#cmfirstfest

[robinlestrange]

Chapter Six: A Chance Encounter

When the agency's forensic computing expert is incapacitated, Strike has to stand for him at a meeting with a potential new client.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482807/chapters/56441164

[robinlestrange]

Morning All! Hope you’re keeping safe and well and not too bored! Today’s WIP is a preview of one of the two fics I’m working on for the First Fest to celebrate Strike and Robin’s tenth anniversary. It’s called ‘Coming Around Again’ and comes under the ‘What If’ heading so will start posting on Saturday.

Look out for the second fic ‘Teenage Dream’, centered around 16-year-old Cormoran’s friendships and life in Cornwall the summer after his GCSE’s (final high school exams) starting tomorrow.

Coming Around Again by Robin LeStrange

Strike was standing precariously on the tube some hours later when he felt his phone vibrate in his coat pocket. Checking it, taking into account the fact that he was strap-hanging and several pints and whiskies to the bad, was not an option. 

He swore under his breath, but louder than he had intended much to disapproval of an immaculately turned out woman in her sixties who was tucked beneath his elbow.

“Sorry…” he muttered, registering her expression grow even crosser as the wave of beer and whisky fumes hit her, “S’been a bit of a day.”

She raised an eyebrow and he thought he detected a hint of sympathy in her china blue eyes as she turned away as best she could in the crowded carriage.

Blue eyes…like Robin’s, his mind wandered. She would be immaculate when she was in her sixties too, he was sure of it. He squinted at the older woman and wondered what colour her silver hair had been in her youth. Perhaps she’d had a mane of strawberry blonde hair, and a green dress, and been unhappily married to a complete wanker. His eyes dropped to the woman’s left hand, clinging onto the pole by the door. The rings on her left hand were an old-fashioned style, crafted in warm yellow gold and well-worn from years in situ. Clearly her husband wasn’t a wanker, he thought. Or maybe he was, and she just put up with him, not like Robin, with her determination and her courage and her…

For fuck’s sake, Strike, get a grip.

A sudden jolt as the tube speeded up brought him back to reality with a shock of pain through his knee, and a wave of nausea. In his pocket his phone buzzed again. He closed his eyes and gripped the overhead strap tighter as he hurtled homeward.

By the time he made it back to his flat, all Strike wanted was his bed. He threw his coat onto the stand and was already shucking off clothes as he made his way to the bathroom. Minutes later, he was halfway under the duvet, liberated from his prosthesis, when he heard his phone ring in his coat pocket, and he remembered the missed messages from earlier.

“Fuck it all to hell,” he growled, almost toppling over as he reached for his crutches. 

Since his nephew Jack, had been taken ill, he’d never quite been able to ignore his phone in the same way. He retrieved the iPhone in its substantial shock-proof case and held it in his mouth as he swung himself back into bed where he flicked a finger across the screen.

3 missed messages

2 missed calls

He tapped on the messages:

Hey, looking forward to tonight. What’s the plan?

Guess you’re busy…just text me time and place and I’ll see you later. Or I could come straight to yours 😉?

I’ve been invited to a thing in Camden, will be leaving at 9pm. Let me know if you want to come with or (I’m guessing) take a rain check ☹

He looked at the time, just gone eight-thirty, he’d been drinking solidly from before four o’clock, and whilst he didn’t like dwelling on the fact that he wasn’t as young as he used to be, at times like this he certainly knew it. 

He thought of Ciara, her soft curves, silky hair and full lips, her many, many talents in the bedroom that had seemed so tempting just that morning and texted her back.

Sorry, something came up this afternoon. Have a good time at your thing in Camden. 

Almost immediately his phone buzzed a response.

Shame…was rather hoping something would be coming up tonight. Another time... Xxx

He smiled wryly at the screen, turned it face down on the bedside cabinet, and collapsed back onto his pillows and into a restless sleep.

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 8: Superhero

The day after their meeting, Robin faces her first night without Alex and Edie, and Strike pays a visit to the Herberts. https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482807/chapters/56806498

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 7: Cigarettes and Alcohol

Strike and Robin both try to make sense of their unexpected meeting.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482807/chapters/56535304

[robinlestrange]

Chapters 6 & 7: Tainted Love - Parts 1 & 2

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447671/chapters/56426281

Cormoran catches up with Nick over the phone, an unexpected visitor arrives and Joan loses her temper.

[robinlestrange]

Chapter Four: Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) It’s Prom Night 1991 at St Mawes High School... https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447671/chapters/56332810

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 17: Love, Thy Will Be Done

Corm and Ilsa's friendship takes a distinctly non-platonic turn. Forgive me, Nick and Ilsa shippers (I’m looking at you especially @lulacat3 !)but fear not - I will not be going here again. This chapter is (pardon the pun) the hardest thing I have ever written!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447671/chapters/57704326

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 2: All Together Now Cormoran enjoys a fish and chip supper at the Victory with his and Ilsa's family on his first night back, but is unsettled about how much has changed since his last visit to St Mawes. Lucy is being trying!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447671/chapters/56239792