Tuscany Trip

Brian put his arm around Khaat, and she curled into his shoulder as Aldo pushed the gondola out from shore with the traditional long pushpole.

"And where would you like to go, Chief Officer Brian?" Aldo asked. It made Khaat smile. She had protectors everywhere.

"Show us your best, Aldo," Brian said.

"It would be my pleasure. You know, I believe this is the first lady you've brought on my boat," he said to Brian.

"It is," Brian nodded. "But this isn't just any lady. This is the Captain's daughter."

"Oh! My lady! Captain Robert? He is your father?" Aldo was shocked.

"He is," Khaat nodded.

"Forgive me, my signorina. I had heard you were very beautiful, but it seems they have lied to me. It appears you are far beyond their words," Aldo said. "You are a very fortunate man, Brian."

"I am indeed, Aldo," Brian smiled. "I am very fortunate indeed." He ran his fingers through her long soft hair as Aldo pushed the boat through the canals. Aldo began to sing, and Khaat felt like her heart just melted. She was living one of the greatest dreams in her life. To be in a gondola under the moonlight, in the gorgeous city lights of Venice, with the closest person she knew, his arm around her shoulder, and Italian love songs filling the air. It was beyond anything she had expected here. She looked up, seeing in the perfectly dimmed romantic light how incredibly stunning he was, and she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," she said so softly she wasn't sure he could hear her.

"You're welcome," he replied. "I wouldn't be anywhere else tonight but right here with you."

"You are the finest person I have ever known, Brian Quinn," she said.

"I'm glad you're happy. That makes me happier than you'll ever know," he said.

Jack saw jessica watching the other gondola and wrappe his arm around her as the gondolier moved them from the shore out into the main water, Jack moved to wrap his arm around her pulling her back in her seat against him.

"relax Brian isn't bos for no reason he can take cre of her as so can she " he said but the look on jesses face made him laughed 2jess relax and enjoy the ride " he said she glanced up at the gondolier and saw the same madalion Jack now wore and chuckled.

"I should have known " she said shaking her head as she now rested against him , she heard the soft tones of the second gondolier singing and felt her self calm like she ahd not felt in along time, she wished she could bottle the feeling she ahd and keep it for when she got home.

When the gondola dropped them off at their hotel, Brian and Khaat waited until Jack and Jess came in. They thanksed Jack and Jess for coming on such short notice and told them to sleep in, in the morning since it was so very late. Brian promised to take very good care of Khaat, and they bid them goodnight and went to their suite.

He watched Khaat as she slipped her shoes off and sat down on the sofa. "You were so beautiful tonight," he said softly. "I could hardly believe it ws the same little girl I used to play with in that stinky fish market." "Khaat laughed. That had been a long time ago since they were 8, with nothing more to do than to play tag in the fish market. That had been a wonderful summer.

"Thank you," she told him. "It was a perfect day. I don't know of any way it could be better." She yawned.

"Perhaps we need to turn in," he suggested.

"Oh, I agree. If we're not careful we'll be able to see the sunrise before we go to sleep."

They turned in, but neither of them were able to get the evening out of their heads. Khaat had been so spectacularly lovely, and Brian could not understand why he had not seen it before. And for once, he was not worried about needing to protect her from the danger in his life. It wasn't like Lupins lived any less dangerously. As they got into bed, she curled around him, laying her head on his chest. Tonight, for the first time, he felt no fear of the future. No fear of what might be in store for either of them. His demons were, apparently, sleeping. And as he brushed her hair, feeling her cuddle close to him, he saw clearly that her demons were sleeping too. They were at ease, completely, for the first time since they had been children.

Jesica smiled and looked at jack as all too soon it was over , she sighed as she stood up and climbed off the gondola , she chuckled at Khaat saying thanks for them coming out at short notice.

"its perficly fine , we we're warned " she said with ahug she said good night taking jack by his hand to there suite where she placed her shose down by the couch then moved threw to the bed room.

Jack pulled of his tie and drapped it over a chair beside the bed before sliping out his tux " you looked like you did all those years ago jessica " he said standing and slipping his arms around her as he kissed her pulling down the zip to her dress.

"I felt it too " she said smiling as she saw the trophy sat on a table " I forgot what it was like to relax i haven't felt like truly myself since before that night i vanished " she felt jacks finger on her lips as he scooped her up in his arms her arms wrapping around his neck as he carried her to the bed.


NEXT MORNING......

Jessica snuggled closer to the warmth she felt her face brushing what she knew to be jack chest , she hears the wonder ful sound of silance and smiled to her self , she felt jacks heart beat gently beating in his chest but a soft knock on her door and the sound of atroly roling in made ehr open her eyes , she took a deep breath , coffe , sweet coffee reatched her and she slipped from his arms wrapping a white robe around her.

The sun sparkled brightly across the bed, and Brian woke, feeling more at peace than he could remember of in his life. He looked at Khaat’s tanned form, still sleeping peacefully beside him, skin to skin this morning. Her silk gown was beside his sleeping shorts on the floor. They had crossed a line they said they would never cross. And part of what amazed him now was how very easy it had been. No regrets, no hesitation.

He remembered how sweet it had been. How easy the surrender had come for both of them. They'd fought any idea of any sort of commitment--partly because they had both been hurt, and partly because they had not wanted to risk the wonderful friendship they had by going to another level. But, last night, it had come, not with uncontrollable impulsiveness, but rather, it had come with sweetness, tenderness, and a complete peace.

He had dreaded any thought of crossing this line with her or anyone else since committing his life to his work, but this morning, he had no second thoughts whatsoever. He and Khaat had somehow come to understand, somehow during the evening, that no matter what, they would still be as devoted to each other as they had ever been, regardless of what the future held.

He laid motionless for what seemed like hours, just watching her sleep, not wanting to break the spell. When she finally did stir, she woke, kissing his chest. "Good morning," he said to her softly. "How did you sleep?"

"Perfectly," she smiled at him. "You?"

"The same. No second thoughts this morning?"

"Not a one," she smiled at him. He felt himself breathing a sigh of relief. This morning there was still magic in his world.

jack woke to see jessica moving into the living room and he smiled turning onto his back to relax for a bit longer, though he really could not and so slipped of the bed sliping back on his boxers to mov into the living room.

"morning" he said kissing her as she finished poring a cup of coffee .

"morning dear sleep well ?" she asked her eyes now sparkaling as she felt a some what new sesation one of being relaxed . no stress not kids to tare things apart , she felt her marrage to jack was as it should have been all those years ago filled with love and warmth.

"yeap you?" he asked soitting down as he took a peice of toast from the rack spreading butter and jam he ate "Wonder if Khaat and brian are up yet?" he asked grinning at her.

"ow leave them be, they will come and find us, besides i like a man as a husband not a duck remember" she said grining as she poured him an orange juice and grinned as he lent over and kised lervinf a taste of strawberry jam in her mouth.

They had lingered, not wanting to break whatever spell had bonded them together. He felt her hesitation now. It was not about what they had done, but rather, it was about what might happen if she moved, if she got up, if she faced the day.

"Hey," he shifted to face her. He kissed her slowly, lovingly. "Don't be afraid of a new sunrise. It's not the end of anything. It's only a beginning. I'm not going anywhere. You haven't lost anything. I'm still here. "

"How did you see that so quickly?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

"Because I know what that fear looks like. But I don't need to be afraid of that ever again, and neither do you. We have each other. We won't ever lose that. Not ever. Not because we see each other in the light of day. You want to know what I see? I see the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life."

An hour later, after a shower for two, they sat together on their balcony over breakfast. A simple breakfast of Italian pastries, coffee, and strawberries and cream. He was enjoying dipping the berries in cream and feeding them to her. It made her laugh when he accidently got cream on his nose. He liked seeing the life back in her eyes. Life without grief and fear and pain. The light had returned to her spirit, and he was glad to see her truly happy again.

He had chosen jeans and a plain white cotton shirt. And he liked the white denim shorts she had chosen with the crochetted halter top. It showed off her tan. She looked...well, she looked like his. Not Rob Dent's leftovers. This morning, she was his. And he had never been happier in his entire life.

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

"I don't care--not as long as its with you," she said. He smiled. Well, Italy always held more romance. That was something he could arrange. Gladly.

jess laughed as she moved to teh balcony still in her white robe as she stepped out she smiled "hey... morning" she said ducking as Jack ran out after her in his hand a peice of toast and a grin.

"get back here, you don't get out of it that easily. " he said a slight laugh in his voice "morning be ready once i sort out my wife " he said and a voice from inside shouted back to him.

"in your dreams " it ended with him diving back inside and jessica laughing as he threw her over his shoulder walking her to the bathroom.

Several minets later Jerssica re-emerged wearing a pair of light blue shorts and a red spagettie strap top , jack wore his usual jeans and a sleveless tee shirt both smiled

Brian planned a detailed idea of what he wanted to do for the day, and he called a consierge and planned it all out with him. Khaat simply sat on the balcony and drank one more cup of coffee while Brian was busy. She trusted whatever he had in mind.

After the consierge left, Brian simply opened the door between the two suites He did not want to disturb Jack and Jess if they were still sleeping. He figured that whenever they were up and ready to face the world, they would open their door, and then perhaps they might be interested in going out with them.

Brian was starting to think that perhaps tomorrow they might want to go back to the villa. But one more perfect day in Venice sounded like an excellent idea to him. He was still on his game as Khaat' bodyguard and as professional as ever. Khaat seemed to be adjusting well to his mental shift that he was back working again. Last night was temporarily pushed aside, and he had his head back in the game, as Robert would have said. The only thing different is that now he was more determined that he was before that no one was ever going to hurt her in any way, not ever again if he could help it.

jazck took jessicas hand and walked her over to where the double doors sat opening it he walked threw and smiled at Brian "morning boss" he said jessica smiled as she moved from him to the balcony where she ahd seen khaat sat.

"this is amazing isn't it , I can tell you slept well " she said her voice seeming to bounce with excitment at being in venice, grining she lent on the stone barrior of the balcony and faced Khaat her legs cross in a relaxed way as she leaned back.

Jack walked slower to the balconey as he folded his arms across his chest "so any plans for today ?" he asked glancing from Brtian to Khaat and back as he waited.