Chapter fourteen; Rosaline.

I love my surprises.

Jo poked the eggs in her plate with a fork. Henry was down in his sanctum, while Abe was sitting with her at the kitchen table. She sighed once more as she thought about the events of the previous evening. She looked up at Abe and sighed once more. Tears burned at the back of her eyes and it was taking all her strength not to burst out into tears. Henry had called Hanson about an hour before asking if he can cover for them at the precinct and that she'll explain everything once Jo was ready. Her mind swam to her sister for the fifth time that day. She was supposed to go shopping with her that very afternoon, but she didn't know how she was going to do it without breaking down.

"You sound like a lost puppy, Jo." Abe said as he closed his newspaper and took off his reading glasses. She looked up at him and tears rolled across her cheeks. "I haven't ever seen you this depressed." Abe said as he stood and dragged his chair closer to her, then sat down once again.

"I'm scared, Abe. How does Henry even handle this condition?" Jo asked sadly.

"He doesn't that's why he's down in his dungeon of death. Now he blames himself for what happened to you." Abe said as he sighed. Jo set her head on Abe's shoulder and sought out what comfort he had to offer.

"Well, looks like he won't be alone forever. At least he has me and I have him." Jo said as she wiped her wet cheeks.

"That's the only thing comforting me when I have to leave someday. I'm just glad he found someone like you." Abe said with a smile. Jo nodded and unconsciously placed her hand on her chest where she was shot. It felt and looked exactly like Henry's.

"Alright," Jo said as she stood up. "I'm going to pull him out of that dungeon of his even if I have to spend the rest of the day in bed." Jo said with a sly grin.

"Now that's the spirit, Detective." Abe said before Jo marched her way to the entry of Henry's lab. She swiftly opened the door and marched down the steps.

"Henry?" She said asked to get his attention. He was currently sitting at a desk with a photo album.

"You know, this incident is my fault. It is my fault that you have to suffer the same fate as I have to." Henry said as he place his head in his hands. Jo fumed with anger on the inside. This was all Adam's and Markus' doing. None of this was Henry's fault.

"Henry Morgan, don't you dare blame yourself for this." Jo said as she walked up to him and placed her hands on his desk. Henry's head shot up and looked her straight in the eyes. Sorrow as clear as day in them.

"Yes it is. It is my fault Adam knows about you and it is my fault that this had happened. I should've just ran like always the day you saw me disappear. I should've ran so you'd be safe." Henry said as his voice got softer and softer. His head was now bowed in shame so he doesn't have to look at her. Jo walked around the table and pulled his chin up, forcing him to look at her.

"And it's my fault I slept with Markus and it's my fault he knows about me. Henry, will you please stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong. Part of this is on me, but none of this is your fault. This is on Adam and Markus, or whatever their real names are. I don't regret meeting you or finding you in that subway. I love you and nothing is ever going to change that." Henry looked at her in disbelief eyeing her features carefully to see if there was any trace of a lie. Relief filled his features as he pulled her closer to him he softly placed a kiss on her lips asking permission, like the gentleman he is. Jo moved forward onto his lap and deepening the kiss. He stood picking her up and wrapping her legs around him. He pushed her against the wall of his lab and moved his head placing kisses on her neck. She smiled softly as she held her hand in his hair. It was too easy to brighten his mood from time to time.

Jo tried to make her way out of bed. According to her Henry was asleep and she didn't want to wake him. Unfortunately he was indeed awake and he pulled her back into the covers.

"Where might you be going, Detective." Henry teased her. He placed a soft kiss on her bare neck making her giggle.

"I have a shopping date with my sister. Since Reece gave us the day off, I can be on time for once." Jo said as she turned and looked him in the eyes. He smiled fiendishly at her. She arched her eyebrow knowing that coy smile all too well.

"Who said you'll be making it on time, Detective. At the moment I have you safely secure in my arms and I'm not about to let you escape them." Henry said as he placed a stray of hair behind her ear.

"Henry Morgan, we can finish this once I'm done. I'll only be an hour or two." Jo said with a smile as she softly gave him a quick kiss. He smiled at her as he allowed her to leave the bed and get dressed.

"I'll definitely hold that against you. I have a surprise for you and if you like it, we'll definitely end up back here." Henry smiled devilishly. Jo through him with the nearest pillow trying to wipe that smug grin off his face.

"You are so cocky sometimes." Jo said as she fastened her belt. "I'll see you when I get back. Enjoy some quality time with Abe, instead of going back to your dungeon. Henry gave her a disapproving look.

"It's a laboratory, not a dungeon. You and Abe both won't leave it be." Henry said with a sigh. Jo placed a kiss on top of his head.

"When you research death, Henry, no-one is going to leave it be." Jo said with a giggle before she left the room.

"Well, I did not know you could spend five hours in a room without falling asleep." Abe said with a sandwich in his hands and a coy smile on his face. Jo blushed furiously and quickly changed the subject.

"I'm going out with my sister for an hour or so. She's is picking me up here." Jo said as she made her way to the stairs. "Look after him while I'm gone. If I find him in his dungeon when I get back, I'll shoot both of you." Jo warned before she made her way down the stairs and out of the shop. Abe was probably on lunch break since the store had a 'be back in five' sign on the window. Jo looked around and was about to call her sister when her car pulled up on the curve. She swiftly opened the door and climbed in. Before Jo could greet her Rosaline interrupted her.

"You know I've been picking you up at this exact spot for the past five months. What are you hiding in there?" She asked as she eyed her sister sceptically.

"Well, hallo to you too." Jo said as she fastened her seat belt. Jo avoided eye contact with her and tried to suppress a smile, but failed miserably.

"We're not going anywhere until I find out why you've been so chipper these past few months…" Rosaline stopped in the middle of what she was saying and her eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. "When were you planning on telling me?" She asked as she swatted Jo's arm.

"Tell you what?" Jo asked innocently as she rubbed the place where Rosaline swatted her.

"Don't you dare play dumb, Jo. Is he cute?" She asked as she quickly stole a glance to the antique shop and then back to Jo.

"Yes, yes he is. Jo said with a bright smile. She pushed the little detail of her immortality to the back of her mind. She wasn't going to focus on it now. She will tell her sister someday, but not today. She didn't even know how she could.

"What does he do?" She asked as she pulled away from the curve, satisfied that her sister started talking.

"He's a coroner. He is my partner on most cases." Jo said as her smile grew.

"Well, you are pretty stubborn, so it explains why you met him at work and not at a bar." Rosaline teased. "And he's what, American? African? Chinese?" Jo giggled as she listed the possibilities. Her sister was so nosy when it came to Jo's personal life.

"He's British and a huge gentleman. You know you can be such a pest when it comes to my love life." Jo stated with a sly smirk.

"Well, it is my duty as a little sister to do just that. Being a pest is part of the job." Rosaline grinned as she quoted one of her childhood sayings. "But I'm happy for you, Jo you deserve someone after Sean. If you've been dating him this long it's definitely a good sign." Rosaline said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I know." Jo said as her smile grew wider.

There'll be more surprises in the future, but I love messing with the plot. So if you'll excuse me I still have a lot of messing to do… Until next time…