Hello everyone. So, this is my first fanfiction. It's a headcanon I developed today re-watching King Memse's curse which I typed up in about an hour, so please give me tons of feedback. I haven't even read over it yet. I was pretty sure if I stopped to think about it I would chicken out of publishing it. So please point out any faults in my writing.
It's strange, I generally don't like such angsty fics. Yet here I am writing one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy :)
The day they found Janey's tomb was one of the most harrowing days any of them had experienced.
They had found the site after a little bit of searching, a rock with hieroglyphs on it Foyle's equivalent of a tomb stone. The others were buried there too, but they knew Janey's straight away.
Jack had come along, the official reason being his role as the chief investigator of the case. The real reason being Phryne.
He stood by her as the grave was dug up. It was an arduous experience. The soil was wet and tightly packed, it took hours. In all that time not one of them spoke a word. They stood, watching, waiting.
Jack was afraid to look at Phryne, the person standing beside him was not the strong, fiery woman he knew. Phryne standing beside him was just a little girl, a small child who had lost her sister.
He stood close to her, but the space between them seemed like a vast ocean he longed to cross. His own, stupid sense of propriety stopped him from reaching out to comfort her. At least that was until the man finally stumbled across the body. He looked up at them, muttering a few words. They were addressed to Miss Fisher but Jack found that it was him who gave the man instruction. He departed quickly at Jack's command, leaving just Hugh, Dorothy, Miss Fisher and himself. Phryne let out a small noise; it couldn't be called a sob. It was weaker, more broken. Unable to stand it he reached his arm out to wrap around her.
He wondered solemnly at his place beside her. Surely where he stood was a place that should be reserved for a partner, a lover, a lifelong friend. And yet here Jack stood to all extents and purposes he was nothing more than a work colleague he thought bitterly, though he silently wished he could be more. He gently rubbed her shoulder trying to comfort her, offer her some consolation. She moved away from him slowly venturing forward towards the grave. Tentatively moving as if a wild animal lay within it to attack her.
When she finally reached the edge of the grave and looked in she didn't make a sound. She knelt beside it. Jack slowly moved to follow her.
And then Phryne Fisher broke letting out the most heart wrenching sob which threatened to break Jack's heart in two. She wept, wailing as incomprehensible grief washed over her and Jack could barely restrain himself from wrapping her up in his arms, a tight embrace to tell her that everything was alright. Anything to stop her pain. But he was a coward, and far too restrained to eve show such deep emotion.
He saw her hand reach out behind her. His heart skipped a beat and he felt on the verge of tears himself as he realised she was reaching out for him. He held out his hand, clasping hers tightly, trying to root her back to the earth. She gripped his back equally tightly. He kept holding it as she wept. He didn't know how long had passed, it could've been a lifetime for all he knew. Every minute she was in pain seemed to drag on for hours.
It was only then that Jack looked down into the grave. It shocked him. Although he knew Janey had been abducted as a little girl it still came as a shock to him to see just how small her tomb was. Although his head knew how young she was it still took his heart a while to realise that Phryne had grown old without her sister. Miss Fisher was an adult, a woman; Janey had never had the chance to be that.
He knelt a little way behind her, still holding her hand. Hugh and Dot waited, watching. He could faintly here Dot crying over the sounds of Phryne. After some time he finally spoke. His voice was hoarse from lack of use.
"Hugh, perhaps it would be wise to take Miss Williams home. It has been a rough day. Ensure she gets well rested. Also make sure Jane is looked after. I will stay here with Miss Fisher" he finally managed to croak out. He wondered at his own ability to sound so cold, so professional when he was so emotionally vulnerable.
Hugh said nothing, but nodded curtly and guided Miss Williams, still sobbing towards their car.
They had been gone quite a while when he finally decided to move, sitting down next to her. His body almost touching hers, her legs directly beside his. Finally she spoke, a ragged sound, not her usual melodic voice.
"It should have been me" she managed to whisper before letting out a barely suppressed sob.
Jack placed a consoling hand on her knee. "Don't say that." He whispered. "It shouldn't have been either of you. It shouldn't have happened at all."
Phryne looked desperately at him "Jack" she said softly before wrapping her arms around his neck and weeping into his shoulder. Jack responded gently, wrapping his arms around her waist and then sitting absolutely still. He didn't know how to respond, he knew how he wanted to respond. To pull her so, so tightly into his arms and never let her go. Instead he rubbed gentle circles on her back, trying to make her feel better. An action which paled in comparison to the true depth of emotion he was feeling.
He sat there completely oblivious to the world beyond her. And it was only when he felt her shiver that he realised it had grown dark. He looked down at his watch, it was almost ten o'clock. He realised with a start that they had been here for six hours.
"Phryne" he whispered. She was no longer sobbing, but sitting in a grief ridden silence which was almost worse. She stirred from his shoulder to look up at him. "We need to get you home. You need some rest. She opened her mouth to protest but no words came out, it died on her lips. She lowered her head and nodded, releasing her grip on his shoulders. He got to his feet, his muscles aching in protest; he had been sitting still for far too long. Grabbing her hands and pulling her up to her feet he saw her sway shakily.
"Here" he said pulling her arm around his shoulder and wrapping his arm around her waist. He helped her walk towards the Hispano. He put her in the passenger's seat. She didn't object. She didn't speak at all until they arrived at her house. He walked with her into the entrance hall. Now able to walk herself, he contented himself to stand beside her. When they were finally inside she started slowly for the kitchen. The light had been left on. It's clear they were expecting her return. A note on the table said simply "we have all retired after an emotional day. But should you need us we will be there in a heartbeat." Phryne gave a small smile as she read it before collapsing into one of the chairs. Jack got her a glass of water, thinking it best to avoid milk, even milk which was definitely not spiked, after Foyle's actions.
"Not whisky?" she murmured barely audibly.
"I think the only thing you need now is sleep Phryne" he gently replied.
She nodded rising to her feet and beginning to move out the door. She stopped and walked back towards him.
"Jack" she whispered.
"Yes" he responded
"Thank you" it was barely audible, but the two words were filled with such emotion it made him want to burst. That was before Phryne fisher raised a hand, gently caressing his cheek before planting one sweet, chaste kiss to his lips. It happened for but a fleeting moment and then it was gone, Jack's heart started to soar but already he missed the sensation terribly. She kept her hand to his cheek for a moment longer.
"For you Phryne…" he managed to stammer out "anytime."
She smiled softly before turning and heading up to her bedroom. Jack once more headed to the front door. Waiting till she had disappeared up the top of the stairwell before he exited via the front door yet again, wishing he could stay and hold her in his arms.
But Phryne at last knew where her sister was, she had her answers and for all of the pain she now had, it meant she could finally find peace. She could overcome the trauma of her past. And for now, Jack thought to himself, that was enough.