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"Um," she said, glancing at the menu again, "I think so. This one." She pointed at it, laying her menu flat on the table. "Waffles with strawberries. And I think some coffee to go along with it."

She looked back at him expectantly.

She caught that frown. Which meant either he was confused or... Sherry's jaw went slack as realization washed over her. "Everything's too sweet, isn't it?" How could she have failed to notice that sooner? She knew he wasn't big on sweet things. It was something she ought to have remembered before they wandered in here. It was mainly a dessert cafe, and she'd practically dragged him inside with her excitement.

It was creeping up on lunch time for them; surely he was hungry. Good job, she told herself. Good job practically forgetting he doesn't like dessert. She didn't mean to look as distressed as she did; she didn't want bring the mood down anymore than she already had. Good job, she scolded herself again. Outwardly she bit her lip, trying to hide some of her worry. "I'm sorry. We can go somewhere else if you'd rather?"

Unconsciously, she bit her lip a little harder. "There's no point in taking me out if you don't enjoy it, too."

Her eyes looked over the menu again, then back at Jake. "Are you sure it's fine? We can go looking for something more substantial later, we probably should anyway." But she did really want waffles. "Brunch and then lunch?"

Silence tinged with surprise was Sherry's initial reply. Three quick heartbeats was how long she looked at him, digesting his words, feeling them roll around inside her. Then she smiled and squeezed his hand in return.

"We'll get anything you want."

She was still smiling as she turned to get the waiter's attention, and she was still holding Jake's hand as the server stepped up to the table. "I'll have this one," Sherry said, pointing with her free hand. "And coffee. Jake?" Expectant look was expectant.

Sherry eyed Jake for a moment, then indicated to the waiter she wanted two of her order. He took their menus as he left.

Turning back to Jake, full attention now, Sherry brought her other hand up so that she might better take his. Two hands to hold one. She inhaled deeply and very sincerely said, "Thank you, for this." He couldn't know how much it really meant to her, and she didn't know how to say it. Hopefully some hand squeezing might get that across. "I am very happy you suggested it."

And while she was at it, "And thank you for dragging me out that place," she was pretty sure he knew which one, "and for finding my rib. It's not something everyone would do." He'd touched it for crying out loud. Morbid as it was for dessert table talk, she felt there was some kind of intimacy in what he'd done for her.

Lifting his hand, she kissed the back of his fingers. She might have dragged him into a cafe that served nothing he liked, but dammit, he'd know she appreciates him.

Sherry smiled at, and shook her head. "I showed up to help, didn't I? That was my choice. And if it's not one mission, it's another." She'd started playing with his hand in hers. Hand massage? Hopefully he wouldn't mind. "I won't lie and say it wasn't terrible, because it was," she figured she'd keep having nightmares about it for ages, "but I lived. You lived. That's all that matters."

She really liked his hands, even though she didn't think she'd ever actually TELL him that. "You made it up to me when you didn't let me die, and when you picked up my bone." Sherry shuddered slightly at the memory. "And when you stopped lying."

The subject of their relationship and it's rockiness was a little to heavy for so early in the date, Sherry decided. So she changed subjects, backpedaling just a bit. "What happened to the red thing?" She....didn't remember much, okay.

Sherry really didn't care what others thought, as long as they weren't hurting anyone or making out, of course. So she continued playing with his hand.

She smiled at him again. "Mark, huh? Okay. I'm was just curious about what it was." It had been behind that skeleton, and then in their heads. Odd, and dangerous. "And I don't remember too much aside from it was there, and it spoke to us. But nothing to worry about. I'll see what I can find out later." Something else that really wasn't date talk.

"Have you given any more thought to what we might do after we have had our dessert and our lunch?" She knew they'd talked about walking around, but she didn't want to bore him.

"Of the heart?" Sherry had a flash of image; the glowing red in the skeleton's chest. Not a pleasant memory, to say the least. But another memory followed it, a much happier memory, bittersweet as it was.

Her posture relaxed a little more. "Maybe you should. It might be useful knowledge, especially if there are other things like it out there."

She almost laughed. "I did. But I only want to do it if you do. I... uh, well, I don't know much about what you like outside of missions and work." Which is what he'd always said he liked, anyway. "Don't hesitate to suggest ideas, okay?"

It was about then that their waiter stopped back by, and two plates of waffles and two cups of coffee were left on the table. Red strawberries. Red Shards. Red Hearts.

"It's Valentine's Day. I can tell you about the second time you stole my heart, if you want?"