A/N: Back on quickly (haha), with another chapter of Missing. John and Joss make it back to Colorado and the cabin. Jenni is gone, but Joss isn't done with her yet. Enjoy!

"Answer me, John Reese," Joss said, now staring up at him, face to face. "Why in the hell did you let her go?"

"Because I want to get our home cleaned. Because I was sick of the sight of her. Because I wanted to throttle her. Pick one," he replied while bending over to pick up one of his torn blankets.

"I get that. Oh, believe me, I get that. What I don't get, though, is you didn't let the local authorities here deal with Jenni. Dammit, John, you had her right here! You found her in your home without your consent, with considerable loss of personal property. Breaking and entering, vandalism. That would at least get her locked up for a minute before a bail hearing. But that won't happen now, will it? I don't believe you. I really don't."

John grew grave in his tone. He continued to walk around her, picking up strewn items, without looking at her square in the eye. "You know I don't deal with cops, Joss. No need."

She scoffed. "Oh really? Is that so? Well, newsflash, John: I am a cop. I was a cop when you met me, remember? I was a cop when you and Finch pulled me into those cases we used to work on back home. So much for you not dealing with cops. Poor explanation, Reese."

"You know what I mean, Joss. Besides, if I let Jenni off, I can better keep tabs on her than if she's in a cell."

"The police could keep tabs on her. And then that frees you up from having to do it. She needs to be in jail, John."

"I understand how you feel, but-"

"No," she said, shaking her head and waving her finger at him. "no, I don't think you do. When I came here to find you, I figured that would be the toughest part of it all. That I'd have to deal with your stubborn ways and your overall bad moods. I was prepared for that. I wasn't prepared for—Jenni. That part I definitely didn't bargain on," she said with a sardonic chuckle.

John sighed. "I know—baby-I know. God, I'm so sorry."

She studied him for a second. "Are you? Are you really, John? I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean by that?" He felt the darkness envelope the room.

"I don't know. I don't know. Just that, if this was a perp back home, she'd be tied up waiting for me or another detective on the doorstep of the 8th. But she's got train fare back home. After all this. I just don't get it, John."

He stopped and smiled then. "Maybe it's because I know what it's like to be afforded a second chance. A third one, even."

At that, her tone softened just a little as she recalled the wreck of a man in front of her at the 8th Precinct. He had taken on Antoine, the wannabe gun runner's son, and all his boys singlehandedly. She watched that tape in awe—and just knew that this guy was no ordinary subway bum. And her opinion was only verified once she met him.

He was indeed different. She couldn't put her finger on it at the time, but somehow she understood him. Right then and there. He was as open as a book to her, when for someone else, someone not attuned to him—like Jenni—he was all sorts of mystery wrapped in enigma. She asked him if he needed help. He had. She got him, right away.

"We aren't talking about you here, John. Despite your gruff exterior and dark past, I still knew you to be a good man. And you proved that time and again. Jenni? The only thing she proves to me is that little blonde college girls still piss me the fuck off."

He laughed aloud at that. It was a good sound, in spite of everything. "I sure do know how to pick them, don't I?"

"I don't think you picked her. She found you and latched on for the ride," she replied. Sighing, and throwing her hands up in the air, she looked around. The place was absolutely trashed.

"Hey," she said. "Where's the broom? And have you got any trash bags?"

John raised his head, a look of loving appreciation on his face. "Aww, Joss, no. You don't have to do that. I'll clean up."

"I wouldn't hear of you doing this alone, John. After all, it's not just your place anymore, now is it? Besides, we might need some prints, potential fibers at some point. Maybe we should take a few pictures."

John pursed his lips together, and shook his head. He did know how to pick them. He picked the best woman on earth to be by his side.

"There's a large straw broom in the back room, behind the tub. Also trash bags. Phone's the only camera I have on hand."

"Okay. Well, time to roll up my sleeves."

"Thank you. I'll be right back. Gotta get the dog out of the truck. He'll get too comfy in there otherwise."

"I'll be here."

A pained look struck him at her words. "You better be," he said before opening the front door to retrieve Bear.

When he returned, he rejoined Joss in the cleanup effort. She had taken some pictures, which he saved into his internal drive. They could be uploaded, even if something happened to the phone. And the Machine had done that work anyway. He still wouldn't tell her about that. Finch's creation, Finch's secret to reveal.

They worked, somewhat in silence, for hours, sweeping, dusting, bagging destroyed items, and sweeping again, making sure that any shards of glass and ceramic were well and truly discarded.

"Taylor's souvenir tee shirts. She even tore up my baby's souvenir tee shirts," she said, her voice wavering with emotion as she continued clearing away the tattered garments.

"We'll get him new ones. And you're getting that dress again. I promise you, honey," John said, gravely, while stopping to grip the broom handle ever tighter.

Later, dishes were washed and dried, the sinks disinfected. Afterwards, John was able to fold the remnants of the sofa bed and, with Joss' help, move it to the back area near the garage. The empty space left a strange void—but at least he was able to clear away all that Jenni had destroyed.

At last, the cabin looked civilized again, sans the sofa pull out and recliner, and the two lovers sighed in relief as they surveyed the now-tidy area of the cabin. John then found several old, large sleeping bags in the small attic upstairs that he was able to air out a little before spreading them out on the floor. Additionally, he found pillows and throws, and pretty soon, a makeshift bedding area for the two of them was born. Much of the floor was covered in sleeping bags, which meant Bear could get in on the action as well. He took full advantage as soon as he knew he could.

After the cleanup, they were able to find some of the dishes and cookware Jenni hadn't managed to ruin and made a cozy dinner for themselves of roasted chicken, frozen vegetables, and pasta. Jenni hadn't thrown out any of the once-fresh produce in the fridge, and that, too, had to be discarded. John composted that, as he did for any other organic material he didn't or couldn't eat.

Their supper was mostly silent, too, each of them, while happy to be in each other's presence, in each other's love, were lost in thought about what had happened. And after their wonderful time in Estes, all both wanted to do was get a good night's rest, bodies entwined, bodies in comfort. The drive, and then the cleanup, had taken their toll.

As daylight turned into evening, the pair stripped each other, and with the splash of the shower, they bathed one another's bodies before drying and finding their places on John's makeshift sleeping space. Joss snuggled her nakedness next to John's and as they found each other's bodies in the darkness, they held on hard, as if to let go was to die. Lips, hands, fingers, tongues—all joined in unison to help them forget all the badness, all of the upheaval Jenni's actions had caused.

As John's body drove him towards the climax he'd been building towards, he cried out into Joss' ear, his warm breath soft on her skin. He panted and groaned, until the storm that rose within subsided and calmed him at her shore. When he'd finally gotten himself to rights, he nuzzled himself deeper into her neck, and held her body tightly against his own. Their sweat mingled, her tightness held him. It was all as it should have been, in that moment, for them both.

"Please," he murmured against her cheek.

"Please what, John?" she asked softly.

"Please…promise me…promise me you'll never stop loving me, Joss. No matter what happens. Can you do that? Can you?"

She caught the light of his eyes in the darkness, their silver-green glinted with the hint of wetness.

She didn't answer him. She didn't have to. Her all-encompassing hug was all the answer he needed to hear.

##

The next morning, however, Joss was in anything but a romantic mood. She loved John. She loved him more than anything else in the world, save her son, but while he had reservations about Jenni's just desserts, she didn't.

After showering and dressing, Joss decided to take Bear on a solo walk of the area. John was fine with that, as he needed to unpack the rest of their camping supplies, as well as liaison with Finch and Sam again about keeping tabs on Jenni. He also needed to think about whether or not going back to New York with this situation hanging over their heads was a wise move. He wanted more than anything to go back, as Joss was home there, and he was home anywhere she was—but the latest developments definitely threw a wrench in those works.

And those awful dreams he used to have in the weeks before Joss' visit threatened to return. It wasn't Laila whose face appeared in jeopardy. It was Joss'. And Jenni was now the star, not Elias.

It nearly went all terrible. But when he woke up, the fear, the dread was gone. His lady lie next to him, her soft, mocha back, naked and beautiful, was turned to him. He pulled her close. It was all right. She was all right.

He'd let her go with the dog. She could handle herself, he thought. And Bear would lay down his own life to keep her safe. There were no worries.

Still, he kept an eye towards both his phone and his window. And the earpiece was indeed back in business.

##

"Mr. Martinson? Hi, Joss Carter, from the NYPD. I need to ask your store associate, Ms. Jennifer Maguire some questions, if you wouldn't mind," Joss said to Jenni's store manager, her badge flashing before his eyes.

Mr. Martinson hesitated. "Wait, she's not in any kind of trouble, is she? I run a clean sporting goods store. I don't want any trouble in here."

Joss smiled a crooked smile. "Oh, just a routine matter, nothing to concern you, Mr. Martinson."

"Routine, huh? What's so 'routine' that the New York City police are asking questions all the way out here?"

She began to grow impatient with the store manager. "Mr. Martinson, I really don't have all day. My dog friend needs to get a move on. Please have her some speak with me."

Mr. Martinson dutifully called Jenni out from the back room, where she had been putting away duck boots.

Upon seeing Joss, her face flushed beet red, and Joss couldn't remember in all her years and all her perps anyone flash a look a hatred towards her the way Jenni did.

Well, that made two of them.

"Get out," Jenni said menacingly.

"Not until I've had my say. Let's go. Outside. Now. Or I'll arrest you on the spot. Right here."

"You can't do that. You have no jurisdiction," Jenni said, though not fully sure if she couldn't or not.

"You wanna test me, girl? I said, outside. Now!"

"Go on, Jennifer," Mr. Martinson said, not sure if he was liking what he was hearing. "Go on. Clear this up, whatever it is."

Jennifer looked at him, then at Joss. Realizing she had little choice, she followed Joss outside.

"What do you want? You have John. Go on and fuck him."

"Yes, I do have John. And you, with your little racist self, can't stand it. Is that why you trashed our house?"

"Your house? That was my house! Mine, with John, before you came along, so watch it!" she spat.

In her daily interactions, Joss often had to be a tough cop. But in many ways, she was a sensitive sort, ready to help anyone who needed it, provided they were trying to do right by themselves or others. She could have patience for some of the worst of the worst, could find ways to empathize with them, even. But this chick? Did she have problems? Was she in love with a man who didn't want her, and it was driving her crazy? Tough shit. Real tough. John was off the table for Jenni. He always had been. And she had better get used to it.

"Watch what, you little bitch? You tore up my things because you don't know how to deal with rejection like a grown ass woman is supposed to. You tore up my son's things because you didn't get hugged enough by your mama or something, I don't know. You made yourself out crazy because you thought you were better than me, and that a man like John would be nuts to want me over you. Well I got news for you. John has loved me since he met me. And I didn't have to lift a finger to get him to do it. I sure as hell didn't trash his damn house! And you don't fool me. I've seen all kinds in my time. I know you're a hateful little bitch. John may sympathize with you, but I sure as hell don't."

"Stop it!" Jenni exclaimed. "I have to go back to work. I don't have to listen to—"

As Jenni tried to turn and go back into the store, Joss caught her arm. She was fire now, and this woman would know it. She spoke through clenched teeth.

"Oh, yes, you do! You do have to listen to me. John could never love you. You know why? Because you suck the life out of him. I haven't known you as long as he has, and I can tell that much. All you do is bring him misery."

"No, no, you got it wrong. All wrong. We were happy! We were! Before you! You, in his dreams every night. You couldn't even leave us alone there. Always back to his precious Joss. Who's the one meddling, huh, Joss? You! You came all the way out here to get John back. But why did he come here in the first place? Because YOU made him unhappy! Yes, he told me," she said, when she saw the downcast expression out of the corner of her eye, if only fleetingly, on her face.

"He didn't say a lot about it when I asked him about the dreams. But he did tell me a little about you. I made him, after one-two many times of hearing him call out for you. You cut him loose. That's why I got him. And he was wonderful. Caring, tender, a wonderful lover and man to me. Me, Joss! You're one to talk about me causing him misery. What about you, Joss? What about you?"

Her words stung. Yes, she had let him go. But she had been angry at the time. Leila's life was at stake, and an important witness was taken because of John's actions. But she'd never wanted him to leave the city, leave the work he'd been doing.

She had never meant to make him flee.

"You're right, Jenni. John did leave because of me and some issues we had back in New York. But when we had those issues, and I couldn't allow him to think that his actions were okay, I let him know that. He wasn't going to take advantage of that. You, though. Needy little girl who can't see when a man doesn't want her. Frankly, if I knew John's love and heart weren't mine, I wouldn't be here. Let a man make a fool of me like this? Where's your dignity, girl?"

Jenni scoffed. "So, you admit you came here to take him from me."

"I admit no such thing. I didn't even know you existed until I heard him speaking to you on the phone."

"And that didn't matter to you, that he had a woman in his life."

"I kept my distance. John wanted ME. Never made a secret of that. I was just too focused on other things to see it. But it wasn't until your little stunt during dinner that time that he threw your ass out. He would have tried to make something with you work, out of obligation, because that's the kind of man he is. You just made it easy for him not to."

"Well, now you have him," she said, her eyes watering, her lips quivering. "Nothing I can do about that."

"No," Joss said. "We love each other. But let me tell you something. You stay away from John and me, you understand?"

"Or, what, Joss?" she sneered.

"Oh, you'll see or what, Jennifer. I am not the one you want to mess with."

"Maybe you are," Jenni said. "Maybe you're just the one. See what John thinks then, hmm?"

At that one, something inside Joss snapped. Before she knew her strength, she grabbed Jenni by the arm and spun her around, twisting said arm behind her back.

"Ow! Ow, let go of me! Ow, let go!"

Her protests only tightened the grip. It wasn't until Jenni realized this that she stopped fighting.

"Look, you little blonde witch. You go can try if you think you're bad enough. But I tell you now, I will beat the breaks off you, and then have my friends in the Golden PD throw your ass in jail for criminal trespass."

Jenni began to whimper. "You wouldn't dare hurt me. What would John say? And you…you have no proof of that, that I was there at all. Ow! Ow, let me go, you nigg-!"

Joss lightly slammed her face against the window of the store. Not to hurt her, just enough for her to feel it—and the NYPD cop's capacity for pain.

"Don't you dare! I will break this arm. Think I won't? Talk some more racist shit!"

"Let me go!" Jenni continued to protest. "You don't have a right to hold me!"

Don't I? Fingerprints all over the house? We kept a bag of the mess you made as evidence, little girl. All I have to do is make a phone call. Or slap the cuffs on you myself, haul your ass in."

"Then why don't you? Owww!" Tears began to smart her eyes.

"Because John still seems to think there's something redemptive in you. Me, I just think you're a sneaky, little bigot who can't stand that she got beat at her own game. But for him, I'll let you be free. Best believe, though, I'm watching you. You better tow that fine line, girl, or you will have it!"

"Let me go!"

Joss finally released the pressure. "Fine. With pleasure. I said what all I had to say anyway. My dog, Bear, needs to finish his walk. Be sure to have a nice day, Jenni."

Walking down to the pole she had Bear hitched to, Joss put her shades on in the warm Golden sun and continued on in the opposite direction to retrieve him. Her loose locks blew lightly in the breeze. The conversation was over.

Jenni stood there, practically dumbfounded, her arm smarting in mild pain.

Mr. Martinson waited a few minutes, having heard most of what had taken place, before coming out.

"Jennifer, what's this all about? Are you in some of kind of trouble? Now, you're a great salesgirl, and all, but I run a clean store. I don't want any trouble."

Jennifer smiled, even though a loose tear had fallen down her cheek. Her voice was shaky—but undeniably menacing.

"Oh, don't you worry, Mr. Martinson. You're not the one who'll be seeing trouble. No. Not you."

A/N: Joss was restrained, I'll admit, but she still gave Jenni a piece of her mind, in a way John only hints at sometimes. Good they were able to clear up and have intimacy, in spite of everything. Next offerings will have us return to Fusco and the Leila situation, while the finality of Jenni's story in John's life will come to a head. Thanks for all the reading, and all the reviews of late, and again, I promise I will try to be more punctual with these chaps. Stay tuned!