Aftermath

The post was always intermittent in Philadelphia. Some days the letters would arrive well before noon, sometimes not until after supper.

Today was no different.

The estate was a large one, but other than that, it had little to recommend. The situation of the house was such that no pleasant view was to be seen. The decor was drab.

Such was the life of a scientist trying to make his way in the world.

At around three pm, the maid indicated that the post was finally come, and handed him the three letters.

One was from the university. He tossed it aside, knowing full well that he was on probation.

One was from his father. He hesitated with that one, thinking that perhaps he should open that as soon as he saw the next…

…London.

He tore it open. Inside, in rather crude lettering, was the following:

Be there by the end of the first week of November.

He rubbed his face. Surely not…

"Oh, M'lord…have you stomach for dinner?"

He nodded. "I'll be right there."

He looked at the letter from his father.

Howard Stark would have to wait.

There simply are not ample adjectives to describe the terror the residents of Whitechapel felt the morning of September thirtieth. People were fascinated, to be sure…but the fear was much more potent than any morbid curiosity.

To add to the mystery, the police found, then rubbed away, a message found on Goulston Street. It said, rather crudely:

"The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing"

No one knew exactly what it meant, and the only reason it was associated at all with the killer was because the message was above a dirty, bloodstained piece of an apron worn by the second victim. It could have been pure happenstance that the cloth fell there.

Or the message could have been put there by design, the cloth strategically placed.

Either way, it was rubbed out by an officer; and though treated as a possible clue, could never be fully investigated.

The first victim, Elizabeth Stride, had only her throat slashed, and it was hypothesized that the killer had been interrupted.

The second victim, discovered as Catherine Eddowes, had been thoroughly cut open and mutilated.

Jane hadn't slept at all that night, and it was a good thing that she didn't need to open on Sunday if she didn't have the mind to.

She didn't.

She was positively beside herself…

After Loki walked her home in almost compete silence, she turned to him in the doorway. She finally looked at him.

"I need to take tomorrow, Loki. We can speak on Monday."

He nodded. He rather thought the same thing.

Jane went inside slowly, and once he determined that she was fine, left himself…shaking a bit from the stress of it all.

Jane cried a good deal. She played the night over and over in her head.

It was her fault. All of it. She had allowed her passion get the better of her and caused two women to die.

Had she only pulled away…they might have discovered who was in the alley with Long Liz.

She sobbed. She hadn't wanted to pull away…it felt wonderful to be wanted, to be kissed.

To be kissed by Loki.

She buried her face in her hands.

She hadn't the faintest idea that she fancied him!

…well, that may be overstating. She had felt warmly toward him since this business began.

But to fancy him, to kiss him in a dark alley…she was dumbfounded. And to have two women die!

She would never forget the sight of the second victim's insides on the street…her intestines on her shoulder, placed delicately there. It was as though she were nothing but a piece of meat.

Jane laid in bed all day, calling to her father that she was merely tired when he knocked. Until finally, at supper time, he entered.

"Jane…I'm worried about you. I've heard all about the murders…"

She turned and looked at him. "Oh father! It's awful. I saw them both last evening while they were still alive, saw them both after they were murdered! And I…I…" she sat up and cried into his shoulder.

"What is it, child?"

"I…" she pulled away and wiped her face with Dr. Foster's handkerchief. "I kissed Loki."

"Ah…"

"No! It's terrible…we were kissing when the first…when Liz was murdered…right across the street from us!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. And then…there was another one! And I saw her insides…and it was the most horrific thing I've ever seen," she paused. "I think that, in my attempts to stop these crimes, I may have caused two more."

"You think that your snooping around caused poor Liz and Catherine Eddowes's death?"

Jane looked at him through her tears. "Was that her name?"

"That's what the Times says."

Jane looked forlornly out the window by her bed. "She called herself nothing…but she had a beautiful name…"

"Jane, look…I want you to take a break from this mess. Perhaps see to your work. Maybe even examine your relationship with Loki…"

"Pardon? My relationship with Loki?"

"You cannot deny that there is something between the two of you."

"I can. I have no idea…"

He stopped her. "And that is what I propose. To obtain an idea."

She sighed, nodded, gave her dad a hug.

"Get some rest, Jane," he got up and left her.

She was very lucky…

…Jane spent that night sleeping some, reading her astronomy book some, and attempting to see the sky out of her bedroom window.

Fandral was waiting for Loki Monday morning.

"Are you and Jane all right?"

"Fine," he opened the door "You're here early."

"Yes, well…I was concerned. Were you out Saturday night?"

"We were," he opened the windows, went to the back and started the brew.

"And did you see….?" he followed him back.

"We actually saw both women before they were murdered, and then their corpses," he said without looking at Fandral.

"Good god man."

Loki went back into the shop, propped open the door, peered down the road toward the apothecary. She wasn't there yet.

"What?" now he looked at him, re-entering and heading for the back once more. He appeared to be moving more quickly than usual, and was more abrupt.

"You saw them?"

"Yeeesss…" and he retrieved his ledgers and put them on the counter, then went back and poured out two mugs, bringing one for Fandral. "Fandral…I have a question."

"I have about a thousand…" he sipped, still staring a bit awe-struck at Loki.

And Loki peered at him with obvious annoyance.

"You have a question?"

"Yes," and now he considered how to ask it…"If you…" he cleared his throat. "Say that you…" he took another sip. "Was there ever…"

"Out with it man! Unless you're the murderer, nothing should take this long to relate!"

Loki squinted at him in annoyance. "I kissed Jane."

Fandral's mouth hung open. "You…?"

"Yes. You see now why I was hesitant to say anything."

Fandral stared at him. "You…"

Loki raised his eyebrows.

"No," he laughed.

"You know Fandral, I really ought to seek a different employee. One with some brains," and he went to the door again, and peered down the road once more.

Still not there.

"What did she do?" he asked as Loki re-entered the shop.

"Excuse me?"

"What. Did. Jane. Do?"

"Well, she knitted a fine muffler and baked a pie while I forced myself on her."

"Come, Loki…"

"What do you think she did?!"

And Fandral laughed. "Well, any number of things are possible…she could have slapped you, laughed at you, yelled at you…you see my point?"

"She returned my kiss."

"Ah," and he sat back on his stool.

"What does that mean?"

"Well…it doesn't take a genius, Loki. Even i could figure it out."

"Fandral, are you being deliberately obtuse…?"

"Well, she wanted to, didn't she? She must fancy you…."

And suddenly everything was slightly better. He had ruminated on this possibility all day yesterday, dismissed it, revisited it, dismissed it again…"Is it possible?"

"I'd say it's likely…"

Loki swallowed, stood erect…

"What happened, exactly…?" asked Fandral.

"Well, we were on Berner Street, by the Worker's Club, and we saw Liz…"

"Liz?"

"The first victim."

Fandral nodded.

"She spoke with quite a few men…Jane and I walked, saw Cate being arrested…and we went back to Berner," he cleared his throat and sat down. "We were standing for some time in the space between a pub and a house…I heard a disturbance, and then saw two men arguing. The next thing I knew, a tall man carrying a black bag was heading right for us…I pulled Jane close, and held her against the wall, to make it seem like…" he paused. "As though I was making good on a transaction…when I pulled away from her, she was…" he looked at Fandral. "She was watching me intently, holding my gaze…I had felt her next to me, she seemed…"

"Aroused?" Fandral supplied.

"Well, that might be taking it a bit far. But for want of a better word, yes. So I took a chance, and I kissed her."

"And Jane returned it?"

"She did. Rather enthusiastically, I might add."

"Of course."

Loki glared at him. "But then…I heard some noise, and I pulled away, never leaving her face…but we heard someone shout 'murder', and that…rather spoiled the mood."

"You are insensitive, Loki," he laughed. "Though I must hand it to you, this is a more complicated situation than I'm accustomed to handling. I'd say that she definitely wanted to kiss you…that she likes you, but now her feelings might be marred by the untimely murder of two prostitutes."

"And people say that I am indelicate."

"Well, what's done is done. It is all very sad, yes. But you and Jane are alive. Let us not forget that…"

"You weren't so flippant Saturday when you thought that Mary might be in some danger."

Fandral looked down and swallowed. "No…no I wasn't."

"Apologies, my man," he looked at him with a concerned eye. "What are your thoughts?"

"I'm not sure. I think that you need to talk with Jane, but I also think that you need to figure out what your feelings are, precisely."

At that, Selvig entered. "Mornin'," he announced glumly.

"Ah Selvig. What news?" Loki went to the back and returned with a mug for Erik.

"Nothing good, I can tell ye."

The two men leaned against the counter as Selvig sat in a chair. "What happened to your settee?"

"His what?" breathed Fandral.

"The fainting couch," Loki supplied. "It went back to the apothecary, where it belongs."

"Ah, well. I was getting used to it here."

"Never become too attached to things, Selvig. Life is fleeting. You may think that that couch isn't disposable, but one misstep, and gone. And no one thinks a thing of it."

Erik looked at him crookedly.

"Evidently, Loki here enjoys employing fainting couches in analogies about life. I know my life is much like a fainting couch…"

"Oh, do shut up Fandral. What news, Detective. I await your answer eagerly."

"Well…Catherine Eddowes, she was missing a kidney. And her uterus."

"My god," said Fandral, sitting down.

"She was missing organs," stated Loki. "Selvig, we need the name of that scientist. Even if it comes to nothing…"

"I agree," replied the detective. I'll do some asking at the local colleges…we really have no clue where he might have visited."

Loki nodded. "I think, also, that we won't be going out for a bit…that Jane might be wary now."

"That's wise," said Selvig. "I don't fancy being out myself," he stood. "But I'm off duty now…be heading home."

"Very good," Loki shook his hand. "Thank'ee, Inspector."

Selvig left them there.

"I suppose the inquest will be this week," Loki sat across from Fandral…Fandral, who was motionless and horrified. "Are you all right?"

He nodded. "No."

Loki laughed. "You'll need to divorce yourself from your fears as best you can, Fandral. No use in getting yourself worked up."

"And how would you feel if Jane was on the streets at night?" he spat.

"I see your point, but if it is that important, then you need to keep her."

"What?"

Loki shrugged. "If her safety means that much to you, then you should have her move in with you and pay for her."

"I've asked her. She refused."

"Well," Loki replied, a bit dumbfounded. "I suppose…"

Fandral sighed and stood. "There's nothing to be done, Loki. This isn't fixable. Mary is a stubborn woman," he paused, looking down the road toward the apothecary. "Go and see your own stubborn woman."

He sat up, and peered out the same door. Yes…it appeared that the door was indeed open. "She isn't my woman, Fandral," he replied, standing himself. "I'll call later. Give her some time to settle in," and he went to the back.

"Nerves," Fandral laughed. "Poor Jane Foster."

Jane fiddled with some things in the shop she had been meaning to see to. Her ledgers were dreadfully abandoned since she returned from her injury, so she updated them for a while. She cleaned the back room. She organized her herbs; cleaned out the water barrel, refilled it. She arranged for some laundry to be taken home…when was the last time she did that? She scrunched her nose in disgust.

She had a few customers that day, but Spitalfields Market was pretty sparse for a Monday. Most were probably not opening that day, terrified to leave home.

She had heard that only the butcher and some of the produce carts opened the day previous.

All the long while, Jane wrestled with very conflicting emotions…

She did, in fact, feel fairy responsible for having been swept away in a moment's passion. She felt utter guilt and was prone to bouts of nausea when she thought on it.

But the guilt, she soon realized, was do mainly to the fact that she enjoyed it…that she had wanted to kiss him.

She couldn't decide if she wanted more…and rather came to the conclusion that she would need to talk to Loki, to assuage her guilt, and perhaps suggest that they both stop going out for a while, and perhaps hold off on any…romance?

She sighed at the word. Jane had resigned herself, not unwillingly, to a single life.

But that didn't mean that she could never, ever, enjoy the company of a man.

Nor did it mean that she couldn't ever fancy one.

She also wasn't certain of his own regard. He might have been swept up in the moment, like she was, but regretted it more fiercely and for different reasons. That is, maybe he found the idea abhorrent. She wouldn't be sorry for that to be an admission. Disappointed? Maybe. But she would get over that quickly enough.

Men were, as she had observed, more strongly moved sexually. Generally speaking. Perhaps that was all it was, a need for release he wasn't granted because they were interrupted.

Interrupted by a murder, she reminded herself, and she was momentarily angry and disgusted by Loki.

"Afternoon, Jane."

She jumped…she was still thinking about how disgusting men were, and there was the man in question, standing in her shop, looking at her uncertainly.

She swallowed to steady herself. "Loki," she smiled, and nodded.

"Erm…" he went in tentatively. "Ah…so. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," stop being so silly, Jane Foster. You have no cause to be curt with him. She snapped herself out of it and offered the warmest smile she could muster. "How are you?" and she went to brew tea in the back.

Loki rubbed his palms on his pant legs. He loathed his reacting thus to her, but he was nervous…he had put off visiting for as long as he could without seeming heartless. It was nearly two in the afternoon now.

Jane returned with a mug for them both. "Sit, if you like," and she sat herself.

She was being dreadfully polite. This was likely very not good. "So, Jane…Selvig visited me this morning."

"Yes?"

"Yes…" he sat down opposite her. "…and he informed me that poor Miss Eddowes," he paused. "The second victim…'

Jane nodded.

"…had one of her kidneys and her uterus removed."

"My god," she replied.

"Quite. So…this adds merit, I think, to the ongoing theory we have devised."

Jane swallowed, deep in thought.

Careful, Loki…you have had all day to process this. "I think…perhaps we should hold off before going out again. I daresay that few women, if they can help it, will be going out at night, anyway."

She looked at him and nodded. "Yes. You're probably right."

"We can work with Selvig during the day, and you can be home with your father by six," he added with a smile.

No response.

"Do you…" he cleared his throat. "Is it…not something that you wish to continue with? I quite understand if…"

"No," she choked. And she, then, cleared her throat. "No. I want to," there were tears in her eyes.

He sat upright, his first inclination was to go to her, but he steadied himself…"Jane! What is it?"

"I'm sorry…" she stood and got a handkerchief…"I'm sorry…"

He was beside himself. He had no idea how to act. He desperately wanted to fix whatever was bothering her…she wasn't one for tears.

Jane returned and pulled her chair next to him, and took his hand in hers.

Loki swallowed. "Jane?"

She smiled at him through her tears. "I'm a right mess, Loki."

"Why? What can I…"

"We need to talk about what happened."

"You mean…?" he dropped his gaze, took his hand away.

"Yes."

He nodded.

"You regret it," she said plainly.

He snapped his eyes to hers. "No!"

She nodded. "Neither do I…"

His heart sped up.

"…exactly."

"Exactly?" his heart fell.

"Well, I cannot abandon the notion that because we were…ah…" she looked away.

"Yes?"

"That had we not, that poor Liz might have been spared…or Catherine…perhaps…I don't know…" she paused, then looked at Loki. "We could have caught him, Loki. If we hadn't been…"

"Well, that's a lot of conjecture, Jane. We can never know if we might have caught the culprit had we not…"

"Kissed," she supplied with a gulp.

"Just so. And to perseverate on 'what might have been's' won't do anything but drive you mad."

Jane smiled and nodded, turned away from him slightly, slumping in her chair. "You always make sense, Loki."

"I try," he smiled without her seeing, looking at her fondly.

"Was it just the moment, though? Were you caught up in what we were doing, in close proximity…"

"Pardon?"

She looked at him. "Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"Please do," he was a bit confused. He thought that they were on the same page, as it were.

"I mean," she stood and leaned against the counter, looking at him. "Were you merely caught up in passion, or was there more to it?"

"Caught up in passion?" he stood now.

She raised her eyebrows.

"You mean that you…you think that I was taking advantage of you, and the situation we were in? That you think that all I was seeking…was sexual release?" his voice was rising.

"It isn't as absurd as you make it sound."

"No, except that you know me, Jane."

"I know you, yes, but that doesn't mean that you're not a man, with manly…urges…"

"I see," he was loud now. "I see very clearly now. Oh yes. I went through the whole of this charade in an elaborate scheme to set up a seduction of our apothecary. I couldn't…I don't know…pay for it like all the other blokes do when they have the inclination."

"Now you're being unfair," she crossed her arms in front of her.

"Fair?! What do you take me for? Jane, if I had honestly been trying to seduce you, you would have known."

"Would I have?"

"Oh yes. Count on it," he spat.

"You know, all I was suggesting was that there were no feelings of a genuine nature behind our kiss. That isn't so ludicrous an idea, it happens all the time. You could have either confirmed it or dismissed it without this display."

"Oh yes. I either want to fuck you or I'm in love with you."

Jane went over to him and slapped him hard on the cheek. "I'll thank'ee for not using such language in my shop."

He rubbed his cheek. They were both heaving with emotion and rage…

…and he was indubitably aroused.

"Perhaps…" he began.

And he grabbed her, kissing her madly, passionately, pushing her to the counter, hiking her skirts up, Jane moaning, responding in kind…

He cleared his throat.

Jane felt her heart beating rapidly with both emotion and want.

She swallowed, collecting herself…

He wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her close, his mouth inches from hers, his other hand caressed her cheek, he kissed her soundly…

"Apologies, Jane. I hadn't meant to be crude or offensive."

She nodded. "We should perhaps shelve this discussion for another time."

He nodded. "We can discuss things tomorrow, yes?"

"Very well."

"I'll just…"

"See you tomorrow, Loki," and she wasn't unkind.

He smiled, and left the shop.

He really needed to watch himself…

And he had no idea where that display left the two of them. He would need to think on it further.

Retreat back to September 20th…

In an old room in an old house only fifteen minutes north of Whitechapel, a reporter was penning a note.

This letter would be received by the Central News Agency on the 27th, disregarded, almost disposed of.

Dear Boss,

I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and I shan't quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope ha. ha. The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck.

Yours truly

Jack the Ripper

Don't mind me giving the trade name

PS Wasn't good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now. ha ha

No one had thought a thing of it. But then, that morning of the first, it was retrieved from the desk it was shoved into…for another had come…

I was not codding dear old Boss when I gave you the tip, you'll hear about Saucy Jacky's work tomorrow double event this time number one squealed a bit couldn't finish straight off. ha not the time to get ears for police. thanks for keeping last letter back till I got to work again.

Jack the Ripper

The Agency then thought that the Yard should be alerted. It was too much of a coincidence to be dismissed.

But what was notable, what everyone was hanging on, was that the killer, if these were genuine, gave himself a name.

Jack the Ripper.

A/N: I must point out the Sparky She-Demon is responsible for Tony Stark making an appearance. He will likely return, but not until the end. Think...The Hulk with Ed Norton.

This might be it for a little while. It might not be. My life, as I had said, will be increasing in craziness for the foreseeable future, but that doesn't mean I'll be abandoning this. Just probably won't be updating daily.

Thanks so much for reading!