Timelined a few days after Progression
<Shaw> Sitting in their regular booth, Sebastian toyed with a strand of Monet's long, dark hair, twisting it round and round his finger. His nose was buried in its depths as well as he nuzzled her ear and whispered.
<Monet> Monet smirked as Sebastian started his whisper and as he grew a bit more bold with his speech she started snickering, turning her head to catch his ear and whisper her answer. She did so love their little games. Her hand was loosely around his tie, keeping herself steady in his lap as she shifted a bit.
<Shaw> His hand rested on her hip, and he tightened his hold to pull her against him as he reached for his scotch. Taking the opportunity, he scanned the room.
<Viper> It had been some time since she'd been in the club in New York but Viper wasn't about to hide her presence. She refused to give up her coat at the door but waited for Jessica while she did then walked ahead of her into the club itself and scanned the room for Sebastian, eyes coming to a stop on the booth. Well this was going to get interesting.
<Monet> Monet pressed her cheek against his as she placed a kiss right in front of his ear, then turned to view the room herself. She wanted someone she could actually play with. It was tiring keeping Sebastian's libido at bay and keeping him, mostly, faithful. She sighed at the weak prospects.
<Shaw> "Hm, see anything you like? We could extend an invitation tonight, if you like," he said, sipping his drink with seeming nonchalance.
<Jessica> Jess stopped just behind Viper's left shoulder and followed her gaze, eyes narrowing when she saw what was at the other end, and she started toward them at a rather quick pace.
<Viper> "Jessica!" Viper followed her and attempted to catch her arm to remind her to think.
<Monet> "Non. They would all break far too ea- Merde," she had spied Jessica's rather alarming entrance and pace, "Unwanted company."
<Shaw> Ah, and there they were. "Indeed," he said, forcing himself not to tense. Drink still in hand, he touched Monet's cheek with a freed finger and turned her face to his. After a searching glance, he smirked. "Well, let's show her how unwanted," he said, then tilted his head and kissed her.
<Viper> Viper managed to catch Jessica before she could launch herself across the table at Monet though it was a struggle to keep her back - she was much stronger. "Jessica, now is not the time. We came to talk."
<Jessica> Jess stopped struggling and grumbled quietly to herself, settling for glaring daggers at Monet. For now.
<Monet> Monet had not really expected that and she winced inwardly. But she had missed this Sebastian, so she took advantage. A little bit. She loosened his tie with her fingers as she leaned into the kiss and his body. Talk? About what?
<Monet> She pulled back from the kiss with a grin for Sebastian then turned to arch an eyebrow at their guests.
<Shaw> Sebastian had been unable to discern any real reaction from Monet other than the expected, so he returned the grin. Finally, he turned his attention to their visitors, eyes lingering on Jessica. He stopped himself, putting on a cocky smirk for Sarkissian, but he kept stealing glances at her companion. "Good evening, ladies."
<Viper> Viper released Jessica once she thought she'd relaxed enough and straightened up again, "Good evening."
<Jessica> Jess didn't respond to the greeting, too busy wishing that looks could kill.
<Monet> Monet gave Jessica a very perplexed look at the angry look on her face, "You do realize that if you leave your face that way for too long, you'll get premature wrinkles, oui?" I know she's upset, but doesn't that seem a bit overkill?
<Shaw> You're the one who called her unstable, amant, he sent, though he cringed at her commentary.
<Monet> Monet sighed at Sebastian, Fair enough.
<Viper> "I was hoping to conduct this meeting somewhere more private," Viper glanced around the room before focusing back on Sebastian. "Though I am rather enjoying the attention."
<Jessica> Jess' eyes narrowed on Monet before she glanced over her shoulder at Viper.
<Shaw> "Yes, well, your invitation is probational, madam." Deciding this had gone on long enough, he shifted, urging Monet to slide from her perch on his leg. "Do sit down." He raised a hand to the bar to get his bartender's attention. "Christian will get your drinks shortly."
<Viper> Viper gestured Jessica into the booth ahead of her, taking her seat once there was room and settling back into it, quite at ease. "I assure you, if I had any intentions of doing anyone in here harm I would likely not have stopped Jessica," the smirk accompanying the statement spoke to the truth of it.
<Jessica> "I don't want anything to drink..." Jess mumbled quietly.
<Monet> Monet did slide towards the inside of the booth, finding herself directly across from Jessica. Joy. "Non? Not even a water? It's not poisoned, I assure you."
<Jessica> "Wouldn't put it past you but poison isn't really anything I need to worry about." Jess replied, looking at Monet only briefly before she turned her full attention to Sebastian.
<Shaw> His eyes flicked to Jessica at Sarkissian's barb and one corner of his mouth ticked up, listening to the women bicker. Then, Jessica's eyes were on him and he found it difficult to breathe for a moment.
<Monet> "I do not poison people. That's more like a snake's thing to do," she gave a smirk to Viper.
<Monet> She felt Sebastian tense a bit beside her and she reached down to squeeze his thigh gently and give him a soft smile. This had to go well, damnit.
<Viper> "Do not tempt me," Viper ran her tongue over a fang before she, too, turned her attention to Sebastian. "Am I to assume she will be here for the duration?"
<Monet> Monet was offended by that remark, "I am his queen. Why would I be anywhere else than by his side?"
<Jessica> "Because we don't want you here." Jessica snapped, "So shut up and pretend you're not here."
<Monet> "I don't want you here, either, you realize. Yet you have been invited into our place of business."
<Shaw> "As she so eloquently said, she is my queen." His eyes flicked to Jessica for a moment again. "I have my reasons for wishing she remains with me." His hand rested on hers on his thigh, but at the moment, he itched to remove it.
<Viper> "We were invited to be here." Viper put in smoothly, "This will be over with soon enough if you can comply with Jessica's instruction to remain quiet until we are done. Of course, I realise you may struggle with this as you are rather fond of the sound of your own voice."
<Monet> "My, you are quite the character, aren't you?" Monet smirked and raised an eyebrow at Viper. "Can we keep her, amant? I'm sure we can have a vivarium built that's large enough."
<Shaw> "That's entirely dependent upon how useful she is," he said, taking another sip of his scotch. "It would seem she has news for us." Sebastian shifted enough to see Monet's face from the corner of his eye. "About the... situation we've discussed this last week."
<Viper> Viper raised an eyebrow at Monet, "It's such a shame I promised Jessica that I would behave myself." She turned her attention back to Sebastian, "As a matter of fact, I do."
<Monet> "Tres bien. I've been curious as to what madness this all was." She crossed her legs under the table to make it easier to touch Sebastian with more of herself as she took a sip of her martini.
<Viper> "I'm sure you have," Viper eyed her carefully before reaching into her coat to retrieve a device from inside.
<Shaw> "Sarkissian," he started, already tensing and preparing to call security.
<Viper> "Relax, Sebastian, I promised. Remember?" She set the device down on the table between them and hit a button on it. A small holographic display rose up from the device.
<Shaw> He looked to Jessica, perhaps for reassurance.
<Monet> Monet arched an eyebrow and leaned forward a bit, highly curious as to what this contraption was. "Don't worry, mon cher. I'll protect you," she grinned.
<Jessica> Jess offered him a small smile, reaching over to the holographic screen and touching the one small blinking light that displayed on its otherwise blank surface. "Everything we found, read at your leisure."
<Shaw> Sebastian's answering smile was slight, but when he reached for the screen he brushed his hand against hers. Turning the device slightly, he pulled up the list of files. He already knew the Hellfire Club - apparently the highest reaches of the club - were responsible for his memory loss. He knew the summons he received was legitimate, he knew he'd flown to England alone, and returned with Monet.
<Shaw> What had happened to him in England was obvious, but the how was still up for debate. With interest, he watched Monet read through the file reports. It was somewhat impressive that Sarkissian had managed to locate the goons who'd taken him to England. He did not envy them their fate.
<Jessica> Jess was glad for the small amount of contact, accidental or otherwise, but she withdrew her hand and folded it with her other in her lap.
<Monet> Monet was impressed by this small gadget and even more impressed at what they had found. But they hadn't found out much more than she had expected. She frowned at some of the things she was reading, putting out a mask of upset about the fact that this had been done to him. "Non. Why would anyone go to this much trouble. It doesn't make sense."
<Shaw> "No, it doesn't, and it was sloppily done." Sebastian cocked his head, regarding Monet with a concerned expression. "It would seem the Lords Cardinal must have quite the grudge against us."
<Viper> "Very poorly done. All it has achieved has been to hurt Jessica and confuse Sebastian and all that see him on a regular basis." Viper reached to turn off the device.
<Monet> Monet let out a laugh, "Against us? What on earth could I have done? I do my best to not step on any toes here." She frowned at Sebastian, "What did you do to get us in trouble?"
<Jessica> "You?!" Jess's tone was beyond indignant. "What the hell have you got to do with anything? You've done better out of this than anyone, Monet."
<Monet> "When one of the pair of the royalty in the inner circle gets reprimanded, so does the other. Therefore, I have quite a bit to do with this if he's gotten us into trouble. That means I'm in trouble too."
<Shaw> "Yes, but do you have any... memory disturbances?" He shot Jessica a pained glance and turned to face Monet.
<Viper> "Indeed. You were with him, Monet. The logical thing to do would be to punish you both at once to minimise the chances of the other defending themselves."
<Monet> "Not that I have been made aware of. But then, I don't have anything that would effect anyone else, like being married for instance. My ties with that type of thing were severed with Jason." Monet frowned and sat back in the booth, pretending to think. "I do find it rather odd that I don't remember you getting married either. I would think I would have been there, non?"
<Jessica> "No one else was there." Jess pointed out, "Although Viper found us the day afterwards and offered her congratulations..."
<Monet> Monet frowned even harder and smacked Sebastian, "You didn't even invite me?"
<Jessica> "Why would we invite you and no one else? Use your brain, Monet. I didn't even invite my own brother or my best friend." Jess' tone was becoming increasingly waspish towards Monet.
<Shaw> "Careful, Monet..." The smack was far from unpleasant, but he was irritated. "My relationship to the school, as an instructor, was also erased from my mind... yet not from yours?"
<Monet> Monet shook her head, "Non... I remember teaching at the mansion here in New York. And then it was attacked and you saved my life. And then..." She frowned, "How could you teach at a school that's not there?"
<Jessica> "The school moved, you dumb cow." Jess' eyes narrowed at her.
<Shaw> "It's in Boston," he supplied, watching the exchange.
<Viper> Viper sat back in her seat, smirking a little. She was rather enjoying watching and she decided it would be good for Jessica to let her take out her frustration on someone.
<Monet> Monet's eyes narrowed a touch at Jessica, but she spoke to Sebastian, "Your alleged wife is overstepping her bounds in our club, amant."
<Jessica> "I am his wife. There are no boundaries."
<Shaw> "It's not alleged. She is my wife," he said, glancing at Jess. "My life was taken from me, from us, and I want it back."
<Jessica> Jess gave him a tearful smile, grateful that he now believed her properly and was openly defending her. Progress!
<Monet> "I don't like her. No wonder you didn't invite me. She's horribly rude." She turned her attention back to the matter of memory. "Why would they move the school to Boston? What's in Boston besides drunken Irish people?"
<Jessica> "Our house is in Boston. It's got a giant clock in it and it's lovely." Jess spoke to Sebastian rather than Monet.
<Shaw> Unable to really tell if she was playing him for a fool or not, he made an exasperated noise at Monet's off-topic rant. Jess pulled his attention back. "I know," he said quietly, and reached across the table to offer her his hand. "I saw photos."
<Jessica> She smiled, reaching to take his hand. "You should see it for real... and get to know our little friend all over again."
<Monet> Monet frowned at the hand holding. This was not going well. She looked up at Sebastian's face. "What is this? This softness. This is so unlike you. L'enfer, getting married is so unlike you. How do you know the documents weren't forged?"
<Shaw> "Literally everyone I trust who I have talked to, save you has told me so, every document I've found, every avenue I've checked. It all confirms the truth of things."
<Jessica> "The only thing forged are the memories he has of us not getting married!" Jess' voice rose with her temper, as she and Sebastian spoke at once. "Someone made him for get everything we've been through in the last year and a half, all the things we suffered through before we decided that planning things was too dangerous and I'm having a hard time thinking it was anything other than a telepath. How many telepaths do the Hellfire Club have under their thumbs, Monet?"
<Monet> Monet looked at Jessica thoughtfully for a moment. "You may be on to something..." She turned to Sebastian, "May I root around in your noggin, cher?"
<Viper> Viper's smirk twitched a little at that and she glanced at Jessica, an eyebrow raising.
<Jessica> "No you may not. Root around in someone else's head."
<Monet> Monet frowned at her, "I can't figure out what happened to him in someone else's head."
<Shaw> "I think not, amant." he said at nearly the same time as Jessica's response, and he squeezed her hand. Monet's made him cock his head. "I have, however, taken the liberty of arranging for another telepath to have a look."
<Monet> Monet was hurt by that. "You trust someone more than me with your thoughts?"
<Viper> "You obviously can't be trusted to take proper care of them, Monet. Some queen you are." Viper couldn't resist the opportunity.
<Shaw> He shrugged one shoulder "I trust Tony."
<Monet> Monet arched an eyebrow at Viper, "And how do you know that? I've not even been allowed to try to take care of them." She turned back to Sebastian, "Stark? He's not a telepath."
<Viper> "You didn't notice anything was amiss." Viper pointed out, glancing at Jessica.
<Shaw> "No, he's not, but I believe you know a telepath in his employ. Your old classmate? Selene Kent?"
<Monet> "Of course not! He's been acting like his normal self with me." Her mouth fell open in shock. "Selene? She's psychotic."
<Jessica> Jess was going to make Selene the most amazing of cakes. "She's quirky."
<Viper> Viper laughed.
<Shaw> "Perhaps, but she is loyal to herself, to SHIELD, and is outside of the sphere of influence of the Hellfire Club." More importantly, she would recognize the marks of tampering done by someone she knew, someone like Monet.
<Monet> Monet shrugged and waved a hand, "Fine. Do what you will. But I do not want her messing around in my head."
<Jessica> "Why? Worried she'll make you nice?"
<Monet> "Ha ha."
<Viper> "Well, I suppose that is our business concluded unless there is anything else we can do for you, Sebastian?" Viper moved to get out of the booth.
<Shaw> "If this was done to you as well, to what end, Monet? Do you not want to know? Perhaps something vital was taken from you as well? Your family?" Perhaps she truly wasn't involved. It had weighed on his conscience ever since he'd learned his memories had been altered.
<Jessica> Jess reached out and caught Viper's hand with her free one, she didn't want to go just yet. She gave Sebastian's hand a squeeze.
<Monet> Monet frowned, "I don't trust Selene in my head. I'll find my own telepath. It's really too bad that Rachel is not with us any longer. I would trust her sooner than I would trust Selene and she scrambled my fiance's brains."
<Viper> Viper gave Jessica a questioning look but sat back down regardless. "I would offer my organisation's telepaths but I have no doubt you'd refuse my help."
<Shaw> He barked a laugh at Sarkissian's suggestion, and grudgingly agreed about Rachel Grey. "Moreso than her empty-headed cousin."
<Monet> Monet shuddered at both suggestions. "Non to both. I will find someone I trust and employ their help, merci."
<Jessica> "Oh, hey, Jean's not that bad... well okay, she's dumb but she's good at shopping." Jess conceded, throwing Sebastian a grin.
<Shaw> "This, however, brings us to a point." He glanced at Jessica again before he continued. "You have been in my head very recently, as I have been in yours, but my abilities are limited, as we know. Yet... you noticed nothing amiss?"
<Shaw> "Noted," he said with a snort and answering grin.
<Viper> Viper exchanged glances with Jessica, glad when the other woman let go of her hand, and reached into her pocket again.
<Monet> "Non. But I haven't been looking. Were I to actually look and sift through memories, it's possible. Which is what I was offering to try a few moments ago. But you apparently do not trust me."
<Shaw> "You've noticed nothing odd about me, or about yourself? You've not received any calls from Lehnsherr wondering where you are as you're expected to teach a class?" He shifted his hand to lace his fingers with Jessica's. "I've known something was wrong almost since the night we returned from England, though I couldn't place it at first. I have flashes of memory... and I told you I was dreaming of her..." The last part was said quietly, with a glance at Jess.
<Jessica> Jess gave him another tearful smile, "You should have told me you were dreaming of me... I'd have been more hopeful then."
<Monet> Monet frowned, "I had hoped it was just a phase." She sighed, "Non. I haven't gotten any calls. Maybe they got someone else to teach the class? As you know, I've been with you, so they should have missed me by now."
<Jessica> Jess couldn't help the snort, "Not likely."
<Shaw> He smiled at Jess before turning his attention back to Monet. "Well, either you are as much a victim in this as I, or, you're not. Whatever the cause of this... ridiculous disaster, I plan to try to recover my life. I have a family, Monet. I will not lose it. Not again."
<Shaw> He smiled at Jess before turning his attention back to Monet. "Well, either you are as much a victim in this as I, or, you're not. Whatever the cause of this... ridiculous disaster, I plan to try to recover my life. I have a family, Monet. I will not lose it. Not again."
<Monet> Monet rolled her eyes at his insinuation that she had any part in this and gave a dismissing wave of her hand, "Do what you will, Sebastian. Who am I to stop you?"
<Viper> "I imagine you could stop him quite readily, Monet. If they paid you enough." Viper raised an eyebrow at her.
<Monet> Monet laughed, "I already have more money than I know what to do with. And Sebastian is my friend. I do not take bribes."
<Viper> Viper laughed then, too, "Not all payment is in material things."
<Shaw> Sebastian watched this exchange with a tilted head, eyes flicking between the two women. He'd given her ample opportunity.
<Monet> "Again, I do not take bribes," she frowned at Viper.
<Viper> "Even if the bribe is your own safety or that of someone you care for? Interesting..." Viper surveyed Monet for a few moments longer before turning her attention to the small screen in her hands. "Most interesting."
<Shaw> "Well, then, perhaps after I visit Mrs. Kent I can give you some clues as to what was done to us," he told Monet with a slight smile.
<Monet> "That would be most helpful," she smiled back at him. "Merci."
<Shaw> "My queen," he said, picking up Monet's hand and pressing a kiss to the back. "If you'll excuse me, I would like to speak to Jessica."
<Monet> Monet sighed and gave a small roll of her eyes, "Oui." She turned to the women in the booth. "Adieu."
<Viper> Viper glanced at Jessica to check that she was okay with this before quietly sliding out of the booth. She paused for a moment though and looked over at Sebastian, "Shaw, your security system is in need of an upgrade. I am making entirely too much progress too quickly." She smirked and turned for the bar.
<Jessica> Jess watched Viper go, chewing her lower lip in worry. "You know I'm just going to tell her what we talk about, right?"
<Shaw> He sighed, deciding it wasn't worth the effort to respond. Perhaps Monet and Sarkissian would throttle one another and solve all his problems at once?
<Shaw> This brought him up short and he stared at Jessica. "And was this so before all this? You told her details of our marriage?"
<Jessica> She shook her head, "No... before things were... tense at best." She looked down at the table, "Now, she's helping... she's doing a lot for me and you because it'll make me happy..."
<Shaw> He looked down to the tabletop, processing this, and not at all pleased with Sarkissian's involvement. Though, he supposed for now it couldn't be helped.
<Jessica> After a few moments of contemplating not saying anything, as had been her original plan, Jessica changed her mind. "Sebastian... I need to tell you something... before you say whatever it is you want to say because if I wait anymore I won't say it at all..."
<Shaw> "Yes?" He looked up, met her eyes, and found himself smiling slightly. Squeezing her hand, he slid around the booth, glancing at the room once before settling himself beside her.
<Jessica> She smiled, squeezing back and drawing some strength from the gesture. "I'm pregnant."
<Shaw> Sebastian's mouth opened, worked, but didn't produce a word. He swallowed. "Oh..." Searching her face, he automatically looked for the lie.
<Jessica> Jess gave his hand another squeeze, "I promised I'd be so careful the second time around. Nothing is going to happen to this baby."
<Shaw> "I saw the medical records... it was... a shock, to say the least." He licked his lips, blinked.
<Jessica> "It was the worst thing to ever happen to me... to us... Actually... if it wasn't for Viper, I probably would still be hiding in the house and withdrawing from the world..." She sighed, glancing over to the bar where the woman in question was complaining about the substandard wine she'd been served - Jessica could hear her, probably a bit harsh, insults to the staff and struggled not to laugh.
<Shaw> "You..." He didn't notice her attention was on Sarkissian, not this time. "You hid under the bed. I found you under the bed, after you took the home pregnancy test..."
<Jessica> "... yes." She did laugh then, "Yes, I did that. I was freaking out a little bit."
<Shaw> "I told you I couldn't fit under there with you," he said, a surprised laugh breaking free as he smiled at her.
<Jessica> She smiled back, wrapping her arms around him tightly, "You're still in there somewhere!"
<Shaw> "I am," he laughed a little again, returning the embrace. He closed his eyes, rested his cheek against her head, hoping the contact would jar more memories free. "Were... were we trying to have another child?"
<Jessica> Jess shook her head, "Not really... but we weren't exactly being careful either... It's just as well, really, now I have something to do."
<Shaw> "I really do have a family." He took a shuddering breath and pulled back enough to see her stomach, unsure what he expected to see. "You must not be far."
<Jessica> Jess shook her head, "Near as we can figure, I probably got pregnant while we were in Hawaii..." she smiled, reaching to cup his cheek with her hand. "I'm going to be as safe as I can be until this thing is out of me in one piece and breathing on its own."
<Shaw> He huffed a laugh softly, turning his head into her hand. It felt right, and familiar. "It's not a thing," he said, sounding almost but not quite offended. "It's our child." Sebastian freed one hand to tentatively rest it on her lower belly. He'd done this before as well.
<Jessica> She laughed, "You've said that before too and told me I wasn't allowed to call it a peanut or a potato even if that was what it looked like on the scan. So tell me, Mr Smartypants, what am I supposed to call it?"
<Shaw> "Miriam." The name popped into his mind, unrelated to any of the other dozens of thoughts in the chaos, but it sounded familiar. As soon as he said it, he remembered why and met her eyes.
<Jessica> Her own smile faltered a little and she looked away while she attempted to get her emotions back in check, "I'm not sure how well that would go down if it happens to be a boy...." she offered.
<Shaw> "True." Licking his lips, he smirked. "I'm probably rather likely to say awkward things, so I'll apologize in advance for that."
<Jessica> She smiled a little, "All is forgiven, all in advance. We both say awkward things... neither of us are especially well equipped for all of this, it's a learning experience."
<Shaw> "Oh, it's an experience of a sort I never want to experience again." He shook his head, chuckling. "At least now I know why I have so much tea in my kitchen cabinets."
<Jessica> "Yeah that was also me," she nodded, "I also cooked and cleaned... you may have noticed the lack of takeout menus."
<Shaw> "Oh, no, there's an extensive collection, but they weren't mine." Smiling slightly, he unconsciously stroked small circles on her stomach with his thumb. "Hope. It seems she has a key as well."
<Jessica> "Yes... she's been living there between Washington and the School... like a retreat... and we weren't using the place anymore." She nestled against him and sighed, feeling that small glint of hope grow.
<Shaw> "As Tony has told me, yes." Her gesture made his throat tighten and he shifted to hold her more comfortably. "I've heard so very much about us from others, and from reading files. It's all a little unbelievable still, and a tremendous amount to absorb."
<Shaw> "Before I knew... I owe you an apology for my behavior." He owed her rather more than just that, but he wasn't certain about the rules of infidelity under mind control.
<Jessica> She shook her head, "It doesn't matter, you weren't yourself... you're still not..."
<Shaw> "Monet believes she knows more about me than she does; it has always been this way. I've been unable to determine if she truly knows more than she has shown tonight or not." He sighed, turning his head to breathe her in. Again, it felt familiar - achingly so, this time. "Certainly I gave her enough rope to hang herself tonight."
<Jessica> "Well... maybe she didn't have anything to do with it... or maybe she just didn't want any witnesses. She's always been kind of up herself, she probably didn't want to seem weak." Jess gave a half shrug, "But she does seem to have done well out of it herself. She really hates that she has to share you with me."
<Shaw> "Share?" His tone was questioning. Perhaps their relationship was different than he'd imagined.
<Jessica> "Yeah... every time there's a function and you have to go along as king and she's there as queen she gets really annoyed that I come too and get to be on your arm all evening and she's horrible to me but I put up with it because I get to go home with you at the end of the night and I'm sure she's just jealous."
<Shaw> Sebastian chuckled. "She is possessive, but for no good reason, as our agreement has always been all about convenience." He considered this for a moment.
<Jessica> "And she doesn't get to be married to you or the mother of your children, not that she'd ever want something so pedestrian anyway." She smiled at him, tilting her head enough to press a kiss to his cheek.
<Shaw> He smiled, opened his mouth to speak, nearly stopped himself, then continued. "It's something that she wouldn't understand, wouldn't believe if she knew... that I wished to someday have a family." She didn't know about Madelyne, and he wondered if Jessica did.
<Shaw> The kiss ignited the attraction he felt to her from the moment he'd met her. He caught her chin and turned her head to kiss her lips.
<Jessica> She returned the kiss, arms sliding around him again. She understood, even if she didn't know about Madelyne, she'd have understood because it was something they both wanted. They were both well and truly done with being lonely.
<Shaw> I think I understand, he sent, enjoying the kiss, and the contact. It felt different than kisses shared with Monet.
<Jessica> The feel of his mind touching hers was so familiar and overwhelming, she broke off the kiss, pressing her forehead to his and squeezing her eyes shut.
<Shaw> The emotion made him gasp and he held her tightly. "I want you to come with me - when I see Kent. It could only help."
<Jessica> She nodded, sniffing and reaching distractedly to brush the tears from her cheeks, "Okay... I can do that... just let me know where and when and I'll be there... and I'll leave Viper at home because SHIELD are still pissed at her.... and it won't end well if Selene throws a lemon at her face..."
<Shaw> "That probably wouldn't go well, no," he laughed, moving back to cup her face in his hands and wipe beneath her eyes with his thumbs. "If this is what we share, I want it back as soon as possible." It was remarkable, the flash of feeling he'd experienced from her. "You truly love me," he said before he could stop himself.
<Jessica> "Of course I do! Why do you think it's so hard to get rid of me?" she had to joke or she was going to cry even harder.
<Shaw> "I'm glad then," he understood this, too, and smiled. "Don't give up on me then, yes? We'll go see Kent, we can see the house in Boston, the school, whatever you'd like."
<Jessica> "I won't give up, especially not now that I'm sure there's a chance of getting you back... I was almost ready to before... what you said to me here hurt me more than anything else could have... after that I wasn't sure you were in there anymore...."
<Shaw> "I'm sorry." He pulled her close again, stroking her hair. "It sounded impossible, I was trying to catch you in a lie."
<Jessica> "I know... I know... but you'd never- it's the worst thing you could have said to me... It's always been a sore point with me and everyone knows it... but you never let that colour your view of me, not once..."
<Shaw> "And it still doesn't. Truly. It... was intended to draw blood, and it did." He kissed her through her hair.
<Jessica> "Just promise me you will never use that against me again... I've worked so hard to put all that behind me." She slid her arms back around him and cuddled close.
<Shaw> "I promise,” he said, meaning it. "It doesn't matter to me. We've all done things to survive, things others wouldn't understand."
<Jessica> She nodded, "So many things... but I can't regret any of them because somehow all of that led to the school and then to you... and I'm so happy with you... I miss you so much, Sebastian...."
<Shaw> Her confession made him swallow, let out a shaky breath. "It's not hard for me to see it... how I fell in love with you." He was still stroking her hair, running the strands through his fingers. "This life is lonely, and I already don't want to leave you."
<Jessica> "But I can't stay here... it's not safe for me or you. Someone went to lengths to erase me from your mind and we still don't know why.... it's not exactly private here, God, I could be putting your memories in more danger by being here with you... I should go..." She withdrew from him and attempted to pull herself together.
<Shaw> She was right, and he looked around the club. Monet was watching and he couldn't be sure of her involvement – of the level of involvement of anyone here, though there were few in the Club tonight.
<Jessica> "Wherever you need me to be, Sebastian, I will be. I promise." She leaned to give him a soft kiss on his lips before she straightened up to leave the booth. "Be careful, okay?"
<Shaw> "I will, as you should be." He caught her hand and gave it a squeeze before he let her go. "For our family," he said, giving her a smile. "Thank you, Jessie."
<Jessica> "I will be the carefulest of careful things and when I fail at that Viper's got it covered. You just work on remembering me properly, okay? And don't go to any more surprise meetings with creepy guys in suits that steal your phone. Or else."
<Shaw> He laughed, glancing over to Monet again. "Agreed. I won't jeopardize this..." Licking his lips, he pushed past the inclination to not share his true feelings. "It's still very much like a dream," he said, checking one last time for other witnesses. "This... is everything I've wanted, and to learn I have it? We'll fix this."
<Jessica> "I know we will... and then we'll beat the tar out of the people responsible." She gave him a final confident smile before she turned back for Viper to collect her on her way out.