As Jessica slowly woke, she felt more and more of the warm, solid body next to her. She smiled as images of being joined with that body flooded her mind. It wasn't until her fingers moved over John's chest that she realized it wasn't a dream. It wasn't her imagination. She opened her eyes and found that she was snuggled into the crook of John's shoulder. She watched her fingers as she let them travel over his pec, then down his torso, stopping at his waist.

She felt John press a kiss into her hair, and her eyes closed. She sighed before looking up at him, and she was met with a warm smile.

"Did you sleep well," he asked. His hand rubbed up and down her arm.

"I did. Did you?"

"I didn't sleep. I'm really still on duty."

"I almost forgot," she said with a slight laugh. "How long was I asleep?"

"Not too long. Half an hour, maybe."

"And you just stayed here holding me?" Jessica ran her hand back up John's body to his neck.

A grin pulled at John's lips. "It's a horrible chore, I know, but I just couldn't bring myself to pull away. You looked so comfortable."

Jessica raised herself up, leaning on her elbow. "A horrible chore, huh?"

"Oh, the worst," John said with a wink.

She ran her thumb over his cheek, caressing his face. "Well, maybe I can find a way to make it up to you."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," John said. He smiled brightly at her, which caused his dimples to appear.

Jessica kissed one of those dimples before moving to his lips. John put his hand to the back of her head. With a gentle touch, he held her close as he deepened their kiss. He would have gladly kept kissing her if his stomach hadn't growled loud enough for both of them to hear.

"Hungry?" Jessica whispered against John's lips.

"Yeah."

"Me, too. Why don't we take a break and eat? We can get back to this later."

"Sounds good to me."

They continued kissing, hands traveling over each other's bodies. Neither of them moved. John kissed down to Jessica's neck and she sighed.

"We have to get up to eat," she said.

"Yeah, we do. You first."

John kept kissing her neck, and Jessica knew she wouldn't have the will to pull away.

"Not while you're doing that," she said.

"You want me to stop?" His lips never left her neck as he rolled her onto her back.

"Want? No, I don't want you to stop."

Another loud growl came from John's stomach and he groaned. He trailed his lips back up to Jessica's and let a gentle kiss linger there a moment before he rolled onto his back again and got out of the bed.

Jessica whimpered at the loss of his warmth, but she watched him as he collected his clothes and put them back on.

"Too bad we have to eat," she said. "I could have done this all day."

"Me, too, sweetheart." He walked around the room again, this time gathering Jessica's clothes. He put them on the edge of the bed and walked to the door. "I'll meet you in the kitchen."

Jessica nodded and John closed the door behind him. She lay there for a moment before turning onto her side and pulling the pillow he had been using close to her face. It smelled like him. She inhaled deeply and sighed as she got out of bed, dressed, and joined John in the kitchen.

They each made their own food, then sat on the sofa to eat while John filled her in on the plan for the next day.

"I want you to wear a bulletproof vest under your clothes. Just as a precaution," he said.

"Okay."

"The image scanner will be set up in the hotel room, and you'll give your testimony from there."

"And you'll be with me the whole time?"

"The whole time."

John took her empty plate and set it on the table in front of them with his. Jessica sat sideways, with one foot on the floor.

"What about after I testify? Will I be in protective custody until the end of the trial?"

"Yeah. Since witnesses are sometimes recalled, you'll stay in custody until there's a verdict."

"And after the verdict?"

"You'll be free."

"I was actually talking about us," she said with a blush.

"I guess I'll have to take you out to dinner or something."

"I like the idea of 'or something,'" she said.

John slipped his hand around her waist. "Maybe I can see the bedroom in your house again, in a less official capacity."

"That sounds good," she said.

"Come here."

John pulled Jessica toward him and she straddled his legs. Her hands went to his neck, then slid down his shoulders where she kept a firm grip. When John felt her hips grind against him, he moaned. Jessica slowly leaned forward before John captured her lips with his own. His arms wrapped tight around her and leaned her back a little in his arms. His lips traveled down her neck, and then slowly back to her mouth. They kissed for several minutes until Jessica stood, took John's hand, and led him back to her bedroom. They made love again, then lay on their sides, wrapped in each other's arms.

"I wish you could stay with me tonight," Jessica said.

"Who says I can't?"

"Won't Dorian find that weird?"

"Not at all. He knows how we feels about each other... sort of. He can read the biological changes in our bodies, like our heart rates increasing when we're around each other."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and he smiled.

"Your heart rate increases around me," she asked.

"It does."

"That's funny. You have the same effect on mine." Jessica snuggled closer against him and hid part of her face in the crook of his neck. "This is so easy."

"Easy?"

"Us. It feels easy. No awkwardness or nervousness. It just feels..."

"It feels right."

"Like your arms were made to hold me," she said.

"Maybe they were."

John let his fingers wind their way into Jessica's hair before lifting his head to capture her lips with a soft kiss.

"Why don't you go shower," John said, "while I clean up the living area. Then I'll shower, and we can spend the rest of the night watching television on the couch."

They each took their turn in the shower and ended up snuggled close on the sofa. They separated when they heard Dorian come out of his room later that night. John filled Dorian in on the plans for the next day, then the three chatted for a while until Jessica excused herself to go to bed. John's eyes followed her, then turned back to Dorian, who had a smile on his face.

"What," John asked.

"Nothing."

"Yeah, right."

"You and Jessica," Dorian said. His smile grew even wider.

"Look, man, whatever you think you know, you're wrong."

"Whatever you say, man."

John stood. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"Good night, John. Tell Jessica goodnight again for me, too."

John turned and glared at Dorian, but Dorian just smiled even bigger. John grunted, shook his head, and walked into Jessica's room, closing the door behind him. He removed his pants and set them on the chair, then climbed in bed. Jessica was lying on her side, so John pressed in close behind her and draped an arm over her before kissing her cheek. His bare leg brushed against hers. She, too, was wearing just her shirt and underwear. Jessica sighed and leaned back into him.

"Dorian knows," John said.

"Knows? As in, he knows what we did today?"

"Yeah."

"How?" Jessica sat up with a mortified look on her face.

"I told you, he can read biological changes."

"Oh my... This is embarrassing."

"Gee, thanks," John said.

"Not that it's you. Just that... he knows. It's just weird. Don't you think it's weird?"

"Extremely."

"Will he report it?"

"Nah, I don't think so. I think he's happy for us."

"Really?"

"Yeah." John pulled her back down into his arms, this time facing him, and kissed her slowly. "We need to sleep."

"Important day tomorrow."

"Very important. I have to keep you alive... and my reasons are a little more selfish now."

"I like that," Jessica said.

She pressed in close to him and they fell asleep in each other's arms.