Boardwalk Empire Fic: "Sanctuary" 3/3 Part C Last and Final Part! (Jimmy/Richard)-R
Title: Sanctuary
Fandom: Boardwalk Empire
Word Count: 6.487
Rating: R for language and violence
Characters/Pairings: Jimmy/Richard with appearances of Nucky, Margaret, Angela, Nan and the children.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything BE wise.
Summary: Takes place directly after the events of episode 12: "A Return to Normalcy".
Switches back and forth from Jimmy and Richard's POV.
Nan Britton, President Harding's mistress, has gone missing-having fled with Margaret's children. Nucky sends his two hitmen on a mission to find them and bring them back.
This story chronicles the two ex soldiers working alongside each other intimately, getting to know each other and seeking refuge in the other as they struggle to escape their pasts, map their futures and search for the woman but both of them secretly hoping they don't find her and that the seach and working together can continue forever.
Slow building Jimmy/Richard because I love buildup, angst and "non easy relationships".
In this part: The stunning conclusion of the mission Jimmy and Richard were sent on. The two men find where Nan Britton and the children are held and the fight to save everyone's lives ensues...
Please don't forget to comment! :) I love you guys, seriously!
Part 3 Part C. Final Part: Two Hearts Apart Will Always be Together
Richard thinks of all kinds of things, ways that he can ditch Jimmy or lead him in the wrong direction and slip away but he can’t think of a good plan as they move through the wood and back out onto the road. Jimmy follows close behind him and Richard doesn’t think he can break away from him, take off at a gallop and hope he doesn’t catch up. Jimmy could find the ferry and it would only be a matter of time.
They travel a short distance to the docks. They dismount and Richard can’t help feel a little pang of loss as they let the mares go as they can’t take them with onto the ferry. Richard’s silent as Jimmy buys their tickets. Richard stays close behind him and tries to hide his rifle inside his jacket the best he can.
The bay is like a dark mirror. It absorbs the stars and moon into his watery, obsidian realm. The ferry pushes and expels water behind it in great bursts. It rocks and shifts slightly under their feet. Richard tries not to be reminded of the time his family had rode on this same ferry looking out to the bay on a clear day, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in their sights. Richard thought it was something out of a fairytale, another game him and his sister were always playing. Richard inhales the sharp smell of the ocean feeling the slight mist of the water on his face.
“We’ll always be together. Just you and me.”
Richard closes his eye and tries not to think of the past he was hurled into, the place where he is now and thinks to his inevitable future. Jimmy is at his side then; a hand protectively at the small of Richard’s back but Richard side steps him and moves out of his touch. He tries not to see the slight hurt in Jimmy’s eyes and tries hard to not recognize the own hurt in his own heart. Richard can’t allow them any more indulgences or else he’ll never have the nerve to do what he needs to do.
They move swiftly when they dock, Jimmy doing his best to block people’s view of Richard as he conceals his rifle the best he can underneath his coat. Richard reads his notes he took in his moleskine about the location of the warehouse and Richard knows then how he can ditch Jimmy.
The harbor is quite large and Richard spies the warehouses in the distance. They walk until they’re around a boat house, away from prying eyes. The harbor isn’t too particularly crowded but they need the privacy all the same. The dark water pushes tied boats into the dock, Richard hears the lapping and splashing sounds it makes as it hits wood and he hears the distant sound of boat horns blaring. It’s a place he would have liked to visit under normal circumstances but this is anything but normal.
Richard goes over with Jimmy where the warehouse is located but he lies. He tells him the wrong place. They move to get a better position to scope out the area to try to find a place where Richard can position his rifle if necessary. Once they observe the surroundings and warehouse, Richard the right one and Jimmy the wrong one, to the best of their abilities Richard suggests they split up. Richard will take the front and try to take out as many as he can with his rifle from a distance and Jimmy will take the rear with Richard providing backup much the same as how they took out the men in the woods. Richard tries to formulate his own plan as he knows he’s doing this on his own. He’ll take out as many men as he can before switching to his colt. Richard hopes he’ll take care of them all before Jimmy hears the gunfire and tries to intervene or help.
It’s hard for Richard to look at him, to lie blatantly to his face but he tells himself he’s doing it to protect him. They hash out their plan, it’s shoddy at best. Without real knowledge of how many men are in or around the warehouse and where Ms. Britton and the children are being kept it’s like they’re shooting in the dark which is precisely what they are doing. Jimmy and Richard have the advantage of surprise and the dark to conceal them but the attackers have the advantage of knowing the layout and have more firepower. Richard guestimated that the attackers had a slightly better advantage. Richard tried not to think of how this all would come to a head, how this would all turn out.
“We were born together does that mean we’ll die together too?”
Richard tries to settle the aching in his chest and the buzzing in his brain. He turns to Jimmy and they exchange curt nods. It was time to go. They move stealthily, hiding behind things and using the night to their advantage just like they’re back in the snowy woods of upper New Jersey in the territory of an old Polish woman. They reach the point they agreed on to split ways. Richard says goodbye to Jimmy in his head and tries not to think that this could be the last time they see each other.
They break apart and Jimmy barely takes a couple steps away from him in his crouched position and it’s like the heavens have opened up and are raining bullets on them. The wood behind them explodes and splinters. Richard catches some of it biting at the good side of his face. He tastes a little blood in his mouth and both men hit the ground. Jimmy is shouting something to him but Richard’s ears are ringing and the bullets are still hailing down at them. He can’t make anything out through the chaos.
They crawl pathetically, Richard following Jimmy, to the side of a decrepit building. Bullets whiz past them and explode around them into the dock and water. Richard judges the distance of the bullet’s trajectory as they crawl and he knows they’re shooting from a faraway distance hence why their aim is off and sloppy. The guns they’re using aren’t meant for such long distances. They aren’t using precision rifles or scopes and for this Richard is glad. They press themselves into the cold brick, backs flat against it, chests heaving. There’s a break from the gun fire and Richard scrambles to ready his rifle and sets it up in record time. Jimmy has his own Colt out. Richard sweeps over Jimmy’s form quickly and assesses him for injuries, thankful he doesn’t see any. Richard knows his expression matches Jimmy’s perfectly, a wide eyed: “We didn’t expect this. Oh shit” look.
Richard pivots so he’s turned towards the edge of the wall and positions his rifle to the direction of the gunfire, it sticking out a little from the wall. It’s harder to see in the dark but he remembers waiting for the German sniper for three days and he trained himself to do it in the virtual blackness, having nothing but time. He spies through the scope and finds them after a short time-four armed men at least seventy yards away near the real warehouse. The building the two ex soldiers are using for cover is actually very close to the fake warehouse that Richard told Jimmy was the real one. Richard shoots Jimmy a look and there’s concern in the younger man’s eyes mixed in with that murderous glint. Jimmy shoots him a: “What are you waiting for?” type look and Richard doesn’t need to be told twice. “To dla ciebie Zofia,” Richard whispers under his breath as he takes aims, finding the usual spot directly under the eye through the scope and takes out two of the men in less than a minute. He misses the third as he moves out of the way at the last moment. He fires at one of them again, Jimmy joining in but the men are running to gain cover and both ex soldiers miss them.
They pack up and move from their position behind the building. Richard’s is on autopilot, slipping back into his identity in the war as a somebody, a man of action and he forgets he’s leading them away from the fake warehouse. New gunfire from a different position explodes around them and Jimmy grabs at Richard and pulls him around the side of a warehouse. Richard preps his rifle again looking through the scope to try to find the new attackers. Jimmy finds them first and is shooting. Richard meets his gunfire and they take them out.
The world is blessedly calm for a moment, the stench of gunfire and smoke heavy on the air. Richard readies himself to move again. They need to keep moving but there’s a strong arm on his shoulder suddenly, drawing him back.
“They’re shooting at us from the wrong direction. Are you sure you read your notes right? Fuck. I think the hostage was lying to us that bastard. It should be the next warehouse over but they’re positioned further away…” Jimmy stops midsentence, apparently catching Richard’s look and his mouth becomes a hart, set line. He narrows his eyes dangerously at Richard.
“Which warehouse is it Richard?”
“Hmph. The one right next to this one…”
“Fuck you. You’re lying. You were leading us farther away until I stopped you.” As if to prove his point bullets explode around them and Richard judges the distance is still far. Richard knows Jimmy isn’t stupid and he blames the excess of adrenaline that’s running in his system, the old war habits coming back full force for his rash decisions.
Richard can only shy angrily and he reloads. “Just stay here,” he barks out. Jimmy turns him around and they don’t have time for this. They needed to keep moving.
“You’re not doing this. Did you ever think about what I want you selfish bastard?”
Richard grits his teeth, blood forming and dripping from his half a moustache, dribbling onto his lips.
“It’s always been, hmm, about what you want. Hmph. It was all for you. You must know that.”
Jimmy’s eyes go dark and he lowers them to the ground.
“I know,” Jimmy breathes out in a whisper, barely audible from the gunfire around them and Richard is shocked he didn’t deny it. He was expecting a cold reproach or accusation, anything but the truth. Richard is stunned.
“You can’t…”Jimmy’s voice is breaking and pleading like a little boy. Jimmy searches his eyes and they’re broken and full of something that neither of them have any right to know. “Don’t make me say it, God damnit.”
“James…”
“Don’t. Make. Me. Say. It…” and Jimmy grabs at Richard’s collar rudely and kisses him hard knocking the wind and fight out of Richard. Richard doesn’t deserve this. Neither of them do. By all rights they should be dead either in the muddy deep trenches of war or in a blazing house fire. What did they know of love and understanding? Of compromise and sacrifice? Of giving selflessly and often? “We don’t know anything,” Richard murmurs into Jimmy’s hair. “We don’t know anything.”
“What do you want from me?” Jimmy murmurs against Richard’s shirt and why neither of them have let go Richard can’t be sure. Richard sighs deeply, stroking the sensitive area of the back of Jimmy’s neck. Richard pulls away so he can look Jimmy in the eye properly. Richard smoothes a thumb over Jimmy’s fair eyebrow and sighs again, his heart filling up with excruciating pain.
“I don’t regret our time together at all. Hmph.”
Jimmy throws him a hard look but there’s fright there as his eyes are a little wide. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Hmm. It means, James,” he dusts a knuckle over his pale cheek affectionately and smiles weakly. “That I don’t want anything from you. Hmph. That I was selfish before. Hmph. I was trying to keep you for myself. Hmm. But everything ends and I’m letting you go,” he cranes his neck up and his eye fills with the starry sky. He rests his attention back on Jimmy who looks like he shrank from fright and is trembling slightly in his arms. “I’m sorry. I cannot come back with you. Hmph. All things end here.” Richard squeezes Jimmy’s biceps and releases him. His arms immediately feel empty and thin. Jimmy looks like he may murder him.
“No,” it’s low and almost like a growl. Jimmy shakes his head bitterly. “You don’t get to decide that,” his teeth are clenched, the vein in his forehead pulsing. “You don’t get to play the martyr here,” Jimmy is trembling with anger and Richard can’t look at his eyes because they look lost and like they may form with tears at any moment. He also can’t touch him anymore or else he’ll regret his decision or become to cowardice to do what he needs to do. Richard inches away from him, his heart deflated and Jimmy keeps advancing like they’re doing a strange dance.
“I don’t care what you want because I need you and you can’t sacrifice yourself. You can’t die you selfish bastard,” Jimmy’s voice is strained with emotion and Richard chances looking at him. His face is hard except his eyes which are big and shiny like he’s blinking back tears and Richard is transfixed like Jimmy tricked him and Jimmy is suddenly winding his fists into Richard’s jacket, pulling him close. “I can’t come back with you,” Richard repeats but it’s harder to say this time with Jimmy so close, his hot breath on his neck making Richard shiver.
“And I said I don’t care what you want,” Jimmy’s lips silence Richard’s retort and God damnit James Darmody won’t let go like something buried down deep and thick.
“You may not need you but I need you,” Jimmy breathes against Richard’s ear and when Jimmy rests his face in the crook of Richard’s neck Richard feels definite moisture at Jimmy’s eyes and it’s all too much. Jimmy is still trembling, sniffling now and Richard holds him close and closes his eye. “Ok, ok, ok,” he murmurs gently.
“Hmph. I’m sorry.” Richard traces his fingers down Jimmy’s spine until he’s soothed. Jimmy is like another thread of ribbon dancing and weaving into everything inside Richard through and through. And Jimmy won’t let go. He won’t let go.
A close shot ricochets off the brick and it breaks the two men out of their spell. They’re back grappling their guns, back to being ruthless killers. Richard quickly explains where the real warehouse is and they try to develop a new plan as Richard is taking aim and shoots two men. They move quickly when there’s a break in the gunfire. They move away from the attackers this time and start weaving quickly through the warehouses diagonally . More men present themselves when they’re two warehouse away. Jimmy and Richard duck behind a warehouse amongst the hailing bullets.
“You’re going to have to cover me,” Jimmy is reloading after firing but missing their attackers in the dark. Richard shoots him a look. Jimmy is already positioning himself against the corner of the wall grinning, not giving Richard any choice in the matter. Jimmy was all about going in guns blazing and Richard thinks it may be appropriate right now but he still can’t stand to let Jimmy go in alone. He doesn’t want to stand back. He wants to protest but they have no time.
Jimmy looks over his shoulder. Men hollering and yelling, bullets ricocheting and bouncing off the warehouse wall and the ground. Jimmy flashes him a look and it massages Richard’s heart. “I’m glad I met you at the vet hospital,” Richard opens his mouth to protest. This is hardly the time or place. “I’m honored to be at your side right now as your partner,” the way Jimmy says “partner” sends a shiver down Richard’s spin as he knows it meant as a double meaning. Jimmy smiles a heartbreaking smile that reads too clearly: “If we only we had more time. Goodbye.” He launches himself off the wall and Richard is finding the men through his scope, providing backup, protecting the man he’s grown to deeply care about. He won’t let them hurt him. When the men are taken care of Richard launches himself from the warehouse wall.
“We were born together does that mean we’ll die together too?”
I may die and break that promise Julia, Jimmy, Ms. Britton, the children, everyone… He didn’t want to let them down but he didn’t know how they would get out of this alive. Richard switches to his Colt for short range taking out two men. He moves as stealthily as he can, giving himself some distance away from the warehouse where Ms. Britton and the children are being kept. He hears shots fired towards the back of the warehouse and Richard knows it’s Jimmy. He’s providing the distraction, drawing the men towards the front while Richard will take a position in the front, ready his rifle and will take out as many as he can that Jimmy drives towards him or any through the windows of the warehouse.
Richard rounds a corner and runss smack dab into an assailant hard, sending them both stumbling backwards, Richard’s guns flying from his hands. When Richard regains enough wits he wrestles the man against the wall, grunting. Richard is able is twist the man’s gun arm up against the wall. The man fires nearly missing Richard’s masked side. Richard receives a hard kick to his lower abdomen that sends him backwards a step. Richards reaches for his guns but can’t grab them as he’s forced to dodge another shot, almost getting him in the head. Richard drops to the ground, sweeps his leg out and kicks at the man’s knee hard sending him face first to the ground. Richard reaches his Colt at the same time the man is pointing his gun at Richard but Richard is the first to fire. The man’s face explodes into a red, pulpy mess, bone and tissue flying everywhere. Richard scoops up the man’s revolver and makes haste to get into position. He hears distant gun fire again and it makes him move that more quickly.
There are loud, raised voices coming from inside the warehouse and outside, seeming to come from everywhere. Richard fights his way using his Colt and then the revolver to save time and not having to reload. There’s a pier that runs around the warehouse. The warehouse is the last in the harbor, pushed up against the bay and Richard runs until he’s at the very end of the pier, the farthest from the warehouse he can go, water all around them. There isn’t a lot of cover and he can hear more men coming but he manages to wedge himself between a small boat that’s docked and some barrels. He positions his rifle and he has a clear view inside the warehouse from the glass windows. He sees many men inside some pushing out the back but Jimmy, Ms. Britton and the children are nowhere to be seen. Richard feels something in the pit of his stomach. He concentrates on aiming not wasting time on his usual kill shot. His first shot shatters the glass. He loses count of how many men he drops inside and still Jimmy isn’t rushing men out the front, leading them towards Richard and then Richard gets scared.
It’s chaos again as a loud explosion rattles the inside of the warehouse. Richard sees flames and smoke rising through the windows and it’s like watching Zofia’s house burn all over again. Shots are fired at him, his position compromised. He swears under his breath as he’s useless to help Jimmy now, the warehouse is in complete disarray and he can’t get a clear shot. He shoots his two attackers and he feels a bit like Jimmy going in guns blazing. Men crash through the huge front entrance, smoke and flames right behind them. Richard shoots them, catching them unawares. Richard didn’t think he would be entering through the front but then he is. He can barely see for the smoke is thick and blanketing everything. “Jimmy?” he pathetically yells and his voice is swallowed up with gunfire and the roaring flames.
The warehouse is relatively large with only one level but seems to be mostly empty save for some large crates and boxes. Some of the windows to the far side are on fire. Richard hears glass shattering, metal whining and wood breaking as he desperately tries to make sense of the scene. He dodges behind a large crate and takes a man out before he has the chance to fire at him.
Richard hears a woman’s scream and it frightens him but relieves him at the same time. At least the woman is alive. He follows the scream until he hears another one followed by the distinct yet distant sound of a baby crying. “Jimmy?” He yells louder but it’s no use. The smoke and heat are becoming unbearable, the flames rising ever upward. His eye waters and he covers his mouth with his kerchief and uses it to breathe through. Men are running about, rushing out the back, yelling and hollering out orders, everything in complete disarray. It’s hard for Richard to make anything out but he thinks he catches a flash of a skirt and he takes off, guns raised.
He receives a hard blow to the back of his head suddenly and he crumples to the ground face first, momentarily stunning him. He twists his face to the side and meets a menacing figure as he looms over him. The man cracks his knuckles with his gun in his hand. The man points his gun at Richard’s head. Richard’s trying to grapple with his own gun but his ears are ringing, his head throbbing, his vision swimming and he’s too late.
Richard closes his eye, accepting it.
“We were born together does that mean we’ll die together too?”
No, it doesn’t. I’m sorry. Sorry for everything.
“We’ll always be together. Just you and me.”
I'm sorry. I failed you. And he thinks he means it towards everyone.
He hears a shot fired and he anticipates not feeling a thing as the bullet enters his brain and silences all thoughts. But he’s still thinking. His finger twitches against the cold ground of the warehouse and he can still hear the fire raging on. I must be dead. He chances opening his eye, blinking out smoke and ash. Jimmy is standing above him flashing a strange grin. Blood, ash and soot spattered and smeared all over his coat and face and everything. He reaches out a hand and helps lift Richard up. Richard feels stupefied as he stares at the man that was holding a gun to Richard’s head only seconds ago now laying face down in a pool of his own blood. The two ex soldiers exchange a look and Richard wants to grab at him and pull him close but a woman’s scream seeming to shake the walls breaks him out of the thought..
The warehouse is being consumed and is breaking apart, metal and wood tearing away like muscle being ripped from a joint and the warehouse is caving in on itself. There’s sickening crashes as beams collapse, flames erupting, the smoke invading Richard’s lungs and he can’t breathe.
“We have to get out!” Jimmy practically screams as another beam crashes to the ground close to them. Richard still hears the screams and shrill cries coming from the other end of the warehouse and the two men exchange a look. They were seeing this to the end. The men manage to push and shove their way through flaming debris. The heat in the warehouse is so intense on Richard’s skin and clothes that he feels it’s burning him from the inside. It’s taking all his strength to move as the smoke is invading every part of him, twisting up his insides and confusing him.
The flames and smoke only gets worse as the approach the back entrance and Richard knows they can’t get out this way. Richard trips over something only to hear a high pitched whine. Jimmy is grabbing his hand and suddenly they’re upon them. Richard had managed to trip over Mrs. Schroder’s son. Richard scoops up his small frail body, his chest moving too fast, his breath coming out in a wheeze. His tiny arms are tied behind his back and his eyes are lolling in the back of his head but he does manage to lock his gaze on Richard. His eyes go wide but then soften as he takes in Richard’s appearance, finally remembering him. He coughs and coughs and Richard gives him his kerchief. He’s lost Jimmy in the billowing smoke and desperately tries to find him and the rest of them. He yells Jimmy’s name but it’s so hard, his voice not cooperating. He feels a hand on his back suddenly and whirls around. Jimmy has the girl lying unconscious in his arms and Nan with the baby in her arms is at Jimmy's back.
Richard leads the way and blindly leads them back to the front entrance. Chunks of the ceiling crash to the ground erupting in flames, windows explode and the fire isn’t as bad towards the entrance but it's tough going. They barely make it out. When they do the volunteer fire fighters have arrived but the fire is already too aggressive. There’s no hope in saving the building. They just needed to stop the fire. Richard sucks in clean air greedily, his lungs burning, his wounds from his face earlier stinging.
Nan Britton is a hysterical mess fussing over her baby saying she wasn’t breathing but Richard feels too lightheaded, deep coughs racking his body to do much else. He sits on the ground hard and cradles the boy to his chest. Jimmy is right by his side, his body brushing his and he sits down next to him with the girl in his arms.
They look at each other. An ambulance arrives. He recognizes the car with a bigger passenger section with a cross on the side of it. The nurses in white are on Ms. Britton and her baby immediately, ushering her inside the vehicle. They come back for the boy. The boy in Richard's arms coughs until he dry heaves, rattling Richard.
Richard hands him over to the nurses and the boy grabs at Richard’s hand. “Tinwoodsman,” he chokes out before another fit of coughing takes hold of him. Richard can only squeeze his hand before swiftly letting him go. “You’re ok now,” Richard says to him and he watches as the girl and boy are quickly carried into the back of the hospital vehicle.
He watches as it takes off just as quickly and then it’s just the two men sitting next to each other on the grass watching the burning and collapsing warehouse and the men feebly trying to fight it. Richard feels blank like his mind is desperately trying to catch up with what just happened, it all happening so fast. He feels incredibly tired then, too shocked and the adrenaline rush wearing off to feel much else.
Jimmy’s fingers find Richard’s and Richard turns his gaze to the other man slowly.
“We did it,” Jimmy wheezes and Richard can only smile and nod as it’s still hard to breathe though the clear air is helping. They watch as the warehouse takes its final blow and collapses completely like a house of cards. Another ambulance comes but Jimmy and Richard wave it off in unison. They only needed the clean air in their lungs, the soft ground underneath them, the weapons concealed inside their jackets and the strength of the other as they continue to sit next to each other, fingers grasped together tightly and they don’t let go.
* * *
Jimmy and Richard slip away before the police come and could question them. They found out from the second ambulance that came which hospital the mistress and the children were taken to. The two men support each other until they leave the harbor and get a taxi. Jimmy still can’t believe they made it out alive. Richard’s slips his fingers into Jimmy’s as they sit in the backseat of the cab like he’s letting him know he’s still there. Jimmy feels his body react to the gesture, filling him up with warmth. He looks to Richard and gives him a little smile. It’s a constant reminder that they were still alive.
He calls Nucky once they’re at the train station telling him that everyone is ok though the baby is questionable as he’s not sure if they were able to revive her. Nucky almost doesn’t hear that as he’s overjoyed almost gasping into the phone once he hears the news like he wasn’t able to breathe this whole time the children were gone. Jimmy hears the Irish maiden crying in relief in the background and Nucky is already telling her to pack up as they were going to leave to go the hospital. “James. I want to thank you for what you did. What you and your friend did. There are no words. Margaret couldn’t sleep the entire time. You didn’t just save them you saved us too,” and Nucky hangs up at that. Jimmy can’t feel better about himself or their relationship after Nucky’s praise as he wasn’t saving the mistress and children for him. He had his own son and although he couldn’t say he particularly cared about the Irish woman, Nucky’s latest whore or the President's mistress he cared that children were involved.
The two men are exhausted as they board their train. Though they had tried to clean up a bit in the train station restroom they still get queer looks from everyone from their filthy, bloody and scorched appearances. He sits next to Richard and he watches scenery whiz past like blobs of dark and light smearing the landscape. He finds his eyelids are drooping as the train is moving rhythmically making the same clacking noises underneath them and it’s like when they were on a dark train going to nowhere except it isn’t nowhere this time. It’s home. Richard is still looking out their window and he places a gentle hand on Jimmy’s knee. He meets Jimmy’s eyes slowly.
“This used to be my home but hmm not anymore. I think I’ve realized it’s the furthest thing from it now. Hmm.”
Jimmy smiles and nods at him sleepily. He wants to kiss him, has wanted to kiss him since he stumbled upon him and knew he was alive in the burning warehouse after Jimmy had shot a barrel of oil by the back entrance thinking it would create a small distraction and force everyone out the front where Richard would be waiting for them. He didn’t know the fire would escalate that quickly. He would think about it more, his mistakes he made but he rather focus on right now and how much he wants to kiss him but can't. Jimmy usually throws caution to the wind but they were in public and there had to be ground rules. He settles on resting his head on the other man’s shoulder, feeling his warmth and the rhythmic movements of the train and he drifts off into a blissful sleep.
* * *
They’re back in Atlantic City and as happy as Jimmy feels to be home he also feels strange like it isn’t right somehow. The two ex soldiers turned bodyguards and assassins stand next to each other in the almost deserted train station as it’s either very late or very early.
Their eyes meet after a time and this is where they part ways. It’s a stabbing realization to Jimmy’s insides, something that they both were regretting, fearing but yet anticipating. Richard may have wanted to go off on his own, leave Jimmy to pursue the mission by himself, pushing Jimmy away but it wasn’t because Richard didn’t care Jimmy knows. It’s different now. When they first started this Jimmy assumed they would go back to their respective lives, sweeping everything under the rug but as he gazes into Richard’s warm, brown eye he knows they both can’t do that now. They had seen and been through too much. Whatever started from their mission together has carried over to whatever this was, spilling over to their far from normal lives. Jimmy can’t stand the thought of going home to Angela though he did miss Tommy horribly but he knew he had to until they both could figure out where they go from here.
The two men gaze at each other and to passerbys it must look strange. Jimmy smiles and shrugs a little, his face getting hot. He doesn’t know what to say. What do you say to someone after you’ve been through what they’ve been through? “It’s just you and me,” Jimmy says shakily looking down to his filthy blood stained boots.
Richard closes the distance between them suddenly making Jimmy’s breathe catch in his throat. Richard is on him then, winding his strong arms around Jimmy’s waist and kisses him in the middle of the train station hard enough to push all the oxygen out of Jimmy’s lungs. Jimmy blushes furiously, hoping no one has seen but can’t help but smile. Richard smoothes a thumb over the corner of Jimmy’s mouth, his secret little affection only reserved for him Jimmy knows and smiles. “It’s just us,” Richard says. Jimmy smiles. He knows they’ll figure it out. They were better together than apart both professionally and otherwise as their time together has proven. Through heartache and difficulty and probably many mistakes they would make it making it that much sweeter, making it worth it.
* * *
Epilogue
James Cox, President Warren Harding’s running mate in the election, was found to be behind the kidnapping. Nucky and Sheriff Thompson were able to get the information out of the mistress after her brief hospital stay.
She overheard things being said as they were held in the warehouse. Things about them wanting President Harding to look bad, hearing rumors that Nucky Thompson was helping President Harding by hiding the mistress. The mistress was able to piece together all the clues as she really had nothing else to do with her time being held hostage except cradle he child and fear for her and the children's lives. She supposed they were trying to make Nucky look bad as well or were planning to use the children as ransom as well.
There were internal arguments about how to handle things the mistress overheard too. She thought that Mr. Cox was having second thoughts about using people for ransom but Chester Isaiah, the man that worked for Mr. Cox and the one that orchestrated the kidnapping and hunting Jimmy and Richard down was insistent saying, almost telling Mr. Cox what to do saying it would be to Mr. Cox’s advantage to use the mistress and the child as barraging chips to make President Harding look bad and eventually shaming him enough to leave office.
James Cox held somewhat of a personal grudge as they both were from Ohio and both worked for different newspapers. It made sense to everyone in Nucky’s circle that he was the behind it though nothing could be traced back to him just like any good, clever, rich tycoon that surrounded himself with lots of important, rich people. Basically Nucky himself in a nutshell Jimmy thought. Both him and Mr. Cox were the same really-people did their bidding and their dirty work and nothing could be traced back to them, too many middle men involved.
Nan’s daughter lived though was hospitalized for a few days. The Irish woman’s children had recovered as well after receiving oxygen and medicine. They were all a little mal nourished, dehydrated and were exhausted but otherwise were fine saying they weren’t mistreated besides being restrained and sometimes gagged.
And that left the two heroes. They were showered with thanks, praise and affections but neither wanted them or needed them. All they wanted to do was slip away and be alone together, to have what they really wanted. The Irish woman and the mistress invited Jimmy over for dinner, insisting that he should come and he only did because Richard was still living with them but they couldn’t be alone.
Jimmy didn’t know what to tell Angela about his absence so he didn’t tell her anything leaving it at that. He went back to having his nightmares she told him and Jimmy selfishly knew how to rectify them.
A week passed and things settled down. People weren’t constantly asking Jimmy to divulge the story to them or were constantly wanting his attention. He for once might be able to do what he wanted. He’s at the Irish woman’s house before he knows it, having walked all the way from his apartment. The sky is black rippling velvet and a million stars are out.
Though Jimmy knows the late November air is cold he doesn’t feel it. He feels anything but cold. He sits on the porch step and lights a cigarette. He feels his presence behind him and they haven’t been alone together since the train station. Jimmy’s heart thuds almost painfully in his chest. Richard sits down on the step next to him and eyes him.
“Take a walk with me?” Jimmy ask and he knows that the woman and children are asleep. Richard wouldn’t be missed until morning. They had all night. Jimmy grins.
They walk the beach, the dark, almost silent ocean to their backs, their fingers twined together. Jimmy thinks he can finally do right by someone. He may not know where his future is headed, if he’ll join Sheriff Thompson and his father in their plans to overthrow Nucky or not or where he’ll end up living tomorrow as him and Angela were just not working out. He didn’t have to worry about it with his hand in his as they work the cold beach. He could do right by Richard.
They would continue to work together side by side maybe even hunting down the man Chester Isaiah who was behind the plot to take the mistress and children and eventually sending the men that would take Zofia’s life. Justice would have to be served. They'll work together and keep the other things between them a secret, something only they know about. They would have to work hard at it but it was worth it. Richard smiles at him suddenly like he knows Jimmy is thinking about him. Jimmy cups his face drawing him into a kiss as the sun is just coming up and glinting off the once dark waves and the dog tags that are around Jimmy's neck-Richard and his own that he found in his apartment. They bounce off each other and lay on top of each other. The two men stay like this while the sun rises casting everything in a golden haze, bathing Richard in beautiful new light and Jimmy thinks he can definitely get used to this. He’s worth it.
* * *
The story Richard tells Jimmy is actually not original. It's a play on something I read in the manga: "Neon Genesis Campus Apocalypse". The story in it is very similar about the man losing everything and people gathering it up except one piece and he walks the world as a ghost but I changed the details a little bit. I thought it was appropriate for Richard :)
Though most of this story is historically accurate and also James Cox is a real figure I did make up the character "Chester Isiah". I also left some open ended things with Richard about his past on purpose. This all could lead to possible other fics in terms of sequels...not sure at this point as I have many other writing commitments. Stay tuned though.
Fandom: Boardwalk Empire
Word Count: 6.487
Rating: R for language and violence
Characters/Pairings: Jimmy/Richard with appearances of Nucky, Margaret, Angela, Nan and the children.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything BE wise.
Summary: Takes place directly after the events of episode 12: "A Return to Normalcy".
Switches back and forth from Jimmy and Richard's POV.
Nan Britton, President Harding's mistress, has gone missing-having fled with Margaret's children. Nucky sends his two hitmen on a mission to find them and bring them back.
This story chronicles the two ex soldiers working alongside each other intimately, getting to know each other and seeking refuge in the other as they struggle to escape their pasts, map their futures and search for the woman but both of them secretly hoping they don't find her and that the seach and working together can continue forever.
Slow building Jimmy/Richard because I love buildup, angst and "non easy relationships".
In this part: The stunning conclusion of the mission Jimmy and Richard were sent on. The two men find where Nan Britton and the children are held and the fight to save everyone's lives ensues...
Please don't forget to comment! :) I love you guys, seriously!
Part 3 Part C. Final Part: Two Hearts Apart Will Always be Together
Richard thinks of all kinds of things, ways that he can ditch Jimmy or lead him in the wrong direction and slip away but he can’t think of a good plan as they move through the wood and back out onto the road. Jimmy follows close behind him and Richard doesn’t think he can break away from him, take off at a gallop and hope he doesn’t catch up. Jimmy could find the ferry and it would only be a matter of time.
They travel a short distance to the docks. They dismount and Richard can’t help feel a little pang of loss as they let the mares go as they can’t take them with onto the ferry. Richard’s silent as Jimmy buys their tickets. Richard stays close behind him and tries to hide his rifle inside his jacket the best he can.
The bay is like a dark mirror. It absorbs the stars and moon into his watery, obsidian realm. The ferry pushes and expels water behind it in great bursts. It rocks and shifts slightly under their feet. Richard tries not to be reminded of the time his family had rode on this same ferry looking out to the bay on a clear day, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in their sights. Richard thought it was something out of a fairytale, another game him and his sister were always playing. Richard inhales the sharp smell of the ocean feeling the slight mist of the water on his face.
“We’ll always be together. Just you and me.”
Richard closes his eye and tries not to think of the past he was hurled into, the place where he is now and thinks to his inevitable future. Jimmy is at his side then; a hand protectively at the small of Richard’s back but Richard side steps him and moves out of his touch. He tries not to see the slight hurt in Jimmy’s eyes and tries hard to not recognize the own hurt in his own heart. Richard can’t allow them any more indulgences or else he’ll never have the nerve to do what he needs to do.
They move swiftly when they dock, Jimmy doing his best to block people’s view of Richard as he conceals his rifle the best he can underneath his coat. Richard reads his notes he took in his moleskine about the location of the warehouse and Richard knows then how he can ditch Jimmy.
The harbor is quite large and Richard spies the warehouses in the distance. They walk until they’re around a boat house, away from prying eyes. The harbor isn’t too particularly crowded but they need the privacy all the same. The dark water pushes tied boats into the dock, Richard hears the lapping and splashing sounds it makes as it hits wood and he hears the distant sound of boat horns blaring. It’s a place he would have liked to visit under normal circumstances but this is anything but normal.
Richard goes over with Jimmy where the warehouse is located but he lies. He tells him the wrong place. They move to get a better position to scope out the area to try to find a place where Richard can position his rifle if necessary. Once they observe the surroundings and warehouse, Richard the right one and Jimmy the wrong one, to the best of their abilities Richard suggests they split up. Richard will take the front and try to take out as many as he can with his rifle from a distance and Jimmy will take the rear with Richard providing backup much the same as how they took out the men in the woods. Richard tries to formulate his own plan as he knows he’s doing this on his own. He’ll take out as many men as he can before switching to his colt. Richard hopes he’ll take care of them all before Jimmy hears the gunfire and tries to intervene or help.
It’s hard for Richard to look at him, to lie blatantly to his face but he tells himself he’s doing it to protect him. They hash out their plan, it’s shoddy at best. Without real knowledge of how many men are in or around the warehouse and where Ms. Britton and the children are being kept it’s like they’re shooting in the dark which is precisely what they are doing. Jimmy and Richard have the advantage of surprise and the dark to conceal them but the attackers have the advantage of knowing the layout and have more firepower. Richard guestimated that the attackers had a slightly better advantage. Richard tried not to think of how this all would come to a head, how this would all turn out.
“We were born together does that mean we’ll die together too?”
Richard tries to settle the aching in his chest and the buzzing in his brain. He turns to Jimmy and they exchange curt nods. It was time to go. They move stealthily, hiding behind things and using the night to their advantage just like they’re back in the snowy woods of upper New Jersey in the territory of an old Polish woman. They reach the point they agreed on to split ways. Richard says goodbye to Jimmy in his head and tries not to think that this could be the last time they see each other.
They break apart and Jimmy barely takes a couple steps away from him in his crouched position and it’s like the heavens have opened up and are raining bullets on them. The wood behind them explodes and splinters. Richard catches some of it biting at the good side of his face. He tastes a little blood in his mouth and both men hit the ground. Jimmy is shouting something to him but Richard’s ears are ringing and the bullets are still hailing down at them. He can’t make anything out through the chaos.
They crawl pathetically, Richard following Jimmy, to the side of a decrepit building. Bullets whiz past them and explode around them into the dock and water. Richard judges the distance of the bullet’s trajectory as they crawl and he knows they’re shooting from a faraway distance hence why their aim is off and sloppy. The guns they’re using aren’t meant for such long distances. They aren’t using precision rifles or scopes and for this Richard is glad. They press themselves into the cold brick, backs flat against it, chests heaving. There’s a break from the gun fire and Richard scrambles to ready his rifle and sets it up in record time. Jimmy has his own Colt out. Richard sweeps over Jimmy’s form quickly and assesses him for injuries, thankful he doesn’t see any. Richard knows his expression matches Jimmy’s perfectly, a wide eyed: “We didn’t expect this. Oh shit” look.
Richard pivots so he’s turned towards the edge of the wall and positions his rifle to the direction of the gunfire, it sticking out a little from the wall. It’s harder to see in the dark but he remembers waiting for the German sniper for three days and he trained himself to do it in the virtual blackness, having nothing but time. He spies through the scope and finds them after a short time-four armed men at least seventy yards away near the real warehouse. The building the two ex soldiers are using for cover is actually very close to the fake warehouse that Richard told Jimmy was the real one. Richard shoots Jimmy a look and there’s concern in the younger man’s eyes mixed in with that murderous glint. Jimmy shoots him a: “What are you waiting for?” type look and Richard doesn’t need to be told twice. “To dla ciebie Zofia,” Richard whispers under his breath as he takes aims, finding the usual spot directly under the eye through the scope and takes out two of the men in less than a minute. He misses the third as he moves out of the way at the last moment. He fires at one of them again, Jimmy joining in but the men are running to gain cover and both ex soldiers miss them.
They pack up and move from their position behind the building. Richard’s is on autopilot, slipping back into his identity in the war as a somebody, a man of action and he forgets he’s leading them away from the fake warehouse. New gunfire from a different position explodes around them and Jimmy grabs at Richard and pulls him around the side of a warehouse. Richard preps his rifle again looking through the scope to try to find the new attackers. Jimmy finds them first and is shooting. Richard meets his gunfire and they take them out.
The world is blessedly calm for a moment, the stench of gunfire and smoke heavy on the air. Richard readies himself to move again. They need to keep moving but there’s a strong arm on his shoulder suddenly, drawing him back.
“They’re shooting at us from the wrong direction. Are you sure you read your notes right? Fuck. I think the hostage was lying to us that bastard. It should be the next warehouse over but they’re positioned further away…” Jimmy stops midsentence, apparently catching Richard’s look and his mouth becomes a hart, set line. He narrows his eyes dangerously at Richard.
“Which warehouse is it Richard?”
“Hmph. The one right next to this one…”
“Fuck you. You’re lying. You were leading us farther away until I stopped you.” As if to prove his point bullets explode around them and Richard judges the distance is still far. Richard knows Jimmy isn’t stupid and he blames the excess of adrenaline that’s running in his system, the old war habits coming back full force for his rash decisions.
Richard can only shy angrily and he reloads. “Just stay here,” he barks out. Jimmy turns him around and they don’t have time for this. They needed to keep moving.
“You’re not doing this. Did you ever think about what I want you selfish bastard?”
Richard grits his teeth, blood forming and dripping from his half a moustache, dribbling onto his lips.
“It’s always been, hmm, about what you want. Hmph. It was all for you. You must know that.”
Jimmy’s eyes go dark and he lowers them to the ground.
“I know,” Jimmy breathes out in a whisper, barely audible from the gunfire around them and Richard is shocked he didn’t deny it. He was expecting a cold reproach or accusation, anything but the truth. Richard is stunned.
“You can’t…”Jimmy’s voice is breaking and pleading like a little boy. Jimmy searches his eyes and they’re broken and full of something that neither of them have any right to know. “Don’t make me say it, God damnit.”
“James…”
“Don’t. Make. Me. Say. It…” and Jimmy grabs at Richard’s collar rudely and kisses him hard knocking the wind and fight out of Richard. Richard doesn’t deserve this. Neither of them do. By all rights they should be dead either in the muddy deep trenches of war or in a blazing house fire. What did they know of love and understanding? Of compromise and sacrifice? Of giving selflessly and often? “We don’t know anything,” Richard murmurs into Jimmy’s hair. “We don’t know anything.”
“What do you want from me?” Jimmy murmurs against Richard’s shirt and why neither of them have let go Richard can’t be sure. Richard sighs deeply, stroking the sensitive area of the back of Jimmy’s neck. Richard pulls away so he can look Jimmy in the eye properly. Richard smoothes a thumb over Jimmy’s fair eyebrow and sighs again, his heart filling up with excruciating pain.
“I don’t regret our time together at all. Hmph.”
Jimmy throws him a hard look but there’s fright there as his eyes are a little wide. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Hmm. It means, James,” he dusts a knuckle over his pale cheek affectionately and smiles weakly. “That I don’t want anything from you. Hmph. That I was selfish before. Hmph. I was trying to keep you for myself. Hmm. But everything ends and I’m letting you go,” he cranes his neck up and his eye fills with the starry sky. He rests his attention back on Jimmy who looks like he shrank from fright and is trembling slightly in his arms. “I’m sorry. I cannot come back with you. Hmph. All things end here.” Richard squeezes Jimmy’s biceps and releases him. His arms immediately feel empty and thin. Jimmy looks like he may murder him.
“No,” it’s low and almost like a growl. Jimmy shakes his head bitterly. “You don’t get to decide that,” his teeth are clenched, the vein in his forehead pulsing. “You don’t get to play the martyr here,” Jimmy is trembling with anger and Richard can’t look at his eyes because they look lost and like they may form with tears at any moment. He also can’t touch him anymore or else he’ll regret his decision or become to cowardice to do what he needs to do. Richard inches away from him, his heart deflated and Jimmy keeps advancing like they’re doing a strange dance.
“I don’t care what you want because I need you and you can’t sacrifice yourself. You can’t die you selfish bastard,” Jimmy’s voice is strained with emotion and Richard chances looking at him. His face is hard except his eyes which are big and shiny like he’s blinking back tears and Richard is transfixed like Jimmy tricked him and Jimmy is suddenly winding his fists into Richard’s jacket, pulling him close. “I can’t come back with you,” Richard repeats but it’s harder to say this time with Jimmy so close, his hot breath on his neck making Richard shiver.
“And I said I don’t care what you want,” Jimmy’s lips silence Richard’s retort and God damnit James Darmody won’t let go like something buried down deep and thick.
“You may not need you but I need you,” Jimmy breathes against Richard’s ear and when Jimmy rests his face in the crook of Richard’s neck Richard feels definite moisture at Jimmy’s eyes and it’s all too much. Jimmy is still trembling, sniffling now and Richard holds him close and closes his eye. “Ok, ok, ok,” he murmurs gently.
“Hmph. I’m sorry.” Richard traces his fingers down Jimmy’s spine until he’s soothed. Jimmy is like another thread of ribbon dancing and weaving into everything inside Richard through and through. And Jimmy won’t let go. He won’t let go.
A close shot ricochets off the brick and it breaks the two men out of their spell. They’re back grappling their guns, back to being ruthless killers. Richard quickly explains where the real warehouse is and they try to develop a new plan as Richard is taking aim and shoots two men. They move quickly when there’s a break in the gunfire. They move away from the attackers this time and start weaving quickly through the warehouses diagonally . More men present themselves when they’re two warehouse away. Jimmy and Richard duck behind a warehouse amongst the hailing bullets.
“You’re going to have to cover me,” Jimmy is reloading after firing but missing their attackers in the dark. Richard shoots him a look. Jimmy is already positioning himself against the corner of the wall grinning, not giving Richard any choice in the matter. Jimmy was all about going in guns blazing and Richard thinks it may be appropriate right now but he still can’t stand to let Jimmy go in alone. He doesn’t want to stand back. He wants to protest but they have no time.
Jimmy looks over his shoulder. Men hollering and yelling, bullets ricocheting and bouncing off the warehouse wall and the ground. Jimmy flashes him a look and it massages Richard’s heart. “I’m glad I met you at the vet hospital,” Richard opens his mouth to protest. This is hardly the time or place. “I’m honored to be at your side right now as your partner,” the way Jimmy says “partner” sends a shiver down Richard’s spin as he knows it meant as a double meaning. Jimmy smiles a heartbreaking smile that reads too clearly: “If we only we had more time. Goodbye.” He launches himself off the wall and Richard is finding the men through his scope, providing backup, protecting the man he’s grown to deeply care about. He won’t let them hurt him. When the men are taken care of Richard launches himself from the warehouse wall.
“We were born together does that mean we’ll die together too?”
I may die and break that promise Julia, Jimmy, Ms. Britton, the children, everyone… He didn’t want to let them down but he didn’t know how they would get out of this alive. Richard switches to his Colt for short range taking out two men. He moves as stealthily as he can, giving himself some distance away from the warehouse where Ms. Britton and the children are being kept. He hears shots fired towards the back of the warehouse and Richard knows it’s Jimmy. He’s providing the distraction, drawing the men towards the front while Richard will take a position in the front, ready his rifle and will take out as many as he can that Jimmy drives towards him or any through the windows of the warehouse.
Richard rounds a corner and runss smack dab into an assailant hard, sending them both stumbling backwards, Richard’s guns flying from his hands. When Richard regains enough wits he wrestles the man against the wall, grunting. Richard is able is twist the man’s gun arm up against the wall. The man fires nearly missing Richard’s masked side. Richard receives a hard kick to his lower abdomen that sends him backwards a step. Richards reaches for his guns but can’t grab them as he’s forced to dodge another shot, almost getting him in the head. Richard drops to the ground, sweeps his leg out and kicks at the man’s knee hard sending him face first to the ground. Richard reaches his Colt at the same time the man is pointing his gun at Richard but Richard is the first to fire. The man’s face explodes into a red, pulpy mess, bone and tissue flying everywhere. Richard scoops up the man’s revolver and makes haste to get into position. He hears distant gun fire again and it makes him move that more quickly.
There are loud, raised voices coming from inside the warehouse and outside, seeming to come from everywhere. Richard fights his way using his Colt and then the revolver to save time and not having to reload. There’s a pier that runs around the warehouse. The warehouse is the last in the harbor, pushed up against the bay and Richard runs until he’s at the very end of the pier, the farthest from the warehouse he can go, water all around them. There isn’t a lot of cover and he can hear more men coming but he manages to wedge himself between a small boat that’s docked and some barrels. He positions his rifle and he has a clear view inside the warehouse from the glass windows. He sees many men inside some pushing out the back but Jimmy, Ms. Britton and the children are nowhere to be seen. Richard feels something in the pit of his stomach. He concentrates on aiming not wasting time on his usual kill shot. His first shot shatters the glass. He loses count of how many men he drops inside and still Jimmy isn’t rushing men out the front, leading them towards Richard and then Richard gets scared.
It’s chaos again as a loud explosion rattles the inside of the warehouse. Richard sees flames and smoke rising through the windows and it’s like watching Zofia’s house burn all over again. Shots are fired at him, his position compromised. He swears under his breath as he’s useless to help Jimmy now, the warehouse is in complete disarray and he can’t get a clear shot. He shoots his two attackers and he feels a bit like Jimmy going in guns blazing. Men crash through the huge front entrance, smoke and flames right behind them. Richard shoots them, catching them unawares. Richard didn’t think he would be entering through the front but then he is. He can barely see for the smoke is thick and blanketing everything. “Jimmy?” he pathetically yells and his voice is swallowed up with gunfire and the roaring flames.
The warehouse is relatively large with only one level but seems to be mostly empty save for some large crates and boxes. Some of the windows to the far side are on fire. Richard hears glass shattering, metal whining and wood breaking as he desperately tries to make sense of the scene. He dodges behind a large crate and takes a man out before he has the chance to fire at him.
Richard hears a woman’s scream and it frightens him but relieves him at the same time. At least the woman is alive. He follows the scream until he hears another one followed by the distinct yet distant sound of a baby crying. “Jimmy?” He yells louder but it’s no use. The smoke and heat are becoming unbearable, the flames rising ever upward. His eye waters and he covers his mouth with his kerchief and uses it to breathe through. Men are running about, rushing out the back, yelling and hollering out orders, everything in complete disarray. It’s hard for Richard to make anything out but he thinks he catches a flash of a skirt and he takes off, guns raised.
He receives a hard blow to the back of his head suddenly and he crumples to the ground face first, momentarily stunning him. He twists his face to the side and meets a menacing figure as he looms over him. The man cracks his knuckles with his gun in his hand. The man points his gun at Richard’s head. Richard’s trying to grapple with his own gun but his ears are ringing, his head throbbing, his vision swimming and he’s too late.
Richard closes his eye, accepting it.
“We were born together does that mean we’ll die together too?”
No, it doesn’t. I’m sorry. Sorry for everything.
“We’ll always be together. Just you and me.”
I'm sorry. I failed you. And he thinks he means it towards everyone.
He hears a shot fired and he anticipates not feeling a thing as the bullet enters his brain and silences all thoughts. But he’s still thinking. His finger twitches against the cold ground of the warehouse and he can still hear the fire raging on. I must be dead. He chances opening his eye, blinking out smoke and ash. Jimmy is standing above him flashing a strange grin. Blood, ash and soot spattered and smeared all over his coat and face and everything. He reaches out a hand and helps lift Richard up. Richard feels stupefied as he stares at the man that was holding a gun to Richard’s head only seconds ago now laying face down in a pool of his own blood. The two ex soldiers exchange a look and Richard wants to grab at him and pull him close but a woman’s scream seeming to shake the walls breaks him out of the thought..
The warehouse is being consumed and is breaking apart, metal and wood tearing away like muscle being ripped from a joint and the warehouse is caving in on itself. There’s sickening crashes as beams collapse, flames erupting, the smoke invading Richard’s lungs and he can’t breathe.
“We have to get out!” Jimmy practically screams as another beam crashes to the ground close to them. Richard still hears the screams and shrill cries coming from the other end of the warehouse and the two men exchange a look. They were seeing this to the end. The men manage to push and shove their way through flaming debris. The heat in the warehouse is so intense on Richard’s skin and clothes that he feels it’s burning him from the inside. It’s taking all his strength to move as the smoke is invading every part of him, twisting up his insides and confusing him.
The flames and smoke only gets worse as the approach the back entrance and Richard knows they can’t get out this way. Richard trips over something only to hear a high pitched whine. Jimmy is grabbing his hand and suddenly they’re upon them. Richard had managed to trip over Mrs. Schroder’s son. Richard scoops up his small frail body, his chest moving too fast, his breath coming out in a wheeze. His tiny arms are tied behind his back and his eyes are lolling in the back of his head but he does manage to lock his gaze on Richard. His eyes go wide but then soften as he takes in Richard’s appearance, finally remembering him. He coughs and coughs and Richard gives him his kerchief. He’s lost Jimmy in the billowing smoke and desperately tries to find him and the rest of them. He yells Jimmy’s name but it’s so hard, his voice not cooperating. He feels a hand on his back suddenly and whirls around. Jimmy has the girl lying unconscious in his arms and Nan with the baby in her arms is at Jimmy's back.
Richard leads the way and blindly leads them back to the front entrance. Chunks of the ceiling crash to the ground erupting in flames, windows explode and the fire isn’t as bad towards the entrance but it's tough going. They barely make it out. When they do the volunteer fire fighters have arrived but the fire is already too aggressive. There’s no hope in saving the building. They just needed to stop the fire. Richard sucks in clean air greedily, his lungs burning, his wounds from his face earlier stinging.
Nan Britton is a hysterical mess fussing over her baby saying she wasn’t breathing but Richard feels too lightheaded, deep coughs racking his body to do much else. He sits on the ground hard and cradles the boy to his chest. Jimmy is right by his side, his body brushing his and he sits down next to him with the girl in his arms.
They look at each other. An ambulance arrives. He recognizes the car with a bigger passenger section with a cross on the side of it. The nurses in white are on Ms. Britton and her baby immediately, ushering her inside the vehicle. They come back for the boy. The boy in Richard's arms coughs until he dry heaves, rattling Richard.
Richard hands him over to the nurses and the boy grabs at Richard’s hand. “Tinwoodsman,” he chokes out before another fit of coughing takes hold of him. Richard can only squeeze his hand before swiftly letting him go. “You’re ok now,” Richard says to him and he watches as the girl and boy are quickly carried into the back of the hospital vehicle.
He watches as it takes off just as quickly and then it’s just the two men sitting next to each other on the grass watching the burning and collapsing warehouse and the men feebly trying to fight it. Richard feels blank like his mind is desperately trying to catch up with what just happened, it all happening so fast. He feels incredibly tired then, too shocked and the adrenaline rush wearing off to feel much else.
Jimmy’s fingers find Richard’s and Richard turns his gaze to the other man slowly.
“We did it,” Jimmy wheezes and Richard can only smile and nod as it’s still hard to breathe though the clear air is helping. They watch as the warehouse takes its final blow and collapses completely like a house of cards. Another ambulance comes but Jimmy and Richard wave it off in unison. They only needed the clean air in their lungs, the soft ground underneath them, the weapons concealed inside their jackets and the strength of the other as they continue to sit next to each other, fingers grasped together tightly and they don’t let go.
* * *
Jimmy and Richard slip away before the police come and could question them. They found out from the second ambulance that came which hospital the mistress and the children were taken to. The two men support each other until they leave the harbor and get a taxi. Jimmy still can’t believe they made it out alive. Richard’s slips his fingers into Jimmy’s as they sit in the backseat of the cab like he’s letting him know he’s still there. Jimmy feels his body react to the gesture, filling him up with warmth. He looks to Richard and gives him a little smile. It’s a constant reminder that they were still alive.
He calls Nucky once they’re at the train station telling him that everyone is ok though the baby is questionable as he’s not sure if they were able to revive her. Nucky almost doesn’t hear that as he’s overjoyed almost gasping into the phone once he hears the news like he wasn’t able to breathe this whole time the children were gone. Jimmy hears the Irish maiden crying in relief in the background and Nucky is already telling her to pack up as they were going to leave to go the hospital. “James. I want to thank you for what you did. What you and your friend did. There are no words. Margaret couldn’t sleep the entire time. You didn’t just save them you saved us too,” and Nucky hangs up at that. Jimmy can’t feel better about himself or their relationship after Nucky’s praise as he wasn’t saving the mistress and children for him. He had his own son and although he couldn’t say he particularly cared about the Irish woman, Nucky’s latest whore or the President's mistress he cared that children were involved.
The two men are exhausted as they board their train. Though they had tried to clean up a bit in the train station restroom they still get queer looks from everyone from their filthy, bloody and scorched appearances. He sits next to Richard and he watches scenery whiz past like blobs of dark and light smearing the landscape. He finds his eyelids are drooping as the train is moving rhythmically making the same clacking noises underneath them and it’s like when they were on a dark train going to nowhere except it isn’t nowhere this time. It’s home. Richard is still looking out their window and he places a gentle hand on Jimmy’s knee. He meets Jimmy’s eyes slowly.
“This used to be my home but hmm not anymore. I think I’ve realized it’s the furthest thing from it now. Hmm.”
Jimmy smiles and nods at him sleepily. He wants to kiss him, has wanted to kiss him since he stumbled upon him and knew he was alive in the burning warehouse after Jimmy had shot a barrel of oil by the back entrance thinking it would create a small distraction and force everyone out the front where Richard would be waiting for them. He didn’t know the fire would escalate that quickly. He would think about it more, his mistakes he made but he rather focus on right now and how much he wants to kiss him but can't. Jimmy usually throws caution to the wind but they were in public and there had to be ground rules. He settles on resting his head on the other man’s shoulder, feeling his warmth and the rhythmic movements of the train and he drifts off into a blissful sleep.
* * *
They’re back in Atlantic City and as happy as Jimmy feels to be home he also feels strange like it isn’t right somehow. The two ex soldiers turned bodyguards and assassins stand next to each other in the almost deserted train station as it’s either very late or very early.
Their eyes meet after a time and this is where they part ways. It’s a stabbing realization to Jimmy’s insides, something that they both were regretting, fearing but yet anticipating. Richard may have wanted to go off on his own, leave Jimmy to pursue the mission by himself, pushing Jimmy away but it wasn’t because Richard didn’t care Jimmy knows. It’s different now. When they first started this Jimmy assumed they would go back to their respective lives, sweeping everything under the rug but as he gazes into Richard’s warm, brown eye he knows they both can’t do that now. They had seen and been through too much. Whatever started from their mission together has carried over to whatever this was, spilling over to their far from normal lives. Jimmy can’t stand the thought of going home to Angela though he did miss Tommy horribly but he knew he had to until they both could figure out where they go from here.
The two men gaze at each other and to passerbys it must look strange. Jimmy smiles and shrugs a little, his face getting hot. He doesn’t know what to say. What do you say to someone after you’ve been through what they’ve been through? “It’s just you and me,” Jimmy says shakily looking down to his filthy blood stained boots.
Richard closes the distance between them suddenly making Jimmy’s breathe catch in his throat. Richard is on him then, winding his strong arms around Jimmy’s waist and kisses him in the middle of the train station hard enough to push all the oxygen out of Jimmy’s lungs. Jimmy blushes furiously, hoping no one has seen but can’t help but smile. Richard smoothes a thumb over the corner of Jimmy’s mouth, his secret little affection only reserved for him Jimmy knows and smiles. “It’s just us,” Richard says. Jimmy smiles. He knows they’ll figure it out. They were better together than apart both professionally and otherwise as their time together has proven. Through heartache and difficulty and probably many mistakes they would make it making it that much sweeter, making it worth it.
* * *
Epilogue
James Cox, President Warren Harding’s running mate in the election, was found to be behind the kidnapping. Nucky and Sheriff Thompson were able to get the information out of the mistress after her brief hospital stay.
She overheard things being said as they were held in the warehouse. Things about them wanting President Harding to look bad, hearing rumors that Nucky Thompson was helping President Harding by hiding the mistress. The mistress was able to piece together all the clues as she really had nothing else to do with her time being held hostage except cradle he child and fear for her and the children's lives. She supposed they were trying to make Nucky look bad as well or were planning to use the children as ransom as well.
There were internal arguments about how to handle things the mistress overheard too. She thought that Mr. Cox was having second thoughts about using people for ransom but Chester Isaiah, the man that worked for Mr. Cox and the one that orchestrated the kidnapping and hunting Jimmy and Richard down was insistent saying, almost telling Mr. Cox what to do saying it would be to Mr. Cox’s advantage to use the mistress and the child as barraging chips to make President Harding look bad and eventually shaming him enough to leave office.
James Cox held somewhat of a personal grudge as they both were from Ohio and both worked for different newspapers. It made sense to everyone in Nucky’s circle that he was the behind it though nothing could be traced back to him just like any good, clever, rich tycoon that surrounded himself with lots of important, rich people. Basically Nucky himself in a nutshell Jimmy thought. Both him and Mr. Cox were the same really-people did their bidding and their dirty work and nothing could be traced back to them, too many middle men involved.
Nan’s daughter lived though was hospitalized for a few days. The Irish woman’s children had recovered as well after receiving oxygen and medicine. They were all a little mal nourished, dehydrated and were exhausted but otherwise were fine saying they weren’t mistreated besides being restrained and sometimes gagged.
And that left the two heroes. They were showered with thanks, praise and affections but neither wanted them or needed them. All they wanted to do was slip away and be alone together, to have what they really wanted. The Irish woman and the mistress invited Jimmy over for dinner, insisting that he should come and he only did because Richard was still living with them but they couldn’t be alone.
Jimmy didn’t know what to tell Angela about his absence so he didn’t tell her anything leaving it at that. He went back to having his nightmares she told him and Jimmy selfishly knew how to rectify them.
A week passed and things settled down. People weren’t constantly asking Jimmy to divulge the story to them or were constantly wanting his attention. He for once might be able to do what he wanted. He’s at the Irish woman’s house before he knows it, having walked all the way from his apartment. The sky is black rippling velvet and a million stars are out.
Though Jimmy knows the late November air is cold he doesn’t feel it. He feels anything but cold. He sits on the porch step and lights a cigarette. He feels his presence behind him and they haven’t been alone together since the train station. Jimmy’s heart thuds almost painfully in his chest. Richard sits down on the step next to him and eyes him.
“Take a walk with me?” Jimmy ask and he knows that the woman and children are asleep. Richard wouldn’t be missed until morning. They had all night. Jimmy grins.
They walk the beach, the dark, almost silent ocean to their backs, their fingers twined together. Jimmy thinks he can finally do right by someone. He may not know where his future is headed, if he’ll join Sheriff Thompson and his father in their plans to overthrow Nucky or not or where he’ll end up living tomorrow as him and Angela were just not working out. He didn’t have to worry about it with his hand in his as they work the cold beach. He could do right by Richard.
They would continue to work together side by side maybe even hunting down the man Chester Isaiah who was behind the plot to take the mistress and children and eventually sending the men that would take Zofia’s life. Justice would have to be served. They'll work together and keep the other things between them a secret, something only they know about. They would have to work hard at it but it was worth it. Richard smiles at him suddenly like he knows Jimmy is thinking about him. Jimmy cups his face drawing him into a kiss as the sun is just coming up and glinting off the once dark waves and the dog tags that are around Jimmy's neck-Richard and his own that he found in his apartment. They bounce off each other and lay on top of each other. The two men stay like this while the sun rises casting everything in a golden haze, bathing Richard in beautiful new light and Jimmy thinks he can definitely get used to this. He’s worth it.
* * *
The story Richard tells Jimmy is actually not original. It's a play on something I read in the manga: "Neon Genesis Campus Apocalypse". The story in it is very similar about the man losing everything and people gathering it up except one piece and he walks the world as a ghost but I changed the details a little bit. I thought it was appropriate for Richard :)
Though most of this story is historically accurate and also James Cox is a real figure I did make up the character "Chester Isiah". I also left some open ended things with Richard about his past on purpose. This all could lead to possible other fics in terms of sequels...not sure at this point as I have many other writing commitments. Stay tuned though.