Fanfiction in several chapters inspired by 'Grantchester'

Sympathy for the Devil / Angst

Gosh, I'm (finally) back on tracks and coming with an update. I hope every person reading this is doing fine. Unsettling descriptions / angstish. Mentions of intercourse.

Y/N had every reason in the world to be in a constant mood of sheer glee. She had found her calling, after years of wandering through the rare jobs she was given. She had surfed on years of prejudice simply based on the fact that she was a woman but at last, she rose above it. She could work for something that mattered. Moreover, she now had a someone to share her new life with. She may not have been familiar with Cambridge just yet but she could always count on Sidney to feel at home. Their relationship was not an openly discussed one, they still were keeping it private, mostly to avoid the tittle-tattle to which Y/N could have been exposed for being the beloved canon's fiancée. Both of them were more than proud to have each other in their lives and would have craved to make it public but it still was slightly risky. Ever since the open secret to his dedication towards Amanda, Sidney did not wish to reiterate that experience.

But one day, her state of unconcealed newly adopted happiness was shaken by a sordid development. In the primary school she was working in for about two months was found the corpse of one of the charwomen. She had never seen a thing like that and was deeply troubled by the sight of it, being the one that had discovered the middle-aged woman lying in her own blood. As the children started to gather around the police officers that had arrived to talk about how dapper they looked with their badge and cars, Y/N reached out for Sidney in hope to get solace from the craved contact. Sidney had told her only a few days prior that he was investigating with Geordie on certain cases. And there he was, on his bike as Geordie had called him. Y/N knew she didn't have much time alone with Sidney before he would have to assist his friend on the suspicious case. As short as it was, it made her feel better. Not for long though.

Being a witness, besides being the one who called the police, Y/N was suspected as soon as the death of the woman was acknowledged as being a murder. Geordie made clear that it was solely a matter of usual procedure while summoning Y/N to follow him to the police station. Which she complied to with much displeasure, not that she had anything to hide but she thought of the opinion of the few adults gathered. She by being still a foreigner to the hamlet and one of those women assuming their acts through her clothes and manners, hoped that no one would spread a rumour. She also thought of Sidney and what he would think of it all.

Sidney who had attended a few gawkers in need for a clerk to reassure them suddenly saw the sad look upon Y/N's face as Geordie was escorting her. The vicar could not believe that Geordie would be this dumb as to think that Y/N would have anything to do with this case. It was as though Geordie, who he acknowledged as being one of his closest friends - not to say his one and only close friend - had planted a dagger in his chest. He knew deep down that it was a conventional interview but yet, seeing a woman he cared about being presented as a dangerous criminal felt odd. Had Georgie no common sense of what the life a village was like?

In fact, Sidney could hear almost every Sunday after the mass the crowd taking pleasure to invent gossips about Y/N. It was as if his parishioners had not heard a word about his sermon on loving each other and trating people the way you would like to be treated. He sometimes would lose hope for the giggling souls that delighted in spreading that Y/N loved women - as if it was the most terrible crime - or that she was too flirtatious. That was part of the reasons why he wanted to shout loud and clear that Y/N was the most gentle woman he knew and that he was happy to call her his. But then again, living in such a quiet place made him doubt of the reception of the news. If it was for him, he would have said it early on but since he cared too much about Y/N, he would rather keep it a secret a bit longer. Of all things, Sidney did not want things to go down hill.

The car was on his way to start its journey towards the police station when Sidney approached it enough for Geordie to have a glance at him. Geordie knew Sidney would be discomfited and tried to talk him out of being angry. None of he three wanted to make a scene out of it and yet, Sidney harshly told Geordie his way of thinking. There was no convincing and Geordie made clear that if Sidney was to carry on with that tone, he would be nicked as well. Sidney let go, only to be even more mad at Geordie than before the altercation.

In the back of the car, Y/N sighed loudly as the engine breathed out on the country road. She did not dare looking back at Sidney that was fuming with his fists clenched under the porch of the school. It took him a few minutes to know what he would do next. His bike was still lying on the grass next to him. 

Once in the police station, Y/N felt sullied. Sure she knew she was not remotely close to the worst kind but being associated to it was unpleasant. Time had stopped from the moment she had stepped inside the building. Geordie was being as polite as can be. If Sidney had fallen for her, he believed him and his instincts. Besides, he had talked many times to her to be persuaded that she had not committed anything outlawed. He then started the interview as random as possible. He wanted to know about her whereabouts for the hours prior to her discovery of the corpse. Forensics being what they are, only an approximative time of death could be given but it was only to confirm that Y/N could not have done it. The thing was: Y/N had spent the night with Sidney and she knew that the interview would lead to him being involved. She thus decided to admit that she had been alone all night in her flat. Of course that could rise suspicion but that was the cost to keep Sidney out of it.

"You're telling me no one can affirm that you were home?", Geordie questioned.

"Oh come on, Geordie, you know just as I do that a woman alone at night is an easy target, even in a village like Grantchester... I stayed home and only left to go to work", Y/N opted for a lie by omission. After all she did stay at home all night. She simply forgot to mention that someone else was too.

"You know that doesn't sound so good. Is there anything you'd like to say?"

It is right when Y/N was about to lie a second time by replying that no, she did not have anything to say any longer that Sidney entered the room unceremoniously. He said he had to talk to Geordie immediately. Y/N witnessed that her beau was wound up and that although he managed to hide it, he was close to hit Geordie if the latter denied his request. Did Geordie see it too or was he simply curious about what would come next? Be that as it may, the two men left. Sidney by standing on the threshold smiled at Y/N. That smile meant everything. Y/N understood what it meant.

Sidney would tell Geordie that Y/N's alibi was assured as he had spent the night with her, thus revealing to the whole village that her and him had a relationship of the sort. If the circumstances had been any different, Y/N would have stopped Sidney to do so but she knew that she would do better by not acting that way.

"Y/N could not have murdered that poor woman", Sidney announced in another room him and Geordie had been exiled into.

"She doesn't have an alibi though, we need to look -"

Sidney interrupted his friend "She was with me all night"

"Could you attest of that?" Seeing that Sidney scoffed, Geordie added "I mean, she could've left an hour or two..."

"Geordie, I would have noticed since I didn't sleep much last night. Nor did she if you truly want to know", Sidney had not wished to go into detail about his private life but there he was alluding to his sexual life to his friend and colleague.

"Oh you depraved folks", Geordie said, taking the piss out of Sidney, rather glad that Y/N was fully cleared.

+++

After this little adventure, the culprit was quickly found whereas the village found out about Y/N and Sidney. If most of the inhabitants were pleased with Sidney finding someone after what he had gone though, some others were still conceited about Y/N.

The two of them knew they still had a long way to be accepted by everyone but at least, coming clean about their relationship had permitted them to gain confidence and support.