"Hey guys... What's taking so long?" Jane asked, poking her head in Nephi's room. "Neph, we are about done cleaning up in the bathroom, if you want to take a shower before we leave. And I have something to ask Karen... Girl stuff." She winked at him.

Nephi just said "Yeah, I do." as he left the two girls to chat.  Reaching the sitting room quickly, he quickly figured out that the only one missing was Allan, who must be the one in the shower.  "Hey.  Have you guys figured out our next stop?"

The sound of running water stopped and Allan emerged a moment later. He had changed into a dark-blue pullover shirt and khaki pants. He discarded his clergy clothing in the trash before he sat down in the living room. He was damp and clean, but the quick shower had not left him feeling refreshed or relaxed. He looked like he had aged years in just the past few hours. He slipped on a fresh pair of socks and then started lacing up a pair of hiking boots.

Nephi said "Good, shower's free." as he took the one change of clothes he didn't pack and went into the bathroom.  Locking the door behind him, he quickly undressed and got into the shower, hoping that the others hadn't used all the hot water.

"Oh? What stuff?" Karen asked Jane after listening to her speak to Nephi. She didn't like the fact that she winked at Nephi, not because she was afraid of Jane, but rather because the wink could mean something embarrassing was going to happen soon, or perhaps something less desirable. "So what is it Jane?" Karen asked once they were alone.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:51, Mon 25 Oct 2010.

Jane smiled at Karen and sat on the bed: "He's a nice guy, isn't he? A bona fide hero, too. You should listen to Monica tell the tale sometimes. Last I heard, he saved her from from being raped and killed by no less than fifteen armed guys - and the story gets better with each retelling. Except when Nephi tells it, of course. When Nephi tells the story, there was exactly one guy, unarmed, he was about half as drunk as Monica was, which is to say only half unconscious, and he fled when Nephi confronted him. The story doesn't get any better when Nephi retells it, of course, because, you know... That would be lying."

It was a strange mix of emotions that Karen could hear in Jane's tone: affection, sadness, perhaps pride.

"He is isn't he?" Karen replied remembering vaguely through the pain and blood that Nephi had been the one that saved her as he had done for a number of the group already. "All that you say and more I'm certain. But, why exactly are you telling me all this?" Karen asked, wanting to know why Jane would up and talk to her like this about Nephi none the less. There had to be a reason, there just had to be. "You... don't have feelings for Nephi either do you?" She asked, recalling that Jane had shown an interest in Geoff, or at least started to recently.

Jane blinked, then burst into laughter: "Oh boy... Listen, Karen, you don't know me, so I'll save you some time and tell you what the word about me is: never says no, 'easy' with a capital 'slut', will fuck anything that moves. I kinda live up to my fame: anyone puts the moves on me, I'll do him - or her... Or them, really, I'm not picky, and I'll try anything once. I won't go out of my way to seduce anyone, though: if I am really interested in someone, I'll drop the hint that I am available, and then wait."

She sighed and smiled: "I tried that a few times with Nephi: went completely over his head, like I was his sister or something. Even thought he didn't like girls, for a while, until I figured out he's just that much of a nice guy... He can't even imagine treating a girl with anything less than perfect respect. So now I am kinda like a big sister, you know? Guarding over my guardian angel."

Her smiled cooled down significantly: "Which brings us to the matter at hand. Man, I love that expression... Learned it from my uncle, a really cool guy. Then he crossed the wrong boss and got cooled down for good, but that's occupational hazards for you. Sorry, I went off track for a moment... My point is: I like Nephi. He's a good guy, and I don't want to see him hurt. I don't know if I am making myself clear...."

Having blushed Karen nods and replies, "I understood when you said big sister. So... you think I'm a bad influence to Nephi?" Karen asked, wondering what the more experienced woman thought of her. "Or is this typical of big sisters? I ask not knowing as I've never had to deal with them before." Karen admited as she stared at Jane wondering what she would say.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:50, Mon 08 Nov 2010.

Jane pondered on Karen's question for a moment, regarding the girl carefully, then sighed. "I don't know. I don't have that much experience as a big sister, and I don't know you well enough to say what kind of influence you will have on Nephi. I just wanted you to know that, if you are looking for a serious relationship, then you found the right guy, and he comes packaged with caring friends who will do everything they can to help you. If you are looking for something else, however... Those caring friends are handy with a baseball bat."

Smiling nervously Karen nodded in understanding. "Thank you, to be honest I was kind of afraid to admit it to Nephi, that I liked him. Not only because he saved my life but because he is as nice and caring a guy as you have described. Far more different than any of the other men who have been in my life." Looking down and to the right, away from Jane, Karen sighed. "Your forthcoming attitude is infectious I'm afraid. If I may... I have a secret to divulge." Karen stated, battling through a blush all the way. "You do not know me, and when I first met you all, I was grateful for that. It meant I had finally escaped my past. You see, I may not look it, or even sound it, but I'm from Brazil. I was born there and grew up there and even did a little modeling there. Some of it good and honest... some of it not so much. But, if I want to have an honest relationship with Nephi, I'll have to tell him eventually. Do-do you think Nephi would hate me if I told him I was... a porn star?" The final words almost choked her, her face beat red with embarrassment and her lips pulled tight across her face in a look that spoke of barely restrained tears.

Jane thought for a second: "Hate you? Nephi? What, are you secretly a mass-murdered/serial rapist who eats babies alive? 'Cause that's about what it takes for Nephi to actually hate someone. Now, righteous indignation, that's different. I don't think you have to worry about that, though: he's really more into the good stuff, like helping, forgiving, understanding..."

She stopped and reconsidered: "And by understanding, I mean showing empathy and kindness. Figuring out subtext, on the other hand... If you give him a sentence with an innocent meaning and a lewd or offensive one, he'll go for innocent any day of the week. Just avoid euphemisms and you'll be fine."

She sized up Karen: "And when you tell him about your past, you should probably tell him that I hit on you."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:32, Tue 09 Nov 2010.

"Why is that?" Karen asked honestly perplexed by the other woman's statement, that should she tell Nephi about her past that she should mention that Jane had hit on her. Unable to say much more than that as the statement rattled around inside her head, Karen opened her mouth again a few more times trying to think of a better question to ask or some other way to turn the conversation, but her curiousity got the best of her each and every time. Silently Karen Baker waited for Jane's answer.

Jane seemed just as perplexed: "Well, you know, full disclosure and stuff? I mean, better tell him everything at the same time. I can't tell him why I hit on you before you do, right?"

"I'm sorry Jane, but I don't think you ever did hit on me." Karen replied after thinking a little longer and a little harder. It wasn't like Karen to forget, so in all likelihood Jane had never approached her like that before, which may have been a good thing.

Jane looked just as perplexed: "What? Wait, of course I... Um.. Wait, I'm pretty sure I... OK, not immediately, what with the zombies, and the explosions, and you having just been resurrected. But then... Huh. I really didn't, did I? That's kinda new for me."

She chuckled. "Should I apologize? It's not that I didn't want to, you know, it was just... Kind of a busy day." She winked at Karen. "Ah well, probably better this way. The details become kinda fuzzy if you cheat on my best friend with me. I mean, am I supposed to kneecap myself?"

Chuckling to herself Karen smiled and shook her head, "No, I don't think that would be the best recourse. After all, Nephi would not only have to heal your knees, but then I'm certain he'd feel responsible for your self inflicted injury as well. At least I think he would anyways." Karen said with a soft blush before admitting what came next. "There is no need to apologize, and while I am flattered, I'm also releived that you didn't come onto me before now. To be honest, I just don't know what I would have done before I confessed to Nephi just now... I might have even taken you up on your offer." Karen claims, blushing greatly after revealing so much. "It's not that I'm new to that sort of thing, it's just well... I've been keeping my previous career secret for so long, as well as anything else connected to it." Karen added before breathing a very shallow sigh of releif.

"Thank you Jane, for... well, for listening and for confronting me this night. It helped to get that off my chest, but I don't know... should I tell Nephi everything tonight? Or should I wait for a better time and place? Is there such a thing?" She asked out loud, mostly to herself but to Jane as well as Karen starred off into the direction of the shower where Nephi was right now.

Nephi got out of the shower, much refreshed.  Quickly getting dressed, he opened the bathroom door to see Jane and Karen talking rather seriously.  "So Jane, have you been giving Karen the 'Shovel speech'?" he said with a smile.

Jane beamed at Nephi: "Baseball bat, actually... But I don't think it'll come to that. I like your girlfriend Nephi. Be good to her, or I'll steal her from you." She winked at him.

Nephi laughed a little and lightly blushed.  "I don't think Karen has anything to worry about.  You know what I'm like, and the rolemodels I follow.  Hurting her would probably hurt me just as much."

Karen blushed as she listened to Jane call her Nephi's girlfriend. It had only been a day ago, or perhaps two, that she had been rescued by this kind sweet soul in the midst of a living hell. That day Nephi had become the center of her world, and now in some way she hoped that she had become the center of his, or at least a good part of it. Clearing her throat Karen looks at Jane then back at Nephi. "Nephi dear, ummm, there are some things I need to tell you about myself. I've already discussed it with Jane here, which helped immensely, but you still have a right to know about my not so wonderful past." Karen begins trying to pass it off as nothing, which it wasnt especially to her.

"You see hun, I used to model for a living back in Brazil, which is where I grew up ofcourse. And well after a very short legitimate career failed to launch, I was forced to find employment elsewhere. I didn't have any other skills at the time other than modeling so well..." She pauses blushing deeply as she does. "I... did what I had to do, I entered into the pornography industry." Looking up at Nephi then down at his shoes she waits for his response, to afraid to continue until she heard his voice again.

Nephi took a deep breath at exactly the wrong moment, as the rather shocking revelation sent him into a coughing fit.  When he recovered enough to talk, he took a moment to make sure the others weren't going to investigate before he spoke.  "Okay.  You used to be a porn star.  And this is supposed to bother me...why?"

"Because not all of my work then in the industry was simply posing nude. There was the odd video here and there, some involving other women, some involving men, some involving both, quite a few in fact." She blushes again, not certain why she was being so forth coming with details, but glad Nephi hadn't reacted more than what he did. "I don't know if it's supposed to bother you, I like you Nephi, I want to get to know you better, and I want you to get to know me better. So I'm telling you this because no relationship can survive secrets like that. It may not be much to you or Jane, but to me it was a big thing, the biggest mistake I made back then." Karen replied while fighting off tears, not because she feared Nephi would judge her but because she was happy that he hadn't so far. "So it doesn't bother you? Really?"

Nephi smiled gently at Karen, and gave her a comforting hug.  "Hey, you know the sort of life Jane leads.  And you would not believe the amount of times I popped over for a visit, only to see at least two people walking around wearing no more then lingerie.  Even after I started calling ahead an hour and asking her to get everyone dressed.  If I can still be friends with Jane, knowing what she does for fun, how could I be upset when you've done it as a job?"

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Just, do me two favors, all right?  First, for as long as we're together, we're together.  No worrying about the past, no dating anyone else, okay?  And second, never, under any circumstances, show me any movie where you have sex."

Smiling while she was near tears Karen wiped her eyes and nodded as she hugged Nephi in return before answering. "Ok Nephi I won't worry about the past when I'm with you, but you shouldn't worry, now that I have you there's no one else I could ever want more. As for the videos, I destroyed most of the copies the studio gave me from when I worked for them, the rest are hidden away in my appartment which I honestly doubt I'll ever return to given how things are now." Karen said before kissing Nephi on the cheek then the lips as she continued to hold onto him.

"Merci Néphi, mon amour." She said in french as she burried her face in his shoulder for a second more before she withdrew and took a deep breath. "Well I suppose we should be getting onto the road now? I hope the others don't mind that we delayed them a little."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:40, Fri 26 Nov 2010.