THE HUNT

Disclaimer: I own nada.

This story could be read as a sequel to my other fic One of a Kind, but doesn't have to be. The only
context you need to be aware of is that Jack and Phryne have finally given in to their desires.

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Chapter One

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Amberlynn McCloud snuck into the gardener's shed as the note she had received told her to. She had the looks that, should she had not been born in Australia with no money for passage, would have made her a sort after model in Paris. Her hair, a light ginger, was wavy and thick, much like in the paintings of Greek Goddesses. She was determined not to allow the station she had been born into dictate her life. She was beautiful, of this she was aware, and she would use this beauty to the best of her advantage.

The shed smelt of mulch and had her turning up her nose. She checked her watch. She was on time, where was he?

As if responding to her mind's question, the door opened and he came in. Amber smiled wickedly and walked towards the man who would kill her.

"I wasn't expecting you," she purred.

He smiled back. It really was a shame, he thought, that he must kill her.

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Phryne drank her morning coffee looking out her bedroom window at the busy St. Kilda street, buzzing under the hot summer sun. Even in her fanned, iced room, she felt the heat down to her bones, the soft slick of perspiration on her skin. It had been only two days since Jack had spent the night and she had yet to see him again. She yearned for his touch, but also, simply for his company.

She was trying very hard to give him space, knowing that it must be difficult for him knowing that she could not give him more. He needed to work out what he wanted out of their… relationship. However, she did not that she was going to be able to hold out much longer.

She loved him. Of this, she was well aware, even though it had taken her a while to realize it. But she had loved many others in her lifetime, friends and lovers alike. What scared her, she thought with a shiver, was that the love she and for him was greater than that. Such a love she had only previously felt once and told herself she would never feel again. Such love, she knew, could break you. Phryne Fisher preferred herself unbroken.

"Are you really going on a hunt Miss?" Dot asked, interrupting Phryne's thoughts. Dot was aware that God had given the creatures of the earth to man, but she did not approve of men shooting poor, defenseless animals for sport.

Phryne agreed with this sentiment.

"Yes Dot," Phryne sighed. "Aunt Prudence insists. But I shall not at all enjoy it."

Dot seemed to accept this as she didn't respond and simply went about packing Phryne's bag with all that would be required. She knew her employer, and what she would require in the way of clothing, better than Phryne knew herself.

"I shan't be away too long," Phryne informed her, taking a seat on her bed to watch Dot pack, a truly magical spectacle – how she managed to pack so much in such a tiny bag Phryne would never know – and lit a gasper. "Perhaps a week."

Dot knew that this would require at least two weeks worth of outfits. Her Miss Phryne had a way of going through clothing that Dot could not comprehend.

Phryne lay back on the bed and wondered if she should tell Jack that she was going away. It wasn't even as if they were lovers, they had only made love once – or rather, spent one night making love – but she felt she owed him an explanation as to her future absence. Phryne did not like owing anybody. However, she felt she was going to feel awful if she did not inform him.

"I'll be back soon Dot," Phryne notified, standing to dress herself.

"Your bags will be packed when you returned," she was assured.

"Dot," Phryne smiled, planting a kiss on the girl's head, "you are an angel."

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Jack was giving orders to a sergeant when Phryne swept into the police station like a breath of, brightly colored and exotically scented, fresh air. When she saw he was busy, she stopped to chat to Hugh.

"Not now Miss," he said sympathetically, fear evident in his eyes, hinting towards Jack.

Phryne did not miss the hint and supposed it meant that Jack was not in the best of moods. This could be seen in the harshness of his tone and the scared look in the eyes of the sergeant he was reprimanding. Phryne was not used to Jack in this mood and was not sure as to how she was to handle the situation. She was not disposed to liking angry men.

She waited patiently, and in silence, as Hugh would not talking to her, until the scared sergeant left.

Jack walked the officer to the door and visibly prayed for patience when he saw Phryne waiting for him. Phryne repaid this look with a beaming smile and pushed into his office before he could have even thought to stop her.

"And what can I do for you Miss Fisher?" He asked. The source of his bad mood had arrived.

"Well, for a starters, you can tell me what has your panties in a bunch?" She asked simply. The word panties had recently been added to her vocabulary by way of her American friend Nadine who had a voice like smooth southern comfort. Phryne found it much more fun to say than knickers.

Jack shut the door behind them and Phryne raised her eyes suspiciously. Usually, she might have made a suggestive comment about being alone, but somewhere within her, reflexes kicked in. She straightened herself as if ready for a blow. She wasn't sure just what had made her do it, but she was ready. Jack cursed himself. He hated to think he could scare her, a woman who seemed completely fearless.

He rubbed his temple with his forefinger.

Phryne's interior protection instincts decided that Jack was not going to be a threat and dropped their defenses. She didn't walk to him, not sure how he would react, but propped herself up on the desk. She eyed him with sympathy and confussion. "What's wrong Jack?"

Perhaps the fact that I'm in love with you but can't possibly tell you and you probably do not feel the same and I don't know what do tell about the whole situation… "Just been a hard day," he informed her. "Please say you haven't come to make it worse."

Phryne mocked offense then smiled. "Not today. I just thought I would tell you that I'll be away for the next little while."

Jack looked at her as he if could not have possibly been given better news and she shoved him playfully. Jack grabbed her hand and suddenly everything changed. The room, it appeared to both of them, had become multiple degrees hotter, as if suddenly they were standing in a boiler room, not Jack's office. The tension was immense. There bodies were entirely too close. His brain fogged with the smell of her.

Jack, who had been trying not to think about Phryne since the night they had spent together, was flooded by images of her naked body intertwined with his. He was about to kiss her when there was a knock on the door.

Jack cursed and stepped back.

"Yes?" he asked grumpily. Any relief that had been gifted from Phryne dissipated as quickly as it had come.

A scared Hugh Collins entered slowly. His face mirrored that of a man entering a lion's cage. "There's… ah… a dead body, sir."

Jack sighed. He supposed, working as a homicide detective, one could not be annoyed when one was called to look over a dead body. "I'll be out in a moment Collins."

"Yes sir," Hugh replied and exited quickly.

"Don't take your bad mood out on him," Phryne instructed as she stood to leave. She questioned whether to brush a goodbye kiss over his lips and decided she would. Jack stood, momentarily speechless, as he watched her go then put on his coat and hat. He had a feeling it was to be a long day.

. . .

There you have it, the first chapter of my newest multi-chapter Phryne x Jack fic.

I hope you're ready cause I've a feeling it's going to be a long one.

I hope you like it.

xoxo