A Somewhat Planned Impromptu Proposal
Simon Lewis Lovelace is on his way home after an especially exhausting day. Maia Roberts had called him and asked him to help with a new werewolf – it wasn't his job to help but she knew he had an affinity for helping people new to the shadow world. Anyway, a new werewolf wasn't a big deal, it would be an easy job, he'd though, but the girl's story made it emotionally troubling.
Maia – the head of the Manhattan wolf-clan – had been bitten by her ex-boyfriend on the first night he had turned and almost the exact same thing had happened to this new wolf.
They'd (Simon and Maia) found the wolf running rampant through Washington Square Park, sedated her, and brought her to the old police station Maia's pack called home where she'd woken up completely dazed and scared.
Maia talked to her and introduced her to her new reality and the girl took everything in stride, but when Maia asked about how the girl had been bitten she wasn't prepared for the story. Neither was Simon.
Apparently, the girl – Natasha, she'd told them – had been out dancing with her girlfriends a couple weeks ago when her boyfriend of four years showed up out of nowhere and started going off on her. He'd all but dragged her to the alley behind the club where a full out scuffle had ensued. She'd been pushing him away – her hand to his face – when he bit her. Both had been so startled that they'd stood frozen for a few seconds before Natasha fled. She broke up with him the next day, moved all her stuff into one of her friend's apartments, and put the horrid ordeal out of her mind.
"I didn't think anything of it until I started acting basically bipolar, just like him the last week we were together," Natasha had told them. "And then, as crazy as it sounds, I thought I 'caught' the mood swings from him – like he had some kind of disease," she paused, "which I guess is actually true." She'd looked at Maia for confirmation but Maia was light years away in her own memories.
Simon thoughts had gone to Jordan too, in a different way than Maia's, but still to the friend they had both lost. He'd turned to Natasha and gave her quick details on how Maia's story was similar to hers.
Natasha understood the look in Maia's eyes.
They'd sat in silence for a while before Maia came back to life and turned to the newly made wolf.
"You said your ex had only been acting strange for about a week before this happened?" Her quiet voice had been the only sign that she was still feeling too many emotions.
"Yes, maybe a couple days more, but not long at all. I thought maybe something happened at his work or with his family and he just wasn't telling me," Natasha replied.
Maia's forehead creased. "That doesn't make any sense…unless he… oh my god," she raced to the door and called for a pack member.
"What's going on?" Simon had asked, completely puzzled.
She turned back toward them. "It's his first change too," was all she said before she started barking orders to the pack members that showed up when she called.
"I didn't even know that could happen. That the disease could be spread before one even changed for the first time," Simon said.
Natasha had sat there watching everything going on around her.
Maia finally came back into the small room. "It doesn't happen often but it can happen," she answered Simon's half question before asking one of her own. "Do you want to join in on another wolf hunt?"
Simon had agreed to go and after they'd made sure Natasha would be okay at the station, they went looking for her ex-boyfriend.
It had taken the better part of three hours but Bat and another wolf named Ross had finally tracked him down and brought him to the precinct as well. Simon had offered to stay and talk to him too, but Maia said he was free to go.
"You've been enough help tonight, Si, head home or Isabelle will be worried. Thanks for everything," she'd said while basically pushing him out the door.
And that's how Simon finds himself walking back to his and Isabelle's apartment at 8am on a Wednesday morning.
He's stopped on a corner waiting for the traffic light to turn when something flashes to his right. He turns and looks into the front window of a jewelry store. An array of necklaces, earrings, and rings are all on display, trying to tempt anyone to come in and buy.
Simon is about to keep walking when one ring catches his eye. It's not extravagant in any way, just a simple emerald cut diamond, but the band is what intrigues him. It's the exact same shade as Isabelle's whip and before Simon knows what's happening he's inside the shop.
A clerk looks up at the opening door in surprise. "I've worked here 15 years and I've never seen someone come in this early. Can I help you with anything?" The clerk – a man most likely in his 50s – looks earnest enough and Simon smiles.
"There's a ring in your window I'd like to buy."
Simon shows the clerk and minutes later he's at the register with a size 7 diamond ring sitting in front of him.
"That'll be $8,723.00, with the added insurance. Will you be paying with debit or credit?"
Simon blanches at the price for only a moment before handing over his card. Isabelle is worth all the money in the world and he handles their finances so he knows he can hide the withdrawal from her. "Debit," is all he says aloud.
"You must have one special lady waiting at home for you; this is one of our nicest models. I'm sure she's going to love it," the clerk says while sliding over a receipt for Simon to sign.
"She's the best thing that's ever happened to me," Simon replies while taking his own receipt and the small box from the counter. "Thanks for this." He turns to leave.
"Good luck," the clerk calls after him. Simon knows he won't need it.
He opens the apartment door expecting Isabelle to still be asleep. He plans on bringing her breakfast in bed and proposing after she has enough sugar in her system and coffee in her blood.
He does not plan on Izzy being very much awake. She's not just awake; she's on the phone and looking hostile.
"What do you mean he has to leave for two weeks, he just got back from Sri Lanka three days ago?" Simon immediately knows she's talking about him. His job as a recruiter takes him out of town a lot and normally Isabelle can go with him but in the past month demon numbers have been spiking in Manhattan and Jace asked her if she could stick around to take care of them. He's guessing that's who she's on the phone with. His guess is correct.
"I know it's his job, Jace, but I'm his girlfriend and I miss him. I've killed more demons this past week than I usually do in three months, I think that deserves some time off. I can take out demons in Asia just as well as I can here!"
Simon's good mood falls a bit. He slams the door harder than necessary so she knows he's home. Isabelle whirls to stare at him.
"I'll call you back later," she says into the phone before hanging up and walking towards him. He doesn't notice the moisture in her eyes until she's inches away and before he can say anything she flings her arms around him and pulls him close.
"You've been gone all night and you didn't answer your phone this morning; did everything go alright with Maia?" She asks into his neck.
Simon holds her tightly. "Everything is fine. There ended up being two new wolves to find instead of one, that's why it took me so long to get home, and my phone is dead." He kisses her temple.
"How about some breakfast? I think waffles sound good." He knows they're her favorite.
Isabelle pulls away and grabs his hand, leading him to their room. She pushes him down onto the bed, crawls on top of him.
"I'd rather have you," she says while leaning over to kiss him fiercely, desperately.
Simon's proposal plan goes out the window. He can't do it like this – when he's about to be sent away again and they won't be able to celebrate. So he kisses her back just as fiercely, knowing they won't get to be together again for a while.
His hands wind themselves in her hair while hers run under his shirt. The ring stays in his jacket pocket even after Isabelle throws the garment into a corner and there it stays.
3 Months Later…
Simon Lewis Lovelace still hasn't found the right time to ask Isabelle to marry him. He's thought about it often, even has the beginning of a plan in his mind, but it's Isabelle and if the proposal isn't perfect he doesn't deserve her.
The ring has been in numerous coats and jean pockets. He carries it with him anytime they go out together, just in case. Today is no different.
The young couple is currently on their way home after eating dinner at their favorite hole-on-the-wall sushi place in Brooklyn.
They've spent the evening talking about everything but demons and their jobs and both of them are in a good mood because of it. Isabelle is in an especially good mood because Simon doesn't have to leave New York for at least 3 weeks.
Simon and Isabelle are three quarters of the way across the Brooklyn Bridge when three Shax demons are suddenly blocking their way.
Simon is glad they glamoured themselves after deciding to walk home.
"Seriously," Isabelle says while unwinding her electrum whip from around her arm. "Simon, you go left, make sure they don't get near those teenagers coming our way, I'll hit them straight on." She stalks forward, knowing Simon will do as she said.
Simon takes out a seraph blade, names it Raphael, and heads into the battle of five.
For a few minutes they know nothing but bloodshed.
Isabelle kills one of the demons quickly and advances on the third, whip flying.
Simon is dipping and striking, dodging and swiping. His demon doesn't want to die and Simon works twice as hard as normal to put it down. His blade plunges down into the demon's back with a sickening squish and the Shax demon is gone soon after.
He looks over at Isabelle. She pulls a long dagger from her boot, somersaults behind the demon, and swiftly decapitates it.
Seconds later Isabelle replaces her whip around her arm and flicks ichor from her sleev before heading for Simon.
Both are high from the fight and Isabelle looks even more absolutely incredible to Simon than she normally does. He meets her halfway and drops to one knee.
Isabelle, having grown up around only other shadowhunters, doesn't understand what he's doing – her brows scrunch.
Simon digs the ring box out of his jeans and opens it for her to see the jewelry inside.
"Simon, that's gorgeous!" Isabelle exclaims before getting a worried look on her face. "It's not our anniversary or something is it? I don't have anything for you."
Simon smiles, "No, Iz, just listen for a second." He takes one of her hands in one of his, kisses her fingers.
"Isabelle Sophia Lightwood, never in my life did I think a girl like you would fall in love with me. You've not loved me but you've never given up on me, even when I kind of wanted to give up on myself. I still don't know if I deserve that kind of loyalty, but I promise to never take it or you for granted. I love you with everything that I am. I loved you when I was a vampire and when I was a mundane and I love you even more now as a shadowhunter. I want you by my side and guarding my back for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?" Simon is surprised by his lack of anxiety as he looks into Isabelle's dark, dark eyes.
Isabelle still doesn't understand why Simon proposed to her down on the ground but the thought leaves her mind quickly, as quickly as tears spring into her eyes. She hates to cry but Simon always manages to get happy tears from her more than anyone else.
"Yes," is all she can say around the lump in her throat.
Simon slips the ring onto her finger before standing up and kissing her tears away. Isabelle grabs hold of his shirt and grips it tightly.
"You deserve my loyalty more than anyone; you've certainly earned it enough times. I love you too." She whispers into his ear.
Simon shivers before replying, "I know."
Later that night, Isabelle and Simon are lying nose to nose in bed. Isabelle is gazing at the ring on her finger. She loves it, just like he knew she would.
"When did you find the time to buy this?"
"Remember that night I helped Maia with the two new werewolves, right before I had to go to Laos?"
Isabelle nods.
"I saw it in a window while I was walking home that morning and I just knew I needed to get it for you. The band reminded me of your whip and being around newly turned wolves had me thinking about how quickly our lives can change in an instant. It struck me while looking at the ring how badly I wanted to tie myself to you for the rest of our lives." He says the words lightly but Isabelle knows he means them.
"I guess it's good I want the same thing." She says while leaning in to kiss and nip at his throat. Simon's hands travel down Isabelle's bare back.
"Who would have thought Lord Montgomery would be so good at picking out jewelry." She says before placing her lips on his.
* So this has been swimming around in my head since I first read 'A Long Conversation,' so it's been a while. Isabelle is probably my favorite character in the TMI universe and I hate that there's barley any bonus content that has her in it – or maybe I just think she's not in it enough. Either way I wrote this one-shot because I could totally see Simon buying Izzy an engagement ring even if it's not shadowhunter protocol – she loves jewelry and he knows it after all. I tried to keep details the same as what we already know, but I did take some liberties. Hopefully you guys like it!