Author's Note: Thank you to Windjammers for allowing this story to develop. I'd shared a little snippet of what might have happened when Hawk noticed Jon's bunk hadn't been slept in the night before. This is the result.
I would also like to say that I'd written it in this format before I saw "Deflection" by LongTimeFan unfold. Here I was thinking, I was so clever. Ha! I think my heart actually stopped beating for five seconds and I went, "Oh. Crudmonkeys." It pays to read the work of others! After a chat with Windjammers, I decided to post the story in its entirety, so you can see how each of them felt. I mean this with no disrespect to LongTimeFan and truly love the way that story is going.
That said, the usual disclaimer of "I own nothing regarding this show" is in effect. You get the idea.
Jennifer heard the music and laughter, the conversations, the singing. The people she'd lived with for the past six months were enjoying one final night together. They had beaten Dread. They had their memories back thanks to the team. There was so much to celebrate, so much for which to be thankful. Even amid the heartbreak of those lost in the battle, families were reunited and plans for a future were being made.
They were going to start their lives again.
She was going to start her life again.
Her memory had returned in the middle of the onslaught and she'd fought to keep herself together. She'd had to keep "Annie" far enough in the background to ensure she could fly the jumpship the way it needed to be flown, yet she'd still needed her other persona to coordinate the camp's defense measures.
She wondered how many they'd lost in the 'fog' that had encircled them as their former lives crashed into their current ones. It had taken everything she had to keep herself under control when she realized she was Jennifer Chase. She'd heard the hesitation in her command group as their own memories returned. Had anyone else struggled and failed? Did they die because they doubted their abilities once they returned to themselves?
It would do no good to beat herself up for the timing. What happened was in the past and she couldn't change it. They saved as many as they could. That was the important thing.
And the proof of that was before her. The party was in full swing now, the music was playing and food was being served. New arrivals were being greeted with shouts and hugs as everyone began a reintroduction. She saw whole families together now, where they'd once lived separately. People whom she'd sensed a connection between were indeed familiar with each other, whether siblings or couples or long-time friends.
She hadn't felt such a connection to anyone at the camp and for the last six months, she'd wondered if anyone had missed her. If she'd left behind anyone who loved her.
The activities at the camp when they'd first arrived had kept her from facing her emotions. In the quiet of the night, when she had nothing else in front of her to take her mind away, they charged forward. She'd longed to feel the touch of another person, if for nothing more than reassurance that they would all be okay. But the physical and emotional boundaries they'd established when they'd first woken up at the camp took precedence.
It had been difficult, but she'd lived with it.
Now? There was no reason to live that way anymore. She had her mind back. All the memories she'd made over the last twenty-one years were there, including those that she'd made with her team. The ones she'd actually referred to as her family.
The hugs Rob, Michael and Matt had smothered her with following the battle had felt like a homecoming. At one time, she'd have pulled away from their touch; she craved it now. She wanted to be near them, wanted to talk with them, wanted to be part of their world again.
And part of Jonathan Power's world.
When they'd first joined the party, she'd been overwhelmed by everyone. She'd barely gotten five minutes to share a meal with her team when she was called away by her former team. And when she'd returned, she'd been swept up again by those around her.
But now it was her turn to choose. The music had slowed and she'd asked Jon to dance with her. Her fingers had tangled with his, playfully pulling him away from the small group he'd been chatting with.
The moment was so perfect she doubted she'd ever wipe the smile off her face. There may have been hundreds around them, but as far as she was concerned, they were the only two in the area. She had him to herself and she was going to enjoy every second of it. The way his hand rested on her lower back, the way his fingers cradled hers. But there was something more. There was a look in his eyes, one that she couldn't quite place.
"What's going through that head of yours?" she asked, grinning as his arms tightened on her. His touch sent sparks up and down her skin and she was certain it wasn't just from Jones's brew that she'd already had.
His return smile made her skin flush. "I like dancing with you. We need to do it more often."
Jennifer eyed him dubiously. "You look entirely too serious for someone thinking about just dancing," she teased.
He shrugged and tried his best to keep his expression innocent. "Maybe I'm trying to come up with my ultimate plan to woo you away from this group and come back home with us."
"I'm not sure I've been wooed before. Will I like it?" This banter amused her. They were free to be themselves right now and she would take whatever she could get.
A grin spread across his face and he lowered his forehead to hers. "I guess you'll just have to wait and find out, now won't you?" His tone was intoxicating and she longed to be away from the crowd, just so he could continue this train of thought.
A loud cheer rose from the tables just to the east, interrupting the moment. When Jennifer looked over, she nearly giggled. "The guys are having a great time!"
Hawk was seated at the table across from a wiry young man, with Tank and Scout behind him. They were surrounded by men and women of all ages, all of them intently watching the match that was taking place.
"We're in big trouble if Dread attacks again. They're not even close to sober."
Jennifer noticed that he made no move to stop them and that he was actually smiling at the scene in front of them. She hadn't seen this side of him in so long. The closest he'd come to cracking a smile was when they'd made a Christmas tree out of spare parts at the old base. Now? Every other minute seemed to bring a grin to his face.
Oh how she loved this.
She snuggled into his embrace just a little more, rested her head against his chest. Here in his arms, she suddenly realized just how tired she was and felt a yawn escape.
"It's been a long day," Jon replied, continuing their slow dance.
Jennifer nodded in agreement. "I should be getting some sleep. There's so much to do in the morning. I'm going to be up by 0600 to make sure I've got everything covered."
As much as she wanted to return to her life as Jennifer Chase, she knew she had responsibilities to finish here at the camp. They would eat away at her until she completed them, in spite of her longing to just enjoy the time they currently had.
"I'll walk you back to your room."
She looked up at him, saw the understanding in his eyes. Of all the people here, he was the one who realized the stress, the second-guessing, and the never-ending list of things to be done.
She reluctantly allowed him to lead her away from the party, finally breaking free of the last of the camp dwellers as they made their way to her building. She found the light switch at the entrance and flipped it on, then led the way down the hall.
Her door was open, as she always left it when she was gone. Though it was dark, she could navigate the furniture even with her eyes closed and she quickly found the lamp on her desk.
She looked around the room. Everything was in its place. The desk, the bed, the bookshelf. And though she'd lived here for six months, she wasn't going to miss it. The circumstances surrounding it had always made her uneasy. She'd chalked up the restless nights of sleep to the responsibilities she had, but it had been more than that. Though she didn't recognize it until now, there had never been that 'safe' feeling she'd had at the base.
She turned and found Jon staring at her from the doorway. Even with him such a distance away, the 'safe' feeling was there. He was grounding her, giving her something to hold on to in the chaos.
As the music drifted in from the hallway, she held her hand out to him. "One more dance?" She didn't want him to leave. Not now.
Not ever.
His eyes held hers as he crossed the room, his weapons belt coming off as he drew closer to her. He'd done the same thing when they'd danced for the first time at the base.
Out at the party, she knew he couldn't just take it off and drop it in the grass. She'd gotten as close to him as she could, but it hadn't been quite enough. Now, he took her in his arms and pulled her close. She felt the tension slip away, wanted to get lost in his touch as they slowly danced around her room.
"I've missed you so much."
She heard the emotion in his voice and looked up. This wasn't the home brew talking. This was a man completely overwhelmed by what he'd seen the last three days.
Jon's fingers tightened on hers, pressing her hand to his chest. She felt his heart beating under their fingertips. "These last eight months have been the worst of my life."
Eight months. It hadn't even occurred to her that she'd been gone for eight months. Not even just gone, but presumed dead. She had considered her own situation to be hell, but they'd been living their own version of it. Especially Jon. He had grieved her. The others had as well, but his world had been shattered. She could see that clearly in his eyes.
"I'm pretty sure we owe Jackson a huge favor for bringing us here."
Jon was trying to lighten the mood and though she agreed that Jackson had been vital to their reunion, she didn't feel he deserved anything in return. "He broke into my jumpship. And the base. I think we're even now." Fishing Andy Jackson out of the Burmese tiger trap made her smile even more, now that she thought about it. His recognition of her would also explain the look on his face when he'd been brought in front of her. No, they didn't owe Jackson any favors.
The sounds from outside filtered into her consciousness and she stopped moving. "Is that Scout singing?" she asked incredulously.
Jon listened intently for a moment, then his eyes widened in disbelief. "It most certainly is. And he's pulled out Sinatra. Yeah. We're definitely in trouble if Dread shows up. He's not even going to be able to trigger his suit, let alone fire accurately." His eyes focused on hers. "This amuses you, doesn't it?"
The song warmed her heart and brought back a flood of memories. As time passed, Rob had become her best friend. He was the one she'd trusted with everything, good and bad. "He introduced me to Frank Sinatra with this song." It was a simple admission, but it held so much for her.
"It's a classic, that's for sure."
Jennifer yawned again.
Jon's hand pressed to her cheek, his fingers stroked her ear. "I'll let you get some sleep." The look in his eyes matched the way she felt.
"You need some sleep too." She waited for just a moment, then continued more softly. "You can stay here tonight. If you want." To emphasize her point, she hugged him gently.
His fingers brushed through her hair, stroking the stray strands back from her face. She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and before he could speak, she continued. "Yes, I'm sure."
There was that smile again. "Thank you. I'd like that."
The fatigue was washing over her and she could no longer stop the yawns. As much as she hated the thought, she disengaged herself from him with a squeeze and walked to her bunk. The familiarity of it always amused her. It was as if her body knew she would be shutting down for the night and decided to bring out every ache and pain it had collected during the day.
Jon sat down beside her, his fingers lightly stroking her knee.
She didn't think it was possible for her feet to hurt more than they did with her boots on, but as she pulled them off, the ache increased. The muscles in her back protested as she leaned over to shove her boots under the bunk and she ignored them. This wasn't the first time she'd hurt this way and she knew it wouldn't be the last.
It was then that she realized something. "I don't have any pajamas," she said softly.
When she straightened, she saw Jonathan pull at the shirt beneath his uniform. "Don't worry about it. I came with underwear and a t-shirt." He slid his boots under the bunk next to hers. She could get used to that.
"I was talking about me." Jennifer couldn't stop the grin at the look that passed across his face.
"I see," was all he could finally say.
She was quiet for a moment, then leaned against him, nudging his shoulder. "I'm not trying to be forward. I just wanted you to know that we're heavy on armaments, vegetables and books. Clothing is a whole lot harder to come by."
His return nudge assured her he understood. Or was it that he simply wanted to see her without most of her clothes on? She wasn't sure, but didn't mind either way.
"I have a tank top and my underwear as well. Fair enough?" To hide the blush she felt rising in her cheeks, she walked over to the shelf and grabbed a blanket. "It was getting chilly out there. We might need this."
She tossed the blanket on the bed on her way across the room.
Unbutton the shirt. Turn off the hall light. Shut the door. Turn off the desk light. Drop shirt and pants by the bunk for easy access if there's an emergency.
Jennifer didn't give her bedtime routine a second thought until she pulled off her socks. She'd just undressed in front of her commanding officer, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to do.
She thanked the stars above that the room was dark so he wouldn't see the eight shades of red her face turned.
His hand was suddenly on her lower back and he whispered her name. She closed her eyes for a moment before mustering the courage to face him.
His lips caressed hers.
He wasn't upset about the bedtime routine.
The warmth of his touch thrilled her. There was a gentleness, a patience in his movements. She leaned into his embrace, returned the kiss. Her heart pounded in her ears and she swore time slowed.
This was the touch that she'd longed to feel. She had left someone behind who loved her. Who missed her. Who wanted her back in his life.
Jon slowly pulled away and she felt his forehead press against hers. He had done this a couple of times now and she found herself enjoying it. It was a small moment for just the two of them. As their eyes met, she wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned.
And then she was enveloped in a bear hug and being spun around. He held her so tightly, yet so carefully.
She would never forget this moment.
"I should've done this a long time ago." His voice was soft in her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
Jennifer ran her fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck and kissed him lightly. "No more 'should'ves'."
He nodded, returned the kiss. And set her down gently on the bunk.
Slipping her legs under the sheets, Jennifer rolled onto her side, toward the wall. She heard his uniform drop to the floor and felt him crawl under the covers beside her.
"How do you like to sleep?" he asked.
She couldn't resist. "With my eyes closed?" A moment later, she rolled onto her back, reaching up to touch his cheek. "Jon, most nights I'm so worn out that I just fall into bed, cover up and go to sleep."
"Fair enough."
He settled on his side and pulled the covers over both of them. "Come here." He drew her in, her back to his chest, his arm around her waist.
Jennifer entwined her fingers with his and pulled his arm up, pressing it tightly against her chest. She would sleep all night, wrapped in his embrace. She could already feel herself melting into him, relaxing like she'd never done before.
"Jon?"
He kissed her hair, squeezed her gently.
"I'm glad Stinson didn't realize who I was when he had that chance." If he had, she would never have been with him like this. Dread would have never let her go alive.
"Me too. I love you, Jennifer." His voice, his touch told her he understood the implication of what she said.
"Love you too," she breathed out softly. "Very much."
The blankets were pulled up under her chin and his body was wrapped around hers, cradling her. They fit together perfectly. He was so warm. His breathing was so soothing. She fought to stay awake, but she was just too tired. For the first time since she'd arrived at the camp, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Jennifer wanted to ignore the beeping noise that came from somewhere behind her. Jon's arm, which had been wrapped around her, was suddenly gone and she felt a chill as the blankets moved. His groan told her that he felt the same way she did.
The noise finally stopped, the blankets returned and his arm pulled her in close again.
"Morning arrives much too quickly." She was bone weary and wanted nothing more than to drift off to sleep again. "What time is it?" She didn't want to know the answer and hoped that by burrowing her feet into his, getting as close as she could to him, that it would magically make another hour appear for them to sleep.
"A few minutes before 0600." The regret in his voice was apparent.
Jennifer sighed, then stretched. Last night was the first time she'd fallen asleep and been relaxed since she'd awoken at the camp. There had been no dreams, she hadn't woken with a start, wondering what strange noise it was this time. She'd been exhausted from the battle, but her sleep had been restful. Her muscles, normally stiff after such extensive use, had recovered during the last few hours thanks to the heat from Jon's body.
But she felt the tension creep back into her neck and shoulders. Breaking down the camp was going to be as emotionally draining as it would be physically. She was already too tired. Would she make it through the next six hours without falling apart?
She groaned and rolled almost onto her stomach. "I'm not ready for this."
Fingers gently rubbed her neck and she closed her eyes. She focused on Jon's touch, the way his calloused fingertips stroked firmly against her muscles. It was soothing. Reassuring. Healing.
The heel of his hand moved down her back, the firm pressure working on the tension that was building.
"The sooner we start, the sooner we'll get this done."
Though she knew he was right, she didn't want to move. She merely grunted in response.
Jon shifted on the bunk beside her and she felt his toes scrape across the bottom of her foot. The touch brought an instantaneous screech from her mouth, followed by an involuntary kick into the mattress to move away from him. His fingers were suddenly on her waist, brushing the sensitive skin of her stomach. She couldn't stop the shriek, but managed to muffle it as she rolled forward into the covers. Her arms clamped down on his and she tried to pin his fingers in place between her and the mattress.
It wasn't working.
"You are so ticklish!" He laughed in surprise as he scooped her into a sitting position.
Every neuron in her body had fired and she'd gone into a defensive posture. She'd never been in this position. What had he called it? Being ticklish? She'd heard someone in the Passages mention it a long time ago. There had been so much laughing and all she could remember was someone chasing a few children around, fingers wiggling, the children trying to flee from 'the tickle monster'.
This was her now. Fleeing from 'the tickle monster'.
She pried his fingers from her belly and wriggled free. Or so she thought. As she attempted to whirl around, her foot caught on the blanket, making her fall back against him.
Against his tickling fingers.
It was all the incentive she needed to push off his leg and free her foot. She landed on her knees, just out of his reach. Her eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness of the room and she caught a glimpse of him over her shoulder. A smile broke across her face.
She wanted him to stop, but she didn't want him to stop. So when he reached out his hand for her arm, she turned and countered. She saw his own grin appear and this time, he intentionally reached for her stomach. Where he knew she was ticklish.
Though she swatted at him, he moved with surprising speed and snagged her wrist, pulling her closer.
They'd sparred together in the past and she knew she could break free of his hold by twisting her hand around his. She was already moving backward as he reached for her with his opposite hand.
And down he went. Jennifer took advantage of his fall and leaped onto his back, forcing his shoulders down onto the mattress. Her body pressed against his, their legs tangling as she tried to pin him.
"Oh no you don't!" Jennifer giggled as Jon reached behind himself.
"Bet me." He was aiming for any part of her and she was ready for him. Through her peripheral vision, she saw his left hand reach for her leg and she shifted to the right.
Too late, she realized the momentum shift gave him the leverage to roll her onto her back, his body directly on top of hers.
He laughed, supporting his weight with his arms in what she was sure was an awkward position. "You're lucky there's not enough room here, or I'd have to steamroller you!"
First a 'tickle monster' and now a 'steamroller'? There was still so much to learn. "What's a steamroller?" She was breathing a little harder now from the exertion, but loving every second of it.
"Guess you'll just have to wait and see." He suddenly rolled himself over, still on top of her. His legs quickly locked around hers, holding them in place. His hands snagged her wrists and pressed them gently into the bunk, near her head. With a grin, he nearly touched his forehead to hers. "Gotcha."
Jennifer squirmed unsuccessfully. "I guess you have." She looked into his blue eyes, saw the happiness in them. But there was something else. A tenderness. His hands loosened a little on her wrists, his legs relaxed just a little against hers. His chest brushed hers as they breathed, sending chills through her entire body.
Jonathan Power loved her. And here he was, on top of her, tangled with her in the covers on her bunk. With the door of her room closed. Only thin fabric separating them.
The thought of what could happen next thrilled and frightened her. She wanted to feel his touch. She'd wanted that for so long.
Her eyes flicked around the room. She didn't want to make love here. She didn't want their first time to be in this place, where so many bad memories lived. Where anyone could walk in on them.
Her eyes moved back to his. "Not here," she whispered. She hoped he would understand.
He was silent for only a moment. "Not now."
Relief flooded through her. He did understand. A sudden urgency to leave this place flowed through her veins. "I want to go home," she whispered.
His forehead was against hers again. "Then let's get everyone on their way and go home."
Jennifer smiled softly and nuzzled his cheek. When the time and the place were right, she knew she could give herself fully to him. And she would enjoy every second of it.