Side by side [Jane Banks x Jack the Lamplighter]

Chapter 1

After the lovely afternoon at the Spring Fair the Banks family all went back home to Micheal's house. The children were quite distraught when they found out Mary Poppins had left, but after their father and aunt explained to them that she had helped everyone she came here to help and that they would surely see her again some day, they accepted it with a sad smile. 

Mary Poppins had saved all of them. She might've said she came here to take care of Micheal's children, but she helped Micheal and Jane just as much. Micheal's was obvious, since she helped save the house and bring back his child-like spirit. But Jane's problem was a little bit more hidden under the surface. 

Jane is a person who is full of love. She loves her brother, her niece and nephews, Ellen and every single person in London that she works for with SPRUCE. All that love in her and yet she had given up on finding someone to love in a romantic way. I mean, who would want to be with a "labour organizer" right? Right. So she thought, until Mary Poppins showed up. 

Jane had spent the afternoon at the Spring Fair flying through the air with Jack. Jack is a lamplighter who was an apprentice to the Chimney Sweep, Bert, whom she had known as a child. Jack always used to wave at her and Micheal when he would light the street lantern right in front of their house at 17 Cherry Tree Lane when they were kids. She had always thought he was rather cute but when she moved to her flat on the other side of town, she never saw him around anymore. That changed when Mary Poppins arrived for the second time. Everyone else had already noticed that there was a spark between them from the moment they met, but the Spring Fair was when it became quite clear to the both of them that they were definitely more than friends.

Right before they were about to part in the sky, Jack took both of Jane's hands in his. 

"Will I see you again?" He asked, his cheeks flushing red the moment he said it.

Jane giggled.

"Of course you will. I'm going to be at Micheal's house until late today so..." Jane grinned.

"We might bump into each other then." Jack smiled. 

"Yes, we might." Jane looked him in the eyes and saw a spark she had never seen in anyone's before.

Jack picked up Jane's left hand and placed a gentle kiss on it. She blushed at the feeling of his lips on her hand. And, just at the fact that he was such a cute guy. How lucky she was that Jack had come into their lives. 

"Well, I'll see you later then?" Jane smiled.

"Certainly!" Jack beamed.

They exchanged a couple of smiles before floating away from each other. 

Jack went back to his home, with his balloon tied to his bike. He got ready for his evening rounds and couldn't wait to get started so he could get to Cherry Tree Lane as quick as possible.

-

Inside of the Banks family home Jane was helping Ellen with the dinner.

"So, when y'a gunna see that handsome lamplighter again ey?" Ellen suddenly asked Jane with a grin.

"Tonight, probably. When he comes here for his evening rounds." Jane blushed, not even trying to hide it since she knows Ellen would see it anyway. 

"Uuh, y'a better put on something nice then." Ellen said. Jane pretended to be offended.

"Isn't this nice then, Ellen?" She said gesturing to her current outfit. She was still in her pink trousers and green blazer that she wore to the Fair. 

"You know what I mean!" Ellen laughed. 

"I don't think Jack cares wether I wear nice clothes or normal clothes. I don't think he's that kind of guy. And anyway I'm not that kind of woman." Jane states.