A/N: So this idea came to me last night, and I couldn't stop thinking about it until I wrote it. I have no idea what the future holds for these two on the show, but I can only hope that it's good! Anyway, this is my interpretation of their relationship.
Written by Katrina :)
"And you stop looking so smug."
"You're welcome."
Ben glances upwards in time to see Jocelyn and Maggie smiling at each other, gazes lingering. He quickly looks down, feeling as though he's intruding on a private moment: the emotion on their faces is unbelievably raw. He's never seen Jocelyn look at anyone like that before - with naked adoration.
He knows it's not really his place to ask, but the words have left his mouth before he's properly had a chance to think about them. "Are you two...?" He trails off, realising that he's spoken aloud.
Mortified, he looks up, expecting to see Jocelyn looking at him angrily; it wouldn't be the first time.
Instead, he finds that she's still looking at Maggie.
"We used to be, years ago," Jocelyn murmurs, her gaze drifting down to the table in what seems to be embarrassment. After a few moments, Ben realises it's regret.
She meets Maggie's eyes again. Hundreds of unspoken words pass between them with just one look. "I was wrong, to hole myself up here. But I thought you were better off without me."
Before Maggie can reply, Jocelyn offers a brief explanation for Ben's benefit, though her eyes never leave Maggie's, and it's as if she's really talking to her, willing her to understand.
"It was about the time my sight started failing that my mother became ill. I had to stop taking cases, so I decided to look after her myself, until I couldn't any longer. She needed professional care. And I... I refused help." Here Jocelyn's gaze drops to her hands, clasped on the table in front of her. "I even refused my friends, people who cared about me... People I loved."
Maggie reaches out a hand and places it over Jocelyn's, who remains staring at the table, afraid to look up.
"She didn't speak to me again until after her mother had moved out," Maggie tells Ben, though there's no bitterness or anger in her voice, only sorrow. He can see it reflected in her eyes. "At least she allowed me to rebuild our friendship. We've been closer over the course of this cursed trial than we have been in years."
Jocelyn finally looks up, her eyes full of sorrow and regret. "I always thought I had nothing to offer you," she murmurs brokenly.
"You never accepted that I didn't care about that," Maggie tells her. "All I wanted was you."
"I know," Jocelyn says. "I know that now."
At this point, Ben really feels like he's intruding, but fears saying anything in case he shatters the moment. Even though he doesn't know the history of what they shared years ago - and he's certainly not going to ask - it looks like they're finally reconciling. Although there must be world of painful memories from the time when they were separated, Ben can see that that doesn't matter now.
It's reinforced when Maggie looks at Jocelyn meaningfully and says, "And still all I want is you."
She waits nervously for Jocelyn's reply.
"As do I."
Ben makes his excuses to leave shortly after they've finished eating and clearing up.
After Jocelyn's confession, Maggie had smiled and said, "Good, now eat your pasta, you haven't touched it yet." And with that they'd regained the companionable atmosphere of earlier in the evening.
Now, standing at the window and watching the young man leave, Jocelyn silently thanks him for his bumbling attempt at conversation which had made her finally open up to Maggie.
As though conjured by her thoughts, Maggie's reflection appears in the glass next to hers, and Jocelyn turns to smile at her.
"Remind me to thank him every day for the rest of our lives," Jocelyn says.
Maggie quirks an eyebrow. "You're planning on this being for the long-term then?" She tries for levity, but her voice betrays her and it comes out sounding nervous and slightly hopeful.
"I am," Jocelyn says seriously. "I let you go once - I'm not doing it again."
The sun begins to set on them as they sit outside in companionable silence while Jocelyn listens to the last of her notes, and Maggie reads.
The sky is tinted with an orange hue as Jocelyn gazes out to sea. She has always loved this view - her favourite part of the house - but now it's made even better by the woman sitting next to her. Jocelyn turns her head to glance at Maggie, the dying light casting rays across her face. She looks breath-taking.
Maggie senses her looking and meets Jocelyn's eyes. She wonders when she first started knowing what the other woman was thinking, just by looking into her eyes.
"It's getting too dark to read," she states.
Maggie nods. "It is."
No further words need to be spoken. They move indoors together.
Jocelyn is the one to suggest the move upstairs after their traditional night-time cup of tea, needing to prove that she's serious about this. Not that Maggie would need proof, she knows, but she needs to affirm it to herself.
She rises off the sofa and manages to ask with only a slight wobble in her voice. Maggie agrees, saying "I've waited years for you to ask me that again. I never stopped believing that one day you would."
Maggie always had faith in Jocelyn, even when Jocelyn had none in herself. Not for the first time, she's inordinately grateful to have Maggie in her life.
Slowly, Jocelyn pulls Maggie's top over her head. "You haven't changed," she murmurs.
"I've got older," Maggie supplies, with a wry twist of her lips.
"I don't see that." She realises the irony in her statement and glances up to see the mirth dancing in Maggie's eyes. "I didn't mean it like that," Jocelyn grins. "I can still see you well enough, for now, and I intend to enjoy every second that I can."
Maggie gives her a feeble smile.
"Let's not dwell on that now," Jocelyn says reassuringly, her hands moving to unclasp Maggie's bra. Her eyes fill with tears as the garment falls to the floor. "Your beauty hasn't changed," she amends.
Maggie draws in a ragged breath that catches in her throat. "You're the only one to see it," she murmurs, cheeks flushing as Jocelyn does exactly that; her gaze raking down Maggie's body.
Shaking slightly, Maggie moves her hands to Jocelyn's blouse, slowly undoing the buttons. She deliberately brushes the backs of her fingers against the swell of Jocelyn's breasts as her hands travel further down, delighting in the hitch of breath in response. Once all the buttons are undone, she pushes the shirt off Jocelyn's shoulders and drapes it over the dressing table chair.
As Maggie meets Jocelyn's eyes, she sees a nervousness there, lurking in the depths; an insecurity that Jocelyn cannot hide. She lets her gaze drift down over the older woman's half-clothed form, allowing the love and longing to show on her face. Reassured, Jocelyn nods at Maggie, encouraging her to continue. Maggie reaches for the clasp of her front-fastening bra, allowing Jocelyn to slip out of it before pulling her close.
Their bare chests press together just before their lips meet in a loving and passionate kiss. Even after all these years, they still know the feel of each other - still delight in it.
"Take me to bed," Jocelyn murmurs.
Maggie complies.
The End
A/N: Having rewatched the episode, I'm pretty certain that the scene with them sat outside together is at sunrise (which just lends more proof to there being something between them!) but I decided to include it as a sunset scene, as I felt it fit the narrative better.
Thanks for reading! All feedback is appreciated!