A/N: Hi y'all! I noticed the last few months that there is not nearly enough Younger fic to satisfy my needs. This is my attempt to rectify that. It's my first venture outside of Gilmore Girls, so I hope y'all enjoy :)
Also: cred to Elizabeth Barrett Browning for some lines of her poetry that I borrowed. I don't own those or anything Younger related.
A couple walks hand in hand through Bryant Park. At first glance, there's nothing special or remarkable about them; a beautiful, well-dressed woman and a handsome man in a smart suit were not unusual patrons in this particular part of the city.
Upon further inspection, though, there does seem to be…something about this couple—something unique. There is a glow about them; a shining aura. The kind of luminescence specifically akin to the bliss of love. And although they are unified in their radiant ardor, there are small, almost imperceptible nuances in their facial expressions. Hers seems bashful, while his is plainly utter amazement. But beneath their shared joy is something more uncertain.
Doubt.
It's not deep enough to completely overshadow their mutual happiness. But it's there, hanging over them like a dark cloud, threatening to overtake their sunny dispositions.
Neither one of them can see these small changes taking place. They continue to walk with their hands intertwined, like their minds haven't been whirring a mile a minute, running through everything that has happened and will happen since they began their stroll.
Finally something stops them, and they turn to look at one another, their inner turmoil now fully etched onto both their faces. When they realize their troubled expressions mirror each other, they both let out a small laugh and manage a grin.
They both begin to talk at once.
"Charles—"
"Liza, I—"
They stop.
"You first," they say simultaneously.
They laugh again and their smiles broaden. The man clears his throat. "You first."
The woman's shy expression returns. "Are you sure this was the right choice? Giving up your company for me?"
Charles takes both her hands in his. "It wasn't just for you. It was for me. For my family. For the good of the company. Getting to be with you freely and in the open…it's something between a dream and a miracle." He kisses her hands affectionately.
Liza shakes her head incredulously, the wide smile never leaving her face. "How am I supposed to think clearly or logically when you're quoting Elizabeth Barrett Browning at me?"
Charles leans in closer, but Liza pulls away slightly. "You didn't answer my question. Browning or not."
Charles lets out a sigh of resignation. "The right choice…" he pauses. "Liza, you've been aware of many intimate details of my life for some time. You're one of the few who seems to have had the opportunity to really hear both sides of the story. You were privy to information even some of Pauline's closest friends never knew, nor mine for that matter. You know what caused my marriage to crumble. You've borne witness to what has caused Empirical to get to this place. I know I'm stubborn and set in my ways. I know ultimately my addiction to my work is what led Pauline to leave, coupled with my pride and vanity. I'm not a perfect man."
He pauses again, a small smile coming to his face. "You probably don't remember this, but I once told you that sometimes I wonder what it would be like if the bottom dropped out and I had to start all over again. You asked me what I would do. Then—"
"I asked you what's something you've always wanted to do, something you couldn't do because of your job," Liza finishes. "I remember."
Charles nods. "And I asked you if you really wanted to know…do you still want to know?"
Liza steps closer to him. "Yes," she says quietly.
Charles pulls her flush against him into a glorious, searing kiss.
"Well surely your job hasn't kept you from doing that," she teases him, giggling.
He chuckles. "Not exactly. But that is something I wanted to do for so long. Liza, being with you…I've finally felt like myself again. Even when we were nothing more than friendly co-workers, my life felt less heavy when you were around. And now, I don't have to wonder what it would be like if the bottom dropped out and I had to start over. It's happening."
Liza swallows hard. "And…? What's it like?"
Charles pulls her close again and places a delicate kiss on her forehead. "Beyond my wildest expectations. More than I ever could have dreamed. And there is no one I would rather start over with than you."
"But the company has been your life. What will you do?" Liza so badly wants to believe that they are moving towards their happily ever after, but she cannot bear the thought of resentment or regret bubbling up between them.
"I will watch you help it thrive, and I'll still get to have my say as a board member." He gives her hands a reassuring squeeze. "You're right: it has always been my life, so I know it won't always be easy. But I am not the same man that I was when I took over Empirical. I'm not the same man I was when you started working there. I know that I will get through this transition because this time I have you, both professionally and personally. I am a better man, and will be a better man, because of you."
He brings her to him once more and wraps her in his arms, not caring that they are in the middle of a public park. He whispers to her as he holds her close. "I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only fro what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."
Liza looks up at him, her eyes glimmering with tears and adoration. "I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach," she murmurs back at him.
Their kiss is short but sweet, still filled with tenderness and passion.
"I love you," Charles says plainly.
"I love you, too," Liza replies.
They return to their walk, hands interlaced, their faces alight with a new ecstasy of loving and being perfectly loved in return, and the wonderful possibilities that lie ahead.