Hello everyone ! It's such a crappy weekend outside that I found some inspiration to write not such a happy one shot. Let's say it's all set one year after season one and I can't tell you much, either way it's going to give away the whole plot. You'll have to read to find out ;).
Some hurt and comfort and some hint of Jenry's romance, of course :).
Don't forget English isn't my native language so please, cut me some slacks. Thanks for reading
PS : if you can listen to the song "I won't give up" by Jason Mraz (which inspired me to write that story), that would be wonderful (and will give you the feels too xD).
Jo was looking over the window. It was a sad day for her, and maybe for everyone who knew Sean.
She was in her apartment, not alone, all of her friends were here and they were trying to comfort her. She could hear their distant voices but in that moment, nothing seemed to matter.
She felt cold and was rubbing both her arms around her body. She couldn't believe what she learned, she couldn't get over the case they just closed, a case she never thought she would open one day.
She felt a tear at the corner of her eye and she blinked twice to hold it but she couldn't hide the lump in her throat.
She knew she was a mess, she could see her reflection through the window and it wasn't nice to see. She didn't know how many nights she hadn't slept, how long she cried and stopped when her friends showed at her doorstep but she knew she wasn't strong enough to hold so much weight on her tiny shoulders. As much as she was a detective, she was only human after all.
Her late husband died two years ago. Of course, she knew that. She got a call saying he died of a heart attack, she went to recognize his body and all she remember was passing out, crying, screaming, as the attendant of the morgue was holding her. Now thinking about it, she wished it was Henry, only him could have made her feel better like he has been doing for the past year.
So the only reason she was feeling so bad, wasn't because it was the anniversary of his death, no it was something else. She re opened his case because some proofs started suggesting that he didn't die of a heart attack. They exhumed his body from the grave and Henry asked her permission to take a look and if there was someone who could tell if her husband died or a heart attack or not, it was Henry.
She remembered him saying, if she wasn't feeling comfortable, she could wait outside, while he was working, he didn't want to impose her the pain all over again. She knew what to expect, she had seen his body before and she had to deal with it, he was dead and she would need to live with that. She shook her head and watched him work, even Henry knew she was fighting her inner demons not to break down in tears in front of both Lucas and him.
It took a long one hour for Henry to figure out the truth and when he did, he gulped and started shaking. He surely didn't want to be the one telling her that. Lucas figured out too but was waiting for his boss to make the move, not feeling particularly at ease for the detective.
Henry had taken a deep breath, walked all around the table and took Jo's hands in his as he slowly said
« I am sorry Jo... Sean didn't die of a heart attack... »
She didn't want to hear the rest, she just couldn't accept the truth. Her husband was a good man, who wanted him dead so badly to cover it as a heart attack? She remembered to tighten her grip on his hand as her legs slowly started to give up on her and Henry's arms wrapping her around him, as she descended on the floor and started crying, just like she did the first time she figured out about his death.
As for the whole case, Reece removed her whether she liked it or not. Of course, she argued that she could help but Reece wasn't going to change her mind and asked Henry to watch over her if she wasn't doing anything stupid. Jo was beyond pissed not being part of the case but Henry, Hanson, and Lucas were summarizing what they learned all along until they found the guy who killed Sean. Jo found it out before anyone else did and she remembered having one step forward on her team, she kicked the door open and rushed on that guy, punching him with her fists, kicking him, he couldn't defend himself and was crying to her to stop but she was blinded by rage, she couldn't hear anything. She remembered saying
« why him? What did he ever do to you? Why did you have to make me suffer like that, making me think he died of a heart attack? I was finally starting to move on and you broke me all over again. I'm going to kill you, Sean didn't deserve to die at your hands »
She kept kicking, punching and her fists were bleeding. She could have killed him, she could have shot him, only she never did. Hanson and Henry came to the rescue right on time, and Henry ran behind Jo and held her by her waist, and whispered
« Jo. It's not the solution, Sean wouldn't want you to do that. You're better than this. It will be all right, you are not alone. »
She tried to protest, she tried to escape his arms, only he was holding her tight and didn't intend to let go. Her hand finally released her gun and she collapsed into Henry's arms, crying like she hadn't cried before while Hanson arrested the murderer.
And that's how they all were at her home at the moment. Before getting there, they all went back to the station where Henry just cleaned Jo's wounds from her hands. She hadn't said a word ever since they found out Sean's murderer.
- Jo! Here's your tea
Abe was there too and offered her a warm English tea. She gave him a weak smile and nodded to thanks him.
She slowly turned around to look at her friends who were softly talking between them. She knew they were talking about Sean. She sipped a bit of her cup and put it down on her dining table and walked in the living room. Her voice was mostly broken, she could hardly talk but she managed to get a hold of herself
- huh.. Thank you, everyone. Thank you for being here and for everything that you did in that case. I guess, there's nothing more I can do now. Only to move on.
She started sobbing and she didn't want them to see how weak she was. She took a deep breath, rubbing her eyes. She couldn't let go in front of them
- excuse me!
Jo disappeared upstairs. Reece started to get up to comfort her but Lucas stopped her when he saw Henry following her
- if there's someone who can understand, it's Henry. He will find the words to make her feel better. She needs him.
Reece nodded and sat down. Abe said
- let's stay here and help her out with her house for tonight. I'll cook some dinner and if she's hungry, she will get down all by herself.
They all agreed. Jo couldn't remain alone tonight.
She was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking at her wedding band, she removed a while ago when she started having feelings for Henry. Of course, her feelings for her M.E wouldn't go away, she was too deep now but she was completely broken knowing exactly what happened to Sean. He will always remain the first man she had loved and someone didn't deserve to finish that way.
Henry slowly pushed the door of her bedroom and when she heard his footstep, she blinked again to dry the tears from her eyes. She put down her wedding band and rubbed her face with both hands. She felt Henry's weight sitting beside her. She still didn't want to turn around because she knew she wouldn't be able to hold it if she did.
She felt his hand caressing hers and her heart skipped a beat because he was still the man she fell for now.
- Jo. You don't have to hide. You can let go. There's nothing bad with crying.
- I will be fine Henry.
Her voice was obviously saying otherwise.
- you probably do not wish to hear that right now but... I know how you feel. I know what it's like to lose the one you truly loved.
She felt kinda insulted and turned away, cocking one eyebrow.
- Henry! No offense, but your wife left you. It's not completely the same.
She turned around again, fighting the rage and the broken heart she was left with. Henry remained silence for a while. She didn't know the truth about his condition yet, and to her, the only woman they found dead was Sylvia. He took a deep breath, he wasn't going to tell her the truth about him but he could at least come clean with her on that point.
- actually... She didn't only leave me. Abigail has been murdered too, that is why I said I know how you feel.
Jo's eyes grew wider and she abruptly turned away to see a sad smile on Henry's face.
She covered her mouth and started to cry, leaning her head on his shoulder, holding on to his shirt
- Oh, my god ! Henry ! I'm so sorry. I... Why didn't you tell me sooner ?
He wrapped his arms around her body and leaned his cheek on her head
- Jo, it's fine, It was a while ago. Besides, I didn't need to bother you. You're still suffering from a loss and I'm deeply sorry. I wish I wasn't the one telling you that.
She shook her head, tightening her grip
- you did the good thing. I would have never found the truth out if you weren't here so thank you, Henry. My life will literally suck without you.
He smiled and he heard her sobbed, at the beginning very quietly and then she started talking and it became worse
- how did you do it ?
She back away from their embrace and tears were now flooding her face. Henry cupped it and leaned his forehead against hers
- how did I do what?
- moving on from Abigail's death? It's been two years and I'm still not over it and now everything is coming back to haunt me because he's not dead the way I thought he was, and it's just...
She broke down, she couldn't stop, couldn't get any words out and she felt like a real ocean, her heart was so heavy. It was so unfair. She was dying inside and she felt like wanted to remain in bed forever and not ever waking up.
Henry held her tight against his chest and lay back on the bed with her, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head, trying not to cry himself
- it never goes away Jo, you just learn to live with it.
She cried harder, shoving her head on his chest
- Henry.. Don't leave me please, stay here, stay here as long as you can.
- I will Jo. I'm not going anywhere. I promise I won't give up on you, you can lean on me for anything Jo. I will always be there for you.
She felt her body giving in and his strong arms around her and the lack of sleep, quickly put her down and she started to relax into Henry's embrace. She felt safe in his arms and she knew, even her heart was broken, even it would take some time to get over it. Henry was anything she needed and she would never trade that.
She slowly opened her eyes and climbed on top of Henry. He let her do and looked at her with eyes full of love. She kissed his palms and gave him a quick, wet kiss on the lips and kept that position to rest. Henry brought the blanket on her and watched her slowly fall asleep and brushed a strain of hair away from her face
- Yes! I won't give up on you, on us, Jo!