Hi everyone,

Here is my first fanfiction story, in fact it is my first go at fiction of any kind ...

Hope you enjoy it.

Phryne stood in her parlour, feet slightly apart, hands on her hips. She narrowed her eyes and gave him her most intimidating glare. "I will not run and hide from these people, and I will not be secreted away to some god-forsaken hovel to live under house arrest!"

It was early afternoon. They were standing facing each other, both visibly tense. Jack was tired and did not want to fight. He knew this would be a challenging conversation and had dreaded it all morning, partly because he knew how Phryne would react and partly because he was still smarting from the argument with her three weeks ago when she told him about her case and asked for his help, only to ignore his advice, as usual.

But this was a conversation that could not be put off any longer. He was exasperated by her relaxed attitude to the death threats she had received and wanted to shout at her to stop being so self-absorbed and to start considering other people for a change. He sighed and rubbed his brow, trying to calm himself, knowing that raising his voice at Phryne would only make matters worse, would ramp up her indignation. He was tired of tiptoeing around her but a year or so of working closely with her, if you could call it that, had taught him what worked: confrontation, no matter how much he wanted it, was not always the best approach. He was still furious at her for agreeing to get involved in this mess in the first place, but pushed it aside, for now.

"Phryne," he said gently, with as much control as he could muster, "please, you don't know what these people are capable of."

Phryne snorted. "Don't patronise me Jack. Of course I know what they are capable of, I have been practically living with them for the last three weeks."

"Please Phryne, think it through," he continued, "your life is in danger and they won't stop until they see you dead."

Phryne huffed. "Why can't I go away on holiday instead?" she asked, genuinely confused by his offer of taking her to a safe house.

"Because they may trail you to find out where you are going. If they captured you, you would be at an even greater risk with no-one around to know that you have disappeared." Jack thought he detected a flash of understanding across Phryne's face and quickly continued. "The safe house is not a hovel and is perfectly comfortable. You may not have to stay long, just long enough for us to find Roberts' associates and put them behind bars. City South are in on this now, so we have double the manpower."

"Pfft!" Phryne scoffed, now pacing the floor, hands still on her hips. "The operation had been going on for months, Jack, with the Williamstown plods gaining no result until I stepped in. Finding his gang could also take months, even with your team on the case now. Do you really expect me to hide away for months with my life on hold?"

William Roberts was one of Melbourne's smartest and most notorious criminals, also known as King Billy, a drug importer who operated out of Williamstown on the north of the bay. The local force was in charge of establishing that Roberts was the source of a new batch of dirty opium that had been brought in from China. They had been trying to infiltrate his ring for months but made no gains in the case and were mourning the loss of two undercover officers.

Phryne was alerted to the opium problem by her friend, Ada, who had lost her brother and two of his friends to this drug, destroying their families in the process. She wanted them brought to justice and had asked Phryne to dig a little, knowing that she knew people with questionable connections but did not expect her to fully immerse herself in the case by infiltrating the gang. Phryne asked around and didn't like what she heard. She became apprehensive about what she needed to do to get a result but felt it was too late to back out and was too proud to admit she was scared. Also, Ada had been so pleased when she had agreed to the assignment that she felt like she had no choice but to proceed. As a compromise, she had asked for Jack's help.

Jack was appalled at the idea of Phryne getting mixed up with these people and had tried to talk her out of it. He had firmly told her that City South would not get involved as it was politically sensitive: the Williamstown station had been tracking King Billy's movements for some time now and was getting close. He knew that although the officers from Williamstown were probably frustrated by their lack of progress and were two men down, they were very protective of their sting and resented outside involvement, especially from the likes of him, an officer who, in their view, wasn't a team player: he had single handedly exposed high-ranking officers and decent, hard-working men on the force as corrupt. And the rumours that he was involved with that woman, who had access to his cases didn't help either. Also, he explained to her, he was too caught up in the fallout from the Sanderson–Fletcher case to devote any time to this.

Phryne, of all people, should have known he would be busy and distracted: their argument had taken place just two days after he had come to her house, emotionally shattered and needing to be with her after thwarting Fletcher's sex-slave ring and exposing his corrupt ex-father-in-law, only to be awkwardly interrupted by Aunt Prudence when he moved to kiss her. She hadn't had a chance to talk to him again before she told him of her undercover plans.

Although she knew it was a difficult time for Jack, she was in too deep and refused to back down. She stuck out her chin in defiance and asked him how many other people would die as a result of the distribution of this drug and reminded him that her undercover work had solved many cases that the Victorian police force could not. Jack had to concede that this was true, but this case was different: these were very dangerous and clever criminals who had been suspected of terrorising Melbourne for years without being caught.

Phryne had smirked and suggested the possibility of an inside job involving bent coppers, given that Roberts seemed to have had free rein over the city for years now. This was a low blow and he was stung by her words that cut close to the bone. He almost begged her in the end but stopped when he realised that she would do it anyway. Exhausted and without the energy to fight, feeling completely overwhelmed and very alone, he stared at her with a look of utter dejection. Before she could say another word, he turned on his heels and strode out of her house, snatching his hat off the hall stand and disappearing out the door before she had a chance to stop him.

Phryne had felt like all the wind had been knocked out of her by his exit. She knew that look. Was he walking out on her again? Alter all that they had been through? She started to question why she had agreed to take on the assignment so readily, but self-doubt was something she was not used to feeling. The whole episode had left her feeling unnerved, so she did what she always did when confronted with emotional angst: she sought a distraction, this time by throwing herself into the case.

She went undercover as a recent repatriate from China. Her carefully constructed story was that she had been an opium-addicted concubine to wealthy businessmen in Shanghai, which had attracted a steady stream of foreigners to its busy ports after the war. She grew tired of this, she had explained to Roberts once she was granted rare access, and had business aspirations of her own so she sought a cure for her addiction in one of the many private clinics that catered to westerners, which had started to spring up across the city due to their high demand. She then set up her own business, which amassed enough money to allow her to return to Australia to set up shop in her local town to provide women and opium to the reckless and wealthy. Her sassy demeanour and her smattering of Shanghainese and Mandarin were enough to convince them of her story.

Once she was in the safety of her home during the case, she had wanted desperately to call Jack, to let him know that she was (of course) alive and well but sensed that she would either be met with stony silence, chastised again for getting herself into such a dangerous situation, or worse, told again that he didn't want to be part of her life. No, it would be better for her to wait until she was successful in finding proof of Roberts' involvement before she contacted him. Anyway, she figured he would no doubt be kept informed of her progress from Hugh, who was kept abreast of her adventures by a steady stream of information from Dot, which Phryne fed to her for this reason.

Roberts was a criminal mastermind who trusted no-one, but even he was not immune to her considerable charms and took a personal interest in this single, attractive woman with a keen sense for business, thereby smoothing her way to the heart of the operation and allowing her to quickly gain the information to have Roberts arrested.

At the end of the case when Phryne fronted up to Williamstown police station with the evidence they needed to put Roberts away, she was shocked at the threat to have her thrown in gaol for interference. Despite his anger and acute embarrassment in being outdone by a woman (particularly that woman), Reynolds, the DI in charge, acted swiftly and arrested Roberts.

Facing the noose, thwarted in love and shamed by being brought down by a woman — a lady detective at that — Roberts made sure she would suffer. His influence and reach allowed him to get messages to his men from the bowels of prison in which he ordered her capture and torture, with the ultimate aim of death. Roberts was smart and (usually) a good judge of character. He pegged her as someone who didn't like to be told what to do so suggested threats to goad her into coming out fighting.

DI Reynolds was quick to wash his hands of the admittedly impressive but meddlesome (not to mention intimidating) Miss Fisher and Jack was called in once they discovered that Phryne had starting receiving the notes from Roberts' associates. She knew he would get involved once he learnt of the death threats, and she had steeled herself for a confrontation, not knowing what to expect. She didn't have to wait long to find out: he came over as soon as he knew with an offer to take Phryne to a safe house while the Victorian police got on with their job.

Despite the way he stormed out of her house three weeks ago when she last saw him, and her reservations about how he would greet her, she had been very relieved when Jack turned up today. She looked at the concern on his face and softened. He looked tired and wrung out and she had missed him terribly, not just because she hadn't been able to discuss their cases with each other but because she missed him, his company. Although she hated being put in this situation, she was thankful that at least they were talking again.

Phryne sighed and took a step towards Jack and reached out to touch his arm. "I know this is hard for you. I know you are still angry at me for getting involved but I can't hide out somewhere, without contact with the outside world, not knowing when I will be able to go home." Phryne took a small step closer to him and continued. "And you know that going to the safe house will be hard for me. It's in a place that is just like Collingwood, full of poverty and misery and will take me straight back to my deplorable childhood. I don't want to do it, Jack. I will be locked in a house with nothing but memories and I will feel like I am suffocating. Please try and understand that. I am not being difficult for the sake of it, the thought of being stuck there terrifies me."

Jack looked at Phryne and saw the fear in her eyes. He took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping as he exhaled. He looked at her, holding her gaze. Here was a woman who was seemingly fearless but was terrified of evoking memories of her childhood and the loss of her sister. He knew this wasn't an easy thing for Phryne to admit. He looked away, uncertain of what to say that would convince her that her life was in danger and that staying and doing nothing was risky. He raised his head and took her hand in his.

"Phryne, it is not just you who is in danger, Dot and Mr Butler are in danger too and if these thugs find out where Jane goes to school, then she could also be in danger. They could kidnap her and hold her as ransom to get to you."

Phryne sucked in a breath at his words and took an involuntary step back from Jack, slowly withdrawing her hand from his. Why hadn't she considered that the people who meant the most to her in the world were also at risk from her involvement? How could she have been so stupid?

Jack took a step towards her and continued before her proud resolve kicked back in. "This is big," he continued, "Roberts may hang because of you and his men will do all that they can to hurt you. Right now they are probably jostling with each other to see who takes over as leader and your scalp may be what it takes for one of them to prove themselves worthy. Just spend some time away, send Dot and Mr Butler away and let us sort this out. Please."

Phryne was shocked and lost for words. She looked down, shaking her head, her proud demeanour slipping away. Jack had to act quickly; he had to come up with something that she would consider before she could gather her thoughts and refuse his help again. Although sensing that what he was about to suggest could go horribly wrong, he pressed on, presenting her with another option that would seem preferable to the safe house.

"Phryne, what if you went away but didn't have to go to the safe house?"

She looked at him, confused. "What do you mean? I thought a trip away was out of the question."

Jack swallowed, he felt uncomfortable but was unable to pull out now. "I have also been told I need to make myself scarce, to take some time off because things are heating up in the Sanderson and Fletcher case." Jack paused and looked away, the mere mention of their names causing him discomfort. He eventually continued and said quietly, "I have also been receiving anonymous threats, presumably from high-powered brothel clientele who have their reputations and marriages at stake." He looked up to see Phryne looking at him sadly. "Or from fellow officers who feel that the disclosure of the contents of the box of mementos from the brothels will result in good men losing their jobs because of nothing more than a momentary lapse in discretion."

Phryne looked even more forlorn and closed her eyes. She felt a familiar pang of regret that her insistence on taking the case and their ensuing argument meant that she was not there for Jack during his time of need. The shocking results of their last case together, Rosie's emotional needs, their thwarted kiss and now this; there was still so much to be said between them but their pride and stubbornness stood in the way.

She opened her eyes and stepped towards him. "Oh Jack," she said softly, her voice heavy with emotion.

Jack was comforted to know that she may have felt the same regret at the way they last parted. He also knew they needed to talk further about this but pushed it aside and pressed on with his plan. "I have been given the use of one of the police vehicles and told to lie low. What if you came with me? A compromise, a holiday if you like. Would you please consider that?"

Phryne's eyes widened at this suggestion. Surely he wasn't asking her to go away with him, just the two of them. "You would be willing to take me away with you? But where would we go?" she asked, confused and suddenly intrigued.

Jack knew he had one shot at this. "It's a country retreat that I stay at from time-to-time. It is isolated and private but not too remote and is comfortable and safe. We wouldn't be confined to the house and we would be ... alone ..." His voice trailed off, as the reality of what he was suggesting sank in. He felt uncomfortable and stared at the floor, blinking slowly, unsure of what to say next.

Phryne was also quiet. The thought of them going away alone with each other had rendered them both speechless. She was a little shocked at the inappropriateness of the offer, not because it offended her sensibilities, far from it, but she thought it strange that Jack, who seemed so morally upstanding, would have even entertained the idea of the two of them being alone together for days on end, let alone acted on it.

Jack lifted his head and looked at Phryne, steeling himself for her refusal. Phryne gazed back at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. She smiled cheekily and broke the silence. "Just the two of us, Jack? What will people think?" she teased, but was instantly sobered by the hurt on Jack's face.

Jack slumped his shoulders and looked away, unable to hold Phryne's gaze. She had no idea of how difficult this was for him and he was tired of her not taking this seriously. He put his hands on his hips and stood upright, scowling, squaring his shoulders for a fight. His eyes locked on hers. "This is not a time for jokes, Miss Fisher," he said angrily. "Do you think this is easy for me? I have been worried sick about you being amongst those people these past few weeks, not hearing from you, having to rely on snippets of information from Collins. I am extremely worried about your safety and I feel that you have left me no choice: if you won't go to a safe house then this was the only alternative I could think of." He paused, taking a deep breath to calm down, staring at the floor. "The timing is perfect and no-one will know where we have gone."

Phryne was startled by the vehemence of his outburst. "Jack," she said softly, "I don't want to think that you have compromised your integrity by feeling you have no choice but to take me with you. I fear you will only resent me if I say yes. After all, you need to get away from all that has happened these past weeks. And you would probably like a break from me," she added quietly.

Jack gave Phryne one of his penetrating looks and again reached for her hand, softly caressing her knuckles with his thumb. "Phryne, I am sorry it came out that way. I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want to. Of course I know that this would be considered inappropriate but I don't care about that," he said showing rare irreverence to societal expectations. "You are my friend and all I care about is your safety. What sort of holiday would I have if I worried about you all the time? Let me help make sure you are safe."

Phryne knew Jack cared for her, loved her perhaps, but was still deeply moved by his words. She knew this would have been a difficult decision for him and wondered if this would be a game changer in their fragile relationship. She pushed this thought aside, offered him a small smile and gazed into his eyes.

Jack relaxed his grip on her hand as she slowly withdrew it. He watched her smile fade as a range of emotions played across her face and he held his breath as he steeled himself for her answer. He watched her bite her lip as she weighed up the pros and cons of his offer. He held his breath; if it was no, then they were back to square one: Phryne refusing outright to budge or compromise in any way. If she said yes, he would have to make good on his promise.

"So, where is this country retreat?" she asked.

"Err ... It's my grandparents' property near Daylesford. When they died a few years back, the property passed on to my mother and it is now used as a holiday house by my family. I spent quite a lot of time there as a boy with my grandparents in the school holidays. It is quite picturesque and has a lovely creek running through it," he added, trying to pique Phryne's interest, knowing of her love of water and swimming. He swallowed at the image of Phryne in her bathing costume, or worse, without one, but gathered his thoughts and added enigmatically, "You could say it was my retreat from the troubles of my youth."

Phryne cocked her head slightly. She was intrigued: despite spending quite a bit of time together, Phryne knew very little about Jack's past. This was an opportunity too good to miss. And, she thought, it was a compromise, her small way of acknowledging that Jack was right: she was in danger and going away without her staff would be best under the circumstances.

"So, not a cottage in Lorne then?" she teased again.

This time Jack managed a small smile, relieved at the change in mood, despite fretting a little about her accepting his offer. It seemed Phryne was not the only one guilty of making hasty decisions without proper consideration of the consequences.

Phryne beamed at him and threw her arms out to her sides, slapping them down on her thighs. "All right, I will," she smiled, chin up. "You're right: I could do with a holiday." She watched the expression on Jack's face change quickly from one of relief to dread, before he gathered his thoughts and gave her one of his more familiar, neutral expressions. "Unless, of course," she spoke slowly, looking up at him with a smile, "you have just changed your mind, Inspector."

Jack gave her a small, lopsided smile. How was it that they had argued and she had finally agreed to something that he had suggested but she still managed to act like she was the victor? Jack exhaled and tried to appear relaxed, fooling no-one. "I ... err ... good! I am pleased you have finally found some sense, Miss Fisher," he answered stiffly, forcing a smile. "I think we should leave as soon as it is possible for you to organise some things for the ... err ... trip and for your staff to organise alternative accommodations."

Phryne smiled at Jack's awkwardness. This was going to be an interesting few days. "Well, that's settled then," she said brightly. "Tell me what I need to bring and I will be ready first thing tomorrow morning."

Jack shook his head. "It's too dangerous to leave in daylight, Miss Fisher. I suggest that we leave late tonight so we can travel under the cover of darkness. The property is several hours away, so if we leave at, say eleven, we should be there around three tomorrow morning."

Phryne was taken aback by the speed at which this was now progressing but decided, for once, not to argue and they discussed what she should bring with her. They agreed that she would tell no-one where she was going, only that she would be safe and would contact them once she was home again. Satisfied they had covered all that needed to be discussed, Jack declared that he should be going so he could pack and moved into the hall to collect his hat, with Phryne closely behind him. He turned and opened the door.

"Jack," Phryne started, unsure of how to continue.

Jack turned around to face her, nervously fidgeting with the rim of his hat. Was she going to change her mind?

"Thank you," Phryne said softly, stepping closer to him and reaching out to squeeze his hand. "I am touched by your concern for me, I really am. I couldn't ask for a better friend."

Despite his smile, Phryne detected sadness in Jack's expression. They gazed into each other's eyes in only the way they could, their small way of acknowledging, but not acting on, the attraction that flowed between them. It was like gravity, gently pulling them together, only to be hindered by their fierce independence, an equal and opposite force that held them apart.

Jack nodded and squeezed her hand back before letting go to walk through the door. She watched him walk down her path, her mind already full of possible scenarios, but now was not the time for that: she had packing to do. She blew out a breath. Time, she thought uneasily, they would certainly have plenty of that.