Okay so I asked on Tumblr for some prompts for James Hathaway/Jean Innocent pairing, I love them beyond all else and I want to thank #notmoreflippingelves for the list of prompts to keep me going. I will try very hard to do them all but a few I don't think I have it in me to write. Anyway, starting with No1: Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation.
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Chapter 1
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To say James Hathaway was less than pleased with his replacement while his DI was off sick with the flu was an understatement, of all the people that could have paired up with him for the rest of the week, why did it have to be his Chief Superintendent. It's not that he hated the woman, quite the contrary, if anything he liked her a little too much, certainly more than a Detective Sergeant should for his Chief Super. It had been a little awkward at first, each trying to get use to the others way of working a case. There had been arguments, the occasional hand gesture when the other wasn't looking but eventually they found one anothers rhythm. Jean had gone out to get them both a coffee when James phone vibrated on his desk, looking at the screen to see Robbie's name pop up.
"Sir…I wasn't expecting to hear from you today, shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Ave done nothing but sleep for the last three days, I wanted to check on you…how are things going with Innocent?"
"Oh you know, well she's not you Sir."
"Well who is, come on lad…you know what I'm getting at here." Robbie sniffed.
"It's been okay, she's actually pretty good. I don't know why she spends so much time behind that desk, she should be out there with us…she seems to be enjoying herself."
"So…you're coping okay?"
"Look, it's not as though I'm going to go telling her am I."
"Maybe you should, come on lad…you've had feelings for that woman for long enough, now I don't claim to understand it myself but you're both single now and well maybe it's time."
"She's only been divorced five minutes."
"Long enough lad, you've been on your own too long and I…."
"I know, I know it's time I had someone to share my life with."
"Listen you have the one you want, you just need to tell the lass."
"If I tell her it might mess everything up, our working relationship…she could have me transferred out of here as soon as, if she wanted."
"Don't be daft; Jean Innocent isn't the type of woman to run away from any problem. She'll deal with it in a mature fashion and so will you, tell her already…I'm off to bed, try and kill this flu once and for all."
"Thank you Sir, sleep well."
James hung up when he heard the line go dead; he looked up when a Starbucks appeared in front of him to see Jean smiling down at him.
"Everything alright Hathaway?"
"Yes ma'am, that was DI Lewis on the phone…just checking in."
"How is he?"
"Still full of the flu, I don't imagine he'll be back the rest of the week."
"Oh…right then. I hope you don't mind putting up with me for a little longer then."
"Not at all ma'am."
Jean watched closely as James eyes lingered on her a little longer than expected, a genuine smile on his face.
"I know it's not much fun working with your Chief Super all day, everyday.
"No honestly, it's been a nice change. It must get boring for you sitting behind a desk all day, mountains of paperwork to get through."
"I admit it's been a rather nice change."
"For both of us."
Jean felt like her stomach was doing somersaults as James smiled at her once more.
"Right then, well I suppose we should get back to work." Jean said, trying to sound professional.
…
The week was nearly at an end; Robbie was already to return to work. James felt a small tinge of sadness at not working this closely with Jean anymore so he made the most of the time they had left. So many times during the week he'd tried to ask her out, to try and tell her how he felt about her but something or someone always interrupted the moment.
"I think this is the place." Jean said as they entered the pub.
They had spent the last 24 hours tracking down their suspect who was wanted in connection with the murder of a philosophy student. The small trace of DNA under the young women's fingernails belonged to Adam Gates who worked as an assistant to Professor Simmons.
"Can you see him?" Jean asked.
"Well I….hang on, over there…end of the bar."
Jean and James walked over slowly to the man who was completely unaware of their presence, to preoccupied with the beer in his hand.
"Adam Gates?"
"Who the hell wants to know?"
"DS Hathaway and this is Chief Superintendent Innocent."
"Superintendent, wow…think I might join the force if they all look like you." He sneered as he eyed Jean.
"We've been trying to trace you for the last few days Mr Gates."
"Been busy gorgeous, course if you want to talk to me alone, I'm sure I can find us a quiet little spot that we…"
"Mr Gates, come with us please." James said, his hand pulling up Gates.
"What the hell, you can't grab me like that…who the hell do you think you are."
"The police Mr Gates, come on."
They just made it to the door when Gates yanked his arm free, pushing James hard, James falling on the table behind him as Gates rushed out of the pub.
"Jesus, James are you alright."
"Fine ma'am."
"Don't worry, I'm on him."
Before James could say anything Jean was running out the door after Gates, the suspect jumped into his car and started the engine before speeding off, Jean getting in their car and quickly following him at top speed. James saw her drive off as he run outside, worry filling him as his only concern was for her safety. He rushed back inside demanding the owner's car keys before following Jean and the suspect. He saw their car in front of him, Jean catching up with Gates. Just as they turned the bend in the road, all James could see was Jean's car going straight on instead of around. His heart thumped loudly as he saw the car driving straight into the water.
"Oh my god…Jean."
…
James put his foot down as he drove down the gravel path and came to a halt. He rushed towards the end of the embankment as he saw the car disappearing under water. He quickly removed his jacket and tie and threw off his shoes before diving in to the water. The first thing he felt was the coldness as he dived in, trying hard to keep his eyes open as he swan deeper, he could see the car and Jean struggling to get out. He sawn around to the driver's side, trying to pull the door open but the suction was just too hard. He watched as Jean tried to breath, and then looked on in horror as she suddenly went limp, her eyes closing. Panic filled him as he swam around looking for something, anything to help open the door. He spotted heavy rocked near the bottom as he went to try and retrieve one. He tried so hard to keep himself focused but it was getting difficult. He was finding it herder to breathe as he grabbed the rock and swam back to Jean. He bashed the rock against the window again and again, taking several blows before the window finally smashed; he moved and positioned himself over Jean as he undid her seatbelt before wrapping his arm around her waist, slowly pulling her out. He held on tightly to her as he got them both to the surface, James gasping for breath when the air finally hit them. He looked at Jean who was still unconscious. He swam quickly to the edge, pulling Jean up and he placed her gently on her back, brushing her hair away from her face.
"Come on Jean; don't do this to me…not now."
He leaned over her and began mouth to mouth, breathing in to her mouth before applying compressions to her chest.
"One…two…three…four…five, Jean come on, breathe."
He repeated his actions at least six times.
"One….two…three…four…five. Come on Jean, breathe for me. I love you dammit, I'm not losing you now, stay with me."
He did compressions another three times before Jean began to cough, water coming from her mouth. James turned her on her side and she regained her steady breathing. Slowly he helped her sit up, his arm around her shoulder as he held her close to his chest.
"Oh thank god…thank god you're alright."
"What….what happened?"
"You nearly died, that's what happened. Don't ever scare me like that again."
Jean pulled back and looked up when the sound of sirens began to approach them, she watched James closely, a small smile on her face.
"You saved my life."
"Just doing my job ma'am."
"You said you loved me."
"You heard that?"
"I heard that."
"I know this isn't the right time and we have a killer to catch but I…"
James was silenced immediately when Jean wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her as she kissed him.
"This is a little bit of a surprise, but a nice surprise. We'll talk later okay, right now as you said; we have a killer to catch."
James nodded before standing up and helping Jean to her feet, ready to give orders to the approaching uniformed officers.
…
-Fin
