A/N Prereaders in Gabrinaland: There were several changes throughout.

This is a continuation of Erik Kire's story. In order the stories are A Heart that Waits, A Heart that Bleeds; Ghost's Shadow, and now One Week.

One Week

Julia made it perfectly clear that I had two duties: purchase her ring and attend the wedding. Everything else would be planned and organized by the womenfolk. The more I heard them discussing dresses and flowers the clearer it became that she was correct. I hadn't the patience to toil over those details of the wedding.

With the ring on her finger, I had my own plans brewing for our wedding, which I intended to keep private until our wedding day.

"You may choose the cake," Julia said with a sly smile. "You're a far better judge of confections than I am, wouldn't you say?"

"Indeed," I said, holding my hand on the small of her back as we stood in the dining room following supper.

She was teasing, I knew, and I enjoyed seeing her so relaxed. I was no longer seeing mere glimpses of the woman I had fallen in love with years ago. We would be together for the rest of our lives and I knew her smile would always be for me, just as my heart had always belonged to her, regardless of whether or not either of us had realized it in the past.

For the remainder of the evening Charles, Alex and I holed ourselves up in the safety of the parlor. Charles poured two bourbons for us to celebrate while Alex was allowed drinking chocolate, which Ruby had made after she returned.

There was still no ring gracing her finger.

Archie joined us briefly in the parlor once he said goodnight to Ruby, who was finishing her cleaning with Meg's help. We could hear Madeline telling Meg to sit down and rest herself, but Meg would have no part of it. She said she felt better if she spent less time reclining and more time engaged in activities, which was what she was accustomed to before her current condition.

"When will it be your turn?" Charles asked Archie.

Archie shrugged and I saw Alex briefly glare at him, clearly still sore over the time Monsieur Leach spent with our cook.

"It's being discussed," Archie said at last, tapping his knuckles on the table.

"With the way the ladies were speaking I was certain that you and Mademoiselle Dubois would return as a happily engaged couple tonight."

Archie nodded. "Women and their vicious tongues," he said with a sigh. "Ru-mors, ru-mors, ru-mors. Why should we expect to marry so soon? We've only courted a few months."

Charles leaned forward. "But the nagging never ends," he confided with a wink.

"Then I shall be in no hurry to shackle myself," Archie announced. He looked at me. "You poor old fool."

Alex, not realizing their jests, took offense on my behalf, so I sent him to the kitchen and told him to ask Ruby for a snack since he had been so good all day. He was starry-eyed when he left the room, but before the door closed I heard him mutter that he would have asked Ruby to marry him already if she were his companion.

"If it's meant to be I guarantee you that those chains will be set in place well before you wed," Charles said. He took another sip of his bourbon and set the glass aside. "Good chains, I dare say, Archie. You'll find out soon enough even if you deny your interest or balk over marriage."

Archie grunted. "We'll see."

"Your concerns no longer matter. If it's a wedding she wants, it's a wedding you'll have. And then you'll be shoved off to the parlor while she and her lady friends discuss what material your chains should be made of," Charles laughed.

"I'll make you a deal, Charles, old friend. Once Monsieur Kire fills his house with children I'll ask Ruby for her hand," Archie answered as he finished the bourbon Charles had poured for him and placed it on the service table.

"That should not be difficult," Charles chuckled to himself. He looked at me and I saw the words in his eyes well before he spoke. "Dinner will be cold each night, but it wouldn't be difficult."

Before I could retort, Alex appeared in the doorway.

"How do you mean, Uncle Charles?"

Poor Charles couldn't keep a sober face. "Nothing, Alex."

Alex furrowed his brow and closed the parlor door behind him. "I don't understand. How will Father fill the house with children?"

Charles turned white as a ghost and cleared his throat as he realized his folly. I had a feeling what questions would come up in Alex's lessons soon enough. "I said no such thing."

"Well, no, but Monsieur Leach did and you said it wouldn't be difficult."

"It seems I have forgotten," Charles muttered uncomfortably. He looked to me, but as far as I was concerned he had brought this upon himself. "I apologize, Alex."

Alex gave him a suspicious look. "Uncle Charles, why would dinner be cold each night? I don't understand what that has to do with children."

Archie chuckled to himself, which left Alex exasperated. "Ruby will tell me," he huffed before he opened the door and walked out again. I considered following him, but I knew Ruby wouldn't tell him anything. Besides, I rather enjoyed hearing what Charles had to say.

With Alex gone, Charles, Archie and I turned our discussion to politics and art. Charles seemed more exhausted than usual, what with his excursion during the day and his wife's condition drawing near its end. He excused himself early, which led to Archie calling it a night as well.

"We should play together, Monsieur," Archie said as we shook hands. "When you and Julie-dear are married, of course."

He left with Ruby, who was finished for the day and prepared to return to her flat.

Charles stopped me before Meg wheeled him to their bedroom and asked if I had taken offense to his words.

"It wasn't my intention to overstep my bounds, Monsieur," he said.

"I believe Alex has made you suffer enough," I replied.

"Very true," Charles laughed. "And I have no doubt it will be a topic of many, many discussions over the next few weeks."

The house was quiet when Julia knocked on the parlor door and said she was going to take Lisette home and put her in bed. I offered to help her, but Madeline walked into the parlor. Ever the watchdog, Madeline stared at me in silent warning. I found her intervention into my private affairs highly irritating.

Despite my best intentions, Julia said she was tired as well and would see me the following day. I walked with her and Lisette as far as the back gate before I kissed her on the cheek and told her goodnight.

"Goodnight, Monsieur Kire," Lisette said, her eyes barely able to stay open.

"Goodnight, Mademoiselle Seuratti."

She grinned. "In a week you may call me Lisette."

"Lis," Julia warned. "He may call you Lisette now if he chooses."

"I shall do as the lady requests," I said with an exaggerated bow that made Lisette giggle.

Julia placed her arm around Lisette and disappeared through the gate. I waited until I saw the light appear in Julia's bedroom before I returned to my home, glancing back once to see her through the window. The day when we would no longer part could not come soon enough.

When I returned to my home it was dark and quiet. I could hear Meg and Charles' muffled voices as well as Madeline humming to herself. Alex's room was dark, which left me alone with Bessie and Aria, who ran into the kitchen the moment they heard me enter.

Bessie cocked her head to the side and whined and I knew what she wanted.

"Come, old girl," I said. It was time we resumed our walks together.