The Scorpion and the Frog
Jac POV
There are so many fables which exist for the sole purpose of reminding us that that which is fundamentally vicious by nature cannot be changed.
Ollie had earlier compared her to the scorpion in the fable "The Scorpion and the Frog" it was his few words that had caused her to run, well run for the next four weeks at least. She wasn't sure what she was going to do after that.
She can't help but feel there was at least some truth in what he had said.
She remembers reading a version of the fable in the form of a children's book. She's not sure why someone had decided it was a good idea to expose young children to such a brutal story, but guesses that it was intended to serve as a warning. Stay away from vicious or intrinsic evil. Clearly Fletch must have missed that lesson.
She knows people who get close to her get hurt. She knows she doesn't want to hurt Fletch so she'd fled to protect him. Took the leave Serena had offered her and made her getaway. She had at least taken a minute to say goodbye from the scrub room through the glass. It wasn't much but she didn't want to leave without a word, so to speak. She's not sure he'd understood at the time it meant she'd taken the leave though. She's sure he knows now. He would have found the note on her desk. She also knows he'd have been disappointed in her.
It hurts.
When he'd hugged her unexpectedly earlier she hadn't realised just how much she'd needed it, wanted it, until he had his arms around her. When she'd finally hugged him back he'd just held her tighter. She really didn't want to let him go. She thought he was going to tell her off, tell her how disappointed he was in her, tell her all about how she'd hid this from him, that he was fed up of it and that he would end up walking angrily away from her. She was ready for it the minute she'd stepped out of the scrub room, but it never came. He was only always filled with concern. Not for himself but for her. What she was going through. She doesn't know why she'd expected anything else. He'd only ever shown her care
No matter what happened she wasn't going to be the one to 'sting' Fletch dooming them both to a slow and painful death.
So now here she is at the airport with no clue where she is going. Emma towing alongside her excited about the adventure that lies ahead. She really hopes some of her enthusiasm rubs off on her.
She'd outright told Petrenko earlier that she was pining over Fletch. She hopes the four weeks will put some real distance between her and those emotions. She's going to get over it if it's the last thing she does.
"I need one way tickets for one adult and one child to anywhere." She tells the attendant behind the British Airways desk.