This is kind of a transition chapter from romance, getting back together, resolving the distance and tension between them, to the adventure of the next part. Although there is some of both in both parts.

Jason woke with Connie lying against his arm. His arm had no feeling in it whatsoever and it would burst with pins and needles if he moved it, but he didn't mind. Sunlight danced across her face, painting golden glints in her hair. She was so beautiful he wanted to kiss her but didn't want to disturb her. He wanted to look at every perfect feature as she slept in angelic peace.

Last night, she'd been beautiful in a different way, attacking him in a torrent of love. He'd barely been able to recover before the next onslaught. After being away from her for so long, he didn't know if he could handle it. He'd tried to not do anything that might startle her, not assume to go past a certain point unless she did first. And what she had done! He was still recovering, and a lot of last night was a blur. He wished it wasn't—it had been so wonderful he wanted to remember each part of it—but that meant he could rediscover those things next time.

All he knew was that his memories from a month ago had not done her justice. He knew she was amazing, but to actually experience her love after so long, he hadn't known what to do. He'd wanted to give her everything she deserved, but, absorbed in holding back and out of practice, he had been at a loss under her attentions. He didn't mind—he'd rather be too cautious than not—but he wished he'd been able to keep up a bit. If he'd have known how far their barriers had fallen, he might have tried to give her more. But he'd been dazzled by her glory. Her constant, amazing beauty. She couldn't help but please him in everything she did, but she seemed to instinctively know what he liked.

Next time, if he was sure it was what she wanted, he'd try to pay her back for what she'd given him last night. But he doubted anything he could do would meet her level. As much as he'd needed her, he hadn't even known how much until she'd returned to him full force.

He knew their relationship would not be perfect from now on. He wasn't that naïve. But an essential part of who they were together—what they'd been avoiding—had been repaired last night. He loved being with her no matter what they were doing. But he couldn't deny he'd needed this. It was a large part of how they showed their love to each other. They couldn't just go through married life pretending it didn't matter. They were great together in every way, but this was something special, a wordless language they shared, unique to who they were, each part of each other fitting the other's needs. He never wanted to lose this part of who they were again. Never wanted anything to come between them. He'd do whatever he could to keep that from happening.

A great weight had lifted, allowing him to fully enjoy last night. What she had told him—that they could have a baby— had shot joy through him. He hadn't even realized how much he'd wanted a baby until she told him she wasn't against the idea of getting pregnant anymore.

Now that they had dealt with the reason they'd been broken, he knew that she would not react as she had when she'd been grieving. He could throw himself into his love with abandon, not ask permission at every touch, since it was implicit. Although he'd always be careful with her, make sure he was meeting her needs first. And he would tell her his own concerns from now on. They could move forward, nothing to hinder them. Take their next step, whatever that was.

Or perhaps, he would just lie here all day, marveling at her beauty….

She stirred. Opened her eyes. A smile crossed her face and she snuggled closer to him, her skin warm against his. He moved his numb arm and embraced her. A couple warning tingles pricked it. He ignored them.

"Hey, my beautiful," he said.

"Mmm," was all she said in reply.

He kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and kissed him softly on the lips. He caressed her cheek, his fingers lingering in her soft, tangled hair.

Her emerald eyes caught his. "Last night—it was amazing."

"I thought I wasn't keeping up very well."

"Oh, Jason. You were perfect. Taking it slow let me totally enjoy every moment of getting to know you again. I can't get enough of you." She slid her hand down his back, sending thrills through him. He returned the favor by caressing her back, although by now his arm was exploding with pins and needles.

"Flip over," he said.

"Why?"

"I'll show you."

He massaged her shoulders.

"Ouch!" she said. He jerked away.

"Are you okay?"

"No, keep going. I didn't know I had so many knots…."

"Probably the tension of yesterday."

"And this whole month….I can't believe I held myself back from you all this time. I'm never doing that again."

"I have to admit…I like it better this way."

"And—oh, Jason. I'm sorry…if I'd known how much you wanted a baby, I wouldn't have kept that from you either. I…don't know if I'm ready yet but if you really wanted—"

"Not until you want it. I'm just happy that you're open to it sometime in the future." He pressed his fingers into her lower back.

"Mmm…you're really good at this. You should be a professional."

"Probably less dangerous than being a spy."

"Here. Let me return the favor. Though I doubt I'll be as good as you."

He flipped onto his side and she massaged his back. Her small fingers kneaded his muscles expertly, pressing out the knots in his shoulders.

"Tell me where it's sore."

"My left shoulder—there." She massaged it till the knot was gone.

"Where else?"

"Middle of my back." She pressed along it, and it made him feel amazing. Tingles spread through him. Her fingers were wonderful—but suddenly he wanted to see her again so he flipped back over. He slipped a lock of hair back from her face. He wanted more of her, but he didn't know what she was up for. Or if he was totally recovered himself…

"What would you like to do today?" he asked.

She stretched. "Oh, we could just stay here in the hotel all day. That's the funnest thing I can think of. We haven't done this in a while."

"We're not in DC very often, though. Do you want to go somewhere?"

"I'd like to see more of the city…the Capitol…the…Washington Monument…" She kissed him on the lips, along his cheek, burning a path to his ear.

Soon they were wrapped in each other's arms, completely absorbed in each other's love.

The phone rang on the lampstand. Connie was cuddled next to him. He wasn't sure if she was asleep or not; he didn't want to disturb her. But then he saw the screen: it was his dad.

He reached for the phone and held it to his ear. Connie stirred, looked up at him.

"Who is it?" she said lazily.

Dad, he mouthed. Her eyes widened.

"Hi Dad," said Jason.

"Hi, Jason." His father's voice was heavy with emotion. Jason tensed.

"What's wrong?"

"I wanted to make sure before I called you. I didn't want to give you any false hope."

Jason's heart flipped. Something momentous had happened—he just didn't know what yet. "About what?" Part of him already had an idea, since his father had gone to Chicago. Though he didn't want to let himself think it.

"Your brother. Jerry."

"Dad—he isn't...?"

"A letter from Jerry arrived to our old house recently, and the post office notified me. It had gotten lost in the mail all these years. It was postmarked a few days after Jerry's death."