Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: 1997

"Don't make me punch you!"

"That's the point, Jojo. That's why it's called boxing."

"I thought that was why you used a punching bag. But you work just as well." He rolled his eyes and struck; she ducked, knocking his feet out from under him. He landed on his back on the practice mat, and as she leaped over him, he grabbed her ankle, pulling until she fell, landing partially on top of him. "Ow! What the hell, Zanie!" She snapped, reaching back to grab her head. When she opened her eyes, it was to Zane on top of her, pinning her down.

"Actually, I was wrong. It's Aikado, not boxing." He quickly kissed her nose and moved to get up, when she manuevered and threw him onto his back, so that she was straddling him. She caught her breath, tossing her black ponytail over her hair, as beads of perspiration ran down her olive skin and dampened the black sports bra she wore. Slowly, Zane's hands roved over the hard washboard of her stomach, tracing over the small freckles and marks that defined Jo's petite body. His fingers brushed against the naval piercing she'd gotten at thirteen- Dad had flipped out when he saw it and grounded his daughter for weeks afterwards. The small blue-stoned heart dangled, over her soft skin, and Zane gently pressed a kiss to the body jewelry. He couldn't imagine a time when Jo didn't have the piercing, and often enjoyed running his fingers over it after sex. "So, movies and popcorn tonight, like always? Which ones? Texas Chainsaw or Nightmare on Elm Stree?" She wrinkled her nose.

"Neither. I have a date."

"What?" Zane's surprise perked up, and he lifted his head. "With who?" She shrugged, a sly smile on her face. "You aren't gonna tell me, are you?" Quickly, Jo licked her lips.

"Why should I? It's not like you two have anything in common, anyway."

"Um, yeah, we do, actually. You. Where did you meet him?" She bit her lip.

"At The Point. We were in the same history class." Zane raised an eyebrow.

"What's his name?" She rolled her eyes, knowing he wouldn't let it go until he knew the guy's name.

"Eric. Eric Brogan." She replied, climbing off him and standing. Zane was on his feet instantly, grabbing her hand as she removed her gloves.

"Have you slept with him?" Her temper flared.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Zane? You're acting like a jealous boyfriend!"

"I just want to know, okay? Don't you think I deserve the right to know if another guy is sleeping with my girl?" He demanded. She yanked away from him.

"'Your girl'? Since when have I been 'your girl', Zane? Not since you started dating Deena-"

"That again? God, Jojo! Deena and I broke up months ago!"

"Why?" She demanded, small hands on her hips. "Because you couldn't imagine being tied down?"

"No, because I told her that I was sleeping with the girl I love!" He snapped. Jo reared back as though struck, surprise in her dark eyes.

"Whoa."

"What did you say?" Both turned, to see her two older brothers in the doorway of the small dojo their mother had added to the plans when she designed the house. Jo instantly paled, and ducked her head. "Josie, are you... Zane... are you... are you two really..." Davie stammered, unable to form complete sentences as he entered the dojo.

"What our truly articulate brother is trying to say, Josie, is, are you sleeping with our baby sister, Zane?" Luca asked, leaning against the doorjam, arms crossed. Jo and Zane shared a heated glance. A whole conversation passed between the eighteen-year-olds within the span of a few short seconds; secret languages exchanged and messages transferred. Those simple looks told the boys all they needed to know.

"How long?" Davie asked, hands on his hips. Jo swallowed, and refused to meet her brother's eyes.

"Since... since we were... fourteen." Jo whispered, glancing again at Zane.

"Fourteen?" Davie asked, shock filling his dark eyes. "Three years? You've been sleeping together for three years? When were you going to tell us?"

"Never." Zane ventured softly.

"Never what?" All four slowly turned to see James and Tessa in the doorway, groceries in their arms, mainly for the barbacue they were going to fix that night to celebrate Jo's graduation from the Point. Tense silence filled the air, and Tessa looked from her son to Jo and back. "What's going on?"

"Your son has been sleeping with our baby sister, Mrs. Donovan." Davie said, calling Tessa by her married name for the first time in years. Tessa glanced at James, who was just as shocked at the news as she was.

"Excuse me?" But Jo pushed through the adults before anyone could say another word and rushed into the kitchen. And that was where everyone found her, sitting on the floor, face buried in her knees. James set down the groceries and knelt next to his only daughter.

"Are you all right, Josefina?" She nodded, meeting her father's eyes.

"Yeah, Daddy, I just... I just got lightheaded and needed to splash water on my face. It's nothing big. Not as bad as the last few weeks have been."

"Weeks?" Tessa choked out, turning to her son. Zane held up his hands.

"I haven't done anything!" Luca took a seat at the counter, rolling an orange between his hands.

"I don't know, Matthew." He said, using Zane's middle name tauntingly. "It sure sounds to me like you've gotten my baby sister in the family way." Zane turned a colbalt glare at him. James was up and had Zane pinned against the wall before the younger man could blink.

"How could you two do something so irresponsible?" Jo leaped to her feet. "I've treated you like a son, and this is what you do to my daughter?"

"Daddy!"

"James, calm down." Tessa laid a hand on his shoulder, but he shook her off.

"We don't even know if I am! And if I am, it might not even be Zane's!" Everyone turned to Jo, who stood with tears streaming down her cheeks. Zane, of all of them, was the first to break the silence.

"What? What do you mean it might not be mine?" She took a deep breath.

"It could be Eric's." She whispered, holding a hand to her mouth to keep from sobbing.

"Who's Eric?" Tessa asked, glancing at James.

"He's my boyfriend." Jo choked out. "And... when I told him, I might be pregnant, he proposed. I... haven't said yes, yet." Zane felt his world come crashing down around him. Tessa rushed to Jo, grabbing her arm and pulling her from the kitchen.

"Come on, sweetheart. We'll get this straightened out once and for all."

"Where are you going?" Zane asked. Tessa didn't look back as she pulled Jo out of the house and towards the car. They'd all come out onto the back porch, watching as Tessa shoved Jo into the passenger seat.

"To the hospital."

Two hours later, Tessa returned to the house, Jo silently in tow. The men were instantly on their feet, but Jo took one look at them and rushed upstairs, bursting into tears as her bedroom door slammed behind her. Zane followed, nervously glancing back at James. He knocked gently on Jo's bedroom door, and waited. "Jojo?"

"What do you want?" He winced at her heartbroken question, and asked softly,

"Can I come in?" He almost missed her soft reply, and after a moment, opened the door and slipped inside, closing it softly behind him. She was laying on her bed, her back to him, holding a teddy bear in her arms. Her shoulders shook with sobs, and he took a seat on the bed beside her, reaching out and stroking a finger up and down her back. "What'd the doctor say?"

"I was." Zane's brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to figure out her simple phrase.

"Sorry? Say it again, Jojo?" This time, she sat up, turning to him. It was then that he saw how red and puffy her eyes were. She wiped her nose on the back of her hand and sniffled.

"I was pregnant. Eight weeks. But not anymore. I miscarried." She burst into fresh sobs then, and Zane pulled her into his arms.

"So... so it was... mine?" He asked, quickly doing the math in his head. She nodded against his chest. He sighed, unable to catch his breath. Eight weeks ago, they'd been camping in their hideaway, making love in front of the fire like usual. They'd forgotten protection, and Jo hadn't remembered to take her birth control before they left. Now, he held tight to Jo, as she grieved over a child that hadn't even had the chance to grow, that hadn't had a chance to live. Slowly, he reached down, laying a hand over her womb, where, just hours earlier, there had been a child- his child, their child- growing inside her, forming and taking shape into a tiny human being that he hadn't even known about. How could she possibly keep this from him? A chance at fatherhood? Even the tiniest, microscopic chance that he'd been a father? How could she just... take that possibility away from him? But she didn't, he had to remind himself. Her own body did.

And now, she needed him; she needed him to let her grieve for the child they'd created and that they'd lost. A child he only hoped they could create again- when the time was right, and they were ready. He pressed a kiss to the top her head.

"I'm right here, Jojo. I'm not going anywhere."