Ronan: Emergency at work won't be home tonight
Blue's phone buzzed with the notification. She swiped it away. She'd learned from experience that there really wasn't much to do when this happened. Ronan had once told her when there were "emergencies at work" no one was allowed to use their phones. They all got locked inside the building for at least the rest of the day. Blue glanced at the time before switching the screen off and putting her phone back in her pocket.
The grumbles in her stomach agreed with the time; it was just about time for lunch. She went over the schedule again, her next client wasn't due in until 2 so she had plenty of time. Blue grabbed the disinfectant wipes and began wiping down the equipment. This certainly wasn't somewhere she'd ever imagined herself but it suited her. She enjoyed being a physical therapist and seeing the positive change she could make in someone's life. It always warmed her hear t to see her patients getting stronger with her guidance.
"Blue!"
She glanced up from her reverie to realize the receptionist was calling her name.
"Blue, you need to come sign for something" When she got to the front desk she saw the biggest bouquet of flowers possible. She stopped.
"Blue, you need to sign for these apparently" Confused, she looked from the receptionist to the delivery man who was looking very hassled.
"For me?" she asked.
"Look I just need whoever is named Blue Sargent to sign for them before I can go" the delivery man said.
Blue signed for them. "Looks like you've got an admirer!" said the front desk girl, Blue never could remember her name. It was something vanilla like Ashley or Katie. Besides no one at the front desk lasted long enough for it to matter. She nodded in agreement and took them to the break room for water. They really were beautiful but so over the top. As she was filling the vase with water, she noticed a note buried inside the flowers.
She opened the envelope and a mint leaf fell out. Gansey. She knew instantly.
She thought back to that night she was bartending…meeting him again after it had been so long. She corrected herself, after he'd died. Her mind was racing, had she told him she worked here? That night was such a blur of emotions she couldn't remember. Her heart was flip flopping in a concerning manner knowing he was back. Again. For her this time.
"Wedding tonight. Be my +1? I'll be here at 5pm."
Her heart hammered harder. Gansey. She shook her head. Gansey! This was so like him to swoop in with no regard to anyone's schedule. But she couldn't pass this up. Not now not after everything. She'd just have to use her lunch to go dress shopping.
Blue was leaning against the front of the building when Gansey rolled up. Somehow he still had the pig and it looked just the same, sounded just the same.
Her palms were sweating. They may both be 10 years older, but she felt just like she was 16 again when he'd used to pick her up in the dead of night to drive in silence.
When they pulled up to the beach house, more like mansion really, Gansey whispered, "Let's have some fun tonight Jane". He stepped on the clutch, pulled the parking break and squeezed her hand just before the doors were opened for them by valets.
Here goes nothing Blue thought. Gansey came around and slid her hand onto his arm. The double front doors were swung open for them by more valets, is that what they were called even if they weren't taking cars? Blue's thought was interrupted by a man with a guestlist asking for their names.
"Gansey" Gansey said "Richard and my lovely wife, Jane Gansey"
Blue blinked. He was all president cellphone but then she saw his mischievous grin. She couldn't help herself; she laughed out loud.
"Jane?" Gansey questioned, all seriousness except for the twinkle in his eyes.
"Oh Richard dear" Blue started, thinking on her feet, "you don't need to always go prefacing me as your wife. You must give people credit. I'm sure they can put these things together."
He patted her hand in a mock patronizing way. This was all for show. "Yes of course dear. I'm sure you are right."
As they stepped through, Blue paused letting out a small gasp. It was stunning. Gansey steadied her. He bent his head down to whisper into her ear, "It's not as beautiful as you." The smell of mint, shivers coursed up and down her spine, despite the muggy weather.
"Blue" She turned to look at him.
"I've missed you so badly" All at once she saw the fire, the pain, all the years that had passed in his eyes. She placed her hand on his chest and felt his heart thudding as hard as hers.
She slid her hand to grab his, "Come Richard. We should find our seats now." She said with her best post accent. He smirked.
The wedding had been lovely, of course it had Helen had planned it and Helen never did anything that was less than perfect. Blue had been surprised how easily she and Gansey slid back to being the people they were in high school. It came so easily. And their game of pretending to be married gave the situation a needed air of light-heartedness.
The dinner reception was winding down. Gansey held her hand through dinner while they made up wild stories of their lives together for the others at their table. They regailed them with the time the furniture company had delivered a child-sized couch to Jane instead of the full-size. The time Richard's handwriting had been misread resulting in a patient receiving a laxative.
The evening had been fun, but Blue was getting tired of pretending. She had so many unanswered questions about this Gansey, the real Gansey. How was he here? She'd held him while he died. It had been so long. She'd almost forgotten how badly she missed him. She wanted time alone with Gansey. She reached her hand over to rest it on his thigh. She glanced at him for his reaction, he continued on with his conversation. She inched her hand farther up his thigh, felt the heat of his body. She couldn't help herself, it had been so long since she'd felt this kind of passion. The Blue nowadays was much more experienced and adventurous than the high school had ever been in this arena. She slid her hand to his zipper and massaged. She felt the heat under her hand.
Gansey stood up quickly. "Please excuse us. I'm afraid we must be leaving now. It was so lovely to meet you all." He turned to Blue, and offered his hand, "Jane?"
Blue winked. She accepted and they walked out together. Before they got to the front doors, Gansey pulled her down a hallway. He pinned her shoulder against the wall.
"You can't go around doing things like that without consequences" He murmured before kissing her, sliding his hand up her dress. They heard the click of high heels coming their way and quickly separated. Blue giggled. Gansey put a finger to his lips, grabbed her hand again and led her out a back door.
"Take your shoes off Jane" he instructed, untying his own on the steps leading down the beach.
They walked along with beach for several hours, talking. Gansey told her everything. Turns out they had been close enough to Glendower after all – close enough that when Gansey was dying he heard Glendower in his head again asking what his wish was for waking him. As he'd lay dying in Blue's arms Gansey had fervently wished to spend his life being with her, not hiding their love from the others. He'd wished for them all to OK without him, for Blue to find happiness without him since he knew he couldn't possible be lucky enough to be saved twice.
But somehow he was. It wasn't an instant thing like it had been when he'd been stung by all the hornets as a child. Obviously, since Blue and everyone else had attended his funeral. But one day Gansey had woken up, several years later, several years older wondering where he was and what had happened. It had taken him several more years to piece the memories together and to track down the others. He'd been able to find Noah first. He had senses now, not psychic but definitely something. He'd found Adam too, but he hadn't spoken to either of them. And in looking for Ronan, he stumbled upon Blue…
He sighed, it was late. Or it was so late it was about to be early. The sun still hadn't come up yet, but it wouldn't be too much longer. He tugged at her hand.
"Come on. We are almost there." He led her up to the lighthouse. He bounded up the steps and motioned for her to follow.
"Gansey. We're at the lighthouse! How far have we walked?!" she demanded, taking a stubborn stance. In place of answering, he took off his jacket, opened the door and walked through. Blue hesitated for a moment, but Gansey reappeared and cocked his head to beckon her inside. Reluctantly she followed.
It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. It was musty and damp inside the lighthouse. No rooms, just a short hallway leading to a spiral staircase. She squinted in the darkness, looking for Gansey. She spotted his shoes careless tossed at the foot of the stairs, his blazer draped over the head of the banister. She heard the stairs above her head creak with weight. She dropped her shoes next to his and began to climb the staircase.
He was walking so quickly. How did he still have energy after walking so far already? There was a little landing ahead and she saw his tie and socks strewn across it. What was he playing at? She quickened her pace up the stairs.
Another landing, his belt and cufflinks. More creaking above her head.
Another landing, she saw his silhouette dimly above her. Quietly she stepped closer, careful not to make the stairs below her creak and give away her presence. He was unbuttoning his shirt. She was getting the picture now. As she stepped onto the landing, Gansey had taken his shirt off completely. She wrapped her hands around his waist. This time she felt him shiver at her touch. She kissed the nape of his neck. He groaned. She started to slid her hands down his torso.
He grabbed them and turned around to face her. Her kissed her. A hot passionate kiss that made her head spin. Before she had time to catch her breath he was up the stairs again. The heat of his body lingering on her skin. She unhooked her bra and slipped out of her panties before climbing the stairs again.
Another landing, Gansey was waiting this time. As Blue stepped up, she slowly unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor. Gansey let his pants fall. Before she had time to admire his body, he was up the stairs again.
Instead of another landing at the top of the stairs, there was a door. She burst through onto the lighthouse deck. The humid summer night mixed with the salt of the sea hit her. Gansey grabbed her; his musk and mint washed over her. She let herself go to this moment.
Just the two of them. Their passion, their bodies. They'd waited so long. There was finally time now.