A/N: Yay! an update! woohoo! $celebration dance$ and that's just my little one...i'm saving the GREAT BIG celebration dance for the faithful day when the journey is reunited...i know it's coming and when it does...i have no idea what i'll do but i'm gonna celebrate...enjoy

Ch. 46 Further Seems Forever

Her hands grabbed at him hungrily. Through the kiss, she couldn't seem to pull him close enough. The feelings were indescribable. All she knew was that she wanted him, she needed him. The incredible power that she felt through his lips was almost more than she could stand. Courtney felt the heat that now rose within her. Strong enough that she was almost sure it would burn her from the inside out.

Suddenly, the ecstasy of his lips were no longer on hers. She could no longer taste him. Opening her eyes, she looked at Jason with confusion across her face.

"Courtney-"

Reaching out, Courtney placed her hands on the back of his neck and brought his lips back to hers, where she needed them to be. After a moment of resistance, he was kissing back again. Then, once more to her disappointment, he was pulling away from her. This time he placed his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from getting him again.

"Courtney, wait." he said, looking down and not in her eyes. Not to see the confusion or hurt that would certainly be in them; caused by his actions. "Stop."

"No." she responded, her voice husky with emotion. "Jason, I don't want to stop."

"I don't want you to do something you'll regret." he offered. "It's still soon."

"No. Jason, no it's not." she answered, trying to once again bring him back to her.

"I just…I want you to be sure."

"I'm sure." she said, placing a series of kisses over his face, ending on his lips. "So, so sure."

At the words, Jason knew he couldn't hold back. Her taste, her smell, her touch; he'd wanted nothing more than to have the blessing of experiencing them again. It had been so long. This time, when she kissed him, he let it happen. Releasing the small amount of restrain the had left, Jason forgot about all his doubts and worries. Tonight, there was no business, no enemies, and no problems; medical or otherwise.

Tonight was about them.

Tonight, he was just going to love her.

"Ouch." she winced as the needle pressed against her. The man controlling it either didn't seem to hear her or didn't care as he continued to work. "God."

"Must you complain?" the man watching the scene asked.

"I'm sorry, but that ain't exactly a feather he's using back there."

"Did you expect this to be a walk in the park?" he asked amusedly.

"No. But is this part really necessary?"

"What would you suggest?"

"A press on? Something temporary, less painful." she offered.

"You want the real thing you have to be the real thing." he explained.

He ran his hand through his hair and swallowed a large gulp of the drink. She grunted at him and his lack of concern for her comfort, before laying her head back down, trying to keep her mind off the pain In her lower back. She never did and never would understand why people would willingly have this done to themselves just for fun. There had to be out of their minds to put their bodies through this. Gritting her teeth as he continued his work, she closed her eyes and tried to think about anything other than tattoos.

There was a banging. A loud banging. Where was it coming from? She sat up and, after looking at the sleeping man, she concluded he must not have heard it. It was probably nothing. As she laid back down, it came again. It sounded louder and closer this time.

Now sure that she wasn't hearing things, Courtney rose from her spot on the floor and tried to discover the source of the noise. Quickly, almost instinctively, she was able to figure out its origin. The closet door. Brushing quickly through the living room, she made it to the door. Once there, the banging immediately ceased.

Slowly, Courtney placed her hand atop the doorknob, hesitating slightly about opening. Something was in there. Something that wanted out. A monster in the closet. Shivering at the thought, she took a deep breath and decided that the best thing to do would be to face it head on. Cautiously, she turned the cool metal object under her hand and the door slowly opened.

Her voice caught in her throat and she blinked several times at the sight. It was her. Courtney was standing face to face with herself. A complete replica, mirrored in everyway. Physically anyway. She knew right away that as identical as they were, they weren't the same person. The woman she looked at the woman who was before her. She stood tall, a confident glow radiating from all around her. Her eyes held a bright blue, filled to the brim with a sparkling aura of independence, fearlessness.

"Courtney?" she asked the person before her.

"Yeah." she replied stepping out of the enclosed space.

"You're me? The real me?"

"Memories and all." she replied, holding her eyes, as if she were able to look through her. "Where's Jason?"

"Sleeping."

"He misses me." the woman said. "I know he does. We were so in love. He'd to anything to find me "

She noticed that this woman, this Courtney, still wore the shining engagement ring on her finger which she so lovingly gazed at. Looking at her own ring less hand, she felt a sense of insecurity wash over her.

"If he had a choice…" she began.

"He'd choose you."

Courtney's eyes opened to the now fully lit apartment. The sun was out, and she found herself on the carpet, head resting on Jason's bare chest. Remembering the experience of the early morning, she placed a kiss on his smooth skin. It was the best she'd ever felt. She was sure it meant as much to him as it did to her. But after the dream, she couldn't help but wonder. Wonder if he was holding on so he would have her in the event that she remembered. If she was just a fill in for him until Courtney came back.

He wouldn't do that.

Would he?