A/n: Hello and welcome to my first go at fan fiction! Hope you enjoy it!

"Beautiful"

Alek had had a long, tiring day. He'd spent it following Dr. Barlow around acting as her secretary, taking notes and organizing papers and carrying her briefcase. It was not as easy job. He been dragged to every corner of the London Zoo compound, upstairs, downstairs and back again. As Deryn would say, he was pure dead knackered.

It might have been bearable if Deryn had been there with him but unfortunately, she hadn't. Dr. Barlow had sent her off on errands around London right after breakfast. The last he'd seen her she was heading out the front gate with Tazza her heels and Bovril on her shoulder.

Alek was wondering how she had faired as he opened the door to their flat. When he stepped inside, he had to stop and smile at what he found.

Deryn was stretched out on the couch, fast asleep. Her suspenders were at her side, the first couple of buttons on her shirt were unbuttoned and her hair was tousled. She had a pencil in one hand, her sketchbook on her stomach and Bovril curled up next to her. Alek noticed she was just tall enough that she didn't quite fit on the couch so her socked feet hung over one armrest.

Alek went over and sat on the coffee table, his long day now forgotten. He couldn't help but think that she had never looked prettier. When his parents were still alive, Alek had met all sort of royalty, princesses and duchesses and the like with their elaborate hair and extravagant dresses. At the time he thought they were pretty. Now, every last one of them paled in comparison to the way he saw Deryn. She was beautiful to him, no matter what the rest of the world saw.

Alek could have sat there the rest of the day, just watching her but he knew Deryn would be more than a little annoyed if he let her sleep through dinner. He reached over and shook her gently. "Deryn?" he said. "Deryn wake up."

She slowly opened her eyes and yawned. When she focused on Alek, she smiled. "Alek," she said, still with a hint of sleep in her voice, "did you just get home?"

He nodded. "It took me forever to escape Dr. Barlow."

"Barking lady boffin," Deryn said, sitting up.

"Ready for dinner?"

Deryn grinned. "Of course!" She buttoned up her shirt, pulled her suspenders back into place and started lacing up her boots. When she was done, she looked up to find Alek still staring at her.

"What?" she said.

"You're beautiful," he said before he could think about it.

Deryn rolled her eyes. "You're daft."

"One of these days you'll believe me."

She rolled her eyes again and stood up. Before she could turn towards the door, however, Alek pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Deryn replied and then added with a grin, "even if you are daft." She untangled herself from his arms in order to pull on her jacket and collect Bovril. "Come on, I'm starving!"

He smiled as he followed her out the door. She really was beautiful.

A/n: I'll try to update soon, but I can't really make any promises. I'll try my best!