It took every ounce of willpower Kermit had to stay hidden when Jewel emerged from her brother's office building looking shell shocked. A driver helped her into a towncar and they were gone. Grimly, Kermit pulled his rented car into traffic and followed.

The discreetly well-dressed man in black entered the restaurant without fuss or fanfare, scanning the place in one dark glassed glance. He stated his table preference to the maitre'd, underscoring his request with a neatly folded bill, and made his unobtrusive way to his seat. The man placed his order quickly and quietly, then Kermit was free to concentrate on the conversation Jewel was having behind the thick veil of silk ferns. At several points during this covert operation, Kermit had stopped to check, and to marvel, that spying on his lover caused him no guilt whatsoever. It amused him to find his own moral code intact and uncorrupted by "ethics" that might have hindered him. Jewel was in some kind of trouble, she needed help, and she wasn't asking for it. Fortunately, in his case, she didn't need to ask. "Although, she'll probably rip me a new one if she ever finds out." Kermit mused, smiling fondly at the image of her his train of thought conjured. Her voice interrupted him and he focused.

"..blonde like that?" Jewel asked her old friend, admiring the sleek cap of platinum hair that had replaced a vivid strawberry blonde shag.

Jaime laughed, ran her hand through the short, silky stuff. "I was tired of being such a cliche. Red haired, fair skinned, green eyed, left handed witch. So, I spend fifteen minutes, four days a week, under the lights, get my roots done once a week, and" She made a quick motion at her right eye, held out something on one immaculate fingertip. A tiny circle, while one violet eye and one naturally green one blinked at her friend. "Contacts!! It's the new me. You like?"

"You look incredible." There was genuine admiration in Jewel's voice, and Jaime preened, then looked carefully at her former schoolmate.
"Jewel, you look like hell. But that is a great dress. Versace?"

"Thanks bunches. And I have no idea, I didn't read the label." A faint grin flitted over the pale face. "What do you mean, I look like hell? I'll have you know men have been staring at me all over the city today."

"You should have buttoned that thing all the way to the bottom, girlfren." Jewel glanced down, and Jaime laughed. "Made you look! Seriously, though, how are you doing this year? I know this is a rough time.."

"I'm okay, Jaime. It's always hard, but I've got David and Jess, and Chris is flying in tonight. We'll be okay."

Jaime took the first icy sip of her martini and grimaced. "Why do I drink these things? And what about that man of yours, the detective you keep under wraps out in that nowheresville you moved to? Why isn't Mr. Wonderful here with you this week?"

Jewel flushed, drank some of her wine. "I thought about it, but you know, he and the boys.. David doesn't get along with him, and Chris always picks fights when he's upset.. it's hard enough without bringing someone else into the equation."

"What about you? It's hard on your brothers, but you'd be happier if he were here?"

"Yes." Then, examining the flowers on their table, "I guess. Maybe. I don't know. We've never brought anyone before."

"What about Jesse?" Jaime had dropped her madcap heiress pose and was listening intently to her friend. So was Kermit.

"Jesse? Well of course he comes, he's family now. Look, it just works better this way."
"It works better for your brothers, that's for sure. You care more for their feelings than for your own."

"Oh, now that's not true. Let's change the subject, okay?" Jewel nodded and the waiter refilled her wine glass, offering Jaime another martini. She took it, admiring the gleam of lemon peel at the bottom of her glass.

"By all means, let's change the subject. When did you say your brother Chris was getting in? That's information that shouldn't be kept from his adoring public."

Jewel managed a laugh. "You know the drill, Jaime. If you can manage to land Chrisanova, he's yours with my blessing. But what about you? Where are all the usual victims?"

"Alec and Alonzo?" They both laughed, and Jaime tossed her head, putting a hand up to her short hair. "That still feels so strange, not to have that heavy mop on my head. As for the victims, I wasn't in the mood for any of them today. They're all alike, charming and sweet and amusing. And boring. I want someone real, someone interesting. Which is why your brother and I would suit each other so well."

"Jaime, he may be real, but you're not. You pride yourself on never being serious about anything, especially men."

"Why should I be? I haven't found one to take seriously yet. Speaking of which, girlchick, how serious are you and Detective Wonderful? I don't see a glittering sign of everlasting devotion on your left hand, and it's been what, over a year?"

Jewel groaned. "Et tu, Jaime? David's been giving me grief about Kermit and his intentions for days now, do I have to get it here too?"

"So, I worry. Are you in love with him?"

"Yes."

"Does he make you happy?"

"Absolutely."

"Does he love you?"

Hesitation. "Sure he does."

"But he doesn't come up with a symbol of that love, and he doesn't come with you when things are rough."

"I didn't tell him about this week, and I don't need a ring. I don't even want a ring, who says I have to get married to someone to prove that I love him?"

Jaime nodded thoughtfully. "Oh, that's different, sweetie. He asked and you aren't ready. I can see that."

"Well, no, he didn't ask, but..." Jewel trailed off.

"And you lied to him about coming to New York, didn't you? Oh my gods, you really are a femme after all, Jewel! Welcome to humanity. I never thought Ms. Honest Relationship would lie to her man." The light haired woman clapped her hands and smiled, frosted pearl lipstick white against her tanned skin. With her white hair, she looked like a Snow Queen, and her words held their own touch of frost for Jewel's heart. The other woman looked up, her dark blue eyes stricken.

"I did lie to him. I lied to Kermit. Jaime, this isn't funny! I was a psycho all week, my brother's trying to talk me into picking up my life and moving back here, where designer dresses just appear in remodelled guestrooms and plum offices are just waiting for me to take them over, and now I'm lying to someone that I love."

Jaime clasped one of the shaking small hands with her own manicured one. "Sweetie, if you take some time to think about it, I think you may discover that Kermit's not the only one you're lying to." She looked surprised at herself, and patted Jewel's hand before pulling out her wallet. "Listen to me giving advice. Before I forget, where are you guys going to be tomorrow?"

"We're going to be in most of the day, but we're going to the carousel in the afternoon. We always do."

"Twelve years now?"

"Thirteen years, tomorrow. You'd think it'd get easier the older we get."

They were standing, and Jaime embraced her friend, holding her tightly, expressing all the support her cool exterior denied putting into words. "You just get more problems as you get older, Julie. I think we had more fun in high school than we do now, but then again," and she winked, "I was a bad girl in high school. Bye, love."

"Goodbye, Jaimsey. And thanks."

The two walked off together, and Kermit stared at his untouched food and page of notes, lost in his own thoughts. He'd never asked Jewel to marry him, the idea had frankly never occurred to him. Their world together was as close to perfect as an aging ex-merc dared to imagine. Did she need more from him? Did she.. Then he shook his shaggy head and threw down a few bills to cover his meal. He had to find out what they had been talking about. Something that had happened thirteen years ago, tomorrow.

****

Jewel stared into the mirror in David and Jesse's guest bath, and gave herself a pep talk. "You can do this. It's only breakfast. Anyone can do breakfast. A bagel, a cup of tea, maybe some juice. Nobody talks at breakfast because they're starving. So, you can do this." Violet smudges showed through the concealer under her eyes, dark against her paler than normal skin. "You can do this." When her hand stopped shaking, she finished applying lipstick and smoothed her hair back to the pinned up braid. Then she left the room.

Christopher had arrived after she went to bed, so when the men rose to greet their sister, he had to get a hug in too. Wrapped in her big brother's grizzly-like embrace, Jewel felt a moment of security. Chris was a rock. He wasn't dumb, none of them were, but he saw life in crisper shades of gray than most people. A little more white, a tad more black and for gods sake, don't pussyfoot around the truth. He held her back for a moment, hands on her shoulders, and took a good look. "Little sister, you look like hell."

"Thank you. It's good to see you too, Chris." She responded dryly, and he grinned, holding out her chair in an elaborate attempt at courtesy. She stuck her tongue out at him and sat.

"I think it may be the dress, hon. I've never seen you wear black." Jesse offered, pouring his second cup of coffee. "At least, not in the daytime."

She glanced down at her wool suit, with it's neat white silk blouse and tapped her demure black pump. A string of blue-white pearls enhanced the glacial effect, and washed her out further. "I rather thought it appropriate, Jess."

"After all these years? Even right after..." David began, only to have her interrupt him.

"When I was a little girl, all the well meaning yentas told you that children shouldn't wear black for an formal event, even the most somber. So I wore white, or whatever you all picked out. Now, I'm an adult and if I choose to wear black, or green or anything else, I'd appreciate it if you didn't make an issue out of it!" In her anger, colour flooded her cheeks and her eyes lit, overpowering the effect of her suit.

David held up his hands in a warding, placating gesture while Jesse and Chris exchanged a look. "Julia, I apologize. Of course you should wear what you like."

She nodded, "Yeah, okay then." and managed a smile as he poured her a glass of juice.

*****

Kermit squinted at his laptop, impatiently waiting for the search program to finish. There couldn't have been that many significant events going on thirteen years before. He was searching the newspaper morgues for that year, in New York City, Kittery ME, and the neighboring larger city of Portsmouth, NH. "Come on, damn it!" he growled, getting up to pace. The laptop was nowhere near as efficient as his home, or his precinct , machines. This was going to take forever.

*****

"All right, David, what the hell is going on with her?" Chris and his younger brother walked behind Jewel and Jesse, watching the tall copper haired man and the unnaturally neat figure of their little sister, her small gloved hand resting on his wool covered arm as they talked.

"What are you talking about?" The wind was picking up, ruffling David's dark waves of hair, and reddening his cheeks. He was the epitome of a handsome, happy successful New Yorker, in his long dark wool London Fog.

"I mean, look at Julie. She's all jumpy, she's either mad or about to cry all morning, and I know Jess pulled you aside for a one on one, so tell me what's up?" Wind had nothing to do with the color mounting in Christopher's face. Big, blond, with ice blue eyes that burned coldly as he looked over to Jewel again, the oldest Adams sibling never bothered to conceal his feelings. At the moment, he was pissed.

"I think she misses home, Chris. This time of year, with all the memories coming up, we're all a little on edge, but at least we're all together. She's off in that godforsaken city with a man twice her age."

One large hand whipped out of a sheepskin lined pocket and grasped David's arm firmly above the elbow. "Tell me that you haven't been hassling her about Griffin again. The man saved her life, Dave, and he treats her like gold. Last thing she needs is you ragging at her right now."

"We don't know how he treats her! We know what she says, which counts for nothing as far as I'm concerned after that FBI guy.." Angry green eyes met equally angry blue ones. "I want her back here where she's safe. Where she'll meet some nice guys her own age, where we can check them out."

"So the best way to accomplish this is to bug her until she gives in? Damn it, Dave, she isn't fourteen anymore!" Disgusted, Chris jammed both hands deep in his pockets and walked on. David hurried to catch up with him.

"Chris, I really could use her help at the firm. We'd be a family again. Besides, when did anyone ever talk Julia Adams into anything she didn't want to do? I'm just giving her some options, that's all."

Chris considered. "She is a stubborn little thing. Just don't push her, brother. Give her some room."

"No problem. Let's catch up, we're almost there."

*****

Kermit almost missed it. A first page article in the Kittery Neighbor, a fourth page article in the Times. The small paper had a large photo of a twisted heap of metal that used to be an automobile, with a small inset picture featuring a classic family portrait. One rough finger traced the faces, an older handsome man with salt and pepper hair, a younger woman with light hair and a beautiful smile. Two grinning young men, a matched set in fair and dark, and one young teenaged girl. The hair was shorter, worn loose under a ribboned headband, freckles were obvious even in the grainy photo, but Kermit recognized it. He'd seen it before, in full colour, sitting on Jewel's bedstand, every time he stayed at her loft. The article only confirmed what he knew from the photo. FATAL CAR CRASH KILLS TWO, TRAPS TEEN. She'd come home for the anniversary of her parents' death.

*****

"It was my TENTH birthday", she insisted, "And you guys were horrible!" Jewel smiled at her brothers and sipped her hot chocolate, the Styrofoam cup warming her hands through her knitted gloves.

"I guess it might have been your tenth at that. You were crazy about horses, Dad and Liz used to bring you here at least once a week." Chris smiled back, and Jewel leaned against his shoulder, turning her head to look at the beautiful old carousel. The horses were decked out with bright enamel harnesses, touched with gilt paint, and set with colourful "gems" that flashed in the occasional weak sunbeam that fought through the cloud cover.

"You and David used to tag along on those trips too. It was so much fun." She shook her head and told Jesse, "They used to pull all these stunts while it was moving. It was amazing that they didn't get kicked off more often, two grown men riding backwards, or changing horses midride."

Jesse laughed at the image, a younger pair of Adams' brothers harassing a merry go round." So, what did they do on your birthday?" He asked, and Jewel laughed too, shifting a little on the rocks they were all perched on, outside the "closed for the winter" chain around the old carousel.

"They refused to come! They told me that they were too old to come to a kiddie party. I was devastated. If they were too old to come to my party, were they too old to play with me? You guys actually had me in tears!!" She accused and David hid his head in shame while Chris covered his eyes.

"We never meant it to go that far. Dad was awfully mad about it when he found out. He hated it when we teased you." Chris explained, and David reached over to tweak her ear.

"Too bad it was so much fun!" He dodged back out of range to avoid the pinch she aimed at his arm.

"Anyway, Mother asked me to help her bake my cake, and I did, which took my mind off my troubles. The kitchen was full of good smells, vanilla and the chocolate she was melting for the frosting, the scent of warm sugar and butter baking. Little did I know that the boys had snuck out, and were down here, setting up my birthday party."

"Dad had called the park commissioner, and paid a pretty hefty fee to rent the site for the day. We were in charge of getting it ready for the monkey and her friends, and we did a damn good job. Streamers and balloons.. bags of party games and prizes, setting up a couple of picnic tables. We were party men extradinaire." The two brothers exchanged high five slaps and Jewel rolled her eyes.

"After the cake was ready, Mother had me put on my party dress and brushed my hair out, just as Daddy came home and offered to take me to the park. I honestly didn't believe I was having a party if the boys weren't going to be there, so I jumped at the chance to go. I loved riding in Yellow cabs, don't ask me why, so Daddy had one waiting outside, instead of his own car, and we took one to the park. I remember walking over that little ridge there, and seeing the streamers, and all the kids from my class, Chris and David cooking hot dogs and hamburgers while they guarded the presents on a spare table. I turned to Daddy and he leaned down, whispered 'Happy Birthday, sweetheart.' I couldn't believe it!! Mother arrived a few minutes later, with the cake we had made. It was the best party..."

She trailed off, eyes shining at the memory, lashes bright with a few trapped tears.. Christopher hugged her hard, David squeezed her hand, and Jesse smiled at this family of his.

"I've missed you guys so much." she murmured, and Chris nodded against her hair.

"We've missed you too, monkey. Home just isn't the same without you running around and yelling at us."

"Dad and Liz would be glad to know that we're together again." David remarked, his sister's small hand warm in his. His green eyes smiled at her tenderly. "All these years, we've never once forgotten what they taught us."

"'Family sticks together, or what's the point of being one?' I've never forgotten that, either. It made me feel so safe." Jewel answered softly.

"You were safe, monkey. You ARE safe, and you're needed. You ARE coming back home, aren't you, Julie?"

Christopher glared at him, Jesse held his breath. Jewel just looked down at their joined hands and sighed. "Maybe that's what Mother and Daddy would have wanted." she said, in a voice so low he could barely hear it, "Maybe I should. I'll have to think about it."

*****

A pounding on the door brought David and Chris from their beds early the next morning. Jesse, apparently already awake and dressed, beat them to the door.

When he opened it, a dark suited man with shaggy dark hair pushed past him and into the foyer. "Where is she?" Kermit demanded, glaring first at Jesse, then at Jewel's brothers.

David tightened the belt on his robe and glared back. "Look, Griffin, I don't know what the hell you're doing here, but.." The rest of his threat was lost when Kermit grabbed him by the lapels of his robe and swung him back against the wall.

In a quiet, deadly voice, the older man repeated. "Where. Is. She?"

"On her way to Maine. She left a few hours ago, first thing this morning." Jesse quietly stepped forward and the irate detective released David, turning gratefully to this new source of information. "The cemetery is on Frontage Road. You know how to get to the house?" Kermit nodded, and Jesse handed him a folded sheet of paper, "Directions from the house. It's on the right, you'll want to watch the turn, it sneaks up on you."

"Thank you." They looked at each other a long minute, then shook hands. Kermit nodded to Chris, robeless and bare chested in his pajama bottoms, who grinned back at him. A steadying hand rested on his brother's shoulder. There might have been a hint of answering smile on Kermit's face, then he was gone.

"Why did you do that?" David asked his lover, voice curiously free of any emotion. The scene with Griffin, the stare down in face of his fury, had numbed him to lesser feelings for a time, and he tiredly sat down. Chris sat with him, unable to keep the smile off his face, but with a companionable arm over David's shoulders.

Jesse leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, early sunlight glinting off his hair. "I've been talking to Jewel, you know. Via email, on the phone, and quite a bit this week as well. You might want to try it, try listening to what she has to say. You tend to run everything through that mind filter of yours that keeps her a child in your eyes, and that's getting in the way, Dave. She's been shaky ever since she got here, I know you've seen it, and you wanted to blame it on Griffin. I guess that you could, she's shaky because she needed him to be here this week. For some reason, this year, the anniversary has got her all in knots, more than usual, and you can't seem to accept that she has another man in her life. I know you guys love Jewel, but he's her back up now, her comforter and her rock. If you don't accept it, if you keep pulling at her, you're going to lose her. Or worse, she'll lose herself trying to please everyone."

Chris was shaking his head in agreement. "Can't have it all our way anymore, little brother. Jess is right. Julie's all grown up, and she's got something serious going with Griffin. We've got to respect that."

"And when he walks out on her, what then? He obviously doesn't care enough to do the right thing." David stopped abruptly. "Did I just say that?"
"You're one of those conservative dads, bro. Just have to get over it."

"And if they do break up somewhere down the road, Jewel's going to deal with it." Jesse crouched in front of the sofa, amber eyes catching and holding David's anguished green ones. "You can't protect her from life. Heck, you never even used to try! What is it now? Why this man?"

"Because I didn't protect her from the last one!" David shouted, brushing them both aside as he jumped to his feet. One manicured fist hit the wall, followed by the other, and finally his forehead, resting against the slick painted surface, hiding his face from his companions. "I didn't see. He HURT her, dammit, and I didn't do ANYTHING!!"

"How were you supposed to know?" Jess demanded, wrapping the unresisting form in an embrace from behind. "Jewel handled it her own way. There was no way for you to know." He spoke through waves of soft dark hair, and heard the weak reply.

"I should have known. What if Griffin's the same? She didn't say a word before, if he's abusing her, she might not say anything now."

Chris leaned in next to him. "You're forgetting something here, Dave. Julie kicked that bastard out when she finally figured what his deal was. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, she refused to tolerate an abusive relationship. I know damn well she wouldn't put up with it from Kermit Griffin either. The man comes all this way, even busts in here, because knows she's hurting and he can't stand not to help her. Does that sound like someone we want to separate her from?" And irrepressible Christopher laughed. "Does it sound like a pair we COULD split up? Suck it up, counselor. We did a good job finishing what Dad and her mother started. Now it's up to Julie."

*********

Kermit walked through the old cemetery, wind whipping black leather against his legs, eyes protected by his dark green armour. He could see her while still fairly far away, the single living occupant of a stone and marble garden. Jewel was sitting on the grass before a large white headstone, long hair free and blowing around her, knees drawn up to her chin, face hidden. The formality was gone, he could make out jeans and canvas sneakers, a washed out YALE sweatshirt that she'd stolen from one of her brothers years ago. She didn't look up as he approached.

"Kind of cold to be sitting on the ground, isn't it?"

Her head whipped around. "Kermit?" She jumped up and flung herself blindly at him, trusting him to catch her as usual. He did. "You're here, you're here! Oh, gods, I wanted you so." Her voice was ragged in his ear, but there was nothing else he would have rather heard.

"You're all right?" He whispered, holding her tightly. Her arms were around his neck in a stranglehold and he could feel her shaking against him.

"I am now. I was so stupid, I know, but things have been out of control and I've been this raving lunatic.." Jewel ran a hand through his hair and hugged him again rapturously. "I can't believe that you're really here."

"Where else would I be?" Kermit gently freed one arm, tipped up her chin with a finger. "Why didn't you tell me about this week?"

"As nuts as I was, would you have let me come here alone if you knew?" Her indigo eyes were damp, but open, and honest as if they had never hidden anything from him.

"Absolutely not." No hesitation in his reply, and she didn't argue it with him.

"I knew that. I was trying to protect my brothers, this is a hard time for them too, and I knew having an outsider would be painful. My friend Jaime set me straight, you know. She asked me if I cared more for my brothers' feelings than for my own, and I needed you. I really did."

That admission, from his independent young lover, touched him. "Why don't I remember this from last year, Jewel? I assume your family gets together every year at this time."

"I was in the hospital last year, and then in recovery on your couch, remember? I wouldn't have had the strength, emotionally or otherwise, to come here. I knew my parents would understand, and my brothers didn't mention it, they were still so worried about me getting shot."

"And this year?" The rich, deep voice she loved so much was kind, warming her as much as his embrace did, and she leaned her cheek against his leather covered chest tiredly.

"This year, everything was different. I have this whole other life now. I have you, and you're like another family.." she trailed off, and he picked up her left hand, kissing the bare third finger.

"You're more than family to me, Jewel even if I've not given you a ring.."
"I know, and everyone's been giving me shit about that this week!"

He laughed at the petulance in her voice, and she laughed with him. His eyes behind the shades were still twinkling when he asked, in a somber tone, "Would you like one?"

"What?" Her eyes searched his face for some hidden meaning or clue. "You mean, an engagement ring? You want to marry me?"

"Do you want me to marry you?"

Jewel took a step back, reaching a small hand up and gently pulling off his shades, folding them over and tucking them into her sweatshirt neckband. "I need to see your eyes for this discussion. Marriage.. I.. don't know, Kermit. It's kind of a big thing. If we get engaged, then we have to talk about a date. We have to rent a hall. I have to buy a dress, get bridesmaids and ugly dresses for them. You'd have to move to the loft, which might be kind of fun." She flashed a small grin, her eyes starting to look amused. "Or I'd have to move to your place, which isn't going to happen. Or we have to find a house together. Plan a honeymoon, register, I'd have to meet your sister.. Kermit.. do you WANT to get married all of a sudden? I thought we were pretty good. Maybe there's something wrong with me, because I really, really love you."

"I never even thought about marriage, sweetheart, until very recently. Hell, I never had considered finding someone like you, much less having all that we have. Wanting more might tempt the universe to take it all away." He drew her back into his arms, bent his head, and kissed her in a way that left no uncertainties about his devotion. "Somewhere down the line, I'm probably going to want to make this legit, you know. I'd kind of like to see Jewel Griffin on your letterhead."

She smiled, a little dreamily, safe in his embrace. "It sounds very romantic, Jewel Griffin, like a fairy tale. Somewhere down the line, I'd probably say yes. If you needed it now, Kermit.."

"Shshhh. I do want you to make me a promise today, but not that one."

"All right. What is it?" Playfully, she balanced his glasses on the end of her nose, and he shook his head, snatched them away from her.

"Promise me that if you start panicking about your family again, you'll tell me. This week took a year off my life. Promise me that you'll let me share your fear as well as your joy. And if your brother ever offers you another great job, you'll let me make a counter offer. I've got money, I can compete in the market." He was smiling, but his dark eyes were serious, and she answered him without a hint of amusement or laughter.

"I promise, Kermit, all of those things. And I'm sorry I scared you. I never meant to lie to you."

"I know, sweetheart. Here, give me your hand, no, the other one." He gently took her right hand in his, and slipped a delicate filigreed silver ring, patterned with roses, and set with a dark sapphire. It was the colour of her eyes when they made love, although he knew she didn't know that.

"I promise to give you all the room you need, to fuss and worry and generally live your life, but I plan to slay any dragons that need slaying, so you might as well get used to it."

"How come your promise sounds more like an ultimatum, Griffin?" She demanded, and he chuckled and kissed her again instead of answering.

When they turned to leave, Kermit stood before the wide marble headstone a moment, reading the inscription. "William and Elizabeth Adams. Beloved of each other, beloved of their children." Below that, a single line. "Never parted, only gone ahead." The unsentimental ex-mercenary made a curious little bow, and one more promise to the parents of the woman he loved. Then he joined her on the path, and they took his rental car back to the house.

They turned his car in at the local airport Hertz, and took Jesse's Lexus back to the city. Jewel drove, handling the sleek machine with confidence and appreciation. "It was Jesse who finally talked sense into me, you know. I was up and pacing at three a.m., he got up and made tea and we talked all night. I was so afraid that I was breaking up the family, that Mother and Daddy would be disappointed in me. I want to know that they'd be happy for me. Jesse sat me down and asked point blank, 'If your mother knew that you were in love with a man who makes you happier than anything' ( don't look so smug, Kermit!), 'do you really think she'd be saying for you to leave him and live with David and me?' He made a ton of sense, and when I still was kind of shaky, he handed me his car keys and told me to go home." She sighed happily, downshifted and swung around a slow BMW, and back into the right lane. Kermit kissed her newly ringed finger and she curled her hand around to caress his cheek.

"I'm glad to hear that at least one member of your family is sane." He quipped, and she laughed out loud.

"No argument from me, sweetheart. We've needed someone sane for years. I just never figured it would be Jesse." then, "Kermit, I'm coming home. I'll come back here while you're away, but I'm going to grab my cat and my clothes and go back home with you."

"I'm not going home." He told her, and grinned at her expression. One large hand caressed the silky short curls escaping her braid at the nape of her neck. "You see, I've got this luxury suite at the Plaza, with a four person Jacuzzi, and twenty four hour room service.. know anyone who might want to rehearse a honeymoon with me? We'll want to get it right when the time comes, and that means practice, practice, practice."

They'd hit city traffic and she risked one long, hot kiss at a stoplight. "One honeymoon rehearsal, sailor. You've got it. Shade can stay with her uncles for a couple of days."

And the silver Lexus peeled out into traffic. Somewhere, a four person Jacuzzi was calling their names.

The end

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