A/N: ok, so after reading purplepotatopig's story with the shout outs to everyone i just couldn't resist wrting my own story. so i wrote this for the person who inspired me today! lol, hope you like it sweetie.
Jo wasn't going to be going to Titan with me. She freaking gave up. Besides that knife in my back, she didn't even talk to me about it. I had to overhear her telling Carter. I mean, I can't begrudge her telling Cater because the man is her best friend when he's not acting like her overprotective father but still. We spent all this time studying and preparing and for what? So she could bail on the mission…and us at the last second. Now I was going to be gone for six months, stuck with people I hadn't really ever gotten along with before the timeline screw up.
"Zane?" Jo's voice calling my name snapped me out of my mental tirade.
"Hm, what?" I asked somewhat distractedly.
"Are you alright? You don't seem as excited as I thought you would be. I mean, seriously, you're going to Titan!" she said, smiling at me, but I could still see the worry in her eyes. I sighed and glanced around Café Diem, seeing the other people celebrating happily over the news and the various other townspeople congratulating them. Running a hand through my hair, I decided this was not the place to be talking about this and so I grabbed Jo's hand, leading her out of the noisy café and down the street, heading for my bike. Jo allowed me to lead her but I could sense her curiosity and assessing gaze, probably trying to gage if she should get ready for one of our monumental fights. I silently handed her the extra helmet I had taken to carrying before putting on my own and sliding onto my bike. Jo hesitated for a moment before getting on behind me and wrapping her arms around my waist. The sensation of her touch would probably never cease to amaze and arouse me, but I had to focus on the conversation I wanted to have with her. Why did she quit on me like this? It was a long ride out of Eureka, to the summer cabin I liked to visit when I was feeling particularly upset. I figured the place would help keep me calm as I talked to Jo. It wouldn't help to have a blowout screaming match now. A soon as I parked the bike Jo was climbing off, pulling her helmet off and turning to face me.
"You're mad," she sighed. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
"Not exactly angry, just confused," I muttered, leaning back on my bike as I watched her reaction.
"Confused?"
"Yeah. I mean, we were so close to going to Titan together and then without warning you just drop out? You didn't even ask me how I felt about it Jojo. Did you even take time to think how I would feel about it?" I asked. Yeah, I sounded like I was whining but I didn't care. Jo grumbled to herself, starting to pace as she wrapped her arms around herself. Finally she stopped, turning to face me.
"No, I didn't think how you would feel about it," I winced at her words but she continued anyway, "But Zane, I wanted to make this decision for myself, not because I had an outside influence."
"What do you mean?" ok, now I was really confused. Didn't Jo always just make her own decisions? It was hard to get her to change her mind once she had set it to something. The only thing you could do was help when she got into trouble and be there for her when it all went to hell.
"You probably wouldn't get it Zane but I have three brothers. Being the only girl in the family was rough. Pretty much all the decisions I made revolved around my dad and brothers and what I could do to prove that I was just as good as them. Call it sibling rivalry if you will but still, most of my decisions were based on what they would think, whether if I was aware of it or not. For once I wanted to make a choice that I knew wasn't influenced by anyone," she explained, those wide dark eyes of hers begging for me to understand even as her face remained impassive. I heaved a sigh as I stood straight and walked over to her, wrapping her in a hug.
"You're right Jo, I probably won't get it no matter how many times you explain it to me. I was an only child and a pretty spoiled one at that so I don't know about the whole sibling rivalry thing. But Jojo, I get that this was important to you, I can tell that much, and although I'm pissed as hell and slightly hurt that you didn't tell me about it…well, what's done is done. I'm not going to start a huge fight over it. I'm going to miss you sweetheart," I mumbled, resting my chin on top of her head as I ended my little speech, waiting for her to make the next move. I smiled as I felt her arms wrap around me, tugging me closer.
"I'm going to miss you too Zane. I mean, it's only six months, and to someone in the military that seems like such a short time, but still," she told me.
"Well then, how about a few goodbyes before I'm shipped off to Titan for six months?" I asked leaning back and giving her my usual smirk. She smiled at my suggestion, grabbing the collar of my shirt and pulling me down for a searing kiss. By the time we broke apart for air I was panting and thoroughly aroused. Jo however, simply smiled.
"I'm sure a few private goodbye parties aren't out of the question," she hinted, sauntering away from me toward the cabin. I couldn't help but grin as I followed after her, my eyes transfixed on her swaying hips. We both knew it wasn't really going to be a "goodbye" but rather creating some damned good memories that would get us through the next few months when we were separated. We would probably spend as much time together as possible, even if I had to cause a little mayhem in order to see her at work. We would eat together either at home or at Café Diem all the time and she would practically move into my place seeing as how she would spend every night there. My last weekend home before the mission, Jo and I would probably come back here to the cabin and just spend a nice, quiet weekend together. She would probably kiss me senseless just before I left, in full view of everyone and I would smile even as I saw tears building in her eyes. I would lean down and whisper a promise in her ear, enjoying the shocked expression on her face as I slide my Grandmother's ring onto her finger before backing away and heading off to Titan for six months. But for now I would focus on the present. I would focus on the way Jo looked at me, waiting in the doorway to the summer place I loved to visit. I would focus on the smile that spread across her lips as I tugged her closer. I would focus on the breathy laughs as I kissed her neck and of course, I would focus on loving Jo the way she deserved to be loved.