I have been completely obsessed with the idea of Iona and writing a fic with her since I first watched the first episode with her. I knew if I wrote a story with Iona it would not only have to include Henry but also Jo, so here's my Iona/Jo/Henry labor of love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Warning: This probably goes with out saying, but this story contains bondage/beating but its not explicit.

Henry could feel Jo's presence enter the morgue before he even saw her. Looking up from the body he and Lucas were examining he sighed, seeing Jo walk across the room and make a beeline for Henry. Her face was set in determination like it always seemed to be now even though there was nothing that they could say to each other anymore. Henry felt the phantom pain of the past few weeks hit him in the stomach and tried to push past it. Pretending that he didn't notice Jo coming toward him, he looked back down at the body, immersing himself in the open chest cavity; anything but have to look at Jo and her disappointed and searching eyes. It wasn't supposed to be like this…

"Henry…do you have the autopsy notes for the Armstrong case?" Jo asked. Henry could feel her standing entirely too close to him; she was making it nearly impossible to ignore her.

"They are over there" Henry said shortly, pointing toward the desk with a scalpel, never looking up from the body.

"Actually, I was hoping that we might be able to go over them now" Jo said. Her voice would sound neutral to anyone else but Henry could detect a note of hope and even the slightest bit of desperation.

The lonely and aching part of Henry called out to him to act but, again, there was nothing to say. The only way he could distance himself from Jo at this point was to not put himself in the positon to be around her much and certainly never alone with her.

"Lucas can hash out the details with you" Henry said, still avoiding her.

Jo's urging was a little more obvious this time. "Actually, I need to discuss it with you Henry. No offense, Lucas"

"None taken" Lucas said. He shifted on his chair, looking from Jo to Henry. He had been around them enough lately to notice the change and it had often put him in an awkward position.

Henry looked up, just for a moment but it was enough; enough to see the pain, the betrayal in her eyes. He had to remind himself that it was better this way; that this way was the only one. "I can't right now. I'm….busy" Henry said. It was a lie and a lame one at that. It was obvious that he was just making an excuse but it didn't matter. Before Jo had a chance to say anything else, Henry was walking out of the morgue and into his office. Shutting the door behind him, he flung himself into his chair, fuming at himself and how unfair this all seemed. No…..he had to remind himself this was what needed to be done.

A few minutes later, Lucas popped his head into Henry's office, most unwelcome. "Brrrrr….things are awful chilly in here, don't you think?" he said, giving Henry an all too knowing look.

Henry gritted his teeth; none of this was Lucas' fault and Henry knew that he thought he was trying to be helpful but it all was getting to him. "Unless you have something productive to say, please leave" Henry said as calmly as he could manage.

"Just thought you might want to tell me what's going on between you two" Lucas said, leaning against the doorframe as if he was going to settle in. Well, don't get comfortable….

"I don't. Leave" Henry said a little more forcefully.

Lucas' face fell but he didn't look sad, just resigned. "Well, if you change your mind…I'm….here" he said a bit awkwardly before exiting Henry's office. Good….he was gone and Henry didn't feel guilty about it. Now he could sit back and fully stew in his dark thoughts and let them continue to fester. He didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to make it better; he wanted to sit back and think about it like he was picking closed wounds open fresh again.

He couldn't be around Jo; to have thought that he could get close to her in anyway in the first place was a mistake. He gotten lost for a while, forgetting his own rule for getting too close to people. The rule was that he didn't get close to people; he didn't have friends because he couldn't have friends. No one could ever really know him but Jo had managed to work her way into his life. But, that had to stop and a case they had worked a few weeks back had reminded him of that.

They had been pursuing a suspect when they had been shot. Jo had been hit in the leg; a gruesome wound but not fatal. She had fallen to the ground while another officer had continued to follow the shooter. Henry, on the other hand, had received a much more serious wound. He'd been shot in the chest; luckily he had turned away in time so that Jo hadn't really seen how bad his wound was. Jo had been too preoccupied her own wound to notice Henry until he was teetering on the edge of death, his head swimming, blood pouring freely out of his chest. He knew it would result in his death and that was not an option that he could allow to happen then. If he did, Jo would see him disappear right in front of her eyes and there was no amount of lying that he could do to cover himself. If he stayed, Jo would know he wasn't what he appeared to be and that was a sacrifice that he wasn't willing to give. So, like the coward that he was, he had crawled away from Jo and around the corner of the nearest building, out of her sight before he died. He hated having to do it. It wasn't a terrible death; unpleasant but not the worst that he had ever had. The worst part was knowing that he had left Jo, injured and bleeding in the middle of the street while she had been calling at him to come back. He hadn't known what to do so when he woken, he had just called Abe to come get him and take him home. He hadn't seen Jo for days after that; he didn't know what to say to her. He felt completely worthless, not only leaving her injured but not even bothering to check on her until she had half walked, half limped back into the police station days later. They'd barely said a hundred words to each other in the following weeks and Henry could hardly look at her. To look at her meant he saw her hurt which was obvious in her eyes no matter how much the rest of her countenance covered it. She was hurt by his leaving her, both that day and mentally in the weeks since. He couldn't even tell her why this was a good thing for her.

They had been getting too close for a long time. They worked together, spent long days together in the midst of dangerous situations all of the time and then went out for dinner or drinks, high on adrenaline energy. They were friends; it had been so long since Henry had had a friend that he has forgotten how nice it was. It was the comfort of it that reminded him why he didn't have friends. No one ever could really get close to him; the closer someone got to you the more they wanted to know about every detail of your life. The more that people knew about Henry the more they saw that not everything about him matched up and that was a dangerous place to be in. Jo was already asking the tough questions, had been asking them since the beginning. Already he'd slipped a few times; on one of their most inebriated nights when Jo had been getting emotional over he and Abe's relationship and going on about how nice Abe was, Henry had made a comment about how he had his moments and had been a trying child at times. They'd both been so drunk that Henry wasn't even sure that Jo remembered it and even if she did it would have just came across as a drunk man's ramblings. He was normally so careful; even under the influence he showed more discretion. He was becoming too close to Jo and it was dangerous.

But though it was what was best for everyone involved in the long run, it didn't feel that way. It felt painful and uncomfortable and turned the job that he once enjoyed into a chore that he just managed to get through. Abe, of course, thought he was being 'overly cautious and brooding' about the matter; he thought Jo was someone that Henry could trust. But Abe hadn't been put into an asylum by someone that he trusted. Very few people could really be trusted and it was a good thing Abe didn't know that personally but it made for a difficult argument.

Having worked himself up to feeling thoroughly terrible over it all, Henry decided to leave early; he knew he wouldn't accomplish anything with the way he felt right now anyway.

…

Henry didn't feel better for having gone home; all he could manage to do was sit in his lab and stare at the wall, ignoring Abe's numerous pleas for Henry to 'just talk to her for god's sake; stop this madness'. It hurt; everything hurt. But it was just because he'd gotten used to having Jo around; once he got used to her not being around anymore, it wouldn't hurt like this and things could go back to being normal.

Henry had made up his mind to make a cup of tea and try to go to bed early when he heard Abe's footsteps pounding down the stairs, carrying the telephone.

"Henry…it's for you" Abe said, handing him the telephone. His face was cautious like approaching Henry was akin to approaching a dangerous animal.

"Who is it?" Henry asked, automatically suspicious because Abe seemed antsy and that could only mean that he knew Henry wouldn't like the answer.

Abe paused, putting his hand over the receiver. "It's Jo" he said. He looked like he was already bracing for the inevitable reaction.

"No…..absolutely not. I'm not talking to her" Henry said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. He just felt so tired; he wanted to go to sleep and wake up when hopefully this all wouldn't hurt so much.

"You need to talk to her" Abe said, thrusting the phone at Henry who still wouldn't take it.

The last thing that Henry wanted right now was an argument. "No, I'm not-" he started to retort but Abe cut him off.

"I think something's wrong…..she sounded upset" Abe said, looking slightly worried at the phone.

That was all that Henry needed to hear; the next moment he had snatched the phone from Abe, pressing it to his ear. "Jo? What's wrong?" he asked urgently.

There was a long pause and Henry could hear Jo take a deep breath. "I need your help, Henry. It's important" she said. She didn't exactly sound like she had been crying but she didn't sound composed either. Alarm bells rang through Henry's head and made all the caution of the past few weeks disappear from his head. Jo didn't ask for help; she just didn't. If she was now then she must really need help.

"What do you need? Are you hurt?" Henry asked, feeling his heart beating out of his chest.

"No, I'm not hurt" Jo was quick to say. "I don't really want to get into it on the telephone. Just please come to my place?"

Henry said it before he fully thought about it. "Of course. I'll be right there."

…..

Henry had made up his mind to fully be responsible and distance himself from Jo. Not only was his immortal presence in her life like an accident waiting to happen, he had left her when she needed him. He had left her alone; they were supposed to be partners and he had abandoned her. He tried to console himself with the fact that even he hadn't left her, he would have ultimately died and been ripped from her and thrown into the river but that didn't bring him comfort; he still felt like he had failed her. His friendship was toxic.

But all of his good intention and resolve to stay away vanished the moment she said she needed him. He'd left her when she truly needed him and yet here she was asking for his help still. He couldn't let her down again, especially when she might be in trouble. She said she wasn't hurt but that didn't stop Henry from imagining all manner of terrible scenarios on his way to her apartment.

By the time Henry was standing outside of Jo's door, his heart was flying, his mouth dry and every inch of his skin seeming to sweat profusely. He knocked quickly on the door, fearing the worst and wondering why he had been acting so terribly all of this time. It all seemed unimportant.

Jo didn't answer for a long moment when finally Henry heard her voice muffled behind the door. "Come in" she called.

Henry was bursting through the door the next moment later. "Jo? Sorry it took me so long I was-"

When Henry walked into the room and took in the sight around him, his words instantly froze in his throat. Jo wasn't hurt; she wasn't in danger or in trouble. And she wasn't alone; she had a very notable and unexpected visitor with her.

Iona…Henry's senses went haywire as they tried to comprehend what was happening and how he should feel about it. He was so confused that even his body could just manage a shiver as Iona turned away from Jo and gave him a smile. It was a sad smile, as if she knew something she shouldn't know. Jo, sitting beside her, wouldn't meet Henry's eyes and looked as if she wanted the couch to swallow her whole.

"What is this? I don't understand" Henry said. His throbbing worry that something was the matter with Jo fizzled into a low burning worry that there was something here he should understand that he didn't. What would reason could Jo and Iona have for being in the same room?

Jo looked down at her lap as if she was trying to figure out what to say; she glanced at Iona who gave her a slight nod before she turned toward Henry. This was all too familiar; this was planned. "Henry…I need to talk to you. I think we can both agree what we are doing isn't working. We can't go on like this anymore."

Henry felt like a fool; all of the walls he had been constructing immediately when back into place. "You deceived me; this was all a clever ruse to get me here" Henry said coldly.

Jo looked away in shame before meeting his eyes with determination. "I'm sorry….this isn't the way I wanted to do it but you made it necessary" she said, her voice slow and measured, careful. "You won't speak to me anymore…you barely eve look at me"

Jo looked so wounded; Henry ached to tell her that she hadn't done anything wrong. This was all his fault but he couldn't find the words. He looked away from Jo because it was too painful and focused on Iona. What was she doing here? Jo and Iona didn't seem to be the sort of women that would just sit around having a girly chat. So, that must mean she was here in a professional capacity. The large case sitting on the floor by her feet confirmed his suspicion. That could only mean that Jo sought her out for her unconventional services. A shiver of something ran through Henry that he couldn't identify. There was a time, when things were easier between them, that Henry would have loved to tease her about it. Now…he wasn't sure how he felt about the image of Jo being flogged at Iona's hands that wouldn't leave his head.

"Henry" Iona said, pulling him from his thoughts. He met her eyes and realized that Jo had been staring at him for possibly a very long time waiting for him to say something. "You know why I'm here?"

Honestly, Henry didn't but he wanted to feel on top of something here. Being on the other side of the formidable duo in front of him made him feel the need to know something. "Jo required your services, I'm sure" Henry said curtly. "I should leave you to it then"

Henry turned around to leave, feeling anger and disappointment in himself that he had allowed himself to be taken but Jo stopped him. He was at the door when he felt a hand on his arm; a familiar press of a hand that made him stop in his tracks. He didn't want to turn around, didn't want to stop and acknowledge the person behind him that would make him stay. He wanted to leave and hold onto his anger but he couldn't. When he turned around Jo's face was almost pleading with him. Iona stood a few feet behind her, almost as if ready to intervene. Would they really prevent him from leaving if he was set on it?

Henry found himself just staring at Jo, both frozen and unable to figure out what to say when there was so much to be said. It was Iona, facilitator that she was, that spoke first. "Henry…..this isn't easy for Jo" she said in that calming way that made everyone around her instantly listen to what she had to say. "She has a lot of things to say to you and I'm sure you have a lot of things to say to her. But you're stuck; you're holding onto it and you need to let it go." Iona moved closer to him so she was standing only inches from him, her eyes boring into his soul as if they could see all the way through his tortured past. "I already know someone hurt you; someone you trusted in the past. I'm sure that's why it so difficult for you to trust anyone else. But Jo wants to be close to you; she wants you to trust her and you're pushing her away. She's willing to become very vulnerable to fix this. Are you?"

No…..this couldn't be happening. Not here…..not now…Henry felt his resolve crumbling. No…..he couldn't become transparent and open; not with Jo and certainly not Iona. But he already felt like he was under her spell; control was such a hard thing to relinquish hold on and yet the soul desired it.

When Henry looked from Iona to Jo he felt what little resolve he had left crumble like dust. It was easy to push her away when it was him telling himself it was the best thing for the both of them. But the look on Jo's face told him that this wasn't the best thing for her. While it had been difficult for him, knowing the reasons for pushing her away, how much more difficult it must have been for her, knowing nothing about why he was doing this?

Henry didn't say anything but simply his presence still there and not running away must have been consent enough. He stood by the door as Iona took Jo's hand and pulled her into the middle of the room. His mind was melting into an overload as he watched Iona's professional façade come on; Jo's face shifted to almost a look of…submission? It wasn't something he had ever seen there before.

"On your knees" Iona told Jo as she picked up the case she brought and placed it on the table to open it. Jo sank to her knees on the floor, looking down at the ground as Iona pulled out a set of handcuffs and walked around to face Jo.

"Shirt…..off" Iona commanded in a firm, yet mild tone. Jo undid the buttons on her shirt with shaky fingers and Henry had all of five seconds to wonder if he should feel embarrassed before he saw that thankfully Jo had a tank top on under her shirt. One melt down at a time…

As Jo threw her shirt into a heap on the floor Iona walked around her, pulling her arms behind her back and closing them tightly with the handcuffs. Henry watched Jo tense, could hear her sharp intake of breath at the sudden entrapment and felt a curious spark set off inside him.

What was this? Henry wasn't sure what was going to happen here. Somehow, he supposed that he had given his consent to whatever this was but he had no idea where this was going. Curious, not knowing he wasn't sure if he liked it or he just liked the novelty of the adrenaline running through him.

Henry was beginning to wonder if he was imagining the whole odd scene in front of him like an out of place bystander when Iona turned away from Jo toward him. "Over here, Henry" she commanded him, pointing to the spot on the floor directly in front of Jo.

Henry felt all of the air pulled from his lungs as a tremor of irrational fear ran through him. Jo was looking up at him now but he couldn't clearly see her face; when he was kneeling in front of her it would be impossible not to look directly at her and see every emotion as it crossed her face. She would also be able to see every look of fear, of pain that crossed his face.

He could still end this; he wasn't being held against his will. He could still refuse this and make it all end. He was secretly terrified of where this might lead but what was the alternative? Go on the way he and Jo had been going for the last few weeks? It was obvious that if Jo was willing to go to these lengths then that was no longer an option. His legs were moving slowly toward the spot that Iona indicated, his legs feeling like lead as his blood hammered against his ear drums.

"Join Jo on the floor" Iona said, her voice calm, almost too calm for the worry that it sent through him. With a moment's hesitation he sank down to his knees, his mouth dry.

"Coat and shirt off, Henry" Iona said almost casually as she dug around in her case. What for, Henry didn't know and it made him apprehensive.

Henry was keenly aware of Jo's direct gaze fixed on him as slipped his coat off, vest and shirt. The cool air against his bare chest made his shivering worse. The idea of leaving fluttered through his head one last time before the handcuffs were being clasped behind his back with a certain finality to it.

On his knees, trapped, it was impossible not to look at Jo now fully and what Henry saw made his heart wrench inside his chest with guilt. The downcast eyes, the pained, slumped way she was sitting…she was uncomfortable. This was putting her way out of her comfort zone; none of this was for her. She didn't need Iona to unlock her pain because it was already burning at the surface, ready to explode. She was doing all of this for him. Up until this moment he had no idea she cared that much; he had obviously misjudged her.

Iona came to stand directly behind Jo; she had one hand behind her back and try as he might, Henry couldn't see what she was holding. "Jo…would you like to say something to Henry?" she asked in a calm voice, smiling warmly at her. Jo's eyes darted up and down toward Henry and away.

She had obviously taken too long. Iona gripped Jo's shoulder with her free hand, firmly enough that Jo flinched. "Let's try this again" Iona said, her tone firmer. "Jo…..tell Henry why we are doing this."

Jo's eyes met Henry's. "You're my partner" she said, her voice careful but full of emotion. "You are my friend and for some reason you won't talk to me. I couldn't make you listen to me and I knew you wouldn't but I knew you would if Iona was here. I knew you'd listen to her."

Henry felt his face flush, worrying about the implications. "That's…..that's not true" he said. He didn't know why it bothered him but it did.

Jo frowned slightly; she looked just like her normal self for a moment. "I don't mean it like that, Henry. I mean that you don't talk to me…at least not about the important things. You're afraid of trusting me…..though I don't know why because I thought I had been nothing but understanding"

"I….I do trust you" Henry tried to say but it wasn't convincing. Hurt flashed across Jo's eyes because she knew as well as he did that he was lying through his teeth.

"You don't" Jo said with firm conviction, her face suddenly an unreadable mask, even with the close proximity. Henry felt like he'd been punched in the stomach; nothing he could say could make it untrue.

"Tell him how that makes you feel, Jo. Tell him everything" Iona said in a firm voice behind Jo. Henry's eyes briefly flickered up to her, trying to study the situation while Jo appeared to fight with herself about what to say. It was obvious Iona already knew exactly how Jo felt; he knew they must have discussed all of this before he showed up but how much exactly wasn't clear. It was obvious though that she knew far more than Henry had thought in the beginning. He imagined Jo telling Iona all of the ways he had failed her and he suddenly felt even more exposed.

"You hurt me, Henry" Jo said, honestly, her eyes fixing on his no matter how much he tried to look away. "I want to be your partner and your friend but you're just pushing me away. We can't have any kind of relationship when you just shut me out like this."

Henry hadn't wanted to hurt Jo in any way; he knew he had but that had never been his intention. It sent guilt through him to think of it. Henry didn't understand why Jo was even in this position; the kneeling, the handcuffs. It was obvious that she wasn't going to need Iona to get her to talk. Just him…..he was the only defective one here. He was the one that had caused all of this mess.

Iona let go of her grip on Jo, giving her a satisfied, almost proud look before turning her attention to Henry. One look…..that's all it took for Henry to feel a tremble of nerves run from his belly and down to his toes. He had almost been in this position once before; he had come to Iona's for actual professional knowledge and in less than five minutes she had had him bound and discussing electrocution. In minuets she had been telling him he would be begging for it…and he hadn't denied it. He hadn't even put up the least bit of a fight; she had described his pain to a tee and something about that was freeing. He had only been able to guess what would have happened had they not been interrupted; now he supposed that he didn't have to guess. Now he could find out…..

Only this time it was different; Jo was here. He could feel her eyes like magnifying glasses on him, taking everything in. He had been willing to break down when it had been just he and Iona; he was actually welcoming the idea. But with Jo where, how could he let himself fully let go? He didn't want her to know how he really felt; it would surely change the way that she saw him.

Iona stood in front of Henry and he craned his neck to look up at her. Strange; being restrained in the stress position the last time had been completely different than this. Kneeling…..it was humbling and made him feel small but he was sure that was the point. Everything in these scenes had meaning; the kneeling, the handcuffs, the riding crop….. Henry had expected to see the electric prod that had been the object of their last 'therapy' discussion. But when he thought about it, it made sense; she said she didn't use it much. It was only for certain clients…..it didn't make marks. A crop would hurt, badly, and it would leave bruises; it was sure to make marks. It wasn't for Jo; it was for him.

"How well Jo has done, telling you how she feels" Iona said fondly, putting her hand on Jo's head gently, almost affectionately…like a pet. She didn't look so gently when she turned back to Henry. He immediately felt guilty.

"And then there's you, Henry" Iona said, tapping the end of the crop against his shoulder with a feather light touch that hinted of pain to come, making him shiver. "You push everyone around you away. I know that's because someone has hurt you in the past; but that's not okay and we have to get that pain out of you."

He should have expected it but he didn't; it was quick, Iona's movements so swift that Henry didn't see the hit coming until he felt the sting of the crop against his back, leaving burning behind. Henry gasped, unprepared for the hit, glancing at Jo immediately to see her reaction; she was frustratingly composed.

"You can make this easy on yourself, or you can make it difficult" Iona explained, hitting Henry again with a burning blow. "Either way, you will talk."

Another blow to the back and Henry's flesh was already on fire. He was not unaccustomed to being beat; he'd been abused past his fair share in his long life but that didn't necessarily make it easier to handle. "What do you want me to say?" Henry asked, his voice slightly shrill.

"I don't want you to say anything" Iona said, her voice taking on a more snappy tone, giving him a particularly hard smack, causing him to flinch against the bounds of his handcuffs. "It's Jo…this all about her. Look at her"

Henry couldn't look at Jo; he was afraid of what he might see. "I said look at her!" Iona commanded. She grabbed him by the chin, forcing his face up to look at Jo. "You've hurt her because she wants to get close to you and you are pushing her away. So…I don't want you to say anything. She, however, wants you to tell her why you did this."

Iona released his face in favor of giving him another smack, making a fresh wave of hot pain course though his back. He gritted his teeth, digging his wrists into his handcuffs. "I….I can't!" Henry said, clenching his eyes tightly shut. He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth before he was struck again.

"You can…and you will" Iona told him.

…..

Henry couldn't remember the last time he felt so much pain. He had died many terrible deaths but he wasn't sure the last time that he had been in this much pain and it hadn't ended in death. Right now, he almost felt like it could result in his demise. His back, his chest, his shoulders…..his entire bare torso was on fire; Henry had lost track of how many times she had hit him long ago. He couldn't tell if Iona was hitting him harder now or if his body just couldn't take it anymore but every hit now caused him to tremble. Sweat covered his body and his eyes watered and ran down his face; everything ached and he could barely hold himself up in his sitting position. Iona had been right; he had begged her to stop. He had told her he just couldn't say anything but no amount of pleading could get her to stop. He had begged her to stop but she had not yet gotten him to beg her not to stop. Every time he begged, she just made him look at Jo and reminded him why he was here. Reminded him how much he hurt her and how much be needed to let go.

It had been worse than he thought it would be, having Jo here. Jo, who was sitting only inches from him, watching everything with a pained expression. She heard every time he called out, saw the look of pain across his face with every hit, took every refusal of Henry's to talk to heart. There was something painfully humbling about being watched while some else beat you senseless, listening to your pain induced ramblings as you dribbled salvia and blood down your chin from so much lip biting. It was mortifying…..how he was ever going to look at Jo the same way he wasn't sure. Actually, he knew the answer; he wasn't going to look at her same way again and neither would she.

Iona hadn't touched Jo. Well, that want entirely true; she had given her the occasional head pat or ran her hand along her arm gently. Henry could only assume that Jo was merely in her position just so he could stare at him constantly.

"Please! Please stop!" Henry begged, crumpling forward, his face to his chest, his entire body shaking with fatigue and pain. "I'm sorry…..I am sorry, Jo. Really I am…I didn't mean to hurt you."

It was true; he had never meant for this to happen. He never wanted to hurt her but he just couldn't tell her why he had. He couldn't tell her that knowing him could only end badly; his immortality was dangerous.

Henry had thought an apology would appease Iona at least for a moment. She had momentarily stopped beating him, at least, but when he looked up at her he could tell by her tight lipped expression that she was not pleased.

"You refuse to relinquish control Henry" Iona said, "Even now, filled with pain, you still hold on. Your refusal to talk is because you still want to control the situation."

Henry watched as Iona walked from behind him to stand next to Jo. He expected Iona to reassure Jo in some fashion; to tell her how good she was or rub her shoulder. He was so unprepared for the slap to her back that he faltered, his mouth failing open as Jo's face clenched in pain.

"You wanted control…..here it is" Iona said in an entirely calm voice. "You not only are responsible for your own pain, but hers as well."

Henry watched in horror as Iona hit Jo again. She flinched, but like the true champ that she was, she didn't call out; not yet at least. His own pain was dashed from his mind as he watched the crop hit Jo, his eyes trained on how the pain increased on her face. Iona brought the crop down hard on Jo's back, making her lose her balance and nearly fall forward onto him. He could see her biting down on her lip, leaving the characteristic teeth marks; soon she would have the same bloody marks he did. As pain flashed across her face, Henry felt the residual physical side effects mix with his heartsickness, making him queasy.

Henry had to admit that he didn't see it coming; he honestly thought Jo was here just to be judge and jury while he spilled his secrets for her to hear. Even though Jo was bound just as he was, he hadn't expected Iona to actually hit her. He wasn't sure why that was; it was what she did for a living after all and he was sure she had plenty of female clients. Maybe it wasn't that he found it surprising, maybe it he was just outraged because it was Jo and this shouldn't be happening.

When the crop hit Jo again, she called out in a low voice, her air momentarily taken from her; the sound caused Henry to hurt as much as if he had been hit. "Stop! Stop this! She has done nothing!" Henry was calling out. He tried to reach out for Jo but the resistance of the cuffs against his bruised and aching wrists reminded him how powerless he was right now.

In spite of his protests, the crop struck Jo again, making her gasp. "You know how to make this stop, Henry" Iona explained "You're the one in control, remember? That's what you wanted"

Henry felt terrible; his body was riddled with injuries, making him shiver and shudder with shock but watching Jo get hit was so much worse. He didn't think it could get worse, but being told he was somehow responsible for it was worse. It was because he knew that Iona's words weren't empty; this was his fault. They only reason any of them was here right now was because of him.

He didn't want to be in control; being in control and self-reliant all of the time was exhausting. But he didn't have any choice; with his condition he had to be in control to stay safe. And the last thing he wanted to do was drag someone else down with him.

When Jo's head fell forward with the force of another hit, Henry felt desperation clawing at his throat. "Jo! Please…..tell her to stop this. We don't have to do this!" His words didn't seem to have any effect on stopping this but he was sure if Jo said to stop, this would all end. He wouldn't have to watch her suffer any more.

Jo took a long breath as she gathered the strength to raise her head. She was pale, beginning to sweat from the exertion of the pain. Her eyes were glassy but they were full of determination and his stomach sank because he knew that look well. "We do have to this" Jo told him with certainty, looking straight into his eyes. When the next hit came, she actually tried to smile at him through the pain.

Henry felt himself going mad from wanting this to stop but Jo was determined. She flinched every time she got hit, and her gaps turned into moans of pain but she still held on. This was so much worse….had she felt this way watching him being beat? Did she long for it all to stop, for him to just give in because it was so hard to watch him in pain? It was hard to tell because she had been so quiet and she hadn't looked desperate like he was sure he did right now.

Henry was painfully stubborn, watching Jo's pain like a silent torturer. And then he saw the tears…Henry hadn't wanted to know how many times she had been hit because he would have to acknowledge every hit was like it came from his own hand. He watched every flinch, every sign of pain on her face but when he saw the tears in her eyes finally spill over and run down his face he lost it. Jo wasn't a weak person; she was so strong. She could take care of herself even though he sometimes wanted nothing more than to protect her. But now she was crying, sobbing, and it was all because of him.

"Why can't…..you….just…..tell me?" Jo's voice was ragged and aching through the sobs. She looked directly at him when she said it, her red eyes drilling into his own. "I only wanted to be close to you…why don't you want that too?"

"How can you want that? How can you possibly want anything to do with me? Even now….."Henry asked, his voice coming out slightly shrill and frantic. "After what I did...how can you still want to be close to me? You should be angry at me"

Henry was holding on, barely; he was on the brink of losing himself. It was obvious though that Iona had succeeded in breaking down whatever small walls Jo had built up. It was alarming, and yet Henry was slightly envious, watching Jo lose all control. She slumped forward, sobbing uncontrollably and all Henry wanted to do was console her. She looked so broken, so pitiful, tears running freely down her face and she couldn't even wipe them away.

"I am angry at you!" Jo said, loud and breathy through her cries. "You left me…..I've always thought I could depend on you and when I really needed you, you left me. You hurt me…I was so scared and alone and now you avoid me like I did something wrong"

"You haven't done anything wrong…you haven't" Henry said with conviction. "It's me…..it's all me."

Jo look up at him; with her red face, bitten bloody lips and tears streaked cheeks he had never wanted to protect her more. "If I didn't do anything, then please tell me why you don't want me anymore?" she asked. She looked more vulnerable than he had ever seen her.

Despite the handcuffs and the aching in his legs from the kneeling for so long, Henry tried to move toward Jo. Even if he couldn't put his arms around her, he needed to feel some part of her. But as he tried to move he felt a hit to his back that made him fall forward.

He'd done well to grow almost accustomed to the sting of the crop against his back. But now, that his body had had time to fully realize how much it had been injured, another blow to his hot flesh was excruciating. He looked at Jo, who was still crying and it was still worse than his own pain. Henry looked up at Iona who looked displeased.

"I just want to comfort her…make it stop" Henry said, breathless.

"Then talk to her" Iona said. "You have to talk to her first."

It was obvious her intention; if he wanted to be free, if he wanted to touch her he had to talk to her.

"But I have…..I told her this wasn't her fault" Henry beseeched her. He was awarded with another terrible hit to the back that sent waves of pain throughout his body. A strangled cry, like an injured animal, broke out of his dry, aching throat.

"But you didn't tell her why you did this" Iona prodded. "You have to tell her why you this to her."

Iona struck him again and it was the last time that she struck him. He fell forward, heart skipping, and his nerves on fire. Everything hurt so badly; the pain radiated from his back outward so it seemed to touch every part of him. But worse was the sound of Jo's crying in his ears; lonely and heartbroken. There was the sound of other tears and with surprise he realized that it was him.

"I'm afraid…..I'm afraid of losing you, Jo" Henry admitted through shaking breaths. "We were becoming close and it made me scared because I was afraid once you saw who I really am you would leave me. Because…..everyone does….."

Henry felt like he should stop; he was weeping openly now and practically shouting out his words but he found that he couldn't stop the flood of words coming out of his mouth any more than he could staunch the flow of tears out of his eyes.

"Henry…"Jo's voice cracked but she had stopped sobbing, looking at him with sympathy. It only made his emotions break more.

"No…..it's true" Henry said with honest conviction. "Everyone leaves me, no one ever stays. I care about people and when they see what I really am, they leave me. I can't be honest with people anymore because I know they'll leave me. I couldn't let that happen with you…I wanted to be close to you but I didn't want you to despise me"

Henry became incoherent; now that he had finally let himself cry, he didn't know how he could stop. It was freeing; as if every sob let a weight of pain out of where he had locked it inside him. He couldn't tell Jo he was immortal; not now at least. But maybe one day…

Iona must have been satisfied because he felt the handcuffs behind him loosened, his weakened arms falling slack at his sides. Iona's arms wrapped around him to keep him from falling, helping into a sitting position. Her hands were so gentle and soft now; it was almost impossible to believe they belonged to the same person. Those same kind hands were rubbing his hair softly.

"It's alright now, Henry. It's a good start" Iona told him in a calm, consoling whisper. The simple words were enough to help him calm down considerably; enough to be able to breathe at least.

He had almost forgotten about this part of the emotional adventure; aftercare. He'd been hurt so many times and left to suffer alone that he hadn't remembered that this was supposed to be part of it now. Now that he did, realized how desperately he ached for touch and affection in the afterglow of the pain.

Iona's arms felt so good around him; he wanted to lean into her and feel safe and comforted. He felt so tired….drowsy. But almost as soon as she had reassured him, she left him. He was confused by the loss for a moment until he looked up and saw Iona undoing Jo's handcuffs. She put her arm around Jo like she had Henry, as if helping her pull out of a deep sleep. Iona whispered something to her that Henry couldn't hear and for that brief moment he felt almost cripplingly lonely. He needed connection in such deep measure that he had hardly ever felt the need this much.

He watched as Iona let go of Jo; a moment she was gone and Henry had hardly seen her leave. When Jo looked up at him with red, teary eyes, it was then it occurred to him. Of course…..Iona wasn't there to console them; they were supposed to console each other. Iona was giving them privacy and they just had to take it.

It took only moments for this to occur to them before they were moving towards each other. Physical touch wasn't completely foreign to them; they had hugged and held hands before. But it was not a common occurrence and Henry knew this time would be more than that, would mean more. Henry needed to hold her, needed her to hold him; needed to know they were both okay.

It was not an exaggeration to say that they threw themselves at each other; Henry didn't feel bad about it, couldn't feel bad about it. He needed her and she needed him too. And that was a good thing.

Jo's arms were tight against him, holding onto him as if he might vanish; even though it angered his wounds, Henry pressed himself closer to her. To feel her heat, hear her heartbeat…to feel she was alive and well and she was still here. By the time he realized he was crying again, Jo was already openly weeping.

"I'm not going to leave you, Henry" she whispered into his neck where her face was buried, her breath tickling his skin. "Just be honest with me and I won't leave you. I promise"

"Everyone does…..I'm so alone" Henry said. His voice was raw and full of emotion; there was no point in being strong now. He knew she couldn't know what he really had in his past, what he was hiding. But her resolve to make him talk, her refusal to let their friendship die told him that she might be just the kind of person to trust with his secret; just look what she had done for him tonight.

"You don't have to be alone…I'm right here" Jo whispered. Then, there were hands running through his hair and whispered assurances through the tears and this was genuinely what Henry needed. Strange, how he could need this so much and not have known it.

"I'm so sorry I left you…I'm a coward" Henry whispered into her hair, wishing he could bury himself in it.

"Shhh…its forgotten. As long as you don't leave me again….don't push me away." Jo said, clinging to him. She had never seemed needy or vulnerable to him but in this moment she did. That was alright; he was too.

"I'm not going anywhere" Henry said.

He didn't know how long they stayed like that; crying and assuring each other. Henry was spent, emotionally and physically. Now that he was reassured everything was alright, his body was taking notice of the damage it had endured. He was bruising; he felt pain with every touch of Jo's hand against his bare chest and back but that didn't stop him from wanting it. Though he was in a huge amount of pain, he was actually glad for it.

They began to detach themselves from the mass of limbs they had melded into. Henry could feel tears, blood, sweat and, embarrassingly, mucus, plastered to his miserable face as they pulled back and he felt slightly anxious. They had been so desperate; he wasn't sure what the next step in all of this was. Luckily, Iona seemed to sense their hesitation as they sat in the floor, happy about what had just happened but embarrassed too. She materialized out of the kitchen, a wide smile on her face; Henry had nearly forgotten she was still there.

"Henry, why don't you go to the restroom and get yourself cleaned up?" Iona supplied helpfully, "Then come join us back in here"

Henry looked at Jo, who gave him a small smile in encouragement. "Okay…sure" Henry said, standing on shaky feet. His vision swam for a moment and he was thankful he didn't fall back into the floor like a lightweight.

The bright light of the bathroom was disorienting and did something to sober him up. It was cold and harsh in here and he longed to return to the living room and Jo's embrace. He stood in front of the mirror and took note of the damage; he couldn't see most of his back but what he could see was already developing red, angry welts. They burned, they would burn for a long time but that was alright. It struck him then suddenly, what the state of Jo's skin looked like. She had taken several blows and he knew she was going to feel a lasting sting too. He should have asked her how she felt, shouldn't he have? Offered to get her ice or lotion or something? He wasn't sure what the etiquette for this was; maybe there wasn't any. After all, Jo hadn't done anything to doctor his wounds either so maybe he hadn't fouled anything up yet.

Henry washed his face quickly with a washcloth; he was drying it off with a towel gingerly when he noticed the clothes sitting on the sink. A folded fluffy robe and pajamas; men's pajamas. The implication was clear that he supposed to stay here tonight. Of all things, Henry felt himself blush and he was thankful no one was around to see it. It was absurd after all that had happened to be embarrassed about it. Henry found himself wanting to know if the idea had been Iona's or Jo's.

Henry briefly thought about showering but he was too tired and in too much pain for that. Slipping out of his clothes, he pulled on the soft pajama bottoms. His skin was much too hot and sore for the shirt so he simply pulled the robe on his upper half. Checking his face for residual bodily fluids one last time, he slipped out of the bathroom, feeling much better but anxious to see where this was going next.

It felt a bit surreal; he'd only been to Jo's place a few times and none of them had been for an extended stay. So when he walked back into the living room and saw Jo sitting on the couch, clad in a robe like his, her eyes closed and relaxed as Iona rubbed something that looked like lotion on her back, he faltered in the doorway. It appeared she hadn't been able to stand the idea of shirt right now either; she had her robe held tightly in front of her.

He was frozen there, watching them, not sure if he was supposed to interrupt, for far too long. Iona looked up from the sensual task at hand and gave him a slight laugh. "Well, come on in" she said, motioning him forward. She stood up from her place on the couch and crossed the room to where he was standing.

"You did well" Iona said with a smile that made him feel warm. "I think I can leave you two in each other's capable hands"

Henry returned her smile and it was only once she had gone that it occurred to him that he was supposed to take Iona's spot. He looked over at Jo who was sitting on the couch, watching him expectantly. His heart quickened in pace and he had to remind himself that being embarrassed at this point was ridiculous. That didn't stop him from trying to over think things.

He was afraid to see it; apart for the momentary lapse there was nothing sexual entering his mind at the moment. He was afraid to see Jo because if had to see the marks on her skin he would have to acknowledge that he was responsible.

"Henry…snap out of it"

Henry's head jerked, looking at Jo who was smiling gently at him. "What?" he asked.

"You're doing that thing where you stand there all lost in thought and its making you look more panicked by the moment." Jo said. "Just come over here and sit with me." She readjusted her robe so that it sat on her shoulders. She was trying to make it easy for him; perhaps she sensed the intimacy of the moment was too much for him.

It was enough to make him realize that he really did want to do this for her. She was in pain, no doubt about it; she had to be aching as much as he was at the moment.

Henry took the spot behind Jo that Iona had vacated. With a sharp intake of breath, he pulled the robe over her shoulders, slowly to allow for her to adjust the front of it; he was still a gentleman, after all and as he had already acknowledged, one mystery at a time was enough.

His imagination didn't deceive him; her flesh was a battered mess. Thick red, swollen welts covered her back; rather than making him feel guilt like he thought he would, he felt emotion that made his throat swell. She did this for him; he should feel ashamed but all it did was make him care for her more.

Henry grabbed the cooling lotion and began to spread it over her burning skin. She shivered and gave a deep sigh, falling back into his touch. "Thank you…..for doing all of this" Henry said. His voice echoed in the quiet of the room but he knew it needed to be said. What else could you say to your friend that was so desperate to keep you around that she hired a dominatrix to get you to talk?

Jo was relaxed; she took a long time to speak. "You're welcome…I had to do it, Henry" she said, her voice quiet and thoughtful. "I know there's more to you. I don't know what it is yet and that's okay. And I'm really sorry that you've been so hurt by other people. No one should have to be afraid to get close to anyone"

Henry felt his throat burn and the want for tears coming again but he had cried enough. "It's not your fault" he said, "I've experienced pain in my life, but hasn't everyone?"

"Not like you have" Jo said. "I think you've had more than your fair share"

Henry didn't know how she did it; how she had always done it. Jo had a way of knowing more than she should, of seeing into his true nature. "Perhaps" Henry said emotionally. "But that doesn't mean you should have to pay for it."

"I'm not…I'm just trying to give you a reason to trust again" Jo said honestly. "Switch me places"

Henry did, without even trying to argue about it. Because he was in pain…..because he was needy…..because he trusted her. Though he couldn't trust her with everything all at once, he knew that slowly he might be able to trust her with his difficult secrets.

Henry pulled his robe off of his shoulders and let it fall down, exposing his own no doubt hideous wounds. He heard Jo inhale sharply, followed by a "Dear God…. Henry" muffled behind her hand.

Did it look worse than her own? He didn't really know. But there was something different about seeing whip marks on someone else rather than yourself. Especially if you had a certain self-loathing quality which he was sure he and Jo shared. He could feel her fingers trace along the welts as she began to smooth the lotion on his skin. He didn't even try to smoother the delighted sigh that came from him as the cooling substance made its way into his skin. "I'm stubborn…..what can I say?" Henry said in mock humor at Jo's outrage.

"Next time, be less stubborn" Jo said, her voice cracking slightly. She probably meant it as a chide or a rebuttal but what she got instead was a smiling Henry looking back at her.

"Next time?" Henry asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jo rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up"

….

Henry did spend the night but it was innocent; even more innocent than he had imagined it would be. By the time that Jo had gotten done putting lotion on his wounds, Henry was nodding off and Jo seemed just as happy to go to sleep. She had offered him the bed, which of course he refused. He slept on the couch and he assumed Jo slept in her bed; he had been asleep within a minute of lying down so he wouldn't know.

Henry had had the best night's sleep that he could remember in a long, long while. No nightmares, not even any dreams. He slept without waking; when he finally did come to, his eyes found the sunlight of the morning coming in the window. He rubbed his eyes, taking in the sight of Jo's home around him, reminding him that last night's activities were not a dream, but real.

His body was also quick to remind him as well. His muscles ached, his back was on fire; but it made him feel oddly alive. He was well rested and light; he felt good. Sitting up, he wondered if Jo was awake and the slightest twinge of fear came to him, wondering how she might feel in the light of the morning. He could hear sound coming from the kitchen and knew he would find her there. His muscles ached even more as he stood up and walked to the kitchen but it was a good kind of pain; a sweet burning that reminded him of the good of the night.

When he entered the kitchen, he found Jo there making coffee, still in her robe, hair muscled by sleep. It was odd seeing her this way; so domestic. He felt like it should have suggested that more had happened. But when he really thought about it, what they had shared was much more intimate than sex. He felt his checks turn pink when he thought about the way he cried so freely, how much he had clung to Jo.

Jo seemed to notice his presence and turned around to face him. Her face was at ease, relaxed; she was smiling like he hadn't seen her do since before they had stopped speaking. He couldn't help but grin; she looked like just like her normal self. And even better, it felt even easier and more relaxed than it had before.

"Sleep good? I can't imagine the couch was very comfortable" Jo commented as she carried the coffee cups to the table where they sat opposite each other.

Henry laughed. "Actually, I slept wonderfully" he said truthfully, taking a sip of his coffee.

Jo smiled wider, almost radiating peace and energy. "Well, that makes two of us" she agreed.

They sat in companionable silence for a several minutes before Henry felt the need to say something that had pressed on his mind last night but that he hadn't said. "Thank you, for putting up with all that last night" he said, staring down into his coffee. "I probably would never have agreed to it had I know how you would be treated."

Henry was beginning to feel the stirring of guilty in his belly when he felt a hand reach across the table, making him look up at Jo. "I didn't put up with anything" she said with a smile. "I knew exactly what my part of it was going to be"

Henry paused. "You mean you knew….." He didn't finish but he didn't have to. She knew exactly what she was saying.

"Of course" Jo said, giving his hand a squeeze. "You didn't think she'd have just started hitting me without discussing it first? No….all of it was discussed beforehand; and I was completely okay with it."

He felt overwhelmed; he didn't deserve this…didn't deserve her. She had not only put up with the pain of everything but she had willing volunteered for it. As somehow who said she didn't understand or believe in Iona's tactics, she had felt desperate enough that she had sought her out and done what she suggested…all to get Henry to talk to her. He was sure that how she felt about Iona's therapy was different now than before she had experienced it firsthand but he supposed that a lot of things were different now.

Jo must have sensed where his thoughts were going. "I couldn't have you just not talk to me, Henry" she continued, her voice taking on an emotional edge. "I just…that wasn't an option. I knew this was an option" Her voice was growing thick and he sensed she might be feeling the stirring of deep emotion like he was again. After a moment, as if composing herself she looked up at him with a smile on her face. "Besides, I already knew you'd seen her once, so I knew you must be into it"

Henry raised his eyebrows at her. "I told you that was for research!" he tried to argue in mock outrage. He knew though, the moment that he got caught bound in Iona's apartment only minutes after coming to ask her about erotic electrocution for a murder investigation that no one would believe he was merely there for information. And, he had to admit, he wasn't sure where it might have gone had they not been interrupted. After all, he had been reduced to powerless very quickly.

"Honestly, Henry" Jo said with a laugh, releasing his hand to return to her coffee. "I think you can stop trying to defend yourself against liking it. With me, at least"

With me at least…That's because they were friends, they were a team. They were more than they had been before all of this happened. Maybe they had been for a while and Henry hadn't been able to see it; he suspected that was so. But Jo's determination not to let him go made him realize what she had known for a long time; there was something different, something unbreakable about them. They were a team.

Henry smiled, trying to make light of the relationship altering revelation that had just come to him, lifting his cup to her in a mock salute. "I acquiesce, Detective Martinez. You know me too well"

The End...let me know what you think :) All reviews mean a great deal to me! I'm toying with writing more Iona/Jo/Henry fics so if you have any suggestions feel free to pass them along. I've considered writing this story from Jo's perspective, or maybe going in a completely different way. Thanks for reading :)