I do not own Ratched.

I do not own my angel boy Huck. But I do love him.

Huck Finnigan Lives Again: A Ratched Fairytale

What The Women Said


Grace, as it turns out . . .

"Oh, Huck, . . ."

. . . seems to have a much more even reaction to Betsy Bucket's blatant blungeoning . . .

"Of course that's her understanding of marriage."

. . . of his burgeoning bliss.

"That's many women's understanding of marriage."

And her smile is kind, gentle.

"Men's as well."

And suddenly Huck is sent back to his and Ruth's pre-war marriage.

Not terrible.

"I've made your favorite for supper tonight, Harold. Steak and fries."

"Thank you, Ruth."

Not even bad.

"I darned your socks, Harold."

"Thank you, Ruth."

But the harsh and glaring spotlight he witnesses himself bathed in . . .

"My mother has been asking when we're going to give her a grandchild."

"Yes. My mother has been asking as well."

. . . is not in any way attractive.

He never stepped out on her. Never even considered it.

Was not harsh or rude or careless.

He had tried to love her and provide for her and be a good husband.

"You look lovely tonight, Ruth."

"Thank you, Harold."

But it was as though he had always known that she would be there.

Because she had always been there.

"Hi, I'm Huck. Do you know where English II is?"

"I'm Ruth. It's right down that hall. I'll walk you."

Until . . .

"I'm . . . I'm sorry, Harold."

"I know, Ruth. Me too."

. . . she wasn't.

"Well, goodbye. Take care of yourself."

"You too."

And he had been . . .

"Will you be okay?"

"Whether I am or not, that's not your worry anymore, Ruth."

"Harold-"

"Goodbye, Ruth."

. . . alone.

"-k? Huck?"

"Mmm?"

And he clears.

And she's there.

Clear as day.

Not Ruth.

Oh, thank goodness.

Grace.

"Yes?"

Grace with her beautiful oval face and her blue-green-green-blue eyes.

And her mild-mannered . . .

"You okay?"

. . . concern of him.

"Yes. Thank you."

For him.

"What are you thinking about? Talk to me."

And he hates to say.

But he never wants to keep anything from her.

"I just . . . Nurse Bucket . . ."

And he tries again.

"This marriage isn't supposed to be about you having to give up your life to be my wife and serve me and me continuing mine as if nothing changed. That's not what I want for us, for you."

And Grace smiles gently.

"Huck, you're so beautiful and you don't even know it. I know men aren't supposed to be beautiful but you are."

She pauses, passes a fleeting caress across his scarred cheek that he cannot feel.

"Thank you for caring about my needs. Thank you for caring about my wants."

And she shrugs, so prettily.

"That's why I love you so much. Because you are you."

And then she hugs him.

"Thank you, Ruth. I love you too."

And he lets her.


"Huck Finnigan, don't you dare hurt that girl, don't you dare even ever make her frown!"

And he has no idea . . .

What?

. . . what is going on.

"I will flay the meat from your bones, I will beat you from this hospital, I will, I will . . ."

But Betsy Bucket . . .

"I will fire you, Huck Finnigan!"

. . . has her knickers in a definite twist.

And Huck . . .

"Wh- Bets- Nur- Director Bucket, what is going on?"

. . . hasn't seen her this emotional since the day . . .

"That girl of yours, Huck!"

. . . he roundhoused Al, the Foul-Mouthed Orderly.

"That's what's going on!"

And Betsy Bucket seems to try to pull herself together with an effort.

"Director Bucket-"

Only to fall apart all over . . .

"She came to me, Huck!"

. . . again.

"Just a little while ago! She came to me . . ."

Oh no, not another 'horse's ass men' lecture.

"And she thanked me, Huck. She thanked me. She . . . she . . . she thanked me for caring about her as a young woman, as a soon-to-be wife!"

She what?

"She said it meant so much to her that I would care about her happiness and fulfillment as she begins to step into this new phase of her life!"

She - Grace?

"She said she's positive things will change but she will do her best to retain her sense of self and wellbeing."

She -

"And that she was very grateful for my care and support! She even . . . she even . . . she even invited me to the wedding!"

And it is at this that Betsy Bucket bursts momentarily into most unbeautifully blustering tears.

And Huck . . .

Wow. I - Wow.

. . . doesn't quite know . . .

"Director Bucket-"

. . . exactly how to deal with . . .

"You be good to her, Huck! You respect her! You appreciate her! She's . . . she's a good woman and I won't have her diminish for any man!"

. . . this new situation.

"Not even . . ."

He wasn't prepared for.

". . . you!"

Holy cow.


"Hello, Huck! How are you?"

"Hello, Grace. I'm . . . fine."

He's not mad, not at all.

A little flash-fried.

But that's to be expected.

"What is it?"

After . . .

"What's going on?"

He raises a wry eyebrow, his only one, to her.

"Nurse Bucket."

And she . . .

"Oh? What is it?"

. . . doesn't seem to be getting it.

"She cried for five minutes over what you said."

But not . . .

"Really?"

. . . quite.

Huck eyes her; she must know her own power.

"Yes. And she threatened to fire me."

"What?!"

Apparently . . .

"If I ever did so much as breathe wrong at you."

. . . she does not.

"She did not!"

He nods.

And then he tells the story.

And at the end . . .

"Oh my goodness, Huck!"

. . . they have a pretty good laugh.

"You just don't know the power you have over people, Grace. How much you make them care."

Not quite at Betsy Bucket's expense.

"You talk like I'm a super hero."

"Well, Betsy Bucket certainly seems to think you're special."

But rather in incredulity . . .

"And I do too."

. . . of it.

"Well, thank you, Huckleberry."

And appreciation . . .

"But I'm not marrying her too."

. . . of the humanity . . .

"No. Please don't."

. . . as well.


But the question still remains.

"What do you want, Grace?"

As to Grace's specific plans . . .

"I want to be your wife, Huck. Your companion, your helpmeet."

. . . after the honeymoon.

"I want to make a home for us. I want to live with you. I want to spend evenings with you, days off with you."

She smiles.

"I want to be with you, build a life with you."

He smiles back, heart so full it almost hurts.

But trying to focus.

"I know, Grace. I want to build a life with you too. I meant-"

"I know what you meant."

Her tone is kind, shrug undecided.

"And I don't know yet. I'm thinking about it. I want to make a good decision."

She reaches over, takes his hand.

"And I want to make it together. So when I'm ready, we'll talk. And I won't make you wait long, I promise. I know we need to be prepared. Okay?"

Squeezes gently, he squeezes back.

"Okay."


See, Betsy Bucket does have a heart.

And a mouth, a loud, expressive mouth.

;)

Thanks for reading and thanks to DinahRay for graciously reviewing the previous chapter.