Jo was up early having gotten very little rest the night before. When she wasn't tossing in her bed, she was watching her beloved Blair as she slept. Little did she know, the times she did doze off, Blair watched her. She caught Natalie, Tootie and Mrs. Garrett just as they were leaving for Utica.
"If you'd like to come with us, there's plenty of room in the car," Tootie offered. "You and Blair haven't had a big blow up in quite a while so you must be due for one. Maybe we shouldn't leave you guys alone."
"Hmmm...I think I'd rather stay and see the fight," Natalie quipped.
"There isn't gonna be a fight. Go ahead, have a good time. Me and Blair will be fine."
"Come on you two," Mrs. Garrett insisted. "Let Jo and Blair have their privacy."
"Privacy? What do they need privacy for? When they fight, the whole block hears them anyway," Tootie pointed out.
"Come on Tootie. We have werewolves waiting for us," Mrs. Garrett urged as she ushered her out the door with Natalie close behind.
"Have a good time guys," Jo said as the door shut.
"Privacy?" Jo wondered aloud. "Since when did privacy become so important around here?"
Jo decided that instead of sitting around thinking about the situation with Blair, she'd prepare breakfast. A few minutes later, Blair was stirred awake by the clanging of kitchenware and went downstairs to investigate. She found Jo with pancakes on the griddle and bacon frying.
"Jo, you're using two pans. How can you possibly make so much noise with just two pans?"
"With all the years you've known Mrs. G. haven't ya learned anything? These aren't pans Blair. I have a griddle and an iron skillet here," Jo corrected.
"I'm so sorry. If I'd known Julia Child was here, I wouldn't have come down in my bathrobe. A thousand pardons Mrs. Child."
"Why do ya always hafta start up first thing in the mornin'? Can't ya at least wait until I've had my coffee for cryin' out loud?"
"It's your fault for waking me up with your spindle and iron spinet!"
Jo busted out in laughter and could barely breathe as she held her stomach.
"What the hell is so funny?"
"Tootie..." Jo stammered, still clutching her stomach. "Tootie not ten minutes ago said you and me were due for a big fight."
"This isn't fighting Jo. This is bickering," Blair stated confidently. "My mother has been married and divorced so many times, believe me, I can tell the difference."
Jo's tone softened considerably. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"It's okay," Blair shrugged. "It's just how life is sometimes."
"That's why once I've found the person I wanna spend my life with, I hafta really be sure. Know what I mean?"
When Blair spoke, it was almost a whisper. Jo's hand was resting on the counter and Blair lightly covered it with hers. "Yes, I know exactly what you mean."
Jo felt a rush from the feeling of Blair's hand on hers and she gripped it firmly. "Yeah, it's a big step. Lots to think about." She moved in closer and tilted her head.
"I agree. There's...a lot to consider," Blair mumbled.
Blair was convinced her heart would beat right out of her chest as Jo came toward her with moistened lips and desire in her beautiful green eyes. When the heiress tilted her head in the opposite direction for their thirsty lips to finally meet, she spotted dark smoke spewing from the stove.
"Jo! The bacon!"
Jo quickly used a pot lid to smother the burgeoning fire. "And just yesterday I was thinkin' I should cook more often," she cracked.
"Think again," Blair laughed as she began to clear the mess. "Why don't you go get ready and we'll go out for breakfast. I'll get rid of all this incriminating evidence."
"Good idea," Jo agreed with a grin. "I hate burnt bacon."
They stood looking at one another, suddenly feeling too awkward to address their almost kiss.
Jo continued. "Well...I guess I'll...uh...go jump in the shower then."
"Okay. Take your time."
"Blair, I can clean that up," Jo offered.
"No, go ahead and shower. I've got it. Anyway, I have a once per year quota for something too."
"Ya do? What's that?"
"Being nice to you."
"Gee, thanks," Jo laughed.
As soon as Jo left the room, Blair leaned over the counter and took a few deep breaths. She was amazed at herself for having been able to carry on a conversation after all that. "Holy crap," she muttered to herself, her heart still pounding fiercely. "Can I even handle this? I'm not sure I can."
Meanwhile upstairs, the fire that had been on the stove was being dwarfed by the one burning between Jo's legs. She cussed under her breath and grumbled. "Damn bacon." Once she stepped into the shower, she was able to temporarily extinguish it on her own with very little effort.
Jo came down the stairs to find Blair dressed in jeans, boots, and Jo's leather jacket. This was a side of Blair she didn't even know existed, and she found it to be a big turn on.
"We're taking your bike, aren't we?" Blair asked eagerly as she leaned against the stairway railing. Her eyes had a smoky look about them and Jo was immediately spellbound.
"Uh...y-yeah," Jo stammered. She was practically at a loss for words which was rare for her, especially where Blair was concerned.
"One of these days you're going to teach me how to ride," Blair announced as they boarded the motorcycle. That is, after I ride you, Grease Monkey, she thought.
"Wow, you're full of surprises today. Sure, I can teach ya if ya want. Right now, let's get breakfast. Startin' fires makes me hungry."
It was a crisp Saturday morning, early enough so that there weren't many cars on the road. Riding on the back of Jo's bike, Blair felt a sense of freedom she never had before. She was now beginning to understand what the appeal was to Jo. Of course, the best part was being able to sit so close to her, smell the leather, the clean scent of Jo's hair, and the essence of Jo herself.
Having Blair's arms wrapped around her once again, Jo felt slightly lightheaded. "Dammit Polniaczek, focus," she grumbled to herself, grateful for the noise level of the engine as she kept scolding herself throughout the trip.
"I haven't had big a breakfast like that in ages," Blair said when they arrived back home. "I'm used to just having toast." She snickered. "And if you had served what you made, we both would've had toast."
"Ha ha Warner. Very funny."
"What do you want to do tonight? How does dinner and a double feature sound? I can look in the paper for what's playing while you finish reading for class."
"Sounds like a plan," Jo replied as she sank into the couch.
"I'll get it," Blair said when the phone rang.
Jo paid no attention to Blair's conversation and had been reading for a few minutes when she hung up the phone.
"That was Jack Vance on the phone. I'm sure you remember him."
"Yeah," Jo answered, unimpressed at the mention of his name.
"A couple of weeks ago he and I made a date to attend a fundraiser. His friend Ralph is the committee chair and his date for the event dropped out on him."
Jo grunted out an acknowledgement as she continued to read, only half listening.
"Well," Blair continued, "it would look odd for a man in his position to be dateless for the banquet so I said you'd go with him. I figured we'd double date," she announced.
Jo put down her book. "What? Without askin' me?"
"I figured you wouldn't mind."
"Well guess what Blair, I do mind. I'm sick of all those rich fraternity clowns constantly parading through here," Jo fumed.
"I'm sorry," Blair apologized. "I should have asked you first."
"There are boundaries Blair, and you're not respecting them."
"What are you talking about?"
"Ya can't just assume I'll give in to every one of your whims. Soon enough, you'll go on to the next thing and then who cares about the poor Bronx girl? What a sham!"
"A sham? What do you mean, a sham?"
"Oh, forget it," Jo snapped.
Blair was dumbfounded at Jo's sudden explosion. "What are you getting so upset about? If you don't want to go out with Ralph, don't. Normally you'd just tell me to blow it out my ear and that would be the end of it."
"Ya really are thick sometimes, Blondie," Jo hissed. "Do ya know that?'
"Jo, please tell me what you're talking about," Blair pleaded.
"I'm not gonna jump every time you want something like all your guys do."
"Jo-"
"I'm not one of your boy toys Blair." Jo swallowed back her tears. "Don't treat me like one!" She ran outside, gunned the motor on her bike, and with a screech of the tires she was gone.
Blair stood just looking out the back door for long moments until her eyes began to tear up. "Oh god," she whispered. "What have I done?" She went to the living room and sat in Jo's usual spot, putting her head in her hands. The stream of tears that flowed culminated in body-shaking sobs that were beyond her control. "Oh Jo," Blair agonized. "Why do you always run away when things get tough? If you only knew how much I love you."
