Title: Because You Loved Me 1 - Christmas Surprise.
Author: Dana-Maru
Summary: Jack has a BIG surprise for Sue on Christmas Eve.
Disclaimer: Jack, Sue and anyone else you may recognize are not mine. But thanks Pax for letting us borrow them from time to time...
Sue Thomas had been watching Miracle on 34th St for what seemed the thousandth time, on December twenty-fourth. Christmas Eve. She had fallen asleep half way through the movie, thanks to a tough day in the bullpen and now, she awoke to a gentle fall of snow. Watching the snow flakes make their way to the frozen DC streets, she pulled her blanket closer around her, her breath came through in the form of puffs of steam due to the cold as she stood by the window wondering what Jack would give her for Christmas. She and Jack had been dating for six months, after Ted finally agreed to bend the rules for them.
Glancing at the clock, she realized it was almost midnight. Following tradition, Sue retrieved a gift for Lucy and counted down the minutes until Lucy emerged from her room wielding her first gift for Christmas day. They always exchanged one present at midnight and saved the rest for the morning - when Levi would undoubtedly wake them earlier than usual!
However, when the clock hands both finally rested on the twelve, it was not Lucy whom approached her, but Levi who almost knocked her off balance.
"What is it buddy?"
He barked, and though she could not hear, she understood. Someone was at the door, and she followed Levi to it.
"Sue, get your coat, you're coming with us."
Before she could reply, Lucy had already grabbed Sue's coat from the stand and begun hastily helping her into it.
"Lucy... what's going on?" Sue queried, quite suspiciously
"You'll see when we get there." Lucy countered, overly mysterious.
By the time Sue had left the apartment block, led by D, Bobby, Myles, Tara and Lucy, the snow had started falling more heavily. They all pulled their coats tighter around them, and Levi stopped quite a few times to shake off melted snowflakes, soaking the team in the process. As they got to the surveillance van, Sue finally realized something was missing... or rather someone.
"Guys ... where's Jack?" Sue asked, apprehensively
"We are not at liberty to discuss undercover cases, Miss Thomas." Came the very serious reply from both Myles and D at the same time, as Lucy proceeded to blind fold Sue. So Sue did not see the smirk on D's face.
"Lucy! That's not fair, what's going on? Why can't you tell me? Is something wrong?"
It was one thing not to hear, but having neither sight nor hearing, Sue was beginning to panic. Lucy, began finger-spelling into Sue's hand,
"E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g-w-i-l-l-b-e-f-i-n-e-r-e-l-a-x"
"How can you expect me to relax when you won't tell me what's going on?" Sue exclaimed, "At least tell me Jack's okay!"
"J-a-c-k-i-s-f-i-n-e." Lucy spelled for her.
Sue, breathing a huge sigh of relief, let them lead her into the surveillance van, with D getting into the driver's seat. Lucy told Sue to take off her coat and sweater.
"What for?" Sue asked, "And in front of the guys?"
"I-t-s-o-k-a-y-t-h-e-y-w-o-n-t-l-o-o-k" She spelled, turning to Myles and Bobby she said, "Turn around guys, and Tara I might need some help here."
So, Tara and Lucy, after a short while, managed to help a blindfolded Sue into a new outfit. Still being unable to see or hear, Sue was starting to get quite annoyed, until she felt the van come to a stop and Lucy helping her back into her coat. Still not taking the blindfold off, Tara and Lucy led Sue out of the van, closely followed by Myles and Bobby, then D.
Being guided to sit on a cold, hard bench, Sue was getting more and more confused by the minute. Especially when she felt her sneakers being yanked off! When, once again, she was helped to stand, she wobbled and wondering what they could have possibly put on her feet, she followed the team - or rather was pulled - forward, onto what she realized was ice. They blindfolded me to take me ice-skating?! she found herself thinking.
Jack, whom stood alone in the middle of the ice rink, stared in awe at the blindfolded figure being led toward him. For, under the thick black coat, she was wearing a beautiful ivory gown that was almost long enough to skim the ice.
The corset bodice and flowing skirt accented her figure in all the right places and Jack was having a hard time not letting his jaw hit the ice. When Sue and the rest of the team finally stopped skating, Tara removed the blindfold and gave Sue a few minutes to take in her surroundings.
She hadn't gotten the chance before to notice that both Tara and Sue were dressed in long baby-blue satin dresses, and the guys were all wearing the same colored tux. All except Jack whose tux was a darker, midnight blue. The ice, minus the path they'd followed to the center of the rink, was completely covered in pink, white and red rose petals. She noticed that something, which looked to be about seven feet high had been covered in black material, masking whatever the object was.
Jack, slowly and rather unsteadily, got down on one knee. And as she saw what he had taken out of his pocket, she uttered a tiny, almost inaudible, gasp. When he opened the small velvet box, a single tear made its way down Sue's cheek. She blinked once, to clear her vision, so she would be able to read Jack's lips.
"Sue Thomas, I'm sorry it took me so long to realize I had fallen in love with you, but now that I finally have, will you marry me?"
Another tear slowly made it's way to her jaw as she said,
"I don't know Jack, what would the other guy in my life think?"
Jack's expression changed from happy and hopeful to defeated and sad in less than a second, but Sue was still smiling, and looking down at Levi, she asked,
"So.. Levi, how would you feel if I married Jack?"
Levi barked, and Sue took it to mean he approved, she shrugged and said,
"I guess he doesn't mind... Oh of course I'll marry you, Jack!"
She helped him to his feet, and he pulled her into a hug so tight she wondered if he'd break her ribs. When they broke apart she watched him say
"Charlie, we're good to go."
She looked at him quizzically, and behind Jack, the black material fell to the ground to reveal a beautiful makeshift altar. The wooden structure was completely covered in rose buds the same color as the petals on the ice, and ivy. Charlie fiddled around with a stereo and soon Celine Dion's song 'Because You Loved Me' could be heard by all but Sue, though Troy had learned the lyrics and was signing them. Amazingly, in perfect timing with the music. He must have put a lot of work into learning that Jack thought.
Throughout the song, Jack and Sue had slowly skated to the altar, with the gang in front. When they were stood in front of Charlie, the song had come to an end. Lucy handed Sue a slip of paper, telling her those were her vows. Reading them, Sue noticed it was a poem she had written when she and Jack had finally gotten together. Jack said his vows first, signing as he spoke;
"Susan Thomas, from the moment I saw you, I've been in love with you. Through all the tough times, you've helped me through. I love the way you touch people's hearts, even when you don't know it. I'm everything I am because you loved me, and I hope this has shown it...I love you"
"Jackson Hudson, I feel so safe when I'm cradled in your arms, like when I'm with you I won't come to any harm. The first time I saw you, I guess I thought you were cute, but telling you that? I'd have rather shot myself in the foot" She saw him laugh, then smiled herself and went on, "Now, today, my dreams are coming true, and I can finally say; Jack, I love you."
Charlie followed on with the rest of the ceremony, Bobby stepping up with the rings, until finally it was time for him to say;
"Now, you may kiss the bride"
And the team erupted in applause, with Tara and Lucy fighting a losing battle to hold back tears. Bobby nudged Myles and D and whispered
"What is it with weddings always making the Sheila's cry?"
He received a slap on the back of the head and winced, Lucy had obviously heard him. She pointed to the altar and retorted,
"Looks like it's not only the 'Sheila's', huh?"
He smothered a laugh when he noticed that Jack also had tears in his eyes, threatening to fall and found that he too had become quite misty eyed at the sight. Hugs went all round and Lucy presented the newlyweds with their wedding gift from the team. Two tickets for a weekend break in Paris ...
THE END
A/N: Feel free to leave reviews, they feed my muse and will encourage me to post the sequel ;o)