Sophie woke 6:00AM sharp the next day with an unusual feeling brimming in her stomach. It had become a routine of hers to wake up early, out of habit or nightmares, it fluctuated. She'd packed her bags for the flight last night; there were too many thoughts inside her mind to sleep so it was a good distraction for her. Jack Moriarty. Jack Moriarty. His face when he punched Paul didn't leave her mind. It wouldn't. Sophie sighed and stepped out of the shower towel drying her hair, she wanted to feel completely refreshed for the flight to Venice. Sitting in a plane for 3 hours with Jack? Yes, she'd need her sanity.
It was a given that Jack would be up now, in fact he rarely slept. Just like Jim. Sophie couldn't count all the times she'd hear Jim and Jack crossing paths from wandering round the house 2:00AM, unlike her and Sebastian. Sleep was mandatory. Always the way with the Morans.
Dressed in a comfortable pair of shorts and tank top, Sophie retrieved her luggage and took one final look at her room with a small smile. Walking down the steps of her home, she grinned at the sight of Jack waiting at the bottom, luggage in hand and a cocky grin on his face. Why was she smiling? It was just Jack. Just Jack, there was no other way to say it. Like Jim. There was no certainty with the Moriarty brothers, Sophie had come to learn. She'd never figure them out, so she'd given up trying.
"Come on, Moran. Jet's outside." Jack nodded with his usual smirk and span to make his way to the door.
Sophie sat comfortably in the private jet (which she assumed it was Jim's, as always) and grinned at Jack who sat opposite the table between them.
"You know, this isn't exactly going to be a normal kind of holiday. If that's what you're expecting." Jack leaned forward over the table, producing a deck of cards from his pocket and shuffling them impressively, though it seemed completely natural to him.
"Is anything 'normal' when it comes to us? What exactly is it going to be like, then?" Sophie watched the cards in Jack's hands. Definitely Seb's teaching, he was as skilled as they came with cards. She was interested. Jim and Sebastian were out on business, but Jim had mentioned their stay way being extended. Sophie knew far more about the work they did the longer she'd stayed. Jim ran a criminal network, as it were. People came to him wanting problems sorting out, which more often than not resulted in Jim killing said person. Or more accurately, making sure said person was killed. She'd never spoken about it, but she knew Sebastian was involved in the killing part of his work. And the thing was, she didn't mind. It didn't bother her, which terrified her. In fact, she found it quite intriguing.
Sighing, Jack dropped his gaze to the deck and began making a house of cards, slowly and precisely. "Well Jim and Seb don't usually take long on their trips. Usually 4 days maximum, so I'm guessing we'll be there a while. But the house is safe, here I mean." Jack growled as the jet set off, knocking the three-storey house of cards and re-setting his gaze back to Sophie. "So something must've gone wrong, because they're evacuating us from the house. So the house probably being targeted."
Sophie furrowed her brow slightly and peered out the window for one last glance at the manor, and returning to look at Jack. "So that's why he's made us leave so suddenly?"
Jack nodded and continued. "Exactly. But obviously the house is as safe as any place, so why they're jetting us off to Italy is beyond me. And that's saying something." Jack gave his signature arrogant grin and licked his lips.
"Sounds interesting. Do you know why they were in Venice in the first place?" Sophie was intrigued, and her curiosity had always gotten the better of her.
"As far as I know just the usual. But Jim doesn't usually get directly involved. He doesn't like to…" Jack paused and clicked his tongue. "… Get his hands dirty. Plus Seb's with him. So it must be a killing."
Sophie didn't even flinch at the word killing. They were really in flight now and Sophie's insides did that weigh down feeling of being in the air, something she'd always loved. "Well if they're taking us to them, and something's gone wrong as you say, maybe the people who are targeting the house are the people who were the reason Jim and Seb were in Venice in the first place."
Jack inclined his head and raised his eyebrows with an impressed nod. "Not bad, Moran. Makes sense. Jim plays with the big boys, he's the biggest of them so it would be plausible that the reason he's making sure we're with him is as serious as you say. But a foreign country with criminals lurking around every corner isn't exactly what I'd call 'safe', I mean, they're everywhere. You probably won't walk a mile without crossing a killer. And us…" Jack paused to point at himself and Sophie. "… We're the ones to be feared. So if Jim wants us in the same count-"
Jack's sentence was cut off as the realization dawned on Sophie at the same time it did Jack.
"If he wants us in the same country, he wouldn't leave us alone out there. So that means…"
Jack nodded and finished for her. "He's going to want us with him at all times." Jack's eyes had an glint inside them that Sophie had only seen in Jim's, and it was a perfect replica of his brother's.
Sophie's eyed widened slightly and blinked at the prospect. Life with Jim was dangerous. It was just a fact. So being with Jim Moriarty 24/7 would just be more so. And it was for their protection. A foreign feeling jumped inside Sophie, she was anticipating this. She was excited.
Jack caught on and grinned, seeing Sophie's anticipation play out on her features like a movie. "You're excited."
Sophie jumped back to reality to hear Jack's claim. "And so are you."
"Well of course I'm excited. I'm impressed that you are. I've got to say, we make quite the team." Jack paused to bite his lower lip, staring at Sophie like she was a puzzle Jack wanted to solve. In fact, Sophie was exactly that. "You're an interesting one, Moran. You've got such a demeanour of being such a good girl. You're like Sebastian. You're drawn to danger." Jack leaned forward slightly across the table. "You like the thrill, you like the idea of having your life on the line."
Sophie paused; she didn't know what to say. There was nothing to say, because inside, Sophie knew he was right. It didn't bother Sophie that she shared a roof with a criminal mastermind, she liked the danger. "What 'danger' am I drawn to now?"
Jack grinned a feline-esque grin, exposing his perfect teeth and raised his eyebrows. "Oh… I can think of something."
With that, Jack stood from his seat and left Sophie hanging, returning moments later with an exotic looking drink that smelt very fruity.
"You should sleep." Jack nodded at Sophie and took to looking out of the window, sipping his drink and held a neural expression.
Sophie said nothing as she turned on her side and rested her head against the window frame and took one final look at the person sitting opposite.
Jack Moriarty.
Just the name had… an affect.
Sophie bit her lip as she let her eyes flutter shut, the last thing she was being Jack Moriarty's black eyes.
Not my best, but I just cannot wait to get on with some real Moriarty happenings! ;) Eeeek, Venice.
Just note the fact that I've never actually been to Venice.
Thank you for the reviews, they make my day!