The voice of experience

Disclaimer:- Don't own them just borrowing!

Episode:- None

Pairing:- Jean/James

Rating:- M

Achieve:- http(:/) . /group/rebeccafrontlewisffarchive/

Summary:- The day certainly hadn't ended the way she'd expected it to but she had a whole new respect for the observational skills of their elderly witness and very much looked forward to paying her a visit to check a few details on her statement and thank her of course.

Author's Note:- In answer to Beth's challenge in which someone is quizzed about their live by an elderly person. It's quite long this one it sort of got away from me but hopefully it's worth it! Enjoy and reviews would be really brill.

"If you could just wait here Mrs Simpson I'll be with you shortly I just need to check with my boss." James smiled sitting the elderly witness down on one of the comfortable seats outside Jean's office. With Robbie away visiting his new granddaughter and helping Lynn with his grandson when she brought the new baby home from hospital Jen was taking over as his senior officer for the few days and delighted as he was at that fact it wasn't always easy to pin her down. She had so many calls on her time that even at a moments when he was sire she would be available she wasn't around and this was exactly what was happening now. Without her he wasn't prepared to start interviewing the geriatric witness. The Murder at the high priced nursing home had meant he seemed to be spending a disproportionate amount of time talking to the over 80's and getting nowhere but when he brought them in and she helped it seemed to go much more smoothly since they appeared to be able to take her more seriously than him. "I'm sorry she appears to be out of the office right now but she won't be long can I get you anything? A cup of tea or something?"

"No you're fine young man I'm sure your boss will be along shortly why don't you sit here and tell me a little bit about yourself?" Mrs Simpson replied as he tried to hold back a frustrated groan and took the seat beside her. "A good looking young boy like you must have a gorgeous wife tell me about her, do you have any children?"

"Maybe we should talk about Doctor Stewart while we're waiting for Chief Superintendent Innocent." James replied keeping his fingers crossed that just this once he might be able to steer the conversation away from himself but knowing it was unlikely. Since starting this case he'd discovered that the elderly were much more interested in his love life and plans for the future than they were in the death of the doctor they'd seen every day.

"Now, now don't be shy I've been around long enough I've seen it all maybe it's another nice young man you have in your life instead?" She continued just as Jean approached the corner she would turn to reach them and her office and stopped in her tracks. She knew she should immediately carry on and make them aware she was there but she was as curious about James's current relationship status as their witness was and while she knew he didn't have a boyfriend she could help but wonder if he did have a girlfriend he was keeping very quiet about.

"No! I mean not that there would be anything wrong with that but no! I don't have a girlfriend right now."

"But there's someone you wish was your girlfriend?" Mrs Simpson smiled as he stared back at her in surprise. "I told you son I've been around a long time and I know a thing or two. Just because the body isn't willing these days doesn't mean I can't remember what it was like to be in love so tell me about her."

"You're a sharp old bird aren't you?" James smiled not sure why he found himself willing to talk to the woman in front of him about his feelings other than the fact that she reminded him of his grandmother and he'd always been able to tell her anything. "She's amazing, she's so beautiful, strong, caring, it's like she just has "it" whatever "it" is. I can't imagine being with anyone but her but she'd never be interested in me. She could have any guy she wanted she's a real stunner but not just that I mean she is beautiful and you know…."

"Hot? Or Sexy? Or whatever it is you young people say these days?" Mrs Simpson smiled as Jean leaned against the wall only metres from them feeling her stomach knot. As James continued to talk she felt like every word was hammering another nail through her heart. She'd long ago accepted that the feelings she had for him would never be reciprocated but to hear how strongly he felt for someone else was agonising yet she couldn't stop listening.

"Yeah that too but that's all just on the surface she's such an amazing person. She care so much about others, she never puts herself first. She so loyal and loving and so smart and intuitive it's amazing." James continued shrugging as the elderly woman tilted her head and smiled sadly at him.

"It sounds like she's quite something maybe you should just take a chance and tell her how you feel I'm sure she'd be delighted."

"No she's really wouldn't she'd be appalled if she thought I even looked at her that way let alone was in love with her," James sighed as Jean decided she'd heard enough and it was time to rescue him and end her own torture at the same time.

"James, sorry I didn't realize you were back. Sorry for keeping you waiting Mrs…"

"Simpson ma'am this is the lady I was telling you about she lives in the room beside the linen store where the doctor's body was found." James replied jumping off the seat and staring at Jean praying she hadn't heard any of what he had been saying.

"Oh yes, well why don't we go into one of the interview rooms and we can see what you can tell us Mrs Simpson. I'm Jean Innocent by the way since my sergeant seems to have forgotten his manners and not introduced s properly." Jean smiled gently leading the witness toward the other side of the hall rolling her eyes as James mouthed a silent apology.

"So that's all I can tell you I'm afraid." Mrs Simpson concluded half an hour later when she had finished giving her statement.

"You've been very helpful if we had more witnesses as observant as you our lives would be a lot easier." Jean replied smiling reassuringly as she got up. "If we need to talk to you again we'll be in touch and in the meantime James will make sure you get home ok. Thanks again."

"I'll get a car to take you back." James smiled once Jean had left trying to ignore the knowing look from the woman on the other side of the table.

"You should tell her you know, you're right she's very beautiful and one I get the feeling hasn't been told so often enough in her life." Mrs Simpson continued staying in her seat as James tried to look confused at her comments but knew she could see right through him. "You couldn't take your eyes off her the whole way through the interview James and I think we already establishing I'm not the senile old woman you thought you were picking up. If you take my advice you'll tell her and do it soon before someone comes along and snatches her away from under your nose. When you get to my age you realise the things you regret most are the opportunities you wasted by thinking you had all the time in the world then by the time you got around to them you were too late."

"I'm not wasting time." James sighed as he guided his elderly agony aunt toward the front desk of the station realising darkness had fallen while they were confined in the windowless interview room and being relieved to see the patrol car was already waiting to take Mrs Simpson back to her home. "I just know she wouldn't feel the same. Thanks again for your help we'll be in touch."

"Take a chance James you might be surprised." Mrs Simpson smiled as he closed the door and the car drove off.

"James I thought you'd left an hour ago." Jean smiled over an hour alter when he stood at her office door with the transcript of their earlier interview in his hand.

"I knew you'd still be working so I thought I'd write up the interview. You realise the rest of the station is empty other than the night duty desk sergeant and the custody sergeant downstairs?"

"Yeah well I'm used to being the only person left on this floor at this time of night." Jean smiled motioning to the sofa in the centre of the room as he closed the door and she joined him on it taking the sheet of paper from his hand. "What do you make of Mrs Simpson do you think we can take this at face value or is she another elder lady with a Miss Marple complex?"

"I think she's sharp as a tack and if she says she saw the doctor's wife coming out of the linen store ten minutes after Laura's earliest TOD then she saw it. There's something about her that tells me she misses nothing."

"Yeah you two seemed to be getting on well when I arrived this afternoon. I don't think I've ever heard you be quite so open about discussing your personal life." Jean said quietly unable to stop herself bringing it up now that they were alone. Much as she hated the fact that he was clearly so in love with someone else she wanted him to be happy even if that happiness only lead to more heartbreak for her. "You know whoever that was you were talking about earlier you should tell them, tell her I mean, I'm sure she'd be over the moon to know someone felt so strongly for her."

"You heard all that?" James asked feeling his blood run cold for a second as she nodded.

"Look I know you feel like whoever she is she wouldn't be interested but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try,"

"She would never be interested in me ma'am I know that and I don't think humiliating myself by telling her would actually achieve anything." James sighed Mrs Simpson's words still ringing as he did and the need to escape before he said something he couldn't tale back being almost unbearable.

"Well I can't speak for all of my gender James but if someone felt as strongly for me as you clearly do for this girl I'd want to know about it and be allowed to make a decision for myself rather than have you assume you knew how I felt. Who is she? Do I know her? Maybe I could help."

"Yeah you know her but I doubt you could help." James sighed feeling his usual; determination not to let her know how he felt about her waver as the day seemed to have all been leading up to that moment and the way she looked at him seemed to scream for an explanation. "Would you really want to know? I mean if it was you would you really want to know even if it lead to you having to tell someone you weren't interested and lead to a difficult working situation?"

"I'd rather be given the choice. Who is she James? Is it that lovely little WPC who worked on the Cousins case with you and Robbie last month? She was a really nice girl I could understand you…."

"No, no it's not her. Look…" James sighed staring at his hands for a second. "You're sure it wouldn't be a huge mistake? You're sure she'd want to know?"

"Yes! Tell me who it is and maybe I can actually help James. I care about you I want you to be happy if I can help with this girl I will." Jean replied her patience waning a little as she saw him hesitate again. "It doesn't matter I shouldn't be prying into your personal life."

"No it's fine it's just…" James began his heart racing as he watched her get up from the sofa and the loss of that intimacy that sitting there in the dim light had given them shook him to his senses. Following her he gripped her hand turning her toward him refusing o be put off by the confused look she gave him.

"James what are you doing?"

"Just remember you said you'd want to know."

"I…I don't know what you're…." Jean began her heart pounding in her chest as he pulled her closer his eyes fusing with hers for a split second before he leaned into her tentatively brushing his lips against hers at first before deepening their kiss as she sank into his arms.

"I was talking about you. Just in case that wasn't obvious now." James smiled the way she'd kissed him back, the way her body seemed to mould seamlessly into his arms and the way she was staring at him with eyes full of excitement and confusion dispelling the doubts he'd still been feeling about the wisdom of what he'd just done. "I love you, I've been in love with you since long before you were free of your marriage and it was ok for me to want you, I'm sorry if I've crossed the line but you said if it was you you'd want to know and I thought showing you might make the point more strongly."

"But all those things you said. I thought you were talking about one of those girls that are constantly trying to throw themselves at your feet I mean they're all more…." Jean began taking a deep breath as he held her a little closer resting his fingers gently on her lips to silence her.

"They're all pale and uninteresting and have nothing that compares in any way to the beauty of you. You take my breath away, you make me want to be a better person so you'll know how much I love you, you drive me crazy with desire in a way no woman ever has before. There isn't a woman in this building, actually there isn't a woman on the planet that can hold a candle to you and I love you with all my heart. The only question is where you could ever love me."

"You really have no idea do you?" Jean asked the mocking laugh she gave surprising him for a second until her eyes met his and he could see what she was going to say before she said it. "I do love you, I have for longer than I was allowed too as well. It was so hard for me to hear you say all that today and think you were so in love with someone who wasn't me. I love you James."

"We really have wasted way too much time." James said quietly kissing her again the fact that they still standing in the middle of her office becoming irrelevant as she laced her fingers behind his neck pulling him closer. He knew he should put a stop to things, that considering half an hour before they didn't expect to be this close at all let along in the middle of the office meant they should be able to wait until they reached one of their homes, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. All common sense, all logic and desire to take things slowly was banished by the way her lips felt against his and how she seemed to share his desperation.

"We shouldn't do this here." Jean said breathlessly her actions directly contradicting her words as she loosened his tie and allowed him to guide her back toward the sofa again. "But I don't think I can stop now, blinds, close the blinds and lock the door."

Doing what she asked without taking his eyes off her for a second he watched as she kicked off her shoes taking the clip out of her hair and letting it fall around her shoulders.

"You are spectacular and according to our Mrs Simpson you aren't told so often enough but I intend to put that right," James said quietly returning to the sofa and running his fingers down the buttons of her blouse pushing it off her shoulders and easing her back onto the sofa without ever breaking eye contact. "You've no idea how often I've imagined making love to you right here on this sofa, how many meetings I've sat through haunted by the idea of seeing you just like this laid out in front of me wanting me as much as I want you."

"I think I might have some idea it's probably about as often as I wished you'd do exactly that. You're the only man who's ever been able to leave me breathless with desire without ever laying a finger on me." Jean gasped adding his jacket and shirt to the pile of clothes on the floor as he unhooked her bra his fingers gently kneading her breasts as she arched into this touch.

"We have a lot of time to make up for." James muttered his lips trailing her body kissing his way toward the waist band of her skirt before completing his mission to leave her naked in front of him kneeling at the end of the sofa letting his eyes scan the length of her body as she stared up at him and he saw a flicker of doubt cross her eyes. "You are so beautiful even more spectacular than I imagined you'd be."

"I was worried you were disappointed, you would take one look at me and…" She began the last of her nervous self-conscious comment being swallowed as he kissed her again the feel of his naked chest against hers and the heat of his kiss exploding any further doubts she may have had.

"You could never disappoint me. You are amazing and I love you so much nothing about you could be anything but wonderful." James smiled finally shedding the last of his clothes and joining her back on the sofa the weight of his body on hers sending a fresh wave of arousal through her as she felt his hardness pressing against her though. Kissing her again she felt him dip his fingers between their bodies teasing her clit between his finger and thumb for a second before nudging his length at her entrance.

"James, oh god please don't stop now, I need you." She murmured running her hands down his back gently gripping his ass and guiding him slowly into her. The way her body yielded to him , how he seemed to fill her so completely only confirmed what she'd always known, that she was made to be with him, that he would completely possess her from the moment they first made love.

"You feel so good, it's never felt so good, so right." James gasped when he was completely encased inside her and began making love to her with slow deliberate strokes. He'd know making love to her would be everything he'd dreamed of and more but now with her his only focus and his body reacting to her on instinct he knew he'd forever be enslaved to her. The love he felt combined with the desire she could ignite in him would be the invisible shackles chaining him to her for the rest of his days and as she gave up to him her body trembling in his arms he knew that was exactly where he would forever want to be.

"Don't stop I want to feel you give up too." Jean whispered her words husky with the aftermath of her climax as she felt him pause and the need to know she could give him the same pleasure he had given her because her only priority. Feeling him move again her words snapping his control it was only moments before he'd given her exactly what she asked for convulsing in her arms as her name fell from his lips in a love laced gasps.

"I can't believe this is happening." He smiled as they lay in each other's arms a few moments later and she lifted her head narrowing her eyes at him.

"Are you having second thoughts? Do you regret it?" Jean asked her heart skipping for a second as she went to pull out of his arms and he held her tightly.

"No, I could never and would never regret a single second spent loving you." He replied kissing her again, the fact that he may have a little more convincing o do to show her how serious he was only spurring him on. "Can I take you home? I'm not ready for tonight to end but I am slightly worried about how we'd explain this is the cleaners unlocked the door this second."

"I'd love you to take me home." Jean smiled getting up as he waited and moving around the room picking up her clothes and throwing his onto the sofa beside him. "What do you suppose Mrs Simpson would say now? I mean she thought you should tell your mystery woman how you felt."

"Yeah and she knew it was you." James replied laughing as Jean's eyes widened as they finished dressing and he pulled her back into his arms. "Oh yeah when you left the interview room earlier she nail it she told me I should just tell you and even said you felt the same I told you sharp as a tack that one."

"Clearly." Jean smiled unlocking the office door and glancing around ensuring the coast was clear before beckoning him to follow her. The day certainly hadn't ended the way she'd expected it to but she had a whole new respect for the observational skills of their elderly witness and very much looked forward to paying her a visit to check a few details on her statement and thank her of course.