Wherein Jo and Zane Have a Talk
The Usual Disclaimer: Don't own Eureka. If I did, I wouldn't have cancelled it (looking at you, SyFy)
Still smiling, Jo leaned her head against Zane's shoulder, her arms wrapped around him. She was so delighted at the news that he'd been selected for Titan that the stiffness of his posture didn't register at first. Slowly, however, it dawned on her that Zane wasn't hugging her back. Nor was he using their proximity as an opportunity to run his hands over her body or whisper suggestions for more horizontal activities.
Slowly she leaned back and looked more closely at Zane's face. Was he uncomfortable with an unprecedented—in this timeline—public display of physical affection between them? Doubtful. If Zane had many inhibitions along those lines, Jo hadn't come across them yet, in either timeline. Besides, the look in his eyes wasn't discomfort. It looked more like…coldness? Jo's smile faltered.
"Zane?" she asked. "Are you ok?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" he snapped. "We spend weeks studying so you can qualify for Titan—so we can go together—and you throw your chance away. All that crap about us becoming friends, and you didn't even think to mention that you might bail. At least I know now why you never bothered asking me to stay-I guess the prospect of my leaving really doesn't bother you at all."
He stood abruptly and spun toward Café Diem's door. Most of the patrons around them were too absorbed in either celebrating or commiserating over the Titan selection results to notice, but Jack started back to Jo's side. When he came to tell her that she hadn't made the cut, he'd imagined various things he could say to ease the blow. However, nothing came to mind for this situation. These two seemed almost determined to misunderstand each other…and one step forward, two back was a dangerous dance for their fragile relationship.
Before Jack could reach her, Jo held up her hand. "I…" she started, then shook her head and followed Zane out the door. Walking quickly, she caught up to him just past the statue of Archimedes between Café Diem and the Sheriff's office. "Zane…ZANE!" Jo spoke firmly. "Stop." Her voice softened. "Please." He stopped walking, but didn't turn.
"You're right. I'm sorry—I should have told you what I was thinking. But there wasn't time—when I went into my interview, I really thought I wanted to go to Titan. Thought I needed to go to Titan. Until they asked me why…". Jo took a step toward Zane, and continued speaking to his back.
"What came up, on the neuro-scanner, was what I've been trying to do all my life—show my brothers that I was just as good as them, just as tough. Astraeus was only one more way to win a battle with them they don't even know we're fighting. And I don't have to fight." She touched Zane's shoulder and he flinched. Sighing, she took a step back.
"They were going to let me go. Wen and the committee—she said as much." Zane turned back toward her, his face a carefully schooled blank. "She said my brothers couldn't do anything as good on earth. And you know what? It didn't matter. I know I'm good enough to go to Titan or do anything else I need to do. I don't need to prove anything to my family anymore. Or…" Jo looked into Zane's eyes. "Or to you."
"Me?" Zane said incredulously. "How is this my fault?"
"It's not about fault. It's just…I always felt like I wasn't as smart as you, really, as smart as anyone in this town. But that's not true—it never was, and you helped me see that."
"Great. Glad you realized it, Jo. Really. But that still leaves us here—me going a billion miles away, and you not giving a shit about it. I didn't help you with the Titan prep because I thought you were stupid—I helped you because going to Titan would give us a chance to be together, somewhere where you couldn't push me away. I was serious when I said that maybe we could be something to each other now. Sorry you don't feel that way." Although his words had a bite, Zane no longer looked angry. He looked resigned.
As he turned to walk away, Jo's hand shot out, capturing his arm. He looked back, raising his eyebrows sardonically. "Planning on making out on Main Street, Jo? Seems like that's always where this kind of thing goes with us. Not complaining, but for once? Don't think I'm in the mood."
"We need to talk," Jo answered. "Yeah, I've said that too," he snorted. "That one got your house burned down. I doubt S.A.R.A.H would appreciate a replay."
"In here, now." Jo insisted, pulling Zane toward the Sheriff's office. "Jo…" Zane said tiredly. For a moment, he resisted, then followed her through the door. Deputy Andy was sitting behind Jo's old desk, smiling broadly at nothing.
"Andy, could you please leave us alone for a few minutes?" Jo asked. "Why, of course, Ms. Lupo. I will just go check on the businesses along this block. I will do it again if you are not finished when I return." Andy walked briskly to the door, nodding cheerfully at Jo's thanks.
"Please," said Jo, gesturing Zane to a chair as if he were a guest in her home. He slumped into it, mulish expression on his face. Jo pulled a rolling desk chair around to face him.
"Zane. I love the idea of going to Titan with you. Not because of the mission, but because we'd be together. I do want to be something to each other now, if we can. And not just for now, or just for Titan, but for good." Jo's voice was husky, and she shook her head. "I don't want to wait for that until the mission is over. I don't want to wait for it anymore at all."
Zane leaned toward her, his voice softer. "I don't understand. What does Titan have to do with waiting? I know we'd be busy, but-" Jo cut in. "Zane, if they knew we were involved, do you really think the DoD would let us go to space together? As a couple? I don't think Astraeus was designed with conjugal beds." At this, Zane's lips twitched briefly upward. "And I know the regulations don't allow unmarried couples to serve on missions together." *
Zane was silent. This complication had never occurred to him but, as usual, he looked for a way around the rules. "So why would they have to know? It's not like we really have been making out on Main Street." He grinned. "Although, again, not against the idea."
"No." Jo's voice was serious, and Zane's grin faded. "I told you. I am done waiting. And I am not pretending we're not together for the next year if we are." She took a deep breath and leaned toward him. "If you want to be with me, then be with me. Now. That's what I want—and I want it much, much more than I want Titan."
Zane grasped the arms of Jo's chair and pulled her toward him until their knees touched. "Six months is a long time, Josephina. Are you saying you would wait for me that long?"
Jo leaned farther forward until their heads touched. "Until my mom died, my dad was deployed away from us for a year at a time. They never stopped loving each other. Six months is nothing…" Jo pulled slightly back to look into Zane's eyes. "I told you before that you don't do things half-assed. I don't either. If we do this, I'm in it for the long haul." She stopped, the question Are you? hanging in the air between them.
Zane answered by pulling her from her chair and capturing her mouth in a kiss. In contrast to their earlier embrace at Café Diem, he didn't hold back. This time he held her as tightly as he could, hands following a familiar path down her spine. After what seemed like a very long time, they stopped, breathing heavily.
"So," Zane said. "Love, huh?" "Can you handle that?" Jo said against his mouth. Zane responded by pushing her back against the desk, kissing down her neck. "If we spend the next few months like this, I may not live long enough to make it to Titan," he muttered. "Oh," Jo purred. "Trust me. You'll be in great shape by the time you leave…" She pulled back and grinned. "…cupcake."
"Physical fitness is very important to Titan candidates." Jo and Zane spun around to find Andy at the door, still smiling. "I am very glad to hear that you will be taking exercise seriously, Mr. Donovan. Shall I go around the block again, or are you finished here?"
"Oh, we're only getting started, Andy." Jo grinned broadly at Zane. "But you can stay. We have a date on Main Street." Zane choked with laughter as Jo took his hand, and they walked out into the night together.
A/N: A different take on next steps for our intrepid couple, I know. But I have to believe that the Eureka writers were savvy enough to know that letting the relationship completely implode would be very bad for ratings, indeed. Maybe they'd have risked ending Jo and Zane for good if they'd known about the cancellation while penning season 4.5 and 5—after all, they already did the we're-so-happy storyline, and the actors got bored. But I tend to think they're just dragging out the angst for dramatic effect. And an excuse for Zane to go shirtless now and then.
* I am nearly certain that an unmarried but clearly involved couple wouldn't be allowed on a mission together. In fact, I don't know that a married couple would either—so, if Eureka was sticking to the book, Henry and Grace would never have gone to Titan.