Outside, the wind whipped at River's hair and goosebumps raised on her legs and arms. She walked across the deck and down the steps, opening the side door to the garage. Jackson stood across the way at a tall toolbox, rummaging in a drawer. She closed the door behind her and it let out a woody squeak. He turned and a shiver ran up her back. His expression, the way he held his shoulders in that moment was different. It was like the old Jackson. Confusion and a little disappointment swept over her.

"Brought you some dinner," she said carefully, lifting the plate and crossing to him.

"Thanks," he mumbled and motioned to the workbench, turning back to his toolbox.

She set it down, slightly discouraged at his reaction, but remembered what Amanda had told her about Anita and schooled herself to be patient. She leaned against the workbench and looked around the garage. There wasn't anything too remarkable about it, aside from the collection of tools and toolboxes. Useful man toys that she wouldn't be able to identify to save her life. An antique looking beer sign hung on the wall above the door, and a big clock and some old license plates decorated the wall above the tool bench. It was shockingly clean for a garage.

Something clattered inside the drawer he was rummaging through and she looked. He was leaning forward against the toolbox now, hand placed high on the upper drawers above his head, which was bowed.

A sudden need to soothe him came over her and she nervously walked up beside him and leaned against the side of the toolbox. He straightened and started running his hand through the contents again.

"Sorry, I'm just not in the mood to talk right now," he said, eyes trained on the drawer.

"That's okay," she said, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jean shorts. "Sometimes it's just nice to have somebody be there."

He stopped what he was doing and stood there, motionless. River watched his tanned face go from seething to sad. She leaned her head on the toolbox.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, reaching out and taking his hand, unsure if she should tell him what Amanda had told her.

He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, a muscle in his jaw ticking. "Just trying to shake some demons. I needed some time."

"Oh." Feeling in the way, she let go of his hand but he caught her wrist and their eyes locked together like magnets.

"Stay," he said simply. He closed the drawer of the toolbox and turned to face her.

She could feel the heat he radiated and her body ached to draw closer to it, not just because of the chill in the air. Nerves rattled their way into her head and she looked down. He stepped closer to her and stroked a hand across her hair. A calloused palm cupped the side of her face and she looked up at him. His eyes searched her face, as if he was trying to find an answer to a question. Something skittered to life inside her and he bowed his head, lips brushing against hers softly, then he pulled back, looking down at her with heavily lidded eyes.

Before she could say anything, he hooked his fingers through her belt loops and tugged her against him, mouth crashing into hers in a sweet assault. She wrapped her arms around his neck, threading fingers through his hair as his tongue slipped across hers smoothly, desire flooding her senses. A low groan resonated from the back of his throat and rumbled through her like an earthquake.

She drew back, lowering her hands slowly along his neck to rest on his strong shoulders. She could feel her cheeks growing hot. It had been a good long while since she'd been kissed like that. Had she ever been kissed like that? Trying to get her bearings, she traced a hand down over his collar bone and laid it flat against the hard planes of his chest. When she mustered up the courage to look at him, he was watching her.

A slow smile crept across his face. "I've wondered what that would be like for a really long time." His arms looped around her waist, holding her snugly against him.

She tucked her head in against his shoulder and slipped her hands around his back, breathing him in, the faint smell of engine grease mixed with leather. Her eyes landed on the forgotten burger laying on the workbench.

"Your food's getting cold," she said, pulling back.

He chuckled. "If I had a choice between that and cold food, I'd never eat anything warm again."

She laughed and he bent down and kissed her on the cheek, then released her and walked to the workbench.

"Kids tell you how I like my burger?" he asked, smiling around a big bite, lettuce crunching.

River shook her head. "Amanda," she corrected. "She's good with details. Always has been."

"Want a bite?" he asked, holding it out to her.

"No thanks," she said, feeling cold again and cursing herself for not wearing anything but this sheer cardigan over the top of her purple swing tank. She crossed her arms over herself, shivering. "Jesus, isn't Kansas supposed to be sweltering in July?"

Jackson held his hand out to her. "Come here." Without hesitation, she accepted the invitation, sidling up against him. His warm arm wrapped around her and he pressed a kiss on top of her head, then continued to eat his burger.

It was easy. All too easy. Standing here perfectly comfortable with Jackson in his garage, the kids tucked into bed. It had been easy before too. And look where that had gotten her. She shifted. 

"Jackson," she started, then tucked her hair behind her ear, thinking. It wasn't fair to start something with him without him knowing what she'd been through; how fresh her wounds were. "You asked me earlier what brought me back here... ." She glanced up at him and he watched her, waiting patiently. "It was really bad." She drew in a deep breath and he tightened his hold on her waist. "And this is... " she laughed humorlessly and brushed a hand across her forehead self consciously. "I'm not even divorced yet."

She felt him tense against her. "But you will be?" he asked her.

"Yes. That part of my life is over," she said decidedly. It had been over the second she had seen Frank pull the trigger. She shut her eyes quickly and reopened them again, trying to wipe the memory from her vision.

He set his burger down and wiped his hands on a napkin. "Look," he turned to her, leaning his elbow against the workbench casually. "We can take this as slow as you need to. That is assuming you want to take this somewhere."

"Yes." The word was out before she even had a chance to think about it and she looked down, embarrassed at her own eagerness. When she drew up enough courage to raise her gaze, she couldn't help but smile at the hopeful look in his eyes. "Yes," she said again, slower this time, then shivered again.

He grabbed his plate and popped the last bite of his burger into his mouth, then tossed the plate into the nearby trash bin. "Why don't you go on inside. I'll take the couch, you can take my bed."

"Oh, no, I couldn't--"

"It's the middle of the night. You were nice enough to help out with my kids. No need to wake yours up. I'm sure Amanda's already camped out in her spot on the loveseat with a glass of wine anyway."

She laughed. "Good with details and predictable," she commented on her friend. He was right. It was silly to risk waking the whole house up just to drive a few blocks home. And if Amanda was staying, no reason to feel like she was intruding. The idea of sleeping in Jackson's bed lit up her body in all sorts of places. Too soon for that, even if he wasn't in it with her. "I'll take the couch," she declared firmly. "You've had a long night."

He nodded in agreement and she smiled and left the garage, climbed up onto the deck and walked back inside. Closing the door quietly behind her, she crept through the dark dining room. Amanda turned to look at her, near-empty wine glass in hand, her wide grin lit up by the glow of the TV.

"Did you kiss it and make it better?" she asked

River picked up a pillow and hit her with it playfully, dropping down on the couch and drawing her legs up underneath her.

"Well?" Amanda asked, staring at her expectantly.

The back door opened and shut and they heard boots being discarded onto the kitchen floor. River lowered herself further into the leather. Amanda widened her eyes and then schooled her expression, smiling over River's shoulder. Butterflies fluttered in River's stomach as she became aware of Jackson's presence behind her.

"Mom asleep?" he asked and Amanda nodded.

"I went to check on her a few minutes ago and she was out like a light."

There was fumbling behind the couch and a soft flannel blanket landed on her bare shoulder. She took it and smiled up at him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said, hovering momentarily before shuffling around the couch and pulling himself up onto the staircase, the banister letting out a creak. "'G'night." He smiled faintly at River before disappearing up the stairs.

"OH my, God, you did!" Amanda whispered fiercely and threw the pillow back at her. "He really did grow into one hot mother didn't he?"

"Shut up," River chuckled under her breath, burying her hands in her face to hide her embarrassment. She let her hands fall to her lap and looked at her friend.

"I knew it," Amanda gloated, downing the last of her drink and setting the glass on the coffee table. "Well, it's about time you both have someone that'll treat you good."

"I don't know that I have Jackson," River said in a hushed voice.

"Oh, trust me. You have him." Amanda laid down, raised the remote, and clicked off the TV. Darkness fell over them and silence settled in.

River unfolded the blanket and laid down, adjusting a pillow under her head. She wrapped the blanket up around her shoulders and his scent enveloped her; she could still feel him, taste him... and instead of dropping off to sleep, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling, letting the dark image of Jackson she'd held in her mind for so long fade away as it was rewritten by a new one, full of hope and light and possibilities.