Hello everyone! I think I owe you a small explanation :) The fact that I haven't post any stories recently, doesn't mean I haven't been writing. This year (and holidays too) has been very busy, so it was hard for me to finish any of the one-shots I've been working on, but I eventually managed (with my lovely friend and beta reader Ethelfreda, thank you!) to finish this story. I have written it during the Christmas break, so yes, about 8 months ago, when there was snow all around... But I hope you'll still enjoy it!
For those who are wondering about my "WHN:Death of Dr Ogden" story: I'm still working on this one and although I can't promise I'll post anything soon, I can assure you that once I post chapter 5, the other chapters will follow within days. I'm really sorry for the delay, but unfortunately I can't spend as much time as I'd like to, writing fanfiction .
Monday, 29th December 1902
William was just standing by the window, lost in his thoughts when Julia walked towards him, put a hand on his arm, and caressed his back.
"Pray tell me Mr. Murdoch, is one day at work sufficient to make you forget about your wife and think only about your current investigation?" she teased.
"Actually Julia, I was not thinking about my job" William answered as he turned to her and caressed her shoulders. "I was thinking about the New Year's Eve."
"Oh, what about it?"
"I was wondering if you'd prefer to attend the policemen's ball or rather stayed at home and have our own, private celebration."
"I don't think attending the ball can prevent us from celebrating together afterwards..." she played with his tie and looked at him knowingly.
"So you want to go?"
"We've never actually attended this ball together, William. Three years ago I only joined you a few minutes before midnight..."
"...to make that evening the best New Year's eve in my life" they both smiled at the memory.
"Yes... Then two years ago I was not entirely myself, still recovering after Darcy's death, so we didn't go, and last year the whole station house visited Thomas in the hospital."
"And you'd like to attend at least one policemen's ball with me."
"If that's what you want too, William."
"You know that I'd never miss the opportunity to dance with you" he placed a very soft kiss on his wife's hand.
"We could dance even now if the gramophone weren't broken" Julia sighed disappointedly, looking at the item reproachfully.
"Indeed we could and I promise to fix it as soon as possible. But now, it seems we have nothing else to do, what would you say if we retired for the evening, Mrs. Murdoch?"
"That sounds splendid Mr. Murd..." William silenced her with a long, passionate kiss.
Wednesday, 31th December 1902
"Are you ready Julia? We should be leaving in..." he stopped mid sentence.
"Does this silence mean I am still able to take your breath away, even after over seven months of marriage?" Julia laughed with content. She was wearing the same dress she wore three years ago and although all that awful, snobbish society she used to be a part of, would have called it tasteless to wear the same dress twice for an annual event, she didn't mind – watching William's face at that moment was priceless.
"Do not think I will allow you do dance with anyone but me Doctor Ogden" William stated after he regained his speech.
"Is it jealousy I sense, Detective? It cannot be..." she teased.
"Of course not" he answered in his most innocent voice "I've already told you I was not going to miss any opportunity to dance with you." He drew her closer to him and encircled her waist.
"That's true." The Murdoch's shared a sweet kiss before they left their hotel suit to enjoy themselves at the policemen's ball.
"You broke your promise, Julia" said William helping his wife out of the carriage. "You danced twice with the Inspector, once with George and a few times with other constables."
"I do not recall making any promises to you" Julia laughed. "But if you look at it that way, you didn't keep your promise either. You danced with Margaret, Mrs. Brooks and even with Mrs. Slorach!"
"Only because my beautiful wife was engaged and I had to draw my attention away from you, otherwise I'd have stared daggers at your partners."
"So you think I looked pretty this evening?"
"Julia, you know you always look beautiful, and in this dress..." he eyed her once more before letting her into their suite. "...in this dress you are just breathtaking."
"Despite the fact I was three years younger last time you saw me wearing it?"
"With all due respect Mrs. Murdoch, this evening you lookedeven more beautiful than three years ago."
"Did I Mr. Murdoch, did I?" Julia put her arms around William's neck and for a long while they were both lost in a kiss, which was quickly becoming deeper and deeper. Suddenly William pulled away.
"What is it, William?" Julia was surprised by his unusual behaviour (well, truth to be told, it only become unusual after they got married). "Aren't we going to celebrate the New Year privately?"
"Of course Julia, I'm sorry. There is just one more thing I wanted to do before that" he was very mysterious and somewhat nervous.
"What is it and why can't it wait until tomorrow?"
William walked to the desk and took out a small box.
"I have been thinking about this for quite some time and I'm still not sure how you will react..."
"Is it for me William?" she was intrigued.
"Well, yes and no, Julia. It is actually for me, but I think you may like me having it."
"You are very mysterious, Detective. If it was not that small, I would have thought it to be one of those inappropriate books your station house requisitioned before Christmas... despite the fact that you don't need any of them" she looked at her husband with satisfaction. Since they got married, it was harder and harder for her to make him blush, but this time she definitely succeeded.
William quickly recovered and continued. "It is something far less scandalous, Julia. However, I must admit it is not very popular and may cause a few of our mutual friends quite a shock."
"Do not torture me like that and show me what it is!"
He slowly and a bit hesitantly opened the box.
Julia's eyes widened in shock."William, is it what I think it is?!" she didn't know what she'd expected, but she certainly had not expected this. "Is it?!..."
"A wedding ring matching yours" he smiled seeing that she liked it.
"Are you not afraid, your friends from the station house will give you a hard time because of that?" Julia was still in shock.
"You mean Thomas Brackenreid, your dancing partner?" he teased.
"Not only William, I..."
"In our relationship we've always treated each other as equals, Julia. You wear a ring, which is proof of our love and also a sign that you are forever dedicated to one man. Anyone who looks at you can say that your heart already belongs to someone. I want it to be the case with me too. I want the whole world to know that I am married and my heart belongs to you, Julia..." he kissed her hands and added "Forever."
Julia was truly touched and her eyes welled with tears. She kissed her husband with love and said: "William Murdoch you truly are one of a kind!"
"Will you be so kind and place the ring on my finger, my dear wife?" he was teasing her slightly, but Julia knew this moment was no less important for him, than it was for her.
"Detective William Murdoch," she began, taking the ring out of the box "take this ring and wear it as a sign, that if any woman will ever dare to look at you in an inappropriate way, your 'dear wife' will murder her in cold blood, regardless to the consequences" and she slid the ring on his finger. They both laughed slightly and looked at both theirs rings.
"And now..." he began with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Where were we before I started this small repetition of our wedding day, Mrs. Murdoch?"
"I think, I was just about to remind you our wedding night, Mr. Murdoch."
"Indeed you were, Mrs. Murdoch, indeed you were" he murmured in a low voice, then lifted his wife and carried her to their bedroom, where they continued their private celebration of the New Year 1903. A year, which turned out to be happier than all the previous years, and which brought Murdoch's (somewhat as a result of that private celebration) one very big surprise...