AUTHORS NOTE: So I think we're nearing the end team. I know. It's tragic because we all know what's coming. No fluffy ending. No change. It's all over. Sorry! I would like to let you know that this chapter had me in tears as I wrote it and I erased several times. I'm still not very happy but I think it's the best I can do before I depress myself!
AUTHORS NOTE TWO: So I kind of wrote this chapters AGES ago and thought I had uploaded it... I'm such a tool...
DISCLAIMER: So I have no real knowledge into the older episodes of Taggart so each flashback is just my poetic licensing. You know you don't mind. It helped the story.
[Memories]
The rest of the team had said their goodbyes and had allowed for Jackie to move into the room to be with him. She stood at the door for a few minutes, her hand holding onto the handle tight. She wanted to run away. She didn't want to say goodbye to him. Not so soon after saying hello to their relationship. Finally letting go of the door, she moved towards the bed and took hold of his hand. "You realise how much I hate you for making the whole "being at death's door" look good, right?" She joked lamely knowing that that was a Robbie trait. She cursed. "I'm turning into you now. Isn't that just a kick in the head?" She laughed to herself before letting go of his hand.
Grabbing hold of the chair, she pulled it nearer to his bed and sat down before reaching over to take hold of his hand again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you. I just needed a chair. It's a bitch standing up for so long," she explained before looking down at him, a smile tracing her face as she thought back to their first meeting and the impression she'd gotten of him.
"Alright gorgeous," a Scottish accent drawled behind her. Jackie clenched her teeth, her hand tightening on the file that she was digging out of the cabinet. Whipping around, she felt her heartbeat stop as she stared into the face of one of the most handsome guys she'd ever met before and the urge to shoot him slowly disappeared. Quickly recovering, she slammed the drawer shut.
"How may I help you..." she paused, her gaze looking up from the file as she moved towards her desk.
"Detective Ross," he said moving to sit on her desk, his hand resting on his knee as he looked down at her. "I assume you're the detective Reid I've heard so much about," he said with a grin. She couldn't help but bite back a smile at his grin as she shook her head.
"Look, stop trying to flirt because it'll never happen and I'd suggest going to talk to your new boss." She said pointing over at the office door. He looked over and smiled at the boss too before jumping off her desk. Just before reaching the door, he turned back round to look at her and actually winked. "You've been a help, doll." He winked before shutting the door behind him. Instead of throwing the pencil she held in her hand at the door, she snapped it in half.
"What's wrong with you?" Stuart asked moving to sit down, reaching over and handing her the coffee.
"The new DI is a jerk."
"I honestly thought you were the biggest jerk ever," she said laughing as she shook her head, her thumb stroking the back of his hand. "But that didn't last long, did it?" She thought shaking her head. He had won her over like immediately. His charm, his boyish good looks and the fact that he never took anything serious had made her fall for him. She saw him as a best friend because at this time, she was totally hung up on Jardine despite knowing that nothing would ever happen because he was married to the job.
"So you love him?" She jumped hissing as the hot coffee spilt on her hands. Whipping round, she glared at the newbie and sighed. He just continued to smile at her as he held out the handkerchief he always kept on his inside pocket.
"Did anyone ever teach you that it was wrong to sneak up on people?" She demanded to know as she wiped off the coffee and clenching her teeth at the nice redness that was now replacing her usually pale skin. "And do I love who?"
"Jardine," Robbie said jumping up on the kitchen counter and studying her. "I'm a detective, Reid. I can see that you jump the minute he barks and your looks are too damned lingering." He mentioned and she just shook her head.
"Is this why you came here? Did you get kicked out of Aberdeen by the whole feminine race because you're an actual dick at times?" She demanded to know and she just got more infuriated when he started to chuckle. He just shook his head before jumping off the counter. He came up behind her, his hands resting on her hips as he whispered,
"Oh sweetheart, no woman has ever chased me away because they know I'm as good as it's going to get but Jardine over there," he paused momentarily and she felt like elbowing him in the gut but she also kind of wanted to know what he was going to say, "is married to this place. He'd not give you a single glance despite your million a day or the soft giggle you give him when he's done something stupid. He sees you as a best friend and nothing more. I'd show you the stars, Reid."
"You..." but he'd gone before she even had chance to finish off her sentence.
She felt a single tear slip down her cheek as she thought back to how neither of them ever brought that conversation back up. It went unheard of even though it probably played on both their minds. Her lingering looks towards Jardine had stopped, kind of. She'd always have a bond with Michael but she knew that nothing could ever compare to the new lust she felt towards Robbie. Every time he looked up at her, she couldn't help but smile back.
"You brought out the teenage girl in me," she whispered sadly and more tears fell down her cheeks. "If only we'd been brave enough to talk about that conversation, Robbie. I'd never have married Brian and we could have been together earlier..." She buried her face into his chest, her shoulders trembling from every sob that she released. "Why did you never..." she paused.
Oh god, he had brought it back up. Once but it had been such a bad time.
She stood outside in the cold, her hands rubbing her arms as she took a deep breath. "Do you realise how beautiful you are?" She closed her eyes, a smile warming her face because she'd recognise that voice anywhere. Turning around, she smiled up at him.
"I never thought this day would come," she whispered looking down at the white gown and Robbie smiled as he nodded his head. He'd found himself hoping it would never come but yet, here she was dressed in a simple wedding gown and on her wedding finger she wore another man's ring. He found himself smiling despite the unusual feeling ripping away at his chest.
"I'm sure you didn't," he replied before looking away from her. She took a step forward, her hand pressing to her shoulder as she moved so that she was in his gaze.
"Are you okay, Robbie?" She wanted to know because she didn't like it when he was upset. He just shrugged his shoulders, his gaze moving to look up at the sky. He smiled.
"Do you remember that afternoon I promised to show you the stars?" She found herself nodding before tipping back her head and gasping. She'd never seen so many stars before and it was so beautiful. She found herself smiling like a small child and when she turned to look at Robbie again she jumped a little to see him staring directly at her. She smiled softly.
"Thank you for..." and this time he cut her off but not by walking away. No. Instead he leant in, his hand taking hold of her chin and he kissed her. She knew that she should pull away. Right now was a bad time to be kissing another guy but yet she was drawn to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingertips teasing the tips of his hair. When the kiss was over, they stared at each other breathless and it only took a few minutes for Jackie to curse and run away.
"We have so many moments in our friendship we don't talk about," she laughed to herself as she thought back to that kiss. She shook her head. "If only we'd have run away then. I would have had a failed marriage but because of a good reason." She said laughing as she burst into tears. "Who am I kidding? Everyone knew how I felt about you. Everyone but you! It took death to make you realise." She shouted through her tears before burying her face back into his chest.
"I love you," she whispered into his chest before standing up and climbing up onto the bed next to him. She wrapped herself around him, her hand taking hold of his as she looked into his face. "We were such fools. So many moments in our friendship and yet we took them when it was too late. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered into his ear before burrowing her face into his neck.
TO BE CONTINUED...
