Author's note: So I think I know how this story is going to end… eek! But not to worry, there's a little while to go yet!
Thanks you all, as always, for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting.
Chapter 28 – Be Prepared
"I'm calling a family meeting." Tom announced, looking around the dinner table at his father and his two children. "I have something I need to discuss with you all."
He'd been thinking about this constantly in the week since Tex and Nina's wedding, a week in which Sasha had slept over twice, and he'd slept at her place three times. Being apart from her was starting to feel unnatural, and he didn't sleep well without her laying beside him, her hand resting softly on his arm or chest, as if she was just checking he was there.
Jed chuckled slightly. "I think I know where this is going." He noted.
Tom took a deep breath, and started the speech he'd rehearsed in his head, focussing mainly on Sam and Ashley. "You guys know that Sasha and I love each other. That doesn't mean I don't love your mom, that I don't miss her," He swallowed, "But after everything that has happened, I feel very lucky to have found Sasha."
He paused to consider their reactions. Ashley's face was blank, and Sam just looked a little confused, so he ploughed on. "The way the world was before the virus, things probably would have happened a lot more slowly, but I think we all know now how fast things can change, and how valuable the quiet times, the good times, are."
He paused again, and this time it was seeing Jed nodding gently that drove him on. "Ash, Sam, Dad, I want to ask Sasha to marry me. But I don't want to do that until I know what you think about it."
Jed leaned over and patted his son's arm. "Tommy, she's a great girl. She always was a great girl. The sooner you get a ring on her finger, the better."
Tom smiled at him gratefully, and turned to the kids. "Guys?"
"Would Sasha live here with us?" Sam asked.
Tom nodded, "Maybe as the city clearance continues we'll get a new house, but to begin with, yes, she'd live here."
"Okay." Sam said, then he grinned. "I like it when Sasha's here. She's fun."
"So you're okay about this?" Tom checked, and it was Sam's turn to nod.
"Yes." Then his face suddenly turned a little worried, "You won't make me be in the wedding right? Like a boy bridesmaid? I don't have to carry flowers or anything?"
"No, Sam." Tom laughed, Jed joining in. "No flowers, I promise."
Ashley had stayed silent throughout the conversation, her face blank. Tom swallowed as he turned to her.
"Ash?" He asked gently.
She looked up at him. "Dad, can I please think about it?" Her tone was measured, and she didn't seem upset, so Tom nodded agreement.
"Of course you can, honey."
A few blocks away, Sasha was spending the evening alone in her apartment, doing laundry and trying not to text Tom. It was crazy how much she missed him when he wasn't around. She turned on the TV in an attempt at distraction, but as there were still only two stations broadcasting - one rolling news and the other mainly old shows and movies - she didn't find anything to engage her.
The knock on her door came as a welcome relief, and she got up to open it, assuming it would be Andrea or perhaps Alisha, who shared the apartment down the hall. When she saw who it was, however, she was filled with surprise, and just a little bit of apprehension. Fighting down her reaction, she smiled instead.
"Ashley? Does your dad know you're here?"
Tom's daughter shook her head. "I told him I was going downstairs to see Kat, but I needed to talk to you about something."
Sasha realised she was still standing in the doorway. "Come in, come in." She moved back to let Ash into the room. The teenager looked around with interest at the small studio apartment.
"Is this all of your stuff?"
"Yeah." Sasha closed the front door. "I don't have very much."
Ashley turned to look at her. "So can I ask you something?"
"Yes, of course." Sasha replied, but she couldn't help tensing in anticipation. They had been getting on much better, but she was still concerned that Ash didn't entirely approve of her relationship with Tom.
"Do you really love my dad?" Ash asked.
"Of course I do." Sasha responded instantly.
Ash bit her lip, "Because he was really, really sad when my mom died, and even if he said he was okay, he wasn't okay." She fell silent.
"It was very hard for him, I know. It was hard for all of you. It is hard." Sasha tried to reassure her as she wondered where on earth this was going.
"So you can't leave him," Ash blurted, "Or die. You have to stay. If you love my dad, you have to stay for him."
Sasha saw tears in the girl's eyes, and felt a few of her own welling up. She wanted to hug her, but she wasn't sure how well that would go down, so she reached out and touched Ash's shoulder instead.
"I promise I love your dad, and I promise I'm not going anywhere."
Ash stared up at her, and then suddenly she flung her arms around Sasha's waist, and Sasha held her, instinctively pulling her close.
Even through her shock at Ashley's reaction, she was still trying to understand what was going on. "Ash, what's brought this on now? Is everything okay?"
"I just needed to know." Ash said into her chest, and she let Sasha hold her a little longer, then pushed herself back and upright. "I'm going to go home now."
"Okay, I'll walk you," Sasha told her, "I can't let you go alone, I'm sorry."
"Will you tell my dad?"
Sasha hesitated, but then went with her gut. "No. Not if you promise not to do this again. It's not safe, not at night."
"I promise." Ash said quickly, and Sasha smiled.
Tom was sitting on the couch watching an old movie with Jed when Ashley came home.
"You have fun with Kat, honey?" He asked, secretly convinced she'd gone straight downstairs and told Kat everything.
"Yes…" Ash said slowly. "Can I talk to you?"
Jed patted Tom's knee. "About time I went to bed anyway. I'll see you in the morning, son. Goodnight sweetheart." He kissed Ashley's head as he walked past her, and Tom smiled at the affectionate gestures. His dad had changed with the apocalypse, just like all of them.
Ash came to sit beside him. "Dad, I know I was horrible to Sasha. But I do like her now."
"That's good honey. She likes you too." He said carefully, waiting to hear the rest.
"I think you should get married, and Sasha should live here." His daughter said firmly.
"Are you sure?" He asked, hardly able to believe it.
"I'm going to join the Navy." Ash said quietly, "And Sam will go to college or something, and Grandpa-" She paused, and he could see tears in her eyes. "I don't want you to be on your own, Dad."
"Oh honey, come here." Tom pulled her into his arms, fighting tears of his own. As he held her close, he could have sworn he smelt Sasha for a moment, but then dismissed it, cuddling his daughter tight. "I love you, I won't be on my own. And you don't ever have to worry about me. It's my job to worry about you." He kissed her head and stroked her hair.
"Are you going to ask Sasha then?" Ash asked after a little while, and he smiled.
"I am."
"When?" Ash looked up at him, "How?"
He laughed. "I don't know yet. Wait and see!"
"You know, Sasha is probably lonely tonight." Ash said. "Maybe you should go see her."
"I'm not proposing tonight!" He laughed.
"No, just go see her. I think she'd like it." There was something in Ashley's tone that made him frown, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Ash..." He wanted to ask if she'd somehow spoken to Sasha, but that was crazy, of course she hadn't. "Won't you guys miss me?" He asked instead.
Ash rolled her eyes. "Sam's asleep already, so is Grandpa," She gave him a winning look, "And I could watch DVDs... Since tomorrow is Saturday?"
Tom laughed, satisfied that her true motivation was revealed. "Well, I guess that would be okay. But not too late!"
Tom looked up at Sasha's building, seeing darkness at her window. He used the code for the front door, and then flicked through his keys as he walked upstairs, finding the one she'd given him for her apartment. He slid the key into the lock and slowly opened the door, immediately announcing his presence in a loud whisper, because he was fairly sure she slept with a gun close to hand, and he didn't want to be the victim of her lightning fast reflexes.
"Sash?"
"Mmm?" Her voice was sleepy, and in the moonlight he could see she was in bed.
"Are you awake?" He shut and locked the door, and took off his boots before walking softly over to the bed.
"Wha-?" Sasha half raised her head, and he sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand over her hair.
"It's okay, go back to sleep."
"Tom?" She blinked her eyes half open, and he stroked her cheek.
"I missed you." He said honestly, "I thought you might be missing me."
"I was." She smiled sleepily. "I am." She pulled the blankets back, and he quickly shed his pants and sweater, climbing in beside her in just his boxers and t-shirt.
"Hey." He pulled her into his arms, feeling the warm, soft weight of her body as she relaxed into him.
"Hey." She murmured back, her eyes already closed as she nuzzled her face into his shoulder.
"I love you." He whispered, gently kissing the top of her head. After a few seconds he knew she was asleep again, her breathing light and even. "I'm always going to love you," He murmured, so quietly he could barely hear the words himself, but somehow it felt important to say it, and for a crazy moment, he almost woke her up and asked her the question. But as he held her, breathing in the smell of her hair, he decided she deserved more than an impromptu proposal in the middle of the night. Sasha deserved something special.
