"What in the hell is in this?" Huck asked, holding up a glass filled with something green.
"Peach schnapps, vodka, Blue Curacao, orange juice, Sprite, and ice. Try it!" Quinn said, clapping her hands together.
Huck tentatively took a sip. "How do you come up with this stuff?" he asked, taking another gulp. This was the third or fourth drink she had tested on him, all different colors.
"I worked in a bar for about a year in college," she said. "So? Which was your favorite? I can't decide what to make for the party tomorrow."
"The watermelon lemonade one was the best, I think."
"Great! That one's easy, and I can make it ahead." Quinn fluttered around the kitchen, cleaning the counters that were covered with drink mixes, alcohol bottles, and empty glasses.
"Quinn, take a break, you've been at this all day."
"I want everything to be perfect! I've never thrown a real party before, and I want this to be nice." She scrubbed at a sticky spot of fruit juice on the counter as Huck came up behind her, brushing her hair from her shoulder and gently kissing her neck. She sighed, closing her eyes. "Sorry. I know I've been a whirly girl today. I just...I want to make you happy. And maybe I'm showing off a bit."
"I am happy," he said between kisses. "You're here. You're home. I'm happy." He took her hips, turning her to face him. His eyes were warm, like molten chocolate, and the way he looked down at her sent a jolt of desire through her abdomen. "I know this isn't just about the party. You're worried about seeing everyone again. But you don't need to worry. Trust me."
She relaxed into his arms. "I trust you. It's kinda weird knowing that Liv's bringing Jake, but I guess she has to since she doesn't know if Rowan is going to come after him for payback or whatever. I still worked for him torturing people, so I feel awkward presenting myself as some Suzie Homemaker to him when he's been the one to have me cut some guy's toes off."
Huck kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about it. He's not Command anymore, you're not B613 anymore. It's in the past. He's done what you have and worse, so he wouldn't hold it against you. Just like I don't. But he doesn't have to come if you're uncomfortable."
Quinn smiled. It was nice that he understood so well. She nuzzled closer, inhaling the musky scent of him. "It's fine. It's just awkward." She paused. "You really like the watermelon one?"
Huck chuckled. "Yes."
"It's not too sweet?"
"It's perfect, just like you." His words sent a blush to her cheeks, and he kissed her.
..
"Quinn, if you don't stop, we're going to be late…"
"Just give me a piece of tape, and I'll stop!" She stretched her open hand behind her, and he placed a piece of tape on her finger. "There! Done." She carefully hopped down from the stool she had been perched on, tapeing fake Hawaiian flowers to the corners of the door frame. "Does that look weird?"
"It looks fine, just like the rest of the backyard. We're going to be late."
"We're not going to be late." Huck lifted his watch for her to see. "We're going to be late. Let's go!" She took off for the front, and he followed close behind, shaking his head. She had been on full throttle all morning. He could tell - she was nervous and eager to please.
They walked in the hospital doors just as the clock struck 1:00. Quinn quickly checked in at the desk and slumped into the seat next to Huck. "We made it. I might have left my stomach in the car, but we made it."
Huck reached for her hand, pulling it into his lap. "You okay?
"Yeah, I've just felt kindof queasy all morning. I'm fine." Quinn started bouncing in her seat.
"I can call and cancel the party if you're not feeling well…"
"NO!" Quinn yelped, and then blushed as the waiting room quieted and all eyes turned to her. She ducked her head. "No," she whispered. "I'm fine. It's just nerves."
"Quinn and Huck?" a nurse called, and Quinn hopped up, not letting go of Huck's hand as she nearly bounced down the hallway and into Dr. Wexler's office.
"Hello, Quinn, Huck." Dr. Wexler stood, shaking their hands and gesturing to the couch. "So, Quinn….how did the transition from the hospital to home go?"
"I did well," Quinn said. "Better than I had expected, really. I thought I would feel…weird, I guess."
"What about it did you expect to be weird?"
"Well...I guess I thought I would be uncomfortable going back into the bedroom and seeing where I just completely lost myself. But it wasn't. I just felt weightless, that feeling you get when you finally come home after a long trip and everything just felt like home." Quinn glanced sideways at Huck. "But...I was a little...too into myself. I was so happy to be home and so relaxed that I didn't see that Huck was hurting."
"Huck?" Dr. Wexler turned to him, and Quinn squeezed his hand.
He took a deep breath. "I hadn't prepared myself. I came here, I talked to you, I came here that day knowing that Quinn could be coming home...I just hadn't really prepared myself…I was so focused on her coming home that I didn't prepare myself for her coming home. It didn't seem real, nothing seemed real because I hadn't thought what it would be like having her back. All I could think about was the last time I saw her, when I found her, how cold she was, how scared I was and it just swallowed me." Quinn kept looking at him through the tears in her eyes, her heart aching at the sight of his furrowed brow and he frown on his face. Her thumb lightly traced circles on the back of his hand. He looked up at her. "Quinn was there for me, though. She held me together. She helped me through my thoughts, my uncertainty, she helped me know she was real, she was really home." Quinn blushed, thinking of how that evening had ended, and a slight shiver ran down her spine at the memory of him thrusting himself inside her. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself in check.
"That's good," Dr. Wexler said. "You were able to come to terms with the reality that Quinn is really okay, and you had a breakthrough with your feelings about her attempt."
"He let me in," said Quinn. "He let me in, he let me be there for him in that moment. It was very intense…" her voice trailed off as she remembered just how intense it got, and her blush deepened.
"It certainly can be intense," Dr. Wexler agreed. "When two people love each other and they have this connection that you two have, it can be an intense feeling to fully accept and comfort them in a moment of complete openness. Not all couples have that, and I think you're lucky you do, or I am not certain either one of you would be handling these events as well as you have."
Huck smiled lightly. "You are right."
"Well, I would hope, or what are we paying her for?" Quinn joked, and Dr. Wexler laughed.
"Yes, I would hope so too, although I am only human and can sometimes be wrong. The love you two have for one another, though, it's as plain as day." Quinn's blush quickly returned. Dr. Wexler checked her watch. "Well, we are out of time, I have another client to check on in the emergency room."
"Oh, of course," Quinn said, standing. "We're having a small party in three hours."
"That's great, Quinn. I'm glad you have a good support system. Have fun, I'll see you Tuesday." They shook her hand and walked back down the hall together.
Quinn leaned her head against Huck's shoulder, and he lightly kissed the top of her head. "Feel better now?" he asked.
"Yes. I'm still nervous, but I'm better. You?"
"I'm fine, as long as you are," he said, opening her door for her. Quinn slid in the car, and twined her fingers with his as he drove them home.
Quinn walked into the kitchen, stretching her arms above her head. "Ohhhhh, I have so much left to do. This looks horrible, doesn't it?"
"No, it looks fine. Put me to work, what can I do?" Huck asked, giving her a warm half smile.
"Well...I need to make the lemon bars...can you make some finger sandwiches?"
"Of course." Huck began getting everything together, but he kept some of his attention on Quinn. He chuckled to himself as she wrestled with the mixer, thinking about how beautiful she was. He stood, cutting rolls of bread, ham, mayo, and pickle. Quinn flitted around the kitchen, gently brushing her arm against his, giving him goosebumps. Finally, as she lightly bumped his hip with her backside, her set down the knife and grabbed her, turning her and pushing her against the counter. Her surprised gasp was muffled by his lips, his tongue thrusting inside her mouth. His fingers grasped the bottom of her skirt and yanked it up as Quinn fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.
"Huck!" she gasped as he thrust himself inside her, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around him, one hand squeezing the edge of the counter that pressed into her back, the other wrapped around his neck. Huck groaned, thrusting again, and Quinn closed her eyes, letting her head fall back as he devoured her neck with his kisses. The forcefulness of him, the passion that she had unleashed with just a touch, it turned her on even more. She felt herself building, and she moaned as he nipped her shoulder, thrusting faster.
"Damn...Quinn…" Huck groaned, and she exploded around him as he thrust quickly twice more and then stilled, finding his release in her. His light kisses trailed back up her neck, and his hand lifted her head to meet her open mouth with his.
"Mmmm…" She hummed, smiling as he feet found the ground just as her hand, slick with sweat, slipped from the counter where she had been holding.
"I've been wanting to do that ever since the cabin," Huck breathed. Her thoughts flew back, over what felt like years.
"Yeah, well, it was good coleslaw." She felt her cheeks heat up at the memory of how badly she had wanted him, the feeling of his breath on her neck…
"It was," he agreed. "But you taste much better."
She gasped at his words, the pink on her cheeks deepening. He smiled, brushing a glossy curl from her shoulder. Her skin still tingled at his touch. "I suppose we should finish?" Quinn looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. Surely he didn't mean…
Huck gestured to the food on the counter, the oven heated and ready for her lemon bars. "Oh, yes." She shook her head slightly.
'Get a hold of yourself, you're not a dog in heat. You can finish a task without needing to have hot, mind-blowing sex with Huck...even though he's so...and the feel of his lips on your neck makes you wet...and when he whispers your name…." Quinn bit her own tongue, trying to stop her thoughts as she pushed the lemon bars in the oven. As she turned, Huck held out a plate full of tiny rolled-up sandwiches.
"That's perfect, Huck. They can go in the fridge. That's pretty much all there is...I mean, I'm going to set up the lights on the back deck, but that's it."
Huck nodded, looking down at himself. "I'm going to get cleaned up, change into a shirt that isn't covered in bread crumbs."
"Okay." Quinn stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you, Quinn." She smiled, and walked to the back door, grabbing a box of clear lights from the table and going outside. Huck went upstairs, running his hand over the top of his head. When did he fall so head over heels for that woman? He was a former trained assassin, he had his family taken from him, he was both tortured and a torturer...he never expected to be happy with someone else in a normal relationship. True, there had been Becky, but that had been so different...she was so mysterious and had an air of danger to her that at the time had been so attractive. It wasn't a normal relationship, and he knew they wouldn't have ended up married or anything, even if she hadn't set him up to look like he had tried to kill the President of the United States.
He buttoned up a clean shirt, thoughts of Becky flying from his mind and turning back to Quinn. The way the sun makes her hair shine. Her bright, round brown eyes, sparkling with happiness when she sees him. The slight shakiness of her voice as the talks about the impending party, her eagerness to please and impress Liv and Abby - the two people whose opinions she cares about almost as much as his. He loved every part of her.
He pulled open a drawer and grabbed a pair of socks...a small black box clattered to the floor. Slowly, he picked it up, sitting on the bed. The soft black velvet of the box seemed so intimidating, because of what it held. He wanted to marry her, he wanted her to be his. He just wasn't sure how to start. When he first bought it, he had been so ready that minute, he had planned to just throw a romantic dinner together on the spot and then…
Now, it had been weeks and although most of that time had been spent worrying for Quinn's life, he knew that his impromptu proposal seemed incredibly cheesy. It felt more and more like what a nineteen year old boy would do for his high school sweetheart. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what she would want. He didn't know what she would say. He was beyond nervous. When he asked Kim to marry him, she had just told him she was pregnant with Javi, and he was in the moment, he didn't even have a ring. This time, he did, and he wanted to do it right.
He turned the box over and over in his hands. Would she say yes? Would Quinn want to be his wife? He had never wanted anything more than he wanted her. She was everything, she consumed him. How could he live if she said no? What would he do…
"Huck?" Quinn walked in, and Huck quickly shoved the tiny black box in his pocket before she could see. "Everything's set up, they should be here any minute, I just wanted to change. I got my skirt dirty from leaning against the side of the house to hang the lights. It was worth it, though, it's so pretty," she said from the closet. Huck breathed slowly, trying to calm his heart. He had hidden the box just in time. "I'm glad you thought of hanging the lights outside instead of everyone just standing around inside." She walked back out, wearing a teal A-line dress with a curved neckline that showed just a hint of cleavage...God, he wanted her…
"You look good, Quinn," he said, trying to keep himself in check. She walked over to him, slowly kissing him. His eyes dropped closed as he inhaled her scent, felt her soft skin brushing his lips.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "Saved by the bell…" Quinn said, taking his hand. They walked down and opened the door together.
"Hi!" Olivia said, holding up two bottles of wine. Jake stood behind her with his regular Jake-like smile on his face.
"Liv! I'm so glad you could come!" Quinn said, almost bouncing with joy, which made Huck laugh. "Hi, Jake. Come on in, both of you!"
"Huck," Jake said, nodding to him.
"Jake." Huck nodded back. They followed Quinn and Olivia down the hall, where Quinn brought out the wine glasses and the pitcher of the spiked watermelon lemonade she had made earlier. Olivia opened one of the bottles and Quinn poured a glass for everyone.
"Quinn, this is a nice place, I love it," Olivia said after a drink of the wine.
"Thanks, I love it too. Oh, just wait until you see the back! I have everything set up, come on!" Just as Quinn opened the back door to usher them outside, the front doorbell rang again. "That's Abby!" Huck went to hold the back door open and Quinn practically flew down the hallway.
"Abby!" she cried.
"Quinn!" Abby flung herself at Quinn, nearly knocking her down. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"
Quinn shook her head. "Don't worry, I won't. I'm better now."
Abby stepped back. "I hope you don't mind…"
David Rosen stepped up behind Abby. "Hi, Quinn."
"David, hi, no of course I don't mind, come on in, both of you." She gestured for them to come in. "We were just going out to the back, there's wine and other stuff, whatever you want to drink…"
David held up a covered plate. "Abby spent all day making these."
"Iced cookies. I figured out how to make flowers, so I went a little crazy," Abby said.
"Oh, Abby, you shouldn't have, thank you, they can go on the counter." Quinn took the plate from David and put them on the counter, offering them wine glasses.
The three of them stepped out onto the back deck. Huck's eyes met Quinn's, and she nodded. She was okay. He smiled. The porch looked amazing not that the sun had set, and they were drenched in the soft glow of the strings of lights hanging above them.
Jake drifted over to Huck as the girls began talking about the house. "Hey, are we good?" Huck looked at him quizzically. "I mean, with everything that happened a few months ago. Me being Command and everything…"
"Yeah, we're good," Huck said. He understood what Jake meant, and as long as he didn't hurt Quinn, he wouldn't hold anything against him just like he didn't hold anything against Quinn.
"Huck," Olivia said, "How much did you get this for?" She gestured to the house.
As Huck spoke, David came up to Quinn. "So, I know I haven't been the nicest to you, but I know you're a good person or Abby wouldn't tolerate you."
"David, you don't need to say anything," Quinn said. "It's water under the bridge. It's fine."
"I was sorry to hear what had happened to you. I was the one on the case, so I know more than the press about what happened to you with Charlie."
Quinn swallowed hard. "It's fine, David. I'm fine now."
"Well...just know if you need anything, I can help. I'm sorry for how I treated you before."
"Like I said, water under the bridge." David nodded, and they drifted apart, Quinn's hand finding Huck's.
"I love you," he whispered as Olivia talked about a news story from the previous day. Quinn smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze before laughing at Olivia's comment. Her hair seemed to glitter in the light, and her skin was full of color. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked.
A few minutes later, Quinn took her hand from his and walked forward, standing in the middle of the ragged semicircle they had formed. "I just wanted to say thank you for coming. It means a lot that you guys came, and not just Liv and Abby, but Jake and David. Thank you guys for supporting me, I know I've put you through some worry and I regret that. I feel so lucky to have the support from you, and the love. I'm grateful. But I couldn't have done it without Huck." She looked at him, her eyes locked with his. "He saved me in every way possible. First from four walls and abuse. Then, from Charlie and his torture. Then, from being alone and homeless. And finally...he saved me from myself." Her voice cracked, and she paused before continuing. "I owe him everything. I love him." She cleared her throat, breaking her gaze from him. "I wouldn't be here with you guys if it wasn't for Huck, so I just wanted to thank him." She raised her glass. "To being saved by extraordinary people."
"Hell, I'll drink to that," Abby said, thrusting her glass in the air before taking a long drink.
"Actually…" Huck interrupted, setting his glass on the railing of the deck. "I didn't save her as much as she says. Well, maybe I did, but she also saved me. I had help saving her." He looked up at Quinn, who was staring at him in surprise. "Olivia, Abby, the doctors at the hospital, Dr. Wexler, they all helped me save you. You didn't have any help. You saved me all on your own. You thrust me back into the light with you, and you saved me. Olivia, she saved me years ago, but there was still a piece of me, a part of me that was very dark, and now that dark part isn't here anymore. You saved me all on your own." Huck slowly walked toward Quinn, whose look of surprise had turned to confusion. "I loved you for a long time before I knew it. It took almost losing you to realize it. And right now, I know that I don't ever want to lose you again, in any way. You're standing here, right now, looking so beautiful, that I can't stand it anymore." He stopped in front of Quinn, who still had a look of confusion on her face until he began to kneel down. Abby gasped, clutching Olivia's arm. Huck held out the black velvet box he had pulled from his pocket and opened it. Quinn's hand flew to her mouth. "Quinn, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
Tears spilled down from Quinn's wide eyes as she stood speechless. Huck's heart hammered against his chest as the seconds passed. Olivia stepped up and elbowed her, snapping her out of her shock. Quinn nodded. "Yes," she whispered, grabbing his hand. "Yes, yes, yes!" He stood, scooping her up and twirling her as he kissed her deeply.
He set her down and slowly slid the ring on her finger.
"Oh my God, oh my God…" Abby chanted, near fainting.
"Huck…" Quinn whispered, staring at the ring. "It's beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it," Huck said.
"Let me see that thing!" Abby said, grabbing Quinn's hand to peer at the ring. "It's gorgeous, Quinn." Olivia nodded in agreement, hugging Quinn.
Jake thumped Huck on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Huck."
"Thanks."
"You okay? You're shaking."
"Yeah, I'm great...I just wasn't sure what she'd say."
"Well, I've been here all of half an hour and can already tell you that you're an idiot for thinking that. It's obvious she's crazy about you," Jake said, and Huck looked at Quinn. Her brown curls bounced as she hugged Abby and Olivia, tears streaming down her cheeks and a wide grin on her face.
"This calls for cookies!" Abby declared, running inside to grab the tray of cookies. Quinn turned and ran at Huck, who caught her and picked her up, twirling her again in the air as she giggled.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear as he set her back down on the ground.
"Oh, Huck, I love you, too…" She tilted her head and kissed him deeply.
Abby came out with the cookies, which they all admired and ate while talking. Olivia came up to Huck and Quinn. "I hate to ask, but...Quinn, do you think you're ready to come back to work?"
"Oh my gosh, yes!" Quinn exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't have asked because I want you to ease back into work, after everything, but I need two people to go to Illinois to do some digging for a client, I can't go and Abby doesn't have the skills needed for this…"
"No, oh my god, I'm ready, I'll do it, what do you need, you need me to follow someone? Get information? What?" Quinn bounced on the balls of her feet. Huck glanced sideways at her, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the eagerness of her questions.
"It's nothing like that, I just need you and Huck to find three people, encourage them to keep quiet about her husband's affair...you might have to follow them a bit to figure out how to approach them, but that's it."
"Oh, I can do that." Quinn's brown curls bounced around on her shoulders.
"When do you want us there?" Huck asked.
"I'll make arrangements when I get home tonight and I'll call you tomorrow with your flight time...I'll have you fly out either tomorrow evening or Sunday."
"Consider it handled," Huck said.
"Quinn," Olivia said, "please let me know if you don't think you're ready. I figured you'd like to get out of town for a few days, it shouldn't take more than two or three."
"No, I want to, I'm ready, I can do this." Quinn nodded.
Huck pulled Quinn to face him as Olivia walked back to Jake. "Quinn, are you sure you're ready?"
"Yes. Huck, I promise you, I'm fine now. I can handle having my job back. I'm fine. I'm much much better than fine." She held up her hand, wiggling her ring finger where the diamond sparkled. He smiled, kissing her again.
"I love you, Quinn."
"I love you too, Huck."
..
A/N: I know, it's been a while since I've been able to post, but I've been extremely busy and only been able to write small bits at a time. Bear with me, because it's only going to get worse. I have a midterm essay, unit essay, and a unit test all coming up in the next two weeks, as well as two quizzes and a bibliography to write. Plus I'm going on a mini-vacation two weeks from now to see family, and I won't be able to write then. I'm doing as much as I can, but I'm not writing at the same speed I was when I started. I'm still enjoying this story, and hopefully you are too.
And let me just say that writing annotated bibliographies SUCK SO BAD. Oh my gosh, and I thought MLA formatting was horrible….whoever came up with this stuff is evil evil evil.