Change of Pace

A Disney's Tarzan Fanfic

Waking up to a bath. Buttoning, tying and lacing on all the clothing needed to be "properly dressed" before sitting at the vanity to arrange her hair.

When she was finally able to escape the house (with maid and friend Sally trailing behind), she needed to be constantly alert, sidestepping strolling couples, errant children trying to outrun their nannies and the occasional older gentleman flourishing a walking cane.

Her first stop was always the small shop down the street and around the corner from home which carried sketch paper, charcoal, paint sets, and drawing pencils. As she was less than a block from all of her friends' homes, she stopped to pay each of them a visit. Greenly, Hazel and Eleanor were strict followers of the polite call as she was and so it was only after an hour's length speaking about the weather, upcoming dances/tea parties and dress fashions that she could politely take her leave to continue on.

Past the borrowing library to find new novels to break up the time between needlework, piano lessons, and dinner engagements...then onward to the city's large park to take tea with Daddy.

Evenings were usually spent entertaining members of the scientific community after dinner or planning the long dreamed of excursion to Africa.

It had been busy at times but there had also been periods where days seemed to move as if backward, dragging with a slowness that rivaled molasses.

The chaotic pace her body was now trying to adjust to was vastly different.

She bit back a groan as they finally reached the canopy, the muscles in her legs protesting the height she'd had to climb. They ached not only in pain but at the difference in exercise.

Her arms felt like porridge, limp and heavy. The beginnings of blisters had formed on her feet and her hair, despite having been brushed thoroughly at the start of her day, was tangled. It would take a great deal of patience to get it back in order.

Thankfully she wasn't easily winded but the startling encounter with a large snake on their picnic had left her gasping and shaking for quite a while.

She was completely drained, exhausted. She had reached the end of her rope energy wise and it was only mid afternoon!

The idea of sinking into the large bed at the treehouse was a very tempting one but she'd promised him she would visit the falls. So here she was.

Her husband grasped her palms and pulled her up the remainder of the way, setting her down with a grace she envied. Ever since she'd been little, she'd bumped, crashed, tripped and tumbled into more scrapes than most children. It was disappointing that even now, a fully grown woman, she still couldn't seem to coordinate her arms and legs. The man beside her had already seen how clumsy she could be.

Tarzan gently enfolded her hand in his and drew her further, closer to the falls but still within the shade of the large leaves. Instead of his usual position on his knuckles, he sat with his long legs stretched out in front and she all but flopped down next him.

She couldn't prevent the grateful sigh that came with finally relaxing. She wound her arms around her bent knees, closed her eyes and allowed herself another deep exhale. When she slowly blinked herself back to the present, she caught the sympathetic but questioning stare of her wild man.

Tarzan made no mention of her reddening cheeks. "Are you alright Jane?"

Embarrassed she simply nodded. Surely if he knew how exhausted and sore she was, he'd regret inviting her to stay. Someone as strong and capable as him might even start to view her as a burden.

He didn't seem convinced with her answer, his eyes darting to her arms and legs before returning to her face. His gaze was intense and she almost gave into the impulse to blurt out all her sore spots. Biting her tongue helped. Finally, after a few moments, he reluctantly accepted she wasn't going to admit anything. He leaned further back, balancing on his elbows.

She cringed slightly as a branch below aggravated the scratched bottoms of her feet. Gingerly shifting position only put weight on a new bruise, caused by tripping over an upturned root earlier. Apparently, it was also possible for one's hair to hurt as the slight breeze made the sensitive strands prickle unpleasantly.

Gracious she was a walking medical case. And to top it off, even blinking seemed an effort.

"You don't need to pretend with me you know."

The sudden statement of her husband made her jump. She felt somewhat guilty continuing the charade. "I beg your pardon?"

"I know you are sore Jane." He moved on his haunches to a new spot by her legs. Mindful of her ticklish feet, he captured one in his palm. She watched with eyes wide as his thumb tenderly stroked the space at her toes. "You winced with every step to come here." Both his hands were then moving up and down her arms, from her shoulders downward to her wrists and back. "You were shaking when climbing up."

Suddenly, he was in front of her, a knuckle rubbing underneath both her eyes. She blinked slowly. "You're tired too."

It was if that was the cue her body was waiting for to drop the pretense. All the fight left her and an unexpected yawn made it impossible to deny the truth.

"Jaaaaaane," he murmured, pulling her closer. It was his turn to sigh.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled, eyes filling with tears of exhaustion. "I so wanted to prove I fit in here. That I can do what you do."

"You will..but there's no need to do it all right away." Tarzan swiped the moisture from her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. "Your body has to have time to adjust. You'll soon be used to the pace here...I promise."

She nodded and he kissed her forehead. "We'll stay here as long as you need. When you feel ready, I'll take you back to the treehouse and you can have a bath. How does that sound?"

She hiccuped on a laugh. "That sounds heavenly."