The beach was fairly crowded, with lots of people sitting, walking, sunbathing, talking, swimming, and more. Soft white sand covered the shore in both directions, and high overhead, the sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky. I smiled contently as I made my way off the stairs with Cloud and the others. A perfect day to relax.
"C'mon, guys!" I laughed, motioning to the others. "Let's go find a good spot and get set up! The water's calling to us!"
"I hear it, Jessie," Tifa chuckled.
Aerith pointed. "Over there! Straight ahead and left."
I followed her gaze, and sure enough, there was a wide open patch of sand nearby amidst the rows of towels, beach chairs, and umbrellas. We went over, put our things down, and spread out our own towels all in a row, with mine next to Cloud's. Then I took some sunblock out of my bag and started putting it on while Aerith and Tifa did the same for themselves. Cloud just watched, adorably confused.
"Mind getting my back for me?" I asked.
He nodded. "Uh, sure..."
Once he'd finished, I motioned to him. "Your turn now."
"Huh?" Cloud blinked.
"Put it on!" I giggled. "Unless you want a sunburn. They're hot and itchy, you know. Really uncomfortable. And with pretty skin like yours, you'd be all red and crispy before you know it!"
He started spraying himself at once. "Ah, yeah. Got it."
"You're so adorable," I teased.
When he was finished and I had sprayed his back for him, we went down to the shore with Aerith and Tifa. The waves rolled in again and again in an endless, soothing rhythm, and the sand was warm and wet under my toes. For a moment, I looked out over the ocean, my eyes on the horizon, and just took in its vastness. When we'd been on the cargo ship, I'd spent most of my free time standing over at the rail gazing out at the rolling waves. The sight of it had calmed me inside, and I'd found that I was able to forget my fears for a while.
Cloud guided me into the water as Tifa helped Aerith, and we went in until it rose up past our waists. I was a little nervous but did my best not to show it, trusting that Cloud would keep me safe. He taught me a few basics about swimming over the next hour or so while Tifa did the same for Aerith, and by the time our little lesson was finished, she and I had learned at least enough that we could float, tread water, and do a simple forward stroke. It was pretty fun, actually, and I managed to get Cloud a few times with some nice splashes.
After lunch, Aerith, Tifa, and I put on some suntan lotion and laid out on our towels to relax. I let out a soft moan of delight as I stretched out on my stomach and felt Cloud rubbing the lotion onto my back for me. He'd been totally clueless about what to do at first, just sitting there and holding the little bottle with a cute blank look on his face, but once I'd explained what I needed, he'd gotten right to it. Once he was done, I sighed contentedly and gazed over at him and his lovely baby blue eyes as he sat down next to me on his own towel.
"Thanks, merc," I smiled, resting my head on my arms.
Cloud nodded. "Sure."
I reached out a hand. "Having a good time?"
"It's not bad," he admitted, taking it.
"Awesome," I laughed softly, seeing right through his cool. "I think we oughta do this kinda thing more often."
Cloud shrugged. "Maybe, once our journey's over."
"Something to look forward to," I giggled.
"Yeah," he agreed. "So, Jessie... while you three are all getting your tans and laying here in the sun, what should I do?"
I smirked up at him. "Whatever you want, hon. Swim, make a sand castle, take a nap... anything at all. Or you could read for a while. I got you a weapons magazine, figured it'd interest ya. All about swords and stuff. It's in my bag if you wanna check it out."
"You know me well," he smirked.
"Intimately," I teased. Then I gently squeezed his hand, still smiling as my fingers held onto his. "I love you."
Instead of replying, Cloud leaned in and gave me a tender kiss. My heart raced at the touch of his lips on mine, but I couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment that he still wouldn't say those words back to me. Although I reminded myself that he did care for me and that there was a lot he was dealing with right now, I longed to hear him tell me he loved me. I did my best not to show how I felt, though. This was a time for fun and relaxation, and I didn't want him to worry. So I put it out of my mind, smiled, and laid my head down.
About twenty minutes later, I turned over and laid on my back so I could get some sun on my front as Aerith and Tifa laid comfortably to my right and Cloud stretched out on my left reading that magazine. He glanced at me every so often, admiring me and my curves, and I knew my choice of swimsuit had definitely been right.
I finally sat up and stretched about half an hour later, my skin now nicely tanned. Aerith and Tifa looked good too as they joined me, but I couldn't help giggling when I saw them. Even with a bit of a tan, Aerith still had the lightest complexion of all of us.
"So what's next, ladies?" she asked. "I feel like moving around a bit, you know? Something active that we can all do."
Tifa stood up. "Ah, look! There's a volleyball net a short way down the beach. I can see it from here. Good thing we picked up a ball at the store when we were out shopping. Up for a game?"
I shot to my feet. "Ready to go!"
"I'm in!" Aerith grinned. "How 'bout you, Cloud?"
He nodded. "Might as well."
So we all made our way over to the volleyball net and got started. It was really fun, and even Cloud got into it. I think the idea of slamming the ball around and into the sand appealed to him. And his serves were impressive with that SOLDIER strength of his. He and I played against Aerith and Tifa for a while, and we had a blast. Cloud didn't show it all that much, of course, but I could tell he was enjoying himself. The little smirk he'd let slip now and then just gave him away.
We won the first and second games, and Aerith and Tifa beat us by a point in the third. It was all good, though, and we were in the middle of our fourth and probably last game—unless they won again, in which case I'd definitely have been up for a tiebreaker—when it happened. I'd made a good serve, sending the ball over the net, and Aerith had gone for it since it was closer to her. But she'd just missed it, her hand hitting empty air, and the ball had flown past her into the sand, rolling a ways down the beach away from where we were.
"Sorry about that!" I called.
Aerith waved it off and smiled. "Oh, you're fine, Jessie. Point to you guys! Just the way the game's played."
"Yep!" Tifa agreed. "Good hit. Be right back!"
Then she turned and headed across the sand to get the ball. But as she got close to it and picked it up, she stopped, her gaze on someone I couldn't really see very well from here. Whoever it was had a bunch of girls in bikinis laying on towels around him, at least three, as he sat on a beach chair in the shade of a large umbrella, but I couldn't tell who he was. Tifa's face had gone pale, though, and I knew she had. Cloud and I soon joined her along with Aerith.
"Cloud..." she murmured with a sharp intake of breath.
"Look!" Tifa added. "Do you see him?"
His eyes narrowed. "Hojo..."
"What?" I stared, recognizing the man at last.
I'd only met him once before, years ago, but I'd never forgotten his dry, wheezing voice or the way he'd looked at me as if I were an insect. I'd snuck up to the security office during my Shinra days four years ago while trying to uncover the dark truth behind the Reactor 3 massacre, and after finding some of the evidence I'd needed, I had left. But before going downstairs, I'd taken a quick peek at the Science Division, which was on the same floor. Me and my insatiable curiosity.
I'd seen some of the deadly monsters they had been creating there, poisonous, misshapen things that were horrible enough to give anyone nightmares. And on my way out, I had nearly run into Hojo. I'd hoped I'd never see him again, but there he was, relaxing on his beach chair. I shivered when I saw him despite the blazing afternoon sun, and Aerith unconsciously took a step closer to Cloud.
"What's he doing here?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"Cloud and I heard in Junon that he'd resigned," I said. "Can't say I really believed it 'till now, though. He is so creepy."
Aerith shuddered. "You have no idea..."
"Let's go talk to him," Tifa decided, still holding our ball.
"Yeah," Cloud agreed.
Aerith sighed. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."
As we walked over, I could see Hojo more clearly. Even here on the beach, he wore his white lab coat, though he at least had it unbuttoned. He was leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his ahead while his three groupies giggled mindlessly around him. I just totally did not get it. What did they see in him? It was crazy.
"What do you want?" one of the girls asked when she saw us. "The professor doesn't wish to be disturbed."
Cloud didn't budge. "Tough. I need to talk to him."
She huffed and looked over at Hojo. "Professor, there's a scary man here to see you. And a few ugly girls, too."
"Ugly!?" Aerith and I snapped.
"I'm quite busy right now," Hojo muttered.
Tifa's fist clenched. "Deal with it."
"Oh, very well... such a loud bunch," he grimaced, sitting up. Then he saw Cloud and smiled coldly. "Ah... now I see. It's been a long time, Cloud. Yes, I remember you. From Midgar."
Cloud nodded. "Hojo, I..."
Hojo gazed around him at the beach. "Sometimes one must take a a break such as this. It's quite pleasant, I must say."
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hojo grumbled. "I'm getting a tan."
I blinked. "In a lab coat?"
"Answer me!" Cloud demanded.
"Hmm..." Hojo mused, his eyes finding us again. "It seems we may be after the same goal. I rather think we are."
Cloud frowned. "Sephiroth?"
"I take it you've seen him," Hojo replied. When Cloud nodded, he started cackling and stood up. "Yes, of course! The theory is proving to be correct, just as I thought. Excellent!"
"What do you mean?" Cloud scowled darkly.
Hojo rubbed his chin and looked intently at him. "Tell me, my boy. Do you feel something calling you? Or that there somewhere you must go no matter what? An instinctive need, perhaps?"
Cloud's blue eyes blazed with fury. "I'll go anywhere Sephiroth's at! To beat him, settle the score, and end all this!"
"Good, good... this could be very interesting indeed. A fascinating experiment! Now, former SOLDIER—or perhaps not—would you care to aid me? You'd be a most excellent subject for—"
"Enough!" I snarled, pushing past Cloud to stand in front of Hojo. "I won't let you hurt him! Go take your damn experiments somewhere else and leave us alone! We won't dance to your tune!"
Hojo grunted. "And you are...?"
Although he was several inches taller than me, I didn't let up. "The boot that's gonna kick your scrawny ass halfway back to Midgar if you don't shut the hell up right now! Understand?"
"My, my... such a temper, my dear!" he chuckled. Then, as he took a good look at me, Hojo froze, his eyes widening when they met mine. "What? Is that really...? But it can't be..."
"What are you talking about?" Cloud frowned.
Hojo ignored him, addressing me instead. "I must say, this is quite a surprise, miss. I have the strangest feeling that you shouldn't be here, that you were never meant to be here... and yet here you are. I can see the mako in your eyes... and perhaps even more. Tell me, how did you come by it? There are no female SOLDIERs."
I folded my arms in front of me. "You're right. There aren't. But I'm not gonna tell you what happened, either."
"It matters not," Hojo sneered, eagerly rubbing his hands together. "This is a most unexpected and exciting turn of events! The gift which you carry within you... women do not typically respond to her essence as men do. Madness and death are their fate. Yet you seem untouched. I find this quite extraordinary, don't you?"
"What gift?" Tifa asked uneasily. "What do you mean?"
I knew, though. Phoenix had told me. "Jenova..."
Hojo grinned and went on. "Yes, exactly! You may not be aware of this, but SOLDIERs are not merely showered with mako. Another part of their enhancement is that they are also injected with Jenova cells. To further boost their strength and resilience, you see."
"You're putting parts of her... inside people?" Tifa breathed.
"Did you know, Cloud?" Aerith asked.
He shook his head. "No. We get showered with mako, then... it's a little hard to remember, but... we do get injected with something. I was told it was just a drug for preventing sickness and disease, though. Not some sick, twisted shit like this. And now..."
I shuddered, starting to understand why Sephiroth had such a hold over me and Cloud. "She's in me, too..."
"Jessie..." he sighed.
"That buffoon's daughter?" Hojo cackled. "Now I recognize you... ah, this is perfect! Yet another embarrassment for that old fool. This is becoming quite a good—wait, what is that?"
I gasped when he seized my arm. "Hey! Let go!"
"Hojo!" Cloud growled.
But he ignored us. His gaze was fixed on my left shoulder. At first, I didn't have any idea what he was staring at. But then, as I looked at it myself, I saw what had gotten his attention. A small, irregular patch of skin had turned pale gray, but it was so faint I hadn't noticed it before. I saw it now, though, and shivered, knowing it had something to do with Jenova. But what? What was happening to me?
"Incredible..." Hojo breathed. "A new behavior. Jenova's cells never did this before. But then, they've rarely had a female host within which to grow. I wonder... could this mean she is aware? Or is it just instinct? Is she working with him... or in spite of him? Or is he behind this and using her? So many variables to consider... there is a new factor in this equation... what does she want with the girl?"
"What the hell's going on!?" Cloud demanded. "Let her go!"
Hojo did, then noticed Aerith. "Ah, the Ancient. You look well, my dear. Rested and healthy. Very good, very good..."
She frowned. "It's Aerith. Now what's wrong with Jessie?"
"I really don't know," he shrugged.
"Bullshit!" Cloud growled, grabbing Hojo by the collar and raising his fist. "You've got to have some idea. So talk!"
He simply laughed. "My, my... and if I don't? What then?"
Tifa took his arm. "Cloud, stop! I know how you feel, but you can't! Not now. We need to find out what he knows."
"Talk," he told Hojo, slowly lowering his fist. "Now."
Hojo stepped back and straightened his clothes once Cloud let him go. "There are several possibilities. But it's still too soon to tell for sure which one is actually occurring. But know this, my boy. The girl is, as I said, a new factor. One I had not foreseen but one which I'm certain he will try to take advantage of, if he hasn't already."
Cloud narrowed his eyes. "Sephiroth."
"Precisely. The girl, like you and every other SOLDIER, is a host to the cells of Jenova. But she is also different in that she is a female. Only two other women have carried those cells. They drove one to suicide. I was not a part of that experiment, however."
"And the other?" I asked.
Hojo laughed softly as he looked away. "My dear wife. Long ago. It was her choice to aid me in my studies. The cells accomplished what I'd intended, but they also made her quite ill. That troublesome Turk who was so fond of her tried to stop me, of course, but I dealt with him and made him into something... quite unique."
Tifa looked at him in disgust. "Your wife...?"
"What happened to her?" Aerith wondered. "Did she...?"
"Die?" Hojo finished for her. "That is a very interesting question. I don't know. She disappeared one day, her mind quite unstable by then, and hasn't been seen since. Jenova's essence drove her mad."
I shivered. "And what about me?"
"You are neither dead nor insane," Hojo said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "At least, not yet. This is good, very good."
"What are you saying?" I asked.
He went on. "It would appear, Ms. Heidegger, that you are the first stable female host the Jenova cells have ever had. Why they don't seem to affect you as they did Gillian and my wife, I don't know. And yet... it cannot be denied that they are acting upon you."
"How?" Cloud wondered.
"As I said, I'm not sure," Hojo answered. "But there are also certain differences between the girl and her predecessors which might possibly be influencing the way her body is responding to Jenova's essence. This discoloration of her skin, though quite small and faint for the moment, is only the beginning. That is all I can tell you."
Hesitantly, I touched the spot. It was icy cold. "It'll spread, won't it? Slowly, a little at a time, but... it will."
I thought of what both Sephiroth and Phoenix had told me and felt a shiver run up my spine. This was what they'd meant when they'd said a darkness, an alien presence, was slowly devouring me from within. It was the Jenova cells Cloud had unknowingly passed along to me when he'd donated some of his blood to save me after the plate collapse. As I remembered Jenova's whispered words on the cargo ship just before I'd left, I thought I was beginning to understand.
Sephiroth wasn't the only one trying to change his fate. Jenova was, too. It made sense, of course, since she'd almost certainly been defeated during all the other times Cloud and the others had made this journey. But like Hojo, I wondered how involved Sephiroth was in this, whether he even knew Jenova might be more alert and aware this time than she should've been. And what was she doing to me?
Hojo nodded. "Yes, I believe it will, Ms. Heidegger."
"How do we stop it?" Cloud demanded.
"By destroying Jenova herself, I would imagine," he shrugged. "But that won't be easy. And Sephiroth will be with her."
Cloud clenched his fist. "Like I said, where they go, I go."
"Then this might interest you," Hojo cackled. "I heard earlier today that Sephiroth was sighted heading toward Mt. Corel. I'm quite certain it's not his final destination, however. Merely on his chosen route. Now by all means, my boy, find him! I suspect that great things will happen when you finally catch up to your enemy."
"Corel...?" I breathed, my face going pale. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, quite sure," he nodded.
Tifa glanced worriedly at me. "You okay, Jessie?"
I brushed it off. "I'm fine..."
"Something wrong?" Cloud asked.
"I said I'm fine!" I snapped, storming away.
As I hurried across the beach back toward my towel, my emotions burned within me like a firestorm. Even though I was in the middle of a long journey with my friends to places I hadn't been to before, it had never occurred to me that we might actually have to go to Corel. It was the town I'd unintentionally helped to destroy four years ago. Although I'd been tricked into thinking the soldiers had only been sent out to do weapons testing against monsters in the mountains, I'd never been able to shake the guilt I felt about what had happened.
"Jessie..." Cloud murmured.
I looked up as he approached and sat down next to me. "I'm sorry, Cloud. I didn't mean to bite your head off. It's just... where we're going next... it's gonna be hard for me. Real hard."
He took my shoulder. "I know. We can talk later, when we're alone. If you're up for it, that is. You owe me a walk."
"Yeah, I guess I do," I smiled.
"Jessie, did I...?" Tifa sighed as she and Aerith joined us.
I shook my head. "No, Tifa. It wasn't you. Just... personal stuff. I'm sorry if I spoiled everyone's good time."
"You didn't," Aerith assured me. "So don't worry, okay? Whatever's going on, we're here for you, Jessie. And I bet I know the perfect way to cheer you up! There's an ice cream stand near the stairs we went down earlier to get to the beach, so how about we all go on over there and get ourselves a nice, sweet snack? My treat!"
I laughed in spite of myself. "You always know just what to say. Just like Cloud. I could go for a little sugar right now."
Aerith helped me to my feet. "Then it's decided. Let's go!"
We didn't really talk much yet about what we'd learned from Hojo, but I knew it was on all our minds. I was sure we'd discuss it more once we'd met up with Barret, Red, and Yuffie later. Until then, I put it out of my mind and let Aerith do what she could to lift my spirits. Cloud was quiet and uneasy, but I couldn't blame him what with everything Hojo had said. I'd been tempted to call off my original plan for us to spend a romantic evening alone together that night, but as I thought about it, I decided not to. I needed him, and he needed me.
— — — — — — —
Jessie stood waiting for me on a different stretch of beach closer to the inn later that night, her gaze lingering on the waves and her hands folded behind her back. She'd wandered outside alone after we'd all met for dinner and talked about what we'd found out this afternoon. Yuffie didn't like it one bit—none of them, did really—and Red had suggested that we talk to his grandfather in Cosmo Canyon about what was going on once we got there. Barret had been oddly quiet once he'd found out that we'd be heading for Corel tomorrow.
"Hey, Cloud..." Jessie smiled at me over her shoulder. "I wondered when you'd come out here and join me."
I smirked faintly. "We have a walk planned, remember?"
She took my hand in hers. "I'd like that. Got a lot on my mind, and I'm sure you do, too. And we've got this beautiful beach all to ourselves now! I wonder what we'll see out here..."
"Let's find out," I replied.
Although it was dark now as we strode casually along the shore, we could see well enough. Lights shone from the inn and other buildings, and we could hear music playing from a nearby bar amidst the endless crashing of the waves. The water splashed across our toes as we walked in the wet sand, a gentle breeze cooling our skin.
I tried not to look at the little patch of gray on Jessie's shoulder, but now that I knew it was there, it was hard not to. None of us had seen it until Hojo had pointed it out. Faint and small as it was, it must've only just begun to turn. But into what? And why? I worried about her. And I promised myself I'd stop whatever was happening to her. I'd saved her before and I could do it again. Another reason to hunt down Sephiroth and put an end to this. Wherever he went, I'd follow.
For now, though, I did my best to put it all out of my mind so that I could enjoy this time alone with Jessie. Outwardly, she seemed almost like her usual self, cheerful and laughing as we walked down the beach together. But like earlier, I could tell some of it was forced. She was just as troubled about what was happening as I was, and I was sure she was trying to figure out how to broach the subject. But she also didn't want to spoil the mood, either. I decided to let her bring it up first, feeling as she did and knowing it'd be better that way.
"I'm a little scared," Jessie admitted after a while. She stopped for a moment and looked at me. "You know, about what's happening to me. And also about Corel. I can't tell you why going there's gonna be tough for me, but... it is. More than you can imagine."
"Seems like it's gonna be hard for Barret, too," I said.
She nodded. "Yeah..."
I could see the pain in her eyes. "You know I'm here, right? Just do what you gotta do, Jessie. Both of you."
"Awww, are you worried about him?" she teased.
"Wouldn't go that far," I quipped.
Jessie laughed. "Of course not. But I know you are, Cloud."
"Maybe," I shrugged, playing it cool.
"So, anyway..." she went on, growing serious again. "What do you think's happening to me? What's Jenova doing?"
I laid my hands on Jessie's tanned shoulders. "I don't know. But I'm gonna kick her ass regardless. Sephiroth's, too. They've just given me a big reason on top of all the others I've got."
"Just be sure to save some for me," she smirked.
"You bet," I promised.
Jessie touched her lips to mine. "Gonna hold ya to that, merc. Now what say we put all that aside for a while and have a little fun together? We've still got a lot more beach to explore!"
I returned her kiss. "Lead the way."
Giggling, she did just that, skipping in front of me along the water's edge in her blue bikini. Ahead of us rose a small, wooded bay, enclosed from the rest of the beach. With our towels draped loosely around our shoulders, we made our way over to it. Inside we found a small lagoon, round and fed by a waterfall at one end. The soft light of the moon and stars lit the area and sparkled on the surface of the water, and the wind whispered gently through the palm trees.
"Oh, Cloud! Look!" Jessie grinned. "This is perfect!"
I thought so, too. "A private pool."
She tossed her towel onto the sand, pointed her finger upward, and winked. "My thoughts exactly! Come on!"
Unrolling my own towel next to hers, I followed her into the water. It was cool, refreshing, and not very deep, only rising to our shoulders by the time we reached the middle. Jessie dunked her head underwater for a moment, then surfaced and slid her fingers through her dripping hair. When she was done, she beckoned to me.
"Ready for another lesson, honey!" she teased. "I wanna learn how to do stuff on my back this time. Sounds relaxing."
I nodded. "It is. Here, I'll show you..."
For the next half hour, I taught Jessie how to float on her back and swim a simple backstroke. Just as she had during our first lesson earlier that afternoon, she got the hang of it pretty quickly. She swam halfway across the lagoon and back, using everything she'd learned so far. Once she made it back to me, Jessie just floated contentedly on her back for a while, gazing up at the stars glittering overhead.
"Hey, Cloud?" she asked.
I waded next to her. "Yeah? What is it?"
Jessie looked over at me, her brown eyes peaceful. "Let's come back here again, okay? Someday after this is all over."
"Sure," I agreed. "We can do that."
She smiled. "Thanks. And in the meantime..."
Before I knew what was happening, Jessie rolled over and splashed me in the face. I sputtered and gasped. "Whoa!"
"Gotcha!" she laughed.
"My turn," I smirked, quickly returning the favor.
From there, the fight began in earnest. Neither of us held back, and we splashed water at each other over and over again until we were both soaked. Jessie jumped at me, grinning widely, and I caught her easily in my arms. Then I tossed her right back into the water. She plunged into it with a gasp and a loud laugh before surfacing again and catching me in a quick, leaping tackle that sent us splashing across the lagoon. Then we relaxed, and I just held her for a while.
"That was fun..." Jessie said at last, her eyes warm.
I pulled her a little closer. "I guess so."
She giggled, then kissed me. "I know you enjoyed it, merc. Just too cool to admit it, huh? Can't fool me, though."
"Seems that way," I said, giving Jessie a faint grin.
Then our lips met again, the sweet taste of her mouth closing over mine making my blood burn and my heart race. Our tongues met and danced, wrapping around each other as I pressed her lightly against me and the water swirled gently around us. I don't know how long she and I stayed that way, only coming up for air when we had to before getting right back to work, but I didn't care. I just wanted to enjoy this time we had together and take her mind off her troubles for a while. For myself, too. A peaceful calm before the next storm.
When Jessie finally broke away, she gave me a sultry, hungry stare, then waded over to where the modest waterfall splashed down into the lagoon in a small but steady stream that sent ripples swirling out across the surface. The water grew shallower as she made her way over to the waterfall, only going about halfway up her thighs when she reached it. Smirking at me over her shoulder, Jessie reached behind her and slowly unfastened her bikini top, then pulled it off.
After tossing it aside, she giggled and slid the bottom of her bikini down her legs until it disappeared under the water. She was still facing away from me, coyly hiding herself at first as I stared at her, transfixed, my breath caught in my throat. After lifting one foot out of her bathing suit's lower half, she finally turned around.
"Catch!" she teased, kicking her bikini toward me.
I did, snagging it with one hand and dropping it absently back into the water without tearing my gaze away from Jessie. She looked almost magical as she stepped underneath the waterfall with a laugh and let it spill down over her totally bare skin. She closed her eyes and raked her fingers lightly through her long, dripping wet hair, smiling contentedly and leaning back a little to show off her figure as she stood profiled by the pale moonlight shining softly overhead.
"Damn, Jessie..." I murmured in spite of myself.
She smiled, her cheeks turning pink, and beckoned to me with her finger. "Your turn, SOLDIER boy. Care to join me?"
I walked over. "You gotta ask?"
After taking off my own swimsuit, I tossed it over my shoulder and took Jessie in my arms under the waterfall. We shared passionate kisses for a while, our lips locking and unlocking again as our hands explored each other and the water cascaded around us. I let my mouth drift over her neck as she nibbled on my ear, sending sparks of warmth down my spine. Then, grasping her thighs, I swept Jessie up off her feet and held her in my arms. As she wrapped her legs securely around my waist and settled herself into place, she let out a soft moan.
"Oh, jeez..." Jessie breathed, her hands clasped behind my neck. "I guess I really got ya going, didn't I?"
I kissed her. "You always do. Don't forget that."
She smiled. "I won't, Cloud."
Then, standing there in the water, I made love to her, holding onto her as she clung fervently to me and eagerly covered my lips with hers. Sweat mixed with water as we moved, our tongues weaving together in the midst of our kisses and the sounds we made. Our lips still fused to one another like magnets, I eventually carried Jessie to shore where I'd spread out my towel earlier and laid her onto it. Then, once I'd slid into her embrace, we picked up right where we'd left off, coming together in a tangle of intertwining arms and legs.
I explored every part of Jessie's body as we laid there by the lagoon, and as we both drew closer to the peak, I gently cupped her face in my hands and made sure my lips never left hers. A moment later, I felt her grip on me tighten as she finally hit her climax. She arched her back as she hung there for a moment, moaning ecstatically through the fervent kiss she gave me in the midst of her release. Then she pulled away and let loose with a long, loud gasp of pleasure, delight, and happiness that seemed to fill the entire wooded, moonlit bay.
I followed a moment later, murmuring Jessie's name as I unloaded. In the middle of my own release, I kissed her fiercely as I embraced her and the blazing fire filled my body and blood. When it was finally over, I found Jessie smiling up at me, and we laid together for a while on the towel in each other's arms, our lips touching each other more tenderly now. Then she laid her head on my shoulder.
"Cloud... thanks for being with me tonight," Jessie whispered after a few minutes. "Not just for... you know. But all of it. After everything we found out today, I wouldn't really have blamed ya if you'd wanted to hold off on this kinda thing for a while."
I nodded. "Why would I?"
She snuggled closer to me. "See, merc! That's what I love about ya! You're so sweet without even trying. Melts my heart."
"Sweet?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It'll be our secret," Jessie giggled, kissing me.
I smirked. "Better be."
"So romantic..." she sighed happily as we gazed up at the night sky together. "We could definitely use a vacation here."
That wasn't a bad idea. "Someday, Jessie. I promise."
"Me too, Cloud," she said. "Me too."
"Ready to go?" I asked.
Jessie touched her lips to my cheek. "In a bit. I wanna take another dip in the lagoon first before we leave."
I sat up with her still in my arms. "Sure. I'll join you."
"Told ya you didn't need a suit," she teased.
"I guess not," I smirked. "At least, not when it's just us."
Jessie pressed her lips to mine, still smiling. "Careful, merc. Keep it up and you're gonna make me all hot and bothered again. I might have to jump on ya when we get back to the inn."
"Fine by me," I replied.
"I really love you, Cloud," Jessie murmured, deepening the kiss for a moment. "No matter what happens."
I wanted to tell her the same thing, but I couldn't for some reason. Something held me back. Was I afraid of going that far? Maybe, but... I think I also wanted to be sure it was really me saying those words. On a deeper level, somewhere in my subconscious, I'd begun to realize the truth about myself—about the headaches, the gaps in my memory, and the rest—but consciously, I refused to see it. I didn't want to admit that everything I thought I knew about myself might not be what it seemed. So I just pushed it away and buried it.
Instead of telling Jessie what I knew she wanted so much to hear, I kissed her more deeply, wanting her to know that I did care for her but unable to give her what she longed for, at least right now. She returned it earnestly enough, but I could sense her disappointment even though she tried to hide it. Before I could say anything, she stood up and went quietly back down to the edge of the lagoon.
After going back into the water and swimming a little more, Jessie and I retrieved our bathing suits, got out again, and put them back on. Then we dried ourselves off and left the wooded bay hand in hand. We headed back to the inn, not talking as much as we walked up the beach back the way we had come. After we'd returned to our room, Jessie did exactly as she'd said she would and pulled me right into bed with her as we left our damp clothes scattered on the floor.
Jessie buried her pain in passion and fell asleep in my arms once it was over and we'd laid together for a while under the blankets with the sounds of the ocean waves coming in through the window. For a while, I stayed awake, thinking about everything we'd found out today while I gently slid my fingers through her hair. Then, lightly kissing the top of her head, I closed my eyes, silently promising her that I'd keep her safe and that someday, I would tell her I loved her.