“Mind and Heart; Body and Soul”

by Kazroo

Part 6

"The Serpent in the Garden"

When Jane arrived at John's jungle room, she found John in a playful mood. He landed in front of Jane, and stayed bent down. He smiled and bobbed his head like a dog waiting for a stick to be tossed for the chasing. It didn't take Jane long to understand. The last time Jane had seen that twinkle in his eyes was the day they spent at the cabin in the woods. He was energy and sunshine uncontained.

"Oh, I get it," Jane said, slipping off her shoes.

John watched her every move, and began breathing heavier as he watched Jane's second shoe get thrown aside. Jane took a near three-point stance and quickly zagged to the left, shot a smile at John, and ran carefully and quickly into the leafy cover. It was playful, and delightful, and vital. They both had their senses on full alert, tracking each other. Each time John would catch Jane, she would take her game to the next level, and the chase would begin anew.

Again, John galloped after her, soon making up time on Jane. He grabbed her around the waist while she was mid-stride, and lifted her, spinning her around to face him. They faced off. Every step Jane took was mirrored by John. Adrenaline was running high. Jane could tell by the look on John's face that he wasn't ready for this to end yet. For a moment, Jane flashed back to standing in the river with John, both of them speckled in mud. The memory of that moment of desire deferred making Jane determined in the here and now to show John how sure she was of her decision. She knew just when to melt from his touch, and when to take control. Jane did a 180, and ran from John, knowing he would chase. After five steps, Jane looked back. John was missing. Jane stopped.

"John?"

Moving stealthily overhead was John. He made his way above Jane, and dropped smoothly, directly in front of her. She jumped, and let out a quick scream. She ran straight at John and jumped up on him. John grabbed ahold of Jane, and wrapped himself around her. He spun around until Jane's legs were suspended outward by the force. As John slowed, he loosened his grip of Jane and she slipped back toward the floor. Both their bodies were pulsing with energy. The more heavily they breathed, the more they smiled.

While holding onto John's hands, Jane sat, and her eyes invited him to join her. John crouched in front of Jane. She leaned up into a kiss. The chase had heightened the fire they were already feeling. Jane straightened her bent knees, and John dropped to a kneeling position over Jane's legs. As Jane lay back, John struggled with the buttons on Jane's shirt. They caressed and kissed, all attention focused on each other.

"Well, isn't this cozy," Richard sarcastically sneered.

John sprang up, and turned, taking a defensive posture between Jane and Richard. John's brow dropped, and his eyes narrowed as his hands rolled into fists at his sides. His jaw set, John said, "Leave."

Jane quickly redid the buttons on her shirt that John had worked so hard to undo without damaging her shirt, and she stood at John's shoulder.

"Somehow, I knew I'd find the two of you together. I'm surprised, Detective Porter, but I guess that savage appeal was more than you could resist."

"What do you want?" Jane snapped, stepping in front of John.

"I'm here to make my nephew an offer."

"I want nothing from you," John growled.

"You say that now, but you can't hide here in the Garden of Eden forever. Eventually, you'll have to move into the real world."

Kathleen entered the room with a tray of food and a change of clothing for John, and was surprised to find John and Jane fending off Richard.

"How did you get in here?" Kathleen demanded coldly, her brow lowering like John's. Her piercing blue eyes were shooting holes in her brother.

"Well, technically, this wing of the house isn't yours. You've as much as made it a separate house since our brother died. I used the key he gave me - that's still legal, unless you can prove otherwise."

"This is John's house again. He should have the right to control who enters his home," Kathleen stated to Richard.

"Leave," John emphatically breathed between his clenched teeth, his shoulders coming forward as he bent into lunging position, poised like a running back at the line of scrimmage. Jane put a hand on John's shoulder in an attempt to hold him back, which would have done little had John really wanted to charge at Richard.

Richard got that sickly evil smile on his narrow lips, and strolled out of the jungle room, satisfied that he'd made his presence felt again, and that he'd found out some possibly interesting information.

John was fuming. The mood of fun playfulness was gone. John growled, snorted and breathed noisily.

"He's gone now, John. We'll find a way to keep him out. I promise," Jane soothed.

"She's right, John," Kathleen added. "I'll make sure Richard doesn't invade your space. He had no right-"

"He wants to cage me," he said to Kathleen, cutting her off, and then turned to Jane to say, "keep me from you."

A look of combined anger and fear took over John's face. He crouched back down, and then grabbed his knees, and sat, all curled. Jane also sat, facing John. He slowly released his knees, and encircled Jane with his arms. A tear escaped from one of John's eyes, and Jane pulled him closer, until their foreheads touched.

"He'll never leave me alone," John said, closing his eyes against further tears.

Jane didn't know what to say. She knew he was right about Richard. Chances of him giving up weren't good. Jane looked up at Kathleen. The subtle smile on Kathleen's face said to Jane that she understood John had gotten the "closeness" he wanted with Jane. Kathleen admired the ability both John and Jane possessed to open their hearts. It was a risk Kathleen had never dared take. The always power hungry Richard had made it impossible for Kathleen to focus her energies anywhere but in the business arena. Part of Kathleen wanted to be jealous of the connection that is so obvious between John and Jane, but she understood how much they both needed goodness in their lives, and how fleeting it could be. Now that Richard knew John had gotten his desire, it would be information he would attempt to exploit.

The look on Kathleen's face turned slowly from happy understanding, becoming dangerously angry. She turned and strode purposefully back into the house.

Jane hung onto John all night. His mood swung from sad to angry and back several times. The thoughts of being caged, and of being kept from Jane, haunted him. Each time one of those thoughts popped up, he'd hold Jane tighter. It was a good thing it was Friday, because getting up and facing ultimate boredom at work the next morning wouldn't have mixed with no sleep and lots of worry.

By morning, John had transferred his worry to Jane. He seemed to be free of the dread of last night's events, but Jane was not. Jane yawned.

"Good. You're both awake," said Kathleen, as she had stealthily entered the jungle room.

"I had the locks changed in this wing. This key is the only one."

She handed it to John. He looked at the key in his palm and smiled, and looked at Jane. He moved his hand with the key closer to Jane and said, "Here-for you."

Jane took the key from him, and smiled back at him. John was beaming. It was as if she had accepted his ring. The prolonged smile made Jane wonder.

"John? What does giving the key to me mean to you?"

"This is your house now, with me."

"Oh… John… I'm so glad you want me here," she said, taking his hands, "this means so much to me, but I can't live here."

"But it's safe here now."

"I understand, and I will spend time here with you, but I can't live here."

"Why?"

"Well…"

Jane was at a momentary loss for words.

"John," Kathleen spoke, "Richard may no longer be able to get in here, but if he thought Jane was living with you, he might make Jane's life very difficult."

"How?"

"John." Jane regained his attention.

"John, I can't give up my apartment. I can't leave Nicky alone. But I will keep this with me, always," she said, holding the key to her heart in her clasped hand. "OK?"

"OK."

John looked a bit sad, but he seemed to understand.

"Would you like to come to my apartment later?"

"Will we be alone?"

"I will do my best to make that happen."