Disclaimer: Not mine.
It was just like any other night that they were both home. They got home, ate dinner, took a shower… together, then crawled into bed, but as they lay next to each other the couple had very different thoughts going through their brains. Red could not keep his mind off of the woman lying next to him and how badly he wanted to make love to her again but he couldn't shake the feeling that either a) she wasn't in the mood or b) she was working up the courage to tell him something. He didn't know it yet but the answer was b. she had been trying to figure out since earlier that day just how she was going to approach the topic. She loved him more than anything but was afraid that her "little secret" would drive a wedge between them that would be irreparable. The thought alone caused her to lurch into his arms, lying her head on his chest and wrapping an arm and a leg around him.
"Sweetheart, I've tried to give you the space that you need, tried letting you come to me with whatever is bothering you, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to meet you half-way because you are kind of scaring me now." His voice was low and soothing as his fingers traced up and down her back.
Lizzie buried her face further into his chest for a split second before turning to look up at him resting her chin on his chest and her watery gaze on his. Before she began to speak she entwined their fingers and brought them up to rest on his chest. "You love me, right?"
"Of course, sweetheart, you should know that by now," his voice was steady but she could see the worry creeping into his eyes. She just had to be sure first.
"No matter what?" her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
"No matter what." The conviction in his voice gave her the strength to carry on.
"Red, I-," She paused. Red wasn't the right name for this occasion. "Raymond, please let me get out all that I have to say before you speak? I know that will be hard for you but if I stop, I won't be able to get it all out." He nodded his agreement. "Raymond, I'm sorry, I was as careful as I could be. Hell, I didn't even know it was possible, but… Raymond, I'm pregnant. It's yours, of course. I know that you probably don't want children and I can totally understand that after all that you've been through, but I can't give it away or abort it. I love it too much. I love you, Raymond, more than anything, but I want this baby. It's ours, Ray, I can't walk away from it. Please understand. Please, please don't be mad."
"Are you done?" Lizzie felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she nodded her head. Before she knew it, she was flipped on her back and Red had her pinned to the bed as he straddled her hips and held her wrists above her head. Then, his lips were on her in the tenderest kiss that he had ever given her. "How could you ever think that I could be mad at you for our conceiving a child?" he let her wrists go to support himself better over her. "Sure, it's not ideal at the moment, but we can make it through this, if not for us, then for our child. And we weren't exactly 'as careful as we could be', sweetheart. You've never let me use a condom."
He winked at her and Lizzie blushed as she brought her hands up to caress his face. "I like to feel you-"
"I'm not complaining about that," he growled into her neck.
"And besides, I didn't think I could get pregnant," her eyes focused in on her fingers that were tangled in his chest hairs.
"But you did." He kissed her cheek.
"I did." Her voice was merely a breath. "So you're not mad?"
"No, sweetheart," he kissed her lips and then her cheek.
"But… are you happy?"
"Lizzie, look at me," she did so and was slightly taken aback by the adoring smile on his face and the love flowing out of his eyes. "I am incredibly happy." His hand slid to cover her stomach where their child was nestled away from every evil in the world. "The only thing that could make me happier-" he stopped himself as if he truly hadn't meant to let that come out of his mouth.
"For Grace to be here?" she asked. Many a time she had woken to his frantic flailing and screaming of her name.
"Well, yes, that too I suppose."
Elizabeth knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "Then what?"
He looked at her again and she could see his hesitance. Liz ran her fingertips across his cheek and up his sideburns. Cradling his cheek in her palm she kissed him before asking again, "What could make you happier?"
"Lizzie, sweetheart, all I can offer you in way of a home for now is what we've had, moving every two days or so, living in safe houses across the world. But as soon as we can, as soon as it's safe, I will get us a house to live in, with our child. We can be a family. I promise you that I won't leave you. You have my heart for as long as you want it and even after that. All of my assets go to you in my will already any way. Yo-"
"What are you trying to say, Ray?" Liz had never seen Red stutter or ramble, let alone this much.
"Lizzie, my sweetheart," he ran his fingers through her hair, taking in her appearance at that moment, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
"Raymond," she breathed.
"I-I have you a ring… I didn't intend on asking this way… or this soon, but I do have one. Let me go get it." he moved to pull away from her but she stopped him by wrapping her arms around his torso.
"Raymond, I don't need a ring, at least not in this moment. Don't propose to me and then run away... Of course I will marry you."
"Really?" his face filled with wonder and hope making him instantly look twenty years younger.
"Yes," Liz couldn't contain the joy that was bubbling up through her body resulting in a small giggle.
Leaning his head to where his lips were right at her ear he whispered the three most beautiful words in Liz's opinion, "I love you."
Wrapping her arms so tightly around him that he had no choice but to fall on top of her, she whispered it back to him. After a moment he motioned to pull away but Liz held him to her. "Stay," she whispered, wanting nothing more than to feel the full weight of his body against hers even if just for a moment longer.
A/N: I hope that you liked it! Please leave a review!