Warm. She was so warm and comfortable, fighting to keep her eyes closed, fighting to stay asleep. To stay where it was safe. She pressed herself farther into the firm presence at her back and pulled the arm closer to her, cuddling it against her stomach. The arm? Josephine's eyes popped open, no longer able to combat her body in it's need to wake up. As the last vestiges of sleep faded she began to remember the events of the previous night. There was no space between them now, no gap left for decency's sake. Instead Mal seemed to be molded to her back and she found herself enjoying the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

The arm she had been cradling to her stomach was holding tighter than it had when she fell asleep and she must have moved at some point because her shirt had crept up, bringing Mal's hand in contact with the flesh just above her scar. Her skin was feverish where his hand lay and she lifted the blanket cautiously to get a better look. Mal's naturally tanned skin contrasted greatly with the paleness of her stomach, and she couldn't take her eyes away. Flexing his fingers against her stomach, he shifted a bit in his sleep and Jo felt something deep in her lower abdomen flutter. The sensation took her breathe away and she knew it was familiar somehow, but she'd never felt anything like that with Rawley. The only thing that man inspired in her was disgust and, she was ashamed to admit, fear. And yet she knew this feeling somehow, the way her stomach seemed to turn in on itself, the excitement of it, that a man could make her feel like this. A man, not a boy... like Johnny. Johnny? The name had crept out of her mind, where it had been buried deep, and she couldn't believe she'd forgotten. It had been eight years ago, only one year before she left with Rawley, and Johnny had been the favorite son of the neighboring farm on Sydney. In all fairness, they were the competition, but Caroline had never bothered with such petty things, and Johnny and his family were seen as friends. A memory of all of them eating and laughing together, despite the current financial situation, at Caroline's large table came to the front of Jo's mind, and it was so vivid she could almost smell the pork roasting. Johnny sat just to her left and as he passed the potatoes his hand brushed against her own. That was it. The first time she had felt the tender pull on her stomach and lower regions. They were the only teenagers for miles and had gravitated naturally to each other but nothing had ever come of it, not even a kiss. They were awkward and unsure around each other, as teenagers often are, and within the year he had gone away to school and she had married Rawley. It seemed ages ago, longer than it actually was, and she hated Rawley more for making her forget. Jo had become jaded and cynical and longed for the carefree girl who used to lay in her bed at night, thinking about what it would be like to kiss Johnny.

Mal's arm tightened around her waist as he slept, bringing her back to the here and now and making her stomach shiver with pleasure again. This shouldn't be only the second time I'm feeling this, she thought. I'm twenty-five, I should know how to react, what to do. She traced her hand lightly over the soft hairs of his arm as she thought. She felt like she'd missed an important step somewhere in growing up, and because of it she was forced to be sixteen forever. Forever insecure and graceless around the opposite sex. But now, thanks to Rawley, there would always be just a touch of fear mixed in, and that depressed her the most.

She knew the exact moment that he woke up, by the way his body tensed, and her hand stilled on his arm, eyes closing to feign sleep. She slowed her breathing and tried to remain still as she felt his body relax again. Jo felt his head rise off the bed, leaning closer to her, probably checking to see if she was still asleep. He stared at her a moment and she could feel his gaze, the heat of it, even though her own eyes were closed. Mal sighed softly, blowing air across her face and making her want to squirm, before laying back down, convinced that she was sleeping. He pressed his face tentatively into her hair, as though waiting for her to protest, even in her sleep. When he was sure he wouldn't be stopped, he inhaled deeply and Josephine forced herself to remain silent. He pulled back quickly, and using the hand that wasn't on her stomach, he gently brushed the hair away from her neck. A small moment passed and then she felt his lips touch her neck delicately, and this time she couldn't stop the small sigh that escaped her lips. For a moment she was afraid he would know she was awake, but he just slid his arm out of her own and off her stomach as he sat up. She felt the bed shift and just like that he was gone. When she was sure she had heard the click of the door shutting, her eyes flew open and her hand sought out the spot on her neck. Rolling over onto her back, she stared at the ceiling in confusion.

"What am I going to do?"

Josephine had skipped breakfast that day, choosing instead to hide in her room. She had tried to tell herself she just wasn't hungry, but she knew the real reason. She didn't want to see Mal. She was afraid that if he looked at her he'd know instantly that she hadn't really been sleeping, and then it would be all manner of awkward between them.

"As though it's not already..." she muttered, continuing to pace across the short space of her room. She'd been like this for an hour, as soon as her stomach had started growling, angry about missing breakfast. Now it was lunch time, and she'd been trying to work up the courage to venture out. I should just go, she rationalized. I can't let him keep me from eating. She looked at the clock in her room, lunch was all most over and there was a good chance the Captain wouldn't even be there. Her stomach made another protest and she made for the door.

"That's it... zhang dai!" She opened it swiftly, before her determination could falter, and stepped into the corridor, coming face to face with River. The young woman looked smug, but like she was trying to hide it.

"I... I was just coming up for lunch," Jo said, making an attempt at being cheerful.

River stared at her a moment, looking even more smug, if that was possible. "Captain sent me to get you. He said it was high time you stopped hiding from him."

Jo's mouth dropped open at her words and she stared at the young psychic, now grinning thoughtfully.

"Well he didn't so much send me as I just came. Cause he didn't so much say that as think it."

She wanted to run back into her room and hide, but Jo forced herself to stand up straight as she frowned at River. "Did he?"

River tilted her head, regarding Jo a moment before answering. "Yes. He's very confused and it makes him loud in my head. Giving me a bit of a headache really. I thought if I brought him what he wanted he'd be quieter."

What he wanted? Jo's thoughts swarmed around her head and River brought a hand to her forehead, grimacing slightly. "Now you're loud too."

"I'm sorry." She tried to force the thoughts away, but only succeeded in pushing them to the back.

River rubbed her temple, the grimace gone and replaced by a thoughtful expression. "When they're loud, its harder to ignore it."

"I'll try not to be... loud," Jo said, surprised to see how collected River seemed, so much different than the other times she'd spoken to her.

Breaking out into a grin again, River nodded her head. "Xie xie ni."

They walked together to the dining area in silence, River sneaking looks at Jo periodically. About the fifth time she couldn't ignore it anymore and turned to the younger woman, sighing softly. "What is it?"

"You look... rested. Not so scary," River spoke, gesturing under her own eyes and fighting back another smug smile. "Sleep well?"

Rolling her eyes gently, Jo faced forward and started walking again. "Yes, you're very smart... bi zui." She continued towards the kitchen, both dreading and anxious to see Mal again, the grinning girl behind her doing nothing for her nerves.