This side blog will be a safe space for me to yap, keep sakes of my favs, and somewhat provide commentary for my current interests in media like book reviews and movie stuff! š¤
I will forever be obsessed with the look on Jackās face, that faint smile as tears of relief streams down his face that his beloved Belle made it through the surgery safe and aliveš„¹š
That being said, Thomas Brodie Sangster go collect that Oscar, it belongs to you.
"One day, when I wake up at 3 a.m. and canāt sleep, Iāll look next to me, and youāll be there. Sleeping peacefully beside me, and suddenly, the world wonāt seem so lonely."
What ifā¦. What if I write Belle and Jack fanfic like their little adventures and shenanigans together post season 2 apart from whatever main storyline season 3 will be having in the future???????
Funnily enough, the words to write more for The Artful Dodger flows only when I got some kind of rock music blaring in the background. Who wouldāve thoughtā¦
A/N: This is based on the series āThe Artful Dodgerā and will have multiple chapters based on mini-adventures that I headcanon to happen apart from the main storyline and whatever season 3 may hold in the future. This is NOT proofread so please donāt mind the minor mistakes if any. I do not own the characters mentioned in this fanfic. I hope you like this as much as I enjoyed writing it <3
Word count: 2355
01. Since Weāre Alone
āSteady on darling, Iām sure sheās safe. Sheās with the doctor after all.ā
Lady Jane Fox glared at her clumsy but ever endearing husband. āSheās still so youngā¦ just because I trust Dr. Dawkins with my daughter, does not mean I do not worry for her safety especially when nightfall is upon us.ā She spoke the last few words with gritted teeth and a creased brow.
Her wondrously intelligent daughter, Lady Belle, was gifted beyond any other with a curiosity for greater knowledge and the unknown. As much as her intellect made Lady Janeās heart swell with pride, it made her monstrously fearsome that danger might befall her brave girl regardless of the rapturous mood the doctor had left them all in upon her recovery.
āI could go and check for her, Mama! Sheās probably back home.ā Lady Fanny, her youngest declared.
āNo, you stay right where you are,ā Lady Jane said sharply. āAffrey our butler told me he found you at The Cat and Bagpipes celebrating, heavens knows what, all on your own surrounded by a bunch of hooligans and drunkards. I fear Iāve been neglecting you in the bargain of protecting your sister.ā
āOh, but I wasnāt alone. Fagin was there, and Jackās uhā¦ bodyguards, Aputi and Flashbang, andā oh mother how fun and wonderful they are! They have been really splendid company and itās awfully safe with them around and I think you would ratherāā
Lady Jane found herself tuning out Fannyās musings unintentionally as her mind wandered back to Belleās safety. If Jack was going to be romantically involved with Belle, then he was going to have to do it the proper way and as soon as she was healthy enough to be on her feet again she resolved firmly that she would make sure of that.
Somewhere down the hall, Inspector Boxer roared out demanding for Dr. Dawkins. Hetty was the only one seen rushing to aid him.
****
āJack you do realise you can use the front door now, donāt you?ā Lady Belle said even as she followed her beloved lover up the spiral stairs that led up to the balcony in her room, her hand tucked away tightly in his. āYouāre not a criminal convict anymore. Theyād let us in. Together.ā
āYeah well thatās going to take some time getting used to.ā Jack smiled as he helped her up the last few stairs and into her room.
Jack and Belle were not the kind to get bashful under circumstances where moments of close proximity was allowed, or better yet stolen, but as the balcony door swung shut behind her, Belle found her face ablaze. The blood that flowed steady in her veins rushed to her cheeks. Every touch and every kiss they had shared before did not have the luxury of lingering thoughts of leisure sensuality, what with all the adrenaline pouring through her veins and the underlying fear that she might get caught by her mother or someone with enough power to report Jack to the gallows might find them. But in that moment, when there was no reason to look behind her shoulder in wariness, her senses seemed to have latched onto the existence of only him. Every feeling was heightened and a hundred times more intense. Her eyes met his then, deep brown pouring into her beyond any words could ever do.
āBelle,ā Jackās voice came out in hushed tenderness like a single utterance of her name could ruin him once more and form him right back like a phoenix rising from the ashes. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then cradled her face.
āI know,ā she replied, closing her eyes momentarily to soak in the volume of how far they had come since the day she first met him. When she looked at him again, her eyes shone with adoration and unshed tears. āWeāre here. Youāre here, with me.ā
āIt just doesnāt seem real, does it? After all the bloody lengths weāve gone, after all the ludicrous things Iāve done, all just for a glimpse of your face,ā he pressed his head to hers, his lips upturned in a giddy smile. āHere we are, in a moment you and I could only dream of having on some kind of far away land.ā
āAnd yet, this is real,ā Belle said on an exhale, her giddiness matching his.
āAs real as this will ever be.ā Jack leaned in as if to punctuate his words, his lips brushing hers gently, once, twice, before she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer to kiss him properly. The touch of his lips on hers lit a fire in her heart. Itās crackling flames roared in her ears as the world narrowed down to him and only him, chanting his name within her over and over again.
āYou should knowā¦ all of it was only ever for you,ā Jack said breathlessly between kisses. āEverything that Iāve done was done with you in the forefront of my mind, so that someday, somehow, you and I could live our lives in the utmost bliss of each other's company.ā
āI love you.ā
āI love you more than youāll ever know.ā
āThatās impossible.ā
Somewhere between urgent kisses of fire and clothes being rustled and pulled to draw one another closer, Jack found the breath knocked out of him. Belle had him pressed up against her door, her teeth grazing his lips.
āDonāt you dare try to leave me ever again.ā
āNot even in my worst nightmares.ā
Neither Jack nor Belle heard the faint footsteps coming from the opposite end of the hallway. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he kissed down her neck, a barrage of sensations and emotions overwhelming her entire being. Jackās arms wrapped tightly round her waist, not leaving a sliver of space between him and her.
āBelleā¦ā said Jack under his breath. āLet me love you with all that I am.ā
āJack, all you have ever done was love me with all that you are. No man has ever loved another the way you love me so completely and fully.ā Belle leaned up, brushing her nose against his, drawn almost magnetically to his lips.
The door to her room opened abruptly, sending the two of them stumbling forward. Jack still held her in his embrace when the lady in charge of the upkeep of the estate, Clara, came into view with a little girl holding onto her dress. Out of habit, Belle quickly untangled herself from his arms.
āGood heavens! Forgive my intrusion, Lady Belle. I wasnāt aware you were already home.ā Clara bowed in an apologetic curtsy. āI believed that little Elsbeth would be most comfortable in your room since she knows you more than any of us.ā
āItās fine, really. Please, stand up,ā Belle said, trying to catch her breath. She could still feel Jack breathing down her neck behind her. It would appear that he was stuck to her, refusing to leave much space between them now that he finally had her. āWhatā what seems to be the problem?ā
Clara bent her head shortly in acknowledgement of Jack. āI was worried the child might need medical assistance. Thank God, youāre hereā¦ She appeared to be having a minor difficulty in breathing a while ago. It seems to be better now. I just didnāt want to take any chances given that you had entrusted her to me.ā
Like clockwork, Jack instantly moved forward towards the little girl. āHow do you feel right now, Elsbeth?ā He asked kindly, crouching down to her height. āStill hard to breathe?ā
The little girl shook her head, then sniffled. Jack and Belle shared a knowing look.
āThank you, Clara, weāll take it from here,ā Belle said, a fond smile etching her face when Elsbeth looked up at her. When the door closed behind them, she continued, guiding the child in by her shoulder. āHas Clara been treating you well, Elsbeth?ā
The little girl, nodded again, this time affirmative. She didnāt say much for the most part, her rough childhood etching a sort of semi-permanent frown upon her little face. Her eyes, though blank and weary, still held its childlike innocence despite the horrors of Devilās Elbowā the kind of innocence one can only hold when one still has a ray of flickering hope.
Belle extended her hand out for little Elsbeth to hold on to. āIāll tell you what, why donāt you ask us anything you want to know. Might make you feel safer to know us better while Jack checks on your condition, hmm?ā
āAre you a doctor?ā Elsbeth asked Jack. One of her tiny hands held onto Belle as she wrapped the other around his finger.
āI am.ā
āWhat about milady?ā
āWell, sheās many incredible things,ā Jack said, getting ready to turn a simple introduction into a little story that would intrigue the child as he fetched the stethoscope Belle always had on standby in her room.
āI reckon it's a common cold.ā Belle said in between as he listened to the little girlās heartbeat and breathing pattern.
āAnd you would be right. As always.ā Jack smiled, then continued where he left off. āLady Belle is a brilliant doctor too, but most of all she is my equal, the better half of me.ā His eyes met hers with sincerity and love. āAs long as youāre with her youāll be safe.ā
Elsbeth looked between them. āAre you married?ā
Just as Belle opened her mouth to say, ānot yet,ā Jack interrupted her with a resolute, āYes.ā
This response of his seemed to have momentarily intrigued the child. āReally?!ā
Jack nodded, intertwining his hands with Belle. She was already looking at him with the most tender gaze, like he hung the stars in the sky for her that night.
āTruly. This lovely lady right here isā¦ā he then turned to look her in the eye once again. āMy beloved wife.ā
Belle thought she felt her heart stutter at that.
āThen you have childrenā¦ like me?ā
Jack raised his eyebrows in amusement, fixing Belle with a teasing look. She pursed her lips to suppress a grin. āNot yet,ā she replied meekly, gently wiping off a stain on the childās cheek. āThere are other things we must tend to before that.ā
āMummy said that children are a blessing from God,ā Elsbeth paused as if she was deep in thought, then sniffled deeply. āIām scaredā¦ what if they miss me too much?ā Her lips trembled in the way that children do when theyāre trying so desperately to be brave. Her little fists tightened on her skirts.
Belle didnāt have the heart to share the morbid news to the little girl that her parents were dead due to that dastardly cholera outbreak. How does one convey such events to the innocent of heart? She shared a look with Jack, knowing the same response was running through his mind. They will have to take full responsibility for the child until they are able to find her a home. Unlessā¦
Jack tipped his head at her, signalling that he would handle the matter. āRemember when I told you that your parents and sister were resting?ā The little girl nodded. Jack smoothed her hair down, putting away the stethoscope. āI heard that they are going on a long trip, one unsuitable for little girls like you. They told us to take care of you while theyāre gone.ā
āWhen will they be back?ā
āNot for a long time,ā Jack replied carefully in a gentle, steady voice. āBut I promise you, in the meantime, Lady Belle and I will do everything we can to make your life with us the happiest and most comfortable. Wonāt we, Belle?ā
āCertainly. If youāll allow us the privilegeā¦ā Belle trailed off hopefully.
Instead of replying Elsbeth moved closer between them and nuzzled at Belleās side, before placing her head on her lap.
Belle couldāve sworn her heart couldnāt get any fuller with love, and yet there she was, nearly bursting at the seams overflowing with it. Jack seemed to be feeling it too from the look he gave herā soft tender eyes searching her face with so much longing and love that ran deeper than the bones beneath their skin. He draped his arm over the seat to pull Belle closer by the shoulder so he could press a kiss to the side of her head.
āIt feels like we already have a family of our own,ā Jack said in hushed tones, his eyes searching Belleās face for any signs of regret or disagreement.
This time there was no urgency to rush back to her mother in fear of getting caught, no reason to deny Jack of what she herself wanted. She could tell that her silence worried him though.
For obvious reasons, Jack did not want her to think that he intended to pressure her into wanting things for the future that he was not sure she wanted for herself. āWould you want that? With me? We can do this at our own pace, on our terms. There is no rush. Iām all yours now anyway.ā
Belle couldnāt help the lovesick smile on her face as she leaned a little closer to press a kiss to the corner of his worrying lips. āOf course I would want that. Anything, as long as it's with you.ā
A moment of content silence passed.
āBut what do you think about adopting?ā she asked out of the blue. āElsbeth, in particular.ā
Jackās eyebrows arose in surprise. āBelle, You canāt be seriousāā
āOh, but I am.ā
āAre you saying after we marry you want toā¦ā
A scheming yet splendiferous grin broke out on Belleās face. āExactly.ā
Jack looked at the woman he loved in disbelief as he smiled at her incredulously. āYou are brilliantly terrifying, have I ever told you that?ā He held her face between his hands, the depth of his eyes searching her own. āYou are like sunshine and lightning all at once, and I love you. God, I love you.ā His lips found hers then in a hasty, bruising kiss.
āI love you too.ā Belle laughed and let the warmth that Jackās existence brought consume her whole before she leaned in and kissed him again.
**********
Likes, Reblogs and especially Comments are greatly appreciated because I would like to know if I got their characterisation of dialogue and thoughts right. Thanks for reading!
Does anyone have any fantasy/royalty/historical romance book recommendations that matches The Artful Dodger in yearning, angst, FORBIDDEN LOVE, and a happy ending?
Lady Belle Fox truly one of the most characters ever. She's the governor's daughter. She is not a "Miss" and you'd do well to call her "Milady", thank you very much. She's the nerdiest person alive. A guy proposes to her and her response is "please don't" and "why." She blackmails the least misogynistic doctor in the hospital to make her the first female surgeon. She thinks any work other than cutting people open is beneath her and she's outraged you'd ask her to clean anything. She'll be on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor regardless. She's ambitious, she's confrontational, she knows her worth, and most of all she's kind. She challenges people and loves to be challenged in return, but she's not above being petty. She drops acid on her own leg to test a theory. She breaks a quarantine fully willing to risk her own life to find out what's causing a cholera outbreak. The medical world agrees on a theory, but she knows they're all wrong and she's going to prove it, even if they don't view her as qualified for anything. She invents a medical procedure and teaches the doctor she loves how to perform that surgery on herself, which he then has to do with a gun to his head. How could you expect me to be normal about her?
Truly, Jack and Belle have a romance for the century. I doubt any pairing could come close to the yearning, angst, and giddy love scenes that they have. Itās not just the fact that the show has BRILLIANT actors, itās justā¦ the plot and characters have a certain factor that makes the whole thing stand out and makes one yearn for more. I have yet to figure out what exactly is that ācertain factorā that differentiates it from the rest.
What ifā¦. What if I write Belle and Jack fanfic like their little adventures and shenanigans together post season 2 apart from whatever main storyline season 3 will be having in the future???????
What ifā¦. What if I write Belle and Jack fanfic like their little adventures and shenanigans together post season 2 apart from whatever main storyline season 3 will be having in the future???????
