A/N: So a few of you asked for people finding out about their relationship, and I got there eventually!
They only part once the sun has set and the light and warmth has drained from the landscape.
Jocelyn pulls away slightly to smile wryly at Maggie. "Well I think we certainly made headway in the time we lost."
Maggie blinks blearily in the greying light, looking dazed for a moment before her head clears and she realises how late it must be. A small, disbelieving laugh escapes her. "You're just that irresistible," she jokes, but there's a weight behind the words.
Jocelyn's eyes drift across Maggie's face once again, as if she's committing every inch of it to memory, so she can still envisage it when she can see no longer. Maggie understands, and takes Jocelyn's free hand - the one which had clasped her face throughout their frantic kisses, and is now resting lightly on her stomach, fingertips brushing the soft wool of her cardigan.
They sit like that for an indeterminable length of time, simply gazing at each other, hands entwined together, revelling in their new-found closeness; the companionship they had desired for so many years. They silently vow never to be parted again, no matter what the future holds.
Jocelyn shivers involuntarily. In the warmth of the sun, the light sea breeze had been a refreshing breath helping to cool down the heat of their tightly-pressed bodies. Now though, the wind is distinctly sharp. Maggie notices.
"Come on, let's get inside before we catch a chill."
She gets to her feet, and pulls Jocelyn up with her, catching her other hand. They stretch their limbs, having been curled up in one position for a long time.
"Next time I think it's a good idea to sit on the floor all evening, maybe remind me I'm not as young as I used to be," Jocelyn murmurs dryly.
Maggie hums in agreement, then a cheeky smile steals over her face. "I wasn't complaining though, considering."
Jocelyn blushes, but she can't disagree.
Helping to tidy away their picnic items, Maggie briefly wonders what the rest of the evening holds for them. God knows she wants Jocelyn, but not like this - not when there are too many thoughts and emotions running riot in their heads: the murder trial still looming over the town and its people like a shadow. Despite the progress of this evening, Maggie knows that it's too soon, but nor does she want to leave.
She's saved from dwelling on the issue for much longer, as on the short walk back to the house, Jocelyn notices her glance to her car. As if the look is an unspoken question, Jocelyn answers. "Stay here with me tonight. Only if you'd like," she adds hurriedly.
By the utter lack of shock on Maggie's face at this suggestion, Jocelyn knows that Maggie had been hoping to hear those words.
"I would." Maggie smiles reassuringly, letting Jocelyn know that she doesn't expect anything more. The understanding passes between them as Jocelyn reaches forward to press Maggie's arm briefly.
As they climb into bed together, Jocelyn murmurs, "Hold me," so quietly into the darkness that Maggie isn't sure whether she actually heard her or if her mind made it up. But by the way Jocelyn moves over to curl into her side, she's fairly sure she heard correctly. Jocelyn lies with her head half on Maggie's shoulder and half on the pillow, as Maggie wraps an arm around Jocelyn's body, hand resting on her back.
It's always been the nights which plague Jocelyn - in the darkness, all her regrets, fears and thoughts bubble up to the surface and keep her awake. Images flit behind her eyelids: Joe Miller in court, unflinchingly staring out with blank eyes, devoid of sorrow; Sharon's sneering face vowing to win; her mother, frail and pale against the bedspread; Maggie's face, all those years ago, disappointment shining in her eyes.
But now there are a wealth of other images too, stored from this evening - all tinted with happiness, and all of Maggie. Jocelyn makes an effort to dwell on these, as if thoughts of the woman next to her can wipe away all the other images lingering in her consciousness, and bring her peace.
As if sensing this inner turmoil, Maggie presses her lips gently against Jocelyn's forehead.
"Penny for them?"
"You'll tell me off for being melancholy," Jocelyn warns, but her voice sounds lighter than she expected it to.
"You're worried about tomorrow." It's not a question, merely a statement. After all, Jocelyn has every right to be worried - they both do, but Jocelyn more so; winning this case is a point of pride for her; proof that she was right to be convinced to re-join the world. And Maggie's the one who dragged her back.
"Mostly." She's silent for a while. "I'm just glad you're here."
Maggie rubs her hand lightly across Jocelyn's back - exploratory, soothing.
"What made you decide to tell me tonight?" Maggie asks eventually, her hushed tone breaking the companionable silence which has settled between them. She had been thinking about that since they'd started getting ready for bed. Too late she realises that dwelling on the past might make Jocelyn even more melancholy, but considering they're already there, it makes sense to get everything out into the open.
"DI Hardy. Indirectly," Jocelyn admits. She feels Maggie stiffen in surprise and huffs a laugh. Maggie's relieved to hear the noise. "He turned up at my house a couple of weeks ago; gave me a terrible fright just appearing at my window suddenly."
Maggie laughs softly. "He is intense like that. What did he want?"
"For me to write his will."
Maggie looks down at Jocelyn, shocked. Jocelyn catches her eyes in the gloomy light of the room.
"It surprised me too. He's carrying around such guilt - such regret," she muses, taken back to the haunted look in his eyes. "He actually tried to have a conversation with me, which from what you've said, is a rare occurrence."
"Extremely. He must have been in a state." There's only a trace of humour in Maggie's voice.
"At one point he asked me if I had kids, and I told him I never married." Jocelyn pauses, and Maggie reaches across to squeeze her arm comfortingly with her free hand. "I told him that I missed who I was supposed to be with... Because I wasn't strong enough. I thought it was too late to fix things. But he said, 'you should tell them', and I haven't been able to let go of that thought since."
"I'm glad you didn't," Maggie murmurs. "Let go of the thought I mean. I'm glad you told me." She thinks of her initial reaction to Jocelyn's confession and feels slightly ashamed.
Jocelyn leans in, bringing herself closer to Maggie, as if seeking security. "It took my mother dying before I realised it was worth trying to fix things though," she whispers. "You were partly right, when you said I was feeling alone... But that's not why I said it. You see, I thought I was, but it took losing her for me to realise that I wasn't actually alone at all. Even without her, I wasn't alone. Because there was you. There's always been you."
Maggie nods, finally understanding. "I'm sorry if I seemed dismissive earlier. I didn't intend to hurt you."
"You didn't," Jocelyn says. "I understand why you said what you did. I hurt you once - hurt us both. You were right to be cautious."
Maggie is thankful for Jocelyn's understanding, but words fail her in voicing it. In lieu of speaking, she simply wraps her arm tighter around Jocelyn's shoulders, pulling her flush against her side. Jocelyn drapes her arm across Maggie's stomach, hand curling around her ribs. The curves and spaces of their bodies fit perfectly together. Their inhales and exhales are unconsciously timed so it's as if they're breathing in each other's air as they drift off to sleep.
They wake in the morning still wrapped around each other. The piercing ring of Jocelyn's alarm clock forcibly reminds of them of their responsibilities and the events they have to face today.
Burying her face into the crook of Jocelyn's shoulder, Maggie grunts a 'good morning' into her skin. Despite the worry and dread of what the future may hold, in this moment - a small moment of time - they allow themselves to be perfectly content. After years of sleeping apart while wishing for the other next to them, they are finally waking up together. The sheets are warm around their bodies.
They take pleasure in all the small luxuries of domesticity that they'd always dreamed of experiencing together: dressing in front of each other, unashamed; sharing breakfast - "I know you never cook, but we really need to stock up your fridge." Jocelyn doesn't comment at the word 'we', but her eyes are shining as if with unshed tears; Maggie meets her eyes, unabashed and meaningful.
It's only when Maggie fetches her keys, ready to drive them to court that Jocelyn realises. She reaches a hand out and finds herself gripping Maggie's arm.
"What is it?" Maggie asks, turning with a startled look on her face. Her expression slowly shifts to worry when Jocelyn doesn't immediately reply, nor remove her hand.
"I just realised, I forgot to tell Ben he didn't need to give me a lift this morning."
"Is that a problem? Can't you just ring him now?"
Jocelyn pauses and checks her watch. "No, he's normally here for half 7."
Maggie catches on to Jocelyn's meaning. "And it's 8 o'clock now."
"Exactly."
"Ah. Well I hope you didn't want to keep this a secret from everyone," Maggie says, trying to keep her voice light, but Jocelyn picks up on the serious note behind her tone. She instinctively knows that her response is critical, even if Maggie had only meant it as a joke.
"Well I must admit I had expected to be able to keep it quiet for a while. There's bound to be comments, and I suppose I would have liked to just enjoy it for a bit before everyone knew, but considering it doesn't seem like that can be the case... I don't mind."
Jocelyn isn't sure if she's imagining the pride on Maggie's face, under the momentary surprise.
"It's long been time for me to be brave," Jocelyn continues, echoing Maggie's words from the previous evening. "If you don't care what people will think, then neither do I. I'm not ashamed of being with you."
It's Maggie's turn to blink back tears. She reaches out to clasp Jocelyn's hand, still resting on her arm.
"I don't suppose there's any chance of people not figuring it out?" Jocelyn asks eventually. It's not as if she wants that to be the case - she's made her peace with this and Maggie is too important to lose just for the sake of gossip, but to assume that everyone will know just because Ben does seems like jumping to conclusions.
"It's possible," Maggie concedes. "They don't have a reason to notice us, but Olly is constantly assessing things to find a story, and I think Sharon and that Abby are suspicious of everything."
Jocelyn nods, surrendering the point. "Sharon will pick up on it for certain," she realises with no small amount of dread. She'd forgotten to count her ex-pupil in the list of everyone. "She can sniff out a change in demeanour a mile off; she can read people too well."
Maggie pulls her close, wrapping her arms around her waist, and Jocelyn returns the hug, appreciating the reassurance. They stand there for a few moments until Jocelyn catches sight of the clock on the wall.
"We need to go," she exclaims, reluctantly pulling out of Maggie's arms.
They both eye Maggie's car warily as they approach: the vehicle the tell-tale sign that Maggie had stayed the night at Jocelyn's. Ben, being fairly close to Jocelyn, and having been privy to no shortage of personal moments between her and Maggie, can be under no false impression of what has transpired between the two of them. He's a lawyer, conditioned to assess people; no doubt he picked up on the atmosphere between them weeks ago.
Jocelyn knows he won't tell anyone else - he has no cause to - but the court case has made everyone suspicious, and this cannot go unnoticed; Maggie waiting behind for Jocelyn at the court last night whilst everybody else filed past her, and them turning up together this morning, when every other morning it has been Ben and Jocelyn arriving in the same car - it's inevitable that people will put two and two together.
They are silent throughout the journey, both thinking it over and wondering how people will react, if at all - this doesn't concern anyone else, so why should it matter? In the most part it won't, but they both know to expect comments from certain people.
When Maggie pulls into a space and turns the engine off, the sudden absence of any noise startles Jocelyn out of her thoughts. She turns her head to find Maggie already gazing at her. She reaches out a hand, stroking Maggie's cheek briefly - revelling in the final moments shared between only them before they face up to reality, however harsh it may be. Maggie smiles softly at her, taking Jocelyn's hand when it comes to rest on her thigh.
"We'll be okay," she murmurs, hoping to remind Jocelyn of their strength and everything they've overcome so far in order to be here together.
"I know," Jocelyn says, and the certainty in her voice reassures Maggie. "Will you come home with me again tonight?" she asks, and this, more than anything, tells Maggie that they are in this together, no matter what happens.
Maggie leans forward, not caring if anyone outside is looking in. Jocelyn moves closer in anticipation, and as their lips meet, the nervousness dissipates.
They are together, and nothing will change that.
A/N: This turned out longer than I expected and I haven't finished yet, so I hope to have another chapter up by the end of the week. Hope you're enjoying it so far!