A/N: I left off with Hannah and Victor in an odd place in their relationship, so...
Week 13 (09.29.06) - UDC 1 - Victor Nettleton and Hannah Bailey
61. kiss
As he stood in the doorway, listening as Hannah read a story to all four of the children, Victor couldn't help but reflect on why she'd say no but still move in with them. It wasn't that they didn't like one another, or that either of them were scared to take a chance... he remembered coming home one evening to find Emma and Hannah seated at the kitchen table, deep in conversation. Greg had left her. Had disappeared from Brooklyn, in fact, without a trace. Six months later, Franklin had been born. Five months after that...
"Victor?" Hannah's voice drew him back to the present and he blinked at her. "Come join us?"
62. hug
Hannah watched as he sat down on the edge of the bed, and then she passed the book to him, while hugging Gilbert and Natalie closer. Mark was on Natalie's other side, holding David. As he continued where she'd left off, Hannah smiled at how natural it came to him. It was one of the things that had made her say yes to his sort-of proposal. For now, it was enough, to share him with four kids that she loved as if they were her own. Did she want him as well? She was starting to.
63. smile
Victor glanced away from the book for a moment to find her smiling wistfully, and smiled back. Then he noticed Mark, frowning at both of them, and made a decision. "How about you read?"
Mark blinked in surprise, and then they exchanged sleepy toddler and book. He frowned at the book. "But I can't do the voices like you and Hannah do."
"Just read, Mark."
As Mark read another chapter of Anne of Green Gables, Victor cradled David in his arms and enjoyed the moment. There would be time enough for other concerns... tomorrow.
64. frown
In the hallway after they'd gotten everyone into bed and settled, Hannah leaned into him for long moments. She wanted to ask how he'd done that, made everything feel normal, but couldn't find the words. She wanted to ask him why her. Why did he want her in his life, in the lives of his children, after she'd lost her own unexpectedly. In the end, she simply stood there and didn't flinch when he put his arms around her.
"Victor?"
"Hmm...?"
"Give me time."
He frowned down at her, and then nodded. "For?"
She shook her head and didn't answer immediately.
65. laugh
It was a year and a half almost to the day when she finally raised the topic again, this time by sending all of the children to their grandmother and aunts and fixing dinner just for the two of them. Victor smiled when she laughed at one of his stories about things going on at work, and then she handed him a small box. "What is this for?"
"Open it."
He did, and frowned at the two rings laying there in the case. "Hannah?"
"Will you marry me, Victor Nettleton?" At his continued frown that was slowly blossoming into a smile, she shrugged. "It was my turn to ask you."
At that, he had to chuckle. "I guess it was."
"Well?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now tell me more about your day."
And so he did...