Title: Faith in Love! # 8
Started: 18th June 2002
Finished: 24th June 2002
Disclaimer: Once again, only Kate is mine.
Genre: Romance (Tess/Jonesy)/ Angst
Rating: PG
Summary: What do Jonesy's plans for Tess involve and where will it lead?
Author's Notes: To everyone who has helped me in any way with this fic, be it beta reading, feedback or just simply nit picking.
To the gracious Penny, a star in our midst!
~*~*~*~
How long she stood in the rain Tess didn't know, she just knew she didn't want to go back into the station and once again lock horns with Jonesy. She was tired of fighting, tired of dodging his increasingly more demanding questions. She guessed he deserved an answer but the truth was she didn't have one.
Why 'did' she keep running?
She had thought that seeing Jack would answer all her questions. It had answered only one. She knew now she no longer loved Jack.
Hurt!
Hurt had been Tess' constant friend throughout her life. The one thing she could rely on was hurt. Jonesy had never hurt her but he 'was' human and humans fail. Her parents had failed at being, well, parents. Jack had failed – in so many ways Jack had failed.
Tess didn't like failure, she herself had failed Jack, failed herself in her job as Sergeant. And she was failing again. Was this all she could hope to expect for the rest of her life – a fear of failure and hurt.
Feeling the chill starting to seep through her clothes and knowing that she couldn't stay outside for the rest of her shift, Tess walked back into the station. Grabbing a dry uniform from her locker, Tess hurriedly started changing.
"Can't you knock?" she asked grumpily as Jonesy came barging through the door.
"Not like I've never seen it before," he replied cheekily giving Tess a light tickle at her waist. "I kinda like this new uniform – yeah, bra and knickers does it for me," Jonesy grabbed Tess around the waist pulling her closer. "Tess, you're freezing, come here let me warm you."
He gently tilted her chin, their lips met, Tess unable to break away, unable to resist her seemingly innate desire for this man, deepened the kiss. Her hands reached up to the back of his neck. Jonesy's hands slowly caressed her back, reaching up to the clasp of her bra.
"Don't!" Tess mumbled. The fumbling of her bra brought her back to reality.
"Don't what?"
"Don't hug you, don't kiss you? Why should I stop when I know you want it so much?" Jonesy demanded harshly.
"Just don't touch me," Tess quickly grabbed her clothes, feeling vulnerable in her present state of undress.
"What 'is' your problem Tess?"
"Nothing okay, just leave it."
"I can't just leave it," Jonesy yelled. "Don't you realise what you're doing to me – to us?"
Tess pulled her jumper over her head and turned to leave.
"That's right Tess, piss off then, you're so good at that aren't you?"
"I have work to do," Tess snapped.
"Yeah right! I've had enough of your excuses. I love you so much Tess, but I can't keep going like this. Either you want to make this work or you don't – and if you don't - well then I guess my request for a transfer stands."
"Why does this have to be such an issue, we were okay before?" Tess asked quietly.
"Tess, don't you get it? 'You' made it an issue. You took off to Melbourne, you wouldn't talk to me, tell me what was going on. And since I've come out of hospital you've been distant, emotionally you're not with me Tess."
"This isn't the time or the place constable," Tess interrupted him.
"Well you make the time then…Sergeant," Jonesy sarcastically added her title.
"Sergeant, got a call out for you," Tom rapped on the locker room door before opening it. "Cold burg in the light industrial area, take Ben with you?"
"Yep, onto it Boss," Tess followed Tom out.
"Tess?"
"Not now constable!"
***
"Boss, I want some time off, this weekend," Jonesy asked Tom as soon as Tess and Ben had left the station.
"Yeah , well you'll have to clear it with Tess, see if she can alter the roster – it is short notice."
"I know Boss, but I can't ask Tess. You told me to sort this problem with her out – we're not having much luck here. I want to take her to Melbourne, get away from Mt Thomas and see if we can sort this through."
"And you want me to arrange the roster?" Tom asked knowing full well the answer.
"Would you, please? You know it's important."
"Yes, okay, but you'll have to deal with Tess if there are any problems with it."
"Thanks Boss."
***
Tess grabbed a copy of the paper when they fuelled her car. Seeing as Jonesy was driving, she started to read the first few pages. She knew it was a mistake as soon as she felt that familiar nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach – reading in the car had always done that to her. Feeling sleepy, she put the paper down and closed her eyes, intending simply to try and quash the sick feeling.
An hour later she awoke to Jonesy softly singing along to a CD he'd obviously put on.
"Hey sleepy head!" he said cheerfully when he noticed she was awake.
"Humpf," Tess grumbled back, rubbing her neck to ease the crick where her head had fallen to one side.
"Want me to pull over and massage it for you?" Jonesy asked with a smile, only half joking.
"Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel," Tess teased.
"Aaaaaaawwwwwwwwww, do I have to?"
"Yes!" Tess laughed.
"This is nice, ya know," Jonesy said softly.
"What is?"
"This, messing around, just you and me, I've missed it. I've missed you."
"You'll get over it," Tess muttered.
"You're still pissed off aren't you – you know, about me organising this time off?"
"Let's not go there Evan, I don't need another argument," Tess said shaking her head. "We've been doing too much of that lately."
"We'll I won't disagree with that," Jonesy reached over to hold Tess' hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I've missed you too," Tess quietly admitted.
***
"You didn't tell me Kate would be here," Tess turned to Jonesy after hugging her sister.
"Wanted to surprise you, dinner with your two favourite people," Jonesy smiled.
"Thank you," Tess smiled softly.
***
Tess sighed as Jonesy walked away to pay the bill after they finished eating.
"Nice arse!" Kate commented.
"Kate!"
"Things going okay again now?" asked Kate, ignoring Tess.
"So so…I don't know. It's not him Kate, it's me."
"You better watch it Tessabear, if you don't snatch him good and proper soon, I might make a play for him," Kate joked
"You wouldn't, you're my sister," Tess stated.
"No, you're right I wouldn't …but someone else will Tess. Look at him - you keep pushing him away he'll fall into some other girl's arms. He loves you Tess, but he's only human."
"I'm trying Kate, I love him so much so why can't I just tell him, why can't I enjoy being happy and stop thinking it's all going to backfire on me?"
"I don't know Tess, I can't help you with that, all I know is that you've got to let yourself be happy."
***
The next morning Tess awoke wrapped in Jonesy's arms, she sighed deeply.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Nothing, just nice to be here. How long have you been awake?"
"Not long, I didn't want to disturb you, you looked so beautiful."
"Cut it out!" Tess laughed.
"Why can't you just take a compliment?" Jonesy asked seriously.
Tess didn't answer for a few moments, deep in thought. "I guess," she said, "it's because the only time anyone has ever been nice to me was when they wanted something. My parents would bellow at me 'there's a good girl Teresa, look after the kids'. Wasn't even a compliment really, was it? They never meant it." Tess' hands unconsciously played across Jonesy's chest.
"Stop that!" he said.
"Why?" Tess asked coyly.
"Cos we have plans for the day, and if you keep doing that we won't be going anywhere."
"Surely you can handle a little tickling?" Tess circled Jonesy's nipple with her finger.
"Tess, I'm warning you…"
Moving from his arms to straddle his waist, Tess leant down and flicked his nipple with her tongue "No," she said, "I'm warning you."
***
"So, what 'are' we doing today?" Tess asked an hour later.
"Nothing, I'm too tired now, you've worn me out woman," Jonesy laughed.
"Get up, c'mon let's have a shower and then do whatever it was you had planned."
"Now there's an offer I can't refuse," grabbing Tess' hand he led her into the bathroom.
***
"I wish we could always be like this," Tess quietly admitted, when they reached her car ready for their day's activities.
"Yeah, no work, no worries, no past to get in the way."
"Why did you do that?" Tess snapped.
"Do what?" asked Jonesy, confused.
"Mention the past, couldn't you just leave well enough alone?"
"Tess, you know we came down here to sort out our problems - so far, we've done nothing. We're going to have to talk about it."
"I'm sorry I snapped, I guess I'm just tired," she yawned for effect not wanting to talk about anything that had the potential to upset their happy mood.
"I'll drive, you have a snooze. I'll wake you when we get there."
***
As soon as the car came to a stop Tess opened her eyes - she hadn't slept but she had rested. She blinked to adjust her eyes to the bright sunlight streaming in through the car's windscreen. She'd had no idea of their destination, Jonesy had preferred to keep it a secret – and now she knew why. Had she known where they were headed she would not have got in the car.
Tess stared up at the building that housed her former lover.
"What the hell did you bring me here for?" she demanded.
Started: 18th June 2002
Finished: 24th June 2002
Disclaimer: Once again, only Kate is mine.
Genre: Romance (Tess/Jonesy)/ Angst
Rating: PG
Summary: What do Jonesy's plans for Tess involve and where will it lead?
Author's Notes: To everyone who has helped me in any way with this fic, be it beta reading, feedback or just simply nit picking.
To the gracious Penny, a star in our midst!
~*~*~*~
How long she stood in the rain Tess didn't know, she just knew she didn't want to go back into the station and once again lock horns with Jonesy. She was tired of fighting, tired of dodging his increasingly more demanding questions. She guessed he deserved an answer but the truth was she didn't have one.
Why 'did' she keep running?
She had thought that seeing Jack would answer all her questions. It had answered only one. She knew now she no longer loved Jack.
Hurt!
Hurt had been Tess' constant friend throughout her life. The one thing she could rely on was hurt. Jonesy had never hurt her but he 'was' human and humans fail. Her parents had failed at being, well, parents. Jack had failed – in so many ways Jack had failed.
Tess didn't like failure, she herself had failed Jack, failed herself in her job as Sergeant. And she was failing again. Was this all she could hope to expect for the rest of her life – a fear of failure and hurt.
Feeling the chill starting to seep through her clothes and knowing that she couldn't stay outside for the rest of her shift, Tess walked back into the station. Grabbing a dry uniform from her locker, Tess hurriedly started changing.
"Can't you knock?" she asked grumpily as Jonesy came barging through the door.
"Not like I've never seen it before," he replied cheekily giving Tess a light tickle at her waist. "I kinda like this new uniform – yeah, bra and knickers does it for me," Jonesy grabbed Tess around the waist pulling her closer. "Tess, you're freezing, come here let me warm you."
He gently tilted her chin, their lips met, Tess unable to break away, unable to resist her seemingly innate desire for this man, deepened the kiss. Her hands reached up to the back of his neck. Jonesy's hands slowly caressed her back, reaching up to the clasp of her bra.
"Don't!" Tess mumbled. The fumbling of her bra brought her back to reality.
"Don't what?"
"Don't hug you, don't kiss you? Why should I stop when I know you want it so much?" Jonesy demanded harshly.
"Just don't touch me," Tess quickly grabbed her clothes, feeling vulnerable in her present state of undress.
"What 'is' your problem Tess?"
"Nothing okay, just leave it."
"I can't just leave it," Jonesy yelled. "Don't you realise what you're doing to me – to us?"
Tess pulled her jumper over her head and turned to leave.
"That's right Tess, piss off then, you're so good at that aren't you?"
"I have work to do," Tess snapped.
"Yeah right! I've had enough of your excuses. I love you so much Tess, but I can't keep going like this. Either you want to make this work or you don't – and if you don't - well then I guess my request for a transfer stands."
"Why does this have to be such an issue, we were okay before?" Tess asked quietly.
"Tess, don't you get it? 'You' made it an issue. You took off to Melbourne, you wouldn't talk to me, tell me what was going on. And since I've come out of hospital you've been distant, emotionally you're not with me Tess."
"This isn't the time or the place constable," Tess interrupted him.
"Well you make the time then…Sergeant," Jonesy sarcastically added her title.
"Sergeant, got a call out for you," Tom rapped on the locker room door before opening it. "Cold burg in the light industrial area, take Ben with you?"
"Yep, onto it Boss," Tess followed Tom out.
"Tess?"
"Not now constable!"
***
"Boss, I want some time off, this weekend," Jonesy asked Tom as soon as Tess and Ben had left the station.
"Yeah , well you'll have to clear it with Tess, see if she can alter the roster – it is short notice."
"I know Boss, but I can't ask Tess. You told me to sort this problem with her out – we're not having much luck here. I want to take her to Melbourne, get away from Mt Thomas and see if we can sort this through."
"And you want me to arrange the roster?" Tom asked knowing full well the answer.
"Would you, please? You know it's important."
"Yes, okay, but you'll have to deal with Tess if there are any problems with it."
"Thanks Boss."
***
Tess grabbed a copy of the paper when they fuelled her car. Seeing as Jonesy was driving, she started to read the first few pages. She knew it was a mistake as soon as she felt that familiar nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach – reading in the car had always done that to her. Feeling sleepy, she put the paper down and closed her eyes, intending simply to try and quash the sick feeling.
An hour later she awoke to Jonesy softly singing along to a CD he'd obviously put on.
"Hey sleepy head!" he said cheerfully when he noticed she was awake.
"Humpf," Tess grumbled back, rubbing her neck to ease the crick where her head had fallen to one side.
"Want me to pull over and massage it for you?" Jonesy asked with a smile, only half joking.
"Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel," Tess teased.
"Aaaaaaawwwwwwwwww, do I have to?"
"Yes!" Tess laughed.
"This is nice, ya know," Jonesy said softly.
"What is?"
"This, messing around, just you and me, I've missed it. I've missed you."
"You'll get over it," Tess muttered.
"You're still pissed off aren't you – you know, about me organising this time off?"
"Let's not go there Evan, I don't need another argument," Tess said shaking her head. "We've been doing too much of that lately."
"We'll I won't disagree with that," Jonesy reached over to hold Tess' hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I've missed you too," Tess quietly admitted.
***
"You didn't tell me Kate would be here," Tess turned to Jonesy after hugging her sister.
"Wanted to surprise you, dinner with your two favourite people," Jonesy smiled.
"Thank you," Tess smiled softly.
***
Tess sighed as Jonesy walked away to pay the bill after they finished eating.
"Nice arse!" Kate commented.
"Kate!"
"Things going okay again now?" asked Kate, ignoring Tess.
"So so…I don't know. It's not him Kate, it's me."
"You better watch it Tessabear, if you don't snatch him good and proper soon, I might make a play for him," Kate joked
"You wouldn't, you're my sister," Tess stated.
"No, you're right I wouldn't …but someone else will Tess. Look at him - you keep pushing him away he'll fall into some other girl's arms. He loves you Tess, but he's only human."
"I'm trying Kate, I love him so much so why can't I just tell him, why can't I enjoy being happy and stop thinking it's all going to backfire on me?"
"I don't know Tess, I can't help you with that, all I know is that you've got to let yourself be happy."
***
The next morning Tess awoke wrapped in Jonesy's arms, she sighed deeply.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Nothing, just nice to be here. How long have you been awake?"
"Not long, I didn't want to disturb you, you looked so beautiful."
"Cut it out!" Tess laughed.
"Why can't you just take a compliment?" Jonesy asked seriously.
Tess didn't answer for a few moments, deep in thought. "I guess," she said, "it's because the only time anyone has ever been nice to me was when they wanted something. My parents would bellow at me 'there's a good girl Teresa, look after the kids'. Wasn't even a compliment really, was it? They never meant it." Tess' hands unconsciously played across Jonesy's chest.
"Stop that!" he said.
"Why?" Tess asked coyly.
"Cos we have plans for the day, and if you keep doing that we won't be going anywhere."
"Surely you can handle a little tickling?" Tess circled Jonesy's nipple with her finger.
"Tess, I'm warning you…"
Moving from his arms to straddle his waist, Tess leant down and flicked his nipple with her tongue "No," she said, "I'm warning you."
***
"So, what 'are' we doing today?" Tess asked an hour later.
"Nothing, I'm too tired now, you've worn me out woman," Jonesy laughed.
"Get up, c'mon let's have a shower and then do whatever it was you had planned."
"Now there's an offer I can't refuse," grabbing Tess' hand he led her into the bathroom.
***
"I wish we could always be like this," Tess quietly admitted, when they reached her car ready for their day's activities.
"Yeah, no work, no worries, no past to get in the way."
"Why did you do that?" Tess snapped.
"Do what?" asked Jonesy, confused.
"Mention the past, couldn't you just leave well enough alone?"
"Tess, you know we came down here to sort out our problems - so far, we've done nothing. We're going to have to talk about it."
"I'm sorry I snapped, I guess I'm just tired," she yawned for effect not wanting to talk about anything that had the potential to upset their happy mood.
"I'll drive, you have a snooze. I'll wake you when we get there."
***
As soon as the car came to a stop Tess opened her eyes - she hadn't slept but she had rested. She blinked to adjust her eyes to the bright sunlight streaming in through the car's windscreen. She'd had no idea of their destination, Jonesy had preferred to keep it a secret – and now she knew why. Had she known where they were headed she would not have got in the car.
Tess stared up at the building that housed her former lover.
"What the hell did you bring me here for?" she demanded.
