AUTHORS NOTE: This is a fic-off between me and the lovely Lee. She has already uploaded her story and you can find it as chapter seven of More Than Just Lyrics. Please go take a gander! The war started thanks to Emma (taggart26years) giving us the song to write a R/J story on. The song is Hold On by Michael Buble.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or the song.
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[Hold On]
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Robbie found himself looking over at Jackie, his fingers twirling the pen in a distracted manner as he found himself wondering how he'd been so lucky to capture her. He was continually being told that they were lucky to have found each other by their friends. Stuart obviously said that because he was happy in his new relationship with Ewan and Burke also said it because he'd never had the chance with Arlene, the only woman he'd ever loved. His parents said it all the time too because they never thought he'd be able to get such a perfect woman.
He sighed as he thought of all the arguments they had and realised that they had once been lucky. Back when their relationship had first started out and it still had that wonderful honeymoon glow about it. They hit the seven year itch – that normally happens in a marriage – after like seven weeks. He had long since realised that luck could just leave you one day like a faithless friend and then you have to fight on your own. He had also long since decided that they didn't need luck because whenever life pulled either of them down, they knew that they had someone to curl their arms around.
She heard the banging in the apartment and felt her heart racing as she ran up the stairs and let herself in with the key that he had given to her. She saw him stood in the middle of the living room, his belongings smashed and cluttered around his feet. She stared at him in horror. "What's wrong?" She whispered stepping over the mess so that she could be with him.
"They've found a mass on Jamie's brain after he fitted in the shopping market with his mum today." She stared at him in horror before taking him into his arms. She felt him stiffen for a moment before he eventually relaxed against her and allowed his tears to fall. She stroked his back and whispered that he had to be strong. She wanted to promise that everything would be okay but she knew that she couldn't guarantee that promise. She pressed a kiss against his damp cheeks and smiled sadly.
That night, she'd held onto him in their bed. There had been no sex, no kissing, no conversation but just her holding onto him tight because together they were stronger than either of them could ever be when they were alone. She held onto him as if she sensed that he didn't want her to let him go and she too didn't want that. She was thankful that they could have that together and that he was more than willing to let her see this side of him.
She turned to look at him then and laughed at the fact he was staring at her. She stood up and squeezed his shoulder lightly before following Stuart to the small kitchenette. He found himself smiling. He knew there was a thousand ways that this relationship could fall apart and it would be no one's fault. He found himself laughing slightly. No. If it was anyone's fault, it would be his. He'd either get scared of commitment or he'd say something stupid or he'd just be himself which he knew irritated her to the maximum. He knew that all the plans that they hatched late at night. The dreams of a family – even if they had to adopt – marriage and even just simply living together until old age might not work out but he didn't think that for a moment. He had faith. He had faith in them. He knew that together they could make this work.
He stood up and moved to the kitchen area smiling that Stuart had gone. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled. "Oh you're holding on again." She teased reaching up to stroke his cheek and he smiled. He held onto her because he knew that when it was them two together, they had all the time in the world and nothing was going to stop or break them. When he held onto her, he felt as if he had all the power in the world.
He knew that they both had given up dreams to be here. He also knew that they were mainly her dreams. She'd been offered a job in London. It offered a higher position, a higher pay rise and a whole new scene of life. Robbie knew that Jackie had always thrived on a new environment but she had looked at him and told him that the only place she wanted to be was where was too. He'd tried to convince her to go, to grab her dreams with both hands and hold on tight so that they would never disappear. She had just laughed.
"Robbie, look around you." He looked around their small apartment and even though it was still empty after his fit about Jamie's illness, he could see the touches that she had made to try and make it liveable again. He could see the photographs of the two of them mucking about on the wall. There was also one of Jackie laughing as both Ewan and Stuart planted a kiss on her cheek. She looked at him before pressing a hand to his heart. "This is also one of my dreams and I'm more determined to keep this one."
"What an apartment?" He asked confused and felt stupid when she started to laugh.
"No, you idiot! I have you." She shook her head and wondered how he had missed that. "The love that I share with you is enough to keep me happy for all eternity." Robbie smiled as he captured her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her lips and wasn't surprised to find that when he pulled away, both of them were crying.
Robbie sighed that night as he let himself into his apartment. Jackie had long since gone to bed and he knew that from the way she'd left a scribbled note on the table saying that she wished everything was okay and that she loved him. He smiled before pocketing the note. He moved through to the bedroom and laid down on the bed next to her and pulled her close. "Jackie?" He whispered and smiled as she moaned about him being a prick for waking her. This was the Jackie Reid that he loved. Who'd have thought she'd be a grouch during the night or in the morning? "I have something to tell you." He whispered and she turned to look at him.
"What is it?" She said sitting up as she caught the tear stains on his face, her hand moving up to cup his face as she feared what he was about to tell her.
"It was benign." He whispered and Jackie looked at him for a moment before squealing as she wrapped her arms around him tight. He held onto her and smiled. He knew that everything was going to be okay now. He knew that when she held onto him, he was the strongest he could ever be and he knew that he was never going to allow her to let him go. He pulled away and stroked her cheek tenderly, smiling at the happy tears that she'd shed.
"I'm so happy for you and Gail!" She whispered pressing a small kiss against his lips and he sighed.
"Well he's going to be your stepson so I'm happy for you too."
"What?" She stared at him speechlessly and he just smiled before pulling out the ring box.
"I don't want you to be my lover anymore. I want to hold you tight and know that you'll be my wife, that you'll Mrs Ross." She started to cry even more as she held out her hand to him so that he could slip the ring on her finger. She threw her arms around him crying yes. He held onto her.
They always said that they were the lucky ones and Robbie knew that was true.
