Ju-Long could hear Penny and Jack talking. He smiled. Penny was done learning for the day, so he silently began to make his exit, misting away from the Van Diemen house.

To ??????????????

"Yeah, seems like a lot of work though. Kinda glad its not something I'll have to deal with at least for a while." He was a little surprised that she'd thought of getting married at all though that was a common fantasy for most girls.

  Penny asked softly "Would you, if you found the right girl?  One who made your heart melt and your pulse race?  Or do you want a girl who you can share all your secrets with?"  She still held onto his hand, but her expression had turned . . . wistful?

Jack looked at Penny a little curious as to where this conversation was headed. He stayed quiet a moment thinking it over before saying. "I wouldn't be opposed to marriage maybe a couple kids in the future.As for which one I preffered, can't it be both?" Inwardly he knew this would probably never happen. He couldn't find another girl no one would compare to Penny. And he doubted any girl would be okay with him acting as protector to another girl. But as long as he could be around her, he was content.

  She knew where he was, and since she was sitting on a bench, she just leaned over, eys closed, and cuddled her cheek into his shoulder.  She asked in a whisper "Will you tell me if you find her?  No matter what, no matter who she is?"

Jack stopped uncertain of what to say after a few moments of silence he said quietly. " Why do you want to know? Are you worried about me running off? I'm not going anywhere Penny"

  She cuddled closer, still with her cheek pressed into his chest, and asked "Do you think she'll like me, when you find her?  Will she understand?  Do you think . . . do you think she will be able to know how much I need you?"  She was cuddled tightly against him now, which told him this was something that worried her immensely.

"Penny, if she doesn't understand you then she's not someone I want to be with. I made you a promise, and I intend to keep that promise. Keeping you safe is whats important to me everything else comes second." Leaning in close he whispered in her ear. "I'm not going anywhere."

  She hugged him tightly, and nodded her assent.  Hugging him hard enough to make it impossible to move much.

  Diantha, who had figured out how to roll onto her belly from her back, and was regarding them with those intense eyes, chipped in her two cents.  {{Uncle Jack, do me a huge favor?  KISS HER!!!}}

At Diantha's 'suggestion' Jack immediately went beet red. "I don't uhh, think thats approriate Diantha." THough truth be told he wanted to, badly but if he did....would she just start screaming reminded of all the men from the builders facility? Or would she think he was just like them? He shakes his head a bit trying to clear his thoughts.

  Diantha blew him a raspberry, and said almost crossly {{Uncle Jack, I'm an empath.  If you're going to shove your emotions up my nose, then I'll give you advice.  Like it or not.  She's terrified of you loving someone else you know.}}

Jack stayed quiet as he mulled over Diantha's advice. Terrified of him loving someone else? But if she was so scared, then did that mean? No it couldn't, could it? Looking down he asked quietly. "Penny, can I ask you something?"

  Penny, still cuddled tightly against his chest, nodded.  She said "You can always ask me anything."

"Do you ever see yourself, finding someone like that?" He spoke softly the words threatening to get stuck in his throat. He held his breath as he waited for her to respond.

  She hugged him, and said softly "I already know who my heart wants.  That much of the future, I know.  The question is will they want me?"  She cuddled all the harder against him, biting her lip hard enough, a little bead of blood welled.  All that long black hair falling forward enough to cover her face.

Jack remained quiet again. If she was terrified of him loving someone else, and she already knew who her heart belonged to. Could she mean? "Does he know how you feel?" Who could she be meaning? IT couldn't be him...could it?

  Her voice was very small, and soft.  "I haven't said anything.  Sometimes, you want something so bad, and you know if you reach too fast, if you don't let it come, or not, you crash and burn instead of flying."

Jack could feel his heart beating at a thousand miles per hour. What she said and what Diantha said they seemed to point to one conclusion. But what if he was wrong? But he couldn't stop himself from asking."Penny....Is it..." He stopped almost unable to finish the sentence due to sheer nervousness. "Me?"

  She sucked in a breath, and he felt her hug him tighter, her face still hidden by her hair, and she whispered, an answer so soft he almost couldn't catch it.  "Yes."  Could feel her tremble, afraid he might not take her answer well, but hoping.  Praying.  Loving.

"Oh Penny, I'm so sorry." Jack took her head in his hands so she was 'looking at him' Slowly gently, he leaned forward wrapping his arms around her as he leaned in for a quick gentle kiss. "I love you too, Penny I loved you since I carried you out of that facility. I- didn't think you did, didn't even think you could feel the same way. God I was so stupid. I'm sorry."

  When he kissed her, she slid her hand up, to hold him close, that hand sliding over his cheek and threading into his hair, and he heard her whisper in his mind.  She so rarely did it, but he knew she didn't want to break this kiss.  {{You know.  You know what happened, and you can still love me back.  Still hold me close, and know that I feel safe, and protected.  And know you would never hurt me, not that way.  I love you, Jack.  I love you so very much, and I was so scared you wouldn't want me.  Because I know I'm broken, in so many ways, but I can love.  And I do love you.}}  He could feel it too, as the image, faded with time, but still so very precious to her, came, the soft flutter of the ebony and sapphire, shimmering color as the wings of that butterfly moved, dancing in the golden sunshine.  The only real memories she could claim as her own, that she'd EVER held onto, for as long as he'd known her.  And that were from her own eyes.

Jack Just held her for a moment Understanding how significant this was for her. How precious this was to her and to be the one she shared it with. He was speechless. "I'm sorry Penny, I've been a damned fool, I was so scared of you getting hurt again, so scared of it being my fault."

  Still leaning her head against his own, she said softly "You're here, Jack.  With me.  And now we both know that fear is the only thing that's been standing between us.  May I . . . .forge a link?  So you're never not with me then?"  A mindlink, she meant.  A bond, one that nobody could prevent, except perhaps the Builder, who knew how to block her gifts, and would let him know if she needed him even faster.  And let her know where he was, so she would never be 'alone' again unless the Builder got hold of her again.

Jack smiled at her question a nigh unbreakable bond between them was actually appealing to him. "Go ahead Penny, I uh, don't have to do anything do I?"