Tempus Fugit
Fandom – Wentworth
Pairing – Franky and Bridget
Rating – M (bad language throughout and adult content much later on)
Summary – Alternative/Extended ending to Season 3 where Franky's parole is delayed due to the fire. Bridget returns to work at Wentworth but it's a struggle to throw up professional boundaries again after she had let them previously slip.
Chapter 3
Franky POV
Franky closed her eyes and enjoyed the morning sunlight that was currently shining directly into the exercise yard. She was sat on one of the few picnic benches in the shorter end of the L shaped yard. It had been a week since she had been able to sit outside or have the ability to roam. Seven days wasn't too horrendous a stint in the slots, she'd endured far longer stints, but they were seven days she could have been living in the real word not a concrete box. What made it worse was the sympathy she had been getting from every fucking screw that brought her medicine or food. Even Miss Miles who was usually poker faced looked really fucking sorry for her. It made Franky want to scream at the injustice of it all. Instead she just resorted to doing press ups until she dripped with sweat and her arms ached so much she collapsed on the cold stone floor and just lay there in physical and mental agony.
They had let her out this morning just after giving her breakfast and as everyone else was still in the cafeteria eating theirs. Franky had taken the opportunity to sit outside on her own for a while before facing them. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Boomer or Liz or Doreen, they were all important to her, but she didn't know if she could cope with the pity she was bound to receive from them. She was full of enough self-pity to cover all bases.
She had been dragged to the interview room three times in total to speak to the two sombre Detectives and it had left her frustrated on every occasion. At least after the second time they seemed to have given up on the idea that she had been involved in that kid snatching wacko bitch Warner's death. The final time had centred on Bea and whether or not Franky had seen how Bea had ended up with Josh. They didn't give much away but the brunette had pieced together from the direction of their questions that Ferguson was accusing Bea of attacking her whilst she was rescuing little Josh. Perhaps she was even accusing Bea of attacking her and trying to leave her to die. Franky had told them that Bea already had Josh by the time she arrived but that aside from having been knocked off her feet by the first explosion Ferguson hadn't seemed any worse for wear.
Other than the odd trip to the visitor centre Franky had spent the rest of the time doing push ups or staring at blank walls. She's thought about the fire and how if she could turn back time she wouldn't do anything different despite the fact it had landed her in this shit. She had thought of Bridget and wondered if the blonde knew about what had happened. She wondered if Bridget, who had previously stuck around even when Franky thought she would run, would even consider her now she was stuck in Wentworth for the long haul again. Every time the door had opened Franky had imagined Bridget walking in wearing that white and black patterned shirt and telling her she had good news. Each time it was just another screw bringing her meals on wheels.
She could hear the door to one of the blocks opening behind her and knew her peace and quiet was now at an end. Breakfast was over and people would soon be pouring out into the yard. She was about to get up and head to her cell in the hope of avoiding people a little while longer when a teal clad body plopped down beside her on the bench. It was Liz.
Franky was waiting for some sort of attempt at a motivating speech from the older blonde inmate but instead Liz just sat in silence with her. She wondered if Miss Bennett or one of the other guards had let Liz leave breakfast early to come see her as no other inmates appeared in the yard.
The companionable silence relaxed Franky and she found herself grateful for Liz's steadying presence. The blonde had been like a mother to her for a substantial amount of her stay in the correctional facility. She had hated it when they had been fighting but she had been hurt and had lashed out again and again. The brunette leant into the side of the older woman and rested her head on Liz's shoulder.
"You did the right thing you know?" the blonde finally spoke up. Franky responded with a humourless snort. She had undoubtedly done the right thing by saving a child but it didn't give her any comfort to hear it. She kept on looking straight ahead but she felt Liz turn her head and press her cheek into the top of the brunette's head. When Franky didn't recoil the blonde slowly lifted her arm and draped it across the younger woman's shoulders.
"I know it means very little love but what you did…going in to danger to rescue little Josh like that…It was brave and selfless" Liz gently praised her.
Brave and selfless? Franky had never heard herself called either of those things before. Throughout her whole time in Wentworth she had been incredibly selfish. Yes she could hide behind the fact that prison was a dog eat dog world and you had to adapt to survive but it didn't excuse or justify many of her actions. She regretted so many of her actions now that having Liz call her selfless made her feel fucking fraudulent.
"It wasn't exactly selfless" Franky sighed. "I've been such a bitch to you and Dor….I couldn't let her lose the little one could I? I suppose I felt like I was redeeming myself a little bit."
"You risked your life Franky" Liz countered quickly. "You could have died."
The older woman's words rattled the brunette's cage slightly as her actions had resulted in a prolonged stay in a place she hated and regarded as an absolute shit hole. Death may well have been preferable especially if the acting Governor couldn't make good on her pledge to try and influence the parole board.
"I wish I had" Franky muttered.
She hadn't intended to admit it out loud, it just kind of came slipping out. She instantly tensed but Liz remained calm alongside her, the only sign she had even heard Franky's comment was a small sad sigh.
"This is just a short extension to your stay love, it isn't forever" Liz tried to comfort her.
The younger inmate knew the blonde was right to a certain extent but she also felt like it blurred over the bigger picture. Sure she would be released eventually if someone didn't shiv her first but with each passing second her life was wasting away before her.
"The longer I am stuck in here the more of my life I throw away and the more my chances of making something of myself when I get out fade a fucking way" Franky bemoaned.
At twenty eight years of age it still felt reasonable that she was finishing her qualifications off. If she was stuck in the Correctional Facility another two years she would be released in the fourth decade of her life. Age would be yet another thing working against her when looking for a trainee position in the law.
"Keep your chin up and keep studying" Liz encouraged. "Promise me you won't give up love because it would be such a waste."
Franky leant harder against the only mother figure she had ever really known and closed her eyes. She tried to think about the only positives she could muster up about Wentworth. Here she had something of a family unit. There was a Boomer, who was undoubtedly the best friend she had ever had in her twenty eight years. There was obviously Liz and her daughter Sophie, Doreen and the bae and even Bea and Maxine. A few months ago she would have laughed at the idea of them being family but she and Bea had come to an understanding, then they had become allies of a sort and then a tentative friendship developed. If she had to stay a little longer then at least she had people she cared for and who cared for her. It would do little to improve the feeling of being owned by the state but it would help her muddle through.
"I don't think I can promise anything Liz" she replied honestly, "but I will try."
The blonde squeezed her a bit harder with the arm that draped across the younger inmates shoulder and kissed the top of the brunette's head. Franky could hear other inmates pouring into the yard but she didn't bother extracting herself from Liz. She didn't have enough energy to give a fuck what any of them thought right now.
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Bridget's POV
Even though she had a whole week to deal with the disappointment of Franky's parole being rescinded it didn't dampen the sickening feeling of pulling up just three places down from the parking speck she had slotted into just seven days before when she thought she was picking up the brunette and whisking her of into the sunset. It took a further couple of minutes for the forensic psychologist to find the composure to exit the Porsche and walk up the road to the staff entrance.
Bridget still wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing in accepting Vera's offer to return to work at Wentworth. In all honesty once the shock of Franky Doyle's parole being rescinded had died down then the hurt and the anger had kicked in. The brunette inmate had been hours away from release. They had been hours away from finally being together. Bridget had convinced herself that Franky wanted that as much as she did but if that was the case how could the inmate be so stupid as to risk throwing it all away? Those thoughts were selfish and stupid. Bridget knew that. The brunette had broken rules and risked her life to save an innocent child; a baby which had no chance of helping himself. On the one hand Bridget thought the actions were heroic. On the other she felt like they were a knife in her chest. Every moment spent in what now felt like a cold and lonely house just twisted that knife further.
It had taken her three days to finally make a decision and her heart was still doing battle with her head four days after that. Her head had told her time and time again to just take a job in a private practice and visit Franky at weekends. That way the brunette inmate would know Bridget hadn't given up on her like everyone else had before her and would give Bridget space to work through her own issues about what happened without upsetting the inmate. Plus Bridget wouldn't be risking her career and liberty working in the same facility as her.
Her heart kept arguing back though, pointing out in return that by visiting Franky her professionalism would be in question anyway as she could only be there during visiting hours for personal reasons. At least if she was working in the prison she had the excuse of seeing the brunette in a professional setting as long as she could keep control of her hormones around the beautiful inmate. In the end the part of her that longed to see Franky five days a week won out and she had accepted the acting Governor's offer to return. So here she was, outside the prison gates with new ID card in hand and a box full of belongings, ready to return to work.
Bridget came to a halt in front of the first wire gate and balanced her box between her left hand and hip, freeing her right hand up to slide the ID card through the lock mechanism. The gate slid open, metal creaking and scraping along the tarmac entrance way. The noise was familiar yet it felt like she was hearing it all again for the first time. She had never been so hyper sensitive when entering the facility before. The second gate opened in a similar fashion just a few seconds later and Bridget found herself walking the familiar route down the side of the quieter tip of the exercise yard.
It was just after breakfast and a sunny morning so the main yard was full of inmates. The side yard though was always a little less populated as there was no gym equipment or basketball court. She tried to keep her head down and not look around too much but she could see in the periphery of her vision that there were a few women milling around on foot and at the benches.
Despite the fact she wasn't trying to look it took her all of about five steps down the walkway to notice that the woman who had invaded every waking thought and every dream for the past couple of months was sitting at one of the picnic tables. Bridget couldn't help but looking up from her cardboard box once she realised Franky was present, the inmate was like a magnet to her.
The brunette hadn't noticed her yet and was sat talking to Liz Birdsworth. Liz was an inmate that Bridget had plenty of time for and the fact the two looked so comfortable meant they had buried the hatchet. That could only be a good thing for Franky and her ability to cope on the inside for a little longer.
It was the older blonde inmate that noticed her presence first. Even through the fencing and at a distance Bridget registered the inmates surprise at seeing her. Franky noticed too and that drew her stare in Bridget's direction. The way the inmate sat bolt upright and her blue eyes lit up completely destroyed Bridget. Despite the anger and the disappointment she was certain of one thing…she was completely in love with Franky Doyle. How the fuck was she meant to stay composed if the inmate looked at her like she was the sun and the sky and the whole fucking universe.
She should have never agreed to come back.
For a few seconds Bridget slowed nearly to a standstill and Franky remained frozen in place. Their eyes remained rooted to the others despite the fact Bridget knew she should tear her own gaze away. It wasn't until the brunette began to shift in her seat that the psychologist panicked and tore her own gaze away.
Franky began extricating herself from the picnic bench and Bridget knew if she lingered the inmate would be over to the fence line and shattering the last of the blonde's composure. She did the only thing she could think of doing to protect herself…she stuck her head down again and marched on at the fastest walk she could muster. Bridget didn't dare look back to see if Franky had made a move towards the fence line. She couldn't bear to see the inevitable disappointment in the inmate's eyes that she had walked on by without properly acknowledging her. Bridget felt disgusted with herself for causing Franky pain. She felt disgusted with herself for her own lack of self-control and frustrated with herself for not being able to stay away. Yet even despite that frustration she continued on her way to her office. No matter how much her head screamed out her heart was here inside the concrete walls of Wentworth.
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Bridget had only just unpacked her things back into the desk of the small office when there was a knock on the door. She was expecting a visit from the acting Governor. Normally either the Governor or their deputy would be out front to greet you on your first day of work but obviously Bridget knew her way around and didn't need the pomp. A courtesy visit though would be part and parcel of her first day back.
"Come in" she called out, shuffling the last of her things around into the correct position on her desk.
The door crept open but instead of the small brunette woman entering it was the much larger and male acting Deputy Governor who peered around the doorframe. She hadn't seen him since she had been forced to resign but she knew from Vera he had made great progress since then and virtually had total recall over his memories.
"Hey! G'day Matt!" she greeted.
The burly Prison Guard had seemed a bit stand offish and short tempered when she had first met him but during their sessions she realised that he was actually a really decent bloke. He still had a shit storm of issues to work through though after his time in the military. Hopefully they could start up the sessions again but she'd leave that to his digression.
"Bridget" the blonde guard responded warmly. "Vera is stuck in a meeting so she asked if I could stick my head in and check you were okay."
"I'm good thanks" she replied, leaning back against the side of the desk that faced the door.
For a moment she thought he would remain in the doorway or leave but finally he strode in to the office and sat down on the arm of the nearest chair to her desk. He looked a little out of his comfort zone as the deputy Governor. She'd heard a rumour that he had coveted the Governor's role after Erica Davidson's dismissal and perhaps prior to the car 'accident' the role may have suited him. She was sure he had accepted the Deputy's roll for Vera's sake to provide her with some cover but it was likely to be short term as the board were planning to bring someone new in as Vera's deputy. One advantage of her alliance with the acting Governor was that she had far more idea about what was going on behind the scenes now. They had several phone conversations over the past week about Ferguson, the board, Franky and the police investigation.
"Vera said that the board agreed the extra activities you wanted…the drop in periods and extra group sessions and such" Matt informed her. "Her secretary should have e-mailed you a proposed timetable a few minutes ago so you just need to double check it and send any amendments back."
Bridget smiled in response. This was the other bonus of her and the brunette's alliance. Vera seemed very receptive to her ideas about how best to provide counselling and support sessions for the women. The acting Governor was under pressure to distance herself from the severity of Ferguson's reign of terror and better social welfare and education facilities for the inmates was the obvious quick solution. Not that Bridget thought that Vera Bennett was just using her to secure the Governorship of the Correctional Facility. It certainly helped but she also got the impression that after everything that had occurred with Ferguson (and perhaps even Franky's show of heroism) had convinced Vera that her judgement was sound.
"It's good to have you back" Matt said as he stood up from his perch on the putrid coloured chair. "I never got a chance to thank you for helping me regain my memories. Considering what I remembered about Ferguson it probably saved lives."
Bridget was grateful for his sentiment but she wished she could have done more. More to help Jodie before Ferguson totally fucked the woman up. She should have listened to Franky earlier when the young inmate kept trying to bring the topic up. Perhaps then any death could have been avoided.
"Not everyone's" she said, following the words with a deep sigh.
Warner's death was a bit like the elephant in the room. Bridget was well aware Matt had remembered having inappropriate relations with the inmate although she doubted he'd mourn the woman's death. Few would have much sympathy for a woman who abducted a child from its own mother. He nodded in response, his facial expression neutral, before walking out the office and closing the door behind him.
Once the door clicked shut she walked back around to the other side of the desk and turned the computer on. If she was going to get through the day without going mental thinking about Franky she needed to stick her head down and work. The computer fired into life and she put her administrative password into the login page. Another two clicks and she had opened her mail inbox. There was an e-mail from Vera welcoming her back to work followed by the e-mail from the Governors secretary. She opened it and clicked on the schedule. It looked reasonable enough but she would take a proper look at the extra session times later.
The first thing that caught her attention was that she had three appointments pencilled in for today which Vera must have organised for her. The first one was with Doreen Anderson, which considering what she had just gone through was absolutely no surprise. In fact Vera had scheduled her in for a further appointment with the new mother later in the week. The acting Governor had done the same with Bridget's second appointment of the day; she was to have a session with Jodie Spiteri in isolation. The third appointment was with Bea Smith who was still stuck in the slots. Ferguson was trying to claim that Warner had killed herself and started the fire and that Bea has assaulted her when she was trying to get to safety with Anderson's baby. Ferguson's implication was that Bea had tried to leave her for dead, capitalising on the opportunity to kill off someone she saw as a rival.
The last appointment of the day had no one booked in, only a sentence which read 'perhaps another inmate affected by the fire'. Bridget wasn't stupid, she could see Vera was giving her the opportunity to book Franky in for an appointment but the forensic psychologist knew it was too early for her to try and tackle the brunette inmate yet. If she was impartial then she'd have made Franky a priority especially knowing her parole had been revoked and she must be feeling low. Ryan, the external psyche who Franky had finished her programme for the parole hearing with, had seen her during the last week though and reported that she was holding up okay. He was pencilled in to see Franky tomorrow too so the tattooed inmate was not going unaided.
Another knock on the door drew Bridget's attention back to her work. Doreen was here for the first session and a burly prison guard opened the door to allow the inmate to enter. Anderson was not alone and had a little bundle wrapped in a white blanket cradled in her arms.
"Heeeeey" Bridget greeted, her mood improved when she realised Doreen had her new born with her. "So this is little Josh right? Can I have a hold?"
