The Return of Jane (Tarzan/Jane)

Manners

"You've got to go and see her again." Terk told Tarzan, he grunted in response.
"She should come to me." He told her.
"She already has, she travelled half the world to be here!" Tarzan sighed, Terk was right. But he wasn't quite ready to admit it yet.

Jane wondered where she stood with Tarzan. He flooded her thoughts, all bare chest and loincloth, and part of her wished that she was in his thoughts just as much as he was in hers. She decided that she could not sit around waiting to be visited. Instead, she got up, combed her hair and went in search of Tarzan.

She did not find Tarzan, but she did find Terk.
"Well, I'll be! Look who's back in the jungle!" She called out and Jane laughed.
"Hello, Terk." She greeted her softly and Terk realised that she had missed Jane's kind ways.
"I was looking for Tarzan." She admitted.
"God, I hate when he is right." Terk muttered under her breath.
"Excuse me?" Jane asked and Terk sighed.
"He said you should come to him." Jane laughed and shook her head.
"He said that, did he?" She huffed.
"I told him that you had travelled across the world, that it was his turn to go to you. But he was not having it." Jane was filled with a new sense of determination.
"Could you take me to him, Terk?" She asked and Terk nodded enthusiastically.
"Oh, I don't wanna miss this!" She led Jane along quickly.

Tarzan knew that Jane would probably not come to him, that he would have to seek her out. But he was surprised when she came striding in, behind Terk.
"You have a visitor, just as you wanted." Terk told him and he could see frustration in Jane's eyes.
"If I could have a moment of your time, please?" She asked. He nodded and they began to walk away from the group.

They were silent for a moment.
"Are you angry with me, Tarzan?" She asked and when he didn't reply, she knew that he was.
"I understand that I hurt you when I left." She did not understand, but he couldn't bring that up.
"But, I would have preferred to speak to you about this, like adults, rather than hearing gossip from your friend."

Tarzan decided that he could not have Jane think ill of him.
"You were gone! The only human woman I had ever met was gone! What was I supposed to do? I couldn't just sit around and wait for you to come back, I didn't think you were coming back!" He was shouting now, angry and impassioned.
"So, I suppose I am just like any woman then? My thoughts and feelings were mistaken, I do apologise." She sighed, trying to hide her pain. Tarzan puffed out his chest.
"I wanted you to be my mate, to start a family with me. But you wanted other things."
"Leaving you was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I regretted it the minute I got on that ship. Now, good day." She turned and walked away from him, anger flowing through her veins.

Tarzan stood for a few minutes, wondering what he should do. Jane loved him, he could tell that. He hated to admit it, but he loved her, he was weak because he loved her but he did so nonetheless.

Jane cried during her bathe that afternoon. When she sat in the sun, to dry off, she heard a rustling in the trees. She immediately covered her body, that was only covered with a shift.
"Don't worry, it is only me." Terk called out and Jane sighed.

They sat together, Jane ringing out her hair.
"You know you're not just any woman to him." She told Jane and Jane nodded.
"Yes, but I need to hear it from him." She told Terk and she sighed.
"You didn't come back just for him, did you?" She asked and Jane chuckled, shaking her head.
"Oh gosh no! I had half the mind that he might hate me. I am starting to think that that half is right. But I came back because this is my home. I felt happier here than I ever have in my life." She smiled and Terk grinned back.
"Good. I am glad." She smiled and Jane chuckled lightly, giddy with the feeling that things were going back to the way they were.

Tarzan had heard it all. He had stayed behind in the bushes, not wanting Jane to see him.
"I will document more species and send them back to England. I can still be useful to my Queen and country." He heard her say and sighed, glad that she was still drawing.
"You need to give Tarzan time. He will come back, but it will just take a little time."

Jane huffed as the birds kept flying away.
"You know, you should view them at night, my dear. They would be attracted to the light, you know?" Archimedes told his daughter and she huffed again.
"Have I truly messed all of this up Daddy? Have I ruined my own life?" She asked and he chuckled, shaking his head.
"You could never ruin your life, Jane, my dear. You are such a kind, wonderful person and you will be okay again." He told her, placing a hand on her hair.

Jane knew that her Father was right. She was so tired after her impassioned argument with Tarzan, that she took the afternoon to rest. She sighed, allowing a single tear to fall. It was all just so different. No appointments, no meetings, she couldn't help but feel just a little lonely.