Since this is a fan fiction, here is the legal stuff: All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. I don't own them (I'm sure if I did, I'd have a lot more money!), and am using the characters without permission. All original characters I give full credit to my three working brain cells. I'm not writing this for profit, only for the love of the series, and the entertainment (hopefully) and enjoyment of fans like you.
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FIVE YEARS AGO
It was a rare night when Goliath and Elisa could find a large block of time together, where the calls of duty allowed them to just be together. Most of the time, they stayed close to home, either at her place or the castle.
At her condo, they might have a meal and settle in and watch a movie. Elisa had discovered that Goliath preferred historical dramas, and had a deep fondness for ones like Braveheart. Anything based in Scotland, really. Not so much for the stories themselves, but because it gave him a chance to reminisce about his own time and where they had come from.
Elisa didn't mind, and liked hearing about his time growing up in the castle in medieval Scotland.
If they stayed at the castle, they tended to stay in the quiet and solitude of the library. Goliath might read her a passage or two from whatever he was reading at the moment, or they might just curl up on the oversized sofas and talk.
It was tempting to stay in, but the mild April night just begged for them to go out. Elisa had packed a bag with an armload of sandwiches and a few odds and ends snacks that she had at home (she really needed to go grocery shopping soon), and met up with Goliath on her condo rooftop.
Goliath seemed a little… off tonight. Almost nervous. Elisa assumed it was due to the increasing Quarryman presence in the city, which was making it harder for the Gargoyles to go about undetected.
"We can stay in tonight," Elisa offered.
"No," Goliath said firmly. "We should go somewhere. I think I know the perfect place."
"Okay," Elisa said softly, and put her arms around his neck as he picked her up. "Where are we going?"
"You will see," he said, cryptically. With four running steps, Goliath leapt onto the low wall that surrounded the building's rooftop, and they were skyward.
The bright lights below in the city retreated to mere pinpoints as he took her high into the dark evening sky.
In little time, they were soaring over Central Park. It was almost completely deserted at this time of night, with the exception of a few brave or foolhardy souls that liked to use the jogging paths when the park wasn't overrun with people.
Goliath brought them down gently the highest balcony of the Belvedere Castle.
"Perfect," Elisa said, breathing in the night air. It had been a long, harsh winter, but tonight the wind carried a much awaited scent of spring.
Elisa set the bag of food down and walked to the edge of the tower. She gazed out over the rippling surface of the lake below that sparkled with the reflected lights of the city.
Goliath joined her, placing an arm around her shoulders, and a protective wing around her, blocking the slightest chill of the retreating winter that still hung in the air.
Elisa smiled at that. Gargoyles didn't feel the cold, so the fact that he had even thought about her being affected by the cold made her feel cherished.
It had been almost a year since their last encounter with the Hunters, and their showdown on the dam. Afterwards, both she and Goliath had admitted their feelings towards each other and they had been an "official" couple since. They both took every opportunity to meet up, however briefly, and had gradually become more relaxed about showing their feelings towards one another in front of others.
Much to their chagrin, it hadn't been a surprise for most of those around them. The clan had mostly given them a "well, duh" response.
Hudson admitted that he had seen it coming for a long time. "Almost from the beginning, Lass," he said with a sly grin.
Even Elisa's parents rolled their eyes at the revelation, saying that they knew something was going on the first time that they had seen Goliath and her together.
Even though everyone had been so accepting, Elisa was still selfish of their time together like this, and was happy to have the time alone.
They stood in the comfortable silence, the muted sounds of the city around them.
Goliath gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze to get her attention. "Elisa," he said quietly, " I have something to speak with you about."
"What's up Big Guy?" She asked. His tone was making her a little uneasy. He hadn't seemed like himself tonight. "Is something wrong?"
"No," he said. "Nothing is wrong."
"Okay," Elisa said, slowly.
Goliath backed a step away from her, and took her hand in his. He knelt down, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her fingers. It was very old world, and something so totally normal for him to do that she really didn't know what to think.
"Goliath?" She asked, puzzled.
"You have been my dearest friend, almost from the moment that we met. You have placed yourself in danger more than once to protect myself and my clan. And," Goliath's deep voice said. "you have become my greatest love."
Elisa felt heat rise in her cheeks at the compliment, but she was still at a loss as to what was happening. "Goliath, I…"
She trailed off, as she saw Goliath reach into the leather pouch he wore on his belt.
"I love you, Elisa," he said, rising his free hand to the moonlight. In his palms, lay a small, delicate gold ring with a glittering stone that Elisa couldn't identify. "Would you do my the greatest of honors, and become my mate? My wife?"
Elisa's jaw fell open in shock. Her eyes flew from the ring to meet his sincere gaze. In his eyes, she saw both hope and a deep love that she had never thought to find.
Her breath hitched in the barest of gasps, as she felt involuntary tears well up in her eyes.
"Whether it be hours, or many years to come, I want to be by your side." Goliath said.
Elisa was rendered speechless. Instead of verbalizing her answer, something that she wasn't sure she was capable at that moment, she simply raised her left hand and let him slip the tiny band on her finger.
It fit perfectly.
The smile that Goliath gave her shone brighter than the sun. He stood and whisked her off her feet to swing her around.
Elisa laughed and threw her arms over his shoulders. "Yes!" She finally managed to get out in a near shout. "Yes," she said once more, quieter, and pulled his head down to hers for a kiss.