"Rossi. Rossi!" JJ was doing her best to catch Rossi's attention, without causing more pain to her already aching head.
"Sorry, JJ. What were you saying?" The older agent turned his attention away from the heavens above the dark sky towards the shivering blonde at his side.
"Well, I was trying to see what plans you had for getting us through the night, but you, apparently, had other things on your mind. I just hope they were G rated." JJ could only imagine what thoughts this older man was prone for.
"Well, I can't guarantee G, but there were certainly a couple of PG-13 moments in there. Don't worry, JJ. I won't risk sharing any of those thoughts with you tonight. I honestly don't think you could handle it in your current delicate position." David grabbed both of JJ's hands and rubbed them in between his own trying to get some of her blood pumping.
Little did he know, more than JJ's blood was pumping. JJ's heart was currently trying to leap out of her chest. She pulled the oversized suit jacket closer to her, as if to prevent that very thing from happening. She wasn't sure if it was because she was so exhausted, or felt so bad, but JJ was suddenly experiencing a barrage of feelings while out here in the cold with the older agent. Some familiar, some not so familiar, but overall, what she felt the most, was a greater sense of anxiety than normal. Over the past several weeks, that feeling of anxiety had been her constant companion. As if the theme music for "Jaws" was, all of the sudden, the theme music for her life. Don't be ridiculous, she chided herself, you're just overwhelmed right now. Taking a few, deep breaths, JJ tried to calm down. Hoping that Rossi didn't notice, JJ tried to get her thoughts focused. "So, are we camping out here for the night or what?" She asked.
"Well, I think we'd be better off a little bit farther off the road. There's a small wooded area behind us that would serve for good cover, as well as being close enough for us to see the guys when they get here." Rossi emphasized the word when to stay as positive as possible for JJ. He knew she hadn't wanted him to but Rossi saw her deep breaths earlier and took note that she was on the verge of panicking. Between her concussion and whatever she'd been going through these past couple of weeks her nerves were probably shot.
Rossi helped JJ to her feet, standing still long enough for her to lean on him until she got her bearings. Once he knew she was ok, he grabbed the rest of their loot and started guiding her to the small grove of trees just to their left.
After a few brief minutes, Rossi helped JJ sit against the large base of one of the trees that he found. He set their stuff down beside her and then, after clearing a small area close to them, proceeded to gather some sticks, rocks, and an assortment of grass and leaves.
"What on earth are you doing, Rossi, making a nest?" JJ asked with a snicker.
"I'll have you know, Ms. Jureau, I am building us a fire." Dave used the rocks to make a circle in the clearing he had made. "So JJ, am I to guess you were never a Girl Scout?" he asked as he formed a small teepee out of the twigs he had gathered for kindling.
"Humph. Are you kidding me? I got kicked out my first year as a Brownie. Apparently, friendly competition in cookie sales does NOT include flattening the tire on another Brownie's bike so you can make it to the largest house on the street first." JJ winked conspiratorially at Dave, without a bit of shame on her face. The simple childhood memory brought a smile to her pale face, wide enough to add a little light to her otherwise dull blue eyes.
"Well, my, my Jennifer. I always knew there was a little bit of bad girl in you." David laughed as he pictured a mini-JJ racing to sell her thin-mints to the little old ladies on the street, leaving all of the other girls in her dust. "I, on the other hand, was a full-fledge Boy Scout, and Eagle, in point and fact. So, have no fear, little miss, campfires are my specialty." As if to add exclamation to his words, a beautiful orange and yellow flame suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
After making sure the fire was large enough, with plenty to burn for a while, David joined JJ where she was sitting, arms hugging herself for warmth. Replacing her arms with his, David gently pulled JJ to his side. With the warmth from the fire beginning to make its way to her, JJ relaxed against him.
"So Ms. Bad-Girl, what other things to I not know about you?" David asked, intrigued with the mystery that was Jennifer Jureau.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about Rossi. There's certainly not much to know. Plain old Jennifer's life story isn't very long, or riveting for that matter. I'm willing to bet that you have a lot more chapters in your book." JJ grabbed David's right hand draped across her lap and started mindlessly playing with his fingers. Growing more comfortable by the minute, the anxiety that she had felt earlier started to silently recede into the back of her mind. Although still there, its presence wasn't as forceful as before.
Feeling her relax against him, David took this as an opening and dove right in. "Well, honey. I'm willing to bet that we both have a few chapters that no one has read in our unabridged versions. What say we make a little swap? A chapter for a chapter? How 'bout a little truth or dare?"
And with that, JJ's jaw dropped.