DEFYING GRAVITY – JEN/ZOE

Geology, Biology, and Taxi–cab Studies?

docwho2100 and ellie–no–name

Title: Geology, Biology, and Taxi–cab Studies?

Authors: docwho2100 and Ellie–no–name

Fandom: Defying Gravity

Pairing: Jen/Zoe

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: We don’t own them!

Spoilers: Assumes you have watched the first two episodes and may have some indirect spoilers

Location: Airport

Timing: Takes place right before the start of the Antares training process (so 5 years before launch)

Summary: First meetings of a different kind

Authors’ Note: OK so this is one way maybe the two met…… oh and the name in the story, still trying to verify Jen’s maiden name but on her suit in some flashbacks it looks like what we used in the story….

Geology, Biology, and Taxi–cab Studies?

docwho2100 and ellie–no–name

“Finally,” Zoe said to herself as a cab finally responded and pulled up in front of her. Unfortunately, but the time she’d reached for her bag and turned back the door was closing. Behind someone else.

Watching the vehicle speed away Zoe stepped forward. “Hey! That was my…” was all she got out before losing steam, and sight of the taxi. “…cab. I’m going to be here all day.”

“With that attitude and method, yeah, you will.” Jen remarked as she moved to her place in line now that the guy in front of her had stolen the cab from this person. Jen looked the woman over, noting the frizzy, straying hairstyle, dowdy clothes and other small signs that just screamed naive and innocent. Something inside Jen flared, a sudden sense of wanting to protect this person. Frowning at that odd, but strong emotion, Jen decided to take pity on the woman and continue the conversation.

“What am I doing wrong?” Zoe asked the surprisingly attractive stranger, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “This is really not my area…

“And it shows,” Jen responded, moving over to be a little closer to better hear over the outside noise. “You are just hesitant and it comes through in everything you do and say. I mean in general, most Americans’ speech is structured as apologetic or weak. You put ’Please’ at the beginning of a sentence, or something else like a person’s name. It waters everything down and gives people time to contradict.”

“So I should be bossy?” Zoe asked, hoping she was on the right track.

“Do you want to get where you are going or get run over?” Jen countered.

“The former, definitely. I don’t think I’d pass the ISO tests in pieces,” Zoe mused.

Jen blinked and cocked her head to the side slightly. “ISO?” This person couldn’t be linked to the ISO… could she?

“Yeah, haven’t you heard of it?” Zoe asked, recalling how much the Organization had been in the news lately.

“I, yes… um, so why are you going there?” Jen saw the line of cabs dwindling, but was curious and wanted to follow the current questioning.

“I’m a geologist, and this is a chance of a lifetime, multiple lifetimes if you talk to my mother,” Zoe explained, “Where are you headed?” she added, the look on the brunette’s face confusing her.

“To a chance of a lifetime,” Jen answered, a wry grin blossoming on her face at the irony of the chance meeting. She stuck out her hand, “Jen Weston.”

“Zoe Barnes,” the blonde’s smile growing. “You’re not a geologist, are you?”

“Your niche is safe, from me at least.” She smiled as she shook the woman’s hand, noticing the handshake started a little limp but did increase as Jen firmly held the woman’s hand, extending the handshake a little longer than normal. “Biology….”

“Good. I’d hate to have you as competition,” Zoe nodded.

This caused Jen’s eyebrow to rise in a subtle arch. “Really? I’ve made that much of an impression on you?” For some reason this possibility gave Jen a bit of a gloating feeling, not superior, just that this woman had seen something that made her admit she thought something of Jen.

“Enough of one so far,” Zoe blushed, shrugging her shoulders. “This mean we can share a cab? I can learn by example?”

Jen puckered her lips, putting a hand on her hip. After a moment of silent regard, she shook her head and broke into a grin. “Watch and learn. Stick with me, and we’ll both get to the stars.” She winked and then grabbed Zoe’s big bag.

She made a little step, twirling the bag as she did, knocking into the back of a person holding a large backpack. She gave Zoe a thumbs up signal even as the man she had bumped into stumbled forward into the couple ahead, who in turn pushed and tripped throwing the people in front off. This caused the entire cab line to break down and dissolve somewhat as people tried to recover.

Meanwhile Jen was flagging Zoe to come on as she had already made her way to the waiting cab ahead of the chaotic scene, holding open the back door for the geologist.

Her other bags in hand, Zoe quickly caught up with the brunette, tossing the bags in the trunk and climbing in after her.

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