"Asparagus,huh?" Mark muttered breathlessly at the edge of the Shannon family porch. He'd straight ran from his rover the second he arrived back within the gates after he got the call from Alicia about the fake doctor and the attempt to murder his girlfriend. Maddy sat in front of him in one of the big chairs,a sad smile on her face.
"Dad taught it to all of us when we turned about five. Zoe just learned it about two weeks ago." Her eyes finally locked on to his,a small tear escaping out of a corner.
"My Maddy." he eased,sitting next to her on the chair,pulling her into his lap. Her cheek had just begun to heal,the blue in the bruise retreating to a yellow tint. She relaxed against his chest,but refused to cry.
"I'm okay."
"You don't have to put on a front around me,sweetheart."
"I'm not. I'm a little shaken up,sure. But having dad there to punch his lights out,having you here now,having Josh promise to be my personal bodyguard,it helped me be okay." Maddy felt the little chuckle rumble in Mark's chest. Being with him had been the best two months of her life. She was excited to think about going to the Harvest festival with him,spending Christmas with him. Her seventeenth birthday fell in early March,which was the most exciting part. She'd be pretty much an adult.
"Well,Josh has to remember that being your personal bodyguard is my job,but I'm glad that your dad and brother helped while I was away." Mark smiled slyly,making Maddy grin at him.
"Can we talk about something that doesn't involve a lunatic trying to put me to sleep courtesy of an angry caged spider?" Maddy asked,feeling the tension in Mark's muscles. Her slender fingers found their way into his cropped hair,noticing he needed a trim. His bangs were beginning to fall upon his forehead,daring to cover those handsome baby blues.
"Like what?" he asked with huffed breath,not really wanting to get off the topic until the fake doctor was dead and Maddy was handcuffed to him,but her face pleaded.
"Do we have plans for the festival?"
Mark shifted her weight on his lap,wrapping his arms loosely around her.
"I was going to ask your parents tonight if I could take you."
"Well we were all going,Zoe's in the play this year." she smiled at him,as he looked back a little stunned.
"As who?" Maddy's giggle made him smile.
"Commander Taylor. I've been working on her wig and beard. Leah is going to be Lieutenant Washington." Mark smiled just a little,already picturing the girls as his superiors.
"That's great. But I meant could I accompany you. Like a date."
"Oh. Right." her blush made him fall in love with her even more.
As the week drew to a close,Elisabeth had convinced Jim that Mark could take Maddy to the festival. They'd left a little before her parents,currently sitting on a bench near the market. Maddy knew something was up with Mark,he seemed shifty,like he was nervous.
"Baby,what is it?" she asked,her fingers massaging his neck. Mark took that hand,running his palm across it. As he turned it to face palm up,he slid something into it,closing her fingers around it. As Maddy pulled it closer to her,she realized it was a bracelet. One that Mark had worn everyday since she'd met him.
"Mark..." she started,as he shook his head,kissing her gently on the lips.
"I want you to have it. I want you to wear it. I love you Madelyn Elisabeth. I always will. This way we're close no matter how far apart we are. This is a promise that I'll always come home for you,I'll always come home to you." her eyes shimmered with tears as she sniffled.
"But I have nothing to give you." Mark just shook his head again. This time he pulled at his neck,bringing forth his tags. With a swipe of the finger came images. A picture of her and Zoe coloring the day he brought her home from the attack. A picture of her and himself lounging in a hammock,picture thanks to Skye. His favorite though was a picture of Maddy and he snuggled together,fast asleep. Elisabeth had taken the photo when they arrived home that morning,heartstrings pulled as she saw Maddy wrapped tightly in the protective arms of Mark.
"This is what you give to me. I can see pictures like these when I'm OTG and you're right there. You and Zoe coloring me a picture,which by the way I still have. You're in my arms. You're in my heart." By this time Maddy couldn't help herself,pulling him into a chaste kiss. He helped her buckle the bracelet around her slim wrist,smiles on both their faces.
