It was the night of the Toronto art exhibition and Detective Murdoch along with Constable Crabtree and several other constables had been set the task of overseeing the event. Murdoch had planned the security points, set the Constables to guard and had just completed a final round, the place was secure. Murdoch suspected the night would go without a hitch and what would follow would be a rather dull evening of small talk, watching the well to do ladies and gentlemen of Toronto pass the time. In truth he was feeling rather irritable, he'd been feeling out of sorts since the haemophiliac case or rather since receiving his invitation to the good Doctor's wedding. He was trying to ignore the churning he felt in his stomach just thinking about it, and yet minutes before she had handed him the invite had she not been flirting with him, perhaps it was wishful thinking but their gazes had locked and now he could scarcely stop thinking about her. He didn't like to feel out of control like this and no doubt she would be here this evening, in attendance with her fiancé, he could hardly face the thought of smiling and making small talk with them.
Then looking up he saw her, as if his thoughts had conjured her out of the air, his breath caught in his throat - She was beautiful. Dressed in an elegant dress of sky and midnight blue, he knew even from here how the colours would make her eyes bright, she looked at him and smiled. He forced himself to breath, returned the smile faintly and nodded to Darcy who was now also looking his way with a smile. It was not Darcy's fault, William knew, after all what intelligent man could resist her, it was simple jealousy and this thought sickened him. He decided to walk another round and get some air rather than stay and talk with them so he turned on his heel and headed for the opposite side door. He did not see the glint of disappointment that shown in those bright eyes as they watched him disappear in haste.
Some 40 minutes had passed before Murdoch found himself in the elevator making his way down to the basement from the top floor. He had taken the stairs on the way up, checking all the exit and entrance points, more as a way of distracting himself than through any real concern, but he had allowed himself to take the elevator down as he marvelled at the buildings structure and the benefits of new ideas and technologies. He felt privileged to be alive in Toronto at such an exciting point in its history and these contemplations brightened his spirit somewhat. He noted the elevator light come on for one of the exhibition floors; this did not surprise him as the exhibition was spread across three floors this year. The elevator came to a stop and as the door slid back he looked up to see Julia. "Good evening Detective" She said pleasantly. He preferred it when she called him William but pushing this thought aside he replied "Good evening Doctor are we waiting for others?" He was looking for Darcy or in fact anyone so that he wouldn't have to share this confined space with her alone. "No thank you, Darcy is in discussions with friends that will no doubt last half the night. I wish to see the remaining exhibition so here I am." She spoke cheerily oblivious to his discomfort. "Very well Doctor, which floor?" He said sliding the door closed and reminding himself again to breathe.
As the elevator began its slow decent again Murdoch kept his eyes on his shoes. "Good turn out this year" Commented Julia trying to break the silence that was becoming strained. William opened his mouth to reply when suddenly they were plunged into darkness and the elevator came to a stop. "William?" Came Julia's quiet voice through the dark. "Don't worry, it must be a power cut, the lift has a locking mechanism so we won't fall, the emergency" even as the words left his mouth a second dull light came on "light will come on shortly" he finished, smiling at the technology. "I wonder how long we will be stuck here" Julia spoke softly. The thought was like butterflies in Murdoch's stomach, "Not long I'm sure" he said reassuringly as much to himself as to her and they fell back into silence except for the slight hum of the emergency light.
Time passed and in this static environment seconds felt like hours. "William" the word sounded like the ring of a bell in the silence and he couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement. He looked at her properly for the first time since she'd entered the lift, even in the dim light she was glowing, he tried to swallow but his mouth was dry. "We need to talk. We can't go on like this, I'm to marry soon and we were friends once." She trailed off as if the mountain of this conversation was too hard to climb. "Friends" he repeated numbly barely above a whisper. This seemed to antagonise her and if he'd been looking at her he would have seen the patience wither in her face. "More than friends," her voice firm she took a small step towards him causing him to look up and meet her gaze, "why did you remain silent when I told you I could not bear children? Why are you always silent? Why didn't you stop me leaving? Did you even miss me? Why are you so dispassionate?" Her questions came thick and fast, angry demands, her voice rising and quivering in desperation. The word dispassionate lodged in his heart like a knife and suddenly he could bare this close confinement no more. Before either of them knew what was happening he had practically thrown her back against the wall pinning her there with his body, kissing her with a hard urgency, a kiss that burned like the first intake of breath after too long under water.
After a time he broke the kiss, not moving away but keeping her locked in his arms, "I'm sorry" he breathed in a husky whisper dropping his eyes from her face. Her breath was coming fast and she waited for him to continue watching him struggle with the words. "I wanted to say the right thing, to find the words that proved you were more important to me than having a family, so hard when I had told you it was a longing of mine." He had closed his eyes unable to look at her; he took comfort from the feeling of her chest moved against his with every breath. She was placing tiny kisses on his face now and so he continued "I came to the train station to tell you" at this he paused reaching into his pocket to produce the ring case that had sat there since she left, an idol play thing for his fingers "I came to ask you" she looked at the case wide eyed "but I was too late, you were gone and then I thought perhaps your life would be better off without me, it is what you wanted after all, to go to Buffalo." His voice was strained with emotion and her eyes were wet as she kissed him tenderly on the mouth, "You stupid man, how could my life be better off without you? My life is empty without you." Hearing these words he kissed her again passionately, holding her so tightly it was as if he thought she might dissolve at any moment, the ring case falling from his hand forgotten. Time seemed to become as still as the elevator until eventually Julia drew back to speak, rather than be parted from her William began trailing kisses down her throat. He could tell it was distracting her as the words fell meanderingly between shaky breaths "I'll speak to Dacy but you have to promise" at this point he bit her neck playfully "William!" she gasped and he chuckled slightly feeling her go weak in his arms. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back slightly, not breaking their embrace. "You have to promise not to be so reserved" at this she deftly untucked his shirt and slip her hands underneath and up his chest "I want to feel your heat" her words were thick as melted chocolate and it was Murdoch's turn to feel weak. He pulled them close again trapping her hands between them "I respect you too much to ever take liberties with you" he kissed her softly then smiled "but I promise to never let you go again." They kissed again with a gentle intimacy and barely noticed as the main light returned. They broke apart in a rush as the elevator began its decent again, hurriedly straightening clothes and hair. It was only moments before it came to a stop again on her floor. They smiled at each other warmly as the door slid back and she exited.
As the lift continued on its way Murdoch could hardly contain himself. He had not dared hope for a second chance and yet this night he thought so ill-fated had ended in bliss. When the door slide back on the basement floor he could hardly keep the spring from his step as he continued on his round. As he approached Constable Crabtree he smiled and asked how the evening was going. "Err I'm not sure if you're aware Sir but we've had a terrible power cut" Crabtree reported earnestly. "Not that terrible" Murdoch replied cheerfully to which Crabtree looked slightly bewildered but he was used to the Detectives sometimes cryptic ways.