A/N Hello loves! Sorry I've been MIA for like a year, lol, I started high school last year, and I've been absolutely swamped, but I wrote this over the summer when I was bored (and grounded), so I hope you like it! And also, the song of the chapter was inspired by the new epilogues, I loved them so much, so yes, the chapter has spoilers :)
Cause years have passed and we're still here today
Never in my dreams did I think that this would happen to me
As I stand here before my woman
I can't fight back the tears in my eyes
Oh, how could I be so lucky
I must've done something right
And I promise to love her for the rest of my life
-Bruno Mars (Rest Of My Life)
Prompt: Zach is asking Rachel and Joe for their permission to marry Cammie, and it goes…well…better than he expected, definitely.
Zachary Edward Goode was good at a lot of things. He was pretty damn good spy, and he was very charismatic in the way that he could charm every woman (and queer dude) he met.
But all that charm seemed to be lost on his long-time girlfriend's mother and step-father (of course, it didn't exactly help that his mentor was her step-father and godfather.)
So that's why he hesitated to get out of his car and walk up the concrete steps where Rachel and Joe Solomon lived. Of course, they were spies, so they definitely already knew he was here. They always did.
So Zach took every ounce of courage he possessed, and started walking up the steps, then stopped just before he rung the doorbell. But of course, Joe 's voice called from the inside of the house, "Come on in, Zach," before he had time to wonder whether or not he should ask tomorrow.
Roseville, Virginia was a very nice place to settle down, mused Zach, as he let himself in almost silently. Sure, a bit boring, but as Rachel was still headmistress, it seemed like a good place to raise their daughter, Adelaide Josephine Solomon, until she was old enough to actually attend Gallagher.
The main door didn't have security, but the door leading out of the entrance hall had more security than the White House would in the event of a nuclear war. He placed his palm on the doorknob, letting it read his prints, take his blood, and scan his retinas, before the door would let him in.
Joe was in the living room, bouncing Addy, who has laughing, on his knee. Zach sat himself on the opposite couch from Joe and Addy, and asked, as a form of greeting, "Where's Rachel?"
Joe's head jerked up, signaling to the upstairs part of their house (which was hidden, of course, from the view outside), then called, "Rach? Zach's here!"
Zach heard light, dainty footsteps on the stairs, then saw Rachel Solomon, in all her Cameron glory, hand on her hip. She eyed Zach by himself, then said, "Hello, Zach. Where's Cammie?"
"She went baby shopping with Bex," he said, sighing, and running a hand through his hair. He knew that was sign for him to pick up, and honestly he didn't know how he'd respond to that, but that was a completely different problem.
Rachel smiled, then walked over to Zach, hugging him lightly and kissing his cheek, like all mothers did, all while asking, "Well, how are you Zach?"
"I need to ask you and Joe for something."
Rachel and Joe exchanged glances, then Rachel sat down next to Joe, took Adelaide from his arms, and looked at him pointedly. Zach sank into the couch again, and took a deep breath, preparing himself for the fact that they probably wouldn't agree to what he was asking.
"I want to ask Cammie to marry me, and I came to ask for your blessing," he said, his voice sounding calmer than he thought it would. He didn't break eye contact with either of them, never looked down at the floor.
Rachel was the first one to speak up, her voice a little surprised when she said, "Marry her?"
"I love her, and I know that we live together and are basically married at this point, but I want it to be recognized in case anything were to ever happen to either of us," he rambled, then looked away from Rachel, because he really didn't want to see the small trace of hurt there would be in her eyes, and he knew, that with that little ramble he'd tried to avoid at all costs, he'd probably fucked up any chance he had.
When he looked up again, he saw a single tear slipping down Rachel's cheek, and he quickly added, "That's obviously not the only reason, I do love her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
A little better. Probably didn't make up for the fact that he'd just insulted Joe and Rachel simultaneously.
So, despite all his spy training, and ten years with the CIA, he was extremely surprised to hear Rachel's voice, a little stuffy and faint, "I give you my blessing to marry her. She's my daughter and I know you enough to know that you love her enough to do anything for her."
Zach allowed himself a grin, and then a small laugh when Addy, while being bounced by her mother, cooed happily and reached her arms out towards Zach. Rachel laughed, and said, "I think Addy gives you her blessing, too."
Then both Zach and Rachel turned to Joe, who hadn't made a sound since Rachel had entered the room. Joe took a deep breath, his head in his hands, and said, "Even though Cammie isn't my biological daughter, I love her like one. Same for you, Zach. And I don't think I'd give my blessing to anyone but you, as I don't believe anyone but you has earned it. I give you my blessing to marry Cammie."
Rachel and Zach both let out a sigh of relief, and Addy squealed, clapping her hands together, despite not understanding the situation.
Then Joe spoke again, "Have you chosen the ring yet?"
"Yes. Bex and I went to pick it out yesterday in England. She insisted on calling the Queen to help us pick it out."
Joe chuckled, and said, "Well Ms. Baxter did always have a flair for drama."
