Close Call
You are scared out of your mind, pacing in the lobby of the theater Adam is opening at tonight. It is still early morning and the theater is closed. You have just been witness to one of the scariest moments in your life. As you watched Adam's rehearsal from the balcony, the water tank illusion he was practicing went wrong. You don't know exactly how. You had barely started to think he'd been under just a little long went shouts went out from various points around the stage and Jonathan led the brigade of crewhands to the tank.
You ran as fast as you could out the back of the booth and down the stairs to the lobby only to have Max, one of the stagehands, close the door in your face. You understand that this is their procedure. They need to assess Adam's condition quickly and take action without his panicking girlfriend getting underfoot. Just because you understand it, doesn't mean you're happy about it. It's been almost 20 minutes and you can't even hear through the doors.
As you are starting to eye the furniture in the lobby that you think would be light enough for you to lift yet strong enough to pummel the doors, they open and in waltzes Adam. He is wearing only a pair of shorts and a large white towel is draped across his bare shoulders as he uses it to rub at his wet hairline.
The hysterics you've been keeping just barely under control burst forth now in the form of an audible sob as you rush forward and wrap your arms around his neck. You hug to him tightly, his heartbeat under your ear as the tears come and you begin to shake. His arms are around you before you know it, lifting you lightly and carrying you to the small bench you had noticed earlier as a potential battering ram.
He sits upon it, you stretched across his lap as he murmurs softly to you, "Shh, it's okay. I'm all right Love. Shhhh." He strokes your hair and rocks you. When you've calmed a bit, you raise your head to look into his eyes. His wet hair is curling slightly and he smiles sweetly at you. He reaches his hand up to wipe your tears away and leans forward to kiss you.
When you break the kiss, you ask, "What happened?"
He shrugs and looks a little embarrassed. "A bit of my costume got snagged on the edge of the escape hatch. I was all twisted around so I couldn't work it free myself and well...I just basically got stuck."
Your fingers trace down the side of his cheek. He captures your hand and kisses it. You try not to cry again. "I can't believe something so small could have taken you away from me."
"It was no worry, really. Jonathan dove in there like a dolphin and freed me."
You look away from him and lean against his chest once again. "It's true though. We never talk about it but there's a lot that could go wrong... maybe even fatally wrong when you do the show."
He kisses your forehead. "Darling, there's just as much that can go wrong in your daily commute to the office and back."
You nod absently and kiss his chest. "I suppose." He squeezes you closer then places his finger under your chin to make you look him in the eyes. He is smiling at you and only when you return it does he kiss you again.
"I love you. Let's go back in?"
The two of you stand, arms around each other's waists as you walk back into the theater. "So do I get to start calling Jonathan Flipper?" you ask and look up in time to catch the most wicked smile cross his face.
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| The character of Adam Klaus and the show Jonathan Creek were created by David Renwick and are © the BBC. No infringement is intended and no profits are being made. |