A/N: This is a sequel to "Before the Storm" but all you really need to know from that story is that Stone and Cassandra have been casually dating since a few weeks after Peru (though they did work separately so they often went weeks without seeing each other) and that they have yet to be intimate.

Cassandra walked away from Jenkins, her mind heavy. She'd realized that Jenkins wasn't so much scolding her as worried about her. Very worried. And that worried her. Perhaps Jenkins was worrying needlessly, it was so hard to tell. But the caretaker had much more experience that she did at these things. So she would be on guard. On guard against what, she wasn't entirely sure. And that scared her.

She stopped in the hallway taking a deep breath. No, she was done being afraid. Timid little Cassandra always doing what she was told. As a child she chased after not her dreams, but her parents'. And when she was older, she let her tumor control her life. But now she was taking control of her life and her choices. The biggest one was, of course, embracing her role as Librarian.

But there were little choices too and one of them was leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway, waiting for her. She smiled softly down at him and Stone returned the smile, pushing off the wall to join her in her walk. He matched her steps as they walked, not speaking until they'd reached the hallway that lead to the street door.

"Are you okay?"

"Well . . ."Cassandra chuckled just a little. "I willingly walked through a rift in time and space and was nearly eaten by a monster. Oh and I got a job offer . . . under water. But you know, I'm fine."

"Okay," Stone said. Then gently added, "if you do want to talk about it. . . ."

"I promise, you'll be the first person I talk to. I just . . .Jacob, can you hold me? I know we were keeping this private and . . . ."

Before she could even finish her sentence, he'd pulled her tightly into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. They stood there for several minutes just gathering strength from each other. He'd been the first to support her today, but she could only imagine how scared he'd been underneath. She knew how she'd feel if he'd been the one to go into the rift. As casual and low key as this relationship was, she and Stone had a strong bond and losing the other was simply not an option right now. Not until that day when she was ready to let him and everything else go. And that day was not any time soon.

He finally loosened his embrace, probably figuring they'd taken all the chances they could with the Library. Jones had left soon after the others returned, talking about giving Stumpy a proper burial. But Baird and Jenkins were still somewhere in the Library.

He tilted her head up to look in her eyes. "I was so proud of you today. So very proud. Scared to death but proud."

"I was terrified. That thing was horrifying. I just . . wow, gonna have nightmares."

"Gonna have nightmares myself and I only saw one tentacle. And that was the smaller one?"

"Yeah, Lucy said it was the smaller one, bringing tribute."

Jacob shuddered and kept one arm over her shoulder as he steered her to the street door. "Do you want . . ." He cleared his throat. "Not that I don't think you're gonna be fine, because I know you are. But do you want . . . ."

"I'd love your company tonight, Jacob." She said gently, letting him off the hook. Their relationship was so undefined that they both sometimes were uncertain about the boundaries. It lead to awkward discussions like this one. And tonight was certainly not the night for them to even try defining their relationship. Not when all she really wanted was a distraction. She had one or two thoughts about that, but again it wasn't the right night for that. But she wouldn't mind losing herself in his kisses for a little while at least.

"We going to your place?" He asked when they finally stepped out the front door and headed for the spot where they kept their cars.

She nodded. "Unless you wanted to get dinner first?"

"How about I pick something up and meet you at your place? What would you like?"

"Oooh, grilled cheese from that food truck!"

He grinned. "That sounds perfect. Your usual?"

"Yes, please." And she kissed him on the cheek before turning and heading to her car.

She knew he'd probably shower and change before grabbing their dinner, so she took the opportunity to do the same. She dressed for comfort, a pair of knee socks, her cat shorts, a plain blue tee shirt and a really big fuzzy gray cardigan.

A little while later, he was ringing her doorbell, a bag in his hands. He'd changed like she figured into jeans and a gray henley. He divided up their sandwiches and chips at the table while she went to the fridge to grab them a couple of beers. Her usual was two kinds of cheese on wheat with avocado and tomato. Oddly enough his usual was almost the same, though with bacon.

To avoid talking about the case, Jacob told Cassandra about the cast of characters that were down by the food truck that evening. She laughed over the story of a couple that were pushing a stroller, that he assumed had a baby in it. Until he realized it was a cat.

"Wearing a bib and a hat, Cassandra!"

"I bet that was adorable though, I do like cats."

Stone chuckled and cast a glance at her shorts before looking back up at her. "I wouldn't have guessed."

When they were finished eating, they took their beers and headed into the living room. Cassandra snuggled into Jacob's side as soon as they were seated on the couch and he smiled and put his arm around her.

"So, how was teaching? I know meeting your idol didn't go so well but did you like teaching the class?"

Stone beamed. "Oh wow, that was . . . .I've had a lot of great moments since I took this job but that was up there. All those kids eager to learn and lookin' at me like I had something to offer them? That was amazing, Cassie."

She smiled back at him. "I'm proud of you."

He shook his head. "C'mon darlin', you're the one who risked your life today."

"You faced your fears too. Big or small, we all have fears. And today both of us faced ours head on. And I think we came out okay, don't you?"

The arm that was around her squeezed her tight then released. "Yeah, we did. I kinda liked guest lecturin'. Maybe I will follow in Flynn's footsteps and do that again sometime. Might take me while to build my reputation . . . ."

"Well I suppose you could use one of your other ids . . . .But you know magic, the Library has its own way of helping us all out."

"Or at least it will when it starts feelin' better. But let's not talk about that right now. I have a feelin' you didn't ask me here to talk about work."

Cassandra bit her lip. "No, I didn't . . . ." Then she turned, scooting in even closer to him.

"Cassie, I don't think this is the best night for us to um . . . ."

Cassandra gave a slightly frustrated huff. "I know! I just . . . ."

"Want a distraction?"

She nodded, searching his face. "I don't want to think, I just want to feel. And we don't have to make love for that to happen if you don't think we're ready for that."

"Do you think we are?"

She shook her head. "No, probably not."

"Cassandra . . .it's not like I don't want you."

She nodded, she could tell from the way he was around her. "You're right. . .I don't wanna mess this up."

"What we have can be really good, honey, but we just . . . ."

"No, I know. And trying to forget a tentacle monster probably isn't the best reason."

He nodded and drew closer to her, cupping her chin in his hand. "But hey, there are plenty of other things we can do. C'mere."

He kissed her deep and sweet and she responded, one hand diving into his hair as she kissed him. But before they'd even broke for a breath, she was tugging his hair, trying to get him closer and he pulled away from the kiss.

He looked down at her, "you want to lay down? Is that what that was?"

"Yeah, the angle, it was bothering my neck."

He grinned and released her, scooting over enough so that she could lay down flat on the couch. As soon as she indicated she was comfortable, he slowly crawled over her, being careful how to settle his weight on her. She wasn't having that and curled a leg over him pressing him against her.

"Cassie . . . ."though the warning came out more like a whimpered moan.

"I just want to be close. That's all."

He sighed softly but went back to kissing her. Soon Cassandra got what she wanted, the rest of the world fell away as she lost herself in the feel of his lips and tongue and the warm weight of him keeping her close and safe. After several deep nearly drugging kisses, Jacob started to slow them down, bringing them back to the sweeter kisses they were used to.

She didn't even have the heart to protest, appreciating what he was trying to do. It wasn't as if she couldn't feel his growing arousal, but she knew that she was safe with him. He wouldn't do anything they weren't ready for. And slowing things down was his way of keeping himself under control.

"You okay?" he murmured, moving from her lips to her neck.

"Yeah, you okay?"

He chuckled against her skin and then looked up into her eyes. "Yeah, I'm great but I'm startin' to think I should go soon. I don't really want to, but I'm tired."

"You could stay here, it's a very comfortable couch."

He hesitated for a moment, she knew he was going to protest, but the fact that she offered the couch and not the bed seemed to help him decide.

"Alright."

"Do you want to go to bed right now? I actually was going to watch this documentary tonight. It's on a medieval English castle. The math that they had to use is astonishing and . . . ."

Jacob cut off her words with a kiss. "You had me at medieval."

Cassandra chuckled. She did love how every once in a while the two of them found a shared interest. Something like the building of a castle where she could appreciate the science and he the art.

A few minutes later they were laying snuggled on the couch, a throw over them, and eyes glued to the television.

Much later, when Stone had fallen asleep behind her, Cassandra slipped out of his arms to go to her bed. She tucked a pillow under his head and he sleepily murmured good night as she kissed his forehead.

And Cassandra went to bed thinking that of all the choices she made today, spending this evening with him was the sweetest.

The End