*Waves hello to you* Hi! Thank you so much for reading my story, and I hope you continue to read it!
I'm listening to Eurythmics and a bit of Mr. Scruff / Ellie Goulding / other random stuff as I'm writing...*performs happy little finger dance to 'Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This'.*
There are a couple of songs that really do remind me of Georgiana and Jack's relationship, one is called 'Heartbeats' (original version by The Knife) , and the other is 'Love Is A Stranger' by Eurythmics...there's links to the songs on my profile if you want to check them out.
Ooh I mustn't forget a song for devoted, mad-as-a-box-of-frogs Harley...It's called 'Hanging On' by Active Child.
Disclaimer: I own naaaaaathing of DC. Only original characters.
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Chapter 14
The water was cool even though the sun was beating down without a care. Georgiana lay on her back beside the pond, staring into the azure sky overhead. Her pretty green eyes closed as she breathed in her surroundings – the fresh, clean, pure scent of being outside and away from the putrid odour of skulduggery that clung within her home. Her eyelashes lay fanned on the delicate pallor of her skin, then her eyes opened like a flower that was just awaking with the dawn.
She didn't feel guilty about effectively selling her father out, in fact she rejoiced in the thought of him being presented on a silver platter for the wolves to take a bite from. However, she had been feeling a bit 'under the weather' for the past couple of days, but she just put that down to being tired from everything that happened recently. She had even been a bit sick this morning, but had quickly brushed it off as nothing. I'm so tired, I just need a rest...she yawned and stretched her slender limbs like a cat lazing in a sunny spot.
Georgiana raised her hands so that she could examine them, turning them round to get a good look at them. She dropped them onto her stomach abruptly and heaved a heavy sigh. She wearily hoisted herself up and dawdled her way back to the house.
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The coolness of the hallway hit Georgiana straight away, as the hairs on her arm stood to attention like tiny soldiers. She walked slowly towards the staircase, but was stopped dead in her tracks as she saw a figure move in the 'fine' living room. She stood there as a dull panic began to crawl through her chest. What the hell? She muttered inwardly as she strained to see if the figure was real...or just a figment of her imagination.
She removed her shoes and felt the cold marble underneath her feet as she moved stealthily towards the room. Holding her breath, she poked her head around the door and her face fell through the floor.
"What are you doing here?" She scowled.
Freddie turned and locked eyes with Georgiana, "Hello Georgie." He narrowed his eyes, "I came to see you actually."
Georgiana flung the door wide open with anger and jeered, "Didn't you notice from the last time we met...that I can't stand you."
"Oh, it's not a social call. I wanted to talk business."
"I want nothing to do with you!" Georgiana shouted. She was feeling nauseous enough already without Freddie trying to intimidate her as well. She spun round to run away from him, but he swung out to catch her arm and threw her like a sack of potatoes down into a nearby chair. He trapped her quickly by clamping his hands down on both armrests and putting his face unbearably close to hers. Georgiana tried to hit him in the chest, but Freddie suddenly grasped her neck so hard she was in danger of blacking out from the shock.
"You will listen to what I have to say." He hissed, baring his teeth in sheer fury. "Because of you and your gangster fuck-buddy, I'm now the laughing stock of Gotham. But...I have a plan." Georgiana was staring fearfully into his eyes, trying to appeal to any mercy he might feel for her. Unfortunately, she saw only pure, unadulterated revenge.
"Are you going to listen?" he asked her viciously. Georgiana gasped out a yes, but it came more like 'sss'. He released his hold on her neck, and placed the hand back on the armrest carefully.
"Because you got me into this mess, you're going to help me get out of it."
"And how precisely am I going to do that?" She asked hotly while rubbing her sore neck.
"We're going to be seen...together... around town. We are going to be seen enjoying life, being so unbelievably happy that people will wonder how unicorns and rainbows aren't exploding out of both our asses on a full time basis."
Georgiana wore a befuddled expression, and then started to laugh nervously, "What? You cannot be serious? What the hell will that achieve?"
His face was an inch from hers, "It'll show to everyone, I'm not some fag." He roared into her face. Freddie then composed himself and patted her face gently, "Oh Georgie, your father isn't the only one who knows people on the wrong side of the tracks..."
"What are you saying?"
He lifted himself from the armrests and stood over her, "If you don't help me, I'll do two things." He lifted up one finger, "One, I'll tell your father what his virginal little daughter has been getting up to with some low life hood." He lifted up two fingers, "and two, I'll arrange it so lover boy won't be so damn pretty anymore." Freddie narrowed his eyes and sniggered, "there are people who are very talented in that specific field of work, if you catch my drift?"
Georgiana couldn't believe her ears. "Jesus, Freddie...I" She was absolutely gobsmacked at what she was hearing. He could be bluffing, but the look in his eyes was far too genuinely hateful to be untrue.
Looking down at her wringing hands, she couldn't think a way out of this trap, but maybe she could buy some time. She looked up into his steely eyes and spoke dully, "Do I have to give you my answer right now?"
"What do you think I am? Some sort of animal?" He grinned. "I'll give you until tomorrow night, when I'll pick you up at 8." Freddie then gave her a very loving kiss on the cheek, and Georgiana had to force her upchuck reflux to calm down. The kiss burned her skin where his lips had invaded, and she instantly wanted to scrub that spot of skin away into oblivion.
"I'll see you tomorrow Georgie."
Freddie left her and Georgiana was once again, alone. She simply sat there and burst into floods of tears.
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Later that night, Georgiana lay spread-eagled on her bed feeling utterly defeated. She thought she was starting to control her life and starting to be the person she wanted to be, but Freddie had ripped the carpet from under her feet. Georgiana couldn't take the onslaught of obstacles that she was constantly facing each and every day, all she felt was pain and anxiety. The only time she felt happy was with Jack.
Speak of the devil, Georgiana looked up and saw a pair of long, black trouser-clad legs come through the window. She turned to lie on her side, facing the window and held her head with her hand.
"Hello Jack." She said softly as he stood and stretched.
He winked at her "Miss me?"
She shook her head and giggled. He walked up to the bed and crawled on top of her. "Your, uh, dad home?"
"No, he's working late, thank God." He kissed her softly on her lips, and then stopped to give her an inquisitive look.
"Something up?"
Georgiana moved from underneath him, and sat on the edge of the bed. She proceeded to tell him about her discussion with Freddie earlier that day. He sat quietly, absorbing every detail that she gave him, even taking in the slight hitches in her voice and how her body language would change at certain parts of the story. When she had finished, he got up and started to walk around the room. He had his hands in his pockets, and resembled a man who was taking a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park. He ended up in front of the poster that showed 'The Agony in the Garden' by William Blake. Without turning around he spoke, "Do you have a gun, princess?"
Georgiana's eyes fluttered to look at his black boots, "No, but I know where I can get one."
He turned round slowly and looked at her. She got up and took hold of his hand and led him to her father's office. Once inside, she located the hollow book and showed him the gun that was inside.
He took the gun like a pro; he handled it, checked the sight was clear and even emptied the chamber, only to reload it straight away.
"What kind of gun is it?" She asked quietly.
"It's a Glock 17. I'm guessing you've never handled one before?"
"Er, no."
"Well today is your lucky day. 'Cos I have." He gave her a wide grin and laughed. "Is there anywhere outside that we won't get disturbed?"
"You know the place you found me when you stalked me that first time?" She looked sideways at him, and said in a silvery voice, "we can go there."
"Pfffft..stalked! You shouldn't have given me those 'come-find-me-in-my-huge-garden' eyes!" he nudged her, "No funny business OK, I know what you're like." He tapped his nose, then hers.
Georgiana grabbed a flashlight and an oil lamp (how very Jane Eyre of you Georgiana, she had announced in her head to herself) and they walked down to the Water Garden.
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"Now, pull it back. No the top part. Look where you're gonna shoot...trust me. Relax your shoulders and breathe. Now, you got it in your sights? Good, pull the trigger."
The gunshot echoed through the air and frightened a few birds from the treetops. Georgiana hadn't been steady enough with her arm and the shot had completely missed her target; a large dead branch that looked rather sorry for itself. Georgiana swore under her breath, and Jack giggled but soon started to disguise it as coughing when Georgiana flung a death glare right at him.
"I hope you're not expecting me to shoot him." She grumbled.
"Noooo, I expect you to make him shit his pants." He walked up behind her, put his hands over hers and started to guide the gun in her hands slowly. "Besides I want the privilege of using Old Peculiar on him." He squeezed her trigger finger, and the bullet hit the branch dead centre.
Georgiana felt his body warmth behind her, and breathed in his scent, "Who's Old Peculiar?" she murmured.
"My favourite knife." He whispered in her ear.
"Of course you would have a favourite knife..." she cracked up. He released his hold, and bounded over to the bag that he had brought with him. Georgiana looked on curiously as he rummaged for whatever he was looking for. "Ah HA! Found it!" He pulled out a little metal ball, which resembled a dirty silver golf ball.
He leapt over to her eagerly and placed it in her hands. Jack looked into her face and back at the ball, then back at her face like an excitable, slightly mad, puppy.
"What is it?" Georgiana turned the ball over to see if she could make out what the fuss was.
"Well, it's a little toy I came up with. It's all a bit technical..." Georgiana raised an elegant eyebrow in reponse, "...but once you activate it here" he showed her a small indentation in the balls surface, "and you put that anywhere near his cell phone, I can lock onto the GPS signal and know exactly where he is." He looked down at her, looking as pleased as punch.
"There's no end to your talents, is there Jack." She gave him a lopsided smile.
"You ain't seen nothing yet, Princess."