Hotel, Moscow, Very Late Tuesday, 1902

[bitten_notshy]

The interviews in Dyachenko's office had been slow, uphill work at first, even with Starkad helping as he could. They'd ruled out almost everyone in Starkad's old court for one reason or another before moving on to look at the people the wampyr had known but rejected.

It was the same story: This one had left town. That one had a perfect alibi. And so on.

After a few fruitless hours, Jack started in his seat at a sudden mental leap. "It's not about the vampires," he realized as he massaged his temples. "It's about Irina. Her lovers, her patrons, her friends. And the second murder only happened when we came back to Moscow and started asking about her. Someone must have thought she would be slipping away."

Emma nodded, easily picking up the train of thought as she turned to the girl. "Who wants you and cannot have you, Irina? And has for the last five years?"

Irina's eyes scrunched shut as she shook her head, obviously thinking hard about the question.

"If it helps," Dyachenko added, "we know it was someone left-handed. And someone who could make a good pass at forging Lesya's hand -- her employees got a message 'from' her after she died."

Something seemed to click into place at that. "Well," Irina said hesitantly, "I know a forger."

****

Jack and Emma almost did not follow along with the police as they went after Dmitri Sergeyevich, a professional forger. He wanted to be a painter, and failed at anything beyond copying; he'd also wanted to join Starkad's court and Irina's bed, and had been denied at those turns as well. And now he could add murderer to his list of failures.

They went, in the end, because Irina asked for the support, and Jack could not say no.

It was worth it. If they hadn't, Jack wouldn't have seen Starkad lift Dmitri by his throat to coolly inform him that he was nothing before stepping away, as if the slight effort to kill him would be wasted.

The scene replayed in Jack's head as they got back to the hotel. Soon, as soon as Sebastien was here, he'd go back in the 21st century with Emma. Tomorrow was for those goodbyes. Tonight he just wanted to rest.

[OOC: Loosely based on The White City. NFB. For SP with icecoldfrost and possibly one other. And this is the very end of Jack's canon for now yay!]

Comments

[wantstoforget.livejournal.com]

Christ, Jack was young. Sometimes Sebastien almost managed to forget it.

"I once went nearly two hundred years without saying more than three words to Evie, and you saw how hard I mourned," he answered. "And I haven't made a habit of taking in street urchins all these years. I could not forget you."

[bitten_notshy]

That drew a tiny smile out of Jack.

"I still don't like it," he confessed. "And if I find out you walked into the sun, or something horribly maudlin like that, I will come back and find you and chain myself to your wrist. Don't think I won't."

[wantstoforget.livejournal.com]

Sebastien arched an eyebrow. "That will be very interesting when you begin to transform."

[bitten_notshy]

"I'll figure out a way around that," Jack promised. "Or else it will just be too bad for us, won't it?"

He smiled lazily at Sebastien.

"So. Does it feel different, after Starkad?"

Long ago, after Jack's first visit to Irina's bed, Sebastien had asked him much the same question. This was repaying a debt.

[wantstoforget.livejournal.com]

It took Sebastien a moment to recognize the reference. When he did, he coughed a surprised laugh into his palm.

"You mean, did he make a man out of me?" he obediently parroted. "It was interesting. It has been a very long time since I was in a position to -- give myself over to something stronger."

He paused, weighed telling Jack the next bit, and went ahead. "It turns out it's surprisingly easy."

[bitten_notshy]

"I could have told you that," Jack said, still smiling. "Is that a piece of why you're staying? Wanting to be near him?"

[wantstoforget.livejournal.com]

Sebastien let his shoulders rise and fall. "I think it would be good for him to be the one who leaves this time."

[bitten_notshy]

"Saint Sebastien the Merciful," Jack mocked lightly. "Well. At least this time I cannot possibly be jealous."

[wantstoforget.livejournal.com]

"And yet a younger Jack would have found a way," Sebastien said.

He switched to Czech before he spoke again. //I'm proud of you, Jan. And I plan to make it through the next century just to see what you do with your rather extraordinary life. Do not let me down.//

[bitten_notshy]

Jack was surprised and delighted -- first at the choice of language, then at the words themselves. He abandoned his plate to kneel by Sebastien's side.

//I have an extraordinary life because I never want to let you down.//

And then he was going to seal it with a kiss. The physical closeness was not easy, but he could withstand a few moments of discomfort to close things off properly.