Death Unites Us

Chapter 2

A/N: So, everyone liked the Brian bashing idea and wanted a second chapter with a face-off between the three of them. So, here it is. Also, this is the final chapter, but I may work on a sequel in the future. But I can't promise anything as I have loads of other stories to work on.

Disclaimer: Don't own them, only the plot and the small Taggart DVD collection in my room, episode collection on my Freeview+ box and Sky+ box. Everything else belongs to their rightful owners, no matter how much I want Robbie.

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Chapter 2

The next morning, Robbie and were still wrapped up in each other's arms fast asleep. It had been so late when their mental exhaustion from the case and Mike's murder had finally pulled them into sleep. Their sleep was so deep that neither woke at the sound of a key in the front door. Nor did they hear Brian calling out to Jackie as he made his way through the house looking for her. They didn't even wake when he was standing over them glaring at them.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Brian demanded in an angry voice that woke Jackie and Robbie up. "I go away with work for a few days and I come back to find my wife asleep in another guy's arms."

"That is enough, Brian!" Jackie exclaimed as she climbed out of Robbie's embrace, rubbing the sleep out of her puffy eyes. "Robbie was simply comforting me after yesterday's events. You remember; when I buried one of my best friends and my HUSBAND couldn't be bothered to come home one day early to comfort me during the funeral and when I delivered the eulogy. Instead, I had to depend on two other people who were also grieving."

"If you needed comfort or someone to talk to, you could have phoned," Brian retorted, angry at how Jackie was talking to him. She had never spoken to him like that before. "I was just on the other end of the phone, darling. I would have answered your call."

"I don't think you understand what Jackie is talking about, mate," Robbie interrupted. "What she was saying was that she needed YOU here yesterday. It was bad enough having to identify Michael's body, but then she had to investigate his murder, go through his things and deliver his eulogy at his funeral. Aye, Stuart and I helped her with some of that stuff, but Jackie knew Mike the longest, she's suffered the most. It was like she lost a brother…"

"Excuse me, D.I. Ross," Brian interrupted as he saw Jackie edge closer to Robbie's side. "I'd appreciate it if you left. This is a matter between me and my wife, so I'd like to talk to her alone."

"No, he stays!" Jackie demanded grabbing Robbie's arm. "Robbie's right, Brian. I needed comfort from my husband, but without it I almost drank myself into oblivion. Robbie gave me that comfort in a way that a FRIEND could, he stopped me from drinking myself into oblivion."

"I'm sorry, Jackie," Brian began and both Jackie and Robbie thought he was going to apologise for the way he had treated Jackie. "But ever since we got back from our honeymoon you've been preoccupied. I now know why. Me or him, you choose."

"That's ridiculous, Brian!" Jackie exclaimed. "I'm not choosing between one of my best friends and my husband."

"I've got to agree with Jackie on this one, Brian," Robbie smirked, pleased that Jackie had referred to him as one of her best friends. "You can't make her choose. Especially when she's so emotionally vulnerable."

"Well, our marriage vows say I can. What happened to 'forsaking all others as long as we both shall live'?" Brian asked. "And in this case it's obvious that actions are speaking louder than words. You can expect divorce papers within the next few weeks, so go and pack your things."

"What are you talking about?" Jackie asked. "What are my actions that are 'obviously' speaking louder than my words?"

"What you are doing just now is contradicting what you are saying," Brian explained. "When I asked Robbie to leave, you grabbed his arm and you haven't let go of it at all. If anything has changed, your grip has tightened on his arm."

"Well then," Jackie fumed as she wrenched her rings from her finger and placed them on the coffee table. "If that's how you feel, I'm leaving."

"You're choosing him over me, your husband?" Brian demanded not believing Jackie. "I always knew there was something between the two of you."

"Enough, Brian," Jackie yelled as she got right up in his face. "You have just accused me of choosing Robbie over you and told me to leave. Now that I am leaving you, you're accusing me of cheating on you. Green isn't a good colour on you, neither is red."

"Jackie, darling, come on," Brian pleaded, suddenly changing his temperament. "When I gave you that ultimatum I thought you would fight for us. I thought WE were worth fighting for."

"I thought so, too, Brian," Jackie agreed. "But then your jealousy showed itself and I realised we want different things from this marriage. You want the perfect housewife to raise your children; I just wanted to have someone who understood my erratic and unpredictable hours. We're both too very different people with different ideas of personal independence who shouldn't be married to each other. I do love you, but I've come to realise it's not the type of love you have for someone you are married to, it's the kind of love you reserve for a distant friend."

"Very well, then. If that's how you feel," Brian sighed as he collapsed onto the chair behind him. "But you're not getting anything from me."

"Good job we didn't merge our accounts then," Jackie scoffed. "Oh, and you can have this place, but I want the car. I need it for work."

"Bloody hell, Jackie!" Brian exclaimed as he sat up. "So do I need the car for work. What am I supposed to do?"

"Company car," Robbie replied with a smirk. "The Strathclyde Police budget doesn't stretch as far as that, but I'm sure your fancy task force does. Come on, Jacks. Let's get you some stuff packed for the time being and you can stay at mine for the time being. I've got a spare room besides Jamie's and it's all yours until you find a new place."

Jackie just smiled at Robbie as she led him up the stairs to her room to pack her bags. Brian just sat where he was and watched them leave the room. He had hoped he would have been able to tame Jackie, but it was obvious there was only one person who could come close to doing that and it wasn't him. All he had succeeded in doin was driving her away from him and into the arms of the only man who could achieve the impossible by taming her; Maryhill's answer to Casanova.

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Upstairs, Jackie was piling clothes from her drawers and wardrobe into her suitcase as Robbie stood at the door watching her as if he was her bodyguard.

Looking at her, he could see she was hurting on the inside, but on the outside she put on a brave face. As he watched her move around the room, Robbie made a promise to himself. He knew how emotionally draining divorce could be, so he promised himself that he would be there for Jackie whenever she needed him. He was just thankful that there were no children involved because Jamie had told him how hard it was, despite his young age, growing up without his dad being right there beside him at all the important bits.

"It's going to be hard," Jackie said, suddenly bringing Robbie from his thoughts. "Starting over. I know it's only been a few months, but still…"

"I know, Jacks," Robbie agreed knowing what she was talking about. "But I'll be there for you through it all. I've been there before with Gaby, so I know what you're going through. You can count on me."

Jackie smiled at that as she closed her suitcase and moved to Robbie's side only to surprise him by taking his hand. "Here's to starting over," she said as they began to descend the stairs to her freedom.

"Yeah, starting over," Robbie agreed.

THE END

A/N: Let me know what you think of this one. I love to hear how you feel about my work.

Probably won't be working on Taggart stories for a little while. Got an NCIS WIP, one chapter left on my Eastenders story and a sequel to start on a Buffy story I promised ages ago.

Laura xx