Hold My Hand

Recovery

She was back. She had just been released from the hospital. Sneed had taken out her stitches, and there had been no sign of infection. Her heart was listened to multiple times a week, and every time, it sounded as if she had never had an aneurysm.

The only problem was, Elizabeth hadn't talked to Jack Dawkins since her surgery. She hadn't felt his touch, held his hand, anything.

Oliver Twist had called off his engagement to Fanny very quickly and left for London, leaving the other two Fox sisters to pick up the pieces of the redhead's heartbreak.

The only sister prospering in the department of romance was Belle. She had fallen deeply and desperately in love with Edward Williams, and he her.

The three sisters and the guard did everything together. Edward had been promoted to the girls' personal bodyguard.

Elizabeth had started working as a doctor at the hospital, and gotten her degree by manipulating a drunk Prof into signing it.

Sneed reluctantly handed over Jack's patients to her, and let her assist in his surgeries.

The older surgeon quickly learned that the girl was made to heal. She was bright, and fast to learn.

Rainsford still had to keep an eye on her. That was part of the deal he had made with the Governor to let her work there.

Hetty was a great help as well. She would assist Elizabeth with every surgery.

A day ago, she had performed an amputation in front of an audience in 18 seconds. Everyone was amazed. She got more tips than Jack and Sneed had ever gotten in her first day. Of course, the money went straight to the needy.

Belle and Fanny would often help the nurses in the patient's ward, and Edward would be tasked with making sure Prof didn't drink himself to death.

Aputi, Tim, and Flashbang would help Elizabeth with autopsies, immediately taking a liking to the girl. Red started showing up openly now that Gaines was dead. Elizabeth would babysit her baby girl when she was stealing, who was named after her and Hetty.

Henrietta Elizabeth.

Overall, Elizabeth's life was so much better, except for one detail.

Jack.

————

"Psst.  Liz!"  Edward hissed at two in the morning.  The said woman had tried to ignore him for five minutes, but finally she groaned and rolled over in her bed. 

"What could you possibly want at this hour? Belle is asleep."

"Actually this is one of the rare times I'm not here for her.  A guard at the prison has crabs.  I have to fill in for the weekend." The blonde guard replied.

"So?"

"So, I'll see Jack."

The strawberry blonde gasped and sprang out of bed, ignoring the shooting pain in her abdomen from moving too fast.  She opened the window and pulled the Lieutenant in harshly.

"Owwww." Ed whined.

"I wrote letters because I needed to get my feelings out, but I never mailed them. Here."

She handed him a pile of letters. "They're numbered. Tell him to read them in order. And give him more parchment to write back with, and a quill."

Edward nodded. "Anything else?" He asked rhetorically.

"Yes. Go downstairs and get them food."

"Them?"

"Well, Fagin's in there too. He has to eat as well, and I've had patients tell me that the prison food is too gross." The Fox sister said. She led him downstairs to the kitchen and made them some cucumber sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, and packed them plenty of apples, oranges, and bananas, as well as drinks and the letters and writing supplies.

The guard smirked. "You're really in love with this guy if you woke up just to make him food."

"You have no idea."

————

32 days and counting.  The tallies on the stone wall displayed that number.  Jack couldn't tell anymore. 

Prison food was awful.  The only decent food he had been fed at all was a rotten apple that Fagin had picked out of a guard's pocket.

The old man tried cheering Jack up, but nothing could. No news had come. He didn't know if his Elizabeth was alive. He wanted to see her, to touch her, hold her, kiss her, everything. The thought that she might be dead killed him.

It was early in the morning, dawn. Jack could tell from the tiny sliver of sunrise that peered through the hole in the cement. His mentor was whistling in the middle of the cell, much to the blonde's annoyance.

There was a clanging noise and the sound of a key turning. The prisoner whipped around to see a familiar guard.

"Edward?"

"Hey, Jack." The guard grinned. Jack noticed that he was holding a massive basket. "I am filling in for a guard. Awful case of dysentery. Anyways, I've got a care package for you and Fagin."

The former surgeon scoffed. "Who would send us one of those?"

Fagin came up behind him. "Yeah, Dodge and I aren't exactly liked."

The Lieutenant smirked. "You'll see." He put the basket on the ground and pulled out an envelope labeled 1.

Jack opened it cautiously and a piece of stationary came out. He skimmed over it.

"Dearest Jack,

You are the most magnificent surgeon in the world. You have successfully saved my life. Here I am, a week after my surgery, sitting in bed and writing to you. Sneed says I should be completely fine in a week. Thanks to you. Since the surgery, my heart is back to normal. No more throbbing sounds. No more attacks. Just a slight pinch of pain from the scar on my abdomen, but that was expected. I truly owe you my life.

Which is why my sisters, Edward, and I are hatching a plan to get you and Fagin pardoned. Trust me when I say that I don't care about your past. I don't care that you escaped prison almost 16 years ago, or that you were at the scene of the crime when Lucien Gaines was shot and killed. He deserved it.

I never expected to throw away my common sense of the law for a man, but for you I would throw away anything.

I fantasize of the day when we reunite, I fantasize of the long and passionate nights we spend together, and I fantasize about the day when you are finally home. Please come home.

I love you with all my heart, always.

Yours Forever,
Ellie Fox."

Jack almost sobbed in relief. She was alive. Or at least she had been three weeks ago. He looked up at the guard.

"Oh, don't worry. There's at least a dozen more letters where that came from. You can write her back too. She's eagerly waiting for a reply."

The blonde nodded, before turning to see Fagin peel an orange from the basket.

"She made food?" He asked.

"Yeah. At three in the morning." The guard grumbled.

The former surgeon stuck his hand out for Edward to shake.

"Thank you."

"Anything for Lizzie."

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(A/N): IMMMM BACKKKK! Plsss give me feedback!

Don't be a silent reader!

Date: 3/30/24

Word Count: 1575