Title: In Front of Us
Author: Caera1996
Rating: PG-13
W/C: 1,534
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Set within the Primary Ed. series, one month after the events in Request Fill #1 "Third Time", when Jim pops the question (the story is available on ff). It's the night before the big day, and Jim and Bones have a heart to heart.

The house was finally empty and quiet.

Finally.

It'd been an early, extremely busy, full and successful day. And it was finally over.

Leonard followed behind Joanna, Stephanie, his mother, Aurelan, Janie, and Kimmie, waving goodbye, saying thanks, have fun, see you tomorrow…

Until they all piled into Aurelan's van and headed over to the Kirk residence for the night.

Leonard closed the door with a sigh, leaning against it and closing his eyes for a moment. If he'd realized that a "simple wedding at home" would evolve into this thing…with place cards and buffet choices and cleaning…God, the cleaning. He was often accused of being a neat-freak, but his mother had him beat by far. And the measuring and the fitting…he'd drawn the line at the fitting. There was no way he'd grown in any direction enough to matter between when he and Jim decided on the suites they were going to wear a week ago and today. He'd indulged Kimmie's insistence of a manicure, simply because he got to sit down for it. Jim had laughed at him at first, until he saw the reasoning behind it, and then he was all for it, too.

But everyone was out of the house now, going to spend the night with Sam and Aurelan, doing whatever last minute stuff they were doing. His mother would probably cook, cause that's what she did. And he and Jim, they had this night together. Their last night as an unmarried couple.

Jim had asked him a month ago, and they were getting married tomorrow.

Looking around his house, he did appreciate everything that'd been done. The open floor space was set up for a nice little party, after he and Jim actually said their vows in the backyard. It was going to be perfect. A little more than what he or Jim had wanted…most of the "dressing" was for everyone else…but the most important part of it was all them, and that was really all that mattered.

Climbing the stairs wearily, he looked forward to joining Jim for a shower, and then for…whatever. They didn't have any real plans tonight, beyond making sure they were rested for tomorrow. His mom had left them plenty of food in the fridge if they got hungry later, too, so they didn't even have to cook.

Leonard opened the door to their bedroom, and his eyes were immediately drawn to the figure on the bed, and a smile touched his face at the sight that greeted him. Jim had undressed, leaving his clothes strewn all over the floor, and then had apparently lay down on their unmade bed to wait for Leonard, only to fall asleep.

Completely naked, completely relaxed, and sound asleep, Jim was beautiful, spread out on the bed like he hadn't a care in the world. Wanting to join him more than almost anything else, Leonard quickly undressed. He shifted on to the bed carefully, moving on hands and knees to join Jim without waking him. He wasn't entirely successful…Jim's eyes opened as Leonard lay down beside him, but instead of waking completely, he simply reached to guide Leonard's head down on his chest, and then hold him around the shoulders. Smiling softly, Leonard did just that, settling on Jim, an arm around his midsection and Jim slipped one of his legs between Leonard's knees. He sighed in contentment, and Leonard closed his eyes and let himself completely relax into his embrace, warmth, and the strength of his grip around him. Listening to the strong heartbeat in the chest of his lover, his best friend, his soon-to-be husband as he lay there, letting himself drift.

After some time, Leonard became aware that Jim's hands were moving over him, hands gently running through his hair, strong fingers massaging his scalp, then slip down to the base of his skull, squeezing just slightly. Waking more, he responded by tightening his grip around Jim's thin midsection in a hug, his other hand reach for, and finding, Jim's hand on his head. He threaded their hands together, giving him a squeeze to let him know he was completely awake.

"Did you nap?" Jim asked quietly.

"I don't know…how long have I been here?"

Jim snorted slightly. "I have no idea."

"You napped," Leonard said.

"Your mom is a crazy person with all the cleaning," Jim said, teasing in his voice. "I was exhausted."

"You have to learn to tell her to back off," Leonard replied, leaving the I told you soout of it. They'd had different versions of this conversation before.

"Hm. Whatever."

"Sorry I woke you."

Jim looked down at the dark head still lying on his chest, and gave Bones' hand a squeeze. "Don't be. You joining me here? Fantastic way to wake up."

"Did you fall back to sleep at all?"

"Not really. Just rested. I was thinking."

"Uh-oh. You ok?"

"Very funny," Jim said dryly.

He didn't offer anything else, and Leonard was almost afraid to ask. He'd been afraid to ask before, and Jim finally did it, asking for marriage. The one thing in their relationship Leonard hadn't been sure of, because he hadn't been sure if Jim would want that final, permanent step. So he hadn't asked. And then, to his surprise, Jim finally asked him.

And as amazing that was, and as sure Leonard was that he wanted that with Jim, there was still just a small kernel of worry that Jim would have second thoughts. On the other hand, they'd been through so much together, for so long…and their relationship had only strengthened in that time, and intellectually Leonard was sure there was nothing to worry about. So, he took a breath.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked quietly.

Unseen, above him, Jim smiled. "Us. All of our time together. Tomorrow. I can't wait for tomorrow. When I first realized I wanteda day like tomorrow."

That piqued Leonard's attention, and he raised his head, shifting position so that he could see Jim as they talked.

"Yeah? When was that?"

Jim smiled at him, his eyes bright even in the dimness of their room.

"When I was lying in that hospital bed, after the operation to remove the cyst. Do you remember? That night when I woke up and…"

"…and you guilted me into sleeping in that made-for-one-person hospital bed?" Leonard finished. "Yes, I do. Very well." He thought back to that night…the relief of knowing Jim was ok…was healthy and fine, especially after everything that had happened before.

"That night," Jim said. "Was when I realized how much having you in my life meant to me. How much I needed you, and felt like needing you was not only okay, but right. I'd never felt that way about anyone before. You were the only one," Jim finished softly, holding Leonard's eyes.

That was…a lot longer ago than Leonard had realized. To think they'd gone all this time living like they were married and raising a child together and buying a house, dealing with career changes and medical issues and family complications. Facing all of it as a united front, as if they'd been together in every legal and religious way possible, for as long as they had. That just made tomorrow even more special. It was a long-time coming, but it was, finally, that public declaration. The only thing they hadn't done yet.

"And that made me wonder," Jim continued, "when you realized you wanted tomorrow?"

Leonard brought their joined hands to his chest and lowered his eyes for a moment, a small smile touching his lips.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. He looked up and continued before Jim could have a chance to take that the wrong way.

"After that first night that we spent talking until three, and you hugged me…I thought what I was feeling was just because I hadn't had that type of connection to another person for so long. And I kept expecting it to fade. It never did, though, just got stronger and…bigger. I don't know, I can't think of the right word. And I'm not sure I could name a particular day when I just knew, cause it always felt like you were exactly who I was looking for, even if I didn't know I was looking." He lowered his eyes again. "But when I knew we'd always be together? That night I…I cried," he hesitated, still slightly embarrassed after all this time. "When you told me you loved me no matter what we were doing, and the way you just held on…that's when I knew you were the only one for me. I've always wanted tomorrow."

He looked up again, wanting to know what Jim thought of his answer, and Jim gently pulled him in to a kiss, too moved by Bones' admission to do anything else.

The night passed into morning with them in that bed, the quiet intimacy uninterrupted by nothing except kisses and plans and pieces of vows shared between them before they were shared publically. And as they slept and talked and kissed and promised, their joined life spread out in front of them, beckoning them forward.

Together.