Summary: a missing scene from Field Trip
Stories That Must Be Read Before Reading This One-Shot: Field Trip
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Reuben truly hated himself.
He had violated the oath he made all those years ago; to never help anyone who either had malicious intent or was trying to harm an agent. To make things worse, he had done both.
He couldn't help it, though. He loved Maria with all his heart, and seeing her trapped in a cage nearly destroyed him.
While sitting at his desk in his office, he reassured himself that Maria would be fine. After all, he had done everything that that psychopath had told him to do, down to the letter. Still…he hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks now…it made him worry.
To make himself feel better, he went through in his head some of the good times they had had: from their meeting at a coffee shop in LA; to their first date, ice skating in Danville; to his proposal in the middle of her flower shop, surrounded by flowers. He had given her a ring with a rose made of diamond on it. She had practically fainted. He had almost done the same when she said yes.
"Reuben?"
Reuben nearly fell out of his chair. He had been so deep in thought, that he hadn't noticed the small, teal-coloured platypus agent come in.
"Oh, Perry. Wh-what are you doing up so early?" He looked at the clock on the wall. It was six a.m. "Oh, okay. It's not that early," he finished lamely.
"Reuben, I know."
"K-know what?" Reuben stammered, his heart racing.
"I know that you helped Thanatos to try and hurt Priya, but I don't care."
"You don't?"
Reuben was not expecting this.
"I don't. Because I know why you did it. You didn't do it because you wanted to, you did it because you had to protect someone you care a lot about."
Reuben stared down at his desk, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Perry. I didn't have a choice, I couldn't-."
"I know," Perry interrupted. "We defeated the guy and found your fiancée. She's safe."
"What?"
A woman stepped into the doorway. She was wearing her favourite knee-length yellow dress with a white daisy on it, with floral pumps. Her long brown hair was just as neatly brushed as ever. She looked slightly malnourished and dehydrated, but she had that same kind smile on her face. Reuben couldn't help staring. "Maria…!" he whispered.
He ran around his desk and Maria leapt into his arms. They hugged tightly for what seemed like hours, neither wanting to let the other go. Reuben's eyes were tightly shut, but it couldn't stop a few tears leaking out. Everything was okay now. Maria was safe.
"I love you, Maria," Reuben managed to croak.
His fiancée relaxed completely in his arms. "I love you too, Reuben."
He opened his eyes and saw the smiling face of Perry the Platypus, the agent who had saved his fiancée. He mouthed thank you. The words seemed too little to describe how intensely grateful Reuben was at that moment, but everything that Reuben couldn't express in words must have been displayed on his face because Perry nodded back and left the room.
"Dinner is on me every day until we're married," Reuben said to his fiancée. "Maybe even after we're married."
Maria laughed, and Reuben smiled at the sound, a sound that he had been worried that he would never hear again. "Sounds good. But for now, how about we go get breakfast?"