Dart finds a few albums and carries them over to the table where Jo is already sitting. He lays one of them down in front of Jo and walks over to the kitchen. He comes back with two glasses and a bottle of wine. He pours them both a glass and sits down next to her. Jo opens the album and stares at the cutest baby she's ever seen. Chubby, blonde and staring right into the camera. She stares at the picture and says: "You have always been handsome." 

Dart chuckles and says: "Yeah right. Next." Jo falls in love with baby Dart immediately. He looks way too cute in all of his pictures. Jo turns the page and sees little Dart in a high chair, covered in chocolate with an ecstatic look on his face. 

Jo laughs and says: "You look very happy there." 

Dart chuckles and says: "My mom hated that picture. But my dad put it in the album anyway. He always said that kids weren't supposed to be perfect." 

Jo turns the page and tilts her head, looking at a picture that seemed like one of Dart at first glance, but she quickly realizes it's his dad. "You look so much like him."

Dart leans over and studies his dad's picture. "Yeah, I guess I do. Never seen it, until now. He must be about the same age as I am now, in that picture." Dart points out a picture of him with a dark haired boy in a tent and says: "That's Pierre. We were six or seven there and I had convinced my dad to let us camp in the backyard. It was very scary, all alone in a tent, in the dark. But we didn't want to admit we were scared, so we stayed in the tent and eventually fell asleep. It was Pierre's first holiday experience."

Jo smiles at the story and Dart points out another picture with a grin. "If only we had grown up in the same area Jo, we could have read comic books together in our tree house." Jo looks at the two boys in a tree house, surrounded by comic books, both smiling wide. 

"Were there any girls allowed in your tree house?" 

Dart looks into her eyes and says: "To be truly honest, we were convinced girls didn't read comic books." 

Jo laughs and says: "I thought so, after reading the comic you made with Pierre."

Dart flips through the album and shows her another picture and says: "See? Tall, skinny and awkward." Jo looks at the picture and she sees all he mentioned, but she also sees that signature smile. A little crooked and sexy, even at that age. She tells him and he looks at her in disbelief. 

Jo kisses him and says: "I'm pretty sure some girls must have seen it too back then." 

Dart thinks about it for a second and says: "Hmm, maybe. But I always managed to trip or say something weird. Even Pierre had more game and he has always been the silent one." 

Jo takes a sip from her wine and says: "I can see that. I was drawn to him too. But I would at least have admired you from a distance with a smile like that." 

Dart kisses her and says: "From a distance? Why?" 

"I don't think I would have been able to talk to you. I still find it hard sometimes, when you smile at me." Dart immediately smiles at her and Jo covers her eyes, laughing. 

Dart searches for a picture in a different album and finds it. "The first pictures of me in a suit." Jo looks at the pictures and sees a tall, skinny Dart, in a light blue suit. His arm around a girl with curly hair and a friendly face. 

"Light blue looks good on you. And who is the cute girl?" 

Dart says: "She was the daughter of my dad's business partner. She was one year older and I think her parents made her go to the dance with me. I thought she was cute too. But yeah, awkward."

Jo leans back in her chair and studies his face. She can feel the awkwardness coming from him and she asks: "So tell me about your first kiss." 

Dart's jaw drops and he says: "Why? I'd rather tell you about my last one." He winks at her and Jo laughs. 

"Was it that bad?" 

Dart rubs his neck and says: "It was pretty great, actually. My first kiss was when I was 16, with Pierre's older sister." Jo stares at him, totally not expecting an answer like that. She somehow thought he would have been early with everything. Dart continues and says: "She was my first everything to be completely honest here." 

Jo studies his face and body language and asks: "Why are so uncomfortable about it?" 

Dart stares at a point on the wall and says: "You notice too much about me." 

Jo whispers: "I'm sorry I asked." Dart stays quiet for a long time and then places his hand, palm side up, on her leg. Jo puts her hand in his and he gives it a squeeze. 

"I'm sorry Jo. I will tell you about it. She was four years older and was a great teacher. She showed me how to kiss and touch a girl. And eventually how to satisfy a woman in bed. I was deeply in love with her. But once she taught me everything, she moved on to another boy, without ever even looking at me again. It broke my heart." He takes a deep breath and Jo squeezes his hand. "I almost lost my friendship with Pierre because of it. He didn't speak to me for two weeks when he found out." 

Dart drinks the rest of his wine in one go and fills his glass again. "Now you know how I ended up doing the work I did. And why I never had real love, until I met you. I really was convinced love was something made up by cruel people." 

Jo strokes his neck and says: "It's starting to sound more and more like destiny, with every piece of the puzzle. We are made for each other. But we needed to experience the darker side of life first, before we could appreciate what we have now."

Dart whispers her name and pulls her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling her neck. He whispers her name again and Jo clings to him, giving him all the love and comfort he needs. She tries to heal his scars with all the love she has for him, holding him close. Jo whispers in his ear: "Come on handsome. Let's go to bed. I will hold you all night. You need to rest." Jo gets up from his lap and holds her hand out to him. He takes her hand and follows her in silence. 

In his room, Jo takes her dress off and lays down in his bed. He takes his pants off and lingers at the edge of the bed. Jo opens her arms to him and he gets into bed, laying his head down on her chest. Jo wraps an arm around his back and strokes his hair with her other hand, whispering she loves him over and over. He eventually relaxes on her chest and falls asleep. Jo thinks about him. He seems so strong and confident, but that awkward boy and that slightly older, hurt boy are still in there. They never had a chance to heal. Jo listens to his calm breathing and falls asleep herself.

Dart opens his eyes slowly and the first thing he sees is an A-team poster. He blinks a few times and then realizes his head is resting on a chest. His brain has trouble catching up for a while, but in the end he remembers. He is in his old room with Jo. He lifts his head up to look at the beautiful woman in his teenage bed. He tells his awkward teenage self, that he will end up with the girl of his dreams. He kisses her stomach softly and whispers: "It's hard to believe you are really here." Jo stirs a little and he holds his breath. She mumbles his name and seems to reach for him. He smiles and pulls her against his chest. Jo smiles and mumbles: "I love you." 

He checks to see if she's awake, but her cheeks are still red and her breathing is slow and steady. He rubs his thumb over her lower lip, staring at her mouth. Her lower lip pouts a little and it's too much, he softly sucks on it. She opens one of her eyes and smiles, pulling her lip from his mouth. He pouts and she uses the opportunity to bite his lip. He chuckles and says: "Good morning love." 

Jo speaks in a voice, still thick from sleep: "Morning." She lifts her arms and tries to stretch out, whining a little, before saying: "I feel like a train rolled over me." 

Dart laughs and says: "Close. I think a Dart slept on top of you all night." 

Jo laughs and says: "I might have to make this Dart person massage me, to make it up to me."

Dart looks her over and says: "Well... lay down on your stomach." Jo turns on her stomach and Dart sits down on top of her, massaging her shoulders. Jo's muscles relax more and more under his fingers. He moves his fingers down her back, while drawing circles with his thumbs. Jo moans softly and he slides his hands down lower, kissing the skin he just massaged. He grabs her hips and flips her over. Jo stares at him with dark eyes full of desire and pushes him over the edge. 

He kisses her deep and slow, loosing control fast. She welcomes him into her warm body and he stifles her moans by kissing her. He whispers a sorry, collapsing on top of her and Jo holds him close with a proud smile. He lifts his head and is surprised by the look on her face. He pushes himself up and mumbles: "I ended up on top of you again." 

Jo laughs and says: "Yes. I was supposed to get a massage and you were supposed to be punished." Jo tries to pout, but bites her lip, trying to hide her smile. 

 Dart stares into her eyes and says: "Why do you seem so happy about it?" 

Jo gives in to the wide smile she was trying to hide. "I'm not sure. I guess I feel like I won. I love it when you loose control like that." She kisses his surprised mouth and he still stares at her. Jo pushes against his chest and he turns on his back. Jo climbs on top him and still smiles, seeing him blush a little. She touches his cheeks and says: "That shy side is really cute." 

He blushes more and mumbles: "Don't say things like shy and cute about me." 

Jo smiles and says: "Shy, cute, shy, cute, shy, cute." Dart tickles her and Jo falls on top of him, laughing, until tears form in her eyes. Dart holds her close to him and kisses her nose. 

"Damn Jo, so many feelings, dreams coming true... I don't even know what to say, feel or think right now." 

Jo snuggles up to him and says: "It's really great to be here with you and to see all the different sides of you. I love you even more now." Dart whispers her name, unable to say more. Jo runs her fingers across his chest, sighing happily. She lifts her head suddenly and asks: "Shouldn't we check on your mum?" 

Dart kisses the top of her head and says: "Yeah, I guess we should. Let's get dressed." 

Jo gets up and asks: "What are we doing today? What should I wear?" 

Dart sits down at the edge of the bed and looks her over from head to toe. "Err, sorry. Got distracted there for a second. Jeans, shirt and your boots. I want to walk around the neighborhood with you." Jo cocks her hip and blows him a kiss, before getting dressed quickly. Dart chuckles and gets dressed, leading Jo over to the bathroom. 

He leans against the doorway and stares at her. Jo brushes her teeth, washes her face and laughs at the sight of her hair. She takes the braid out and brushes her hair out of her face, forcing the wild curls into a high ponytail. She looks at Dart through the mirror and smiles when she sees the look in his eyes. The look of a teenage boy, who can't believe the girl he loves is actually there. 

She puts on some mascara, red lip gloss and puts her glasses back on. She turns around to face Dart and he shyly smiles at her. She walks over to him and messes up his hair, before pushing her body against his, squeezing herself out of the door. She sees desire flash in his eyes and walks away from him, swaying her hips. When she reaches the stairs, she hears noises coming from below and she smells coffee.

She walks down the stairs and sees Claire in the kitchen. Jo smiles at her and says: "Bonjour Claire." Claire smiles back at her and greats her lovingly. 

"Would you like some coffee Jo? And I have some toast too." 

Jo sits down at the other side of the island and says: "I would love some coffee and toast. How is your ankle?" Claire pours her a cup of coffee and puts a plate of toast in front of Jo. 

"My family physician come over this morning and he said I was very lucky to have a nurse like you. It's a sprain and it will hurt for a while, but it's not serious at all. He gave me some painkillers and told me to try and move around on it." Jo nods relieved and sips her coffee with her eyes closed. Claire moves over to her side and sits down next to her. "Oh you have beautiful curls. I didn't notice that yesterday. Anyway, thank you for helping me. You have such a kind love inside of you and when you share it... incroyable." 

Jo looks at Claire with soft eyes, not a speck of resentment in them. And Dart stares at the two of them in amazement. He came down quietly and they haven't noticed he's there yet. He still can't believe what he is looking at. Jo leans over to his mom and whispers something in her ear and Claire makes eye contact with him. Claire starts to laugh softly and says: "Bonjour, mon fils."

Dart walks over to them with a smile. He kisses his mother on the cheek and says: "Bonjour maman." He grabs himself a coffee and says: "I am guessing Jo told you I was standing there."

 His mum nods and says: "She did." 

Dart mumbles: "She's a witch, I tell you." 

Jo eats a piece of buttered toast with an amused look in her eyes. Claire asks about the proposal and the wedding and Dart tells her all about it with a twinkle in his eyes. She points at the photo albums on the table and asks: "Were you looking at those last night?" 

Dart blushes a little, thinking back on last night and Jo says: "Yes. He was a very cute baby. I couldn't stop staring at him." 

Claire smiles lovingly and says: "Yes, everybody loved him. He smiled all the time. And that chubby little body. He could have been a model back then too." Jo and Claire smile together and Dart sighs happily, knowing Jo saved him. 

He remembers something and runs back upstairs, yelling out that he will be right back. Jo and Claire move to the table to look at some of the pictures together. Jo points at one of them and says: "I love that smile. Sexy, shy, cute and cheeky at the same time." 

Claire laughs at Jo's honesty and says: "He used to make some of my female friends very uncomfortable with that smile, but he had no clue about it." 

Dart walks in, hearing his mother say that last sentence and says: "What? Really?" 

Claire looks at him for a while and then admits it. "Yes, really. You were always so kind to them, but half of them got seriously flustered when you smiled at them. Especially when you got older." His mum seems to be lost in thought and then says: "Your dad had the same kind of smile." Dart hugs his mum and kisses her cheek. She smiles at him and asks: "Why did you run off?" 

Dart hands her the framed pictured he got from his suitcase. Claire studies the picture of little Jo in the middle of a puddle. And says in a soft tone: "She looks so proud of herself. Strong even. What a cute, little fireball." Dart proudly tells her the story behind the picture and his mother laughs loud. 

Jo says: "My poor mother. She tried so hard to turn me into a nicely dressed, well behaved little girl. And I was the complete opposite." 

 Claire goes silent and then says: "You defied your mother and you lost your dad too, right?" 

Jo nods and says softly: "I lost my way when he died." 

Claire looks over at Dart and says: "Just like D'Artagnan."

Dart and Jo stare at each other, putting the pieces together and whisper in unison: "Destined to be together." Dart leans down to kiss her softly, with his eyes full of raw emotion. Jo whispers: "I'm starting to think our dads have something to do with it." Dart looks at her and nods slowly. Jo asks: "Did he ever see that comic you made with Pierre?" 

His eyes grow wide and he says a bit hoarse: "Yes. He told me to keep searching until I found a girl like that, to not settle for anything less than perfect." 

Dart gets teary eyed and his mum asks: "What comic?" Jo runs upstairs to get it and when she comes back, Claire is hugging Dart. Jo freezes, a step away from them, but Claire says: "Get in here Jo. Heal my boy." Jo smiles softly and puts her arms around Dart and Claire. Claire steps back and puts Darts arm around Jo with a soft look in her eyes. Darts sinks into Jo's embrace and Jo rubs his back. Dart lifts his head and leans his forehead against Jo's, breathing in and out slowly. 

Jo whispers: "I love you. I'm here for you." He kisses her slowly and pulls her over to a chair and sits down on it, pulling her onto his lap. He kisses her cheek and Jo hands the comic to Claire, who sits down next to them. Claire turns the page and sees the drawing Pierre made. She looks from the page to Jo and back to the page. A smile forms on her lips and she says: "It looks like you found her. And now I understand what your dad meant." 

They both stare at Claire and Dart says: "What dad meant?" 

Claire looks at him and says: "I'm sorry for never telling you. I just had no idea what he meant back then. In the hospital he asked me if you were coming and I said yes. He was afraid you might be too late and he said: "Tell him to keep searching. For the girl in the comic."Jo wraps her arm around his neck and pulls him against her chest, kissing his hair. He holds her tight, with his eyes closed against her chest. Claire keeps saying: "I'm sorry." 

Jo holds her hand out to Claire and says: "Don't be sorry. I don't think Dart would have been ready to hear or understand it, if you told him back then." 

Dart kisses Jo's cheek and says: "And now that I've found her, it makes the message even more valuable." 

Claire squeezes Jo's hand and says: "That is so true. All when I tried to chase her away." Jo gets up from Dart's lap and places her hands on Claire's shoulder. 

"Maman? Please stop blaming yourself for all of it. It will not help you or Dart one bit. Let's just try to trust on love. The love you had for your husband and the love you and I have for Dart. In the end all that matters is how we choose to live from this day forward." Claire's jaw drops and she looks at Dart. 

Dart says: "Yes, she is really that awesome." 

Claire looks at Jo and says: "You are one of a kind Jo. I have never met anyone like you. And I feel blessed to call you my daughter-in-law. I am convinced you are destined to be together. This can't be a coincidence."

Dart pulls her back onto his lap, the second he notices the emotions getting to much for her. He holds her warmly and says: "You always speak from the heart and I love you for it. But take a beat will you? Let us love you just as much in return. You don't have to fight for love alone." Claire gets up and kisses Jo on the cheek, before walking out of the room. 

Jo kisses Dart and says: "Let's go outside, I could use some fresh air and I need to move." Dart lets her go and she gets up, shaking her arms and legs. Dart smiles and grabs her hand, walking out of the door with her.