Title: Jen and Gus Origins

Summary: Gus prepares to ask Jen a very important question by reliving the night they met.

A/N: This is short but I'm wanting to get some history out there on my lovelies from their earlier years. I also love Jen and Gus. They've got an interesting relationship to me. So I really just wanted to play with them. Chapter 3 of For a Woman's Love should be out this weekend I think.

"Jenny?" Gus called knocking on the bathroom door. The last six months had been a dream. Really! Who would have thought demons, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and the rest of the creatures from campfires stories would be real? Even better who would have thought that pretty girl drunk girl he'd taken home 6 months ago would turn out to be the love of his life? Even just the thought made his face explode into a smile. He toyed with the little box in his hand. 6 months ago he'd just been a bartender now he was a hunter. He flopped back on their bed and waited for her to come out of the shower. He couldn't wait any longer to ask.

FLASHBACK

"Whiskey. Don't give me that look, baby. I've done more time with Jack and Jim, hell even Jose and I are tighter than you." Jen said climbing up on the barstool. Gus didn't argue. He'd just have to watch her. She had trouble written all over her. Maybe it was the cowboy boots and Daisy Dukes or the cut under her eye and the oil rag tied around her palm clearly trying to hinder the bleeding of some wound. He put the shot glass down in front of her pouring.

"You OK, darlin'? You look like you've been through hell. I need to go kick someone's ass for laying a hand on you?" He offered his best smile.

"Honey, if I was depending on some horny bartender to fight my fights for me I'd be dead a thousand times over." She threw back the shot and slapped the bar top ordering another. "Keep them coming until I can't feel my face. Son of a bitch got me good."

"Who cut you like that?"

"More of a what. I work with some, shall we say exotic creatures." She did a couple more shots before speaking again. "Where's your John? I need to get this cleaned up."

"Come around back here. I'll help you." He offered. "I"ve got a first aid kit in the back. I'm pretty handy with it too." Gus had never been looked over the way he was being looked over now. When one talks about being treated like a slab of meat they meant being examined the way this girl was examining him. The bar was nearly empty. A couple of regulars left in the corner. They'd nurse their beers until closing time then creep home to their wives. He didn't worry about them any and the front doors were already locked stopping anyone else coming in. This woman had been the last entry of the night. Finally she slid off her stool and followed him into the back. The back room had much better lighting. She followed him to the sink and unwrapped her hand. "Shit, what do you work with?"

"This? This was a were-something feline. I don't even care to figure out what. The thing went feral and is a shifter. That's all I need to know. Silver to the heart and I was good to go."

"What?" He took her hand and the tweezers from his first aid kit removing the little hairs laced down in the wound.

"You're either going to think I'm drunk off my ass or crazy and I'm OK either way. I hunt the paranormal and supernatural. My family has for generations."

"Really? Huh." He seemed to process this information while he cleaned her hand.

"So you just bartend then?"

"Well I own the place, too."

"I'd go crazy having to sit still all the time."

"Nah, its not that bad. You get a lot on interesting people through here. Specially late at night on the week days."

"I have a retirement plan kind of like this."

"What's that?" He figured if he kept her talking she wouldn't notice him working on her hand, though the half a dozen shots should have numbed her pretty well.

"Powers That Be ever kick me in the nads I'm going to open a hunter haven. I'll have cabins for them to sleep, a big ole garage to work on their cars, room to train, a bar, and library."

"So hunting supernatural creatures is a real thing?"

"I'm not saying I've ever met Big Foot or anything and Nessie is a bunch of bullshit. But yea, ghosts are real and sometimes they like to kill people so there are people out to stop that."

"You like some elite force trained by the government?"

"Oh yeah. This is what your tax dollars really fund. Sawed off shotguns, salt, and muscle cars." She rolled her eyes. "Don't wrap it too tightly. When I get back to the motel, looks like it might need a stitch."

"No, I'll take care of it. Just hold still." He dashed over to a corner that looked like it wanted to pass as his office. Shuffling through several drawers he returned with super glue. "Here, this'll do the same thing."

"Go for it." She shrugged. "Means I can crash when I get back." Gus took his time finishing his work.

"There all done." Jen smirked at him.

"Thank you." She then grabbed his face and kissed him. He was shocked at first but when she didn't let go and back off but kept kissing her wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her close to him and kissed back. What the hell right?

END FLASHBACK

Jen dropped on the bed beside him. She kissed his ear with a content sigh. He wrapped his arm around her. He was content to just lay there with her for a second. His t-shirt she was wearing clung to her damp skin, her long black hair was twists over one shoulder. Her dark eyes were half lidded. One of her legs wrapped around his. It was a perfect moment. He placed the box on his chest and waited for her to make a move toward it.

"Gus?"

"Life's short, Jenny. You know that better than anyone. Any day this could all be over."

"Then you'd better ask your question now." He kissed her softly.

"Jenifer Raining Cloud will you marry me?"

"Yes." She kissed him. "Soon as this hunt is over we'll hit a court house. Unless there is someone you want to be there?"

"Just you." She kissed him again. "Hand?" He sat up removing the ring from the box and took Jen's left hand sliding the ring on. "I love you, Jenny."

"I love you too, Gus."