what may or may not be hard reality

Title: Love the One You're With: How Jen got laid for six years in outer space (well, this mostly happened back on Earth) – the sappy fourth installment
Author: Fallon Ash
Fandom: Defying Gravity
Pairing: Jen/Zoe, mentions of Jen/Eve, Zoe/OFC
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own them!
Word Count: 487
Summary: "So, who was the first woman you slept with?"
Author's Note: Still haven't seen the show... it premieres tonight! X-posted to defygravity_fem. If you came here and wondered how you missed the third installment, it was guest-written by sakuracorr and can be found HERE over at defygravity_fem.

***


"So, who was the first woman you slept with?" Jen turned her head where it was pillowed on Zoe's lap to look up at Zoe.

Who was quiet for a moment. "I've only slept with one woman other than you... Her name was Monica, and we met in college."

"You've never told me about her."

"No. I... she was... I really am mostly straight. When we first met I was trying to tell myself it had just been a phase..." Zoe drifted off.

Jen watched Zoe for a while. "You were in love with her."

Zoe smiled, her eyes unfocused. "Yeah. We lived in the same dorm our sophomore year, and we became friends, then lovers. It's actually the longest relationship I've ever had, we were together until graduation, but then she went on to join the FBI, and I went to ISO..." She drifted off.

Jen took Zoe's hand where it rested on Jen's stomach, squeezing it gently. "You didn't stay in touch?"

"No... We were both focused on our careers, and we just drifted apart. Still, I wonder sometimes, but then I wouldn't have been here if I'd gone with her, so." Zoe drew a breath. Her eyes re-focused on Jen. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

Zoe poked her. "Grand loves, hot affairs, something you haven't told me."

"Eve Shaw."

"Oh my god, you slept with Eve Shaw?!"

"Yeah." Jen smiled.

"When?"

"Few years ago. I ran into her when I spent a weekend on business in Boston, and she was there on an unrelated business trip. It's as clichéd as it can get. We met in the hotel bar, and ended up sleeping together. We never spoke of it again, and I never told you because, well, it was dumb. Having a one night stand with the director of your program?"

"Well, if you'd told me, maybe I wouldn't have done the same dumb thing..."

Jen laughed. "Oh. Yeah. You went around pining for him so long, though, I didn't even think of it as the same thing."

Zoe shook her head. "I don't wanna talk about him now. Tell me something else about you."

Jen bit her lip for a while as she thought. "I fall in love too easily."

"Duh. I could have told you that."

Jen looked away, half-smiled. "Well, yeah. But I haven't told you I'm in love with you."

"You are?" Zoe's eyes became wide.

"Just a little. I fall in love so easily. You're my best friend, and I love you, but I'm a little in love with you as well."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"I'm not... I'm not in love with you. I mean, I love you, but I'm not..."

"I know."

"I mean, you're my friend, and we sleep together, but it's not like..."

"I know. And it's ok."

"Oh." Pause. "It's just that..."

"You're babbling."

"I know."

"You should kiss me instead."

Zoe blinked. Smiled. "Ok."

for now

***