Rachel heard the garage door open and close and moved to quickly clean up what she could of her dinner preparations.  Running her hands through her newly darkened hair, she waited--nervous and anxious as to what JC's reaction would be to her being a brunette again.  She hadn't dyed her hair this dark since the first time they had met at Megan and Jackson's wedding.  She had been itching for a change for the last couple weeks and had finally decided today on what she had wanted to do. 

"Sass?"  He asked as he rounded the corner.  "I--" he stopped when he saw her and stood there speechless for a moment.  His eyes ran over her, taking in her changed appearance.  "Damn." He said, finally finding his voice again.  "Have I...have I stepped into some kind of time warp?" He asked.  "When did you..."

"Today." She replied as he moved toward her.  She watched as he set his keys down on the counter then came to stand right in front of her.  "It was time for a change."

He nodded slightly, an unreadable expression on his face.  Before she could question him on it though, his lips were on hers.  Taking his silence and aggressive attack as a good sign, Rachel leaned into him and kissed him back.  His arms wound around her waist as his tongue first traced along her bottom lip, and then plunged in to her ready and willing mouth--coaxing hers into a slow and seductive dance.  How he was able, with one kiss, to completely disarm her and take away any sense of control on her part was still a mystery to her.  This last month being married to him had been the happiest and most intensely passionate days of her life!  Being JC's girlfriend and then fiancé had given her a chance to see almost every side of this man and who he was.  Being his wife, however, had taken them both to a completely new level.  Marriage had always been something he had shied away from, in the past, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out why.  It had brought them closer together in ways she couldn't have imagined and the level of intimacy they shared was almost earth shattering at times.  Her world had been rocked on numerous occasions and there were times she could swear she felt the earth tilt a little when they kissed.

As if her thoughts had taken on a life of their own, Rachel felt the floor beneath them move slightly. "Did you feel that?" She asked pulling away from JC and looking down at their feet.

"Feel what?" He asked as he pulled her closer-his lips planting themselves on her neck.

"You didn't feel that?" She continued, a slight tone of panic lacing her voice as he proceeded to nibble on her.  "Seriously?  I swear I just felt the ground move."

JC chuckled as he pulled back and looked at her.  "I always feel the ground move when I kiss you, Sass."

Rachel rolled her eyes.  "That's not what I mean.  I--"

The ground shuddered beneath them again-this time more forceful and obvious--and Rachel let out a squeal as she flung herself at JC.  Gripping him tightly, she clung to him in fear as the dishes in the cupboards beside them rattled for a second.  "See?!" She exclaimed.  "I told you I felt something!  It's an earthquake.  We're going to die!"

JC couldn't contain his laughter at her dramatics.  "Relax." He told her, still chuckling.  "We're not going to die."

"How do you know?" She asked, still holding onto him tightly like she was drowning and he was her lifeline.  "You don't know that."

"You're right." He said with a nod, his arms winding around her.  "I don't know that for sure, but I'm pretty positive we're not going to die right now."

"Promise?" She asked, finally releasing her hold on him just enough to look him in the eyes.

"I promise." He assured her.  "That was nothing." He said, his hands coming up to brush the hair back from her face.

"How do you know?" She asked, hesitantly.

"Because I've been living here long enough and have gone through my share of earthquakes to know." He replied.  "That one was nothing.  Hardly even registered, I bet.  Why are you so afraid?" He asked, his blue eyes delving into hers.

"Uhm...hello!" She exclaimed.  "The ground is not supposed to move!  Plus," she continued.  "I was in an earthquake once when I was visiting some of my cousins as a kid up in Portland.  It scared me to death.  And I've seen one too many movies where the ground opens up and swallows people in after an earthquake."

JC laughed again and Rachel pushed him away.  "This isn't funny, JC." She told him angrily.  "I don't appreciate you laughing at me about this." She huffed as she folded her arms across her chest and turned to leave.

"No, wait!" He called out, taking a step and reaching out to stop her.  "I'm sorry." He apologized.  "I know you're scared and I didn't mean to laugh.  It just...struck me as being funny."  Rachel huffed again and tried to pull away from him but he held on to her.  "But it's not.  I'm sorry." He said again, sincerely. 

"It's no more funny than your irrational fear of needles."  She muttered under her breath.

"I'm not afraid of them." JC countered.  "I just...don't like the idea of someone sticking something into my body or taking out my blood."  He justified.  "Plus, they hurt like a motherfu--" he stopped at the sharp look she gave him.  "They hurt.  I don't like them."

"No more than I don't like the idea of being sucked into the center of the Earth."  Rachel replied.

"Fair enough." JC agreed.  "Although I've heard it's pretty cool down there." He continued, a spark of mischief flashing in his eyes.  "There's supposed to be dinosaurs and cool stuff like that down there."

This time it was Rachel who laughed.  "You are such a dork." She replied, allowing him to pull her back into his arms.  He grinned as he pulled her flush against him, his lips pressing against hers.  Rachel wound her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.  When he released her again, Rachel licked her lips as she looked at him.  "Tell you what." She said, her fingers scratching at the back of his neck as his arms tightened around him.  "I'll protect you from all unnecessary needles, if you promise to protect me from any and all future earthquakes."

"Okay." He said with a grin, leaning down for another kiss.  "Wait." He said, pulling back at the last second and looking at her.  He narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side.  "How come I have to do all earthquakes but you only have to do the unnecessary needles?  Does that mean there are some needles you're not going to protect me from?  I don't think that's fair."

"Some needles are necessary." Rachel answered, fighting the smile that wanted to break out.  "The flu shot, for instance." She listed.  "And what if you get cut on some rusty piece of metal and need to get a tetanus shot?" She asked. 

"Where--"

"Or what if you get bit by some kind of wild animal and have to get a rabies shot?" She continued.  "I'm not going to protect you from those.  Those needles are necessary."

"Where in the hell am I going to come in contact with a rusty piece of metal or a wild animal?" JC asked with a laugh.

"It can happen." Rachel replied.  "Believe me.  You never know.  This one time, I stepped on my belt buckle in the middle of the night--impaled my heel--and had to get a tetanus shot.  Megan was not happy with me for making her drive me to the ER at one in the morning.  Quit acting like it's impossible that you'll ever need a tetanus shot.  It can happen.   And if it does happen, you are getting those shots.  End of discussion." She stated firmly, poking her finger in his chest for emphasis. 

"So really," he said, pursing his lips as if in deep thought.  "I'm the one doing all the protecting in this little deal of yours."

Rachel thought about it for a moment then nodded.  "Mmmm...yep.  Because you're the man and it's your job to be the protector." She grinned and he laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"Alright, fine."  He said with exaggeration.  "I promise to protect you from any and all future earthquakes." He pledged as he lowered his mouth to hers once again to seal the deal with a kiss. 

"How?" She asked, stopping him-her lips moving against his.

"How?" He echoed.

"Yes.  How?" She questioned again.  "How are you going to protect me from earthquakes and the possibility of being sucked into the center of the Earth?  I need to know this before this deal is finalized.  I need to know if your terms of protection are adequate and acceptable."

JC pulled back and looked at her, one dark brow raised.  "I am going to protect you from any and all future earthquakes by completely distracting you, of course." He answered as if the answer were obvious.  His hands coming up to frame her face as his lips once again took hers.  "The only rockin' you're going to notice from here on out, is me rockin' your body."

Rachel threw back her head and laughed.  "Thank you, Justin Timberlake." She quipped and he grinned.    

"No problem." He replied.  "Now, can we get on with this distracting business?" He asked, pulling her even closer than she already was.  He lowered his head, his lips burning a trail down the side of her neck.  Rachel shivered.  "This darker hair color is making me have all sorts of flashbacks here."  He murmered, his lips continuing to tease her.  "All I want to do is find a back room somewhere where I can completely take advantage of you."

Rachel giggled.  "So, I take it you like it?" She asked, her eyes sliding closed reflexively and her head falling back--granting him easier access to her throat.  She wasn't sure how he was going to react to her changed hair color but she had figured if he hated it, she could always dye it back to her natural blonde.  He growled his approval and she grinned, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.  He liked it.

"Though I have to admit," he said pulling back and looking down at her.  The look in his eyes made her stomach quiver in anticipation.  "It kind of feels a little naughty." His eyes sparked with desire.

"How so?" She chuckled, her eyes moving between his eyes and lips, wondering how long he was going to stand there and talk instead of kissing her.

"It's like I'm making out with someone who isn't my wife." He told her.  This time her eyes stayed on his. "But you are." He grinned devilishly.  "So this is completely okay."

Rachel laughed.  "I love you." She said, her arms tightening around him as she looked into his eyes.  "You know that right?"

He smiled.  "I love you more." He replied, placing a kiss to the tip of her nose.  "Even if you do refuse to protect me from needles," he continued making her laugh again.  His lips pressed against her warmly.  "I love you more."