"Fool in the Rain" and "I Can't Quit You, Baby," inspired this little tale. Bold type indicates the dialogue from the show that got the ball rolling. The usual caveat: this story was written for fun, not profit. I do not own these characters. If I did, they'd have their own show.
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Whatever It Takes
Chapter 1
The relief was palpable on Arthur's face as he watched Henry Wilcox walk away. Joan was equally happy to see him leave the building, and proud of her husband for telling him off. When they were alone in the hallway, she turned to Arthur.
"Get some sleep last night?" she asked.
"Oh, I still have plenty to worry about. There's the Liza Hearn leak. Ben Mercer is still out there cowboying around."
"Well, maybe you should sleep in the master tonight." She started to walk back to her office. "I was thinking of retiring early."
Arthur smiled, a small smile. He watched her walk away, waiting until she turned the corner before heading back to his own office. Their marriage was still on shaky ground. But at least Joan had opened the door. It was up to him now.
When Joan arrived home that evening, she was surprised to see that Arthur's car was already there. "Arthur?" she called as she entered the house. She was met by silence.
"Arthur?" she repeated, walking into their bedroom. He was sitting on the end of the bed, elbows on his knees, turning his wedding band around on his finger. He was staring at the floor. She knelt in front of him. "Arthur? What's the matter?"
He looked at her, his expression pained. "I need to talk to you," he said quietly, patting the bed beside him. She sat down. His eyes returned to the floor as he continued to twist his wedding band. "I've been trying to figure out what to say…how to say it…" He trailed off.
She put her arm around him and squeezed his shoulder gently. "It's okay, Arthur. I know it's not easy for you. Just take your time." She struggled to keep the trepidation she felt out of her voice. She had never seen him so distraught. What could he possibly have to say that would unsettle him so?
Arthur took a deep breath. When he spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. "I was wrong," he said.
Joan suppressed the urge to ask why; she merely squeezed his shoulder again, silently encouraging him to continue.
His gaze remained fixed on the floor as he resumed speaking, hesitantly. "I thought I needed to protect you…from Liza Hearn…from the unexploded ordinance Henry Wilcox left behind…" Joan couldn't help but smile at his choice of words.
He took another deep breath before continuing. "I was so sure that I was doing the right thing…I didn't see that what I was really doing was pushing you away." He turned to face her. His blue eyes shone with tears – something else she had never seen before. "I'm so sorry, Joan. I never meant to hurt you."
"I know, Arthur," she replied. And she did know. The anguish in his eyes was all too real. He had been trying to protect her – and her career – by keeping her out of the loop. Her own eyes filled with tears. She reached up and cupped his cheek. She kissed him gently and wrapped her arms around him. She could feel his tension as he struggled to contain his emotions. He relented enough to rest his head on her shoulder. She held him for several minutes, rubbing his back, until he lifted his head and pulled back. He looked into her eyes.
"I know things have been difficult," he said. "I know I've made a lot of mistakes. But I promise you, I will do whatever it takes to make things right between us. I love you, Joan. I need you. The thought of losing you…tears me apart."
She took his hand in hers. "Arthur, we've both made mistakes. And you know what? We're going to make more - we're only human. But we'll forgive each other and move on. I love you. I know you love me. That's all that matters."
She kissed his cheek, then his lips, softly at first. As she deepened the kiss, she slid his suit jacket off his shoulders and pulled off his tie. He pulled back, looking into her eyes. That was when he knew that everything was going to be all right.