Okay, this is a preview of what is going to be a properly long fic that is fulfilling TWO prompt lala-kate sent ("Mary and Charles—modern AU. They meet on a cruise ship. :D Set sail!" and, "Mary and Charles - wake me up.") , as well a two-part prompt from an anon. and no, I will not reveal what those two prompts are because they are magnificent combined and have lead to this story running away with me and do pack a wonderful surprise for everyone involved. Trust me on this, you don't want to let this one sail you by.
Usual disclaimers apply. I could not do this without my wonderful sisters lala-kate, Cls2011, and lovepurplemustaches egging me on and reading the bits and pieces I feed them as I write ever so slowly. I do not own these characters except for possible quirks I may have added — all rights remain with DA, the writers, producers, production companies and big corporations who honestly should not even think about suing fanfic authors because hello, we are poor. And just playing story-time as an act of love for what you have given us.
So I guess this will be Chapter 1. All Aboard!
The blaring wail of an alarm made her sit bolt upright in bed, sudden panic filling her almost as immediately as nausea and pain. Oh, crap don't throw up, don't throw up when there is a fire.
Her thoughts managed to come a little more awake and calm her pounding heart by making her recognize the terror-inducing wail was a phone alarm, not a fire alarm. The screaming pain in her head that was currently wielding a sledgehammer against the inside of her skull was letting her know whatever the hell it was, it was far too loud and she was going to pay.
There was a pain-filled groan beside her, and then a muffled plea, "Oh my God, just kill it. Kill it with fire."
She reached out to the bedside stand, eyes squinting against the excruciating and obnoxious light that was daring to fill the room. She finally found the phone and slid her finger across the screen throwing things into blessed silence.
A sigh and mumble again from under the pillow beside her. "Oh, god, thank you, take whatever you want from me, my firstborn, my wallet, I don't care just let me die here in silence."
She looked down at the phone screen. 5:55am. "Who the hell sets their alarm at six in the morning on a cruise?"
There was no answer after her whispered question, so she nudged his warm body with her knee. He moaned.
"I'm sure I have a reason. I just don't know what it is right now."
She would have snorted if it wouldn't have hurt like hell. Instead, she glanced at his long, muscular form sprawled on his stomach beside her, tan and naked to where the sheet was tangled around his calves, head buried under a pillow his arms were holding securely in place. God, those forearms, with the smattering of crisp dark hair, muscled just perfectly above large hands and long fingers. Her body was beginning to have a field day, despite the hangover, remembering just what those hands and fingers had been doing to her for the past week.
Damn, I do have good taste.
She was tempted to take a photo of him like this and text it to her sister with the message, "Mission: Accomplished." After all, it was her carefree little sister who told her not to cancel what was supposed to be her honeymoon cruise when the wedding — well, their whole engagement — was called off a couple months ago. In fact, her sister was supposed to be here with her, but cancelled at the last minute. Though, not without the strict demand that Mary be stupid and wild and find someone hot to enjoy that honeymoon cabin with.
Continuing to stare at his nicely naked form, her whole body was beginning to flush despite the racket in her head and stomach. Wild would be the understatement to what this week had been.
There was a soft chime that filled the room, and it wasn't coming from the phone. The over-head PA system came on, a gentle voice reminding passengers they would be docking in Barcelona in a little under and hour and that all passengers needed to disembark before 10:00 am.
His groggy muffled voice rose up beside her. "That's why I set the alarm."
She looked around the room and wanted to cry. Packing. And right now, varied articles of their clothing were scattered everywhere.
He started to try and move, and sucked in a sharp whimper. "Oh, my God, what did we drink last night?"
"Everything, I suspect." Heaven help her, how was she going to get herself moving without her head and stomach each exploding?
Carefully she slid her legs off the bed, and was pretty sure the floor was flat and not rocking too much beneath her feet. Taking a slow breath, she carefully pushed herself up and stumbled naked to the dresser where a large carafe of once iced water was sitting with a couple glasses. She drank down one, mentally telling her stomach to let it stay there. Filling the glass again, she headed to the bath where her robe and stash of paracetamol were waiting.
Damp towels were scattered all over the bathroom, one hanging at an odd angle from the mirror, looking much as if it was fighting a hangover as well. She glanced around, noticing the hand shower hanging loose and dripping, and realized every surface in the bath was covered with water.
Try as she might, not even her body was giving her a single clue as to what the hell they had done in there last night. But obviously they enjoyed themselves. Trying not to slip on the slick marble of the floor, she wondered if she should check for bruises. The quick glance of her reflection as she went to swallow down the pills made her nix that idea. The slight greenish tinge to her face and circles under her eyes were bad enough. The wild speckling of deep red marks all over her neck and chest were enough hint of awkward bruising to come. She hoped she had a boat-necked tee and that it would be cool enough for a scarf. She shook out a couple extra pills into her hand and stumbled back into the cabin.
"I need to tell you something." His voice was barely above a whisper, and sounded a good octave lower than usual. He had managed to pull on his boxers but seemed to be having a problem getting his trousers, feet, and balance to cooperate to get him dressed any further than that.
"What is it?"
"I don't know. I just know I need to tell you something."
She blinked. "Are you still drunk?"
He fell backwards onto the bed, groaning and admitting defeat with the trousers. "Quite possibly."
She carefully stepped over to him, pressing the pills into his open palm before bending over to try and pick up his trousers. The evil troll with the sledgehammer in her head let her know that was a really bad idea. She carefully sank to her knees instead, guiding feet into leg holes and leaving the fabric bunched around his ankles. He could have fun reaching down to pull them up.
"Are you sure I can't just die here?"
She managed to fill another glass of water and brought it back to the bedside table.
"I think there is an extra body-removal fee if you do. And after what the steward has had to clean up after this week, I'm not sure I can afford that."
He groaned, rolling over and reaching for the glass. "You are welcome to die with me. Maybe they have a two for one body-removal special."
"What do you have to tell me?" She started to rummage through a bureau drawer in search of her highest necked top.
"I don't know. I just know I had to remember to tell you something this morning."