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Months since his departure, there wasn't a moment when his thoughts failed to revolve around you. As he arrived in Italy, as he began his hunt for the bow and arrow, you always came to mind. He wondered if you were smiling and happy, if you were sad and trying to get by with his absence, or if you were furious and threw your wedding ring in the trash. However you were feeling, all he was concerned with was making sure you were safe.
And yes, even as he encountered Diavolo and was viciously defeated, left to meet a horrendous fate, he thought of you. Your smile brought him both comfort and pain, that he was able to witness such beauty yet would never get to see it once more.
Yet, as he somehow survived and lived through the ordeal, he wondered what sort of miracle was bestowed onto him. While he found himself in that Italian village, he, in his delirious state, even thought that you were his guardian angel and somehow saw to his recovery through sheer willpower, despite how he never told you the reason for his departure.
But despite his recovery and even getting in touch with the Speedwagon Foundation and Jotaro--however discrete he absolutely needed to be while doing so--his thoughts of you only lead to him considering a divorce.
He could only imagine how lonely and betrayed you felt. Easily, he could picture and hear your sobs, your questions of where and why he left. His body was now evident of his failure both as a knight and your husband.
Polnareff did not recover the bow and arrow nor defeat Diavolo.
But he did abandon you in such a callous, unforgivable way.
How you could still hold any love for him after all this time was unfathomable to him.
Now here he was, in a meeting room at one of the Speedwagon Foundation's many international locations, this one being in Rome. Not too long ago, he had received his new prosethetic legs while bandages still wrapped around his right eye. He was sitting in his wheelchair, his expression bitter as he held out the official divorce papers for France, which he had asked a staff member to retrieve for him.
Before him sat Jotaro, his arms folded and his expression passive as he stared at the forms presented to him. His friend had arrived moments ago upon his request. Up until now, the two had kept in touch by phone call and letters.
"I hate to have you play messenger, Jotaro," he began with a laugh, though his face couldn't be more shameful. "But please...I need you to deliver this. There's no way I could be seen this way." His eyes shut tight and the papers wrinkled slightly in his grasp. "Mon amour...my beautiful darling...deserves better than me, better than all the pain I know that I caused."
Jotaro's stare was hard as he responded bluntly, "Is that all?"
Polnareff let out a strained chuckle, "I can complain and cry more if you want."
Silence passed between the two briefly before Jotaro reached to adjust his hat, sighing as he remarked, "You called me all the way here for you to play delivery boy? I don't think I've ever seen you this pitiful." Looking right into his friend's eyes, he continued, "How many times am I going to be playing the middleman for you both?"
"'Both?'" Polnareff repeated in astonishment.
"Since you left, I cannot tell you how many calls I received from your spouse, asking, begging me to look for you, the reason why you left. I didn't feel it was in my place to say anything, as it was apparent that you didn't want to be found," Jotaro recalled, his tone collected yet stern. He uttered your name, "...probably cried more in these past few weeks than you did when you were saying your vows at the wedding."
Polnareff's heart wrenched, with Jotaro's words painting a vivid image. He could picture the tears streaming down your cheeks, the sobs leavings your lips. And he, your own husband, was the cause of your pain.
"Yare yare, I'm tired of being in the middle of all this," Jotaro shook his head before rising to his feet. He stared down at his friend and while his words were hardened, Polnareff knew they were in no way malicious. "Polnareff, you already left behind the love of your life without a word. You owe it to your spouse to end things face to face. Even I realize that."
With those words stated, Jotaro stepped out of the room. However, as he opened the door, he--before stepping outside--remarked out to the hallway, "Did you catch all that? He's in your hands now."
At first, Polnareff was confused as to who Jotaro was speaking to, but as his friend made his leave, he nearly lost his breath to see none other than you standing in the doorway. Your eyes full of tears, the moment you saw him, you cried out his name and quickly rushed towards him.
As soon as your arms latched around his neck, he immediately mirrored your expression, barely getting out a remorseful "Mon amour." His eyes lined with tears as he moved his arms to embrace you. However, with the divorce papers still in his hand, you sobbed, "Throw those papers away! I don't want them! I want you!"
"Oh my darling..." His eyes clenched shut, the forms dropping to the floor as he hugged you tightly, protectively. "You deserve so much better than me. Look with your eyes. I am not the husband you wanted to spend the rest of your life with--"
"What are you saying?!" You interrupted while completely swept up in your emotions, your sorrow, your joy at see your husband once more. Drawing back slightly, you moved your hands to his cheeks, which were wet with his tears.
Polnareff only found himself in awe as he saw nothing but utmost love in your eyes.
The smile that he swore to protect formed on your face as you eyed him with affection, "You're still the man I want to spend my life with, Jean. That never changed from the day we married, from when you left to now. However sad I felt while you were gone, all I was concerned about was knowing that you were safe."
"Mon...mon amour..." Polnareff cried openly as he drew you close, his lips meeting yours in a needy kiss, with you eagerly reciprocating. Bound together by kisses and embraces, by love and trust, the two of you rejoiced in your reunion.
By this moment, Polnareff was more than certain that you were worth protecting in this life and the ones to come.