“The Greatest Discovery”

Part Ten

A short story based on the WB Series, “Tarzan”

By Felicity

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this: the characters, story, series, or part of the idea. I'm not selling, or making any kind of profit off of this story I've written. No infringement is intended. This is solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.
Want it?: You can have it.. but I'd appreciate it if you'd email me before you take it anywhere. (tfelicity39@hotmail.com).

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Richard sat at his desk with hope renewed. He placed the yellowed documents back into the wooden box, locked it and cached it back in the drawer from whence it came. He would have to rethink his strategy. John indirectly made a significant point here tonight. He really didn’t know what he needed and somehow Kathleen and Jane would always fall short of catering to needs that John wasn’t even aware of yet. Power was not easily harnessed, but once done, it was almost impossible to let go of. John had a power that he wasn’t sure of, didn’t know how to handle yet. Perhaps Richard could somehow lure him back over to this side with just some good old fashioned “uncling.” He smiled that crooked smile, his eyes twinkling, the stood and stretched. Tonight he would sleep well, the morning would be busy, he had plans to make.

John had fallen into a heavy sleep wrapped around Jane. When he woke he was surprised at their entanglement. They both lay on their sides, her legs were intertwined with his, one thrown over his hip, her one hand was on his chest, her other hand was resting between them. His arms were tightly wrapped around her, his cheek resting on her chest. He could hear her heart beating out a slow steady tattoo. He felt safe here with her, if only for a few hours. Jane stirred and John moved his head to look at her. Her eyes were still half closed, and she smiled a tender loving smile at him, that made him believe that maybe everything was going to be all right, like she promised. “Jane.” There it was again. That heat churning in the pit of her stomach, just from hearing him say her name. It was like they were the only people in the entire universe. “Tarzan?” She tried to sound sensuous, like he did when he spoke her name, but she just felt silly saying it. But John smiled nonetheless. He was pleased that she was making the effort. John sat up and propped elbow on the bed, resting his head in his hand. If only……………………………………………………….
Jane’s eyes didn’t want to stay opened. She was tired and kept drifting in and out of sleepiness. John enjoyed just laying her watching her in her semiconscious state.

Now that Cheetah was gone, Tarzan really was alone. He had no one else to speak of. He was too different from the other animals to really be accepted by any one species. The apes had co-existed with him for these many years because of Cheetah. Would they still accept him now that she was gone? His existence had been solemn enough until this incident, but at least he always had at least Cheetah to seek out when he needed company.
He roamed the jungle aimlessly, even wandering out onto the savannah. There he found a black panther, ripping the entrails from a gazelle, savoring his kill. John approached him, not even carefully, not even downwind. He stood in front of the regal cat and pointed at the kill. He wanted to share the meat with the animal, would the animal share with him? Tarzan took it upon himself to just take a bone, thick with meat, while the animal watched almost in disbelief. Tarzan sat beside the huge cat and ripped the meat from the bone with his teeth. He could have sworn that the animal was purring.
During the course of the meal, the large cat never rejected John’s presence, or attempted to hurt him. They sat together quietly for many hours after the filling meal. While the cat cleaned himself, Tarzan attempted to do the same.
Days went by, the two remained together. They drank from the river together; they hunted together and even slept together, both with one eye opened. Tarzan learned to almost trust the creature. He had been so lonely since losing Cheetah, he longed for some type of companionship, even if it was one of his worst enemies, the panther. When either would hunt and kill, it would be shared by both. Tarzan believed that he had made a friend.

John sat up on the bed and rubbed his eyes. It had been some time since he had slept that soundly. “Thank you.” He finally responded. Jane was confused. “Thank you for what?” John gently touched her cheek, leaning thisclose into her. He felt her breath catch and her heart begin to pound. How could she ever say that she didn’t like him close to her when her body language said something altogether different? He smiled. “Just for being here, for caring.” His nose nudged her hair away from the side of her neck as he took in her scent. No matter how many times she washed, no matter how much perfume she put on, he would always be able to find her. He knew this smell as if he had known it all of his life. As his breath touched her, he could see her skin rise in a series of goose bumps. He enjoyed the effect that he had over her. Something was different about her this morning. She wasn’t stopping him, or pulling away or pushing him away. For some reason, John was suspicious and stopped. Jane seemed disappointed, but did not say. He rose from his position on the bed and headed for the window. Jane sat up and spoke to him, “don’t you want to stay for breakfast. Maybe have a shower and we will spend the day doing nothing?” Jane was disappointed in her feeble attempt at seduction. John knew what was going on, but this was not the time. He had too much on his mind; too many things had to be done. He wanted to make sure that she was safe, at least from Richard.

As he stood at the window, John tried to decide what to tell Jane. He didn’t like having secrets from her, but he knew if she caught wind of his plans for Richard, she would definitely try to put a stop to them. No, things must go ahead, whatever the future held. If she really did love him, she would understand. “I must go Jane.” Jane knew that there was no dissuading him. He was a man who usually knew what he wanted, and for the most part, he pursued whatever it might be. She squeezed his hand and said good bye as she slid threw the opened window and scaled the outer wall to the roof.
The city had not improved from the rain; it was still dank and dingy. John longed for the green of home, for the smells of the jungle, for the absolute freedom. All that held him here in New York was the promise of Jane’s affections, and perhaps the fact that he did have a family here.

Kathleen was sitting at her desk in her office when John showed up looking rather disheveled. “You didn’t come home last night John, is everything all right?” She pulled her glassed down to the tip of her nose and studied him. There was something different about him, something that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. “Did Jane find you?” John grunted a yes and walked toward Kathleen’s desk, standing directly in front of her. “I need your help.” John managed to say. He looked very determined and Kathleen had learned early on, not to mess with the wild child when he was in a mood. She knew that he could easily be reasoned with, but first you had to have his attention. “Certainly John, anything.” Kathleen would do anything for her older brother’s child. She loved him dearly and would take any opportunity to indulge him. John picked up a pen and a blank piece of paper and handed them to Kathleen. “Please, I need you to write something for me.” She took the pen and paper and waited patiently for John to organize his thoughts. When he began to speak, she was flabbergasted.
“In the event of something of my disappearance, or my death, I wish to leave my money and my belongings to my Aunt Kathleen and my friend Jane. They can do what they want with it.”
Kathleen could not put pen to paper, she was so stunned. John kept looking at her, waiting for her to write, when she didn’t he pleaded with her. “You must do this Kathleen, you must. It is best for everyone if there is something that can prove this, just in case Richard ever proceeds in what he is planning.”