Title: In Vino Veritas
Summary: In wine, there is truth. Only, there isn't any wine featured in this story.
Rating: K+
Notes: Having read RuthieGreen's recent "Proof" I started to imagine this as a response to that story. Being the gracious person she is, she allowed me to continue on with the story. This might make more sense if you read that story first, but I don't guess that you have to…
Warning: General season 10 spoilers. Also, if I owned MM, I wouldn't be scheming about ways to become an international jetsetter, so I don't.
For all the differences that had caused them to lock horns over the years, it seems that Julia did have a few things in common with Thomas Brackenreid after all. At present, it was their mutually shared interest in getting drunk and behaving in a most undignified manner that had brought them together this particular evening, and since the Inspector had brought an assortment of the most unusual local spirits with him from Panama, and as the man admitted to her that he had no one who would really appreciate them as much as she would, she agreed to stay late at work and sample the exotic beverages with him.
Thus, after having sampled quite the beverage selection with him, and having danced with the man (or more accurately had her toes stepped on by the him), they were now slouched on the floor in drunken heaps on the floor, laughing as the Inspector shared stories of earlier drinking adventures.
"I must say, this lot was a damned sight better than the local brew some enterprising lad cooked up when I was in Afghanistan with the regiment. Now that was quite the experience," he chuckled. "I thought I might have done permanent damage, but that didn't stop me from finishing it. Nor did it stop me from waking up in a brothel completely naked either," he admitted with a laugh. "I still have no recollection of how I got there," he added.
Laughing, Julia shook her head at the thought of the Inspector as a young man, carefree and reckless; a time when he hadn't been as careworn as he was now. Not unlike her own past she mused, only she hadn't had the experience of waking up with a man she didn't know. No need, I still managed to have plenty of misadventures of my own.
With the laughter having eventually died down, they both sat lost in thought, messily sprawled on the floor. Ever since Emily had left for London, she'd found that she missed having a drink with someone and just talking about things. Looking at the Inspector, she sighed, knowing that confessing anything truly personal to him was out of the question, as he was William's superior. But still, she missed the freedom that a drunken confession could bring.
It seems that the Inspector may have thought the same thing, as he sighed and rubbed his face before looking down at the ground. It seems that he might want to do the same thing, Julia thought.
"That kiss with James Pendrick didn't mean anything to you, did it?" he asked, looking up at her with a deep frown.
Shaking her head, she laughed. It seems that William himself would be a safe topic of conversation-up to a point. "No, it didn't. Has William said anything to you that indicates that it bothered him?" she wondered.
"He claims it didn't…but let's face facts, the thought of another man kissing your wife is not a happy one, and your husband is a terrible liar," he pronounced with a shrug.
"Yes, and quite fortunate for me that he is. However, yes, I guess you could say that we've talked about it, and I wondered if it bothered him as well but I don't know what else to say to him. I've told him that while James wasn't the worst kisser I've experienced, he certainly wasn't the best either. Truthfully, William is the best lover I've ever had, and I've done my best to help him to understand that…including to remind him how frequently we enjoy relations and that I never did as such with Darcy…" she found herself truthfully explaining, more than she had meant to do. Apparently the need to confide had won out over propriety. In vino, veritas, indeed.
Judging from the look on the man's face, she knew he thought so too. "Doctor, I don't need the details, just know that you are everything to Murdoch. I need him if I'm going to do my job properly, but you need to understand that he needs you even more. I suppose I could make a chess metaphor, but seeing as that's Murdoch's game and I don't give a toss for the damned thing, I won't," he conceded.
"I assure you that he is my priority. I would never knowingly hurt him…even in the past…well, I thought he would find someone else…someone who could give him the family he deserves..." she trailed off. "I can't, Inspector. I've known for years," she finally admitted.
Staring straight ahead, the man nodded. "I thought as much…and as time has passed and you haven't, well…and then you adopted Roland" he fumbled.
Softly chuckling, she nodded. "Yes, I figured the lack of a child must be station house gossip by now. Besides, every time I enter the station the number of constables who stare at my midsection on a routine basis is quite comical if not disconcerting," she commented with a wry smile.
"Yes, they're not a particularly subtle lot, are they?" he asked with a chuckle of his own.
"No, they are not. How about you, Inspector? Was it difficult to stand by as your younger counterpart kissed your wife, even slept in the same bed as her?" she asked.
"It gutted me, Doctor. I couldn't stand the thought of it, I wanted to end the whole thing almost immediately, tell Margaret that it was a ruse…that I was still the same old Tommy that had left for Panama… But Murdoch convinced me that I had to remain hidden, that I couldn't let her know…the stakes were too high and too important. I hated deceiving her, but I knew your husband was right. And that if he was going to all this trouble to catch the killer of a man who had recently taken liberties with his wife… well then, I could persevere for another day. I don't know if I could have done it any longer though…" Brackenreid confessed.
"I would hope that William would never have cause to lead me astray like that, and I know that he would never make the choice to do so lightly. But if he did, well, I hope that I could be as understanding as Margaret. She seems to have taken the whole situation rather well, if you ask me," Julia said.
"Yes, she truly has. She's an incredible woman, and I think will take my leave now if you don't mind, I still miss the old girl, and would like to spend some time with her this evening before it's too late."
Smiling impishly, she just couldn't help herself "Yes, I might go home and enjoy spending some time with William myself. It was just this morning for us, but…"
"That's enough, Doctor. I must say though, I can't imagine Murdoch having those sorts of…appetites" he fumbled, searching for the correct word.
"Oh, William is a different man away from the stationhouse in lots of ways, Inspector."
"Yes, well, on that note, I believe I will be off myself," he muttered as he heaved his bulk off of the floor. "Back in the regiment, I can't believe that I used drink for hours and then sleep on the ground and then be right as rain early the next morning. It's hell getting old," he groaned, working the kinks out of his back.
"I know what you mean, Inspector. I used to play poker and play poker with the boys at University and then attend classes the next morning in fine tune. Something tells me that we'll both feel this experience tomorrow morning in ways we'd rather not. I suppose a happy home life makes you soft," she theorized.
"Yes, I suppose it does. But it's worth it. I wouldn't trade Margaret or the boys for anything," Brackenreid agreed, buttoning up his coat and putting his hat on to leave. "Good evening, Doctor," he bid as he walked out. "Oh, Doctor?" he asked, turning around.
"Yes, Inspector?"
"Take care of our man, will you? Remember what I said, you are his world, and you are undoubtedly his priority, don't ever doubt that," he advised. "I don't say that lightly, either," he added, imploring her to understand what he wasn't saying.
"I assure you that he is my world as well, Inspector. Though I've certainly tried, I can't live without him," she confessed.
"Glad to hear it. But understand that there may come a time when you may be called upon to do just that," he advised.
Though she wondered if she had just caught some sort of veiled warning, her mind was still far too impaired with the alcohol, and after a moment, she decided to pay the comment no further mind.
"Not if I can help it, Inspector. Good night," she bid herself.