods. "The sentries are pretty efficient, I have to say. Everyone was dead." She glances at him with a tired smile. "But I did find something interesting while I was getting their gear together."

JUSTIN: * Shane arches an eyebrow. "Really? What was it?" He pops another couple pieces of fruit in his mouth and munches away, watching Jo expectantly. He wouldn't expect much from a bunch of dead bandits, especially not so far from their stomping grounds.

JENNA: "That gem the old goat was after ... they were looking for it, too. Got to it before us." She snags her toast and chews on it for a moment. "So I relieved them of it and took it back to him." That said, she finishes off the toast with an air of self-satisfaction.

JUSTIN: * Shane looks suitably surprised. "Right under our noses. If only we'd gotten the jump on them instead of the other way around..." He sighs, stirring the water in his glass. If they had, none of this would have happened in the first place. He cheers fairly quickly, though. "I bet Mr. Malachi was surprised to see it. What did he have to say?"

JENNA: * Jo snorts. "Nothing nice." She turns to her meat, hurriedly polishing it off. "Not that I was really polite to him, either. He took it fast enough, anyway." She finishes her water and looks at Shane silently for a moment. "He offered to pay me, but I didn't take it." She shrugs. "I was tired. I just.. wanted to come back."

JUSTIN: * Shane nods, smiling slimly as she relates the story -- if story it can be called. "Well, that's fine. I'm just glad to have you back." He reaches over and strokes at her hair, which he suddenly remembers is cut short again, much the way it was when they first met. "Finally got a haircut, I see." His own hair isn't nearly so freshly cut, but he does keep it in check from time to time.

JENNA: * Jo reddens slightly, looking away for a moment and shrugging. "Yeah." She toys with her fork, flipping it idly through her fingers. "I.. cut it when I wasn't sure whether.. whether I was coming back." She shrugs again. "I've only done it once before.. I'll probably let it grow out again."

JUSTIN: * Shane tilts his head, watching her for a moment with an odd expression on his face. After a moment he breaks into a slim smile and leans over to kiss her cheek. "Don't worry about it, Jo." He doesn't say anymore than that, getting to his feet to carry what little is left of his breakfast back to the kitchen.

JENNA: * Jo glances after him for a moment before getting to her feet and following, dishes in hand. Following that, order slowly returns to their small household, even if it is a slightly uneasy and hesitant order for a few days. Gradually, however, with a few regular meals and a reasonable sleep schedule, Jo at least is beginning to feel more like she belongs again. Particularly since they're no longer avoiding each other.

JUSTIN: * Shane may still be suffering from some of the after-effects of the encounter with Fray, but rather than repeat his initial mistakes all over again, he's doing everything he can to help the both of them readjust. This mostly comes in the form of never leaving Jo's side, save for bathroom breaks and other necessities, and doing her favors at every opportunity. Even with all this good will, however, the fact that they still do little beyond hugging, cuddling, and the occasional, brief kiss is a tell-tale sign that not all is yet right.

JENNA: * For her part, Jo is patient with her companion over the next few weeks, at first simply content with being able to make physical contact again. Any impatience she feels about the lack of any other kind of contact is tempered by a desire not to relive the incident that separated them. Oddly, it isn't weighing too heavily on her mind when she speaks up, dinner finished and the dishes done for the night. "I think I'll go for a swim," she says, almost absently, putting the last dish away and turning from the kitchen. She glances back at Shane as she goes. "Want to come?"

JUSTIN: * Shane looks up from where he's sitting at the table, and he only blinks a couple times at the random announcement before answering. "Um -- yeah, of course." He doesn't so much care where she's going or what she's doing, but he's not going to let her out of his sight either way. He gets up from the table and tosses about for a moment, unsure what to do first to make this happen. "I'll... I'll go get some towels. Don't go anywhere without me." He smiles an embarrassed smile and trots off down the hall to fetch said towels from the bathroom, making his way back again just as quickly.

JENNA: * Jo grins, snagging a towel from him and ambling to the door, only mildly surprised that he agreed to come. "Haven't been down to the beach in a while.. and swimming is always refreshing." She slings the towel around her neck, pushing the door open and starting down the hill.

JUSTIN: * Shane is close behind her, towel in hand. The answer to the mystery is no complicated matter: the man just doesn't seem to recall exactly what swimming entails. If he were consciously aware of the situation he was putting himself into, there is a fairly good chance he'd have let her enjoy the swim alone. As it is, his preoccupation with not letting her out of his sight is in control, and he will just have to deal with the consequences when they arise.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't see fit to remind him, at least until they reach the beach itself, at which point she lets the towel drop onto a nearby rock, kicking her boots off lazily. She glances at Shane with a grin. "Well, hopefully the water's still warm," she remarks, then proceeds to shed her trousers, dropping them in the sand behind her and giving her tunic similar treatment.

JUSTIN: * Shane drops his towel next to her and plops down on the rock to unlace his boots, smiling crookedly at her comment. "If it's not, at least we'll get a rush." He pops his boots free and drops them in the sand, looking up again to see Jo's now-nude form in front of him. A very odd look crosses his face, and he stares for a moment with a lump in his throat, which he finally manages to swallow down after some difficulty. "Ah... w-why don't you go on in and tell me how it is..."

JENNA: * Jo glances at him warily, hoping the stutter isn't indicative of something like flight, then she shrugs and ambles into the water. It is, in fact, still fairly warm, and she turns back toward him once she's in about hip deep. "It's pretty nice,' she remarks, watching him. "You'd almost think it was still day." She pauses a moment, then tilts her head. "You coming?"

JUSTIN: "Y-yeah, I'm just..." Shane gets up and starts taking off his shirt and pants, hurrying along lest she think he's stalling. His clothes fall into the sand, leaving him with only his shorts, and he stands about awkwardly for a second before starting toward the water's edge.

JENNA: * Jo's face only registers slight disappointment when he doesn't disrobe completely -- at least he's joining her in the water. That established, she wades in deeper, at least until it's at her shoulders and she can lift her feet off the sandy bottom. "See what I mean?" she asks, attempting to keep him talking.

JUSTIN: * Once his feet are wet, Shane manages to wade into the water at a slightly more confident pace -- though that might be due mostly to Jo dropping below the water level. "Yeah... it's not bad at all," he remarks absently, managing to get up to chest-deep before he stops and looks around. They're utterly and perfectly alone, the only sound being the quiet lap of the water on the shore and the distant insects chirping in the trees.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't seem bothered by the quiet, relaxing into the water and closing her eyes for a moment, then ducking below the surface and kicking toward him, nudging lightly at his torso, then kicking away again. She surfaces after a moment, a few feet away, and arches an eyebrow. "Are you going to swim or not?"

JUSTIN: "I'm... just getting used to it," Shane says with an odd wobble to his voice, slightly embarrassed by his own behavior. He ducks further into the water, swimming out until his feet leave the ground and he's forced to tread water. "Is that better?" He turns in place to face her, smiling in a hopefully winning manner.

JENNA: "It's a start." Jo snorts and paddles by him again, this time giving his arm a nudge before ducking under and swimming away again. This time, when she surfaces, she continues to swim on her own, boredly going in circles around him, for lack of anything better to do.

JUSTIN: * Shane gnaws on his lip, rubbing where she nudged him as he watches her circle. He feels fairly guilty about being so reluctant, but the temptation Jo represents is something he's not entirely certain he's ready to face. He groans a little, barely audible, and abruptly moves to chase after her in the water, giving her an actual reason to swim.

JENNA: * Jo blinks when he he moves and yelps when he suddenly gives chase, diving below the water again and picking up speed. When she surfaces, she looks around for him quickly, paddling slowly until he's almost in range, then darting away again. She grins cheerfully as she goes, almost totally unaware of her companion's uncertainty and, for the moment, just enjoying the game.

JUSTIN: * Shane manages to enjoy the light-hearted game of cat and mouse in spite of all his mental and emotional issues. As the game wears on, however, he finds it harder and harder to ignore certain nagging distractions, most of them coming from the woman he's playing it with. Everytime she bobs up from the water the moonlight catches her and highlights everything he shouldn't be staring at. Everytime he gets close to her during an underwater chase, her contours are visible in the dimmer, sub-surface light before she darts away again. For someone who is trying to control months of built-up tension, he is quickly realizing that joining Jo at the beach was a very unwise decision.

JENNA: * Jo also doesn't notice Shane's increasing distraction, too caught up in the game to realize its possible side-effects. She darts close to him to tag him once again, then flits away, but she skims just too close to one of the larger rocks below the surface, and she's forced to slow, lest she collide with it.

JUSTIN: * Shane takes full advantage of the obstacle Jo's run across, speeding up and snatching her right around the waist with an enthusiastic "Gotcha!" He tightens his arms instinctively and grins, nosing against her neck and apparently, for the time being, momentarily forgetting his burning needs aside from catching the mouse. It does not, however, take long for it to catch up to him, and his face goes particularly red while certain other parts of him show what they think about the matter.

JENNA: * Jo attempts unsuccessfully to quash a yelp when he catches her, surprised at first that he was that close. She's started to turn in his grip when she notices his affliction, pressed as he is against her, and her face goes almost as hot as his. For a moment, she isn't sure what to do about it, then she draws in a quick breath, reaching one hand back to run over his skin until her fingers catch on the waistband of his shorts. This she gives a light tug, glancing back over her shoulder questioningly -- as if to ask whether he'll commit to that course of action.

JUSTIN: * If anything, Shane's face only gets more red at the action Jo takes, and he nearly has a fit of hyperventilation right there. Instead, the tension that's been building inside of him over the weeks breaks out of the box it's been trapped in, taking over his movements. He watches in horror as he squirms around and yanks his shorts off, though that horror does a complete one-eighty when he begins to assault her neck with desperate kisses, mind soon taken over by the same unstoppable force.

JENNA: * The change in attitude hits Jo like a jolt of electricity, eliciting a taut groan from her throat as she renews her efforts to turn in his grip. When she finally succeeds in her bid to face him, she catches his questing mouth with her own, drawing him into a series of rapid (one could say frantic) kisses and catching her arms around his shoulders to pull his body against hers in an uncompromising embrace.

JUSTIN: * Shane's arms tighten around Jo's midsection to complement her own insistent tugging, bringing them together in a tight, no-nonsense tangle. The assault against his lips is returned two-fold, leaving no room for commentary, and he ignores the threat of sinking and drowning in favor of needs presently more important than breathing.

JENNA: * Jo is so caught up in the long-delayed embrace -- the friction of his body against hers, the water swirling around their frantic movements -- that she doesn't notice the depth catching up with them until she practically goes under. Her eyes fly open in surprise, and she breaks the kiss in an instinctive lunge for air, attempting to tug Shane back up with her. She's unable to stop a soft, embarrassed giggle once she surfaces again.

JUSTIN: * Shane manages to keep himself from swallowing the mouthful of sea water that rushes in to replace Jo's tongue, and he spits it aside as he bobs back up above the surface. He smiles shyly in embarrassment, but he doesn't let her go, instead drawing him along with him as he swims toward shallower water. "Maybe we should find somewhere we can be more thorough," he says quietly, pulling her into another kiss even as they swim, "and... less distracted by drowning."

JENNA: * Jo grins, catching him in another kiss, but swimming along with him in general agreement. She stays nestled against him as close as she can without completely restricting their movements, occasionally distracting him with kisses as they move into shallower water. Once they're both able to walk, the process is made considerably easier, and the kisses (among other contact) become more frequent -- lest he somehow forget the goal of this venture.

JUSTIN: * Shane is in no danger of forgetting their purpose. As soon as he's able, he hefts the woman up, one leg around each side of his waist, and starts out of the water. It's somewhat slow going, if only because he's concentrating more on kissing and fondling than on the walking part, but he eventually gets them to where their clothes and towels are. The trick now is caring enough to break contact yet again to do something about them.

JENNA: * Jo, arms still curled around his shoulders, slowly and very reluctantly pulls away from him, even letting him drag her back once or twice until their movements threaten an undeniable urgency. She works one arm loose, leaning as best as she can to reach for her towel, but eventually she's forced to unlock her legs from around him and slide to the ground to arrange things, try as she might to maintain as much contact as possible.

JUSTIN: * Shane allows Jo to set the towels out, if only barely, before he again grabs her from behind, lifting her up and laying her down on her stomach across their new, makeshift bed. He's down on against her immediately, kissing and suckling his way up her back and down her side again, before turning her to give the same treatment to her stomach -- all the while, waiting to see what she'll do in response.

JENNA: * Startled, then nearly paralyzed by the pleasureable treatment, Jo is at first unable to respond at all -- aside from an occasional shudder of enjoyment. Eventually, however, she manages to squirm down far enough to lock her legs around his waist, attempting to use what little leverage she has to force him back so that she can have a go at teasing him with lips and tongue.

JUSTIN: * Shane snags Jo about the waist even as she locks herself around him, and he whirls over onto his back to position her on top -- giving her free rein to do whatever she damn well pleases to him, so long as he gets to touch her in inappropriate ways while she does so. And this he does, with infectious zeal.

JENNA: * Jo, with her usual practicality, starts at the top and works her way down, drawing him into a long, savage kiss before turning her mouth to his throat and on southward. She kisses, nuzzles, and nips her way over his chest and belly, pausing only in punctuation of her actions or his and never for long before resuming. Her hands slide slightly ahead in exploration, cruising down over his hips and thighs, among other places, before gliding up again to play against his ribs.

JUSTIN: * Shane grins at the ticklish sensation of her hands playing over his skin -- and even more so at other sensations her actions are eliciting. He curls his fingers in her wet hair, torn between encouraging her to continue her explorations and drawing her back up to take another turn at it himself. Either way, the teasing can only go so far before one of them can't take it anymore and moves on to the main course.

JENNA: * Once she's exhausted the exploratory possibilities of his body -- at least those that won't wildly tip the scale in favor of a rapid finish -- Jo works her way back up with a little less thoroughness perhaps, but a great deal more care. She ends once again at his mouth, delivering a slow series of kisses, even as she lowers her body against him, teasing him with a bare brush of her skin before easing away again.

JUSTIN: * Shane groans quietly in protest of this continued teasing, as it is fairly obvious to both of them how eager he is, but he refuses to be the one to break first. He glides his hands down the length of Jo's body and takes her by the underside of her thighs, tugging her up to sit against his chest so that he can kiss the inside of her legs. He looks up at her with a mixture of pleading and scolding on his face, and tuts quietly. "You know it isn't nice to torture me like that. I might just return the treatment."

JENNA: "Mm.." Jo reaches down to brush her fingers through his hair, a grin breaking briefly across her face. "I'd say you owe me a little torture.. don't you think?" she murmurs, leaning back slightly to stroke her hand as far down his belly as she can reach behind her. "Though I guess I /could/ be nice ..." She taps her fingers lazily against his skin before drawing them back up and easing herself down just far enough that she can bend to kiss him archly. "What would you do if I decided not to?"

JUSTIN: * Shane tilts his head up to catch her in another kiss before she can pull away, and he growls playfully. "If you don't want to play nice, then you'll see just how unfair I can play." He kisses at her lips again, then at her stomach, and grips at her bottom to anchor them both while he sits upright. He continues to kiss his way up along her chest, but stops before he gets anywhere that would be too enticing for her, leaning back to arch an eyebrow at her challengingly.

JENNA: * Jo gives a pouty murmur of protest when he stops, easing herself against him and wriggling down just enough that she's not quite in his lap. "Then maybe I should just let you win," she suggests, bending to kiss him mockingly, then again with a great deal more seriousness, letting her body press into his with an air of suggestion and only the slightest hint of surrender.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs his hands up her sides to cup her chest and very briefly pulls himself out of the kiss to get a look at her. "I think that's a noble sacrifice," he murmurs, then immediately dives back into her lips, arms moving again to wrap around her. He falls onto his back, taking her with him to keep in constant contact, and with some slight nudging he encourages her to help herself to what she's yearning for.

JENNA: * Jo groans a little, not needing much nudging to take him up on the offer, and before long the teasing game has devolved into a wrestling match of the most pleasurable order. Jo, in every action, seems unconsciously determined to erase the pain and pent-up emotions of the last two months, leaving behind only a firm impression of how things should be.

JUSTIN: * Shane is only too grateful for the opportunity to make up for all of the problems he's caused, and not even the strongest of doubts or memories of Fray's visit can stop him now that things are being made right again. It's a long, long night for the both of them, as their pent-up passions are not nearly satisfied by only one round of intimacy. They barely make it back to the house before collapsing into the grass for another brief fix, and they make a tour of the first floor of their house before finally managing to find themselves in bed. Any physical exhaustion is unnoticable behind the barrier of their need, and despite all odds their session in the bedroom is probably their longest and most involved yet, breaking any personal records before it finally shows signs of winding down.

JENNA: * The night's activities finally take their toll on Jo, though she gamely nuzzles against Shane's throat, kissing him softly as they finally go still, all but collapsing into into the bed. "I missed you," she murmurs with a grin, curling an arm loosely around him and nestling against him.

JUSTIN: * Shane relaxes into the bed, feeling weak and weary in the best of ways, and places a few feathery kisses against Jo's lips. "I missed you, too," he says quietly, rubbing at her sweat-slick side. "I'm glad we both made it back all right." Her from her physical retreat, him from his mental. He can't pretend that past events don't still bother him, but he's determined that nothing is worth losing this intimacy over. He rests against her, eyes drooping half closed with threatening sleep.

JENNA: "Mm." She grins at him, close to sleep herself, and tilts her head up to kiss him once more. "Good night," she murmurs agreeably, letting herself relax into the bed -- and him -- as a precursor to falling asleep herself -- or passing out, as the case may be, to replenish a great deal of lost energy.

JUSTIN: "Sleep tight," Shane replies with barely more than a murmur, eyes sliding the rest of the way shut. His muscles quickly relax as he drops almost immediately into unconsciousness, worn out like he's never been before. Not even a life-or-death battle could make him this exhausted, and it certainly wouldn't feel nearly as rewarding. His body is happy with him. His heart is happy with him. And his mind is just going to have to suck it up and get over itself.