Who: Carol and Malcolm What: Dinner and Malcolm has something he wants to discuss Where: Her place, then Marea When: May 4, 2015 Status: Complete Rating: PG
Malcolm was in an extremely good mood today. Dinner reservations were already made, he was enroute to pick up Carol, and everything was taken care of. He smiled and pressed a button on his steering wheel and said, "Call Carol..."
When the phone engaged, Malcolm smiled and said, "Evening, beautiful... I'm nearly to your place. Reservations aren't until 8, so we have plenty of time to get there."
Carol was glad things had mostly gone back to normal after the whole mess with the plane going down. And she was glad now that Malcolm and Cissie both knew of her secret. Yes, she still worried someone could find out and target them to get to her but it wasn't like she had made much of a name for herself yet in the hero business.
Hearing her phone, she leaned over and grabbed it, answering as she put on her other high heel. She had been told that they were going out for a nice dinner and Carol was making sure she was dressed up nice (because god she loved being able to be girly from time to time). "I'm just about ready. And I'm in no rush to get the evening over with."
"Neither am I. So I suppose the only question for that would be if we're spending the night at your place, or at mine once dinner's over." He changed lanes and pulled up in front of her apartment building.
"Either is fine with me," she returned, smiling. Finishing getting her shoes on, she checked herself in the mirror and made sure everything looked good. "Let's just see where the night goes first before deciding on whose place we end up at."
"It's a deal. I just pulled up, so I'll be at your door shortly." He parked the car, nodded politely to the doorman, and made his way quickly upstairs. After knocking on her door, he smiled and took a step back. He felt like a nervous school kid, but managed to keep a calm and collected expression on his face.
Carol smiled and hung up before she grabbed a matching clutch for her dress and headed for the door. Moments before she reached it he knocked and she smiled and tugged the door open. "You clean up good Merlyn," she teased, her blue eyes warming as she looked him over.
"Likewise, gorgeous." Malcolm slid an arm around her waist, pulling Carol closer so he could kiss her. "You've seen me in suits before. Hell... you're seen me in pretty much everything by now," he teased. "And nothing at all."
She gave him a small kiss and a soft laugh at his words. "Hmm...I think I would have to say I like the nothing at all best," she winked. She slid her own arm around him and stared at him. "So, where are we off to dine tonight?"
"Marea," he replied, curious to see if she would remember the restaurant. He brushed his lips against hers again and wrapped his other arm around her. "Sound good?"
The smile on her face slowly grew as she did indeed remember the restaurant. "Our first date," she murmured, leaning into him. "It sounds perfect." She shifted enough only to close and lock her door before she looked at him. "Ready when you are."
"So you do remember..." He smiled and offered her his arm. "We haven't been there since that first date when Cissie set us up, so I figured we were due for a return visit." Once they were back downstairs, Malcolm opened the door to the car for her.
She nodded in agreement and slid into the car once they were downstairs and the door was opened to her. Making sure her dress was tucked into the car, she tugged the door shut and buckled in, enjoying the rather nice car.
Malcolm turned on the radio, leaving the volume low enough so they could still talk. "How did your talk with Cissie go?" he asked, glancing over at her as he pulled away from the apartment. "She hasn't really said anything to me other than 'it's all good'."
She smiled some. "I think the appropriate term was 'geeked out' when I told her and showed her. But she'll keep my secret. And is glad that I am who I am considering the plane crash." She shook her head. "I still can't believe that someone would try to...to assassinate a rival CEO." She looked at him. "I mean, I do get it, money is a powerful motivator in the world but still. I would think that business people would b e more...civilized."
"You'll find that more often than not, the people with the money are the ones who are most dangerous. In the end, he paid for his crimes... I saw an article that he'd already been murdered in the prison they were holding him in." Malcolm kept his eye on the road as they drove to the restaurant. "But yes... You won't have any problems with Cissie or I keeping your secret, love."
Carol gave a small nod. They were dangerous and often got away with things due to that money. "I'm surprised they had him in the general population of the prison given his status." She shrugged some and shifted her hand so it was holding his. "Still, he got what he deserved, though it would have been nice to see him be declared guilty of trying to kill us." She turned and looked at him at his last words and smiled more. "I know Malcolm. I trust you both and care about you both."
Malcolm smiled and nodded, turning his hand over to lace his fingers with hers. "Enough talk about rivals. Tonight's just about you and me. And just think... I'll need to replace that plane," he pointed out with a grin.
She gave him a soft smile and gently squeezed his hand. Hearing about his replacing the jet, she gave a soft laugh. "I've already been looking at new prospects," she returned. "A few have caught my eye I'll show you later."
"Sounds perfect." He smiled as he pulled up to the restaurant, getting out of the car and opening the door for Carol. Malcolm handed the keys over to the valet, offered her his arm again, and led her inside. "Good evening... Merlyn, table for two."
Gracefully slipping out of the limo she slid her arm through Malcolm's and walked with him, giving a smile to the host. "I will laugh if you managed to get us the table we met at," she teased, nudging him playfully.
Malcolm chuckled and didn't say a word as they followed to the waiter. And sure enough, there was a small reserved sign on the very table she had just mentioned. "Never let it be said that I can't be romantic," he replied as he pulled out her chair for her.
Her eyes softened when she noticed the table and kissed his cheek. "Those words have never crossed my lips or mind," she murmured. She shifted and sat down in her chair, giving Malcolm a warm smile as she got herself comfortable.
Malcolm handed her a menu, ordering a bottle of champagne for them from the waiter before the man disappeared. "I wanted to do something nice for you after everything that's happened lately. And like I said, we haven't been here in a while." Malcolm looked over the menu, decided on what he wanted to eat, then closed it and set it aside. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't stop glancing over at Carol and smiling.
She gave a nod, the smile still glued to her face. "Sometimes I keep expecting to wake up and find out that all this was a dream," she said, glancing at the rather dashing man across the table from her. Deciding on her own food, she set the menu down and looked at him. "Tonight is perfect so far," she informed him, reaching out to hold his hand again.
"It's no dream," he replied as she took hold of his hand. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about though. I wasn't quite sure when during dinner to bring it up..." Malcolm looked down at their hands and he lightly brushed his thumb back and forth against her soft skin.
She canted her head to the side slightly. "What is it? You know you can tell me anything." He didn't look outright worried but then again he could be a hard man to read at times.
"I know that originally, Cissie tricked you into coming here with that dating ad. But the more time we spent together, the more I couldn't imagine you not being a part of my life... our lives. You know that I love you, Carol. And what happened with the plane made me reevaluate some decisions I had made in the past about my life." Malcolm looked up at her, his blue eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions at the moment.
She listened as he spoke, absorbing his words. They didn't sound like a break up so she didn't think that was it. And while she wish she could say that the near crash had done the same for her, she knew every time she went up in a plane that unless it exploded right out, she would always walk away. But she didn't want to assume anything here. So it would be better to ask.
"Like...?" she prompted, hoping he would continue.
Not letting go of her hand, Malcolm stood up and walked around the table to stand next to her. He gazed into her eyes and smiled warmly, slowly getting down on one knee as he reached into the inner pocket of his suit coat with his free hand. Malcolm turned her hand over, gently placed the velvet box in her palm, and opened it to reveal the diamond ring nestled inside. "Will you marry me?" he asked her softly.
Of all the things that were running through her head as possibilities, this was not at the top of that list. She stared from the ring (which was gorgeous and probably cost a few years salary for her) to Malcolm, speechless. Closing her mouth finally so she didn't look like a gaping fish, she gave him a soft smile.
"When we were falling out of that plane, and I realized that I could lose you... if I didn't have the... skills... I do..." She blinked rapidly to hold back tears. "Yes. Yes I will marry you Malcolm." Without another word she tugged him in and gave him a kiss.
Other patrons in the restaurant began clapping and Malcolm breathed a sigh of releaf, not even realizing he'd been holding his breath as he had waited for her response. He kissed her firmly in return, then took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. "I sort of peeked at one of your other rings to get the right sizing," he explained with a boyish grin.
Carol took a moment to enjoy the boyish grin on his face. She loved how it lit up his eyes. "I applaud your resourcefulness," she said, glancing down at the ring on her left hand, her heart hammering in her chest from happiness. "So I take it Cissie approves? Or is she the one who picked out the ring and suggested this whole thing like the diabolical mastermind she is?" she teased.
"No, it was all my idea. But I did tell her that I was planning on proposing to you." Malcolm kissed her again before standing back up and returning to his seat. "She squealed out 'oh my god' so many time and so quickly that it sort of blurred into one excited shriek."
Carol laughed and brushed some of her hair from her face. "I can only imagine the dogs of the neighborhood were thrilled with that." She sipped on some water and stared into his eyes. "This is a perfect night Malcolm. I can't wait to have more with you."
"Which leads me to my second question for you." Malcolm paused as the waiter returned with the champagne and poured a glass for each of them. He took their orders and departed, then Malcolm turned his attention back to Carol. "Move in with me. I've got the house out in Sag for when we want to get away, and there's the apartment in the city for when I need to stick around close by."
She took a small sip of champagne and swallowed slowly. "I have one condition on that," she said, hoping he'd agree to it. "I keep my place for now. I love you and do want to spend the rest of my life with you but I've been an independent woman since I was a kid. Made so by an asshole of a father who thinks that girls can't do what boys can do but you already know that." She reached out and squeezed his hand. "I mostly want to keep my place for now as a place to write and work. But I am going to be moving my things slowly into your place and taking over your closet space."
"I don't have a problem with that," he said as he picked up his glass to make a toast. "To us... and as Cissie said, to all of us becoming a family."
Carol grinned and clinked her glass against his. "I never once thought in a million years I'd end up getting married," she admitted with a small laugh. "You're the first guy I've been with where things have actually worked out this well." She looked at him and smiled more. "I can't think of anyone else I'd like to start a family with."
She sipped her champagne and looked at her now fiance. "Do you think Cissie would like to be my maid of honor? I don't exactly have too many girlfriends to ask."
"It's their loss. But to be honest? I never expected to ever want to get married again. And now here I am with a beautiful fiancee who means the world to me." Malcolm sipped his champagne before answering her other question. "I think she'd be thrilled!"
Carol smiled some, a small blush rising to her face at his words about her. When she spoke about Cissie being thrilled, Carol smiled more. "I think so too. I'm glad too she's okay with my...other job too. And you. It's been...a bit lonely having to keep that to myself and it's not like I know the others in the same line of work."
"I can completely understand that. If people knew about it, you'd be at risk and so would others around you." He knew all too well what that was life and so did his daughter. However, he was leaving the decision to reveal her own secret up to Cissie. "Cissie's been through a lot in her life, despite being so young. She can handle a lot more than most kids her age."
Carol nodded in agreement. "She reminds me a bit of me. Determined as hell to do her own thing no matter what people say to the contrary." A soft chuckle escaped her. "Though I'm fairly sure she'd probably punch my old man if he tried half the crap with her as he did with me."
"Probably. Hell... if I ever met him, I might be likely to punch him," he replied with a soft laugh of his own. He took another sip of champagne and nodded towards her hand. "Do you like the ring? I wasn't sure if you had a specific style you preferred. But Cissie and I decided it was classy, unlike one of those gaudy, flashy ones with a giant stone the size of a jawbreaker."
Carol chuckled a bit. "You and her would have to get in line behind me for that," she returned. At his question about the ring she let her eyes drift to it and she smiled. "It's perfect Malcolm," she assured him, looking up into his eyes. A thought crossed her mind and she made a decision that if they did come back to her place tonight, she was going to make sure he left with one of her dog tags. Perhaps a silly notion but he knew how big being in the Air Force had been for her and that it was a part of her. "And a ring with that big of a stone is just a beacon for thieves and ne'er do wells. I wouldn't be able to take it out of the house safely," she laughed. "This ring though is perfect."
"Exactly. With this one, there's the central stone, then all of the smaller ones embedded in the rest of the band. I also thought that given your activities, it wouldn't get in the way or be as likely to get snagged on something." He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Beauty and practicality in one."
She studied the ring as he described it, already knowing she'd need to find a way to keep it safe when out heroing. Though the real issue was going to be whenever she needed to do an unexpected instantaneous change to Captain Marvel. Still, she could practice on some of her non-valuable jewelry first to ensure she could change and not have it affected.
She looked up at him and smiled. "Sometimes I think you're just too good to be true Malcolm."
"Carol, I'm not... I'm a person, just like anyone else. The only difference is I happen to be the CEO of a global corporation. It's just money and hardly the most important thing in my life. You and Cissie are," he replied.
She gave him a small smile. "I know Malcolm. But like I mentioned earlier I haven't had the best of luck with guys in the dating arena until you. Most guys I tried to date were never a huge fan of a woman in the military let alone her being able to pilot a fighter jet."
"And most women I met were either vapid socialites, or just after my money. Personally, I like a woman who can take charge and hold her own. There's no point in being with someone if they're not truly your equal partner. Otherwise, it'll never work and you end up resenting them." He paused and refilled their champagne glasses.
She smiled some and nodded. "Very true. Relationships aren't about only one person, they're about building something together that will last. You can't do that if you both aren't equal." She sipped some of the champagne before setting her glass back down. "We owe Cissie so much for bringing us together you know."
"We really do. I should see if she wants to go on a trip or something when her semester ends. Maybe I'll even be nice and let her bring Tim with her." He smiled and sipped his drink, leaning back as the waiter arrived with their meals. "Mmm... looks good."
She gave him a teasing grin as she studied him. "And do you approve of her young man?" she teased playfully. "Or are you going to worry about what they'll get up to on that trip or when we take our honeymoon?"
Seeing the food come over she shifted so there was room for it and smiled, enjoying the smells. "Smells good too."
"Tim? At first, I wasn't certain. After all, he is Bruce Wayne's adopted son. But he's got a good head on his shoulders, he's very intelligent, and respectful. So far, I haven't had to worry about him molesting my daughter every time he's visited," Malcolm joked. "I trust Cissie. Even if her and Tim are... well, you know... she's not stupid. But yes... so far, I approve."
Carol chuckled a bit and leaned over, resting her hand on his. "I don't think you need to worry about him doing anything untoward to Cissie. If he ever tried anything like that and she didn't want it she'd flatten him." She took a bite of her food and chewed it before swallowing. "I may have given her some good pointers on how to throw a punch for maximum damage to a guy."
"She really would." Malcolm smirked as she mentioned pointers. "Speaking of punches, there's a little something you should know about the house in Sag. There's a complete archery range in there, along with mats for martial arts work. While there's no way I'd be anywhere near your level with physical fighting, or Cissie either, you're more than welcome to use it. We do a little sparring sometimes to practice her self defense."
Carol gave him a small smile. "Just because you might not be on my level doesn't mean we can't spar. I had to face a lot of people who were more skilled than me at some point in my life." She grinned a bit. "Besides, I want to see just how good of a sparring partner you are. Or maybe just to see you with your shirt off," she added with a wink.
"Sweetheart, you can see me with my shirt off any time you'd like. And it's a deal. I can't think of a better way to spend a few hours than flat on my back with you on top of me," he teased, giving her a wink.
Her grin widened at her words and a slight flush rose to her cheeks. "Good. And I promise not to beat you too badly," she added, giving her voice some mock haughtiness. She ate a few more bites of food before leaning back in her chair. She wasn't full but she wanted to give her food some time to settle before eating more. And they were in no rush after all.
"Cocky, aren't we? I don't know... I think you might be pleasantly surprised at just how good I am." Malcolm smirked and pointed at her with his fork. "Besides... if you beat me up too badly, then I'll have to recover before we can do anything more fun."
She grinned deviously at him before leaning in. Her voice was little more than whipser when she spoke but it was loud enough for him to hear. "Depends on where we...spar now doesn't it?"
He matched her grin with one of his own as he leaned in and whispered, "I do have a king sized bed..."
Carol grinned and gave him a kiss for a reply before settling back in her seat and began finishing her meal demurely, the smile though never leaving her face. It was finally sinking in that she was going to have the chance to spend the rest of her life with this amazing man and she couldn't be happier.