Summary: Jason and Stephanie with appearances from Cassandra Cain and Alfred. (Year 20)
AN: No real summary because I kind of want it to be a surprise. This is a little rough.
I hope I didn't loose a whole bunch of people who were reading this under JL.
Disclaimer: The AU and OCs are mine; the rest belongs to DC Comics.
Jason Todd rolled over as he was coming awake and took a deep breath. Honey, melon, and something distinctly Steph filled his nose and he slowly exhaled. His breath gently moved a piece of her hair away from her face and she stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and locked with his. Cornflower met cobalt and a million things were said without a single sound being uttered.
He loved this girl. He loved the way she always attacked waffles as if she hadn't eaten in days. He loved the way her hair was never perfectly coiffed because she never sat still. He loved the fact that she felt the quip was just as important as the takedown. And he loved that even after everything she'd been through she was still full of hope and light.
He looked at her with pure love and she smiled that brilliant smile of hers that made him believe there was still good in the world.
"Let's elope." He said, his voice still gravelly from sleep.
Stephanie froze and then she blinked about a dozen times.
"Huh, what? Run that by me again." Steph stuttered, coming awake very fast.
"Let's elope." He repeated smiling.
"That's what I thought you said." She mumbled sitting up. "WHAT?!"
Jason sat up too, the blankets pooling around their waists revealing his bare chest and her tiny eggplant tank top. "Steph, you're hyperventilating. Breathe." He said taking her hand in his.
She did as suggested and tried to speak again "You… I… wha…eh…"
"Babe, try again." Jason tried. "It's just me."
Steph sighed. "Why?"
"It just seems like the right thing to do." Jason shrugged.
"Why?"
"I love you." Jason said.
He didn't say it very often and she didn't really need him to but it always made her feel all warm and gushy inside.
"I don't know. This isn't something you spring on a girl first thing in the morning." Steph complained.
"It's afternoon." Jason teased.
"You know what I mean."
"Do you love me?" He asked.
"Yes." She replied without hesitation.
"Do you want to get married in general?" He asked.
Stephanie thought about it for a minute before replying. She had nothing against the vague concept of marriage. "I'm not against it."
"Would you marry me?" He asked, almost properly.
She thought about that too. Would she marry him? Was he the first person she wanted to see when she woke up and the last person she saw before she went to bed, every night for the rest of her life? "Yes."
Jason grinned, relieved after the length of that pause. "Do you want a Wayne wedding?" He asked.
"God no." Stephanie shuddered.
"So, let's elope." Jason said as if it was the most simple, logical thing in the world.
"Today?" Steph asked.
"Why not?" Jason said. "We can be in Vegas by late afternoon their time."
"On one condition." Steph said.
"What?" Jason smiled.
"Actually, there are one, two… five conditions." She said.
Jason chuckled. "Go ahead."
"Can I get a dress? I mean nothing elaborate but something new and I don't know, kind of special?" She asked hopefully.
"I would be disappointed if you didn't." Jason replied.
"Can I have a bouquet too? It's kind of a girl thing, we like flowers."
"Anything in particular?"
"Sunflowers." She said hopefully.
"That should be easy enough. What else?" Jason asked.
"Pictures. I want at least a few photos to remember our wedding day." Steph said.
"Me too." Jason agreed honestly.
Steph awkwardly hesitated.
"Come on, what else?" Jason prodded.
"Rings." She said quietly.
"You want an engagement ring?" Jason asked.
"I don't really care about that but I do want a wedding band and…" She trailed off.
Jason raised an eyebrow at her.
"I would really like if you wore one too." She said kind of quietly.
"I think I can manage that." He grinned and kissed her on the temple. "Lastly?"
"Cassie is in town. Can she come with us to be a witness?" Steph asked hopeful again.
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh my god, we're getting married!" Steph squeaked and kissed him passionately. They were both smiling like fools when she pulled away.
An hour later they were both freshly showered and dressed and Steph was on her cell phone standing in their walk-in closet packing a small bag while Jason made lunch.
"Hi, Stephanie." Cassandra Cain answered.
"Hey, Cass. How are you?" Stephanie said.
"I am good." Cass replied. "How are you?"
"I'm fantastic." Steph replied.
"Any reason why?" Cassandra asked.
"Can you keep a secret? What am I saying? Of course you can keep a secret! Jay and I are eloping!" She exclaimed. "But don't say anything to anybody."
"Of course not. But why did you tell me?" Cass asked.
"Are you kidding me? You're my best friend. There is no way a girl can get married without her best friend as maid of honor."
"You want me to" Cass started but Steph cut her off.
"Shhh don't even say it out loud in case someone is listening. But yes. So pack a bag because we might be gone overnight."
Cass smiled wide. "Okay."
"Great. Meet us at the manor at 3:30." Steph replied.
When Steph entered the kitchen a few minutes later Jason had his phone pinned between his ear and shoulder so he could use his hands to put a jar of miracle whip back in the refrigerator.
"So we were wondering if we could borrow you and the jet for a secret mission this afternoon." Jason said.
"Of course, Master Jason. Will you require the family jet or the other jet?" Alfred replied calmly.
"Just the family one. We'll explain when we get to the Manor." Jason said.
"Very well, Master Jason. Are you departing presently?" Alfred asked.
"No, we have a couple of things to do first. We'll be there about 3:00." Jason said.
He looked a Steph with a questioningly and she nodded.
"And Cassandra will be there at… 3:30." Jason said as Steph nodded again.
"I will begin making preparations." Alfred said.
"Thanks Alfie. Oh and keep this on the DL okay?" Jason said.
"Naturally." Alfred replied.
"Bye." Jason said since it was Alfred. He only said goodbye properly with Alfred, you did not hang up on Alfred.
When Jason and Stephanie arrived at Wayne Manor, they let themselves in without preamble and went directly to the kitchen, where they figured they'd find Alfred.
"Is anyone else home?" Jason asked.
"No." Alfred replied surprising the couple. "I convinced Master Damian to collect the children this afternoon."
They both nodded. And then Stephanie bust. "We're eloping."
Jason braced himself for the fall out. The coming lecture about his responsibilities as a Wayne heir, how disappointed Bruce and Diana would be, how they shouldn't rush into such a serious decision.
Alfred grinned widely. "I am very happy for you both."
Stephanie and Jason were shocked.
"No lecture?" Jason asked.
"Not even a why?" Steph added.
Alfred softly chuckled and the couple exchanged a confused look.
"Had one of your brothers come to me with this news then I may have been inclined to point out the potential flaws in this plan." Alfred said with a look that clearly said he would never dream of lecturing the Wayne children. "However, for them, elopement would be out of character."
"And it's not for us?" Steph asked trying to raise an eyebrow and failing.
"It is not. You both have a tendency to act more… spontaneously than the others." Alfred replied.
Jason excelled at rolling with the punches and Stephanie took a "by the seat of her pants" approach to life. Alfred couldn't imagine either of them doing something as traditional as marriage unless they didn't in a very unconventional way. No, he had never imagined a big white Wayne wedding for them.
"Well there goes the persuasive speech I came up with on the way over." Jason said.
"Would you like to give it anyway?" Alfred asked humorously.
"Nah, I'm good." Jason said quickly shaking his hands in front of him. "Really."
Alfred allowed a small smile to escape.
"So then, you'll be the second witness?" Jason asked in confirmation.
Alfred froze in surprise. They wanted him to be one of the only two people to witness their wedding?
"Please, Alfred." Stephanie said. "No one is there for us like you are."
"Of course." Alfred agreed flattered.
A few hours later, Jason, Stephanie, Cassandra, and Alfred were standing in the living room the beautiful two-bedroom suite Alfred and Cass were staying in. Jason and Steph were staying in an even more gorgeous suite in another part of the hotel.
"Okay, there are a couple of errands we thought would be safer to do here than in Gotham." Jason told Cassandra and Alfred. "Steph, why don't you and Cass go dress shopping? Call me when you're done and I'll let you know where we are on everything else."
"Are you sure?" Steph asked hesitantly.
Jason nodded.
"Alright, come on Cass we have shopping to do!" Steph grinned and pulled Cass out of the room with their elbows locked together.
"May I make a suggestion?" Alfred asked.
"Of course, Alfie. What do ya got?"
"The hotel concierge should be able to quickly and discretely make the arrangements for something nicer than a Vegas wedding." Alfred replied, implying the Englishman was not going to allow tonight's proceedings garish in any way.
Jason nodded.
Less than an hour later, the concierge had arranged for the use of a private terrace for the ceremony, reserved the on-staff minister and photographer and even arranged Steph's sunflowers. Only leaving the rings and a new suit on Jason's to-do list.
At 10 o'clock that night, Vegas time, Jason and Alfred were standing on the terrace waiting for the ladies. Cass walked down the small path holding a single sunflower. Her one-shoulder sheath dress was red satin and fell to just above her knee.
Jason had the passing thought that that his sister cleaned up pretty good but then Stephanie appeared in the entryway and all thoughts were wiped from his head except wow.
Her dress was floor length made out of several layers of white chiffon. It had a sexy as hell slit on one side to just above her knee and eggplant accents on the bodice. It was halter style but the straps were lost in her hair, which fell in soft curls below her shoulders.
Stephanie took in Jason waiting for her. He was wearing a new, she could tell, English cut black suit with a white shirt open at the neck. His pocket square was eggplant and while she loved that, her favorite part was his face. He was looking at her in pure wonder and it made her feel like she was walking on clouds.
The ceremony was short and simple. Their first kiss as husband and wife made the minister and Alfred blush.
The first thing Jason saw the next morning was Stephanie's riot of blonde hair. The second was the little white lace thing she had worn for a short time last night and he grinned. He kissed her shoulder and climbed out of bed. He ordered waffles from room service and climbed in the shower.
Room service arrived just after he finished shaving and he answered the door in just a towel wrapped around his waist. After tipping the room service guy and showing him out he went back into the bedroom to wake Steph.
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty." He said pushing her hair out of her face.
She grunted and rolled over.
He laughed. "Come on, Babe, breakfast just arrived."
She groaned.
"I got waffles." He said.
Her eyes popped open. "Really?"
"Yes." He grinned.
She sat up in bed, bringing the sheet with her.
"Come on." He said.
She looked around the bedroom for something to put on.
"I could loose the towel so we're even." Jason suggested.
"Later." She promised. "Is there a robe in the closet?"
"Yeah."
Steph moaned over her waffles causing Jason to lean over the small table and kiss her hard. She tasted like maple syrup.
"Hey, you smell like me." She said.
Jason chuckled. "I had to use your soap and shampoo. Trust me, it smells better on you." He loved that smell. Just like he loved it when she wore his shirts and nothing else. Or when she had a blonde moment in costume and called herself the Dork Knight. Or the way he already loved the new rings on their fingers.
AN: I have no idea where this came from! Once I started I just couldn't stop! PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE!
Reply for Red: Tam is the youngest daughter of Lucius Fox. She's a major supporting character in the Red Robin series, which I loved.