The Alternate Journey

Chapter 41

With a smile in place, she swung open the door and when she saw who was on the other side, she froze.

"Harry."

In front of her the tall redhead took a deep breath and it was abundantly clear that seeing her on the other side of the door was a bit of a shock to his system. Though his eyes flittered down over what she was wearing, he forced them back to her eyes and cleared his throat. As he recovered, his smile turned genuine and his mouth opened to speak. But before anything else could be said, Bishop's voice called out as he rounded the corner.

"Mademoiselle," it was softer, higher and held onto his perfected French accent. "I was told that there was something..." When he stepped around the corner, both people standing in the doorway turned to look at him. His feet stopped moving and Maddie's eyes flashed wide.

There he was, was wearing a wide grin, those devilish eyes, and a French Maid fascinator with a feather duster in his hand. And if they could have heard his heart, they would have heard it stop beating in his chest. His eyes flashed from his half-dressed girlfriend to his former best friend who had quickly averted his eyes from this clearly intimate moment.

Bishop's smile faded only a little as he managed to find his voice; stepping forward, he croaked, "Harry?"

"I..." Harry cleared his throat and looked back up at Bishop. "I probably should have called..."

"It's okay," Bishop shook his head, moving slowly towards him. "Are you...is everything...okay?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, looking down at his hands that fidgeted nervously. "I heard you were in town and I thought...I don't know. I was hoping maybe I could talk to you?"

"Of course," Bishop breathed, his surprise evident as his eyes glancing to the door behind him. "Do you have a shadow out there or are you jumping fences these days?"

"Jim's here," Harry stood to the side, raising his eyebrows to Bishop. "Do you mind if he?"

"Not at all," Bishop shook his head and watched as Jim slipped inside. With a small, polite nod, Jim moved around them, into the house.

"So I'm just going to..." Maddie turned from Harry, her smile fixed on Bishop as she moved over to him. "I'm going to go back to the room and find a movie and give you two some time."

"You sure?" Bishop caught her eyes and her hand in his.

"Of course," she nodded, sliding the feather duster out of his hand and reaching up to his head. "And I'm just going to take these..." She plucked the fascinator from his head, trying hard to stifle the laughter that was bubbling inside at his appearance.

"Thank you," his smile was sweet, his eyes hosting a whole swell of emotions.

"You're welcome," she leaned up to kiss him. "Take your time, I'll see you later. Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay," he nodded, humored by her offer as she slipped away from him.

"Harry," she turned a smile and nod to him.

"Maddie," he whispered as he pulled his eyes up from where they were focused on the ground, trying not to intrude, not to eavesdrop.

With one last pat to Bishop's arm, Maddie slipped away from them; down the hall towards their bedroom, out of site. After Jim moved past them, nodding as he stepped outside, Bishop's eyes fell on Harry. Studying him for a moment, he took a few steps forward; meeting him at the door. "Well. I have to tell you. I never in a million years would have guessed I would see you here tonight."

"Yeah," Harry sighed, looking right at his former best friend. "I hope it's okay that I..."

"It is," Bishop nodded quickly, growing more and more curious by the second. "Do you want to come in?" Harry nodded and moved further in, shutting the door behind him growing more and more curious by the second. "Have a drink?"