"Clean my clock?" She laughed a good hearty laugh from the gut that echoed through the cab of the truck even over the roar of the engine. "What does that even mean? You know I'd put you through your paces, stanky running shoes or not." Amusement saturated every word. She was serious. Shorter legs and feminine physique be damned, this was exactly what she'd worked for all this time: out run the law and you can outrun anybody.

Heaving a sigh, Lori caught her breath firmly and finally bent it to her will so that she sounded normal. Yes. A few jogs on her part would help boost her actual confidence to match her bravado. One of the Sanctuary treadmills might just get a standing reservation from Lori this week, assuming she decided to grace that facility with her presence again sometime soon. And with her recent involvement with Jacen, Lori didn't think it wise to bee line back to her current residence, Mars or no Mars. She'd always come and gone as she'd pleased before without comment from him. What was one more night?

"Got no place better to be." Lori followed Jacen's lead and tugged her shoes off without bothering to undo the ratty laces. She yawned hard enough that her eyes watered a bit and the wiped the treacherous droplets away with the back of her hand. No doubt she had just smudged what little makeup she had left, but it was better than leaving moisture where it could up and bite her.

Another yawn. Damn. "I may have to take you up on that offer of honor..." She muttered, begrudgingly of course. She'd get a shower either way since they were both stinky, but much more would have to wait until she wasn't yawning her head in half. What day!

Lori watched the scenery roll past the window and hoped her dad had the sense to get out of town already. Because she'd only bought him one day. Her duty was done there, it should have been enough for him to go.... she just... had the sinking feeling that he didn't. He was probably back at the trailer right now eating those ruffles and complaining about how only Nazis like Ruffles.

(OOC: Time jump approved by Lori.)

IC:
The trip back to Jacen's apartment was traveled in a comfortable silence as weariness began to cloud both of their minds. In what seemed like a short period of time the truck pulled into the apropriate parking space at Jacen's apartment building. Anyone watching the two walk into the house they probably would have assumed the pair was drunk. They were stumbling ever so slightly as they walked inside and their shoes were held in their hands instead of on their feet where footwear belonged.

Once inside the apartment, Jacen & Lori wasted little time. Soon the master bedroom floor was littered with clothing and the steam was coming out from the bathroom. The hot water was relaxing and as much as Jacen may have wanted to instigate something other than just showering, his offering of being honorable still stood.

After they both felt clean up, Jacen gave Lori a towel to wrap up in while he went and found something clean for her to wear. After pulling on boxers and a pair of sweat pants he snagged an extra large dark blue shirt with the words, "I'm so excited to be here." and gave that to Lori for something to wear.

"Care for a night cap?" Jacen called back into the bedroom as he walked into the living room and over to the table where he kept his liqour. He had left Lori alone with the choice of either remaining in her towel or donning the t-shirt and a part of him was quite interesting to see what her choice. He felt that it was probably safe to assume she'd pick the t-shirt but there was really no guarantee. "I've got brandy, scotch, whiskey, and even a few beers in the fridge."

Extra Large for Lori meant extra all the way down half her thigh. She'd worn skirts and dresses shorter for sure. but there was always a certain insecurity that came with a lack of undergarments. If an emergency came up, who was to say she wouldn't be flashing her cookies everywhere on accident. She wasn't comfortable with accidental or partial nudity. Weird, but it just seemed worse for some reason.

And of course being the man he was, Jacen tried to walk out of range while she put on her tent of a shirt on, so she had to follow him into the living room even as she was still inspecting the words on the shirt. I'm So Excited to Be Here. It made her smile and shake her head, towel dangling as she sponged some of the moisture from it.

"Unless you're wanting to get trashed, I think we'd better forgo the libations. Something about running and a good shower just doesn't inspire my hand... Feel too clean just now. Maybe water..." And feeling clean was nice. Lori finished taking out most of the moisture and her yellow hair hung limp and stringy somewhere in between wet and dry. The towel flopped over the back of one of the kitchen chairs so that it could dry. She was ever careful to stay in Jacen's range.

"Do you have work tomorrow?" Lori settled onto the couch and felt it envelop her. It was like a hug that never ended. Had this couch been so comfortable last time? She lay her head against the back moving only her eyes as she watched Jacen finish whatever he was doing.

Ever since walking into the living room, Jacen had been watching Lori out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't really expected her to follow him into the living since he still had trouble remembering that she never wanted privacy while she was still damp. It was amazing that even a baggy old t-shirt could hide her beauty. "If you'd rather have water I think we can arrange that." Jacen said with a grin as he turned and slowly made his way to the kitchen. If she wanted to train close behind to say in his aura then he was going to make sure she had an easy time doing just that.

Once he was in the kitchen Jacen's motions were quick as he made short work of this particular mission. In what seemed like record time he had two glasses with several ice cubes and cold water in each of them. Walking back into the living room he offered her one of the glasses before walking over to take a seat at the end of the couch where her feet were currently residing. After taking a seat at the couch and enjoying a moment of just sipping at his water, Jacen reach oved and set the glass down on his coffee table then reached over and claimed one of Lori's tiny feet in his hands. Gripping it gently but firmly Jacen began to kneed the muscles and tendons in her foot, working on massaging away any aches or pains that might remain from their earlier jog.

"No work tomorrow. When running normal patrols I get a two day on and one day off schedule. Since we're actually working more hours out of the day and not just doing classes, paperwork, or the training sessions that take up so much time over in S.W.A.T." Jacen replied with a smile, his eyes drifting up to the blond's face before dropping back to the foot he was currently working on, "What about you? Any big plans for yourself tomorrow?"

The water wasn't cold, but the ice cubes bouncing against her lips added just enough nip to help the water cool her from the inside. Lori twisted around to set her water beside the couch as Jacen settled near her feet. She started to draw her feet away, but he caught one and held on to it.

He was...! She twitched. It tickled! Lori bit her lower lip and tried to let the fingers at her feet feel less... strange. She twitched again and tried not to squirm. Her muscles slowly... slowly relaxed as she tried to make herself let go. Let go of the day and man and all the different things making her think this was strange. Because so many girls would kill for this.

"What about you? Any big plans for yourself tomorrow?"

Her attention was keenly focused on the fingers at her calluses and was hard to draw away and then she actually had to unclench her teeth to speak "No plans. Was supposed to stay at dad's tonight." She tucked her damp hair behind her ear slowly. This was all natural. Very natural and she wasn't being tickled... no... no she wasn't. "We should do something." She tugged at her foot half-heartedly.

The first quiver that ran through Lori's foot provided him with some very interesting information. She was ticklish! This beautiful woman that tried to come off as being so tough and strong had a soft spot! Now of course the question was, exactly how many people knew about this particular secret?

"We should do something huh." Jacen said rather lazily as he finished working on the one foot and then picked up her other one. While rubbing his thumbs and fingers over the muscles and tendons in her foot, Jacen did allow himself a few moments to play by tickling the ball and arch of her foot. "Do you have anything in particular in mind or are you just wanting to spend more time with little ol' me?"

This was somewhat shocking but Jacen liked the surprise. He never would have expected Lori to suggest they hang out even more this soon after their relationship had apparently changed, but he deffinately wasn't going to complain about it. Of course, there was still an unspoken question about exactly what their relationship was. Were they boyfriend and girlfriend? Were they um-friends that were just testing the waters? Were the friends with benefits and maybe just a few feelings? Defining something like this was not Jacen's strong suit but he planned on enjoying every moment of whatever this was.

"No." She shook her head like a prisoner being interrogated. Her fingers were gripping the couch and she scooted every so subtly backward. "No idea what to--" Gah! and then he was ticking the sensitive arch of her foot! It was too much. She wriggled and kicked and squirmed at tried to get away while laughing so loudly that the neighbors might hear.

Lori twisted against the couch to bury her face in the cushions and hold the soft material to her face. Her elbows automatically tucked in to protect her ribs. Under normal circumstances the tickler would be getting a hefty shock of retaliation for making her lose what little control she had over her gift not because she needed revenge, but because it was automatic. For Lori, her gift mostly powered up all the way or none of the way. Tickling was like playing with the on-off switch.

"You're lucky you are who you are!" It came out like a squeak.

She was just so darn cute when she was wiggling around from being tickled. Jacen actually found himself chuckling as he watched the blond woman bury her head in the pillow in order to try and contain the noise of her laughter. This was the side of Lori that he was sure she rarely revealed to everyone. A touch of helplessness and innocence combined together with her natural beauty to just show her off as she truly was. Not the image she tried to project at all times but just pure and unadultered Lori.

"I'm know that I'm lucky." Jacen said with a quiet laugh as he finally stopped the tickling and returned to just massaging the one foot he had held captive for several moments. "If I hadn't had an ability like the one I have, you probably wouldn't have even given me the time of day and we never would have had a chance to get to know each other."

It was an intimate moment that Jacen didn't fail to appreciate as he massaged her foot and watched the young woman began to calm down from his outright tickeling. Had she ever opened up to another person like this? Sure, she still had secrets but she was sharing things with him that he was willing to bet she'd never shared with another guy. Some of it had been accidents of course, like his stumbling across Lori's father, and some of it had been by choice but it still gave them a connection that he felt sure was more than she'd shared with anyone else before.

"Well, is there anything that you've wished or wanted to do that you couldn't because of your power? Any dreams that you have that had to be held at bay because you couldn't do it with your abilities?" Jacen asked after a few moments of silence as a thought suddenly occured to him. Obviously Lori had originally hooked up with him because he gave her the option of enjoying a shower. Was there something else that she might also be interested in that his abilities would allow them to now enjoy together?

There was something in his voice that made Lori open her eyes, crane her neck over her shoulder, and really examine Jacen. He'd given up on the tickling thankfully. She was ticklish pretty much everywhere and would forever pay for that. Again she was left catching her breath, but that was okay. She hadn't fried anyone or ruined anything. Really no harm done and he was back to massaging the callus at her sole only since she'd wriggled over onto her stomach he had an easier time of it.

There was something so... warm in the way he tended her foot. He didn't even seem to care that her tent of a shirt had rumpled and lay much shorter than it should have. He seemed much more interested in the fact that his hand could fully close around her foot and that when he applied pressure with his thumb to the ball of her foot, it often made her second to last little toe twitch involuntarily from the tendons he was rubbing.

Rather than hurt her neck by keeping it turned at so harsh an angle, Lori settled her head back against the couch cushion over her folded arms. She had given up the view for comfort. "Doesn't seem fair to get something without giving some things up... everything has a price." She mused, but... then again since when was she ever interested in fair? Life certainly wasn't fair, but she'd become accustomed to living with and without certain things for some time. To have it all offered back all of a sudden was just... too good to be true.

What was Jacen costing her? She didn't even want to hash that one out.

As her breathing slowed, Lori realized that keeping her eyes open was a real struggle, one she was bound to loose so she closed them on purpose and tried to focus enough to give Jacen a real answer. "Swimming, airplanes, owning a cell phone, answering a cell phone, medical tests... anything that requires water, sensitive equipment or the use of radio frequencies, heck -- even watching TV doesn't work unless I'm far away, Jacen. I haven't been to a movie in a very long time. If I sit too far back or get stressed out because of some dramatic scene, I have the potential to blow the bulb in the projector."

She shrugged and the movement was strange since she was laying on her stomach. "It's not like I did a lot of those things before and it's been years enough that I'm used to it. You probably shouldn't spoil me." Because the last thing she needed was full dependance on someone else to do things that she enjoyed. Showers were fine once a week or less.

"There are time when you're to suspicious Lori." Jacen said with a slight grin, "Besides, who said I wasn't getting anything out of this?"

If he had been looking at any other part of Lori's body it would have been quick and easy to assume that he was just looking for sexual favors but because he continued to concentrate on massaging the young woman's feet any idea of payment was much more abstract. What did he want from this? What was he looking to get from his relationship with Lori?

"Well I guess it just depends on how adventurous you feel for tomorrow." Jacen replied to Lori, ignoring her comment about spoiling her. If he wanted to spoil this woman then that's exactly what he was going to do. "Since you haven't spent much time on airplanes we could go up for sky diving. I've got enough jumps that we could actually jump together as partner or we could jump with a zip-line that pulls our shoot as soon as we get out of the plane. Then maybe after that we can see if there are any interesting movies playing and if so we can kill a few hours in the theater. Then after a day out and about we could grab some take-out for dinner and then you can either spend the night or head off to wherever else you need to go."

Jacen was quite pleased with the ideas that he had come up with so quickly. They were good plans. Firm plans. Plans that could easily make sure that he got to spend the whole day with this pretty blond before having to return back to work. Glancing up at Lori's head, Jacen finally realized that she was beginning to fall asleep. Releasing her food he stood to feet and then walked over and in one smooth motion lifted Lori up into his arms.

"You'll be a lot more comfortable falling asleep in bed." Jacen said quietly as he cradled her in his arms and walked back into the bedroom. He knew that Lori didn't particularly like being carried but somehow he figured that as tired as she was she might not mind for the moment. Besides, even if she did mind it wasn't like she could really fight him off without forcing him to drop her. "We can always come to a final decision on our plans tomorrow morning."

"Suspicion will keep you alive." She wiggled her toes against his fingers and thought at first she might have bothered him or something because he set her feet aside as he formulated their plans for the next day.

What did he want from her? What did she have to offer him that he hadn't already sampled? What did she have to do?

"Sky diving sounds exciting..." not to mention expensive. "Also sounds like a full day you have planned there." She wasn't really one for making plans a lot of the time. WIthout a job (or jobs) to mandate her schedule she pretty much did drift through her days as she pleased. The only thing she really had to plan for was Jacen... and here he was making plans. It was just as well, she couldn't have ever dreamed of doing such things without him anyway. It all sounded rather abstract at the moment. Sky diving. Who did that on a regular basis?

The call of sleep and comfortable couch made her suspicions far too slow. That or she was too trusting of this one already because she in no way expected him to come around and scoop her up. One moment she was partially asleep and the next she was suspended in the air with her heart in her throat and the absolute need to get away.

She wasn't concerned about him dropping her or hurt feelings or anything like that. She kicked her legs and gripped his shirt, but she didn't fight for long. Lori was at Jacen's mercy long before he'd picked her up. The realization was like a slap to the face. She kept her grip on Jacen's shirt just in case he got the bright idea to toss her somewhere. If that happened the shirt would rip or he would come with her. Either way it was all too apparent that she didn't trust him for as far as he could throw her. She was trusting him enough to take her off her feet, but not wholly. There were just too many bad things that could happen this way.

"Bed. Tomorrow morning." She nodded dumbly. What in the world did this man want with her?

Nope, Lori deffinately didn't like being picked up and carried but at least she didn't fight it. There was a brief struggle and kick though it seemed to be rather half-hearted. Finally she settled down, one hang firmly gripping the front of his shirt.

"I'm not going to drop you or throw you Lori." Jacen said quietly as he walked over to the bed and then carefully laid her on it. Crouching over here he just looked into her eyes as he waited for her to release his shirt.

"I thought you said you were gonna take me up on my offer of honor." He said with a slight chuckle and smile at the beautiful blond, "I think we both need our rest."

Lori was a very confusing woman but Jacen was finding more and more that he liked it. Instead of going along with the same old thing that almost every women liked and enjoyed, she was her own person. An individual that wasn't afraid to break the mold and walk to the beat of her own drum. But beneath that there was still a sensitive woman that wanted attention. She was a mixture of things that made her special and that was what he liked about her so much.

"I'm not going to drop you or throw you Lori."[/color]

He said that now, but she hadn't made him angry recently. He waited there awkwardly until she let go of his shirt. For some odd reason, all that talk of honorable behavior had made Lori think she would be sleeping on the couch. Sure there was a second bedroom, but for some reason she didn't see herself there. And it was just weird... on a bed... with another person... weren't they supposed to do something here?

She'd had the same problem with Mars. Worse in fact. Because borderline bonding is way more than borderline when you have no excuses for sleeping all night in the same bed with another person and aren't using it to it's fullest benefit.

Maybe that was the tired talking.

Actually, yes. This was all ridiculous and she would sleep where she pleased. Lori rolled over, not knowing what to say to the man. The covers pulled all the way up to her nose and she lay on her side stiffly. Funny that she was more nervous about sleeping, actually just sleeping, with someone than she was with doing worser things.

If she couldn't sleep normally here, she would do just what she did to Mars: wait until Jacen was asleep and slip out to claim the couch.

Once Lori had let go of him Jacen made his way around to the other side of the bed and after pulling off his shirt and pants slid between the sheets in just his boxers. There was no good night kiss or special embrace shared between lovers just a quietly murmured, "Good night.", and then he drifted off to sleep.

***

It was a beautiful day at the beach and the sun was shining down brightly. Jacen was stretched out on a beach chair wearing a pair of sunglasses and a pair os swim trunks that were tie-dyed in blue, green, and aqua. Glancing over at the chair next to him he saw Lori, stretched out in an extremely skimpy gold and burgundy striped bikini. She to wore sunglasses and her skin was nicely bronzed from the intense rays of the sun.

Turning his face back toward the sun Jacen allowed his eyes to close as he just enjoyed the warmth. Yes, this was bliss. A hot beach with an even hotter girl beside you. Life was good.

For what seemed like hours Jacen enjoyed the warmth and then the sun began to go down and the air began to cool. All to quickly it was sunset and the air was actually taking on an icy feel. Opening his eyes, Jacen's mouth droped open in shock as he stared out across the glassy surface of an icy pond. Where was the sun? Where was the beach? Where was Lori?!

***

Jacen's eyes snapped open though his body didn't move. He could feel the matress and pillow conforming to his body and through the dim morning light he could make out the familiar surroundings of his room. But if the dream was over why was he still cold?

Sitting up, Jacen actually had to start chuckling as he looked at his empty bed. Not only was his sleeping partner gone but so was the sheet and comforter that had covered him during the night. "No wonder I was cold." He laughed to himself as he got up and made his way over to the bathroom. A few minutes later he walked out and went about pulling back on his sweatpants and t-shirt before wandering out to the kitchen.

There she was, curled up on the couch without a care on the world. Jacen had been hoping she was still around but a part of him had been wondering whether she had slipped out and left once again. Thankfuly she hadn't so while she slept he could see about starting up the morning coffee.

Life was simple again. She had her charge, enough blankets to make herself into a Lori burrito and nothing else. Because she didn't need anything else. Anything else was just in the way of a good night's sleep.

She'd thought of her excuses before she'd stolen the covers and made her escape: Jacen was hogging the covers, she needed to re-charge, Jacen was snoring, she woke up early on accident... the lies could go on and on because there was no way she would tell him the truth. It would be easier for a sensitive person like Jacen to understand lies like those.

The truth was that Lori just wasn't ready to bond like that. He was too nice and she had yet to find the catch. Once she understood him, maybe she could work him or at least work like normal around him. Until that time came there would be no innocent sleeping. It was one attachment she was looking to avoid if at all possible.

Unfortunately all of that would have to wait until Lori woke up. She was a notably heavy sleeper and had gotten a later start than Jacen. No amount of coffee scent or careful walking would wake her, though once her 6-8 hours of sleep had been filled she would wake on her own.