Why He Left Part I

Why He Left Part I

Summary: He left her all those years ago, but why?

A/N: This is the first part to the "Why He Left" series. Indiana Jones has left Marion Ravenwood twice, the first was many years ago. The second was before their wedding. Part I will show why he left the first time, and Part II will go into why he left the second time. Soon after I will post Part III, "Why He Stayed," the last of the series. Anyway, enjoy the story and don't forget to review! :D

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Year: 1926

He couldn't believe his eyes. It was the find of a lifetime, proof that Abner's dream wasn't as far out of reach as everyone had once thought. It was bronze… round, with a crystal in the middle. Abner believed it was supposed to be put on the staff and could be the key to finding the Ark of the Covenant. Indiana Jones would never have believed it possible if he hadn't seen it with his own two eyes. It was amazing, but their work wasn't done yet. There was still much to go over, more clues to find that would lead them to one of the greatest discoveries… he couldn't even imagine something bigger.

"Indy! Indy over here!" shouted Shallah from the Egyptian temple they'd recently uncovered.

Indiana rushed inside to see Abner furiously writing something down as he sat in front of a wall covered with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. "What've you found?" he asked.

Shallah stood behind Abner, his look filled with amazement. "He believes this will tell us where to go next. Could it be Indy? The Ark!"

Indiana took a seat beside Abner and studied his old teacher's translations. "Good god."

"Yes, I believe that's just what the Hebrews said," Abner said with amusement.

"Marion! Marion! Where the heck are you?! Marion!"

Marion peeked out her tent and rolled her eyes as she watched Indiana Jones run toward her tent, looking around as if possessed. Probably another wonderful discovery in the works. How exciting! "In here, Jones," she shouted and sat back down at her desk, opening the book she'd been reading. Indy rushed into her tent, his eyes beaming with excitement. "Care for a drink?"

"No thanks, come on! You have to see this! It's… it's… amazing!"

"I was in the middle of reading my book, Jones! I'm at the really good part," she complained.

"Marion! It's important! Abner's close, closer than he's ever been. He might actually find the Ark, Marion!"

Again she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Indy-"

Suddenly he reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her out of the tent and toward the opening of the underground temple. "There's no time! You have to see this!"

Indiana Jones, the thorn in her side. Why did she have to love him so much?

"Don't you see Marion?! This could lead us to finally finding the Ark. This is Abner's dream! I always thought it was impossible, that the old coot was losing it… but we found it. We actually found it."

Marion smiled, watching Indy. She'd never seen him so excited. "Wow Jones, show some excitement already," she teased sarcastically.

Indiana smiled at her, walking up close, standing right in front of her. His smile changed to a sexy smirk, the look he usually gave her when he wanted to flirt. It almost seemed like he was going to kiss her, but he held his position. "I know how boring this stuff is, but I thought you'd be a little more excited."

"It's not boring… it's just not my cup of tea."

Jones rolled his eyes. He knew her well enough to know history wasn't exactly her thing. She knew much about it, but cared very little… which was rather ironic considering who she had as a father. "But put some alcohol your way and suddenly you're all ears," he teased.

She just shrugged, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What can I say, I'm a simple girl."

Indy laughed at that. "Of all the things you are, Marion… simple you are not," he assured her before giving her a peck on the lips.

Suddenly his expression turned serious and his lips descended on her once more. This time it was far more passionate, his arms wrapping around her body and pulling her to him. He'd never kissed her before, and Marion wasn't sure how to react. She shouldn't kiss him back, but she was. She opened her mouth to him and his tongue immediately explored her mouth. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't supposed to be kissing him. Abner certainly wouldn't approve, especially when a rich and handsome suitor had made his interest so well known. Richard Turner, the man who'd financed Abner's expedition would be very disappointed were he to stumble onto her kiss with Indy. So would Abner for that matter, which was a great possibility since both were nearby and could come down whenever they so wished. Yet somehow it didn't stop her from pulling him closer, claiming his mouth just as he seemed to be claiming hers. He pushed her against the ancient temple wall, kissing her even harder if it was even possible.

His hands began to roam down from her waste and Marion was becoming more and more overwhelmed. It was dangerous to be kissing him with such passion, such a lack of control. She wanted him so badly… to be with him, to love him. Marion could see their future… married with a son just as stubborn and as hard-headed as Indy was. She could see a house with a white picket fence. On weekends they'd all go as a family on digs in other countries… Nepal and Cairo. His son would grow up to be just like his father… and she'd wake up in Indy's arms every morning for the rest of her life. She wasn't usually like that… so sentimental. Marion groaned as Indy stroked her back, moving his hands even lower. Suddenly there were footsteps and just like that, the kiss ended as they both jumped apart just in time. "Dad," she greeted quickly, trying not to give anything away. "Jones here was just showing me your new discovery."

"Henry, you should be more careful, what if there'd been traps. If she'd touched anything-"

"I made sure she didn't," Indy interrupted.

"Go on Marion, back to your tent. It's getting dark."

Marion nodded, leaving Indy's side and walked up the temple steps.

"Richard Turner is a good man," Abner told him after sitting in the temple for almost an hour in silence. Indy looked away from his journal.

"Certainly is loaded," he noted.

"He'd give my Marion a good life, Henry."

"Abner look-"

"She's nineteen. She has a bright future ahead of her. She deserves better than-"

"Than what?" Indy interrupted. "Than me? Is that what you were going to say?"

"Frankly yes. You are like a son to me, Henry. I care about you a great deal, but I must think about what's good for my daughter. She doesn't deserve to be dragged around the world as I've done… the man in her life more obsessed with history than what's right in front of him. You will make a great Archeologist one day… better than I could ever be. Let her have a better life than either I or you could give her. If you love her as much as I know you do… you'll let her go, Henry."

Indiana threw his journal down and left his shock and anger getting the best of him. How could Abner say that? It wasn't about who could take care of her, it was about who loved her. He did! Why wasn't that enough?! In his anger he neglected to watch where he was going and ran into Marion.

She smiled, her eyes immediately lighting up. "Indy! I thought you'd still be down in the temple with Dad!"

Indiana took her hand in his. "Come with me."

"Come with you where?" she asked in confusion.

Indy pulled her along, holding her hand tight as he rushed her away from the camp. It was getting dark and once he was sure no one could see them he immediately kissed her hard on the lips. Marion paused for a second before kissing him back, wrapping her arms around him. He did the same, pulling her further into him. When they could no longer breathe he broke the kiss. "I love you," he whispered to her before they sank to the sand and he showed her just how much. To her it was just the beginning… to him it was the end.

He laid her back on her cot hours later. It was still pretty dark outside… he'd made sure no one saw him. She'd slept the entire time, even while he'd put her clothes back out. Part of him regretted what he'd done with her, but he knew he'd never have the chance again. Abner was right… she deserved so much more than him. She deserved someone who could truly take care of her, and give her everything she needed. Richard could do just that. Maybe Marion could even come to love the bastard. They'd be a happy little family one day. The thought almost haunted him. He kissed her tenderly, stroking her long, raven black hair. "Goodbye Marion," he whispered and left her tent, never looking back.

"Henry, you can't do this!" Abner fought as he watched Indiana pack his bags.

"What, you expected me to stick around?! I thought you didn't approve of me!" he shouted.

"I don't approve of this either! You're family to me! You know that! I've trained you as an Archeologist for years, taught you everything I know! You can't leave! Not like this!"

"I love her, Abner! I can't… I can't just let her slip through my fingers… see her with some other guy! I just can't do that!"

"Henry wait!"

He ignored Abner's cry, continuing to pack.

"Indiana!" Abner shouted.

Indy stopped, and turned to look at Abner. "She cares about you, Abner… and I won't get in the way of that. You're her father. I'll be sure to keep in touch… let you know how I'm doing." He shut his suitcase and walked over to Abner with it in hand. "Just tell her… tell her I'm sorry."

"No! You tell her that yourself!" he fought.

Indy shook his head. "I just can't, Abner. I just can't." And like that… he was gone.

Marion Ravenwood never married Richard Turner. She mourned the loss of the only man she'd really ever loved. It took years to recover from one of the worst afflictions she'd ever faced… a broken heart. Abner tried to help the only way he knew how, but it took years for her to wake up with a smile on her face… even longer for her to almost forget what Indiana had done to her. After ten years… she'd learned to hate him.

Ten Years Later 1936

She'd always known he'd come back. After Abner died he'd left her the only thing he'd had left… a circle of bronze with a crystal in the middle. She'd known Indiana Jones would come back… would want it someday… come walking through her door. That thought kept her going until the day she could show him just what he'd done to her. She punched him in the face with all she had, her anger seeping through and fueling the fire.

"I learned to hate you in the last ten years!"

"I never meant to hurt you," he told her.

Ha! That was a laugh. "I was a child! I was in love! It was wrong and you knew it!" She'd slept with him… gave up everything to him. She'd been a virgin until that night. The next day he left. He used her and left… used her feelings for him and just ran away.

"You knew what you were doing."

She wanted to hit him again. "Now I do! This is my place! Get out!" She briefly speaks to someone who works for her, tells him to lock up and leave.

"I did what I did. You don't have to be happy about it, but maybe we could help each other out now."

He wanted something. What a shock! He really was like her father… they'd both loved the same woman… history. That's all either of them had ever really cared about. He asked about an old artifact. The one he'd known Indiana would come looking for. When she resisted him he asked for her father. "Where's Abner?"

"Abner's dead," she told him.

"Marion, I'm sorry."

"What you did to me-" she said, the pain coming out to the surface.

"I can only say I'm sorry so many times."

"Well say it again anyway!" she shouted, throwing the glasses every which way.

"Sorry."

As she grabbed the glasses from the table she shook her head. "Yeah, everybody's sorry. Abner was sorry for dragging me all around this Earth looking for his little piece of junk. I'm sorry to still be stuck in this dive. Everybody's sorry for something," she said, finally standing beside him. But all he cares about is that stupid piece of junk, even shoves money in her hand just as she's about to hit him. She tells him to come back tomorrow. "See you tomorrow, Indiana Jones," She said with an almost sick laugh.

He leaves, but returns just in time to save her life. She's afraid… afraid she'll fall in love with him again… as if she ever fell out of love! But somehow she knows it's pointless. She just hopes things will be better the second time around. When all of it is over… it's is better. For a while.

The End