Title: The Package
Author: Fallenbelle
Rating: T for mentions of sexual activity
Spoilers/Notes: Based on trailer of 08x05 from last week's episode and leaked photos from 8x05 "Murdoch Takes Manhattan". Pure speculation and wishful thinking on my part. This will never happen, but a girl can dream, right?
It was his first day back at the station house since his wedding and subsequent return from New York, and after several minutes of greetings, congratulatory messages, and hearty slaps on the back from the other men, William finally made it to the sanctity of his office, where piles of unanswered correspondence awaited him.
He'd been at his desk sorting the inquiries into varying piles of urgency for the past hour when the Inspector requested his presence in his office.
The Inspector motioned for him to take a seat, and William wondered what this could possibly be, as the Inspector took a deep breath and looked at him. William suspected that he might be in some sort of trouble until the man burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
"Sir?" William queried?
The Inspector still laughing and shaking his head, grabbed a package from his top desk drawer, and tossed it to William.
Opening it, William immediately recognized the tie he'd lost in Washington. At the White House-in the Oval Office to be exact, and he felt the blush creep up his cheeks as the realization dawned how it had been lost. Julia had taken it from him when she had her way with him in President Roosevelt's office and in their hurry to vacate they'd left it behind.
Also enclosed in the package was one of Julia's fine silk stockings-also left behind in their rush.
Meanwhile, the Inspector was enjoying a hearty chuckle at his benefit, and William knew the man had guessed how the items came to be lost at the White House.
"Murdoch, you old dog. It wasn't on his desk, was it?"
William turned an even deeper shade of red (if such a thing was possible), and would have stared a hole into the ground if such a thing were possible.
As it were, he rather hoped that the ground would open up and take him at that point.
Brackenreid's laughter only became louder as William's silence gave him the information he needed
Taking a deep breath, he opened the note that had accompanied it and read it himself, knowing that the Inspector already had.
Written on official White House stationary was the briefest of notes:
These were found in my office and recognized the tie as one you'd been wearing earlier. Many happy years indeed with your beautiful bride-cherish these days always.
T.R.
"Sir, did you open this package?" William asked the older man, who sat drinking his tea, still chuckling.
"Of course I bloody did. It was from the White House-it could have been urgent. I couldn't let it sit for your return, buggalugs."
"Sir, I'd appreciate it if this went no further," Murdoch replied as he wrapped the tie and stocking back up in its wrapping.
"Damn, I didn't know you had it in you, me old mucker. I must admit that I was concerned about you handling affairs in that department, but it seems I was needlessly concerned. Good work there. Keep this up, and I'll be expecting news of an impending arrival soon," the Yorkshireman finished as he topped off his tea.
"Sir..." William began, knowing where this talk was headed.
"Murdoch, lighten up, me old mucker. Enjoy it. Once baby Murdoch comes along, there will be precious little time or opportunity for this sort of thing," the Inspector added.
Seeing no need to correct the Inspector on Julia's sterility, William relaxed and admittedly saw the humor of the situation, looking up at Brackenreid, and sharing in his smile before he laughed himself.
Beaming down at him with some sort of strange mix of fatherly pride and male grandstanding, Brackenreid got up and pounded William on the back.
"I'm proud of you, me old mucker."
"Thank you, sir," William replied with his grin surely splitting his face.
He couldn't wait until he had a chance to tell Julia, who was already campaigning for trysts in his office, the interview room table, the morgue and even the jail cells. She was insatiable like that.
Not that he was complaining, and he had no doubt the package and its accompanying letter would only increase her desire for such locales.
Of course, he'd oblige. He'd never been very good at telling her no anyway.
Which is how this whole matter had started.