A HARD DAY
A one-off Jack/Phryne fic.
Hope you enjoy
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Disclaimer: I own nothing
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Phryne slumped in her chair, a rather full glass of whiskey in her hand. It had been a long, tiring day, yet she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, not after all that had happened. Dot was long asleep, sent to bed after she'd seen all the blood on Phryne's pale skin washed away. Mr Butler had been dismissed not long afterwards. Truthfully, Phryne viewed the two as family, not staff, but sometimes she still required to be alone.
A shiver ran down her spine and she had to squeeze her eyes shut to stop tears from forming. She would not cry. For heaven's sake, she'd been to war, she'd held dying men in her hands, felt their warm blood on her skin, and she'd been strong. She would not turn into a weeping woman now.
She took a gulp of whiskey, shuddering as it hit the back of her throat but welcoming the feeling.
When the knock came, Phryne nearly jumped out of her skin. It was a miracle she didn't spill her drink all over herself. The curses she muttered under her breath were shaky. "Who the bloody hell could be calling so damned late," she swore. It appeared whenever she wasn't quite feeling herself the ways of her not-so well-to-do upbringing raised their heads.
Nonetheless, she pulled herself to her feet to answer the door, blaming her unsteadiness on the drink rather than the circumstance. Her hand rested on the knife that hid itself in her garters just in case it was required.
Jack was about to turn away, ashamed for calling so late and sorry that he may have awoken the sleeping inhabitants, when the door opened and there stood Phryne, hair in disarray, with a blank look on her face and a hand on her garter. All she wore was a Chinese gown overtop of her undergarments. Jack would've had to have tried not to ogle was he not so concerned for her.
"Phryne…"
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm worried about you. May I come in?"
In answer Phryne stepped out of the way, allowing Jack entrance. He hung up his coat and hat before turning back to her as she took another long swallow from her glass. She looked more shaken than he'd ever seen her.
"What now, Jack?" she asked plainly. For the first time in a very long time she was not in the mood for banter. As much as she usually enjoyed the presence of the Inspector, her misery did not desire company.
Jack said nothing. He simply took her glass from her, placed it on the side table beside them, then, in a move so unexpected it took Phryne's breath away from her, he pulled her tight against him. His arms wrapped around her tightly as he held her against him, her head against his chest such that she could hear his heart hammering against her ear. It took only seconds for the tension in her limps to subside. As she went lax against him, Jack only held on tighter.
Moments later the sobbing started. Jack kissed her head as she wept against him. Her hands held onto his back for dear life. Every pain she'd been feeling and hiding away, from even herself, came bubbling to the surface. But just as soon as they came to the surface, they disappeared, healed by the embrace of a policeman. In his arms she cried until there were no more tears to be wept, until all her burden had been done away with.
Once the crying had stopped, Jack continued to hold on, unable to let go of the woman he loved so dearly. Her pain made him ache, but that pain was soon replaced with the ache of longing. She was in his arms, yet they would never be. With great regret, he pressed his lips against her hair again more, then let her go.
Phryne looked up at him with a weak smile. "Thank you." She reached up on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his check. But she lingered just a tad longer than she should have, her lips brushing against his skin. Jack was suddenly very aware of the little clothing she was wearing. "Stay for a drink?" Phryne asked.
It took every piece of strength Jack had in him to decline. He'd seen and felt the change in her, the shift from shaken to aroused. He knew the offer was there if he were to accept it. But he couldn't. Maybe one day he would finally be able to do all the things to Phryne that were currently limited to his dreams, but today would not be that day. He would not take advantage of her when she was hurting. His honor would not allow him. So he put back on his coat and his hat and made his way out the door.
"Good night, Jack," Phryne smiled.
"Good night, Miss Fisher," Jack replied with a tip of his hat, as he disappeared into the night.
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It has been a very long time since I wrote anything and I apologize. Work and uni and life in general have made it very difficult for me to have the time. Throughout the stress of it all I have found calm in rewatching Miss Fisher's when time allows and writing random snippets which haven't found their way onto fanfiction. I wrote this short story today, after rewatching episode seven of the first season in a lull from uni work and thought I would share it.
I do hope you enjoyed it.
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