Alice sighed, leaning her back against the Blakes' railing in the sunroom, a bubbling glass of champagne in her hand. The moon hung high in the sky, its rays cutting across the lawn and water. It made a rather romantic picture and Alice decided here, here was the place she would ring in the new year.
Inside, her makeshift family lazily lounged about the parlor room with drinks in their hands, reminiscing on the events of the past year and their hopes for the next.
For Alice, though, the previous year was nothing to reminisce about and the next year couldn't come fast enough. New Year's Eve only highlighted for her that her previous year was unremarkable, she had no one to kiss at midnight (as she never had), and the upcoming year was likely to be as unremarkable as the last.
She checked her watch impatiently, waiting for this to be over. Only a few minutes until midnight. As much as she dearly loved Lucien and Jean, she wanted to be home amongst her books and blankets–the only things that had never let her down.
Boisterous laughter trickled out onto the porch and Alice smiled. This was how she preferred things: the outside looking in. It was for the best, she had decided long ago. She and people just didn't mix.
Even if there was a certain Superintendent she wanted to mix with rather desperately. But that would lead to certain rejection and heartache. Matthew had hardly looked at her and even if he had, she was certain he only saw strange, awkward Alice like most did.
She sipped at her champagne and leaned more firmly against the railing, taking in the beauty of the cool night air and the moon's rays. Behind her, the gentle click of the door opening and closing sounded.
"Out for a bit of fresh air?"
Matthew's voice was low in her ear and Alice smiled, turning to face him and nodding. She sighed at the sight of him: clean cut in his suit, sharp cheekbones, bright eyes, mischief and seriousness simultaneously dancing about his lips. Yes, she would certainly like to mix with Matthew Lawson.
She raised her champagne glass to him and turned back to the backyard, hiding a grin into her glass when Matthew came to stand close by her side, shoulders brushing gently.
They stood there for a moment, unspeaking, simply enjoying the view before them. This is what she liked best about Matthew: the ability to simply be. He wasn't like Lucien who seemed almost desperate to fill any silence. Matthew was content to simply let the silence envelop them, blanket them, and only speak when necessary. He found comfort in the silence just as she did.
Alice checked her watch again (two minutes to go) and Matthew nudged her shoulder with his. "Anxious for the New Year?"
"Hardly. Just want to make sure I'm clear of that lot when the clock strikes midnight and I find myself surrounded by more than one kissing couple. Particularly when I don't–" She cut herself off, blushing, before shrugging. "Just checking the time."
Matthew was silent for a moment. "Well, if you want, I could–we could–that is…" He growled in frustration, the words clearly sticking in his throat and Alice turned to face him, heart suddenly racing.
She covered his hand with hers on the railing and turned to face him. "Matthew?"
He drained the rest of his champagne and set the flute aside, turning Alice's hand over and threading his fingers through hers. For a moment, Alice admired the way the moonlight cut a line across his face and made his blue eyes almost ethereally blue. She felt the calluses of his hand on her fingers and wondered if he could feel her own calluses–the mark of more than one scalpel passing through her hands.
(One minute to go.)
"Dr. Harvey–Alice. There's a new year upon us and I would very, very much like to start this year and, if you'll have me, every year after that, with you."
She let the words warm her, chasing away a chill that had settled in long before tonight. But she had to be sure that this wasn't a dream; she'd been disappointed before. "Why?"
It took everything in her to continue meeting his gaze and when he didn't seem offended by her question and instead, his eyes took on a soft look, she knew she wasn't being led astray.
Matthew stepped closer and brushed a lock of hair from her face. "Why? Because you're smarter than I could ever hope to be. Because you keep me and my police surgeon in our place. Because you make me laugh. Because you're beautiful."
She ducked her head at this, but Matthew simply hooked his finger beneath her chin and lifted her gaze back to his.
"And," he continued. "Because one day, I looked up and saw you and knew that I needed to know you better and I wanted to start as soon as possible."
(Thirty seconds to go.)
It had been the most words she'd ever heard Matthew utter in a single minute and she felt warm all over and hyperaware of Matthew's fingers on her face.
He had been brave in telling her and she would return the favor. She allowed herself to trail her hands up his chest, fingers twisting the buttons of his shirt.
"As soon as possible? Luckily for us, there's a new year coming up, you know?"
He laughed at the teasing note in her voice. "Lucky, indeed."
(Twenty seconds to go.)
"I've never been told that I'm beautiful, Matthew. And I've never been kissed at midnight on New Year's Eve. And I've never felt about anyone the way I do you."
The confession lifted a weight off her shoulders and she suddenly had the urge to bury herself in Matthew's arms; to tell him every hurt she had endured, every loneliness, every insecurity. She knew he would chase those hurts away, help her carry those burdens.
And she would gladly do the same for him.
(Ten seconds to go.)
Matthew cupped her cheek, thumb stroking over her cheekbone. Inside, they heard the boisterous countdown of Lucien, Jean, Charlie, Rose, Danny, and Mattie.
"Let's take care of two of those right now, sweetheart." The endearment slipped from his lips as if he'd been calling her this in his head for ages and now had the freedom to utter it aloud.
"You're beautiful," he whispered, eyes roaming over her face. She shivered as his gaze felt like a physical caress over her brow and nose and lips.
(Five seconds to go.)
She curled her fingers in the fabric of his shirt and tugged him forward and he grinned boyishly at her. It softened his face and she couldn't help but reach up and smooth the lines on his forehead, trailing her fingers down his nose and coming to stop on the soft flesh of his lips.
He kissed her fingers and pulled her hand free of his mouth. "Alice, may I kiss you on this New Year's Eve?"
(Two seconds to go.)
She nodded, heart pounding hard in her chest, eyes fluttering closed as Matthew leaned forward, lips just grazing hers. Then, as the residents inside exploded with cheers and the night sky erupted in fireworks to ring in the New Year, Alice's mouth opened beneath his and they become lost in their first kiss.
Matthew let her control the kiss, following her lead as she licked at his mouth and stroked his tongue with her own. He returned the favor in kind, learning the taste of her mouth and each place that made her sigh into the kiss (the roof of her mouth, a gentle nip to her bottom lip).
He pulled away first, a dazed, happy look in his eye and Alice felt laughter bubble up in her chest. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this happy.
Matthew pulled her close into an embrace, simply holding her. She allowed herself a moment of girlish impulse and buried her face in his chest and let him hold her.
"Happy New Year, sweetheart."
She pressed a kiss to his cloth-covered chest and held him tighter, pointedly ignoring Lucien and Jean pressed against the back window and whooping loudly in support of their friends finding happiness.
Perhaps this upcoming year wouldn't be so bad after all….