AN: This is my fic for the fic exchange! Look I made it on deadline! Prompt was having Elizabeth & Henry reminiscing about how they first knew they were in love with each other. I hope you enjoy! I had a lot of ideas bout this one and it was surprisingly difficult to write...but here's what resulted! I can't wait for the winter finale tonight and to read all the other stories! This fandom rocks!
Stephanie McCord peeked her head around the corner and smiled to herself as she watched her parents interact. They'd just returned from an event; dressed to the nines. Her mother giggled as her father whispered something in her ear before their lips met in a kiss.
She continued to watch in secret. Her parents were in their own little world and definitely didn't see her. If she thought about it tonight was no different than any other interaction; they always acted like that. In Love. Her father's smile light up as her mother twirled in her dress she couldn't help but remember all the other times she saw his face like that.
His face lit up every time he saw her - literally every single morning as she descended the stairs, or came home from work. He often waited up for her. They touched constantly, or playfully bumped their hips together when they moved around the kitchen. It was the same for her mother too. She had a special smile that was reserved for her father. She flashed it when he came home from work, or when she'd catch him staring at her as they watched a movie in the family room, and even when she talked to him on the phone.
Then she looked down at her own diamond ring. She wondered what other people saw when they saw she and Jareth. Did they act in love? Was it noticeable? She and Jareth didn't do things like bump hips in the kitchen. When she was younger she thought it was annoying how lovey dovey her parents were. But now that she was older she realized she was lucky, lucky to grow up in a loving home with such a stellar marriage example. She wanted what her parents had. And lately, she wondered if Jareth was the one – especially after the stressful summer they'd had.
"Mom?" Stevie asked her mother as she was getting ready for bed.
"Yea, baby?" Elizabeth replied, peeking out from her closet as she pulled on one of Henry's sweaters.
"Can I ask you something?" she said sheepishly.
"Of course." Elizabeth sat on the bed, sensing it was serious.
"Do you think Jareth is the one for me?" Stevie spit out.
Elizabeth tried to mask the shocked expression on her face and searched her daughter's eyes. "Where is this coming from? Did you guys have a fight?"
Stevie shook her head. "No…I mean not really. I just….I was watching you and Dad the other night and you were all…." She waved her hand in a circling motion as Elizabeth wondered where this was going. "Acting all cute and in love…..and you guys do it all the time actually. And Jareth doesn't look at me the way Dad looks at you. So how do I know if he's the one for me?"
Elizabeth frowned and reached for her eldest, pulling her into a hug. When Stevie pulled away to look at her, she stroked her hair. "Oh baby….I can't answer that for you."
"Why not?"
Elizabeth paused for a moment, a far off look in her eye as she remembered before looking back to Stevie. "Well…..the thing is…I think Jareth is a great guy. He's definitely worthy of your heart. But baby girl, I can't tell you what to feel. Only you can decide if Jareth is the one or not."
"You mean…when you fell Dad there wasn't like a moment where you knew for sure? Stevie asked, assuming there was some epiphany moment like in the movies.
"There wasn't an exact moment per say. Actually for me it was a process. You know, when I met your Dad I was very young. And I had been on my own for a while. At the time, I was really good at distancing myself from people I liked because I was terrified of losing them like my Mom and Dad."
Stevie's expression softened.
"Don't get me wrong." Elizabeth back tracked, her face glowing as she remembered her past. "When I first met your Dad…I was instantly attracted. He was very handsome, and smart and just very kind. That part….we just clicked….and falling for him was easy. We said I love you on our third date."
"You did?"
"Yes. And we meant it. We did love each other. But marriage was still something very scary…. Especially for me once I knew I cared about him, I was so afraid of losing him – like I lost my parents. Your father became so important to me in such a short amount of time. We were both afraid we were getting carried away and we talked about it and just slowed down a bit. During his deployment, he promised me he'd return and I was so scared he couldn't keep his promise. But I think during that time is when I realized for sure he was really the one because I couldn't stand to be away from him. I missed him like I missed my parents, and that was the only love I knew. And he came back, just as he promised. I suppose that's when I knew he was the one one…."
Stevie nodded. "I miss Jareth when he's not here….but not like you miss Dad."
"Well, you're young. It takes time sometimes. And I want you to remember that just because it happened this way for me and Dad – you and Jareth are different people – your process might be different."
"I guess."
"Give yourself some time sweetheart. You'll figure it out eventually. There's no rush." Elizabeth stroked her daughter's hair. "Getting married is a little scary. I mean your Dad even freaked out and dumped me for 3 days while he worked up the nerve to propose." Elizabeth added
"What!" Stevie's mouth dropped in shock.
It was that moment that Henry soon entered the bedroom. "I'm not interrupting girl time or anything?" he asked as he sat on the bench to remove his shoes.
"Maybe you can ask him about it later…" Elizabeth eyed her husband.
"Ask me about what?" he said curiously.
"Nothing….Mom and I were just talking. Goodnight Dad." Stevie said, suddenly embarrassed, getting up and leaving the room.
"Good night sweetheart." Henry said, kissing his eldest as she passed. When she was out of the room, Henry closed the door and turned to his wife with a smile, noticing her mischievous face. "What was that all about?"
Elizabeth walked up to him and in her most serious face she asked. "When did you know I was the one?"
"What?!" Henry looked at her. It was the last thing he had expected to ask.
"When did you know you I was the one?" she repeated.
He took her in his embrace and looked her dead in the eye, realizing she was in fact serious. "The first moment I saw you."
"Henry! Be serious." Elizabeth whined.
He tightened his grip around her waist and lowered his voice. "I've never been more serious."
She looked into his eyes for a moment as she realized he was being serious and she felt the tears well in her eyes. How could he have known that soon? "Henry…."
"It's true. When I first saw you on campus. I knew you were something special. I'd fallen for you before I even met you."
She looked down, unsure of what to say.
He leaned down and tilted her chin up to look at him. "Then when I finally got the nerve to ask you out, our first date confirmed everything. I knew you were the one I wanted to be with forever…."
"You never told me….." she trailed off.
"Where's this coming from?" he asked, wiping the lone tear that fell down her cheek.
"Stevie…she's wondering whether Jareth is the one….and she asked me how I knew you were the one…and….I feel so stupid. I told her I fell in love with you quickly, but I didn't know until you were deployed that you were for sure the one….and that I knew because I missed you so much."
"Why is that stupid?" Henry asked
"Because you just said you knew before you even met me….and now I feel like an idiot for not realizing it sooner!"
Henry pulled her close. "Babe, it's not stupid. You and I fell in love quickly. I mean if I recall we said I love you to each other on that first night you slept over….."
Elizabeth smiled a moment then. "Yes….I remember that…but..."
"And that was also when you told me about your parents, and that you loved me but you were so scared of losing me and you were scared our feelings were moving so fast. And we slowed down. There's nothing stupid about that."
She nodded again. "I told Stevie to take it slow. She's worried she hasn't had that epiphany moment yet…..and I told her it was early on. I also told her it's normal to be scared. I told her you freaked out before you proposed and dumped me for 3 days."
"It was two days."
"Three."
"Well, I guess we're even then." He said, as she looked at him quizzically.
"You didn't love me before you met me, and I freaked out before I proposed, even though I'd known I wanted you to be my wife 2 years prior….and rightfully so by the way, since I wanted you to have the most epic proposal ever."
"It was pretty epic!" She giggled and snuggled closer to him as he kissed her head. "Henry?"
"Yea babe?"
"I want her to have what we have." She said softly.
"Me too." He admitted.
"Do you think Jareth is the one?" her voice remained quiet
"He could be…but if Stevie is anything like you, it'll take her two years to realize it…"he began seriously before lightening his tone.
"Very funny professor." She swatted him playfully before leaning up for a kiss. "I love you."
"I like you okay too."
FIN