Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Forever.
Summary: What happens after "It's a long story?" in the series finale
Starting Again: Chapter 3:
"Who's Nora?" They were the first words spoken by Jo since before dinner. The pair settled on the sofa in the living room, a spell of contentment washing over them. He sat still as a statue unafraid of her question but unsure of how to put into words what Nora meant to his life.
"Henry?" She prodded. He blinked, a return to awareness.
"Nora was my first wife, and my first widow." A wry smile accompanied the end.
He watched the carriage pull away from their home leaving Nora standing by the door. A couple of moments before he began moving; she seemed smaller than he remembered. The black mourning gown swallowed her figure. Her cheeks were red, and puffy. He wondered if she'd spent much time crying for him.
He climbed the stairs to the porch and raised his hand to knock. The door opened and he caught himself backing down the stairs. He wasn't ready for this yet. He needed to sort through his thoughts, figure out what to tell her.
"H-Henry," she stammered. He caught her mid-faint putting an arm around Nora leading her inside. He settled her on a loveseat and poured her a glass of water. He reached for the port himself. She came around as he sipped his drink.
"You're alive."
"Yes." The glass of water drained, she stood up crossing the floor between them. She put hands to either side of his face.
Henry stalled. He could feel her touch as if she were standing in front of him enacting the entire moment again. He closed his eyes momentarily savouring it. In that moment he was young, and there was nothing wrong.
"Desert's ready," Abe stood in the doorway waiting for instructions. He glanced between his father, and Jo.
"I asked him about Nora." Jo said.
"Ah. " He set the tray on the table, and withdrew. "Don't push him," Abe advised. It prompted Henry back to life.
"It looks delicious Abraham." He picked up a dish of cobbler and sat in the chair.
"You're welcome pops." Abe said shutting the door behind him.
"Abe the baker. Who knew?" Jo remarked.
"I'm a man of many talents," Abe interjected from his spot on the way downstairs."
"He always enjoyed helping his mother in the kitchen. And eavesdropping." Henry chuckled. "I remember the time he presented me with a birthday cake. It had more love than proper ingredients shall we say."
"Mhmm… it was a Mother's Day breakfast for me, and Lainey. We thought we had the pancakes perfect. They tasted like sawdust." Jo explained. They laughed together.
"Abe had those enterprises too." The finished desert in a companionable silence. Henry wiped his hands on the linen napkin.
"I owe you the rest of the story."
"We don't have to. " Jo says assuring him. She gathered this one was especially painful in telling.
"I do. The truth from here on." He grasped her hand, and squeezed.
Nora gave him a tentative kiss, and he deepened it. She was the first to break for breath and stood an arms-length away.
"They told me you were dead. How is the possible?" She asked. An enigmatic smile from him:
"It's a miracle." He picked her up, carrying her upstairs to their bedroom. She reached for the ties at his collar, and he pulled it over his head. Her dress pooled at her feet, and she stepped out of it. He gathered her close with one arm around her waist.
Nora's hands explored the bare chest. Her fingers explored the scar. "What happened to you Henry?" He half-smiled, grabbing the fingers kissing them. "Later."
"We ended up acting the part of young lovers, and spending the better part of the following two days in bed together." Jo raised eyebrows blushing. She cleared her throat her mind full of images of what it would be like to spend that long with a naked Henry.
"And then?" she prompted.
Nora sat at her writing table in the parlour considering a letter. She'd received it two weeks before a two line missive. "It is my sad duty to inform you of your husband's death. Henry Morgan was shot through the chest, his body thrown overboard."
"You're a million miles away," Henry's voice from the doorway returned her to the present.
"Mhmm" she replied. A kiss brought her back to her body, and soon the letter fluttered to the floor forgotten.
"What happened to you?" Nora asked again later. Before he could distract her she continued: "They told me you were dead. Shot point-blank in the chest, your body thrown over the side. N-Nobody can survive that, and yet you did.
Henry knew he likely should think it through first before saying anything. It sounded completely crazy. "I can't die." He said. Nora snorted, then started laughing at him.
"Lazarus returned. You realize it's only a story Henry only a myth." The laughter ceased as she realized he was serious. Henry's glance swept the desk behind her. His eyes lit on the letter opener and he pulled it from its holder.
"Henry… Don't. Henry it's a story, a fable. You can't live forever, nobody can." He took a step away from her and she followed backing him into the doorway. He was desperate for her to believe him.
"I can. You need to see it happen to believe me. If I stab myself I'll come back. " They'd backed into the front hallway.
Tears were streaming her face. "Henry… don't. Please. I-I believe you. Please don't do this. My love please…" she punctuated her pleas by running at him. The letter opener dropped from his hands he grabbed her.
"A few days later the menin white coats came to take me away." Henry tore his gaze from Jo's. He rose from the sofa and began pacing again. He ran his hands through his hair nervous.
"I should've realized what she planned. I should've gotten away. But Nora… I loved her. If anyone understood I thought she would."
Henry exited the den before Jo could reply. She heard his footsteps on the stairs; he was going to the roof.
"Leave him be," Abe met her at the doorway on his way in to gather up desert dishes. She lifted the tray herself, and followed him downstairs.
"You dry, I'll wash." Abe donned the yellow rubber gloves and immersed his hands in hot water scrubbing. Jo took the dishes from the rack drying them with a fresh green striped towel. It gave her something to do while her mind wandered.
"You're holding up remarkably well detective. Being confronted with the impossible isn't easy." Abe said.
She gave him a shaky smile. "No, it's not. But somehow I feel like I'm starting to know him better. The real him I mean…"
"I'm glad. I mean you were the cause of a few arguments between us. I'm not going to be around forever. I thought he should tell you; you're honest, and it's clear you care about him. He always had some lame excuse though."
"I think I understand why." She said.
"Nora isn't the easiest subject for him. You talk about getting to know my dad better; when he talks about her that's him. Open, vulnerable."
Jo was furiously rubbing the last dish. Abe reached for it, and put it in the cabinet. "He's on the roof." Abe gave her a nudge on the shoulder and she left grabbing a jacket on her way. She took her time on the stairs thinking about Abe just said. "Open, and vulnerable" were two words she would never have used to describe Henry Morgan but there it was. And she could see it plain as day; it was as if it physically hurt him to re-tell the story of Nora.
She opened the door as quietly as she could stepping onto the rooftop deck. She stood for a few moments watching him as he stared out on New York. She wondered if he saw the city of 2015, or that of the 1950's. She approached him, and stood in the same pose saying nothing. He took her hand squeezing it.
"I understand. Nora I mean. To have her send you away; the non-acceptance. Betrayal by your true love. I can tell it has influenced your attitudes. You don't tell people because they'll call you a freak. They'll laugh at you. I can't say I blame you for that."
He gave no indication he heard her save for a squeeze of her hand. She continued. "I'm working acceptance. Hearing your stories makes me feel as if at last I'm seeing the real Henry. His shoulders visibly relaxed.
"We met again. It must have been 20 no 30 years later. I was working in a hospital, and happened upon her. Instant recognition between us. I was able to pass her off as an older relative, and gave her the care she needed. She returned a week after I discharged her.
The crowd gathered around the woman. She pulled a gun from her handbag. "You… you survive. You're Henry my god after all this time." Henry picked up an empty instrument tray and quietly approached. He paused:
"I don't know you. I've never been married."
"No. No you come back, I know you do. You told me so. You had that letter opener in your hand. I stopped you. Nora smiled: But let's.. Let's do it now shall we." She raised the gun the same time he raised the tray. The bullet ricocheted off the wall, and Henry closed the distance between them.
He held her had talking: "I'm sorry madam. I'm not this Henry you speak of." Staff gathered around them helping the woman to lay down.
"Give the patient a sedative." A nurse stepped forward with a tourniquet and stuck Nora with it. Henry sat beside her holding her hand in both of his. His lips brushed her knuckles. "I'm sorry my love." He whispered.
"Doctor Morgan the papers are ready." He left her side sitting at his desk. Without reading he signed them.
"I had her committed without a second thought. To this day part of me wonders if it was revenge. I was so hurt by her rejection I wanted to lash out. "
They were both leaning against the brick wall by this time facing each other. Jo closed the distance and reached to both sides of his face.
"It was survival Henry. You couldn't have her out there. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to test out her theory." Jo said. He closed his eyes turning back towards the view.
"The oath says to do no harm." He replied.
"And you feel you did?"
He turned back toward her rubbing his shoulders; "We should go back in." He held the door open his hand going to the small of her back. They re-entered the kitchen, and Henry leaned against the stove while she climbed on the bar stool.
"You feel you did?" She repeated.
"No. Yes. I don't know. I had her committed, and then I left England for a while. It wasn't comfortable for me to be there. My family, her family."
"I understand." Jo replied. He sighed moving around to her stool. She put her hands on his shoulders and he moved closer.
He answered "I think you do." Henry reached up to brush a curl back, and she leaned into it closing her eyes. He lowered his lips to hers lightly brushing them. She deepened it. He was the first to pull away taking her hands.
She laughed: "Our timing might be a little off here." He smiled kissing her hand.
"Maybe. It's been an intense evening."
"Yes. It has." Jo agreed, taking her coat from the coat rack. He walked her to the door.
"Jo. I want this…" Henry gestured between the two of them. "I've ruined your trust. I want to spend some time earning it back before it happens."
Henry stood in the doorway facing her. "You're always the gentleman Morgan." She leaned in kissing him. She pulled away as his arms went around her.
"Good night Detective." He called to her retreating back. She stopped a few paces away and grinned at him: "Good night Henry." Her laughter echoed in his ears, and he smiled as he shut the door.
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