A/N: So this is the introductory chapter of my first multi-chapter fic which will explore the history of Marlowe and Talbot, because it's pretty damn vague in the game! This will be my take on their past and how they came to meet, also I'll be delving a bit deeper into Marlowe and Sully's 'relationship', how that changed after Nate came into the equation and I'll even be hinting at early Tallowe, because we all know there's something there. Now this fic MAY have some explicit sexual content in later chapters but said content will be placed into separate chapters so those who do not wish to read it can skip ahead as I know some readers find that sort of content uncomfortable to read, despite having some gorgeous characters 'getting busy' in this case. Ahem, anyway... moving along!
Basically this first chapter is set post Uncharted 3, but obviously in my own little world where they both survive the collapse of the city. This immense loss, as well as near-death experience causes them to reflect on their partnership. I hope you enjoy and I'll try to post updates as soon as I can!
With the sinking of Ubar- Iram of the Pillars and 20 years of searching wasted, Marlowe and Talbot made their way back to London with a more than a deflated air about them. Marlowe aspired to harness the power of the Djinn but when she had that taken away from her through the meddling of Sullivan and his 'stray'- Nathan Drake, she became much more frightening to the remaining men within the organisation who survived. She hated losing but she hated Sullivan winning even more and that only made her scowl even more deadly to those who crossed the wrong side of her.
Once Talbot and Marlowe had left the airport upon their arrival back in England, the black Jaguar was waiting to escort them back to the estate. Talbot wanted to speak up but as he looked over at his superior, leaning on one side with her arms folded across her chest and a glare etched into her mature features, he could instantly tell that it would be a regrettable mistake. The way she briskly strode towards the car and climbed in without saying a word to the driver was enough of a warning that she was very, very angry. Talbot has known Marlowe for almost 20 years and he knows that she isn't the type of woman who screams and yells when she's angry and he knows her well enough to know when she wants to be left alone. The silent car journey was a signifier of that.
Upon reaching the estate and the doors being opened to invite the two inside, Marlowe let out a weary sigh as she removed her leather jacket and shoved it into the hands of the doorman without a second glance. She crossed the foyer and with a flick of her wrist, she summoned Talbot to follow her up the stairs- which he obediently did so. "Twenty years of work- wasted!" She hissed the words as Talbot fell into stride with her half way up the staircase. "I had the ring, the vessel was within reach and success would have been ours!" She came to a stop at the top of the stairs, her hand gripped the edge of the banister tightly. "But it just slipped through our fingers like the sand in that damn desert…" She held out her hand and outstretched her fingers to mirror her words as she began to brood.
Talbot knew that despite her use of particular pronouns, she was blaming herself for their failures and the loss of the ring. He knew that Marlowe couldn't tolerate any sort of failure, especially when it was her own. "It can't be helped when they interfere Marlowe but at least we both made it out of the city alive… and I would rather lose the vessel and have to start again with something else than lose you." He spoke his words with such sincerity as he placed his hand on Marlowe's arm that was resting on the banister and he could feel her relax slightly.
As she turned to face him, their eyes met for a moment and Talbot's lips tugged into a small smile when he gazed into Marlowe's glistening emerald eyes. The two just stood in silence for the briefest of moments before Marlowe continued on her walk towards her bedroom as if Talbot had said nothing. He knew that she wasn't a very sentimental person so for her to disregard such things wasn't uncommon.
Talbot followed her into the impressive room but as she headed towards her en-suite, he decided to wait by the door, which she had left open. Marlowe approached the mirror in her bathroom and she began to inspect the wound on her cheek properly. It was still mildly bleeding from when she lost her balance as the city collapsed and it needed to be cleaned to prevent infection. She hissed in pain as she probed it a little, Talbot could see her expression in the mirror and he slowly entered the bathroom. "I can tend to that for you…" He offered as he stood behind her, he wanted to make himself useful while he was in her presence.
Marlowe's eyes met his in the reflection and she lowered her hands from her face to silently accept his help. Talbot understood and he grabbed the flannel draped over the side of the sink and he dampened it slightly as Marlowe went back to the bedroom and perched herself on her bed to wait for Talbot. She occasionally casted a glance towards him as he prepped and she sat in quiet contemplation.
He returned to her with the wet flannel in one hand and a small, dry towel in the other and he had rolled up his shirt sleeves. He knelt down in front of Marlowe and he gently placed his hand under her chin to tilt her head up slightly. Normally she would have issues with someone touching her in any regard but with Talbot she didn't often oppose, she merely complied with his gesture as she watched him slowly raise the flannel to her cheek. "It may sting a little…" He spoke softly with his charming British accent which somehow always seemed to sooth Marlowe when she was agitated.
She merely nodded in response to his statement and exhaled heavily as she waited for him to start. Marlowe has endured a lot of pain in her time so a mild sting from a scrape was nothing. Talbot, however, was still being delicate as he gently dabbed the blood from the wound and cleansed any dirt or sand that might've gotten into the cut. His other hand remained under her chin with his thumb gently pressing against her soft skin as he silently tended to her with great care.
Marlowe was studying Talbot's actions closely, she kept glancing down at him as he worked. His eyes never met her chaste gazes as he was too focussed on making sure that she was all right and the fact that he didn't notice her looking at him made her smile, albeit only slightly. "You've done a lot for me, Talbot… You're a good man."
Her words, spoken with such a casual elegance, had taken Talbot by surprise and he stopped dabbing at the cut to look at her. She was still as prim and composed as ever, like the words were just words. Maybe they were to her, but to him they struck a chord. "I'm just doing my job…" He attempted to speak with such nonchalance as Marlowe, he just wasn't sure if it was coming across as well as he'd hoped.
"No, your job is to aid in the succession of this organisation but you go beyond that and… I'm grateful." Marlowe's maternal, sweet tone surfaced as she smiled more fondly at the man before her. "I'm not sure where this organisation would be without your dedication… or where I'd be without you. Probably not here right now in any case."
"Don't…!" Talbot's voice was a little sharp and demanding as he couldn't help but think of the horrifying possibility of actually losing Marlowe in Ubar, but he cleared his throat and composed himself "Don't speak like that, please." He sighed and lowered his hands from the older woman's face and placed them in his lap, he was expecting to get an earful for his outburst.
"Do you remember how we met, Talbot?"
As he looked up at her face, he couldn't detect any signs of anger and he had to spend a moment to prepare a verbal response. "I…. yes, of course I do Marlowe."
"And did you honestly think that things would have worked out the same way if you were anyone else?" She arched an inquisitive eyebrow as she asked the question in such a manner that gave the impression she already knew his answer.
"I haven't really thought about it before…" Talbot muttered as he lowered his head, not wanting to meet Marlowe's all-knowing eyes any longer.
"Liar." She spoke the word so sternly and confidently that is was a wonder why she even asked the question in the first place but Talbot knew why. He always knew. It was her way of making someone think about their answer and it most certainly made Talbot think.
Marlowe patted the side of the bed to gesture for Talbot to join her and he obediently did so. He perched himself on the edge, next to Marlowe but not too close to her as he knew that she liked her space. "Talbot, what happened all those years ago happened because I knew what you were capable of; I knew that you would be an asset… and I clearly wasn't wrong."