At the hospital, jean had found the room where James was, he was in a room on his own, and his leg was elevated and in a support bandage until his x-ray was done. He was drowsy due to the medication.
She moved across the room to be beside him, sitting on the bed, she took his hand in hers.
"Hay there, you gave me a fright", running her hand over his forehead, he turned his head towards her, drowsy looking.
"I love you", she said, a tear rolling down her cheek knowing that he was going to be alright no serious damage.
"Don't cry Jeanie, I love you too", as he put his hand over hers.
A doctor appeared to tell James what was happening.
"Sorry to interrupt, it's only family at the moment until he is on a ward".
"I am his partner, his wife to be", this satisfied the Doctor.
"Ok, so we are going to take you for an x-ray on your leg James, to see if we need surgery or just to set the leg back, also a CT scan for the head to rule out any injury".
"Thanks", she said as the Doctor left.
She took a chair beside the bed holding his hand. He drifted off to sleep, she still held his hand. She rested her head beside him on the bed, she must have drifted off to sleep also, when she woke he was rubbing her head.
"Hay sleepy head, thanks for staying".
"Where else would I be?" smiling back at him.
"Running a Police Station maybe", smiling at her.
"The world can wait for me, at the moment you are important James".
He was taken off for his x-ray and scan. Jean went to the canteen for something to eat. While there, she text Robbie to say that James was going to be alright, there was no lasting damage.
He was kept in overnight, jean had picked him some clothes before going back to the hospital, then took him home.
He sat on the sofa with his leg up on the table, she offered to make him tea, he reached for her hand.
"Come here to me", pulling her down to him for a hug.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, his arm around her shoulder. He could feel her shaking as if she was crying, then his t-shirt felt wet.
"Hay there baby, what has you so upset?" lifting her chin to wipe the tears and look into her eyes.
"You are a detective, your job can be dangerous, that's not to say that every time I get a phone call about you or Lewis, I fear it is bad news".
"Why Robbie?"
"You and he are a good team, can't lose half a team, besides I can't lose my husband to be, now can I?" smiling at him leaning in for a kiss.
"I'm sorry all this has upset you, at least I will be safe for a few weeks", pointing down at his leg.
"Good, at least you will do as you are told and stay put", she said getting up to make him some tea.
After a week at home, he was starting to get cabin fever. She had already gone to work, then he rang her.
"Jean, I am bored at home, I need to be back at work".
"Well I am sorry James but there is not much you can do, you are no good to me at work", she was sorry about the last part of what she said.
"Sorry, I meant that in the context of you cannot run around and play cops and robbers James".
"I know what you meant, but there must be something I can do? Hide under your desk?" cheeky smile on his face.
"I could massage your feet? massage your shoulders? There must be something?"
"Ok, James, I give in, you can hide under my desk", he was just imagining it.
"No, I won't fit under easily with this cast on, now you are teasing me", he could hear her laughing.
"Yes, I am James, the only other option here is paperwork and I have plenty of it, plenty of reports to be done, do you think you can manage it?"
"Yes jean".
"Ok, I will send Robbie over to get you, so be ready, also I don't expect you to look your best, but do put some clothes on, can't have the office talking about you", she was laughing at her own comment.
"Ha ha, you are one funny onion, but I love you", he hung up the phone to get dressed, he settled on tracksuit bottoms, t-shirt and hoodie, he did not want to ruin good trousers on over a cast.
He was happy to be out of the house. At least at work they would take pity on him.
About half an hour later Robbie picked him up to take him to the station. "I thought you were meant to be resting?", as he got into the car.
"I was, you can only rest so much, and I was getting cabin fever, needed to get out".
When they got back to the station, James settled at his desk, he had a few helpers bringing him tea and coffee, he had to move for the bathroom.
She passed him in the corridor.
"I thought you were doing paperwork? Where you off to now?"
"I need the bathroom, it can't come to me", he realised what he said before looking at the ceiling, "oh no", she smiled at him.
"I can take the bathroom to you".
"Don't you dare", hopping along to the bathroom.
His phone beeped, 'my little bunny, hop hop you are free for dinner tonight?' she laughed as she sent the text. She was standing in view of the men's toilets.
A reply came, 'hop off back to work and stop waiting for me, yes I am free for dinner tonight' as he was coming out of the bathroom, he saw her standing at her office.
She smiled at him and walked back into her office.
He made it back to his desk sitting down to another cup of coffee before him.
At the end of the day Robbie brought him home. He was starting to make dinner until he needed the bathroom. When he came back to the kitchen, he could do no more, he was stuck to the wall, there in the corner was a small spider but to James it was huge.
About half an hour later jean arrived, she could see lights on and called James, there was no reply.
She found him in the kitchen, sweat rolling down his face, stuck against the wall.
She looked at him, confused as to what was wrong.
"James, what happened? What's wrong?"
He was looking at the floor, her eyes followed to what he was looking at.
"For heaven's sake", she got a cup to scoop up the spider and put it out the back.
He stood there when she came back in, he was relaxing a little.
"There, it's gone", not saying anymore but rolling her eyes.
"It's not funny", he said.
"I didn't say it was and I didn't laugh".
"But you wanted to?"
"Yes, I did, but I didn't".
"Right, what have you a fear of then? Because you didn't laugh at my fear".
"Nothing, ok, forget about it".
"There is something, I would like to know?"
"No, so drop it".
He grabbed her hand, "please".
"No, ok", he kept a hold of her hand, she was struggling to get away, she struggled free of his hold, she fell and banged her face on the door frame.
He saw her fall and went to help.
"Jean, I'm sorry, are you ok?"
"Yes".
He went to get some ice and heard the door slam shut, when he turned around she was gone. He went outside to look but her car was gone.
He went back inside and tried to ring her but she would not answer the phone, it went to voicemail, he left a few messages, 'jean, baby, I'm sorry you hurt yourself, please let me know you are ok, I love you' she listened to his message, but this was feeling too much now, with James proposing to her and wanting to get married sooner rather than later, also her husband trying to get in her good books to sell the house, she felt caught in limbo. She was working hard and feeling crap in the process.
She went home, put some ice on her face, hoping it would be down by the morning and plenty of make-up would hopefully cover up.
She had a work conference that would keep her out of the office for 2 days, she would not see James, which in turn would give her time to think over everything.
Robbie brought James to and from work.
"Where is your usual chauffeur?" asking as James got in the car.
"Don't know, have not seen or heard from her, let's go", indicating towards the traffic.
"No, hay, what happened? What did you do?"
"Why assume I did something? She knows I am afraid of spiders, she did not laugh, I asked her what she was afraid of? Won't tell me, I had her hand, she pulled away, hit her face off the door frame, then left, won't answer calls or texts, that was last night".
"Oh, ok, but you did know she is at a conference?"
"No, I didn't".
During the day, he could not stop thinking about her, he just went about his day. He wanted to ring her, but it was hard, he knew she would ring or text when she was ready.
About 3 days later as he was on his way back from the bathroom, he heard raised voices from her office and a mention of his name, he went to investigate.
As he opened the door, he saw a man shouting at jean, saying, "She would not have the house for her to keep lover boy", he slapped her.
James raised a crutch to stop the man.
"Oh, your hero jean", as he looked at jean and James.
"Don't James", as she stood holding her cheek where he slapped her, looking at James with a hint of please don't do anything stupid in her eyes.
"Now James, listen to the lady", in a smarmy voice.
James dropped the crutches, grabbed a hold of him, the man pushed James then in turn tried to swipe a dig at James, then James hit him back, giving him a split lip.
He fell to the ground, "oh I am going to have you for this", as James stood over him, "for what? You hit a woman and assaulted a police officer".
One or two heard the commotion, they came in and took the man to custody, while James got his crutches and went out the door.
Jean wanted him to come back, he wanted to turn back but couldn't.
Robbie took James home later.
Later on jean arrived, he opened the door and walked away to let her follow him in.
"Why did you walk away today?" she asked him.
"I could ask you the same? Why did you walk out the other day?" he looked at her, she kept her head down.
"I am afraid of getting hurt, when I really like someone, when it feels so real, do I deserve it? I also had to meet Andrew to discuss the house, at times it felt like it was all falling apart".
She sat on the sofa, then got back up to go to the kitchen to get a drink of water.
He followed her to the kitchen, crutches were abandoned.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, resting his head on her.
"Yes, you deserve it, you know you want it, I never set out to break your heart and I don't intend to".
She turned to him, still keeping her head down.
"You being afraid of spiders may be funny but nothing to laugh about compared to me being afraid of deserving happiness".
"You said it, Jeanie", as he placed his arms around her for a hug.
She wrapped her arms around him crying into his chest.
"I'm sorry for hurting you James, I do love you".
"I know you do, I am wrecked from all that hard work that I do, let's go to bed, and I want to hold you".
"Hard work my arse, all you done was sit on your arse", laughing at him as he took her hand heading for the bedroom.
Lying in bed, she turned to him.
"You said you didn't set out to break my heart and you don't intend to, I think that is sweet".
"Well, I meant it baby", keeping his arm tight around her.
"Break my heart, I will break you other leg", she said laughing at him as he kissed her on the cheek, she buried her head into his chest.
"Fine by me", he noticed the way she curled up into a ball, it seemed unusual.
"Hay baby, something is bothering you, care to tell me?"
She shook her head.
"Ok, whenever you're ready to talk I am here to listen", kissing her head.