The tap on her behind made her laugh and when a second pair of hands helped her get the warm layers off, Jaxon was able to stop struggling with it and actually accomplish it. Humming in appreciation at the skin on skin contact, the sound turned into a yelp of surprise when she felt the cold tile against her back. Dissolving into giggles, finally releasing the mood from the store, the giggles faded.

Pluto's attention quickly became the thing sending shivers through her, instead of the tile, and her stomach tightened in anticipation, her heart pounding fast as it became harder to breathe. The lack of water was interesting, and the places that would usually slide slickly over each other were causing more friction, in an interesting way. Slowly, experimenting with it, she flexed and swayed her torso from side to side against his chest. It made her skin prickle and tighten, and she bit her lip with a smile.

Wrapping her legs around him for balance, her mouth paying close attention to his jaw, she slid a hand into the hair at the back of his head the other resting on his shoulder and neck. Jaxon started at his ear, lightly kissing and sucking on the skin under his ear, moving along his jaw and down the parts of his neck that she could reach. Arching her back brought more of her body in contact with his and she broke contact to make a soft moan.

*some one needs to check the lights in Pluto’s bathroom.*

*fade to Black*

~~Later that night. 10:14

Pluto carried Jaxon u the stairs wrapped in a poofy terry clothe bathrobe he carried her to the bed and kissed her all the way there. He then gave her one more kiss and plopped her down on the bed. he hopped into bed next to her and then scooched to her side and kept her close as he peered up into the night sky and the millions of shining dots.

"Jaxon." he started off firmly and then almost imediately stopped what if his next words ruined everything....
she was married, she had a kid, yes he had been helping her traipse all over that marriage but hadn't it happend naturally? she certainly looked like she cared for him.

He leaned over for another passionate kiss and then he said it quite steadily. "Jaxon, I love you." He steadied him self for the worst. silence. out rage or joy or even sadness he could handle but he wasn't sure what he would do if she said nothing at all.

After around two hours in the shower Jaxon felt like silly putty. Wrapped and warm as he moved them up the stairs, she managed a small happy sound when Pluto deposited her on the bed before she snuggled into the bed and him. With a soft yawn, her eyes closed with a smile.

Until he said her name in a strong tone. Her eyes flew open staring at him. The kiss that followed made some of the sudden fear subside, but not completely. She wasn’t afraid of him, not like she was of Fredrick, but she was strangely afraid of what he could say. After the incident earlier, Jaxon couldn’t help but be worried. Pluto could hurt her feeling far more than Fredrick could.

The words that came out of his mouth next made her eyes widen even more. Then she sat up and stared at the wall. Did he just? He did… Is he joking? He wouldn’t joke about that would he? Pluto did like his pranks and teasing, but Jaxon didn’t think he would make fun of something so serious. At least, she hoped not.

Still sitting, she turned back to him, ready to laugh a false laugh if he said it was only a joke. “You aren’t… Are you serious?” Jaxon’s feelings for him had grown to the point that she would have said she felt the same way. She loved Pluto, more than she had thought possible in the short amount of time she had been with him. But if he started laughing she was ready to play along and cry later, despite the tears hovering in her eyes now.

Reaching for him in the only way she could right now, her hand twitched towards one of his, her fingers lightly brushing the back of his hand. “You wouldn’t joke about that?”

“You aren’t… Are you serious?”

ouch ok so he thought he could handle other responses….are you serious…that stung a bit. A slight mask to show no pain. “Yes. I thought. I mean I didn’t mean to rush you.”

“You wouldn’t joke about that?”

“No! no. I wouldn’t. I mean I might if it wasn’t you and it wasn’t real I mean maybe to someone I didn’t like. You don’t have to say it back, its ok.” The hand she wasn’t petting seized her hand and gently gripped it. “ I mean it, very much. and Its ok if you need time or even if you don’t return it, but I don’t know if I can stop….I.” he might never stop babbling if she didn’t stop him. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.

Swallowing, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to keep from crying, Jaxon listened to him stammer on. His last words, about not being able to stop, made a choked sound come from her throat, and the hand he kissed quickly slid around his neck with her body following. Unfolding from her sitting position, she was soon pressed against him, stifling sobs but not the tears that were rolling down her face.

Unaware of how he might take that and forgetting that he couldn’t see her face, she nodded with a smile. “No, I don’t want you to…” She sniffled. Jaxon struggled trying to find words that could explain. Then she had a better idea. Pulling away from him, she kissed his cheek and wrapped the robe tighter as she slid off the bed. “Stay here, okay?”

Without waiting for a response she was quickly moving over the cold floor, down the stairs, and into the room that had started out as hers. Reaching under the mattress, not the best hiding spot but the best she had come up with at the time, she pulled out the manila envelope that she had shoved there a few days ago.

Without opening it, she moved back up to the bed they had been sharing and put the envelope in front of him as she crawled back on the bed next to him, her feet tucked under her as she tried to warm them up again. “Here…”

~~ “No, I don’t want you to…”

“Oh. Good.” His heart lifted from the steady one winged spiral that it was crashing and burning in. Getting a second gust of air. But why was she crying… and hugging at the same time. Confused! What did he do? How did he fix it? ummm. ummm. Ummm.


~~“Stay here, okay?”

“Okay, I can do that.” He said still a bit dazed and mystified.

~~“Here…”

“Thanks.” Thanks he probably anyway. He didn’t open it quite yet, he pulled her toward him and then leaned on her toes that were already ice cubes, how she managed to get cold in such a short time he had no idea. He made a note to get her some house shoes, multiple pairs in fact.

He pushed to gather the little metal tabs. And then glanced nervously at Jaxon.

Closer to Pluto, warming up thanks to some of his body heat, she pulled some of the blankets on the bed around the both of them. Watching him open the envelope, Jaxon rested her head against his shoulder. “When we left New York, I already knew I would need these… But after we started…” What? Sleeping together, having sex, what? “um, getting involved, I realized I wanted them even more. So I got in contact with a friend and had him send these.”

“They came with the mail a week ago, but things got busy and you were wonderfully distracting...” The divorce papers were clear and bold, somehow the black text on the white paper a more real declaration of her intents. Something that Fredrick wouldn’t be able to ignore or push under the rug like her previous protests and attempts. Glancing at Pluto, unsure if he would understand what she meant, she sighed.

Watching him scan the pages she worked up some courage that she wasn’t sure she still had. Moving here with Pluto had almost used up her hidden storage of bravery and boldness. And she didn’t want to say something that might hurt him or not be true. “I… I don’t want you to be some rebound. I don’t think you are but…” That was one of her fears.

What if it was just some psychological thing; because he helped her and she had been in such close quarters with him, then they were involved so quickly… Jaxon was sure that she loved him but she had been sure about a lot of things that had turned out badly. She wanted to make sure he understood that. “I know that our situation isn’t the best, I mean-” And now Jaxon was babbling too. “I’m married and there’s Jack and a whole bunch of stuff hanging over us, that I'm trying to take care of, but…”

Through out the few minutes that she had been back, she hadn’t been able to stop her eyes from leaking. She was going to blame her weird crying on not sleeping for nearly forty-eight hours and not think about it any further. Leaning towards him, Jaxon kissed his check. “I think… I mean, I’m pretty sure that I do…” Jaxon took a deep breath, nervous despite the fact that he had said it first. “…I love you too, Pluto.”

~~ “When we left New York, I already knew I would need these… But after we started…”? “um, getting involved, I realized I wanted them even more. So I got in contact with a friend and had him send these.”

He looked at the papers and his eyes lit up. He didn’t mean to be happy but he was thrilled.

~~“They came with the mail a week ago, but things got busy and you were wonderfully distracting...” “I… I don’t want you to be some rebound. I don’t think you are but…”

He nodded continuously, encouragingly. He wiped the little salty drops away from her cheeks. And listened.

~~“I know that our situation isn’t the best, I mean-” “I’m married and there’s Jack and a whole bunch of stuff hanging over us, that I'm trying to take care of, but…”
“I think… I mean, I’m pretty sure that I do…” “…I love you too, Pluto.”

“I don’t care about the stuff. I would be happy to get to know Jack. if you let me. If he lets me.” He taped her breast bone lightly resisting the urge to simply try to reassure her physically. She was so vulnerable. “This is real, he taped again and then his own chest. I am thankful for you and I m didn’t mean to rush you.” He held up the envelope. “ I think this Is good for you regardless, if you need time or space or anything just let m know, but until then.” He brought her close to him. “I want you right here.” Kissing her gently on the cheeks and getting rid of the little droplets when they were slowing, he playfully nibbled her cheek and made over the top munching noises. “Delicious!” he kissed her a few more times but keeping it chaste by their recent standards and his hands managed to embrace and refrain from grabbing.

Jaxon couldn’t help but giggle lightly at his attempt to eat her tears and added her own joke while trying to stop. “I can’t stop leaking…” She chuckled, wiping her cheeks only removed the tears on her face, but she still had slow tears making their way out of her eyes. Relaxing in his arms, she couldn’t help the soft sigh.

She wanted to bring Jack here, the change would be good for him, maybe help him become the good kid that she knew was inside him. And if he turned out to be a mutant it would be all the better for him to be here than anywhere else. She wanted Pluto to meet him; Jack would take a while getting used to it, but he would be an amazing influence on the boy and a wonderful role-model, even if Pluto didn’t want to be a father or if Jack refused to look at him that way. Pluto was kind and sweet, didn’t need to beat others to prove anything, and he was stable and loving.

“I don’t want any space… I want you Meatball.” Jaxon returned his kisses with her own, her eyes closing as she rested against him. Despite her exhaustion, she felt like a strange weight had been lifted from her chest… like everything from now on would be easier and better. As if admitting that she loved him made everything more manageable. She yawned nestling closer, despite the odd position, her eyes closing slowly as she felt his hands holding her safely. Mumbling sleepily she couldn't help but comment on the day. "What a day... I don't think more could have happened." She grinned and slowly began falling asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Around 11:15
~~~~~~~~~~~

After so many hours awake, and being given the ability to sleep in, Jaxon should have slept longer… and probably would have, except for the sudden need to run to the bathroom. Literally.

She had been happy, warm, and having a nice dream when suddenly she sat up in bed, throwing Pluto’s arm off her, and bolted for the bathroom. Despite the chill hitting her, it didn’t diminish the need the vomit. With what felt like only a few minutes to spare, Jaxon made it to the toilet and dry heaved. After a few of the empty motions, she shakily leaned against the wall.

Contented agreement escaped from Pluto’s lips

~~"What a day... I don't think more could have happened."

“good night dear.” He whispered to the softly breathing Jax cradled on his chest and side. He drifted to slee[.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Around 11:15
~~~~~~~~~~~

“meow” he mumbled. Why did he always dream about speaking to cats…Calley had ruined his brain, even now. Not to mention Sara and Nika and Kat’rina.

Pluto awoke disoriented; Jaxxon was never one to flee from warmth with out some coaxing. Yet she flew from the bed with the quickness… he heard some coughing and then some heaving he sprung out of bed and then followed her through. She made it to the porcelain god. He snatched up a hair tie and pulled her hair back tying it gently . “ You gonna be ok babe?” he readied a cope of scope for her and then a little cup of water too.

Even though she hadn’t actually thrown up, it hadn’t been a pleasant experience and she took the cup of mouthwash with a nod. Swishing and spitting, Jaxon wiped her mouth with a tissue, giving him a thankful look. “Yeah, I’m okay… I guess I caught the flu…” Jaxon, oddly, felt perfectly fine now. If she had ever had morning sickness when she had been pregnant she might have thought the sudden nausea was similar. But she had never been sick with Jack, so her first conclusion was a random bug.

After so much change and upset in her life, the stress, and the new weather, she wasn’t surprised that she was sick. With a shiver, as suddenly as she had been hot and clammy she switched to having a chill, she took the second cup he offered her. “Thank you…” Sipping the water, and when it didn’t send her back to the toilet, she drank some more.

If she didn’t know better Jaxon would have said she hadn’t really been sick. She felt fine now. “That was strange…”

Pluto reacted the way he did, because it looked like she was going to get sick. Dry heaving usual lead into other heaving. And that heaving was messy an required hair up.

~~ “Yeah, I’m okay… I guess I caught the flu…”

“I don’t know if we have the flu down here. If you do they may quarantine us until it passes.” He raised his eyebrows as if that was a good thing, though to Pluto, he wouldn’t mind being quarantined in the least.

~~“Thank you…”

“no problem.”

~~“That was strange…”

“ a little bit. I think that is the first time I have seen you get out of bed so quick.”

“ You wanna go back to bed, or shower? I could make something bland for breakfast if you want.”

He wished he could protect her from germs. It was odd that he could protect her from just about anything, but a something so miniscule could get past him with out a glance.

In the middle of a sip, Jaxon looked at him in surprise. She didn’t know that they didn’t have the flu. But his look of pleasure at the idea of quarantine made her shake her head with a smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up…” Finishing the water, Jaxon set the cup down and shook her head.

“I don’t really want to eat anything yet… I’m still tired though.” Unsure if Pluto would still want to go back to bed after that, Jaxon shrugged. “But if you want to stay up…” She stepped into him, unsure if he was okay with hugging her after her almost vomiting. “Maybe I should go see a healer today…”

~~ “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up…”
“are you kidding me, You had better wake me up if you aren’t feeling good. So I can take care of you.”


~~“I don’t really want to eat anything yet… I’m still tired though.”

He nodded his ascent. And when he would have normally scooped her up he let her walk, he wasn’t sure if he would bounce her around too much. taking her little hand in his and leading the way.


~~“But if you want to stay up…”

“You know I am game for sleeping in, maybe you have been exercising a bit too much lately?” ok so they hadn’t been on a treadmill or anything but they were certainly burning their reserve calories.

~~“Maybe I should go see a healer today…”

“It couldn’t hurt, though I am sure they wouldn’t mind coming here either if, you want privacy I can always go do yard work. Pluto’s version of yard work was building abother snow man or a snow fortress outside of the dome.

Somehow, even with Jaxon all sleep rumpled and sick, Pluto said just what she needed to hear. If she had heard it in a movie she would have said ‘awww..’ Instead she smiled as best as she could, and felt his palm wrap around hers. Nodding, Jaxon followed him back up to bed.

“Yeah, you might be right.” She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and crawled back in bed.“It would be nice if someone came here...” She burrowed into the bed, looking a bit puny and tired, her eyes crinkling at the thought of his yard-work; he’d be playing with some kids throwing snowballs before long. If she ended up being fine and felt better, she would try to join them or at least watch.

“Privacy? If you think there is something you haven’t seen…” She tilted her head, smiling as she tried to tease him.