Part 4
"Well, you're certainly looking a little better," Dave said, as he studied JJ, as she and Emily entered the hotel suite that Dave had gotten at the Grant.
"I have a hair appointment, so I'll see you when I get back," Emily told the pair, immediately leaving leaving before either could even acknowledge her.
"I'm still in a lot of pain," JJ admitted after waving goodbye to Emily, "but then that's to be expected, I know."
"Yeah, I know," Dave said sympathetically. "It'll probably be at least a week before you can move around without pain every time you take a step. Your ribs are taped I know, but that doesn't mean you don't need to be careful, as you're still going to experience sharp jabs of pain every time you do something they don't like."
"I know I've had broken ribs once before and I well remember the pain I was in for weeks afterwards. I was really hoping I would never experience such a thing again," JJ said when a sharp pain shot though her body when she moved wrong.
"You'll have to tell me about that sometime," Dave said, "but I won't push, I promise."
"I appreciate it," JJ said, as she kissed his cheek causing him to beam at her happily. "You were right you know, I doubt I could have relaxed in my apartment by myself, as even going there to get clothes for some reason terrified me, which is strange because that's not where I was attacked."
"Yes, but you were attacked viciously in a public place and that often causes fear, fear of being alone, sometimes for months afterwards. People who were attacked like you often jump at shadows for the first few weeks after such an attack at least. You might've been fine after a few weeks, but Emily and I just thought it was better that you didn't go back to your apartment by yourself, at least until you've healed anyway. I doubt you would have slept very well at all in your apartment as ordinary sounds tend to be more amplified at night and someone who just went through what you did is going to be more hyperaware of even normal night noises.
"You know the sounds I'm talking about an owl hooting for example, of cars on the street, of people talking and laughing, ordinary sounds would likely have made you jump, since apartment walls can be notoriously thin. You likely would have thought you heard somebody approaching your door only to relax when they walked right past it just for example.
"The imagination is a powerful force JJ, it's what helps writers create great works, or helps people create movies or vid shows. If we didn't have a imagination, well, we would not have the things we have, not just movies, vids and books, but paintings and poetry. If Leonardo da Vinci for example had not had his immense talent and imagination we wouldn't have his paintings which are seen by millions of people all over the world yearly nor would he have become so famous, even though he's been dead for centuries.
"If we didn't have his papers for his inventions that weren't possible in the time he was born then we wouldn't have things like helicopters and airplanes. All I'm trying to say is that if you had stayed alone in your apartment that you would have put down every little sound to your mugger coming back to finish the job and you definitely wouldn't have gotten any rest," Dave explained gently. "You likely would have stayed awake all night, perhaps with a knife in your hand prepared to come at anyone that entered your sanctuary."
"Well, yes, that makes sense," JJ said considering Dave's words and realized that he was likely very right. She had been terrified to enter her apartment and if Emily hadn't been with her she probably would've fled instead of going to gather her toiletries and some clothes. Emily had kept her steady and helped her pack, which made it go much faster than if she had done it alone.
"It's just better if you have someone you trust with you for the next few weeks at least until you get over the worst of what happened to you. Given enough time you'll probably be able to go back to your apartment and even be comfortable there, but not directly after an attack such as you endured. Now, if you had any close friends in town besides Emily and I that you could go and stay with for a few days and then we wouldn't have offered to let you stay with us," Dave added and JJ nodded. "You just don't need to be alone after nearly being beaten to death in a parking lot outside your place of employment."
"Still, you didn't have to," JJ said. "And you definitely didn't have to pay my hospital bills."
"No, I didn't have to, but I wanted to," Dave told her in a firm tone.
"So you said," JJ sighed.
"Anything I have is yours just as it is Emily's," Dave told her. "Emily isn't one to usually break down, but it has happened a few times depending on circumstances. If she wants to tell you when it happened she can or she can tell me to, but I won't reveal it unless she gives me permission."
"Well, I'm glad to know you can keep a secret," JJ smiled.
"Of course I can, as I'm not the type to use what somebody has told me as blackmail material unless the it's a very unusual situation, but I would never do that to somebody I care about like you and Emily. You wouldn't be able to come to me when you needed to, because you would know that you couldn't trust me to not reveal what I'd been told. That is one thing I'll never do and that's lose your trust," Dave told her, as serious as JJ had ever seen him. "I'll never break my word to you either, not if it can be helped and that's a promise."
Keeping his word and also her and Emily's secrets was apparently very important to him, which told her that she really had a good man here and she'd be foolish not to at least give a relationship a try. The thing was though, that she hadn't been in a relationship in three years and it was kind of frightening at how intense her feelings for Dave were, mostly because she had never felt like this about anyone not even her former boyfriend.
"I would like to give a relationship a try," JJ told Dave seriously sure of her decision when Dave's entire face lit up
"You're sure now?" Dave asked. "I don't want to push you into anything or you feeling that you need to be grateful."
"It's not about that at all," JJ promised. "I've been seriously thinking about it almost constantly for the last week, but it was in my hospital room that it finally struck me that you really do love me, but not just love me, you care about me enough that you insisted paying my hospital bills and gave me a place to stay until I'm all healed up, even though you haven't known me very long. You and Emily rushed into my hospital room concerned about my well-being and I guarantee you that none of my former boyfriends would have done so had such a thing if a mugging had happened. Oh, they would have sent me flowers and even come to visit me for a few minutes but that would have been the extent of it. They definitely wouldn't have offered to pay my hospital bills, just so I wouldn't have to dip into my savings, as to them it would have been my problem not theirs, not even if they'd had the money to do so. People like you that are generous, kind, compassionate and genuinely care about other people not just themselves or maybe their families are few and far between, so I would be incredibly stupid to not at least give her relationship between us a try. Half the time the husband or the wife don't even care about their family or their children."
"Unfortunately, that's a true statement of the sorry state of affairs among mortals," Dave sighed, as he took JJ gently in his arms being careful of her numerous bruises.
"You're welcome to kiss me, but that's as far as going to go at least until I tell you some things about my past and I've healed up some," JJ said.
Dave did as JJ had almost ordered and their lips met in a kiss that was tender and sweet at first anyway, then the kiss seemed to explode into passionate longing that made them both want more.
Finally Dave broke away, but not without extreme difficulty.
"That was some kiss," JJ said finally feeling very weak in her entire body and she knew that if Dave hadn't been holding her she would have collapsed onto the thickly carpeted floor.
"Yeah, it was," Dave said his voice thicker then it had been previously.
"You didn't expect that did you," JJ asked, as she studied Dave's rather dazed look.
"No," Dave admitted. "It's been a long time since Emily and I first kissed and in fact, we were teenagers about 13 or 14 if I'm remembering right and I don't think our first kiss was quite so..."
"Explosive? Earthshattering?" JJ suggested
"Mindblowing," Dave suggested finally seeming to have recovered from his first kiss with JJ.
"That works too," JJ said mischievously. "There are some things I need to tell Emily and you before we take our relationship any farther, but after that if you still want to continue with it then I'm willing."
"There is nothing in heaven and earth that would make me not want to have you as my mate, as we are destined to be together as corny as I know that sounds," Dave told her being very serious making sure to touch her intimately, as he was talking. "It doesn't matter what you tell me you're mine now unless you tell me different. If you want to break off our relationship at any time I'll do so, but it's always going to be your decision. I don't care if you've had 10 different husbands in 10 different States, can't have children for some reason or have committed some kind of capital crime, as these kind of things are looked at very differently by Immortals who have been around for a very long time. The only crimes that would be considered major among Immortals are rape, murder, stealing, or torturing someone for your own gain and there are varying degrees of murdering and stealing depending on the circumstances behind them."
"Yeah, you said back when you were telling me you were Immortal that murdering in self-defense or to protect someone was acceptable," JJ said.
"Exactly," Dave said. "Stealing is basically the same concept. Ilithyia doesn't care if you steal from somebody who stole their money first or from a bad guy who got his fortune from killing people for example, but to steal it from someone who earned their money honestly or someone's life savings, well, that's a big no-no. Also since there is a bunch of other gods and goddess involved they don't want you to pollute, you know take sensible precautions to make sure wherever you're living stays clean, recycle and things like that. Each of them expect something different but it's mainly Ilithyia we need to worry about not making furious at us."
"Well, I do that anyway," JJ said. "I would love to own a car that doesn't pollute the atmosphere, but they're so expensive."
"I'll get you one, if we make our relationship permanent," Dave promised. "They are a relatively new technology where they don't run on gasoline, so I can understand why they're so expensive right now."
JJ was about to protest, but stopped herself, because she knew that Dave wouldn't stop spoiling her no matter what she said, so there was no point of arguing with him when she wouldn't win anyway.
"Good, you've already learned that I always get my way," Dave grinned. "Even Emily can't shift me when I want to do something like buy her something ultraexpensive, even when it's not our anniversary or her birthday or Christmas and she is one of the most stubborn people I've ever known. Secretly, I think she loves it when I surprise her with a gift."
"You're apparently twice as stubborn then she is if you always get your way," JJ teased him.
"Alright, she's the most stubborn female I've ever met then," Dave corrected. "I think she enjoys a good argument every once in awhile, which is fine with me, as there is always making up afterwards."
"I should have known you'd think of that," JJ laughed.
"And why not?" Dave asked with the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "It certainly adds spice to our relationship. Most of our arguments are not very serious, as we know each other too well for that, so it's mostly in play."
"You mentioned you don't care about whether or not I can have children," JJ said Dave nodded waiting for his mate to continue. "I was going to wait until Emily got back from the beauty salon, but since you originally brought it up and you said you don't care I might not be able to have children."
"Is that what the doctor told you?" Dave asked his expression calm and understanding.
"No and I'm not there to tell you the full story until Emily gets back because I'm bound to breakdown and I don't want to go through it more than once, but it is one of the reasons I moved away from Virginia where I was living at the time," JJ said. "The doctors weren't absolutely sure, they just said it was a possibility."
"Well then, there's no point of worrying about it as what happens will happen. I can imagine how it happened very easily, so if you don't want to give me Emily details you don't have to, unless you just want to get it off your chest," Dave told her, as he held close being extremely gentle. "The transformation into an Immortal will likely repair the damage to your womb just so long as it hasn't been completely removed, so I wouldn't bet on not you being able to have children."
"Are you going to tell me how it's done?" JJ asked. "I can't really imagine how you turn someone Immortal, but then I've only known about Immortals for a little over a week, so that's not surprising."
"Are you sure you're ready for that information?" Dave asked still in that tender, gentle tone of voice that sent shivers of delight down JJ's spine and straight to her groin.
"It's not painful is it?" JJ asked a little apprehensively.
"Not at all," Dave assured her. "In fact, it's a very pleasurable experience."
JJ looked confused, so Dave elaborated.
"It has to do with a lot of sex," Dave begin to explain causing JJ to immediately flush a brilliant red.
"You're not serious," JJ questioned sure that Dave was playing a prank on her.
"Yes, I am," Dave promised her tenderly. "You see in order to turn you Immortal you need to absorb my energy, my lifeforce, my genetics. The only way to do this is for us to make love and for me to spurt my seed into you multiple times. It's a rather long process and I've been told it takes a year, but I have to spurt my seed into you at least once a day, as my semen carries those things I just mentioned. Eventually your body will absorb enough of it that you'll be completely Immortal just like I am. Whatever damage has been done to your womb should be repaired depending on what the problem is, but since the damage isn't something you were born with turning you Immortal will likely fix it. There're no guarantees though."
"You've given me hope and that's all anyone can do," JJ said kissing him fervently in thanks for giving her hope that she would indeed be able to have children. "I want to have your child Dave, not right away, but eventually."
"Hopefully, one day, you'll get your wish, as I would like nothing more than to have a child by you, even a whole platoon of them, but unfortunately, a female Immortal's fertility is such that the children tend to be nearly a century apart."
"You can only have one child every hundred years?" JJ asked shocked.
"Every 70 or 75 years, but essentially correct," Dave corrected. "Ilithyia, sure wasn't kidding when she said that Immortal females would have trouble conceiving. On the other hand, you can't expect such a great gift as Immortality to be free, as there has to be checks and balances in everything. Really, the world runs on checks and balances, essentially everything actually, even if you don't think about it that way. Why do you think we have the cops, the FBI, the national guard, the military the Coast Guard and every other law enforcement agency out there? We wouldn't have them if we didn't need them due to the number of people who are criminals or turn into criminals. You see checks and balances."
"Yes, I see," JJ said thoughtfully, even as she cuddled very comfortably into Dave's arms. "I never thought about it like that, but I doubt anybody does."
"Most people don't realize that we would have chaos if we did not have checks and balances," Dave said, "but yes, some people do things like that, particularly those in law enforcement."
"Well, even if I can only have one child every 70 years or so at least we'll be able to have them, probably in my case," JJ said.
"That's for the future," Dave said. "There is no need to rush into that particular aspect of our relationship, because for one thing you just got out of the hospital and you need time to heal. Just cuddling with you on the couch with you in my arms as we watch a vid is enough for me right now. There's not to say we can't do a little necking, but we need to take it easy until you heal up some, as I would not hurt you for anything in the world."
"What about Emily? Where is does come into this?" JJ asked.
"Well, she's welcome to join us on the couch if she wants and I can neck with both of you I promise or she can go do her own thing. Emily knows that I've been searching for you seriously for the last 15 years, but she will probably bow out of any activities until we get to know each other. Eventually we'll start doing things together, so that we become a cohesive unit. I suspect that Emily will probably take the guest bed the first time we have sex to give us privacy and depending on what you desire she can join us after that or we can save our lovemaking for in the morning or whenever we can fit it in. She knows right now you're my priority and she won't resent that I promise. Eventually you'll be comfortable enough to watch me and Emily make love and even participate if you like, but as I promised we'll take things slow until you are."
"You sure Emily isn't going to be jealous of me, another woman?" JJ asked.
"No," Dave said shaking his head negatively. "For one thing Emily has known this was coming for centuries and for another the bond once it's fully completed prevents jealousy."
"Well, that's certainly a new piece of information," JJ said surprised.
"I guess I didn't mention that, did I?" Dave said sheepishly. "Yes, once the bond is fully stabilized you won't be jealous of Emily or vice versa. Of course, if some other female comes onto me, which happens far too frequently, you'll want to tear their eyes out at least until the bond matures. This also works in reverse of course."
"We need to have a conversation about Immortality, but that can wait a few days at least," JJ said. "I want all the information you can give me, but right now I think we should just concentrate on the two of us."
"That is a concept that I can definitely get behind," Dave said smiling hugely, as he picked up JJ gently in his arms and carried her into the area of the suite where the vid screen was as there was a very comfortable couch there. "Do I have your permission to kiss you senseless, my lady?" Dave asked smiling down at her his dark brown eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Absolutely," JJ said eagerly, even as Dave placed her gently on the couch remembering how sore she was from being mugged.
"It will be a pleasure, gorgeous," Dave told her, as he sat down beside her, put both his arms around her and begin to explore her face and neck. His lips, teeth and tongue explored every inch of JJ's lovely, elegant neck, before moving upwards.
JJ groaned as Dave's warm, moist lips, made her feel things that she had never felt before. He was gentle, he was tender, he was kind and passionate, seeming to remember to always be careful because she had just been hurt.
Finally Dave pulled away, because he knew if he continued to kiss JJ like that, it would lead to lovemaking and his mate wasn't quite ready for that. Not only was she still sore from being beaten up, but also because she needed to get to know him better, even if she had agreed to be his provisionally, something that filled him with enormous joy and also relief.
"Wow!" JJ exclaimed finally when she came back from the world of bliss that Dave kisses had transported her to.
"There's plenty more where that came from," Dave promised her with a very satisfied grin, "but I thought it was a good idea to stop right now, because I can guarantee you if I hadn't I wouldn't have been able to stop taking it all the way. Now, while that day is coming and likely soon you're too sore for me to do what I really want to."
"No, we need to talk first," JJ said. "But in a few weeks I'll likely be ready."
"And that will also give you time to heal," Dave said. "I'm not saying we can't kiss like we were just doing we'll just have to be careful not to take it too far."
"A rather difficult concept," JJ said grinning rather goofily.
"Yeah, denying yourself something you really want is rather difficult," Dave chuckled. "I want to make your first time very special for you though, so I can wait until you're all healed up and you tell me you're ready. Emily will make herself scarce I suspect and I won't even have to say anything, because she's incredibly perceptive."
"I hate to leave Emily out though," JJ said, biting her lip.
"Emily will understand that I want it to be just you and me at least for your first time. I can't make love to both of you at the same time so each of you are going to have me just to yourselves occasionally. We'll do something together while Emily does something else and vice versa. This is really the way multiple relationships work, as I've seen it several times with other Immortals who have more than one mate. Individual time is important so that each person in the relationship doesn't feel neglected, but we'll also do plenty of things together. We'll share the same bed unless it's individual time or a special occasion like our anniversary."
"Yes, Emily and I will have separate anniversaries with the same man," JJ said giggling at that, because it seemed so ridiculous.
"It does seem rather strange," Dave said his amusement clear, seeming to be reading JJ's thoughts.
"Yes, it does," JJ agreed.
"All I'm asking from this point on is that you have no other relationships and unless you tell me that you don't want to continue ours. I'm asking for a monogamous relationship, for me to be your one and only," Dave requested.
"Shh!" JJ said placing a finger against Dave's lips. "You're the first man I've allowed to get close to me in three years. Ever since I ended up in the hospital due to my stalker, so you don't have to worry about me having any other man in my life other then as a friend. Really, I've been too afraid to risk dating and you got past all my barriers without trying."
"Good," Dave said satisfied. "I hope you're stalker got a life sentence," Dave added fiercely.
"He won't be getting out for a long time, as it turned, as he had done it to several other women. It's not quite a life sentence, but it's close to one and he'll either be a very old man when he gets out or die in prison."
"Good," Dave said sounding much calmer. "It's nothing less than he deserves not only for what he did to you, but to several other women. Any man who beats on a woman who can't defend herself deserves what they get. Of course, that includes a man beating on children, because young children truly are defenseless."
"Why don't we put on a vid as we wait for Emily to get back from her appointment?" JJ suggested, changing the subject.
"Sounds good," Dave said, as he cradled JJ in his arms. "I was so afraid that you would reject me out of hand."
"Yeah, I know, I could see the defeat in your eyes and in your posture when you told me that rather fantastic story and then proved it was real. I admit I was in shock as I'd never had anything strange or weird happen to me in my whole life," JJ said. "I wasn't sure what I was going to do, as I had fallen in love with you, but I wasn't positive it was the everlasting kind, not until you came into my hospital room so genuinely horrified by what had happened. You were truly concerned and worried about me and seeing that was what turned the corner for me. It made me realize that I did love you like that, loved you enough to last forever. Getting Emily as a sister is just a bonus, but definitely a very nice bonus."
"It was the fact, that I already had Emily that you were the most leery of," Dave predicted. "Society today is based off couples, man and woman getting married, having children. It's only since the late 20th century that same-sex couples become more mainstreamed, but still, there are only two people not three or more in a relationship. Some people still practice polygamy, seriously, but anybody who knows it mostly frowns on it at the very least."
"Yeah, I know and that's something I want to talk to you about," JJ said. "I don't want people to look at me as if I'm some kind of whore just because I'm involved with the same man that Emily is."
"There is nothing unusual with two or even three or more women living with the same man," Dave told JJ gently. "I mean just look at the show Three's Company for example, which was a show in the 20th century. The concept of the show was that there was two women living with the same man and millions of people watched it and thought there was nothing strange about it. We'll keep our private lives private and if one of you happen to get pregnant, well, it doesn't necessarily have to be me whose child it is. Only the people in the neighborhood in which we live might suspect that we are more than we seem, but total strangers when we are out and about together will never know unless we act as anything other than best friends. I could for example be married to one of you ladies depending on whose turn it was whenever we moved somewhere new and the other is simply a friend or some kind of relative that is staying with us."
"I hadn't thought of that," JJ said frowning in thought.
"Believe me, it's a game that Immortals who have more than one mate play in order to keep their lives private. Having more than one mate might not happen to often and in fact, it usually only happens once every few centuries to Immortals that Ilithyia has taken a special interest in, but still, it's common enough among our kind," Dave said. "I've never had to do the same before, because I've only had one mate before now. Of course, now that you've joined Emily and I it will be different and we'll perfect how we act over our centuries together."
"So we'll save any romantic stuff for the privacy of our home," JJ said.
"Mostly," Dave said, "but then there is nothing wrong with me kissing your cheek or if you're the one I'm supposedly married to I can kiss you on the lips in public and nobody will think anything of it. Of course, once we get home I'll have to give my other mate equal attention. Yes, I realize it's complicated, but it's still workable, as other Immortals have been doing it for centuries."
"Yes, I think it will work," JJ said finally. "As you said it's complicated, but anything that's worth doing is worth putting effort into. That's what my mama always said anyway."
"Definitely," Dave grinned. "I think I would have liked your mama."
"Yeah, I miss her," JJ sighed unsurprised that Dave had caught the way she had phrased the last sentence.
"If your parents were good ones of course, you miss them when they pass on," Dave said
"They didn't die of natural causes though, they died in car crash. I was just 15," JJ revealed. "If they had I'm it sure would be easier to get over their deaths, as I would have known that death was just the natural order of things."
"I'm sorry about your parents, but you'll always remember them and I'm sure they're watching you from heaven," Dave said.
"That's a nice thought," JJ sighed contentedly, as Dave begin to rub her back up under her shirt, in soothing circles. "That feels so good."
"I'll be happy to do this for you anytime," Dave told her. "I'm going to treat you like a queen just as I do Emily."
"I won't say no," JJ giggled snuggling deeper into Dave's shoulder. "What woman can resist a little spoiling?"
"I've never met one yet," Dave told her, just as JJ's breathing deepened and Dave knew she had fallen asleep. Dave readjusted his position and got more comfortable, making sure that JJ was also as comfortable as possible, before he to, holding JJ close to him, closed his eyes. He thought a little nap after the stress of the last week or so would do him a world of good.
A few minutes later he also was sound asleep.
~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~
"Well, isn't this a rather sweet scene," Emily said smiling, as she came into the hotel suite.
Dave looked up at her and put a finger to his lips pointing JJ and Emily nodded not saying anything else, as she headed to her and Dave's room to drop off her packages.
"So, when did this happen?" Emily asked softly when she came back, as she sat on the other side of day, so as not just of JJ.
"About an hour ago," Dave said quietly once he had checked his watch. "JJ and I had a long conversation and some of it was very emotionally draining so she fell asleep on my shoulder."
"Well, at least it means she trusts you," Emily said still speaking softly.
"Yeah," Dave said grinning. "In fact, while you were gone she agreed to be mine, to join us. She said she had fallen in love with me and she had realized that I truly did care about her when you and I rushed into her hospital room. Before, she wasn't sure if I truly loved her, not in the way she needed. You can love someone, but it might not be enough to last a lifetime, much less an eternity. Our first kiss before she fell asleep was damn spectacular and I can't wait for a repeat," Dave added with a goofy grin.
"Congratulations," Emily said kissing him softly, without disturbing JJ who was sleeping across Dave's chest now.
"Thank you," Dave said. "Us making love the first time is going to have to wait until she's healed and I don't think JJ is quite ready for that emotionally or mentally. She loves me yes, but I think we need a chance to get to know each other much better before we get to that. With us it was different, we knew we would get married, that we were mates, almost from the time we were old enough to understand. In other words, we knew that we were meant to be from the time we were children, so having sex that first time wasn't that big a deal."
"It was still spectacular," Emily remembered with a fond grin. "The first time for both of us."
"Yeah, it was," Dave said, as he to grinned. "We were what 15 or 16?"
"16 I believe which was really quite late considering that a lot of people got married back then by the time they were 13 or 14," Emily said.
"Yes, but that's because back then you only had a limited number of years to have as many children as possible," Dave reminded Emily who nodded. "For female Immortals though, that's never been a problem, as you'll never get too old to have children."
"Which is a relief, because we've only had what about seven in the last 600 years?" Emily rhetorically.
"Yes, and this will be our eighth," Dave said, patting Emily's stomach gently. "As much as I wish that we could have a whole bunch of children running around, that's just a dream for us."
"Still, at least we can have them, even if they're 70 or 75 years apart," Emily said, "and that's much better than not being able to have any at all."
"Yeah, that's true," Dave agreed. "There wouldn't be very many Immortals if we couldn't have children, as they do get killed sometimes, so yes, we should be grateful and for myself at least I am."
"Well, you always had your priorities straight," Emily grinned.
"With you in my life how can I not?" Dave asked also smiling.
"You got that right," Emily teased him, still keeping her voice down.
"Here let me explain to you what I told JJ while she's still sleeping," Dave said softly.
"Okay," Emily said getting serious. She listened, as Dave told her what he and JJ had discussed.
"I think that sounds very sensible," Emily said finally. "We don't have to be together all the time, even if we are most of the time. Now that you found JJ yes, you'll need some private time with her alone and I understand that."
"The same will be true for you as well," Dave reminded her. "Before, it was just you and me, so there was no reason to do something like this and while we'll spend most of our time together that doesn't preclude me from spending time alone with JJ or time alone with you. A couple of hours ago me and JJ were talking all about checks and balances and I have no intention of letting either one of you feel unwanted, neglected or unloved just because I'm concentrating on one of you. It's going to be a juggling act and it's going to take a lot of practice, but it will be worth it."
"I can be patient because I can see you're right," Emily said. "You need to concentrate on JJ for right now and I'll stay out of the way."
"I think that we need to work on becoming a unit," Dave told her. "Do things together."
"I think that can wait until you and JJ start making love on a regular basis," Emily said. "I'm very glad that she decided to go along with us, because I've gotten very fond of her. In fact, if truth be known I love her, just not in the same way you do. I love her like I would a sister."
"I already knew that," Dave said. "You forgot that we know each other intimately, in every way that it's possible to know someone else, I just wasn't sure whether you had realized it or not."
"JJ is easy to love and from what you've told me she's had such shitty life, but she didn't allow it to break her," Emily said softly. "First her parents died when she's 15, then years later she dates a guy who ends up beating her nearly to death, possibly so badly, that she might never be able to have children. Such an attack severely bent at the very least her trust in men, as anything other than pals. That you were able to gain her trust so quickly, get past her guard tells me that her trust hasn't been completely broken or it would've taken much more effort, even if it was possible. Yes, we worked hard initially to gain her trust, but really that happened relatively quickly as she saw what a good person you especially were. Really, I expected it to take much longer, but that mugging she endured sealed the deal, because she realized that you had true, genuine feelings for her and it wasn't just lust or attraction. If it had been, your relationship never would have lasted very long and JJ would be well aware of that. I'm not sure she believed in the whole mate thing until then."
"Who can blame her?" Dave said, knowing Emily was right. He pulled JJ a little closer. "What we told her did sound straight out of a fantasy novel, so even though we proved Immortals were real that didn't mean the whole mate thing was, as we could've been lying about that part of it. We weren't of course, but she didn't know that."
"I'm thinking it's a good idea to get know her better before you take the next step, as not only has she been mugged, she's also very emotionally battered at the moment. That will heal with your love and both of our supports."
"Yes, it will and I agree with you," Dave said. "If I'm going to take her out on a date though, we're going have to go way from Chula Vista, somewhere like San Diego or San Francisco."
"Too far away unless you plan to be gone more than a day," Emily told him. "National City is the closest only 13 to 15 minutes away, but that's a little too close in my opinion as some of the residents of Chula Vista are bound to go there just to shop or for supplies and you might be seen by someone who knows her. I think Long Beach is your best bet as that's less then three hours away and still in the area. I would suggest Tijuana, as it's only an hour, but you need a passport, as it's in Mexico and I'm not sure JJ has one."
"Long Beach sounds fine as it's a fairly large city and certainly far enough away that we should be able to enjoy ourselves without running into anyone that JJ knows, unless we are extremely unlucky," Dave said. "We should be able to have lunch and dinner there, do some shopping, perhaps, see at least some of the sites."
"Yes, it'll be a full day, but you should able up to have JJ back by 9 or 10 o'clock, so long as you leave at a decent hour in the morning," Emily said. "When you do go I'll come with you until we get there and then we can separate. I don't need to stay in Chula Vista, because people would be bound to comment. If we all go, even if we separate once we get there then we're just three friends having a fun day if someone who knows us happens to spot the three of us."
"That's a very good idea," Dave agreed. "JJ and I can have our date in peace while you shop or something and we can meet up for lunch or dinner. I'm sure JJ will want to spend at least part of the day with you, as she wouldn't want you to feel left out."
"Well, I don't see why we can't have lunch together before we separate, as it will probably be about lunchtime by the time we get there depending on what time we leave," Emily said. "You can do the date thing after that."
"We'll talk about it with JJ when she wakes up, but I'm sure she won't object," Dave said, as he tenderly kissed the top of JJ's head.
Suddenly JJ shifted and showed definite signs of waking up, so Dave looked at Emily with a raised eyebrow and she nodded, disappearing into the kitchen.
Suddenly JJ blinked open her baby blue eyes. "Ugg! What time is it? How long did I sleep?"
"It's about four in the afternoon and you slept a couple of hours," Dave told her gently.
"I fell asleep on you and also drooled all over your shirt," JJ said embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Shirts can to be washed and it's only a little spit," Dave told her, kissing her tenderly, softly. "It'll dry and you never would've known it was there."
"So what plans for the rest of the day?" Emily asked coming out of the kitchen. "Now that JJ has waking up from her nap."
"You should've woken me up when you got back," JJ scolded Emily and Dave.
"Why?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow. "You needed the sleep according to Dave, as he filled me in on your conversation while you were resting. It's not like we have any plans and neither Dave or I will have you running yourself to exhaustion."
"Man, I really slept through an entire conversation?" JJ asked winkling her nose. "That's not like me, I must've really been out of it."
"We talked softly, so we didn't wake you," Dave told her gently. "I like having you sleep on my chest just so you know and I'm sure that it will be repeated a lot over our centuries together."
"Well, I'm too sore to really go anywhere, as it's only been a few days after all, but I don't see why we can't watch a vid as Dave suggested before I fell asleep on him," JJ said.
"And order room service," Emily said.
"Or order takeout depending on what we decide we want," Dave added.
"I say room service as the kitchen here is really good," JJ said.
"Yes, it is," Emily agreed. "We can eat takeout any time, but it's rare we get such good food from room service."
"Room service it is," Dave said without arguing because he happened to agree. "That can wait a little while though, so why don't we pick a vid to watch? There are plenty of them since we have Netflix."
The three of them decided on a vid and then then started watching, from the couch with Emily on one side of Dave and JJ on the other. During the flick there was some serious necking involved, but all three more than enjoyed themselves, as they half watched the film they had selected.
~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~
Several days later
"You said you had some things to tell us," Dave suggested gently as he sat with Jennifer on his lap and Emily at his side.
"Yeah, I did," JJ said, as she snuggled into Dave's supporting embrace. "Well, first off, I grew up a basically normal girl, got good grades, had my own group of friends was a cheerleader at my highschool, but then when I was 15 as you know tragedy struck, my parents were killed in a car accident. I was devastated, who wouldn't be at the death of two people they loved? My aunt was contacted and she took me in, but I had to move to Texas, where she lived. My aunt was great, I'm not denying it, but I struggled to make friends at my new school. I mean everybody else had known their friends since earliest childhood for the most part, so you try fitting in when you just moved there and you only have three more years of high school. Well, finally the torture of high school ended, and I had some casual friends by that point, but nobody I was really close to."
JJ paused for a second and then said, "We'll just skip the college years as nothing of significance happened, we can talk about it later."
"Whatever you want," Emily said. "This is your story and you're welcome to tell us as much or as little of it as you want."
"Thank you," JJ smiled at Emily. "In any case, I moved to Virginia, because I had gotten a good job there and for a few years I was happy, but then a few years after I graduated college my aunt died suddenly. I wasn't even aware she was sick, but apparently she had lung cancer. She did like to smoke, the real things, not the herbals that are better for your health, but it never occurred to me that she could get cancer from it and suddenly she was gone, my mother's sister that had supported me after I lost my parents.
"As much as I appreciated that she left me all her money that she had saved throughout her life I would rather have had her back again as we talked frequently on the phone and over email. I was suddenly alone in the world with no family and no close friends, so for the next couple of years I just kind of drifted.
"Finally about three years ago I was around 26, I started dating this guy that seemed perfect, but I should have known that was only surface. For several months everything was great I went to work, I came home to him and he seemed like the perfect man. Suddenly though everything changed, I got a raise at work and was so excited, as it was a really big thing for me.
"I went home and told my man about the raise and he went ballistic on me. He demanded that I not accept it or that I quit my job. I managed to talk him down that time, but I couldn't really understand why he had reacted so badly just because I had gotten a raise, something I felt I had earned.
"Finally he revealed one night when he was completely drunk that he didn't like the fact that I made more than he did. He apparently wanted to be the one to support the two of us and didn't want me to work at all, as he saw women like they did way back in the late 17th and early 18th century. He wanted me to simply quit my job, be a housewife, take care of the kids when they eventually came, and perhaps do a little charity work, but in his opinion that was all women were good for."
"I think guess where this is going," Emily winced.
"You're probably right," JJ said soberly. "As you can guess, I threw him out on his ear and told him not to come back until he corrected his thinking as this was the 22nd century. If a woman wanted to be just a housewife, look after the kids, be a soccer mom whatever that was her prerogative and her choice. It wasn't my choice though, as I was a woman of the 22nd century and I had been taught to work for a living and the fact that I loved my job probably helped me reach that decision. All was quiet for a few months, and I was happily thinking about maybe starting to date again when he showed up on my doorstep with flowers. He said he was sorry and what I take him back?"
"Please tell me you didn't fall for that ploy," Dave said totally disgusted at what he was hearing, but kept it to himself, as he was here to support JJ. Besides, it wasn't a JJ he was disgusted with, but her boyfriend before they had met. "It's got to be one of the oldest tricks in the book. The boyfriend apologizes, the woman takes him back and everything goes back to normal for awhile. Then suddenly something else happens to cause the boyfriend to get angry just as he did several months ago only this time he hits her. The woman of course, thinks it was an accident and so forgives him, but then it starts to happen more frequently until she ends up with regular bruises. She of course, says nothing to anyone, because by then the man has her convinced she deserves it and it isn't until the man puts her in the hospital that she finally gives him the boot."
"You're not far off, except for the fact that the first time he hit me I didn't take it to be an accident and I immediately gave him the boot telling him never to come back or speak to me again," JJ admitted. "Everything went back to normal for awhile, except he started to follow me everywhere when I went to the market or shopping or to work. He kept begging me to take him back, told me he was sorry that it wouldn't happen again, but I gave him the brushoff, as I wasn't about to take the chance, since I ended up with a bruise on my cheek last time he hit me supposedly on accident.
"I had been smart and read all about abused women and how it often started, so I knew exactly what kind of man he was. I refused to take him back and I thought that would be the end of it, but it was a couple of months later when I was walking to my car after having been shopping when suddenly he comes out of nowhere and starts to beat on me. He didn't even bother to hide his identity because he figured I wouldn't do anything about it. I was just a weak woman after all, and I would do what he said if I didn't want anymore pain.
"He took this knife out of his pocket and waved it in my face and told me he was going to seriously hurt me for refusing to take him back and he started to slash me across the stomach. It seemed like forever, but really it was only a few minutes when somebody was heard coming in our direction, so he fled like a coward.
"I didn't know what happened after that, as I was mostly unconscious with several broken bones, bruises over more than half my body a couple of cracked ribs and a concussion. What was the worst were the knife wounds, as he had slashed me across the belly deeply several times. I was bleeding badly and I knew I had several broken bones, but somebody found me and called 911. When I woke up I was in a hospital bed, with an IV running out of my arm."
"I want to kill the bastard," Dave growled holding JJ tight.
"So do I," Emily agreed looking just as furious. "No one should treat a woman in that manner, even though I know it happens far too often."
"Well, it has a happy ending," JJ said
"Only if the bastard ended up dead is it a happy ending," Dave said, "but I already know that's not what happens."
"He ends up in prison for life or close enough to a life sentence anyway that he'll be a very old man at the very least before he is released," JJ told Emily. "It turns out that I'm not the only one he did such a number on and one of those women wasn't so lucky, as I was as she ended up paralyzed. The only reason he hadn't been arrested before was because there was no evidence as the guy had scared all the women he had done such damage to into silence."
"I can't blame those women for being afraid," Emily said. "That's never happened to me, but then I learned how to defend myself a long time ago and I also have a very overprotective mate, so it's not like I ever had to look for a boyfriend. Still, the same can't be said for a great majority of females. I've talked to women in similar positions as I worked as a crisis counselor several times, at abuse shelters."
"You're also to observant and intelligent to fall for that particular brand of bullshit. You know how to read people and are more familiar with human nature then most people," Dave said, cuddling her close. "You already had several centuries under your belt, before that became common or at least before it wasn't always behind closed doors."
"Being married also protected me, because once a men knew I was under another man's protection, well, they didn't dare approach me, or at least they didn't if they had violence on their minds," Emily told JJ who nodded. "Back then, it was quite legal for someone like Dave to deal permanently with any man who dared laid a hand on me without my husband's express permission. Being married to a powerful man back then offered you an enormous amount of protection, but today not so much. Today depends on a man's connections, although I suppose that's another kind of power."
"It is, but also today law enforcement is much more competent than it was hundreds of years ago, as they really didn't know anything about crime back and then other than the basic ones like thievery, which has been around for thousands of years," Dave said. "They often had to catch the criminal in the act, or they wouldn't get a conviction due to not enough evidence."
"In any case, the doctors told me that I might not be able to have children, because of the damage that had been done, but it was still a possibility, no matter how slim. They just wanted to warn me in advance. The thought of never having children at that time devastated me as I wanted to marry a good man someday and have at least three or four kids," JJ said. "Dave has given me hope that I might someday have his children, since he told me that turning me Immortal should heal any injuries, so long as the doctors didn't remove my womb, since me being unable to have children was not something I was born with, but caused by an outside source."
"You don't have to go on I already know that you didn't date until you met Dave and I can't really blame you for that," Emily told her giving her a gentle hug. "I'm not exactly sure how I would have reacted if the same thing had happened to me as every person is different in how they react to trauma. If it was me, I likely would've been furious at the person who had beat me so badly, especially if I hadn't done anything to lead him on like so many people claim when a woman gets beaten to a pulp or raped. Oh, those women brought it on themselves, as a lot of people claim they led that man on. Look at how provocatively she dresses, so of course a man is going to attack her like some rabid animal. A lot of people talk like a man isn't guilty in such a situation, like he can't control himself, which is nonsense."
"A load of crap," Dave agreed vehemently.
"I definitely agree with that," Emily said. "If some people had their way we would dress in long sleeves, a high neck and a skirt all the way down to our ankles. We are supposed to cover up our assets like the Puritans or the Amish or a bunch of nuns, just so we don't supposedly provoke a man into raping or attacking us. Even if we did so, it would still happen."
"It doesn't matter," Dave shrugged. "Some people will always be stuck in another time where things were very different than they are today."
JJ gave a watery giggle as the conversation continued and Dave winked at her.
"Unfortunately, humans just weren't wired to behave all the time, so women being raped or murdered or attack like you were happens all the time. We're an imperfect species and that includes Immortals to," Emily said.
Everyone was quiet for a few minutes but then Emily said. "I'm glad you trusted us enough to get all this off your chest as it's not exactly good for you to keep it all bottled up."
"I felt that if I'm going to get involved in a relationship with Dave and you as well, even if our relationship will only be one of friendship, that it was only right if I'm totally honest. You both promised to be honest with me and it's not right if I don't do the same," JJ explained
"Well, good, I'm glad you feel that way as I believe that we need to be totally honest with each other so that there are no misunderstandings. We'll still argue occasionally that's inevitable, but our arguments aren't going to make us leave each other like it might another couple," Dave said. "That doesn't mean I'm not sorry for what happened to you JJ, sorry, that Emily and I didn't find you until recently, as perhaps we could have prevented what happened if we had."
"I don't believe I would have been ready to accept you three years ago," JJ told Dave seriously. "I was even more independent back then I am today and I probably would have rejected your explanation out of hand. I also have a stubborn streak a mile wide, but I didn't use it in the correct way back then. If you had showed up I would've told you to go away I'm sure and even if I didn't I never would have accepted your fantastic story. No, as painful as it was that attack changed me in so many ways, I became more mature and more thoughtful. I became much more cautious around people, men in particular, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I can now see my former boyfriend for what he is, but back then, I was determined to go my own way."
"Well, it's good that we didn't find you until last month then," Dave sighed. "Ilithyia and the gods always have a plan, but I still wish you hadn't had to go through two attacks like that, even if you didn't end up with any broken bones or knife wounds this time."
"It brought me to you, so it was worth it in the end," JJ said.
"I think, it's time for a meal and some lighter conversation," Emily suggested. "You can tell us some more of your history a little later, once we've had a chance to relax."
"That's an excellent suggestion," Dave approved, shooting Emily a grateful look.
"Why don't you tell me all about Immortals, everything," JJ suggested.
"Well, let's order some dinner for us and we can talk about it while we're eating," Dave said smiling. "There's no point of carrying on conversation on empty stomachs."
JJ's stomach growled on cue and she gave in with good grace.
"Anything specific you want?" Dave asked and both Emily and JJ shook their heads. "I'll just order a variety then, that way we all get our fill of various items."
"You mean sampler size portions," Emily said and Dave nodded.
"Exactly," Dave agreed. "I'll just go put the order in right quick, then we can talk about happier subjects."
"Sounds good," JJ said, as she rose from Dave lap, Dave immediately missing her warmth and her presence. "I've got to use the toilet anyway and perhaps, I'll take a quick shower."
"By the time you're done the food will likely be here, especially since it takes you so long to get dressed because of your injuries," Dave said taking out his cell phone.
"I'll help you," Emily offered and JJ nodded, so the two women left Dave to order their dinner while they headed off to the master bathroom that was part of the suite.
~~~Dave, Emily, JJ, Penelope~~~