Fin was acting skittish. Cody wondered what was going on with her. He hadn't caressed her since they'd talked about babies. She still cuddled close at night and he gave her the occasional light kiss on the lips. He knew she wasn't ready for more.

He studied her flustered movements as she made some sandwiches and noted that she wore the ugly baggy pants again. "What's the matter, Fin?"

She looked at him with anxious eyes.

Cody pushed himself off the door jamb and stepped closer. "What's the matter? You're acting a bit weird and why are you wearing those pants again? You haven't worn them since you came here."

"I..." Fin looked away and then back at him in indecision. He'd have to know because she needed to ask him if she could cut one of the sheets. "I... I have my period." She fiddled with her fingers and added, "When I have money, I buy Libra because they're better for absorption."

"Oh." Understanding hit him. He bit down a grin. She was quoting some ad she'd seen on the TV. He said, "So, you'll need something else then because I don't have any Libra?"

She nodded and dropped her head.

"It's okay, Fin. It's normal," Cody said. "There'd be something wrong with you if it didn't happen. I'm sorry that I don't have anything for you." He wrapped his arm around her and buried her face in his shirt. "What is it you'll need? How about a towel?"

"I tie strips of rag around me when I don't have Libra." She peered at him. "Can I cut one of the older sheets?"

"What you... you don't use Tampons or something else like that?"

"No, I just use the Pads and stick them on my rags or trousers."

Cody looked at her dumbfounded. "You stick them to the rags. What about in your underpants?" He gasped as the memory came to him. "Why don't you have underwear, Fin? I couldn't find any when I grabbed the dresses."

"I grew out of them."

He looked at her in disbelief. "You never bought new ones?"

She shook her head and frowned. "Is it bad to not have underwear? It costs too much new and they don't sell it second hand. That's why I wear pants. You don't need it if you have pants."

There it was again, the innocence that he loved. The way she looked at him asking if it was bad not to own underwear and how she informed him Libra was best for absorption. She had done that before; told him one thing was better than another with the conviction of someone knowing it was the truth.

Cody had to hide his amusement when she did this, aware that she mimicked an ad she'd seen on the television. He wondered how he could keep her like this forever.

The truth of the real world would come crashing in on her one day and he wanted to be the one to open that door because he knew he would take her to meet his family and on into the big wide scary world.

"It's okay if you don't wear underpants. Most of the time I don't either but when we can get into town again, I'll buy you some." He sat on one of the kitchen chairs, pulled her onto his lap and touched her face with his fingers. "They'll be pretty with lace and ribbons. What colour do you think? Pink, blue?"

"Will you do that, Cody?" She beamed. "I like the pretty lacy ones. There's a whole bay at the supermarket. What colour do you like?"

"Blue. Beautiful blue for my beautiful blue-eyed Fin." Cody put his lips on hers and kissed her. He pulled away, drawing her bottom lip with him and then kissed her again with more pressure.

She followed his movement, responding just the way he wanted her to. Cody put her arms around his neck. She held on to him and pushed her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. He sucked in a deep breath of air to control the sensations running through his body. Cody ran his hand under her shirt to touch her breast and sighed against her mouth. "You're so beautiful Fin."

Once again, he kissed her and then carried her to the bed. He wanted her so much. It was all he thought about. Cody continued to kiss her as he laid her on the covers, her arms still around his neck. He rested his weight on his side, undid her belt and pushed her trousers down, bad move.

"No, Cody!" She jerked away from him and sat up. "You don't do that." Fin climbed off the bed and stormed into the kitchen.

Cody followed her so she moved to the other side of the table. "Fin I'm s..."

"You don't do it!" she yelled and paced as she ran her hand through her hair. "You said you wouldn't do it to me!"

"I wasn't going to do it to you." Cody kept his voice quiet and steady. "I'm sorry. I thought you might like me to make you feel nice. I shouldn't have done that."

"Why did you? I have my period." She struggled to breathe because panic ate at her stomach.

"I don't know but I wasn't going to do it to you."

"You were! You want to!"

"No, no I don't."

"Yes! Yes, you do. I'm not stupid. You think I'm stupid but I can tell!" Her eyes dropped from his face to his crotch. "Why do you want to? Why do boys want to do that all the time to girls? Why can't you just kiss me and cuddle me? What do I do that makes you want to do it? What did I do to the Gallos to make them want to do it to me? I didn't do anything!"

Cody put his hands behind his head. He blew out a breath and looked across at her. She had no understanding of the sexual act or the interaction of men and women.

He tilted his head, stared at the ceiling and looked back at her. She was crying. "It's because you're beautiful. It makes me... it's because I'm a man and want to touch you because you feel nice and it feels so good to do it." He shrugged and gave her a grin. "It's what happens to a man when he likes a girl. If she likes him in the same way she lets him touch her and she'll like to be touched. I'm not going to force you. I can control it until you're ready. I'm not like the Gallos. I won't hurt you, Fin. You have to trust me."

She wiped her hands down her face and gulped back more tears. "You spoilt it! We were having a nice time and you spoilt it! You know I said no! You know it'll make a baby!"

Frustration bubbled within him like a kettle just before boiling point. "We talked about this, Fin! I said it didn't matter if we had a baby! I said I'd like to have a baby with you! I told you I loved you and wouldn't hurt you but you keep pushing me away!"

"Because I said no! I told you I was scared and you said you wouldn't get angry if I said no and now you are! You're yelling at me!"

"And you're yelling at me! Fuck, Fin! Fuck!" He slammed his hand on the wall and stormed out of the kitchen. Cody banged the door of the hall and then the back door too. What the hell was he going to do? He headed to the shed, picked up the axe and slammed it into a lump of wood.

Poor Cody has some work ahead of him I think. :(

I hope he continues to be understanding of Fin. I can't blame her for feeling the way she does after what she's been through. ♥