-Christina's POV-

I squirmed with excitement as I unpacked the banquet I'd packed for Jackie and I, and laid it out on the blanket. "I brought fish, milk," Jackie chortled and gave an exaggerated 'Meow'. I teasingly flicked one of her ears before resuming the unpacking of the picnic basket. "Also bananas, toasted coconut, strawberries, oranges, and..." I paused for dramatic effect; "Drizzling chocolate and whipped cream!" She squealed with joy and threw her arms around my neck, giving me an enthusiastic smack on the lips. I pulled her closer, hands anchored on her hips as I deepened the kiss. She purred, low in her throat, and I smiled against her mouth.

When we pulled away, I rested my forehead against hers and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "I love you, Kitten." My breath caught when I saw the love and laughter shimmering in her eyes. "I love you, Monkey." She purred and rubbed her nose against mine. Relieved, elated, overflowing with love, and joy that she was mine, I closed my eyes for a moment and let the emotions wash over me like a wave. When I opened them, I saw she was smiling shyly at me. I grinned, and pulled the whipped cream from behind my back. "Open your mouth." I told her. She obeyed, and I couldn't help but be reminded of a baby bird. The thought made me laugh a little, a cat-girl looking like a bird. She closed her mouth, humming with pleasure, then licked her lips to catch any stray cream.

I giggled, watching her try to lick her own nose to get the last of the cream. Finally I took pity on her and wiped it off, licking the whipped cream off my finger. "What do you want to start with?" I asked as she surveyed the array of delectable options. She licked her lips hungrily and eyed the fish, cat ears twitching. I laughed and reached around her to pull out some paper plates. "Fish it is." I winked and she stuck her tongue out at me, but accepted the plate of warm fillets.

As we munched on the fish, drank the cold milk, and nibbled on the chocolate-drenched fruit, we talked and laughed and kissed. At Jackie's suggestion, we played Two Truths and a Lie, where if you guessed right you got whipped cream sprayed into your mouth. And we even played hide and seek, which I won most of the time because she couldn't find me in the trees. It was the best afternoon I'd had in forever, and I never wanted it to end.

It was around four when the wind picked up and it started to get chilly, and I noticed Jackie had started to shiver. It was my fault, I hadn't told her we were going to be outside, so she hadn't brought a jacket. I draped my jean jacket over her shoulders, but she was still shivering since the denim didn't hold heat well. Suddenly, I had an idea to keep us both warm. And, I realized with a grin, it would ensure some snuggle time. After packing up the last of the fruit we hadn't eaten, I shut the basket with a snap and stood up to shake the crumbs and grass off the blanket. Then I snuck up behind Jackie, wearing the blanket like a cloak, and wrapped my arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck, smiling at the purr that slipped past her lips. She turned around, smiling, and slipped her arms around my neck. I wrapped the blanket around us both as she pulled my head down for a kiss, and she tasted like whipped cream and coconut with a hint of strawberry.

As I ran my hands over her arms, I realized that the goosebumps that dotted her skin reminded me of something from long ago. "You feel like Braille." I mumbled against her mouth, still running my fingers over her skin as she warmed up. Curious, she pulled away to look into my eyes and ask, "How do you know Braille?" "I-I.." I closed my eyes, angry at myself for ruining the happy mood. "You can tell me anything, Cristy." Jackie told me gently, running her fingers soft down my cheek.

I sighed and sat down, pulling her onto my lap as I wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "I had a friend, a long time ago, that was blind. He was blinded as a child, when his mother left her pills out and he ate some, thinking they were candy." I stopped, swallowing hard as I fought back the tears. "He had to relearn everything, from eating to tying his shoelaces to- to recognizing his friends and family." A tear slipped down my cheek as the memories washed over me. "He loved to read and draw. I helped him label his colored pencils and crayons, and we learned Braille together." Jackie gently wiped the tears from my cheeks, smoothing her hand through my hair to comfort me as I cried.

After a long while, she quietly asked, "What happened to him?" The tears began to fall afresh as I told her. "He went away, to go to a boarding school for sight-challenged. We write to each other, but I haven't seen him in years." She pulled me closer, cradling me to her chest, and I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and cried into her shirt as I let myself remember Caleb. She let me cry, rubbing my back as my salty tears soaked into her sky-blue top.

After what seemed like a long time, I had cried myself out, and Jackie shifted so that she could lean against the trunk of a nearby tree, and I snuggled into her warmth. Soon, we fell asleep, wrapped in each other's embrace, under the shelter of the cedar tree.