No More Leaving
David looked around the stark white room where they had taken him. It felt as cold and empty as his heart did at this moment. Mary Margaret had barely looked at him during his plea for a second chance. When she did her eyes were foggy and distant. He was unable to discern what she was feeling at all. He wasn't even sure that she was listening to him. She just looked lost and broken.
"Yes sir, I understand."
The words, coming from the Transportation Security Officer standing in the corner of the room, drew David's attention. The officer had moved to the corner earlier to answer a phone call. He ended the call and clipped his phone onto his belt, as he turned and addressed David.
"Well, it would seem that you have friends in high places. Someone from Homeland Security has called and said that no charges will be filed against you. You're quite the lucky guy. They don't usually mess around when it comes to airport security. We have orders to release you into the custody of your commanding officer, who is on his way."
The officer made his way to the door. He paused with his hand on the handle and turned back around. "You also have a visitor."
The officer left David alone in the room. If he was not being charged, why hadn't the officer removed his handcuffs? His heart raced as he worried about who the visitor could be. He didn't know anyone with the power to influence Homeland Security, no one who was his friend anyway. It was a government agency. Leopold Blanchard probably knew people there. Leo, or possibly Frank. Neither option made him feel good about his imminent visitor, especially when he was still handcuffed to the chair.
Twenty minutes later, he was still nervously waiting to see which one was going to appear through that door. It was also possible that they were going to team up together to make sure that he disappeared from Mary Margaret's life forever. With their connections they could probably get him a permanent tour of duty at some obscure base overseas, or worse. He pulled again at the cuffs that were keeping his hands securely fixed to the back of his chair. He wondered if they were watching him, enjoying the sight of his increasing agitation, as he sweated it out. Whatever they tried, he wasn't planning on giving up easy. He was going to fight for her this time.
At the sound of the door opening, he swallowed his anxiety, and looked up, his cocky expression a daring challenge to whoever entered that room. He wanted them to know that he would not be intimidated by them.
He stopped breathing and his heart pounded as his visitor was revealed to him. Shock rendered him speechless. It took a moment for his brain to readjust to the fact the she was the one who came through the door. Slowly his expression changed from smug boldness to a timid smile of hope.
Mary Margaret stepped quietly into the room, and leaned back against the door, pushing it closed. She remained there, taking in his changing expression with a slight sense of amusement.
"I take it that you were expecting someone else?"
Hearing the lightheartedness in her voice, he allowed himself to breathe again. "I thought perhaps it would be your father, or maybe even Frank, telling me that I had no place in your life. Trying to force me to go away again."
"And would you? Go away again if they tried to pressure you into it?"
All levity left the room, as the criticalness of this moment hit him. He could feel the handcuffs cutting into his wrists as he quietly strained against their hold. He wanted nothing more than to jump from his seat and wrap his arms around her and never let her go again. To let his touch and his kisses be a sign of how much he loved her. Instead he had only his words. It was imperative he choose the right ones.
Mary Margaret stood at the door watching and waiting. Fear gripped her as his answer took much longer than anticipated. It had been less than an hour since his epic display of love in the airport terminal. Surely he couldn't have changed his mind already. Instinctively, she pushed her body harder against the door. She could feel her legs starting to buckle. She needed the tension to help keep her rooted in place, when all she really wanted to do was fall into his lap and kiss some sense into him.
"Mary Margaret," David started, his voice quiet, but intense. "I love you with all my heart, with everything I am. I need you to know that. When I left you it had nothing to do with me not loving you, and everything to do with the fact that I did. I left because I thought it would make you happy. My mistake was that I listened to your father. I assumed things about your relationship with Frank. I assumed that you didn't feel the same way about me that I did about you. My greatest regret was that I never asked you want you wanted."
Mary Margaret took a step away from the door, ready to shower him with the kisses she had been straining to hold back since she stepped through the door. She stopped abruptly when David continued speaking.
"I want you to be my wife more than I've ever wanted anything in my life, except for one thing."
Mary Margaret went still as he said that. Tears flooded her eyes, one word ringing repeatedly in her head. I want you, except…except…except. There was an exception. The moment he noticed the tears start, he cursed silently to himself. He was screwing this up. She didn't understand.
"Mary Margaret you don't understand. The one thing that is more important to me than my own happiness…is your happiness. It would break my heart to leave, but if it's what you want, if it's what will make you happy, I will walk away. So the answer to your question is never. I will never go away again…unless you want me to. No one else can make me go away, except you."
He barely got the last words out of his mouth before she rushed him. She practically fell into his lap as she clutched his shirt in her fists and crashed onto his lips.
"No, no, no. Never. Never go away." She managed to spurt out between kisses.
His hands were frustratingly locked helplessly behind him, so he pressed his chest to hers and intertwined their legs, needing to be as close as possible. Sensing his need, she released his shirt and wrapped her arms around his neck joining him in his effort to erase all space between them. They kissed, both struggling to maintain their self-control. Mary Margaret broke the kiss when it became necessary for her to keep her composure. Remaining in his lap, she laid her head on his shoulder. A sense of completeness and peace washed through her.
"What about Frank?" He asked, momentarily breaking the spell.
"I gave him his ring back. It's over."
"And he's okay with that?"
"He'll have to be. I'm not in love with him." she said, as she pressed even tighter into him in reassurance."
"And your father?" She could hear the worry in his voice.
How she loved him for wanting his approval. For understanding how much her father meant to her. But there was something more she needed him to understand. She lifted her head from his chest so she could look him in the eye. Those beautiful blue eyes, which were clouded over in doubt and apprehension.
"David, I love you. Nothing my father says or does will ever change that. It will never make me love you any less. I need you to believe that."
She leaned down and enclosed his mouth with hers. It was not a kiss of lustful passion, but of an even deeper need. She kissed him steadily, slowly and tenderly, as she put everything into showing him the depth of her love. When she finally felt him relax into the kiss she pulled back.
"Do you believe me now?"
"Yes," he said, unable to hide the huskiness of his voice.
"Good." She sat up a little straighter in his lap. "Now that we have that settled, I have a message for you from my father." She felt him tense under her as a slight look of anxiety crossed his face. She looked at him pointedly, a smirk playing just under the surface. "You just said you believed me when I said that my father's opinion could never change my love for you?"
He looked at her seductively. "Maybe I need you to convince me some more."
She crossed her arms over her chest with a look that said, not happening buddy so reign it back in. It was such a teacher look, David couldn't help it as he started to laugh. Oh how he had missed her attempts at using fourth grade teaching techniques to keep him in line. It usually worked because she was so darn cute when she did it.
"You look like you are about to threaten to write my name on the board and keep me in for recess."
"Don't act like I wouldn't."
"I don't doubt that you would, only it would backfire on you. You would quickly discover that being alone with the teacher while everyone else was out to recess had been my plan all along."
"And that would backfire on you, as I would prove myself resistant to your charms."
"Care to wager on that?" There was a twinkle in his eye, as he gave her a self-assured grin, right before he launched himself into the crook of her neck. His breath tickled as he teasingly nipped at her pulse point.
They had always been unable to resist engaging in teasing banter between them. She tried to remain strict as she pushed him away and playfully slapped him, but it was so good to hear his laughter, that she couldn't keep from giggling herself. As they laughed together, she was filled with hope that all the hurt had not irreparably damaged their relationship.
"So what is your father's message?" David said as their laughter died down. He felt ready to handle whatever bad news she gave him.
"We have his blessing."
"Are you serious?" Surely she wouldn't tease about something as important as this.
"He said that you have his permission to ask me to marry you. In fact he's the one who picked up your ring off the floor and placed it in my hand, telling me I shouldn't get on the plane, but instead go after you."
She took the ring from her pocket and slipped it on the third finger of her right hand. She turned in his lap with her back against his chest as she held it up for both of them to see.
"I know my father was serious, because he didn't make any comments about it not being my type."
David swallowed hard, overcome by the sight of his mother's ring, finally on her finger. He leaned forward, once again annoyed by the handcuffs keeping his arms at bay. He placed his chin on her shoulder and whispered into her ear.
"What do you think? Is it your type?"
She tilted her head, seeming to consider it for a moment. "I think maybe it could be."
Bolstered by her answer, he tempted fate. "I'd much rather see it on the other hand, where it belongs. Mary Margaret, will you marry me?"
He waited with baited breath as she took the ring off of her right hand. She held it in her fingers as she turned to face him. Her green eyes met his for just a moment before she took the ring and placed it into the pocket of his jeans.
"No."
The room spun and he thought he might be sick. His heart constricted in his chest. He closed his eyes to reality and prayed that he actually would be sick.
Mary Margaret watched his reaction and knew immediately he was losing it. She grabbed his cheeks and pressed her lips to his, trying to bring him back.
"David, I'm not breaking up with you. I love you."
He opened his eyes at the sound of her voice. She kept her hold on his face as she placed her forehead on his.
"I just think we need some time. I need some time. Time to trust each other again. Time to rebuild what we had." She watched him take in what she said, their faces only inches apart. She waited patiently for a response before adding in a desperate whisper. "Please don't leave."
"Never!" He almost shouted it, the tinge of fear in her voice drawing him from his stupor. "I'm never leaving. I can wait. I'll wait for you forever if I have to."
He kissed her then, her lips, her eyes, her nose, her neck, behind her ear. He kissed all the places he could reach, trying to make up for the places he wanted to touch with his hands, but couldn't. He continued kissing her until she pulled away beyond his reach and he was forced to stop.
"Promise me one more thing?"
"Anything. Whatever you ask." And he meant it. He would give this woman whatever it was within his power to give her. And if it wasn't in his power, he was pretty sure he would still find a way to make whatever she desired come true.
"Don't wait forever to ask me again. I don't need forever."
She smiled at him with a grin that went ear to ear. He had only a moment to take in that adorable dimple on the right side of her face before she crashed into his lips and took his breath away again. They stayed like that until they heard sound of the door opening.
Mary Margaret vaulted from his lap, hurriedly smoothing out her clothing, which had managed to become quite wrinkled in spite of the fact that David's hands were tied.
"Captain." David straightened up as tall as he could at the appearance of his commanding officer. He probably should have considered at the time, what his actions may cost him in regards to his career, though he doubted it would have mattered. His judgement by that point had been too far clouded by his heart. And now that Mary Margaret had promised to someday accept his proposal, whatever punishment came his way was worth it.
The commanding officer cut an imposing figure as he shut the door and slowly moved into the room. His face was locked in an expression of anger and disappointment, but Mary Margaret thought she maybe saw a flash of understanding in his eyes.
"Airman Nolan, it seems you've gotten yourself in a bit of trouble."
"Yes, Sir."
The officer looked over at Mary Margaret. "Ms. Blanchard, I presume?"
Mary Margaret nodded in response. "Yes, and you're?"
"Captain James, Airman Nolan's commanding officer." The captain either ignored or didn't notice Mary Margaret as she stretched out her hand expecting a handshake. He turned his attention back to David.
"I can certainly see the allure, she's quite beautiful. Yet, I'm sure there were other options available for your romantic gesture that didn't include bypassing airport security measures. Those officers would have been well within their rights to have shot you."
"Yes, Sir."
"Yet, given Ms. Blanchard's presence here, and the fact that former Governor Blanchard has been making phone calls on your behalf, it would seem to have worked for you."
"Sir, I'm s-," David opened his mouth to speak, but the captain held his hand up to stop him.
"I don't want to hear your apologies or excuses, Nolan. In my book, your behavior is not up for debate. You defied the very security rules that you are charged with defending, and matters of the heart do not qualify as a valid excuse for that. I will not tolerate such actions from my men, and I most certainly will not let them go unpunished. If it were up to me, charges would be filed. As it stands, you are under 28 day restrictions with extra duties. You will remain confined to your barracks for anything other than drills, duties, training, and meals. You are to have no contact with anyone outside the base for the duration of your restrictions. That especially goes for Ms. Blanchard. If you are caught not abiding by the rules of your restrictions this deal will be voided and your actions in this airport today will be revisited under a court martial."
"Yes, Sir."
David tried not to look defeated. This was really the best possible outcome given his failure to stop when airport security called for him to. He hadn't dared a glance at Mary Margaret, afraid to see disappointment in her eyes. He had promised not to leave her, and while he was not technically leaving her, 28 days was a long time. After all his heart had been through in the last several days, he wasn't sure that he could survive 28 days without even speaking to her.
The officer moved to David and unlocked the handcuffs from the chair, pulling him to his feet. He stood between David and Mary Margaret, keeping his hand firmly on David's arm.
"Good day, Ms. Blanchard. Hopefully we may meet again, under better circumstances." With his back to David, he actually graced her with a small smile and a wink, showing he wasn't quite as hard-nosed as he projected to those under his command.
Captain James turned and led David toward the door. David's heart dropped to his feet. He wasn't even going to let him say good-bye. He didn't dare speak out, afraid that would qualify as breaking the rules of restriction. He looked desperately at Mary Margaret, mouthing I love you, trying to say with his eyes, everything he could not say out loud.
Mary Margaret recognized immediately the fear David was trying to hide behind his forced expression. As they passed her, headed for the door, she stepped in behind him and whispered in his ear.
"Don't worry. What's 28 days when you have true love?"
David's heart rose back to his chest. Those words were all he needed to remain strong for the next month.
