A/N: So I was thinking about what my next Taggart fic should be (as you do) and then this little something for Jim and Jean came to mind. I wanted to have a little bit of a look at when they were younger, before they were married. The song "Something Wonderful" is from The King & I, I know it wouldn't have been a song they'd dance to but it fit really well. Besides, what's the point on fanfiction if you can't bend the rules/facts a little? Oh, and I made up Jean's maiden name. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Something Wonderful
"Why don't you just admit he's not coming and enjoy yourself?"
Jean Elliot studiously ignored her friend's comment as she kept one eye on the door.
"Jean-" her friend began again, but Jean cut her off.
"Mindy, I know you're just trying to be a good friend, but he'll be here. I know he will."
"Jean, if he was going to come he'd be here by now," Mindy insisted, "come and dance with us. He's not worth the wait."
"Yes he is," Jean replied stubbornly, more to herself than to Mindy. Mindy made a disgusted noise and left her to herself.
Jean ignored her.
He may not always say and do the right thing, but if there was one thing Jean knew for certain about Jim Taggart it was that he was worth waiting for.
More than that, he had promised her that he'd be there and Jim didn't make promises lightly. Besides, she reasoned, his duties as a Probationary Police Constable often kept him longer than he had anticipated.
It was one of the many things she had to contend with when it came to Jim. Things like his stubborn streak and almost blatant disregard of other people's opinion of him.
All things she could overlook due to the other side of Jim Taggart that only she was privileged to see: the unexpected tenderness, the deeply felt emotion. Little things that all added together made up the man she loved.
A quick glance at the clock revealed that he only had another twenty minutes before she would have to go home. She sighed softly, despite what she had said to Mindy she was starting to wonder if he would show up in time.
She glanced at the door in time to see a familiar stocky figure walk into the room; almost instinctively her face broke out into a smile.
He was not a tall man, or even an incredibly good looking one, but there was something about Jim Taggart that made people pay attention. Something about him that made Jean feel loved and secure whenever he was around.
She could tell the moment he'd spotted her as one of his slow smiles that she loved broke out across his face. She smoothed an imaginary wrinkle on her skirt to hide her sudden nervousness as he made his way over to her.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Jean," he said as he came up beside her, he looked around, "I see they're still dancing though. May I have the pleasure?" he asked, offering her his hand.
Flushing a little with pleasure, Jean took his proffered hand.
It was no secret that Jim hated dancing with a passion, but he always made the effort to dance at least twice with her when they attended functions such as this one. Simply because he knew Jean loved to dance.
It was one of the many ways that Jim showed her that he loved her.
This is a man who thinks with his heart,
His heart is not always wise.
This is a man who stumbles and falls,
But this is a man who tries.
This is a man you'll forgive and forgive,
And help protect, as long as you live...
He will not always say
What you would have him say,
But now and then he'll do
Something Wonderful
Jean smiled to herself as she listened to the words of the song, it always reminded her of Jim and how she felt about him. She wasn't blind to his faults, but she accepted them as part of who he was.
He has a thousand dreams
That won't come true,
You know that he believes in them
And that's enough for you.
You'll always go along,
Defend him where he's wrong
And tell him, when he's strong
He is Wonderful
He'll always need your love
And so he'll get your love-
A man who needs your love
Can be Wonderful
"I really am sorry that I was so late this evening," Jim said quietly in her ear. Jean pulled back a little to give him a reassuring smile.
"It doesn't matter, you're here now," she told him.
He studied her for a moment, "I don't deserve you," he said quietly.
Jean gave a small trill of laughter, "No, you don't," she informed him with a smile, "but if we only got what we deserved we should have a terrible time of it."
"That all sounds a bit muddled, but if it means I get to keep you guilt free, I'll go along with it," he told her with one of his wry grins.
Jean locked her arms around his neck, "Whether you 'deserve' me or not, Jim Taggart, you are the man I want," she told him, "the man I love," she added after a brief hesitation.
He smiled, "Well that's very good to know, Jean Elliot, because I love you too," he said and kissed her.
In later life Jean would be able to count on one hand the number of times that Jim told her that he loved her, but she didn't mind. He never once made her doubt his affection for her and, in the end, it only served to make the times when he did say it all the more precious.