Don't Forget to Kiss Me Goodbye

[Jane Prewett]

January 2, 1876

The glistening snow fell softly over the front lawn of the Prewett manor. It shimmered in the moon light, and was the only source of light in Jane's bedroom other than a lit candle sitting on her night table. But she wouldn't go near the table. She wouldn't move from her seat at the window until Faustus came home.

It had been over a week since she had last seen him, Christmas night to be exact. He left her due to an emergency at work with a promise he'd be back home before the new year. He broke that promise.

The single letter she'd gotten from him was rushed, that much she could tell, and spoke words of him being home soon. But what was soon? He left her over a week ago, and she didn't think she could bear another minute apart from him. What if something were to happen to him? What if he were to be accidentally hit with a killing curse? What if, what if he never came home?

Wrapping her hands tightly around her barely covered legs, Jane placed her head between her knees and began to cry softly. What if he died without knowing how much she loved him?

  

[Faustus Prewett]

It had been a long week at work. The call on Christmas night had not seemed too serious, although he had assumed it might take a few days. He had not thought there would be any problem keeping his promise to return home to his young wife before the new year.

He had been wrong. The dark wizard in question had been completely mad, and as such had been almost impossible to track. Thankfully none of the aurors or hit wizards had died, but several of the latter were using their dedicated beds at St. Mungos.

Exhausted, Faustus apparated into the parlor and then headed towards his wife's bedroom. As much as he just wanted to collapse into his own bed, he needed to let Jane know that he was home.

The door was open, and so he simply walked in. She was there, looking like an angel as she gazed out the window. Whatever else could be said of her -- and somehow Faustus couldn't find anything negative to say -- Jane was certainly beautiful. "Jane? I'm home."

  

[Jane Prewett]

She was nearly asleep of exhaustion when she heard his voice from behind her. How did he get into the house? He hadn't walked up the path or anything of the sort, and she thought there were anti-apparition spells casted on their house. Evidently not.

"Faustus?" She whispered carefully, wiping her eyes and standing up. She felt that if she moved too fast, if she talked too loudly he would disappear again. And that would once more be before he knew how much she loved him.

Her thin, white nightshift wasn't the warmest thing she owned, and so Jane would be stupid to deny the goosebumps on her arms. Or were they caused by his presence? Did her skin suddenly know too that she had something big to say? (Not that she would just blurt it out)

"How'd you get in?" She stupidly asked. "No, no don't answer that-that doesn't matter. Oh, my dear, dear Faustus. I'm so glad you're home."

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Taking the few necessary steps across the room, Faustus drew his wife into his arms. She fit very nicely against him, and suddenly he found himself wanting to take her to bed. He needed to put the last week behind him, and if he laid with Jane there was no way he could think of anything other than her soft body beneath his.

"The wards are keyed to allow us to apparate in and out," he murmured into her hair, closing his eyes and willing the last week to have never happened. "Only you and I, though, so never fear unexpected guests might take advantage."

Would she let him come to her bed? He had broken his promise, and she might very well be angry with him for it. If she were angry, it would make sense for her to deny him marital access.

  

[Jane Prewett]

Jane breathed in the smell of him, which admittedly wasn't the best scent in the world, and relaxed in his embrace. Faustus was finally home. He wasn't injured of dead. He was dirty, filthy even, but he was otherwise fine. And Jane couldn't feel any greater sense of relief.

That feeling, however, only lasted a few moments as rage swelled up in her head. One letter? One bloody letter when he was gone for over a week? How dare he. Didn't he realize that people cared about him now? Wasn't he at all concerned about his 'poor, little wife' he was leaving behind? She pulled away from him and met his gaze with a glare. "One letter! You could've been dead! Do you have any idea how worried I was? I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. I've been a wreck with worry!"

And then, she slapped him.

It was only one slap, a tiny mere clip across his cheek, but it was a slap none the less. He was going to be angry with her, she knew it. Maybe he'd hit her himself, none of that mattered though. All that mattered was that he didn't seem to care about whether or not she should be informed.

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Frankly, Faustus didn't really care that Jane slapped him. He was feeling decidedly frisky, and if she wanted to play rough he could manage that. Grabbing her wrist, Faustus pulled her close and kissed her fiercely.

"I didn't have time," he said, his face a bare inch from hers, "but if you were that worried, we can invest in a family clock." Not that he thought that would really help -- his hand would be pointing to 'mortal peril' far too often.

As thin as her nightdress was, Faustus could almost see her through it. He was quite determined by this point to convince his wife to let him bed her, and he was willing to promise all manner of things to get what he desired.

  

[Jane Prewett]

"If I was that worried?" She hissed, not even bothering to put more distance between them than the inch. "If? I was petrified that I'd be a widow at eighteen. I was scared that I'd lose the only man I'll ever love." The last part came out as little more than a sad whisper. He didn't feel the same, she knew that, but was it too much to ask for a single letter? Even if it was only two words: I'm okay. Anything, just so she'd know he was alive.

Honestly, Jane wasn't remotely thinking about sex. In fact, if he attempted to bed her in that moment she'd fight him with every breath she had. He smelled, he was filthy, and he looked just as tired as she felt.

Not giving him any time to reply to her comment, Jane pecked his lips once more and pulled away from him. "Come, I'll draw you a bath."

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Love? Faustus stiffened at the word; it was not one that had ever entered their relationship before. The fact that she insisted on drawing him a bath barely registered.

Reaching out again, Faustus grabbed Jane's hand and pulled her back to him. "Jane, I -- you do know that I care for you."

Unfortunately, that was all that he could say, at least honestly. He cared about her. She was his wife, and would eventually be the mother of his children. There was nothing deeper to it; their marriage had been arranged for them.

  

[Jane Prewett]

She nodded. Jane hadn't been expecting him to say it back, she didn't want him to either. She merely wanted him to know how she herself felt. That was all anyone could ever want, to be able to be honest with one's spouse.

Smiling at him, Jane nodded once more. "I know you do."

Once more, she pulled away from him and took his hand instead. He smelled horrible and if she had to be pressed up against his chest any longer she was going to begin gagging. "Honey, please take a bath. You're filthy." She tried again. God help her if he refused.

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Faustus chuckled, leaning in to kiss Jane on the top of her head. "If it means that much to you, I'll take a bath," he said with a smirk. Reaching up, he undid the clasp on his cloak and started to undress. One of the house elves would be in to pick up his clothes as soon as they were out of the room, so he didn't take any cares to put them anywhere special.

"Go ahead and draw it up," he said with his shirt halfway over his head. "I'll be in there in a minute."

  

[Jane Prewett]

Jane froze in place as her husband began to strip off his clothes. After six months of marriage and numerous times seeing him naked, he still managed to always take her breath away. Blushing fiercely, Jane sheepishly smiled and pointed towards her in-suite bathroom, "I'm going to go-yeah, uh-I'm going to go get your bath ready."

He smelled. Badly. She couldn't even think of kissing him because the thought of smelling him again made her gag. Did no one shower when out on a job? Was that such a horrid thing to try? Even if it was just once over the week, that would surely wash away some of the dirt.

Sitting besides the bath, Jane watched as the water slowly filled the tub and steam rose off the surface. She poured whatever scented oils she had around (she wasn't too concerned with which ones, anything would make him smell better at this point) and swirled her fingers around the water.

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Faustus had showered off while he was gone, when he had time, but there had been precious little time. It seemed like every spare moment Faustus had possessed since leaving Christmas night had been spent either sleeping or eating.

With all of his clothes left in the floor, Faustus came in to get into the bath. Jane had it drawn and he smiled at her and slipped down into the water with a grunt of pleasure.

For a moment he closed his eyes, enjoying the hot water, and then he opened one eye to look at his wife. "Join me?"

  

[Jane Prewett]

As she watched Faustus slip below the water's surface, Jane couldn't help but admire him. Due to his job, he was muscular and he was naturally taller than her, and Jane felt completely safe when he had his arms wrapped around her. When he held her, she knew no harm could ever come to either of them. They were invincible.

Deciding not to sit there and stare at his naked form-if she was completely honest she didn't want to look at the greying water-she began to toy with the hem her sleeve. Suddenly, she felt very exposed, as if he'd never seen her in her night dress. "Join you? Dear, do you see the color of this water? I love you, but I don't want to sit in that filth."

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Faustus couldn't help it; he snorted at her excuse. Grabbing his wand -- he always had it within arm's length -- he muttered a spell and the water cleared. "Now, would you like to join me, or should a pull you in?" he asked with a wolfish smile.

Not that he'd do anything if she denied him, but he wasn't feeling particularly patient at the moment. It had been over a week, and he missed his wife. Add that to the fact that his week had been a hard one, and he was feeling more than a little frisky.

  

[Jane Prewett]

"Well you're being persistent tonight, huh? And what if I said no?" She teased, while standing up and leaning over to kiss him slowly. "Hm? What if I left you in here and went to bed....alone?" Jane knew she was going to be getting into the tub with him. Even when he was home on a regular basis he sought her out a few times a week (really, it was a wonder how she wasn't pregnant yet) there was no way she was getting out of the bathroom without him hot on her tail.

  

[Faustus Prewett]

Faustus propped his elbows on the edge of the tub, leaning up to kiss her again. "If you really want to go, you know I'll just have to take myself to bed alone." It was hardly what he wanted, but he didn't think that Jane would actually turn him away tonight.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Faustus kissed her again, then pulled her into the bath with him. "You don't really want to leave me here, do you?" he asked heatedly.