InsaneJournal

To Make a Decision
Characters: Lily Luna, Don
When: Backdated to the 19th
Location: PP
Warnings/Rating: None in this one
Summary: Lily Luna has thoughts and decisions to make
Status: Complete, gdocs'd

After the talk with her father, she’d more or less settled on her grand plan, but as she’d told her father, she did want to talk to Don first. Seriously, and in depth. To find out what he was doing, to see where he saw them going if she stayed. Important things like that. Things she still wasn’t entirely sure she wanted the answers to -- but it was better to have it all up front. If he had little to no intention of maintaining or evolving their relationship, it would impact her decision to stay or go. She might still stay -- there were others here, after all -- but it might be enough to sway her to go home, too. It was full dark outside, and Lily was nearly ready to crash. Still, she drifted to the bathroom to shower, reasoning that Don might be back by the time she was done. She wasn’t quite sure what he was getting up to, but he was a big boy and could do as he pleased. Once she was done with her shower, she dressed in a long tee-shirt, and nothing else, before flopping down on their borrowed bed. She started to flip through the paperwork they’d all been given -- useful things for displaced residents. Job placement, nice restaurants that weren’t engaged in pack debates, the neutral territories. She thought it was a little odd they were so upfront about things like that, but it made a certain sort of sense. If Tris were still here, it would have been good for him to know where the neutral areas were so he didn’t wind up inadvertently riling some alpha. They did still have one wolf, too, and she guessed that information would help her out. She looked over the list of readily available jobs, which were sorted by skill level and equivalent talents. There was a huge list under ‘no particular skill’ and that made her grin. If she did end up staying, she might have to find something in that category. It might be interesting to work with pegasi; she’d certainly never done that at home. Setting the papers aside, Lily turned the TV on. She flipped through the channels until she came across some sitcom that would provide decent background noise while she waited for Don to show up. ____________ Don had spent a lot of the day just exploring the town, sitting on the beach, doing a lot of thinking. The moment a rescue had even been possible, he’d been pretty sure that he would take advantage of the option to stay behind. He knew that some version of him was living the life that he was eager to avoid, but in the end, that didn’t really matter. This was his chance for a completely fresh start; a real one. A fresh start where his past wouldn’t come back to haunt him in some way or another. Here, he could just be Don Draper, a man from another reality. Lily knew the truth of his past -- although he didn’t know if she was staying. He imagined they’d talk about it, once she had figured things out. Or they’d talk about it to figure things out. Not long after Lily began watching TV, Don let himself into their place, calling out a hello. He took off his shoes and moved to the bed, pressing a kiss to her lips in greeting as he settled down beside her. _______ “Hey,” she replied to his hello, lifting a hand to cup his cheek when he kissed her. She smiled softly against his mouth until he drew away, and her eyes followed him as he settled down with her. “So, what’ve you been up to?” She prompted, shifting slightly to get into a better angle to talk to him. She did reach to turn the TV off so it wasn’t a distraction. If there’d been a radio, she would have turned it on and found an oldies station for him. She was going to get into the whole ‘I talked to my dad’ thing, but she thought that could wait a little while. After she and Don had had a chance to figure themselves out. She still wasn’t completely sure what she wanted to do, but she had an idea of which direction she was leaning. A lot of it did hinge on Don, on what he saw for their future … but not all of it. There were people here she’d never meet at home, never know in the way she knew them now, and she didn’t want to forget everything about this adventure. _______ “Mostly just exploring the town, clearing my head,” he admitted. He figured now was as good a time as any to talk about their plans, if she was up for it. They would have to eventually, and he wasn’t obtuse enough not to realize that some of her plans would probably swing one way or the other based on what he was going to do. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what I’m going to do, now that we’re rescued,” he added, deciding that if she wanted to talk about it now, she could follow that up with a question or … start telling him about her plans. Reaching over, he brushed a hand gently across her cheek after he also shifted into a position that faced her better. He didn’t really have anything to be nervous about, but it was a conversation that would involve feelings and that was a little nerve wracking no matter what. ________ Lily nodded, and she figured a lot of the people on the proverbial fence were doing things like that. Wandering, thinking, coping with the gravity of the situation and the reality of it all. They had a very small window in which to make a completely life-altering decision. Stay, or go. For some, it was a given. Some had little to nothing to go back to -- or they had lives they liked and were really just starting on. Lily had a life at home. Family and friends she loved. Cousins she'd miss as much as she'd miss people she'd be leaving here. But she had things here that she didn't -- couldn't -- have at home. She could find someone to love, and likely did ... but he wouldn't be Don. She wouldn't have her grandmother, or recall seeing this side of her favorite professor. It would have been easier if at least a couple of her cousins had made it through, or Sirius or Remus. It would be an adventure if she stayed though. One that if she got tired of, she couldn't just go home from, but ... her father was here and he'd stay if she did. Her gran was staying. "What do you think you're going to do?" She prompted as she reached up to take his hand, grasping it for a moment before lacing their fingers together to hold it. ___________ He squeezed her hand when she took his and then brushed his thumb against the back of her hand when their fingers were laced together. “I’m going to stay,” he replied as he gazed over at her. He’d knew for sure that’s what he was going to do. He’d been pretty sure, even before they’d arrived and before he’d gone on his soul searching walk. The town had a nice feel to it, and there were opportunities here he didn’t have at home. Maybe he wouldn’t find his way to the top of an advertising firm here -- then again maybe he would -- but the peace of mind he’d have here was worth it. It would be even nicer if she stayed, but he didn’t want to influence her decision. He knew that her life back home was completely different than his. “Have you come to any conclusions?” _______ She wasn’t surprised, honestly. She’d assumed it, expected it, and wasn’t expecting him to go back to his life. So she nodded slightly, gazing at their joined hands, almost wishing she’d left the TV on so there’d be some background noise. “Not yet,” she admitted. “Nothing … concrete. I think I know which way I’m leaning, but I’m not sure I’ll actually decide until … until it’s time.” She gazed over to him, studying his face. She imagined he, like her father, had no desire to pressure her or to sway her decision in any way, but she almost wished they would. Or that she’d get some sign or another which way she should go. It was up to her, she knew. She was the only one, in the end, who could decide. Was missing people at home worth the life she’d get to live here? Would she somehow, despite their promise she wouldn’t remember, be burdened with regret for not taking this path? “What … what do you honestly see for us? If I stayed. If … things keep on the way we’ve been?” _______ Don inhaled slowly, considering his response. While he really didn’t want to influence her decision, selfishly he did want her to stay. Despite their rocky start, how unlikely a couple they were, he did love her and he would miss her if she decided to go home. The question was, however, a little difficult. Their relationship wasn’t exactly stalled on the train -- they’d grown quite a bit, after all -- but it would be different in a stable, normal environment and they hadn’t ever really talked about what they would want there. Did she want to get married and raise a family? He found that he wasn’t opposed to that, although she was on the young side. Maybe she wouldn’t want that for a long time. “I’ve been really happy with you, Lily. I’d like to continue being with you, if you stayed. Get married, when and if we’re ready,” he murmured, arching his brows a little, curious how that would go over. ______ It hadn’t really crossed her mind to think about marriage. “I hope you plan on an actual proposal, if marriage is in your agenda,” she quipped lightly. “And likely asking my dad for permission,” she continued thoughtfully. Granted that was more to make Harry feel better than because Lily felt either of them actually needed permission for that. Though maybe Don hadn’t meant anything about marriage in their near future but years distantly. Which would probably make more sense. Still, it was an interesting thought. She’d be his wife, and maybe someday they’d have kids, but she thought she’d kind of be all right if they didn’t. At least not right away. Maybe before he was too old to appreciate them, but that might be too small of a window. Lily grinned slightly to her thoughts before she shook her head and drew herself back to the present. “I think I’m going to have to sleep on it,” she murmured. “Really think about it. It’s not like I can take it back if I change my mind. “But I love you, and I want to be with you. My da’ll stay if … I stay. My gran’ll be here. I just … I wish my cousins and siblings could be here, but they might … fall through.” It wasn’t impossible, after all. Maybe some of them were already here somewhere. Easing her body up against his, Lily tipped her chin to claim his lips softly. “So if you’re up for abandoning the discussion for now, we can tackle it after breakfast tomorrow?” ______ Don grinned. He’d actually been a little concerned that she might take it as a proposal, but if she had, he probably would have ran with it. “When the time comes, I’ll plan an actual proposal and hope your dad doesn’t kill me when I ask.” But despite the encounter he’d had with the younger Harry, he seemed to have a somewhat comfortable truce with this one. “I love you too, Lily. I’d like to you stay, but I’ll understand if you want to go home,” he added genuinely. He wasn’t sure if that counted as influencing, but she had asked for his thoughts. He would miss his children, so he could relate to that … although he felt a little guilty because there was also a part of him that liked not having any children. Maybe it was more not having any obligations, though. Besides, some version of him was home, spending time with them. He returned the kiss gently, wrapping an arm around her as she moved closer. “After breakfast it is. What should we do now?” He asked with a teasing smile. _________ “I don’t think he will,” she assured him. “I doubt he’ll be remotely thrilled, but … he just wants me to be happy.” And if marrying Don was going to make her happy, her father would surely keep the worst of his protests to himself. “He might punch you. Just for nostalgia’s sake,” she replied thoughtfully before she grinned. She was fairly certain this version of her father wasn’t the punching sort. She did nod to his statement, smiling faintly. It would be nice if she could have had an easier time of it. If she knew for sure she died a horrible bloody death in her near future or something like that, it’d be easier to say she’d stay. “Now,” Lily murmured as if she had to think about it. “Maybe we should think about getting you ready for bed.” She let her eyes flick over his mostly dressed self. “I’m already ready, but you are a bit over-dressed.” She smiled softly because she held no illusions about where this was going -- and she didn’t think he did, either. “Unless you have some other suggestions,” she added even as she reached for the top button of his shirt. She’d be content enough to wile away some time in bed with him, then actually sleep on her decision before making it.