A/N: Short interlude.
Margaret quickly walked down the hallway and hastily opened the door.
"Hello, who is...Jack?" She raised her eyes in surprise at the unexpected visitor.
"Good afternoon, Margaret," Jack tightly smiled, eyes wandering beyond her shoulder.
"Where's Winnifred?"
Margaret's fingers tensed on the doorknob. "Why?"
Jack's gaze transferred back on Margaret's suspicious face.
"I need to talk to her."
"She's at the church," Margaret shrugged. Jack curtly nodded and walked away. The ginger-curled girl watched him go, doubt and disdain trembling in her heart, before closing the door.
They thought it would rain that day, and they brought umbrellas, but the sun shone brightly in the sky. So they simply opened them to create shade for the players.
The muscles rippled Billy's ace tattoo as he flexed his arm to get a better position. Ridley watched him opposite of the table i.e. the box, cards bending under his spasmodic grasp. The warm breeze ruffled Winnifred's hair across her face, let down and held by a blue headband. She felt like wearing gold earrings today, she had no idea why. Charlotte was sitting next to Sammy, desperately loosing. Jennifer was in front of that guy who was holding the umbrella. He was one of the local high schoolers. Winnifred never remembered his name. All she remembered was that his nickname was better. Mousey. Mousey quietly sneezed and fixed his hold on the umbrella.
"Three debts," Billy declared, glancing up from his cards. Winnifred sighed and propped her chin inside of her palm, the elbow painfully digging into her knee. The guys started tossing the cards.
"Winnifred!"
Winnifred looked up in surprise. Billy glanced over his shoulder and quietly whistled.
"There comes Jack the Giant Slayer." Winnifred stifled down her unpleasant amusement and turned back around. Charlotte rolled her eyes. The umbrellas slightly shifted when Jack came up.
"Hello." No one said anything. Jack narrowed his eyes and quietly cleared his throat.
"May I borrow Winnifred for a moment?"
"Jack, is that you?" Billy asked, eagerly watching Ridley's nimble movements. Jack sourly grinned.
"Yes."
Billy raised his eyebrows.
"Finally," he slapped his cards down on the table and looked up at Jack with a grin.
"Our Giant Slayer climbed down the fucking beanstalk to chat with the plebeians. How considerate."
Winnifred slightly grimaced, but didn't say anything. Jack smirked.
"Glad that you appreciate it."
Winnifred sighed and slowly stood up, careful not to hit the umbrellas.
"Let's go," she quietly said, nodding to Billy. That one quickly nodded in adieu, rubbing his chin with the side of his index finger. Jack wordlessly followed her.
They walked in strained silence. The forest debris shuffled under their feet as the soft wind bumped against the leaves.
"You look depressed," Jack quietly noticed, hands folded behind his back. Winnifred chuckled, shaking her head.
"No, I'm doing great. How are you? It's your first day out of the hospital, right?"
"I fine," Jack tightly smiled. "The ribs still hurt a little bit, but otherwise..." he indefinitely moved his shoulder. Winnifred nodded, thinking about something of her own. They reached the bustling river. Jack sat down on the log, while the girl walked right up to the banks, crouching down and bathing her fingers in the water. The river was cold, instantly numbing her fingers. Winnifred patiently waited for Jack to speak, curious in what he has to say. The wind ripped a leaf off the branch and swirled it down into the river.
"So," Jack slowly started. "You probably know what I want to tell you."
The leaf drifted over to Winnifred's fingers and instantly clung its wet, cold body around them. The soft breeze suddenly became very cool. Winnifred felt her aching from the crouched position ankles shudder, threatening to fall over.
"No, but I can guess," she proposed, trying to keep her voice amiable. "Is it about Heath?"
"No, it's about you invading my private property."
Winnifred slowly glanced over her shoulder, before turning around completely. Jack was wordlessly staring at her, dark triumph glimmering in his eyes.
"Your...when did I ever do that?" Winnifred quietly asked, nervousness using her stomach as a trampoline. Jack indifferently shrugged, his eyes never leaving Winnifred's face.
"When you took my private documents. You know I can sue you, right?"
The nervousness jumped up and hit the rib cage. Winnifred tilted her head. The usual irritation was replaced by dread, crawling up her throat.
"You're on a compassionate release, what else do you want?" She inquired in a blank voice, careful not to lose control over her feelings. Jack chuckled and stood up, walking up close to her.
"A compassionate release doesn't mean anything, only that I can walk around without having to hide my face and Heath does."
"The thugs aided you," Winnifred harshly answered, anger flushing into her cheeks. Jack crookedly grinned.
"Or so you think. But whatever. Now that you spread the word about me, how will I be able to work? No one's going to hire me."
"Go to Maine," Winnifred coldly retorted, nervousness threatening to break her rib cage. She felt pressure clasping her thoughts in one metal ring.
"Gotham Outskirts is too little of a town to have any significance on you."
"I will at one point," Jack's eyes dangerously sparked. For the first time, Winnifred saw immense anger rage inside the dark irises.
"Yet I want to secure the fact that Miss Lewly won't go to the Gotham Court and start rattling about my misconducting allegations, by the way completely omitting the part about her murderous friend."
"Don't speak as if I'm in third person," Winnifred angrily said, trembling from fury.
"And you're a murder yourself, you murdered Milden!"
"Technically, Nicky did," Jack sarcastically corrected her, taking out a cigarette. The smoke hit Winnifred in the face, tickling her dry throat. Winnifred held back the cough and tried to keep the biting tears from rolling down her cheeks.
"What do you want?"
Jack smirked in the smoke.
"You to keep your trap shut, even when you want to avenge your friend's death."
"What nonsense," Winnifred spat, attempting to keep the treacherous tears inside the corner of her eyes.
"Heath is alive."
"Of course he was," Jack shrugged. Winnifred stared at Jack in disdain, before abruptly storming out. Jack chuckled behind her. Winnifred ignored him and ran through the woods. Nervousness finally broke the rib cage and now threatened to rip through her heart. Stop it, Winnifred harshly ordered herself as the branches angrily scratched her hands as she pushed them out of her way. Heath is alive. He's too smart for Gotham to kill him.
Winnifred ran out into the clearing to the intern dormitory. The door was closed. Skidding to a stop, she jammed her hand over the button.
"Johnny, this is Winnifred, open up!"
A monotonous dial tone answered her. Winnifred slammed the button again, its round surface indenting in her palm.
"Johnny!" The dial tone angrily buzzed at her. Winnifred felt desperation wrap around her heart. Johnathan wasn't at the hospital because he didn't have an afternoon shift on Sundays. That means he was out of town. Winnifred leaned against the wall. The wind tossed the leaves around the clearing. Winnifred's blue eyes trailed after them, sadness building inside. The metal ring slightly loosened on her mind, indicating that the spasm decided not to happen. Winnifred scanned the clearing again. She suddenly lurched up. Johnathan was tiredly walking into the clearing, his dark coat flapping at his sides.
"Johnny," Winnifred called and quickly ran over to him. Johnathan, seemingly thinking about something, startled and lifted his eyes on her in surprise.
"Freddie? What were you doing here?" He asked, fingers tightening in his pocket.
"Waiting," Winnifred impatiently crackled her knuckles. "Johnathan, you were in Gotham, right?"
"Yes." The eyes behind the glasses narrowed, searching the woman's face.
"Did...did you see..." Winnifred stumbled, the words catching in her throat. Johnathan's features softened as he glanced at her in sympathy.
"Heath?" He finished, slowly starting towards the dorms.
"By any chance?" Winnifred quietly asked, trying to tell what the intern was thinking. Johnathan pressed the key towards the button, and the door buzzed in a welcoming manner.
"You won't be surprised if I first ask you why you need this?" Johnathan held the door, curiously looking at Winnifred. She looked away, pressing her lips.
"I talked with Jack a few minutes ago. He said that Heath's dead."
Johnathan snorted, remembering the cyanide spread on the wooden planks.
"I can see where Jack's coming from. Don't worry, Freddie. Heath disregards his personal health to such a point that he ultimately survives."
"What?" Winnifred frowned.
"Heath is able to survive in the most extreme situations because he risks his life. An all the extreme situations require risk," Johnathan explained, walking into the doorway.
"But did you see him?"
Johnathan paused and glanced over at his friend. He observed the dark circles around her eyes, the paleness, and ultimately the hidden despair from the unknown.
"No, I haven't seen him," Johnathan quietly answered. "Are you coming in?"
"No," Winnifred sighed, shaking her head. "I'm needed back home." The autumn breeze whispered behind her.
A/N: Up next: Hallow's Eve...