In statu nascendi (ch.39 up) - sequel to ATTFABH

[fosforito]

hehe ;D

probably not what you´re having in mind now, but I think you´ll be surprised though...

[fosforito]

Okay, here´s - finally - chapter 28 for you.

Sorry for that delay but I was so busy with anatomy as some of you already know.

Hope you´ll like it

Chapter 28 (Unexpected obstacles)


Alexandra opened the door to her apartment, squeezed herself and all the bags holding in her hands through the door-frame and closed the door again with her foot.

After her encounter with Rachel Dawes, Alexandra had driven to Gotham City´s shopping mall to buy new clothes for her upcoming trip with Jonathan.

The big advantage of her profession was that sometimes she could make a lot of money. Jane Deveraux was a Pro and she was one of the best in her job. But to Alexandra it was clear since yesterday that she couldn´t go on with her life like this, she even didn´t want to anymore.

If she would have her way, she would take the money and burn it up because it was blood-money
– not even Alexandra´s decision to start a new life wouldn´t change anything about it. On the other hand, a lot of her „clients“ and owners of this money had been bad people and some of them even had deserved to die. Alexandra had hoarded up her money over all the years, she never spent more than she needed for her living and this way, she could save a bigger amount to have something in her hands.

No doubt, her boss knew where to find this money, but Alexandra would wait for the right moment, to grab all her money to start another life somewhere else – a new life, and at the best together with Jonathan.

Even if this was blood-money, at least it could be useful for something good in their new life, it could give something back of what they had lost because of all the pain and the sorrow.

It couldn´t bring back their innocence, it couldn´t bring back their lost years, it couldn´t bring back their lost child but at least it could give them some financial security. Alexandra would have the feeling not to be completely moneyless and she wouldn´t bring Jonathan into the situation to pay everything all alone.

Alexandra sighed when she flipped on the light and carried the bags into the living-room what was her bedroom, too.

She had placed the bags on the floor and put her keys on the table when she could hear her cell phone ringing in the pocket of her coat.

`Maybe it´s Jonathan!´, Alexandra though while pulling the cell phone out of her pocket.`But have in mind not to answer the phone by telling your name.´

She flipped open her cell phone.

„Hello?“, she said loudly into the phone.

Alexandra could feel her disappointment when she could hear the voice of Carmine Falcone instead of Jonathan.

„Hello, my little business gift!“, she could hear him shouting. „How are you doing?!“

`Dammit, Falcone of all people!´, Alexandra thought when she responded „Mr. Falcone?“ in a dry voice.

She could hear Falcone´s dirty laughter whe he noticed, that Jane didn´t answer his question.

„I see.“, he giggled. „Obviously I have interrupted you in doing something special.“

Jane puffed lightly.

`This bastard!! I would give anything if I could finally make him keeping his mouth shut!´, she thought.

„Well, I´ll come directly to the point.“, she could hear Falcone saying. „I need you at the docks on Thursday. We´ll get a bigger shipment and I want you there to make sure, that everything will be okay.“

Thursday? This was in 2 days! And tomorrow she wanted to go on her trip with Jonathan!

`By no means!´, everything shouted in Alexandra´s mind. `This guy won´t keep me from going out of Gotham with Jonathan!´

„Mr. Falcone. I´m sorry, but I´ll be busy that time.“, Jane replied but Falcone interrupted her.

„A guy called Flass will be there, get into contact with him. And I don´t accept any reluctance, Jane. So make sure that you´ll be there!“

Jane wanted to say anything but Falcone already had hung up the phone.

„Arrgh, dammit!“, Alexandra cursed aloud when she could hear a deep loud tone in the phone-line.

She puffed when she folded up her cell-phone and placed it on the table.

`I have to think up what do do now.´, Alexandra thought when she put off her coat and hang it over the back of the chair in front of the table. `By no means I´ll cancel my trip with Jonathan.´

Alexandra propped her hands into her hips, staring at the ceiling and thinking of what to do now.

Suddenly she could feel something touching her hips.

„Any problems?“, she could hear a dark male voice saying.

Jane gasped. She knew this voice, she knew this voice too well and for a split second, Jane wasn´t able to move at all.

„What..what are you doing here?“, she whispered and she could feel being pulled lightly into the direction of the voice.

She glanced down at herself and she noticed two big hands laying on her hips. His hands covered hers and Jane didn´t struggle when he pulled her softly towards him.

„Hello Jane.“, the voice said softly and Jane could feel his hot breath next to her ear. „I missed you.“

Jane´s gaze moved around but she didn´t dare to turn round.

„I .. I didn´t expect to see you so soon again.“, Jane whispered and she could hear her voice trembling. „Since when are you in Gotham?“

„Hmm, not a very long time...“, he answered and Jane could feel his lips brushing her ear and his hand running through her hair.

„Hm..you smell so good, Jane.“, he murmured. „And you´re looking gorgeous.. so damn sexy.“

Jane swallowed when she could feel his hands on her hips again.

„Don´t you.. don´t you want to know what information do I have for you?“, Jane asked, panting lightly, trying to distract him from what he obviously wanted to do.

He didn´t respond and his lips moved over Jane´s neck, starting to kiss it softly.

„I.. got into contact to Falcone as well as to Crane.“, Jane finally started, trying to be as calm and businesslike as possible.

„Mmmhmh...“, he murmured into her neck, kissing it again..

„And what do you think?“, he asked in a low voice when his hands moved forward to Jane´s abdomen. „Do you think, they´re working to our liking?“

Jane gasped again when his hands touched her breasts, starting to caress them through the fabric of her blouse.

„I think, there´s no problem with Falcone.“, Jane said and she swallowed again when she could feel his lips on her neck again. „But I´m not sure about Crane...“

„Oh, I see.“, he answered in a low voice and Jane could feel his hands massaging her breasts lightly while he kept on kissing her neck.

„I got informed that Crane will do an advanced training tomorrow for a couple of days, but I still don´t know where it will take place.“, Jane lied. „I´d like to follow him, maybe I can find out then, if he´s loyal. But Falcone wants me to supervise his drug shipment this Thursday.“

He didn´t respond and kept on kissing her neck. Jane didn´t struggle and she tried not to lose control as good as she could.

„You always gave me competence in my work.“, Jane said in a firm voice but she could feel herself trembling.

„So, do you think, I´d be better to observe Crane?“, he asked softly and pulled Jane closer to him.

`Now don´t stab me in the back by telling me I should stay here!´

„Yes, I do.“, she responded when she could feel his body pressing against hers.

`I will follow Jonathan and I won´t be Jane Deveraux.´, Alexandra thought when she gripped his hands and pulled them away from her breasts.

„We've been through that already.“, Jane said in a loud voice and now she dared to twist her head in a way, that she could gaze into the grey eyes of the man, who had saved her life once.

The man who made out of her what she was now.

Her mentor, her protector, her ex-lover - and her boss.

„I don´t want this anymore.“, Jane said in a low voice. „Henri.“

[blue-eyed struck]

Whow! Another big shocker. Henri!!? ex-lover!!? whow. This certainly complicates things more. I wasn't expecting it at all. So, let me get this straight: Alex will have to end up staying in Gotham for at least 2 more days. Her mentor/savor/ex-lover is in town and will probably be watching her every move. And, he'll also be the one following Jonathan instead of Alex!? So.... no more romantic getaway!?

Well, alls I gotta say is, I like how things have become more complex. It brings the quality of the story higher and keeps it original. Unexpected Obstacles = Good Story. *hands Alex a CB*

[azina]

Wow! I was not expecting Henri was show up at Alex's apartment and I hope somehow she's able to get away with Jonathan. I also don't like how Henri is treating Alex, more as an object rather than a person. But you're doing an excellent job on complicating the plot. Everything is coming to a head isn't it, what with the drug shipments and soon Jonathan's madness.

[fosforito]

heya girls

thank you for your comments

Yeah, I imagine that you didn´t expect at all that Ducard would show up and you expected less that he is Jane´s/Alex´ ex-lover.

This is complicating everything, without doubt - but have you realized how much Jane tried to find enough reason for Ducard to let her go and follow Jonathan?

Anyway..

IF Alex has to stay in Gotham or if she can go out with Jonathan without creating Henri´s suspense - you´ll get to know this in the next chapter

[blue-eyed struck]

fosforito said:

This is complicating everything, without doubt - but have you realized how much Jane tried to find enough reason for Ducard to let her go and follow Jonathan?

Does he suspect something!?

[fosforito]

oh, maybe yes, maybe no .. I dunno!!

but remember?

Falcone needs her for his shipment, but Alex wants to go out with Jonathan, and she has the order to observe both.

And now Jane/Alex tries to convince Henri that "observing" Jon would "make more sense" to her...

..big question is now:

is this enough for Henri to let Jane go?

flygirl00 said:

fosforito said:

This is complicating everything, without doubt - but have you realized how much Jane tried to find enough reason for Ducard to let her go and follow Jonathan?

Does he suspect something!?

[blue-eyed struck]

Alex you tease! I have a feeling Henri won't let go that easily!

[fosforito]

Here´s the 2nd part of Alex´and Henri´s convo - chapter 29.

Hope you´ll like it

Watch out for some language.

Chapter 29 (Unexpected obstacles, Pt. II)


Henri smiled lightly and gazed into Jane´s blue-grey eyes.

„You know very well, I don´t like it to get distracted while doing a job.“, Jane said and she gripped Henri´s hands firmly that he couldn´t move them over her body anymore. „We have settled that already before I came here...“

Henri grinned.

„..and before you have decided to hide somewhere in the Himalaya.“, Jane added and her face darkened.

Henri´s grin disappeared.

„So, are you jealous of my work?“, Henri asked and Jane could hear a hissing undertone in his voice.

„No.“, Jane responded and she could see it in Henri´s eyes, how angry he was about her comment. „But to sit around in a town in Tibet for months, waiting for a message from you, waiting until you sneak into my bed right in the middle of the night and go away two days after is by far not the idea, a woman would have of a love affair – even I don´t have this vision.“

Henri puffed angrily.

„Jane, I always told you, you never would captivate me in the way my wife captivated me. You know I love you, but I do it in my own way and I´m not the man to marry and to have children with.“

„I never said anything else!“, Jane puffed and now she was angry, too. „I never demanded more from you than you could give me and you also never demanded more than I was willing to give. We agree on this point.“

Henri grinned again and he tried to pull Jane into his direction again but she stopped him.

„But if you give me an order to do a job you should at least tell me the whole truth and not throw me into the cold water without teaching me to swim.“

Henri´s grin disappeared again.

„What are you talking about?“, he hissed and gazed at Jane.

„I´m talking about Falcone!“, Jane replied and she could hear her voice getting louder. „Actually, do you know what a pervert guy he is?! Do you know what he has done to me right in the first night we got to know each other? He forced me to slaughter a man like a cattle. I even had to cut his heart out of his body to bring it to Falcone! Do you think, I like to do this?! In what kind of situation did you bring me in, Henri?!“

Henri closed his eyes for a split second and took a deep breath.

„I´m sorry, Jane.“, he said softly and opened his eyes again. „This wasn´t what I had in my mind for you.“

„Oh really?!“, Jane puffed, her eyes blazed with anger. „You say, you love me in your own way. If you really do, then you should finally tell me what is it all about here that I can do my work properly. And by the way, I´d like to know if I still have to reckon with more pervert lechers like Falcone!“

Suddenly Henri grabbed Jane´s arm and flipped her round. She could feel his grip hurting her.

„Did Falcone touch you?!“, Henri barked at her. „Did he touch you, Jane?!“

„No, he didn´t!“, Jane shouted, trying to break off Henri´s tight grip. „He tried to but I didn´t allow! What do you think I am, Henri?“

Henri paused and he released Jane´s arm.

„I´m sorry.“, he said softly again. „I didn´t want to hurt you. I just can´t stand the thought having you get touched by another man.“

Jane didn´t say anything and gazed into his eyes.

`Get used to it, Henri. Jonathan did and I´m glad he did and should I tell you something? You´re not a bad lover but Jonathan is a class by himself.´

„Now will you finally clear me up what is this all about, Henri?“, Jane asked softly and gazed into his eyes again.

Henri took a deep breath and sighed.

„Alright.“, he started. „Falcone is the the king of Gotham´s gangland but to us he´s just `small fry´, he´s a go-between. He´s smuggling drugs into town for us, that´s all.“

„That´s all?“, Jane repeated. „Well, to be honest, you are not telling me anything new actually, Henri. It was Falcone himself who told me that it´s about drugs. But this can´t be really all, can be? And besides of that, where does Crane come in the whole thing? Does he work for Falcone?“

„No.“, Henri replied and shook his head. „Actually, Crane is working for me.“

Jane swallowed.

`Oh my God. Jonathan and I have the same employer.´

„I don´t understand, Henri.“, Jane said.

Henri grinned.

„Listen Jane, I´ll explain it to you. Crane moves Falcone´s thugs into Arkham and this way he makes sure they evade their punishment. Victor Zsaz is one of them and this was the reason for you to drive to Gotham Central Court, remember?“

Jane nodded and didn´t say anything.

„And that´s the reason why I should observe Crane? Just to make sure that he says the right things at the court?“

„No, of course not.“, Henri laughed and shook his head. „Crane has.. let´s say.. a special order.. he´s supposed to make something for us.. something special.. and that´s why we need the drugs for.“

`Oh God, Jonathan is more involved into this than I thought!´

For a split second, Jane and Henri were just looking at each other.

„What.. what is it, Henri? What is Crane making for you? And what exactly are you planning? You´re not dealing just with drugs now, right? This isn´t your style at all.“, Jane whispered and she could feel how scared she was now. Scared about what Henri could tell her now.

But Henri just smiled and his hand touched Jane´s face.

„It´s better, you don´t break your beautiful head about this anymore. What you don´t know, can´t worry you.“, he said in a low voice. „Just do what you wanted to do. Follow Crane and observe him. Watch what he´s doing, what people does he meet etc. etc.“

„And what about Falcone?“, Jane asked. „He will give me hell if I don´t show up on Thursday.“

Henri grinned.

„No worries, I´ll take care of Falcone.“, Henri replied with a big smirk in his face. „You´re right. It´s better you follow Crane, I have Falcone under control.“

In her inner thoughts, Alexandra sighed in relief.

`Thanks God! Ducard let me go...´

„But I´ll keep an eye on you though, Jane.“, Henri said and before she could say anything, Henri had taken her face into his hands and had pressed his lips on hers.

Jane was too surprised to react in time and she let it happen.

„Does it mean you don´t trust me, Henri?“, Jane asked and she noticed a hissing undertone in her voice.

Henri grinned again.

„I trust you, Jane. You know that.“, he replied, but Jane could feel that he didn´t tell her the truth.

„Don´t forget to give an account on your progresses.“, Henri said aloud while he walked over to the apartment door and opened it.

Jane didn´t move and gazed after Henri.

„Oh, by the way..“, Henri started, now standing in the door-frame and turning round to Jane.

The light of the corridor illuminated his face and the silky fabric of his dark grey suit.

„This arrived for you today.“, Henri said and nodded to a big long package laying on the floor in a dark corner of Jane´s apartment.

„And maybe you should refresh your knowledge about how to make your home safe, Jane. You´re slackening.“, he added, again with a big smirk on his face and blew her a kiss.

Before Jane could say anything, Henri had closed the door of her apartment and she could hear his steps on the corridor getting softer.

Alexandra closed her eyes and for a second, she couldn´t move at all. She could feel her trembling body and tears were filling her eyes. Again she had the feeling she already had a few days ago: she was a laboratory rat, being part of a big experiment, a sex toy without her own will, without having the right on privacy.

Falcone was bad already, he was treating her like a piece of meat, but Henri had broken into her apartment. Maybe he has used the time to sniff around in her personal things, even though he might not have found anything. And if this wouldn´t be bad enough, he still was seeing just a good laid in her, not matter that she didn´t want him anymore – all this made Henri even worse.

Alexandra clenched her fists and she could feel her rage, a rage, she didn´t feel for days.

She was mad at Carmine Falcone, she was mad at Henri Ducard
- and she was mad at herself, mad that she had ruined herself.

`How could you ever allow to sink that low, Alex?´, everything in her mind shouted.

„This god damn son of a biatch!!“, Alexandra yelled when she whirled round and kicked against the chair which hit the floor with a big noise.

[beyond_beautiful]

Henri Ducard, that was Liam Neeson's character right??? I hope so, 'cause i was hearing his voice the whole time i was reading that chapter ;D


Poor Alex, she's got herself stuck in quite a situation!

[fosforito]

yep, that´s right

Henri Ducard is/was Liam Neeson´s character.

Wow, seems that I got his "tune" somehow as you say you were hearing his voice in the chapters

Yeah, Alex is really in a bad situation and I think it´s already clear that even if she would want to, she couldn´t get out of her situation that easily due to her past.

[ciaran]

Ha, I knew as soon as you said something about someone touching her hips, I thought, it's Ducard! B*stard! It doesn't surprise me that he's her ex-lover, it makes sense in my mind (maybe it's that whole RA section though Alex *ahem*). I'm very surprised, when I read chapter 28 I was sure he wasn't going to let her go, but hmm...he's going to be keeping an eye on her, how can she work around that? I do have a feeling he suspects something though, he's too smart not to. Also,now she's starting to get a clearer picture of who Jonathan is as well. This should all prove interesting.

[fosforito]

Hey girls,

thank you for all your comments.

Well, there is a reason why I chose Henri Ducard having this special relaitionship with Jane/Alex (- and no Ciaran, this doesn´thave to do with the triangle thing in the RA section, hahaha ;D)

You know, the more I watch BB, the more "splitted" Henri is to me.

First I was thinking: okay, wise man, did have bad luck in his life because of the loss of his wife and all, but now I´m realizing more and more, how cynical Ducard is, how ignorant he can be, and also how selfish.

Those are attributes Alexandra actually wants to get rid off.

That´s why I chose Ducard, also to be an antagonist to Alex, remembering her of the fact that if she even wants to:
she can´t get rid of her past that easily.

[beyond_beautiful]

i can't help but love Henri ... i heart Liam neeson <3

[fosforito]

maybe Henri was different before, maybe even with Alex in the story but for now we can notice a kinda bitterness and disappointment, especially from Alex´side.

And what is also important: she found her love for Jonathan again and this has changed everything.

Maybe things would have gone different for both of them, but this would be another story and I also want to leave this open...

I don´t know, but maybe I would have the crazy idea to write a story about Alex´and Jon´s "lost years" when ISN is finished

Dunno..

it´s just a stupid thought anyway...