Who: Lucy Ramsey and William Dale What: Love and a Question Where: Park at the edge of town When: February 14, 3034 Rating: R for roooooomantic as hell :) Word Count: 5578 Status: Complete
There was a small, quiet park just at the edge of town. It was far enough away that the sounds of movement from the inner city were muffled by the wind and the crashing of the waves on the shore of Crescent Beach, which was just near enough for the air to smell faintly of salt and sea life. This park held special meaning for William. It was his park, not because it belonged to him or because he owned it or had his name on the deed. It was his park, because it was the only place he had for himself, had kept it a secret, had never let a single other soul in on this peaceful little piece of paradise. It was his place of reflection. It was the only place that could calm him after a nightmare starring his dead brother. It was the only place that truly felt right on this godforsaken island.
William was a quiet planner. Never letting anyone in on his plans unless necessary or until the very last second. William always liked the classics. He was a traditionalist in every sense of the word. As he prepared for this moment that would change his life forever, he went through all the proper channels and did everything the right way. He started by telling his parents and his little sister, asked them to keep it a secret. Then, he moved on to asking her parents (and sister) for permission, as any true gentlemen would. And finally, before he went on to planning the actual event, he consulted with his best friend and brother, Toni Spinelli. He didn’t need Toni’s input on whether he was doing the right thing or not. He already knew Toni’s views on marriage. All he needed from Toni were ideas on how to make the night as magical as possible.
With the help of very few people, William transformed his tiny park escape into a glowing winter wonderland. Knowing the exact day he wanted to do it helped and using Valentine’s Day as a cover for something greater made him seem less suspicious. William didn’t always go all out on Valentine’s Day, but he always made sure to take her to a nice restaurant, to buy her the freshest flowers, to treat her as a lady should be treated. This year was no different... minus the canopy, the sea of candles, the table set up as luxurious as any top restaurant in town, the food being kept warm by special warming plates below, the wine chilling beside the table. All right, so maybe he went a little crazy this year, but it was all going to be worth it when he saw the look on her face.
Will was nervous. How could he not be? Despite his best efforts to be romantic (and he hadn’t even gotten started yet), she could still reject him as easily as ever. Lucy was a proud woman, and Will respected that about her. As far as he was concerned, this could go either way, though he was pleased as ever as he led her to their table. He allowed her to settle in, to eat and drink and enjoy the night air. It was about mid-way through one of her particularly delightful gigglefests when he simply smiled over at her and asked, “Do you like it?”
Valentine's Day was something that Lucy's only reason for liking was the excuse to wear all of her bright red clothes over the week. Case and point, the red tights with white polka dots in the shape of hearts that were peeking out between her skirt hem and boots. This year had also involved helping with her niece's second birthday party. Little Catarina was getting so big these days it was hard to believe how old she was getting. She had been dancing around with the toddler when Will had come to pick her up for whatever the evening brought along. She hadn't been expecting what she got however as she got led over to the table. It was a little bit colder than she had been expecting for the evening. Still it was William so she was completely open to whatever he had up his sleeve. Plus giving a 20 year old girl wine was just asking for trouble considering the tiniest bit of taboo that was still attached. It was little wonder that Lucy was getting giggly over the whole thing.
She looked over the whole park again just taking it all in. It was better than one of their best sets though she almost expected a metal bubble to come down with Glinda the Good Witch to start singing about vanquishing evil. She had to force herself to stop giggling again at the mental image of a chipper blond invading their date. "It's... Amazing Will. More effort than I deserve anyhow."
So maybe it wasn’t the best idea to bring the wine. It may have even been Toni’s idea, or was Will just trying to justify himself? Regardless, it wasn’t the time for Will to second guess himself. Not that he was second-guessing his decision to ask her this most important question, but he was just the tiniest bit worried that all this was either too much or not enough. “Don’t be silly, m’lady.” He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “You deserve this and more. So much more.”
There was something distinctly terrifying about what Will was about to do. He knew it was the time, it was the place, it was all perfect. That still didn’t keep his heart from racing, his palms from getting slightly sweaty. He had rehearsed this about a million times in his head, another million times in front of the mirror in various positions and voices and intonations. This was supposed to be the most amazing moment of anyone’s life, and it was all riding on Will’s shoulders. Good thing Will took on the challenge courageously as any Knight would for his Lady. “Lucy, may I ask you something?”
Lucy just smiled at him and took his hand. Any other time she might have taken offense to the suggestion that she was being silly. Maybe she had just had to put up with too much of her least favorite teenager here lately. "I'm actually the slightest bit worried what you're going to try next year if you plan to try and top it. Not expecting it however even if all you end up planning is tea and bad movies." And by bad movies she probably meant Nicholas Sparks all night which was basically watching the same thing over and over with slightly different twists to it. But it was still a slightly spoken hope that they would still be together in a year. After this long he was still as much the sweet young man she had met almost freezing outside the cafe in January as he was now.
“Of course, Will.” How many times now had they sat around just tossing questions back and forth, especially when they were first getting to know each other? Occasionally the answers might change a little bit just based on current events. It couldn’t be anything worse that any of the other half a million questions he had asked her over time even if a few had made her actually think about things like where she wanted to be in the future or why his tea was better than any other place on the island.
Will slipped his hand into his pocket and produced a paperback book. It wasn’t just any book though. It was a copy of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. William liked the classics. His other hand remained with hers as he simply smiled over and showed her the cover. “Miss Ramsey,” he said, doing his best to emphasize every word. He turned to a particular page in the book and looked to be about reading something, though it was plainly obvious he had it down by memory. “I have struggled in vain and can bear it no longer. I love you. Most ardently.”
He rose from his chair and got down on one knee in front of her, opening up the book enough to show her that a square piece had been cut out in the middle. And inside was a brilliant diamond ring. “Please do me the honor of accepting my hand.” He gently picked up the ring from inside the book and raised it up for her to see despite the dim light. “Be mine forever, and I will be yours forever.”
Lucy was about to point out that quoting a book was not a question no matter how good of a book it was. In fact there was truly no question involved in any of it as she was almost sure he could hear her heart beating as she just looked at him for a long moment. She was seriously considering the idea that she had taken too large of a drink and had bumped her head. Which would probably explain the next thing out of her mouth in slightly over a whisper. "I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity."
Oh dear God, she had just quoted Shakespeare at him and the whole thing was just so ridiculous that she clasped a hand over her mouth before she started laughing. If this wasn’t about a match in literary heaven, she didn’t know what was. She didn’t worry about the ring or book he was holding when she abandoned her seat and just tackled him with a hug.
“Yes. That was a yes.”
Will was paralyzed with fear for what seemed to be an eternity. All he could do was stare at her and hope that he didn’t look too desperate or on the verge of a complete and total meltdown. Like an avalanche of emotion, however, his deep fear was bulldozed away by her reciting Shakespeare. She had no need to clarify what she meant. He knew perfectly well what her quote suggested. It was nice to hear her saying yes, however. He was wearing the most amused smile as she laughed, and it brought him great joy to know that it was he who had brought about that laughter.
He had to laugh too as she attacked him and nearly knocked him down to the ground. He was a strong athlete still, so luckily his decent balance and sheer body strength managed to keep them from completely falling back to the floor. Once he regained most of his balance, he wrapped his arms around her and stood, lifting her off the ground and spinning them around once. When he finally stopped, his palms found her cheeks, and he laid a tender kiss on her lips. “Then you, Lucy Ramsey, have made me the happiest man in the world.”
The whole moment seemed a little surreal as she hung on to him as he feet left the earth. Was that him or was she actually floating? Fortunately flight had not suddenly been added to her weird as all hell quirks. Though a little bit of snow probably wouldn’t have killed either of them if they had fallen into it. It was hard as hell to dial her grin back to just a smile while she was looking up at him. “That’s only because I’m the luckiest girl in the whole world to have you.” It was sappy, but he had a way of bringing out her inner poet without automatically translating it into French so it sounded all the more intriguing.
She pulled back a little to get a better look at him in the dim lights. “I don’t think I actually even saw the ring... You were making it rather difficult to not focus right on you.” Not that it would change her mind about saying yes. Besides it seemed rather unlikely that he was going to pick out something hideous.
Will didn’t mind hearing her get all sappy. It only meant that she truly was happy beyond belief, and that was all he could ever really ask for. He couldn’t help himself from just kissing her, on her cheek, on her lips, on her forehead. She was as beautiful today as on the day he met her, perhaps more so if that was even possible. And then, she was asking about the ring. The ring! Will let her go only for a moment to make sure it was still somewhere inside the hole he’d cut out of the book.
“Ah. Good. Still there.” He let out a sigh of relief and plucked the ring from the book, setting P&P aside. “Had me worried for the briefest of moments that it had flown away, and then I’d have no proof.” He pouted at her slightly but held up the ring into the light. “Lucille Christine Ramsey.” He took her hand and slipped the ring into the appropriate finger. “You are going to be the most beautiful bride human eyes have ever looked upon.”
There was only one other person that she knew of that could get her to quote off lines from a play out of the blue. If Will could do that and love her half as much for just as long then they would work out just fine. And she was already more than willing to, at the very least, give a deadly glare to anyone who dared to make the comment that she was too young to be considering a lifetime commitment. Screw them and the high horse they rode in on...
"Well if worse came to worse, we could have gone over to the grocery store and gotten a ring out of the quarter machine. After searching everywhere of course." She smiled down at him before taking an opportunity to get a good look at it. Of course she had worn enough rings on that finger from her career, but none that had actually come with so much attached. "Though none of those would have been nearly as beautiful. Lucy Christine Dale." Lucy grinned just trying it on for size before she suddenly seemed to realize something. "Oh thank God my mother's favorite musical wasn't Grease."
He watched with a perpetual grin as she tried on the ring. Of course, he’d had a bit of help with the sizing of it so that it was perfect. Her mother was a lot of help when it came to that department, as she borrowed one of Lucy’s rings from her drawers as a model just so he could get the fit right. “You deserve only the best. Quarter rings out of machines simply won’t do.” It took him a minute to figure it out, but once he did, he only just shook his head. “LSD isn’t quite addictive enough to describe you.”
Will reached out and gently brushed back a strand of her hair. Even if he could pour every single bit of emotion he had for her into her, he still felt that it wouldn’t even come close to the way he felt. He was simply bursting with love and happiness at the moment, something he was sure he wouldn’t be able to put into words no matter how hard he tried. In fact, there weren’t enough words he could say at the moment that would do much of anything. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her ever so softly on the lips. There were only three words he was sure in his heart would be effective in a time like this.
“I love you.”
“If you call me your own brand of heroin, William Dale, I’m afraid, fiancé or not, I might have to hit you.” Or at least playfully toss a loosely packed snowball his way and then they could see how much he liked sparkling and being cold. Then he could also probably erase all thoughts of revenge rather quickly with an apology and more waves of whatever happy juice that was currently waving around. She wouldn’t be surprised if the whole island wasn’t feeling the effects the way he was broadcasting. At least they could all expect a Happy Valentine’s Day around the island.
Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his. “Not quite as much as I love you. It’s very, very close though.” She reluctantly backed up after a few moments and just kept looking up at him. It seemed rude to ask if she should expect her parents sitting up tonight expecting her to come back with news. If he had then it was just the idea that she would ever doubt his honor as a proper courting gentleman. And if he hadn’t then she would be reminding him that it was proper even if not always done. Not that she could ever really seeing her dad telling him no as long as Will could hold his own in a small fencing competition. Instead though another thought just crossed her mind. “Any chance of music or should I just start singing to get you to dance with me?”
William laughed at that, long and hard and loud. She could always manage to get him to forget his nerves or his pain. She was the only person able to truly make him feel better after his brother’s death. It didn’t seem that way to everyone around him, but Will fell apart after Alan died. He wasn’t quite as vocal about it as Toni, nor did he cry quite as much as Mary Ann. But Will has his own way of grieving, an internal grief, where he tried desperately to cling to some semblance of normal life that was never going to come until he gave up and accepted it. Lucy had been there through it all, and he was all the stronger for it. “I think we’ll keep the drug metaphors to a minimum tonight.”
He gave her nose a little poke before turning to head on over to a little tree in the background. From behind it, he produced a small, old-fashioned boom box. “It’s not much,” he said as he set it down on the table and began to fiddle with it. “But I think we might get it to sing us some sappy love songs if we’re real nice to it. Thought I might have it just in case you wanted to dance. I guess I know you better than I thought.” He winked over at her. Or maybe he was just prepared for everything. Slowly, the music from the boom box grew louder and louder as the song “Bella Notte” began to play. Will shrugged. “Must be one of Mary’s old Disney discs from when she was little.”
It was nice to actually get him to be the one laughing this evening when she was the one doing most of the giggling. "I think we're both on enough of a high right now." Which could have been the wine, but that was still just a matter of feeling a little sneaky about it and a general lightweight. Or the combination of endorphins and such from being around someone that could make your heart skip a beat, but that was something more for the scientists to think about rather than the girl who was lucky to get through college biology just for the "well-rounded" education. If she thought about it she could bug Jacen about it in the future.
"One would hope you had figured out that much considering you're committing yourself to me here. I'm going to have to get started on my bread baking skills for the day you might actually get me to go to Montana." If he was still on that vision of the future, but some days anywhere sounded better than Frye Island even if your closest neighbor in Montana might be two miles away in snowdrifts that came up to your hips. Somehow Will's vision of the area and Lucy's were two different things. "Some people don't grow out of their love of childhood things. We just learn different lessons from them." She held out a hand to him after deciding this would work just fine.
Will took her hand and gave her a little twirl, before catching her and just beginning to sway a little with an arm around her waist, the other hand wrapped around hers. He wasn’t a dancer, but he could make it seem as if his moves were effortless. He just had that innate classical style that extended even to his dancing. If he could capture this moment and hold onto it forever, he would. Everything was almost perfect. It was really only missing one thing.
“Montana isn’t going anywhere. We can go if you want or we don’t have to. You’re my Montana. Whenever I’m with you, I feel as if I don’t need anything more.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and continued to sway. He felt the slightest bit dizzy as well, though it could have been the wine and all the excitement. “I remember we had this sing along video with all these Disney songs. Mary and Alan loved watching it over and over again. They knew all the words, and they watched it so many times that I knew them too just by walking by and overhearing it.”
He held her closer and just closed his eyes. There was the faintest tickle on his cheek, a cold feather light feeling. When he opened his eyes, he realized the air was filled with flurries and tiny bits of snow falling from the sky. He smiled and glanced up at the sky. “Thanks, Alan,” he whispered. Now everything was perfect.
Lucy was also light enough on her feet to keep him from accidentally hitting hers 99% of the time. Even in boots with her polka-heart tights. “Honestly no one around here gets rejected to every school except Hobbs, and I can’t say I know many people who have left who haven’t come back.” Maybe there wasn’t even actually a Montana out there and it had all been blown up from a Super Volcano under Yellowstone like in that stupid SyFy movie with the name that had probably just been “Super Volcano”. She was also pretty sure there was no way he was going to try and fit three kids in her at the same time, but the time for kidding could wait when he was being pensive.
What were you supposed to say seriously about someone basically calling you their everything anyhow? “Thanks” just seemed so insufficient at that point that she just held onto him a little a closer before he did the same. At least the silences weren’t awkward and filled with a bunch of questions other than what was even appropriate to say. She did move around a little to put her hands between his clothes and coat. No one wanted to end up with frostbite on one of the most memorable nights of their life after all. “You know, I don’t think I’ve actually ever heard you sing. And you are not allowed to just say that it’s horrible and makes cats yowl because I won’t believe it.”
Will wasn’t the type to think of such things as conspiracies and the like. If there was something strange going on in Frye, well, someone somewhere would uncover it eventually. They had their fair share of intelligent individuals around that could fit the bill. No, Will was more interested in his peace and tranquility, in his entire life being in perfect balance and harmony with the universe. Or at least not having his entire world change in an instant, as he wasn’t much fond of change. Some change was good though, adjusting to it was the tricky part.
Singing. Ah, he hadn’t sung in quite a while, and no he didn’t count da-da-da’ing in the car along with his music actual singing. “I believe you’re right,” he said quietly. The song on the machine changed, and it was now starting “Sing Sweet Nightingale” from Cinderella. “Not exactly the song I would have chosen for my debut, but... here goes nothing.” Surprisingly, despite the adjustment in the vocal range of the song to compensate for his lower tone of voice than Cinderella’s, he managed to follow along quite nicely with the melody. It was almost a duet of sorts. Was there nothing William Dale wasn’t good at?
Lucy couldn’t help laughing a little bit that he had actually acquiesced to her request for singing. Then over the last two years he had probably seen enough of her in musicals to know how she sounded. then she hadn’t expected to be so impressed when he wasn’t one for singing along in the radio. Thankfully she still had his shoulder to help stifle her giggles from interrupting too much. there really could not be much that he was horrible at that she had found in her time of knowing him. She waited until the song was over though before clapping a little without taking her arms from around him.
“I might have proposed myself after that performance. Might have to start a karaoke night just to make you do that more, and help with your stage fright.” Whether or not that would involve more people than just them could be up for discussion. “And have you considered auditioning to be the next Disney Prince?”
Will was as embarrassed as ever, but there really wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for this girl. He would brave stage fright if he had to. Perhaps he wouldn’t be as graceful as she usually was, but it was certain he would put a hundred percent effort into it only because she wanted it. “Thank you. Thank you.” He bowed his head a little. “I’ll be here all week, though you’re going to have to request autographs from my agent.” He placed a quick kiss below her eye and just dipped her as the next song was a far more upbeat song.
“You know. I really hadn’t thought about it, but you have just made me realize my potential.” He was joking. There was no way he was getting into this on his own. “However, my only intention is to be a prince for my beautiful princess. If she’ll have me of course.”
"This week singing star of Frye Island, next week you open up a club to the stars?" Once back solidly on her feet from his little dip however she moved her warm hands where she could just warm his cheeks between them even though they were both starting to get a good thin layer over their clothes and hair. Skin was easier to melt on and it might only be a matter of time before he did actually turn into a snowman.
"Well I believe this is almost the part where we live happily ever after and no one bugs us any more about what we're doing or anything else. Sounds rather nice actually. You're better than any Prince Charming anyhow. They just let the girl end up almost dead and then just sweep her off her feet and marry her because she's pretty. You have better standards than that." Plus most of them didn’t sing either but he could manage that and still have the insanely cute hair.
“That would be something,” he replied, his hand reaching up to place gently over hers. They were warm, while his were cold. He didn’t seem to mind it too much. His body must have been running on pure adrenaline from all the planning and everything to really notice the cold too much at the moment. Hopefully, he wouldn’t get pneumonia later because of all this. He turned his head slightly to the side, just catching her palm with a kiss. “I don’t think you would let anyone almost kill you just for the sake of some prince coming to sweep you off your feet and marry you. You’re far gutsier than that.”
Will just snuggled against her hands, his eyes never leaving her face. This was the face he was going to see every day for the rest of his life, going to wake up to in the morning and fall asleep next to at night. It was the face of an angel, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way. “So, what do you say we get out of this mini-blizzard and head inside where you can go on a calling and texting rampage to everyone you know?”
Cold hands, warm heart, or at least so she had always heard. Though if he did end up getting sick then she would be first in line to be making him chicken soup and trying to make him better. Even if it meant forcing him to stay in bed no matter how much he insisted he was feeling better. "I always thought I was a bit of a Merida rather than a Snow White... Though I'd probably end up Rapunzel and hit them with a frying pan for lack of other weapons." No matter what she was still a Gryffindor through and through.
"Well... Given the time my top people to call and text are probably out still or trying to get kids to go to bed." oddly while probably studying for midterms considering the people she knew with little kids. "However I'm sure you have a few people you probably want to text and call and gush your heart out to as well. Plus I'm already trying to guess the things dad is going to ask because he goes into shock and then come the questions like "How did this happen?"... Though that might have just been for Kaylee. But still, we can get out of the snow so you can go gush."
Will could definitely see her as a more heroic figure in feminist literature. There weren’t too many strong, independent woman in literature according to his understanding that didn’t require the male in the story to come save them like damsels in distress. Lucy was the one to always break the mold, and had he the talent, he would have written a story just for her. Slaying dragons and deciding for herself which man she wanted by her side while still maintaining her status as a perfect and beautiful lady. “I don’t doubt you could do whatever you set your mind to, my love.”
He had to smile though as she went off on her little rant there. He just loved hearing her voice no matter what she was saying. “The most important people already know. And I believe your father’s exact words when I asked for your hand in marriage were, ‘I have an underground lair where I develop the most high tech weapons that may or may not include a suit of iron, and I’m not afraid to use them if you hurt her.’” He grinned. “Your mother was far more pleased, though I have a feeling your father is glad I’m not Johnny. I actually asked for permission.” He winked. “Come, Rapunzel. Soon it’ll get so cold that not even your long hair will be able to keep us warm.”
Lucy had to laugh a little and just shake her head. That did sound like something her dad would say if she wasn't threatening to run him through the liver with a sword. There was a small part of her that was also feeling a moment of sadness at the idea that this was really a step towards growing up and while she would always be their baby girl, tradition still dictated the whole giving her away. Thankfully there was always a distraction there to keep her from getting choked up in the moment. "Johnny did too. Kay was the one that shot him down faster than Elmer Fudd." Ah, one of the many arguments of the Ramsey sisters over the years even though she hated Johnny Jones more than basically any other male on the island. "Though I should probably hit you for even bringing up that swear word."
She helped with getting things together enough to go back to his car where he could start blasting the heat and just singing the healing incantation from the movie to herself. Unfortunately it didn’t cause her locks to start glowing for extra light, but she was a fan of “whistle while you work”. Between the two of them it didn’t take long though before she was sitting in the passenger seat and just buckling up for the rest of her life.