Dane and Jessica fell in love many years ago, despite inherent complications that made their relationship impossible. After moving on in all ways, except for their lingering feelings, what will happen when circumstances change?

The moment that the news was announced at the dinner table, two pairs of eyes shot towards each other. One pair of eyes conveyed a deep-seated hope, the other conveyed sorrow.

"We've given it our best shot, and have enjoyed a number of happy years together. This is just something that happens sometimes! We thought in the beginning that this was it and now we both see that we were wrong."

Jessica's father looked over to her and continued where his soon-to-be-ex-wife left off, "Every love cannot last forever. It will all be okay, sweetie."

The look on Jessica's face must have been horribly barren because her father's hand shot across the table to rest upon hers and give it a pat, and her stepmother rose from her seat to come behind her and give her shoulders a rub. Jessica was in shock, yes, she'd never imagined a moment like this happening, but the bigger emotion was utter confusion. Irritation, anger, joy, sorrow, disbelief tangled around in her head and heart. She sat rigid in her chair afraid to move lest she act upon the two scenarios running around in her head. One reaction was to tear herself away from them and their touch, turn on heel and yell how fucking stupid she thought they were and screwed up they've made her life by never thinking anything through when it actually mattered. Her other reaction, her first instinct, was to get up calmly and walk over to Dane's chair pull him up out of it. Instead of angry words while she did those things she'd tell them that they were wrong. That some loves did last forever, and that unfortunately their very own children could very likely share that kind of love. Then she would give Dane a soul-shattering kiss that physically communicated everything that they felt and still feel for one another.

Jessica was afraid. Afraid that she lacked any control over herself. After years of repressing her actions, repressing her emotions, hiding behind a persona, she was afraid that now anything she did would have the explosive quality of a jack-in-the-box. No, she had to process. And she could not under any circumstances play out either of those fantastical scenarios. What she wanted most was still just as out of reach as ever. Unexpectedly a tear trickled down her face and lingered near her chin before falling down onto her dress. Jessica believed maybe the best thing to do is just let them believe she was upset at hearing of their divorce and then get the hell away from everyone present. With a resigned nod, Jessica looked at her father and then her stepmother, swallowed and said, "I am okay, I just am a bit shocked right now, just give me a minute."

Jessica then rose from the table, when she got into the kitchen she went directly for the cupboard that contained glasses. Filling it with cool water from the tap she took in a deep breath. When the glass touched her lips she thought only of how smooth and cold it felt. When she drank she thought only of how refreshing the water was as it made it's way down her throat. With another deep breath her mind wandered back to the current revelations, then abruptly her body tensed up in an all too familiar way. Turning around her eyes met the electrifying gaze of Dane, who looked at her with concern. The look altered to accommodate a slight bit of relief as he took a step towards her. She raised her palm towards him in the universal signal of 'back off' and softly said, "Not right now." Then she walked towards the door… but somehow without her consent her feet shifted direction just enough to bring her to stand in front of her sort-of-stepbrother. She raised herself up on her toes and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Apparently her brain was momentarily incapable of denying how irresistible she found the man who stood before her. She felt the familiar grip of self-control slowly slide back in place as she descended back to the floor. With one last look back at him she went into the dining room once more.

Giving each parent a hug she asked if they could maybe talk more in the morning, for she was feeling too exhausted to deal with it all tonight. They nodded their agreement and she took to the stairs and drifted into her room. Once inside, she just stood leaning up against the door for a good fifteen minutes, contemplating the possibilities and the happy what ifs. She wanted to ignore the other what ifs. Long ago Dane told her that she thought about the "other what ifs" too much- gave them way too much weight, and she wanted to allow herself a few moments of peace to try and believe him. They'd always been fighting an uphill battle diligently making slow progress towards the elusive peak, while simultaneously playing tug-of-war, and she speculated that maybe this could change the terrain. She felt the light knock on the door before her brain had registered hearing it. She turned slowly, debating if she should open the door a little or just let him step in. There was no doubt who it was.

Taking a steadying breath she opened the door and stepped back to indicate he may enter. He looked slightly bewildered as he hesitantly stepped through the doorway.

When the door was closed behind him he joked, "Is this a trap?" raising an eyebrow in question.
She was taken off guard by his joking manner and couldn't hold in the smile at the way her tension melted away in response.

"No, I promise. I have no ill intentions."

The look on his face transformed into an expression that Jessica always had the most difficulty dealing with. He stepped into her personal space and spoke in a low voice, "If you think being caught in your trap could ever be a negative experience, then you are dead wrong." She looked up at him in astonishment, and he returned a perplexed look to her. "Do my words surprise you?"

"Well, it's just…" she found herself at a complete loss. "How do you do that? How can you just fall into that old rhythm so effortlessly? How can you be so casual or unaffected when a bombshell just split everything to bits and pieces?"

"For one, it's just who I am." Dane took a short step towards Jessica. He paused and gave her a predatory look before stepping nearer, "For two, it's an old rhythm which makes it effortless by definition. It's also the most satisfying rhythm I've ever played or heard played. And. For three, I am affected. I just view it as the best thing that I've seen blown to bits in a long while."

With each slight step closer her heart sped up and her body vibrated. When her eyes met his she felt immobilized, unable to put up any defense to prevent him from touching her. Then it happened. His lips lightly traced a path down her neck, she shuddered when he applied just the right amount of pressure at the destination near her collarbone. He then grabbed her by the hips to pull her body flush to his and groaned after his small mission was accomplished. Then instead of his hands wandering or his mouth moistening her skin as it would typically progress he just held her in a tight embrace. She returned the hug and listened to his heartbeat until it slowed to indicate a calming effect.

"I've missed you so damn much. I feel so lost, you have no idea how lost…" he trailed off, his warm breath dancing on her neck. "I know that there's no way you'll easily arrive at the decision I want you to, but can we just pretend for tonight that you have?"

Her response was to brush her lips against his, while she sought out his eyes which were once again filled with surprise. She deepened the kiss as her hands rose up to crawl all over his shoulders, kneading the muscles. When his hands came back to rest on the small of her back she threaded her fingers through his hair, realizing she'd been missing the feel of it for far too long. She started gasping for air as she felt his strong hands move in opposite directions, one coming to rest with a forceful grip on her ass and the other spread wide between her shoulder blades, both pulling her impossibly closer to his tantalizing body. Jessica thought she was bordering on the edge of mania as she tried to contend with the all-consuming need breaking free from her and the massive stimulation she was feeling at even the slightest amount of what she was experiencing. This was distantly familiar. The first time they made the leap into bed had been with this same volatile energy. Back then they'd thought it was simply lust, and had decided for once and all to eradicate it from the path. Sometimes she wished it had worked, but at the current moment she wished only for this moment to last forever. As his desire became painfully obvious the teetering fall into madness seemed imminent, and neither of them were currently equipped with the motivation to pull back from that descent.

"Have they left?"

"No, Jess. They're just waiting until I go back down there to find out what kind of condition you're in."

Jessica gave Dane a questioning look, but based on his next statement she knew he was just messing around.

"But they'll have to wait until I've had my wicked way with you." Then he shot her the smirk that always made her thoughts turn naughty around him.

She grabbed a hold of his hard member and whispered in his ear, "Then how about you make me scream until there isn't any doubt that I am feeling better than ever?"

At this comment, Dane lifted Jessica up and she immediately wrapped her legs around his hips. "Well first we must see exactly how you feel." He pressed her back against the wall and rotated his hips up towards where they both wanted to be connected. "So far so good…" Then he swiped her panties aside and rubbed his finger all the way along her slit. "Mmhmm, also a good sign." Her body jerked at the touch, and her mind shut off again, as she pressed her chest into his and his finger started making teasing circles around her clit. She whimpered in response and the next thing she knew he tossed her onto her old bed. He towered over her as he undid his belt and pants, followed by removing his underwear. Then he pulled her back up to sitting position and leaned over to give her a lovely slow yet consuming kiss as he had so many times in their past. "As badly as I want to do all sorts of things to you, I don't think I can wait much longer to feel you wrapped around me. Any objections?"

Jessica shook her head 'no' and said, "I cannot wait at all." and tried to pull him down over her. She opened her legs to allow him to sink down between them, and they stared at one another as he slowly entered her. The time between the moment of actual contact of their sensitive flesh and the moment their bodies were joined as deeply as possible seemed to stretch out much as how he stretched her out. The urgency returned at the next moment, and he thrust into her relentlessly while they both moaned as though they may never have this chance again.

When they both lay sweating and panting afterwards, it crossed both of their minds that they may never have this chance again, and they reached for each other and made love at a much more leisurely pace. He paid special attention to all the sounds she made when he caressed her here or grabbed her there, and it amazed him that very little had changed since the last time he'd had the opportunity. Jessica tried to convey the depth of her love through each kiss and caress and tried especially to stay in the moment, but Dane noticed she had started to get lost. He swiveled his hips and then rolled them over so she was on top. Then he grabbed hold of her and thrust up forcefully into her, bringing her back into the present. He sat up, all the while keeping a slow steady motion going and kissed her cheek where he'd seen a little bit of moisture collect. He then kissed her softly and continued doing so until he could feel the tell-tale signs that she was about to surrender to orgasm, he picked up the pace just a little bit more and the two of them screamed in ecstasy when their shared moment hit.

After a few more hours just chatting and joking around just like old times they had one more explosive session in the shower, with his body pressing hers into the shower tile and reminding her of the pleasure only he could give her. He marveling at the way only she felt right in his arms and at the end of his dick. They both knew that they would have to talk the next day, that this need for each other would have to be addressed and either given the green light or the red. If only it were as simple as what they both wanted and needed. They both worried about a future that would continue in the same manner as the past, but both were unable to face that possibility at the moment. So they said everything they could without words, for now.

A/N: This was originally going to be a one-shot. I had a moment of inspiration just grab ahold of me and not let go! Well, I think this will be two parts, maybe three now. It could be a longer story, since it's essentially a snippet from a larger story I've conjured up. Please let me know what you think, good or bad. Is anyone out there going to care whether or not I continue this story? I will continue this one, but it's nice to know if anyone likes it or not.