Through The Ups & Downs
Couple; Harrison X Briana
Rating; Mature
Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD or any songs I might use! In addition, from this point in the story and in future chapters, I do not own the character Ella (Eira) Solveig. She belongs to a good friend, ShadowSpirit020.
40) The Date Was Set
{Harrison's POV}
[January 2nd, 2017-Haddock Residence-4:30 pm]
The proposal had been perfect and I'm glad nothing went wrong. I can be honest, I was nervous as hell that Briana would say no because we've only been together a little over a year. The 7th of this month would make it a year and five months, that was exciting for me. Briana is my first relationship and by the Gods, since she said yes, Briana would be my only. I love this woman with my everything; there is nothing I would not do for her. Briana's mother and sister were shocked when they saw the proposal, so was my family who I had on Skype during Snoggletog to watch the happy moment where Briana and I got engaged. See, this idea came from what Nate asked of me after the transplant when he was removed from isolation. Nate had asked me if Briana and I were going to get married because he wanted her as his sister-in-law. I told him that we'd see how things went, but I guess I already knew I planned to propose to her-the question had been when I would choose to do it. I made the choice to ask for her hand in marriage after Briana revealed something to me at the hotel the morning of Nate's release from the hospital.
/Flashback; August 28, 2016-Draconian Plaza Hotel/
"We understand, sir. Thank you," I said before ending the call with Major General Wright. Briana and I were expected to return to Fort Benning on September 2nd, 2016 since how Nate's cancer was now in remission and being released from the hospital. "Well, guess we're going back Friday," I informed Briana as she was packing her bag. I put my phone in my pocket and began to go around the room and make sure I had all my stuff too. Since Nate was back in Berkville, Briana and I decided to just stay at my parent's place until Friday morning when we'd leave early and end up back in the states before midnight.
"Harrison, there's something I have to tell you," Briana said calmly while sitting on the edge of the full-size bed in the hotel room. I blinked with some confusion, this sounded serious all of a sudden.
"Alright, tell me. Are you okay?" I asked her.
Briana nodded to me so I assumed she was all right. "Major General Wright didn't…send me here after you because of the whole keeping the Night Furies together thing," she admitted as I sat next to her a little shocked.
"Then why did he send you here?" I decided to ask out of curiosity.
"That's the thing, Harry. I wasn't sent at all. I came in case you needed support," Briana told me as my eyes widened a little, still not understanding what she meant. Briana took a deep breath now. "After you called me and said you had to leave because Nate was in the hospital and dying from cancer, my heart went out to you. As soon as you left, I went to Wright myself and begged him to let me leave too. It was my fear that if Nate couldn't be saved and passed away, you were going to be devastated. I couldn't bear the thought of not being by your side through something like that. You went above and beyond for me after I was saved from being MIA, you never left me and did all you could to help, even if it was just letting me know you were there in case I needed you. So, when I found about this, I wanted to be that person for you," she explained.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing and yet, I was happy. Briana went out of her way to be at my side in case something went wrong and Nate didn't make it. Even though the transplant recovery and all that nervous waiting to know if Nate was going to be okay, Briana was there for me. It made me think back to what I told her after waking up from the anesthetic. How I said we were basically married due to having shared ownership of the Night Fury babies, that we couldn't split the family up so Briana and I were always together. Well, why the hell shouldn't we get married? It was the truth. I loved Briana with all my heart and this new information she'd admitted to me; that she came because she wanted to be here for me, that was all I needed to know that I was going to marry this girl when the time was right.
/End Flashback/
That was the day I decided I would marry Briana. The next thing was choosing when to do it; that became clear to me after I got sent to Afghanistan. Well, it started there and then I ended up in Iraq a week later to continue the operation. After everything that went down there, on the flight home knowing it was a major holiday, I just said screw it and grabbed the ring in Atlanta, Georgia. I knew Briana's ring size and the style she liked. Best part about the ring I chose was that it came as a wedding set, which I already had put away safely until Briana and I chose a wedding date. I had asked Carter, Briana's father, after returning from dinner with Briana on Snoggletog Eve for his blessing and he gave it to me. I then pulled Alex aside and told him to Skype my parents and brother on Christmas morning, I told him to just tell my parents that they weren't going to want to miss this and stay quiet. Everything went perfectly, and now, Bri and I were engaged!
The month now was January, my stationing in Georgia was over and I was back on Arc Isle-about five minutes from home. Briana and I had talked about things, she was coming to live with me. Unfortunately, we had to wait on her paperwork so she was coming next week. During that time, I was tasked with finding us an apartment to move into. So, reaching my parent's house, I already saw who was there. This was big for my friends and family because they haven't seen me since the end of August 2016 when I left for the operations overseas-which I still couldn't tell them about and it sucked because I knew they wanted to know. Landing at home, I got off Toothless, then got him some fish and water. I got my bags and made my way into the house.
"WELCOME HOME, HARRISON!" was yelled as soon as they saw me. I smiled and saw the banner just over the TV, there was food and drinks on the large table against the wall near the sliding glass door.
"Awe, thanks everyone," I stated while getting a hug from my mother, father, then Nate-who just about refused to let go after that. I greeted Frankie, Regina, TJ, Dexter, Hailey, Syrus, Trevor, Chelsea, Addilyn, and Olivia. When all that was done, I hurried my bags upstairs and would unpack later. By the time I got back downstairs, I saw Glenn and Aaron had arrived.
"Good to have ya back, lad," Glenn shook my hand, then I did the same with Aaron.
"Great to be back, finally," I smiled. "Now, everyone sit down because I have a few announcements to make," I informed. See, I specifically told my family not to tell my friends about me and Briana being engaged, and no one knew that she was coming to live with me. This was going to be fun! When everyone was seated somewhere, I stood in a spot they could all see me. "Alright, first thing is first. My time in the US is up, I'm permanently stationed here from now on," I saw their faces light up. Okay, maybe I should clarify that statement. "Let me rephrase that; I'm stationed here UNLESS I get deployed again whether that be with the company, platoon, or…just by myself, which has happened twice now. Anyway, yes, I will be here,"
"That's wonderful news, son. I take it you still have to report to Fort Fury for drill weekends once a month, right?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah. Still last weekend of every month. Weird, they do it first weekend in the states. Moving on, next announcement is something I've been keeping a secret so please don't get mad because I wanted to tell you in person that Briana and me are engaged," they gasped and eyes widening in shock at the news. "I asked her to marry my on Snoggletog day and she said yes. I will show everyone the video later, because this information leads into the third announcement of Briana is transferring to Arc Isle and will be living here from now on,"
"Oh, my Gods! That's fantastic, Harrison!" Chelsea and Olivia squealed happily.
"Congrats, man," Trevor said with Syrus and Dexter nodding in agreement.
"When will she be here?" Frankie asked.
"Next week, waiting on her paperwork to finish," I told them. "So, last thing I gotta say is that Briana and I will also be getting our own place. I've been given the job of finding that place before she gets here," I chuckled.
"We'll help all we can!" my friends offered. This was good, I loved how happy they were about everything, truthfully, I'd been a bit nervous they would get mad at me, but I guess it worked out well. When I finished telling them what was going on, I showed them the engagement video, which had been taken by Carter since Alex, had my phone so my parents and brother could watch it live. Now, the next step in being home was finding an apartment for Briana and I to moving into.
[January 13th, 2017-New Apartment]
Briana arrived on the 10th and I got the joy of taking her right to our new place because I'd taken care of everything. The next day after I had been home, I started calling around to see if anyone had an available apartment for rent. I got a few, but none would be ready until April. However, I got lucky on the 6th, Calvin told me about a side-by-side duplex being available for rent close to him. The best part, it was ten minutes from Berkys and under twenty-minutes from anyone else. Of course, that was all driving times-with flying it would be a lot shorter. So, the duplex was a two bedroom, one and a half bathroom. There was a driveway for one car and three stables outback. The yard was fenced on our side, a plus for the dragons at least. The apartment was going for $925 a month, but only included snow removal and garbage. The electricity was the tenant's responsibility.
This place was amazing. The layout was simple and big too! From the driveway, you would reach the front door. Going through that was a huge living room and kitchen, open concept, something Briana loved. Between the two rooms was a laundry room and half bathroom. Off to the left of the main door were the stairs leading up to the two bedrooms and full bathroom. From the main door and looking right, was the living room. The TV was against the wall with the entrance on it, there were two big couches across from one another and then a chair slightly off to the side near the wall and one of the couches. The kitchen had one entrance, a breakfast bar, double sink, lot of counter and cabinet space, fridge, stove/oven combo with a microwave over it. There was even a small utility corner closet. From where the sink was, you could look right into the living room and talk to guests or whatever. Yeah, this duplex was perfect and boy, did I get lucky with scoring it!
Briana fell in love with it, especially because I had the lease signed on the 7th and started furnishing it before she got here. All Briana had to do was move her stuff in and unpack, then we were all set. Today was the 13th, a Friday and we were having a house-warming party with everyone over to celebrate the engagement and having the new place. Briana signed the lease when she got here, so the place was ours now! The time was 5:30 pm, Briana and I were working on dinner whole everyone was looking around and admiring our home.
"This place is beautiful," Viviana said while making her way into the kitchen now.
"Thank you," Briana said in reply.
"I got lucky with Cal telling me about it, he lives about nine houses down on the left," I chuckled.
"I was curious, babe. Are you going back to work for him?" Briana wondered.
"Yeah. He already knows about my drill weekends or the chance of being called off at random, he said it was fine. I believe I start in two weeks, after we get settled in here and have some time together," I said gently as Briana blushed. She knew what it meant; I wanted to make love to her tonight after everyone left. Briana nodded to me and then her cell phone rang.
"Oh, it's Mom. Will you turn the music down a bit?" Briana asked and I nodded while moving over to the surround sound and turning the knob to the left as it got quieter. "Hi, Mama," Briana answered then put it on speakerphone.
"Hi, sweetheart. What are you doing right now?" Mia asked softly.
"Um, having a house-warming/engagement party," Briana smiled.
"That's great. So, your father and I have some news for you," Mia began.
"Oh, God. Please don't tell me you two are having another baby?" Briana pleaded as I arched a brow.
"Well, no. But we do have big news," I heard Carter interject now.
"Okay, I'm listening," Briana said slowly, unsure how to respond to this.
"Your mother, siblings, and I miss you a lot. It's not the same here without you, Briana," Carter started.
"Dad, stop teasing her! Sis, we're moving to Arc Isle so we can be closer to you!" Alex announced as Briana's eyes widened.
"W-What?" Briana stuttered, completely shocked as I moved next to her.
"We're moving to Arc Isle, Briana. Your father and I both put in transfers to work at Fort Fury, they got approved and we already found a house. It's about fifteen minutes from your and Hayden's duplex, already furnished too! We sold the house here and all the furniture," Mia went on and on as I saw Briana about to cry. Her family was doing all this because they knew Bri and I were getting married and wanted the families to be close together. I hugged her tightly as she smiled.
"We'll be there by the end of January, isn't that great?" came Jasmine's voice.
"It's…God, I don't have the words to describe it," Briana responded finally.
"Now we'll be closer and can help with wedding plans as soon as you tell us when you pick a date!" Mia giggled. I saw her look at the calendar as she flipped through to October 2017 and look at the 7th.
"Babe, can we?" Briana asked as I blinked. That was nine months away, could we plan a wedding in so little time. Who was I kidding, of course we could.
"Wherever, whenever. As long as I'm marrying you, we could do it tomorrow," I told her.
"We picked it," Briana stated as everyone went quiet. "October 7th, 2017," Briana said.
"That's…nine months away? You sure you can pull it off in that time?" Addilyn questioned.
"My fiancé is known as mister makes the impossible, very possible. We can do it," Briana reminded. I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her deeply. This was it, we had our own place together, we were engaged, her family was coming to live on Arc Isle in Berkville. And the best part, the wedding date was finally set.