Hey :) Sorry for taking so long to update this, just had two wisdom teeth out and haven't been feeling great but I hope that this is okay. I hope to get the next chapter back from my Betas next week to put it up so shouldn't take as long this time. I am very sorry about this and promise to not be so lacking in updating in the future.
Anyways a huuuge thank you to Clarinetto14 and RyaJynx for beta'ing this for me. Grammar has never been a strong point and it's invaluable to have other people help me with that and sentence structure so thank you very much, can't say how much I appreciate the help with everything :)
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you made me feel so much better when I've been feeling miserable and ill. So thank you very much to - Mellimon, Daitanro, TwiCloiser89, RyaJynx, bassbella, ashipper2, CharmedNightSkye, liferscove2118 and Clarinetto14. You guys are awesome.
Anyways here's to the next chapter, sorry it's not very Jo/Zane but needed to sort out that 'Zoe problem' :) Also just a question, should Lucas be brought back into the story, or should Zoe be with another character, a OC or just single? Love to hear what you think about that :)
Chapter 4
"Do I really have to wear this suit?" Carter moaned and Jo had to stifle a laugh. Though the situation was serious, she really couldn't help herself. It wasn't so much the full body suit that he was wearing, because she was wearing one too, but more the pouting school boy expression he wore on his face.
They were completing an initial sweep of the underground complex Eva and her brother had worked in and taking measurements of exactly how much of the compound was there that had made Zoe age before their eyes. Jo understood how important it was that the complex be contained. Though they knew how to cure the effects, it was much more logical to prevent the compound ever reaching the water supply.
Allison wore an expression that quite clearly stated that the issue was non-negotiable. "Carter you remember what happened with Zoe when she was infected. I am not prepared to take such a risk with you so you have to wear the suit," she told him firmly. Jo could only imagine what a formidable mother she'd be when Jenna grew up and started bringing boys home and staying out late.
"I was down there for hours with Eva and I was fine. This suit is boiling," he complained. Jo had to sympathise as he pulled at the thick material. Henry and Zane were getting suited up while the three waited together.
It was unusually hot for the time of year but so far Jo merely put it down to global warming. There hadn't been a single sighting of a second sun or anything like last time the temperature had been so out of control. Jo had to count her blessings that it wasn't going to lead to them having to save the world again from a class project gone out of control. And Carter wondered why she hated the school fair so much. Those kids were deadly.
Jo patted Carter's arm and sent him a sympathetic smile "Come on Carter, the last thing you need is to contracted is accelerated ageing. Aren't you already old enough, grandpa?" Jo asked him with a straight face. He pulled a face at her through the plastic mask as Allison laughed. Allison had never let Carter forget how he'd once called her an old brunette.
"Why is it that all the women in my life like to gang up on me? If it isn't you two calling me old, it Ali and Zoe moaning about the toilet seat or it's Jo and Grace criticising my barbecuing skills," Carter moaned and Jo stuck out her lip in a show of fake sympathy remembering all too clearly the afternoon he was mentioning.
"Because it had taken you nearly an hour just to the light the fire and then it was so ineffectual the burgers were one stage away form being put out to pasture. And of course your masculine pride blinded you from seeing that even Fargo was better at it than you," Jo pointed out, remembering exactly how proud Fargo had been at manning the BBQ successfully.
"And," Allison added altering the temperature controls on the two suits as she talked. "We're not ganging up on you, you're just being a baby," she told them finishing the alterations to the suits. Jo sighed in pleasure as she felt the sticky heat of her skin start to dissipate slightly.
Carter stuck his tongue out at them from behind his mask and Jo returned it. Carter was like a big brother and she loved well-meaning teasing. It reminded her of the afternoons she'd spent with her brothers laughing at one another, fishing and eating out by the lake near her town roasting the fish they caught on a roaring fire, when she was growing up.
"Jo, I hope you don't mind the Christening being on Saturday. We wanted to get it out of the way before Eureka is faced with another certain doom situation." Allison asked her and Jo nodded making a mental note to bring the present she'd made to show Grace and Henry when she went to their house for lunch tomorrow. Jo had made a sort of cross between a scrap-book and a time-line/record of Jenna's life's milestone's so far, such as her first word, first smile and first time she held a gun. Foam and chewable but a gun nonetheless, a present from Jo of course. The world always needed a few more kick-ass women in it.
Jo didn't mind helping them plan the Christening on such short notice. She understood how rarely a day went past in Eureka when something didn't require either Carter or Allison's attention. It was just one of the things one had to accept about living in Eureka. Those days had also proved an invaluable life line for Jo when she'd spent all of her free time sitting on the couch in sweats with ice-cream thinking about Zane and feeling sorry for herself. A lack of free time had proved to be a real blessing.
"It's not a problem. It gives me a good excuse to go shopping with Zoe this afternoon." Jo replied. She'd given herself the afternoon off to see her surrogate sister. She felt she deserved it after all the hours she'd put in recently. Plus as soon as Zoe asked her to go shopping Jo couldn't have said no. She wanted to spend as much time with Zoe as she could when she was home and she loved shopping.
"Tell her she isn't allowed anything backless." Carter added and Jo nodded knowing very well that Zoe had her eye of the black, backless number in a store window. Carter would no doubt have a heart attack if she wore It no matter how gorgeous it was. After all Zoe was still his little girl and Jo respected that.
"As much as I hate to disturb your pleasant chit-chat can we please get a move on?" Zane asked as he and Henry walked into the room all suited up and ready to set off. "This suit is hot and I'm experiencing chaffing in some rather intimate areas."
XOX
"Well that's definitely a crack," Zane told the group behind him. He bent down to inspect the floor that sat directly above the town's water supply. It had been the first place they'd visited, careful to avoid any purple, radioactive material on the way.
Carter held a a 3D image of the complex in his hands. It had been recently comprised through 3D imaging but it was merely for Zane's sake. Carter knew exactly where he was going after all. Being guided through a secret underground complex where the first atomic bomb was made by a 107 year-old woman was an experience that a person tended to remember.
Henry bent down to have a look at where Zane was pointing. The two were perched on the side of the storage tank that still held some of the water supplies that had serviced the underground complex when it had been in use . Jo followed the two men with her eyes. Though the crack was no-where near as sizeable as the cracks that had been created by the Instantanium when Eva Thorne had tried to seal the complex, it had still definitely grown since the first initial pictures had been taken.
"Can you tell how fast it's growing?" Allison asked them across the radio comm link. Jo watched as Henry and Zane went about preparing equipment and then using it to measure the width and depth of the crack from a safe distance. The two men looked over the results and had a quick, hushed discussion before replying to Allison.
"The crack isn't deep enough to breech the bottom of the storage tank but it is definitely growing in size. With this data Zane can compare it to the first initial measurements and estimate the time it will take for the crack to deepen to be successfully able to breech the storage tank and contaminate the town's water supply." Henry explained to her and Fargo, who was also listening to the team's findings on the radio link.
"So we still have time to decontaminate the complex and stop any radiation from leaking into the water supply?" Carter asked. Henry nodded and stood up with Zane as the two men gathered their equipment together.
Zane began tapping on the tiny, portable computer that everyone in Eureka seemed to never be without ."I'm running the data now, it shouldn't take long to find out exactly how much time we have left. Of course it's just an estimation, I can't add in every possible factor that could effect the foundation of the complex."
Henry filled a container with the water and screwed the lid on tightly as to ensure that there would be no leakage in the transport to his lab. "I'll take a fresh sample and tell you exactly how much of the radioactive compound there is in the water. From that I should be able to tell how far the compound will spread at a dangerous level and exactly how quickly people will be affected if it does contaminate the water supply."
"Do we know how the storage tank was damaged?" Fargo asked them
"As far as we can tell it was most likely from the miniature earthquakes the town experienced due to the magma pocket that developed underneath due to the illegal diamond farming. The cracks were most likely minuscule when they initially developed however the tank is structurally weak after seventy years of neglect so the cracks have been able to worsen over the last year," Henry explained to Allison and Fargo. Jo was surprised that yet another event that had happened in her time-line had happened here. It was yet another reminder how exactly how similar the time-lines actually were.
"So cross fingers no more earthquakes or logic diamond farms," Carter noted and Jo knew that within Eureka it wasn't impossible that within the next week the town wouldn't be plagued by earthquakes. Nothing was impossible or out of the question in Eureka.
"So what's the plan if the water supply is contaminated?" Zane asked. Henry grinned at him gesturing for Zane to follow him to another room.
Jo swept her eyes over the bomb surprised that something so small could wipe away millions of lives. She would always serve her country but her stance on weapons capable of wiping out entire civilisations was far more complicated. She could appreciate the need for nuclear weapons but after seeing the devastation they could ravage she hated the need for them.
Zane looked somewhat disbelieving and bent down to closer inspect the weapon. Henry handed him the notebooks detailing it's design and conception. Zane had never known Eva, not like they had. In this time-line she had never been sent to Eureka and they were still unaware of her current location or if in this reality she'd become to the same rapid ageing as her brother. So unlike them Zane had no idea of the legacy he was currently holding in his hands, a band of brave, great men's attempts at righting their wrongs and saving others.
"The men who created this complex created the first atomic bomb using radioactive material from meteorites. The weapon however created bariogenic radiation leading to the creation of the element that caused the rapid ageing that killed them. They spent their last days trying to neutralise the element and this bomb was the solution." Henry explained as Zane flicked through the notebook that he'd been handed.
"So the bomb releases non-bariogenic radiation? To counter the effects of the rapid ageing?" Zane asked. Henry nodded as Zane continued to inspect the bomb with the eager excitement of a child being given a new toy to play with.
"And so therefore if worst comes to worst and the water supply is contaminated then we need you to ensure that bomb is in working order and available to deploy as soon the contamination is detected." Henry finished and Zane nodded, no doubt already planning how to best achieve his goal.
"See why we need you on the team Zane?" Allison asked him over the radio link. Zane nodded, a bright smile covering his face. That particular smile that Jo would have a few weeks ago considered unbearably smug. But now she could see was it wasn't smugness or inflated ego but more just a confidence in his abilities, a confidence that was not unfounded. He caught her eye and smiled. She quickly looked away.
"Don't worry captain, you can count on me."
XOX
Zane looked up from his desk to see Fargo standing next to it with a nervous smile on his face. Zane frowned knowing that as Head of GD, Fargo probably had lots of work to do. He'd never envied the position, he was far too laid back to ever be in charge. Even so Zane had his own work to do; reading through the blue prints to the bomb underneath Eureka. He cleared his throat.
"Can I help you Fargo?" Zane asked him. Fargo was jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of Zane's voice. His hands were linked together but Zane could see them twitching restlessly.
"Umm, I was just wondering if you had the data on the crack in the storage pool for me?" Fargo asked him and Zane couldn't help but be even more confused by his boss' strange behaviour.
"I had a copy sent to your desk an hour ago" He said. Fargo let out an embarrassed laugh and reached a hand to the back of his head but still didn't make a move to retrieve the report or ask Zane for a summary of his findings. It was clear that cracks and potential radioactive leaks were the last thing on his mind. "Fargo, do you need something else?" he asked. As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders Fargo let out a large sigh of relief and all but fell into the chair opposite to Zane.
"I have a date." Fargo explained and Zane leaned across the desk to pat him on the back.
"Well done." Zane couldn't help but notice that Fargo looked more like he just delivered the news that his aunt had died rather than he had a date. "You don't look very happy about it."
Fargo looked up at him "I'm just going to mess it up. I always do. I'm socially awkward and I'll end up saying something retarded and Claudia will just laugh at me. Women always do." He explained sadly. Zane had to control his laughter. It was cruel but he'd have never guessed that Fargo would have chosen him as some sort of dating coach. Perhaps the two of them had been better friends than they were currently in the alternate reality or where ever they had come from. But he'd do his best.
"Look, I saw the two of you together and how well you got on. She agreed to go out with you after she'd spent a large quantity of time with you so that's a good sign." Fargo's expression turned both sheepish and embarrassed.
"Actually she asked me." Fargo confessed and bowed his head in shame. Zane frowned at his reaction not understanding why he was viewing that as such a bad thing.
"So? That means that she really wants to go on a date with you if she asked. When are the two of you going out?" Zane asked him wondering when he'd ever qualified, with his one long-term relationship that had ended disastrously, to give anyone even Fargo relationship advice.
"She's been invited to the Christening on Saturday and she asked if I wanted to grab some food afterwards," Fargo explained "But I just know that it'll be a disaster. I always am with women."
"It's simple. Be a gentleman and be yourself. She likes you for you so don't go trying to be someone else to impress her. Never works and even if it does it would never work for the long term. Take her a gift something personal, something that shows you've been thinking about her since she asked you to meet her. Just don't try to hard because then it won't go well, she wants to spend time with you so let her do that," Zane instructed him trying to fight off the image of taking Jo on a date, and fixed Fargo with a firm stare. "Just don't over-do it. Be keen but not too keen. Women don't like their date's to look as if their just grateful that a woman's giving them any time at all. Trust me."
Fargo paused for a moment and then sent him a grateful and relieved smile. "That actually makes a lot of sense, though I'm going to have to think of what to buy her. Thank you Zane." Zane flashed him a bright grin which was quickly wiped away by Fargo's next question. "Who are you taking as your date to the Christening?"
Zane thought for a moment though he knew exactly who he'd take. But there was no way Jo would go with him alternate reality proposal or not. As she said they were just friends and he wasn't sure if she'd want to be his friend when he finally talked to Zoe. Which was unfortunate as it was Jo that was all he could think about.
"I don't know. I guess I'll just go on my own." Zane answered. Fargo tried and failed to hide his pride that he had a date while the notorious womaniser would be going alone. But he quickly focused back on Zane and probably because he felt he owed him something, proceeded to try and give him advice.
"Why don't you ask Jo?" Fargo suggested. Zane forcefully kept all traces of emotion off of his face. Though it seemed everyone could recognise his changing feelings for Jo he didn't want to broadcast them. Especially when they all probably knew that Jo had been all but engaged to his superior, alternate self.
"Me and Jo are just friends Fargo." Zane reminded him, though he wasn't too sure of exactly who he was reminding of the fact – Fargo or his over-active, Jo Lupo focused imagination.
Fargo fixed him with an uncomfortably perceptive stare "Are you really nothing more than friends?" he asked. Zane had to look away from his questioning stare, worried that Fargo would see through him and to the fact of his changing emotions, the truth he'd gained from the photo, the kiss they'd shared and the one they almost had.
Zane couldn't think of a reply. His silence said everything.
XOX
"Come on old man, is that the best you can do?" Jo demanded as she studied the shot that Carter had just taken. She quickly pressed the button and had the target sheet brought to them so she could inspect the hole he'd just made. It was on the outer ring, no where near the middle.
"Not all of us can graduate first from our class at West point Josefina," he retorted and she shrugged. It was true after all. Carter had admitted that she was far better than him when he'd let her take the shot at Fargo's heart when he'd been encased in the personal force field several years ago. It didn't mean however that she couldn't tease him about it though.
"And to think they placed a lousy shot like you as Sheriff when they could have had me." She told him with a sigh. Carter ruffled her hair and pushed her slightly off balance. Carter was the only person, apart from her dad, who was allowed to ruffle her hair without loosing a hand. Just another piece of proof of exactly how much she respected him.
"Aww Jo, you can't knock perfection like this," he told her gesturing to himself as he moved a hand up and down the space just in front of his body. Jo snorted as she gathered up the guns that she'd been using that afternoon. Jo had in fact seen Carter naked, thanks to getting himself doused in radiative waste, and though she would never admit it he didn't have a bad body. But she could happily live with never seeing him naked again regardless.
The two of them got started on packing their guns away so that Jo could be on time to meet Zoe to go shopping. They had had a free hour after they had gotten out of the underground complex and Jo had appreciated the chance to blow off some steam. She'd been spending more time with Zane over the last week since they'd decided to be friends. Drinks here, dinner there and it was forcing her to constantly re-evaluate her opinion of and her relationship with this Zane. And she didn't like what she was seeing.
She wasn't just starting to like this Zane but she looked forward to seeing him, craved spending time with him and it wasn't helping her resolution to get over him in the least. And all she could feel was annoyed at herself for falling for this Zane and guilt for doing this to Zoe. Though technically they hadn't done anything since that afternoon in the Sheriff's Office, she still felt riddled with guilt. It was perhaps the reason she couldn't wait to treat Zoe to an expensive designer dress this afternoon.
"You, umm, and Zane have been spending a lot of time together." Carter said suddenly and Jo quickly turned to look at him. She saw how uncomfortable he was and knew that Allison had put him up to talking to her. In a way she felt sorry for him, as he was obviously uncomfortable, but on the other hand, also annoyed because she didn't particularly want to talk about Zane. "Which is very good cause I think Zoe's cooling on the whole idea of her and Zane."
"Carter, Zane isn't going to take advantage of her any more. I think he realised he was taking it all a bit far," Jo explained, wondering why she was so quick to defend Zane when his actions with Zoe made her want to punch him in the face for being such a bastard.
"Good. I'm not saying he's a bad guy but he's far too old for her. And then there's you..." Carter replied and Jo stared at him wondering if Carter knew exactly how involved she was with this Zane now. She hadn't even told Allison about the kiss and the night he'd spent looking after her.
"We're just friends" Jo quickly replied and she could hear the defensive tones in her own voice. She was only making herself look as guilty as she'd been feeling over the last week.
"I'd believe that if I didn't keep catching the glances that the two of you send each other when you think no one else is looking. I'm not that unobservant Jo," he told her and she knew she'd have to quickly cut him off before falling into another deep conversation about herself and Zane like she had with Allison. And the best way to do that was with Allison.
"Like the looks you used to send Allison when you thought her and Stark weren't looking? I am really happy for you two. It took you long enough to get you act together and ask her out." Jo commented back and she felt relief wash over her at the contented smile that spread across his face.
"Thanks. And you know the best things come to those who wait," he replied and Jo was content that he'd been successfully disarmed. "I know you probably don't agree but I actually wouldn't change the time-line shift. I haven't been this happy since I first married my ex-wife. Being with Allison, Jenna, Kevin and Zoe it's like I've been given a second chance at having a family and with all of you. I can't help but be grateful for that."
Jo looked down, trying her best to put a bright smile on her face. "Carter, don't worry about me. I'm happy." He didn't look convinced, though if the roles were reversed she wouldn't have been convinced by her act either. "I have all of you and it makes me happy to see you and Allison so happy, and Grace and Henry. I mean even Fargo has a sort-of girlfriend here."
"Jo it's okay not to be perfect and happy all the time. No one would argue that you didn't get the worst deal out of this. And no-one would expect you just to stop loving Zane," Carter told her softly and she found that she couldn't look at him. If she did she'd just break down and admit everything to him. "Me and Ali just want you to be as happy as us."
Jo cleared her throat and stood up slinging her gun case over her shoulder and smoothing her suit. "Shall we get going? I have to meet Zoe." Carter nodded getting up as well, though he obviously knew she was just avoiding the conversation.
As the two of them made their way to the exit Carter wrapped an arm briefly around her shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze. "You know how much I care about you, don't you Jo?" he asked and just like when she'd be asked to be Jenna's godmother she felt tears filling her eyes. She quickly blinked them away and elbowed ever so lightly in the side
"And I care about you too you sentimental old man."
XOX
Zane expected to see Fargo at his door when he heard someone knock; no doubt hankering after some more relationship advice. But when he looked up from the blue prints he'd enlarged and was pouring up he was surprised to see Zoe before remembering he'd left her a message to come and talk to him when she could.
And even though he'd had a week to prepare he still wasn't ready for this particular conversation.
"So what was so important that I had to come and see you at work?" Zoe ask him and he could still see the ice in her face. Zoe hadn't forgiven him for pushing her away and he had no idea when she'd actually start talking to him again after he'd told her they had to end whatever was going on between them.
"Zoe can you sit down? We need to talk," he said. She sat down opposite him, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at him.
"So talk." He took a deep breath, wishing he was anywhere else but here in his office having to get himself out of the hole he dug with Zoe. He'd promise Jo and Grace that he wouldn't hurt her more than he had too so that would be what he'd do.
"Zoe I think you're great and I really like spending time with you. But I don't think us having a relationship is a good idea. There's the age gap and if you're spending time with me you can't fix things with Lucas. And the two of you were great together. Zoe I'm so sorry but I think we should stay friends. The last thing that I want to do is hurt you and loose you as a friend for good," Zane explained feeling more and more like an incorrigible bastard with every word.
Zoe was silent and then fury filled her face. "You're DUMPING ME?" Zoe shouted at him and he hoped that his office was as sound proof as he'd been assured.
"Well technically we aren't dating," he told her but he realised that he'd said the wrong thing as he saw her eyes widen ever more in anger. Though he had to admit he could handle anger better than he could handle tears. Upset women had never been his forte and he left a long trail of them in his dating history.
"Who is she?" Zoe demanded from him her voice low and controlled. Zane was momentarily confused.
"What?" he asked her, a frown on his face though if it were possible Zoe had started to seem even more angry. She was pursing her lips so tightly together that they were slowly turning white as her nails dug into the arms of the chair she was sat in.
"Well there must be someone else Zane. You liked me and you can't pretend that you didn't. And now you just want us to be friends? So tell me, who is she? Who have you met that's so much better than me?" she asked him and he recoiled from the hatred in her voice. He would in that moments preferred that she were screaming at him.
"There isn't anyone else Zoe," he assured her but he knew he was lying. Of course there was someone else but how could he explain the situation between Jo and himself to her? He wasn't entirely lying, he wasn't leaving her for Jo. He couldn't have a relationship with anyone until he figured this whole thing with Jo and the entire alternate reality. But then again he couldn't deny that he wanted to be around Jo, that he wanted to make her happy and to kiss her. But he would never tell Zoe that because he cared about her and that would just hurt her far more than was necessary.
"My dad warned me, told me you were too old. I'd watched you myself dating girl after girl but I'd honestly thought that you'd changed. I really had. I guess you're just the selfish jerk you always were. God, Jo was right about you," she told him and he could see tears beginning to brim in her eyes and he had to look away. He'd done this to her and he felt like the biggest jerk in the world.
"Zoe you're one of my closest friends. I really care about you and I hate that I let this go so far and ended up hurting you Zoe. I'm so sorry." As he speak he could see the first tear start to make it's way down her cheek.
She stood up and fixed him with a tear filled gaze. "Zane you aren't my friend," she informed him. She then turned her back on him and walked out leaving Zane to think over what he'd just done.
He really was a selfish jerk. No wonder Jo had hated him so much. Things had to change but first he needed to talk to Jo.
XOX
"I HATE men!" was the first thing out of Zoe's mouth as she walked up to Jo. She was waiting for her outside the dress shop and it didn't take her long to figure out that Zoe had been crying. It seemed like Zane had finally ended things with Zoe and as usual Jo was yet again cleaning up Zane Donovan's mess. Just like she'd been doing barley less than a week before.
"Aww sweetie." Jo sighed and wrapped the younger blonde in her arms. Zoe didn't start to cry again but buried her face in Jo's chest. Jo stroke a hand through her hair remembering her own younger days and those first few heartbreaks. Everything had been so more painful and devastating when amplified by youth.
"Zane dumped me." Zoe explained, her voice muffled by Jo's shirt. Though it hadn't been hard for Jo to guess what had upset Zoe so much, especially as Zane himself had told her that he was planning in breaking things off before they got more serious.
"Honey it's probably for the best. Zane isn't good enough for you. You can do so much better than him, you're so beautiful and lovely. There's someone amazing out there for you Zoe." Jo assured her as Zoe pulled away from her. Jo brushed a strand of tear soaked blonde hair behind her ear. Jo wished she'd had an older sister to talk to when she'd been younger and in the same situation rather than her brothers who'd given her a beer and taken her hunting. And people wondered why she ended up the way she was.
Zoe nodded and rubbed the last traces of tears from his face "I'm just humiliated because I honestly thought that he liked me. But I know I'm hot. His loss right?" Zoe asked her smiling but Jo recognised the smile of a woman trying her hardest to pretend to be happy and upbeat.
"Definitely. Zoe, don't be humiliated or beat yourself up about this. This is totally Zane's issues. But now maybe you can call Lucas?" Jo suggested tentatively but she was unable to read Zoe's reaction because she'd turned her face away from her. As far as Jo could tell Zoe and Lucas were on a 'break'. But that seemed like a roundabout way of saying they were just burying their problems and ignoring them.
"I know I need to talk to him but I just don't know what to say. Things changed so much when we went to college. It's hard when you're always trying to find time to talk around both our classes and when we did talk we just ended up snapping at each other. It wasn't fun any more." Jo sighed remembering her first love and real relationship that had been consumed by their careers in the Special Forces and Army Rangers respectively even though they'd known each other all their lives. While in reality it hadn't been that simple, it was essentially the same problem.
"You knew things weren't going to be easy. Living apart never is. But you do need to talk to him Zoe. Tell him how you've been feeling and see how he feels. You two were great together and if you do just carrying on ignoring this and leaving things unresolved you won't have a relationship to salvage even if you wanted too," Jo explained, hoping that the advice she was giving made sense. She'd never had much need before she'd met Zoe to give female advice. People had only really asked her things such as how best to clean their guns. The closest she'd ever come to things like this before Zoe came to Eureka was when she'd taught the self defence class for female staff at GD.
"But how could I tell him about Zane? Things with Zane were suppose to be simple but that didn't work," Zoe said sadly. Jo wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She'd do anything to make Zoe feel better but that involved talking to Lucas. Though Zoe would never say it, Jo could see how much she missed him and how miserable the stalemate between them was making her. This with Zane was only adding fuel to an already burning fire.
"You just need to tell him the truth. He doesn't deserve to be lied too." Jo paused for a moment and studied the younger woman. "Was that why you wanted to date Zane, because it was fun?" Jo asked. Zoe shrugged before answering.
"At first yeah but I really started to like him, Jo. Being with him was like it was with Lucas in the beginning. It made me happy and he made me laugh. I just loved being with him." Jo could tell she was once more on the verge of tears so she tightened her arm around her.
Jo needed to change the subject, not only to save Zoe any more tears but also because she couldn't hear how happy Zane had made Zoe because it could have been her talking about Zane at one time. And she was quite eager to ignore how happy and how much the new Zane made her laugh recently. Zoe needed her support and she had to give it to her. She couldn't afford to be dwelling on her Zane, feeling sorry for herself and then feeling guilty over her relationship with the new one. Zoe had come to her for help and Jo was damn well going to give it to her regardless of her own jumbled emotions.
"Do you really want to go shopping or do you want me to by use ice-cream and go back to my place, relax on the couch and watch movies? I'll even pick ones with lots of shooting, perfect to cheer you up after something like this," Jo asked her but Zoe shook her head and sent her the brightest smile she could muster, wiping a hand across her eyes to brush away any stray moisture.
"No. I want to go shopping and get a hot dress for Saturday so I can show Zane exactly what he's missing out on." Zoe told her. At that thought Jo swore she could see a little bit more animation in her eyes. Zoe opened the shop door and Jo followed her in.
Zoe, as predicted, when straight for the backless black number but Jo quickly shook her head. "No. I know you've been hurt but you have no idea how much your dad would hurt me if I bought you that dress."
Zoe rolled her eyes and handed the hanger over to Jo. "It isn't for me. You should try it on; it'll look so cute on you"
Jo took it and held it for a moment. The Christening was only three days away but could she really work up the courage in those days to wear something like that? She loved dresses but she'd never been one for revealing dresses and this was very revealing. Zoe tilted her head towards the changing rooms before heading towards the racks herself. Jo closed the curtain behind her and slowly undressed slipping the black dress over her head.
Zoe was right. It looked good. It fitted her perfectly and flowed over her curves and while it was revealing it wasn't sluttish. But still, could she really wear that in front of people, in front of Zane? She stepped out and Zoe was waiting for her. Zoe herself looked beautiful in a red dress with a fitted top and a floaty net skirt that rested just above her knees. As she saw Jo Zoe grinned pointing to a mirror.
"Jo, you look hot," Zoe commented coming to stand next to her.
"You look beautiful." Jo told her and meant it even with her red-rimmed eyes. Next to Zoe Jo felt incredibly uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to get changed.
"I know. This will teach Zane Donovan to dump me," Zoe stated happily and if sensing Jo's thoughts turned to her "You are not putting that back. It's looks amazing." Zoe assured her and Jo knew there was no point arguing with a determined Zoe Carter.
So Jo relented buying both the black and the red dress, even though she knew she had to wear the dress at home to get used to it before stepping out in public. After buying the dresses Jo took Zoe to Café Diem to get ice cream and lunch. Inside the two women sat down to eat their meals and Jo couldn't help but apologise to Zoe even though Zoe was entirely oblivious to Jo's part in Zane's choice to end things between them.
"Zoe, I am really sorry that things didn't work out between you and Zane. If you need me you can come and stay at my place tonight and we can have a girl night." Jo told her and Zoe smiled at her swallowing the mouthful of ice-cream she had before replying.
"Thanks Jo, I'm so glad I have you to look out for me. I don't know what I'd do without you." Zoe hugged Jo briefly before returning to her ice-cream. Jo felt like pulling at her hair and crying as yet more waves of guilt covered her like thick blanket. How could she do this to Zoe? She had to tell her the truth but she couldn't, she was too selfish. She'd lost Zane and so she couldn't loose Zoe.
But how could she live with the guilt that consumed her especially when deep down she couldn't help but feel some happiness and relief underneath the anger and sadness that Zane had chosen to end things with Zoe. And Jo despised herself for it.
XOX
"So you're the one who I have to thank for the sobbing, angry teenager I was delivered this afternoon," Jo commented. Zane looked up from the new site he'd been reading on his PDA to see her standing next to him hands on her hips, eyebrows raised but a hint of a smile on her face. He let out a relieved sigh before moving the bag off of the seat next to him so she could sit down. She didn't look so mad that she'd inflict any pain on him any time soon.
"I did my best not to hurt her any more than I had to as promised. I just wish that I'd never been such an idiot and used her like that. Zoe's a great girl and the last thing I ever wanted to do was what I did to her this afternoon." Zane explained to her as Jo accepted the drink Vincent passed her.
"Well that shows just how much of an idiot you are. How did you think it was going to end? Men!" Jo rolled her eyes and Zane nudged her with his shoulder, pouting his lip and furrowing his brow in a mock look of outrage on behalf of his gender.
"Look I agree that I'm a complete and total idiot. I should have never taken advantage of Zoe but I did as you and Grace told me, I ended it as soon as I realised that we wanted different things. I could have let it carry on for longer to avoid the whole unpleasant scene this afternoon but I couldn't do that to Zoe. Would she really have been happy with a boyfriend who'd only started dating her because he didn't want to end things and hurt her?" Zane asked her and it was only as she downed her drink in once swift motion and turned to him he realised that she was drinking Ouzo.
"I'm not mad at you Zane. Well I am but not for ending things with Zoe. She didn't deserve to be strung along, she deserves someone who loves her rather than someone whose only with her for an easy life. Is there any chance we can just have a quiet drink? Thanks to you my relaxing shopping afternoon was everything but relaxing." Zane felt guilty that he'd caused problems for Jo to deal with.
"Well I'll get you a drink to make up for it," Zane said looking at the empty shot glass by her hands. He was suddenly hit by an idea "Hey, want to have some fun?" he asked her. She raised her eyebrows as high as she possibly could.
"I am not getting naked. Not in public and before you ask, not in private either," she told him with a serious tone and he laughed at the idea of Jo suddenly just getting naked in the middle of Cafe Diem. Though he couldn't help but want to see her naked, he wasn't too keen on everyone else seeing her naked as well.
"I was thinking more of playing a game, like truth and dare but we each get to ask the other any questions we want." He quickly saw the alarm on her face and sought to calm her fears. After all as much as he wanted to know how Jo had hopped dimensions he also wanted to know about her and her background "and I promise I won't ask anything I've already asked you previously so you don't need to get all defensive again."
Jo thought it over for a long moment and then twitched the corner of her mouth into a small smile "Get some drinks then. I'm not doing this sober." He grinned getting Vincent to bring them over several rounds of shots which they downed in quick succession, ouzo for her and whiskey for him and he couldn't help but smile at the look of pride on her face when she finished hers before him.
She fixed him with a solid stare. "Guess I'll start. How many women have you actually dated?" she asked him and he felt almost like recoiling from her words. Jo wasn't messing around.
"Ouch Jo, tough question. Women I've go on a few dates with? Quite a lot. Women I've actually dated? That would be one," He told her and he could tell from the suddenly intrigued expression on her face that she wanted to know more but it wasn't her turn. Either her Zane had had a different past to him, which was of course possible, or hadn't been much of a sharer when it came to his past "My turn. Did you always want to be a kick-ass ranger?"
She looked briefly sad before looking back to him "No. Until I was thirteen I wanted to be a ballet dancer. I could have been to, I'd won a early scholarship to the American School of Ballet. But I went to West Point. End of story." Jo said and Zane didn't for a moment believe that that was all the explanation as to why Jo had so changed the path of her future from Ballet to Guns but it was her turn. "Why did things end with girl you were dating?"
He thought for a moment, careful to keep his mood and tone light. "We wanted different things. As you know I didn't flourish in the school environment and I was never going to be the picture perfect husband. You know me, trouble has a habit of following me where ever I go. In the end she wanted this perfect life with the high flying career, which she has now incidentally, and she couldn't become a federal judge by the time she was 30 with a delinquent, drop-out fraudster with a criminal record for a husband. So it was me or her career and I guess I wasn't number one choice," he explained to her and for the first time talking about it didn't bring up a vaguely hollow pain in his chest.
"Why did you quit ballet?" he asked her hoping he'd satisfied her curiosity over his past dating habits for now, even though he felt somewhat guilty over lying to her. Things hadn't been that simple but this was supposed to be fun and he didn't want to bore Jo to death.
"My mom killed herself and after that I didn't get much support on the ballet front from an all male household. I didn't want to carry on any way not without her." Jo told him and Zane had no idea what to say to her. Her gaze remained level, even though he couldn't help but want to hold her after such an confession. But she didn't even falter. "Most entertaining sexual fantasy?"
Zane was shocked at the quick turn of tone but it didn't take a genius to realise she wanted off the topic of ballet and her mom even though he was a genius. He grinned at her, "Wonder Woman. you know with the whole sexy, strong ass-kicking Amazonian vibe she had going on. I kinda always wanted to be lassoed and restrained by her though trust me suggesting to a girl to dress up and try and lasso a naked, drunk man as he pretends to rob your house and punish him Lynda Carter style doesn't go down too well." Jo laughed at him much as his girlfriend had done at the time but she'd been honest with him even though as far as sexual fantasies went it wasn't that bad, at least he didn't want anyone to dress up as a gorilla and then lick his toes or anything. "Most inappropriate sex dream" he asked her and she handed him another handful of shots that Vincent had brought them hopefully after the naked lassoing admission.
Jo downed her drinks and then grinned at him and he could see a shy turn in her lips but he'd never seen Jo back down from a challenge whether that be fireballs raining from the sky or a silly, drunken game of twenty questions "I had a dream about Allison once and no, I am not going into details so nip that question in the bud mister. I'd been watching a lot of television and the L Word so I blame that." Jo explained and Zane was once again left speechless by her candid honesty. Allison and Jo? Woah, part of his body was way too interested in that. "How did you loose your virginity and how old were you?" she asked him and for the first time Zane was tempted not to answer. Everyone expected him to have been a womaniser since he was a teenager but that was sadly not the case.
But then she'd just told him about her sex dream about Allison, how could he chicken out after that and not loose any respect she had for him? The answer was he couldn't so he had to answer her as embarrassing as it was "We'd known each other since we were kids but we lost touch when I went to MIT. We met up again when I went home after the last time I was expelled and she took pity on me. I hadn't had a girlfriend or even a date and she felt sorry for me. So that was how I lost my virginity through a pity hook-up. How did it go? Terrible but then again not that terrible as it some how led her to date me for quite a long time. My age? I was twenty. Not what you expected from the serial womaniser huh?" he asked her and she shook her head and Zane couldn't help but hope that perhaps after this she wouldn't see him as so much of a serial bastard to women as she'd always accused him of being "And you?"
She turned her head to the side and thought for a moment "It's very cliché. I was an angry sixteen year-old and he was the school quarter-back who'd had a lot of wine coolers with him. It was a stupid mistake and the worse thing about it? He wouldn't even look at me in the corridors the day after, I guess I wasn't cool enough," she answered and Zane was dumbfounded. How could anyone not be proud to even be allowed to touch Jo Lupo let alone have sex with her? Like most quarter-backs the guy was a jerk and an idiot. And perhaps blind as well "Why didn't you have a date till you were twenty?" she asked him and Zane cursed the evil grin she had on her face. At least his mother wasn't here, she'd have just shown her a picture of him aged twenty as explanation.
"Ever seen an over-weight twenty year-old guy with braces, acne, back acne and a Star Trek bedroom who was also fluent in Klingon? Thought not but trust me if you had you wouldn't have been queuing up to date him either," he explained as she tried, and failed, to hide her giggles behind her hands as she all but had to clutch her sides in laughter at his answer. She was getting drunk but so was he or he wouldn't have been this honest. That would be what ten or so shots did to a person as Jo had kept a steady stream of alcohol obviously too embarrassed to continue with the game without it. At least he was sober enough to withhold the information that at his mom's house he still had the same Star Trek décor in his room or that he was still a fluent speaker. She would never let him live that one down "Most interesting place you've ever had sex?"
She pondered for a moment before settling on an answer "In a tank. In enemy territory. While surrounded by hostiles," she answered and Zane laughed. Only Jo would have that particular answer but though he had had several unsettling dreams about her recently involving her, the cell where'd he'd first met her (or her desk. It was interchangeable), handcuffs and a Wonder Woman costume. Not quite a tank but near enough. Not that it would ever become a reality. "What would you like your perfect woman to be like?" she asked him studying his face.
He thought about it for a moment. The question was surprisingly easy, he'd heard so many other people describe the attributes they wanted in a woman; smart, beautiful, funny and caring. But not a single word of the answers he'd heard over the years left his mouth, instead he'd regretted his answer as soon as it had left his mouth. "You."
For a moment Jo didn't move or say anything and then suddenly what he'd said dawned on her and Zane felt like slapping himself. He had vowed not to let Jo know how confused he was and about his changing feelings towards her, not when he'd been involved with Zoe and Jo had been in love with an obviously superior version of himself and only wanted to be his friend in this reality. He blamed it on the alcohol even though he'd already proved himself a world class idiot.
Jo stood up quickly and she swayed for a moment on the spot but quickly steadied herself and grabbed her coat looking anywhere but at him. "I, umm, have to go. Nice to see you Zane," she told him quickly. He stood up as well, realising that he was more drunk than he'd realised even after his admission.
"Jo you don't have to leave," he told her trying to think of a way in his head to take back what he'd said or even just brush it away as a drunk comment. The last thing he wanted her to do was to stop being his friend, because then she'd never trust him and he'd never know the truth. Though in that moment he was more concerned with her no longer trusting him than loosing the answers he'd been so determined to find before he'd really gotten to know this Jo.
She was already walking away from him towards the door "I'm sorry Zane. I'll see you around." she replied hurriedly and with that she gone. Zane all but slammed his forehead down into the counter cursing himself and his stupidity.
"Well that didn't seem to end well," Vincent noted and Zane looked up from the counter top to see him watching the door that Jo had just eagerly ran out of. "What did you do this time?" Vincent asked him and Zane sighed watching the dark silhouette of Jo entirely disappear into the shadows of the street.
"I think I might have just made the most hugely idiotic mistake ever." Zane answered wondering how he'd so easily shown to her how his feelings had changed when hers towards him had obviously not changed to that great of a degree. He couldn't be her version of him and so she'd never want him. She wanted the other him and he couldn't change that as much as he hated the fact. Zane was jealous of himself as stupid as it was.
"Any ideas how to fix whatever you've done to upset her like that?" Vincent asked but Zane merely shook his head no, turning his gaze away from the door and to Vincent's face.
"Honestly Vincent? I have no idea." Zane admitted. Vincent sighed and thought over the predicament that Zane and his big mouth had gotten him into this time.
"Well I do hope you two kiss and make up soon" Vincent replied and Zane grinned suddenly knowing exactly what he was going to do. Just like Vincent said, kiss and make-up. Hopefully literally.
"Vincent you're a genius. That's the best idea I've heard in ages."