Had Jo heard him properly, was she being asked to go to Europe, to her Europe? Everything in her body wanted her to scream yes without hesitation. After a moment's consideration, Jo mulled over the gravity of the question before her. He said that he had intended on going with her from the beginning, what does he expect of her on this trip? The uncertainty flooding her mind was slowly beginning to overtaking the bodily delight that was all encompassing up to this moment. She began to have the clarity of mind to answer Laurie in a reasonable fashion.
"We have been through this, I am not ready to-"
She was cut short by a man that needed to finish his thoughts before he received any more objections.
"Jo, it is perfect, for both of us. We can live as we have lived here go wherever you would like, Rome, London, Paris, oh, Jo, you must say yes."
His eyes were filled with boyish hope that made Jo want to retreat back into his arms, and escape from this inquisition. Jo sighed, and with an air of petulance about her replied,
"Well, Laurie, how do you propose we go? The two of us just flitter out of here with no chaperone, what would grandfather think, oh, my, Marmee would never agree to this."
Jo looked off distracted, he could see thoughts penetrating her mind, he hated when she called him Laurie.
"Jo, we would hardly just go and flitter anywhere, and I have a home in London, just filled with people. We can have separate rooms anywhere we travel for propriety's sake of course." With a devilish look, he exclaimed, "You and I don't need a chaperone anyhow!"
Looking him straight in the eyes, Jo said soberly –
"I believe that we have proven tonight that we in fact do need a chaperone, I could not entertain the thought of this without one." Jo turned her eyes to the floor, trying to catch her breath.
"Does that mean that you would entertain the thought of going with one?" Laurie asked with a cautious tone in his voice. Jo bit her bottom lip and slowly looked up at him.
"I honestly do not know, this is not at a proposition that I would have thought to ever be offered, and I feel that, well, I just need to chew on it a bit. I also must receive blessing to go by Marmee."
Jo paused, thinking of the enormity of the situation, choosing her words carefully, she added,
"If we do go," starting slowly, and pausing, "let's stop all of this lovering and truly allow us to go on as we do here, like the reasonable friends that we are, shall we?"
Certain to the answer in his heart, Laurie realized that this may be a life changing question. The entire purpose of taking her was to be with her, near her, and to make Jo understand her feelings for him. He knew good and well that if she did not go, he may lose her, and he was not willing to take that chance. Laurie simply responded,
"Jo, please say yes."
There was so much more to add, so much more that he had left unspoken, but Jo saw in his eyes the true reason for the excursion. Knowing that she could not give him an answer tonight, she still had far too many questions, and feeling quite exhausted Jo decided that it was time to make the short trip home. Expressing this to Laurie, he made no objections, he simply pulled Jo to himself, with her nose to his shoulder, and his ear resting atop her crown, they had a lasting embrace filled with comfort and forbearance. Laurie turned his mouth to the top of her head and gave it a long yearning kiss, and slowly breathed in her scent. Taking advantage of the moment, he made certain to commit this feeling to memory, and prayed that he would have more than the memory to rely on in the future.
Slowly breaking the embrace, Laurie leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Jo's lips. For the first time this evening, Jo did not attempt to pull her mouth from his. Withdrawing from the kiss, Laurie placed his mouth to Jo's ear, whispering ever so faintly,
"let's get you to bed."
Jo's eyes opened wide, and at the sight, Laurie whole heartedly laughed saying,
"Come Jo, I'll walk you home."
The two walked home with arms linked and not a word spoken between them. Once they arrived at the March home, Jo pulled from Laurie, began opening the door very slowly and said with a wicked smile,
"I had better get in quietly or I may incur the Spanish Inquisition!"
Laurie began to laugh, and with one finger over her lips, and a dangerous expression that said that he had better tone it down, he watched as the door closed behind her.