For her alone Chapter 1: Default Chapter, a national treasure fanfic

Celebwen Telcontar: Well, this is new. A National Treasure fanfic.

Balrog: Yah? So? (Goes back to eating sundae)

Celebwen Telcontar: Don't be such a party pooper.

Balrog: Whaddyoumean?

Celebwen Telcontar: Never mind. I own Martha and her family, but no one else. I also own the Crystal Rose and the plot. To the story now!

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Martha hunkered into her coat as she trotted through the London streets, her hood pulled up to ward off the pounding rain. She looked up as she saw a toyshop, and laughed to herself. She went in to find something for her niece, and wandered the aisles.

"May I help you with something?" a voice asked.

"No thank you. I know my way around here well enough." She knew the voice that answered. Ian Howe. It was her boyfriend in her foreign exchange year here.

"Ian! I haven't seen you in ages! How are you?" she called, walking over.

"Martha! I've been good. And you?"

"Well enough. I've missed you."

"And I you. You don't know how hard it's been…" He swept her into a warm embrace, which she eagerly returned, and he kissed her cheek. She could feel the old attraction returning. "Would you like to go to dinner tonight?" he asked. She smiled.

"I can't. My sister's birthday is tonight, and I still have to find her a gift."

"So that's why you're here."

"No. This is for my niece."

"I see. I'll help you look."

"Thanks, Ian." She snaked an arm about his waist, and he pulled her closer to him. She could smell his cologne from her angle, and liked it. She leaned her head on his arm, and they found something that Moira would like. Then, they went up and she paid for it, and they went out into the torrential London rain together.

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"Hey, Martha, Ian, have some cake!" Mary handed both of them some of her birthday cake, and Moira ran up, waving her new stuffed elephant. "Didn't I tell you? We're celebrating Christmas early this year, to make up for the fact that you'll be in Washington next year. And you two are under the mistletoe, by the way." Obligingly, the couple handed their cakes to a passerby, and Ian gathered Martha up into his arms, giving her a passionate kiss. She kissed right back, and they separated to cheers rather sadly. They took back their cake, but their minds were still on that mind-blowing kiss they had shared. They stayed together for the entire duration of the party. She was positive now that she was still in love with him.

"Okay! Time for gifts!" Elizabeth, Martha's mother, called. She handed the first gift, from both Ian and Martha, to Mary. The woman ripped open the packaging, and all ooed and ahhed at the five spoons for Mary's collection.

"Mummy! Look, spoons!" Moira cried, holding up one with Elvish on the handle.

"Yes, I see! Now, what has mummy told you about her spoons, Moira?"

"Don't touch."

"That's right, honey. Thank you, Martha, Ian." She ripped open the next gift, and displayed a photo album. Kevin, Mary's husband, smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek. Martha leaned into Ian, and they stayed that way for most of the rest of the party. At the end, her favorite part of any family gathering came when Kevin found his tambourine, Mary got her violin, and Martha found her guitar.

"Even though Mother and Daddy couldn't be here as they are spending the night with John, who's gone into relapse, we are still singing the family song. Moira, you remember it, don't you?"

"Yes, Aunt Martha."

"Good. Alright, come and sing! Anyone who knows the words is welcome to sing along.

"To everything (Turn turn turn) there is a season (turn turn turn) and a time to every purpose under Heaven.

A time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal; a time to laugh, a time to weep

"To everything (Turn turn turn) there is a season (turn turn turn) and a time to every purpose under Heaven.

A time to build up, a time to break down; a time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones; a time to gather stones together

"To everything (Turn turn turn) there is a season (turn turn turn) and a time to every purpose under Heaven.

A time to love, a time of hate; a time of war, a time of peace

A time that you may embrace; a time to refrain from embracing

As Martha and Kevin played the instrumental part, Mary wove the violin in and out of the melody. It added something that she could never pinpoint, but always loved to hear that wasn't in the original Byrds version of the song. Ian's voice was a welcome addition to the song; he hit all the right notes, and made her feel warm as his separate part opened new portions of the song to her.

"To everything (Turn turn turn) there is a season (turn turn turn) and a time to every purpose under Heaven.

A time to gain, a time to loose; a time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate; a time for peace I swear it's not too late."

Tears sprang to Martha's eyes as she finished the song with a guitar solo. That song was always so poignant to any family gathering, as so many of her family members had succumbed to cancer of one form or another, and she believed the song to be extremely relevant to the family.

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"What do you say to going to dinner tomorrow night?" Ian asked on the doorstep. She smiled and nodded.

"I'd like that."

"Alright. Say five thirty? Dress nice," he whispered. She smiled and he kissed her. Martha went back inside after he began to walk off to hail a taxi.

"You like him, don't you?" Mary called.

"If you must know, I do. He was my boyfriend in the one year I was over here for foreign exchange. I ran into him while getting Moira that elephant."

"He sang well tonight. I wouldn't' mind him being a permanent addition to the ensemble, plus that he's nice. It'd be good for you to settle down with a husband. Perhaps him."

"Mary, I don't need you to play Matchmaker with me."

"Well, I still think you belong with someone, even if you can't have children."

"I've thought of adopting, but I never got around to it."

"You need a husband first, you know. You can't raise a child with only yourself."

"Mother did, until shemarried Dad."

"That's beside the point. You need a husband, and if I can help Ian to become him, then I will. I want to see my big sister walk down the aisle."

"Forget it, Mary. I will marry at my own leisure, if I do get married."

"It'll be good for you, Martha." Mary left with that note, and picked Moira up to take her to bed. "You've been up way too late, little missy."

"Mummy, is Aunt Martha going to marry that man?"

"We'll see, Moira, we'll see."

"Great! Even my niece is in on it! Will you just leave well enough alone?" Martha laughed. Mary shot her a look she couldn't decipher, and Martha went upstairs to get ready for bed.

The bedcovers looked warm and inviting as Martha slipped beneath them. She found herself thinking about Ian, and how Mary was being a matchmaker.

AN: This is a debate between Martha and her conscience. …> Martha, …>> Conscience

Would it really be so bad, to be married to Ian?>>

I haven't seen him in over five years. He has changed.>

He's a good man.>>

True, but still… I don't know him anymore. It's like Ben.>

But you don't have feelings for Ben, now do you?>>

Imay haveat one time.>

But not anymore.>>

You're right. Maybe I should get back into the swing of dating. He's a good person.>

And he'll take care of you. You know that much, to say the least.>>

What about the hysterectomy?>

When you were ten? What if he doesn't want children?>>

And what if he does?>

Leave tomorrow for what comes. Try to have a good time to say the least. You deserve it. And your sister is right. You do need someone to lean on. He loves you, you know. His feelings never diminished, like you thought yours did.>>

And they didn't?>

I don't think so. And I doubt if I've ever been wrong. Go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning, and you'll see that I'm right.>>

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Martha took her conscience's advice, and snuggled deeper into the blankets, and soon was sleeping soundly. Her dreams were anything but sound, though.

Martha walked through a large house, and something felt right in the place. Then, she looked down, and saw a wedding ring. She looked about, trying to find her husband, and saw Ian walk in, carrying a bunch of papers. On his left ring finger was the match to her ring.

"Here are the drawings you were working on. The dragon pendant looks good, but I would suggest a little lengthening of the tail, since the neck is longer than the body. The wings look good folded against the body like that."

"Thanks for your advice. What do you think for the eyes? Rubies, sapphires, or emeralds?"

"The body is studded with diamonds for scales, right? The emeralds will give off a slight glow, but I think the rubies would do better. They'd make it look alive."

"You're right. They would. Thanks."

"You're sister's coming over on Wednesday for dinner, she just called. I couldn't get her to say no!"

"She's always been strong-willed." Slowly, the dream faded, and Martha awoke to see that the time was seven in the morning. She got up, and began the day.

At five fifteen in the evening, Martha was ready to go. She had on one of her sister's dresses, and wore a good pair of earrings. She sat in the fluffy chair, and Mary took one look at her.

"You're going on a date? Who is he?"

"The Easter bunny." Martha said sarcastically.

"Really? I thought he would be dating some doe rabbit. I didn't know he dated humans."

"Mary, you're too gullible. I'm going out with Ian. You met him last night."

"Great! You're taking my advice!"

"Don't push your luck, Mary. I went out with Ben Gates in the tenth grade because you set us up. The date flopped, and I never want to see that happen again if I can help it."

"Ben Gates? Who was he?"

"Fairly short, brown hair, obsessed with some treasure or other? Remember? He was the guy who looked at money in his spare time. The geek."

"Ha! I remember him now!" Good God. I'm sorry it flopped."

"Hey, he took me home and let me look at some old papers in some desk or other, said they were written by Benjamin Franklin as some widow!"

"Ha! What a geek! Here Ian is now! I see him coming up the drive!" Martha heard a door close, and then the doorbell ring. She opened the door to see Ian there, in a tuxedo, with a rose in one hand.

"Martha. You look beautiful. Here, this is for you." He handed her the rose, and she smiled.

"I'll be back in a moment. Come on in." He entered, and Martha went to put the rose in water. When she returned, Mary was talking to Ian about the virtues of tying oneself down to a person.

"Well, it makes for a good life. You know you always have someone there for you in any event. You know just how much you love the person, and so it makes it a good decision to get married."

"Mary! Stop pestering Ian!" Martha said, her voice stern.

"Why? He looks like he wants to be pestered."

"Mary, don't even start."

"Well, shall we be going?" He offered her his arm, and she took it, then they went out to the car. He opened the door for her, and then got in on the other side.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"The Crystal Rose."

"Oh, my." She settled back, and felt the car begin to move.

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Martha laughed as Ian recounted a rather amusing anecdote involving one of her school friends. Then, they began to talk over what would happen to them when Martha returned home.

"I just found you, Martha. I don't want to loose you again. I have been having a wonderful time here with you."

"As have I. I have loved your company…"

"Just my company?" he teased.

"And your charm, wit, personality… what I'm trying to say is that I… I think I've fallen in love with you."

"And I with you. I know I have." He took a light drink from his glass of champagne, and resumed speaking. "I have been in love with you since you left me at the airport. I loved you when you wrote letters to me, and when I received an e-mail telling me of your exploits. I remember you telling me about Mary and the disastrous date with Benjamin Gates, and of the drawing contest you won. I…I'll take you to the airport and help you with your luggage."

"Thanks." Martha smiled and finished off her dinner, and the waiter came with the bill; Ian helped her into her coat, and they left the restaurant, Martha's head swimming with the new information.

"Come on. I'll take you home."

"You know my e-mail address. I'll give you my regular address as well so that you can send me snail mail as well."

"I'll get a piece of paper in the car." They soon left the restaurant, and Martha, used to American cars, got on the driver's side of the car. "You're going to drive? I thought it was the men who drove the women," he joked. She blushed and then walked to the passenger's side. He gave her a swift kiss then got in the driver's side and fished around to find a pencil and paper. He wrote down his address and phone number, as well as the England extension. Martha did the same, and they exchanged addresses and numbers.

"Here, call me at a decent time. Jason called me at one thirty in the morning after I returned to the states. But don't stay up until all hours of the night either. I want to talk to you, and I want you to be able to talk to me and not fall asleep on the receiver."

"I will. I'll make sure not to fall asleep on the phone with you." He laughed, and then placed a hand on her cheek. She leaned into his touch, and reached for him as he came nearer. Their lips met in a fiery passion, and she snaked her arms around him.

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"I hate to go," she whispered, as he brushed a lock of her jet-black hair from her eyes. He moved foreword and gently kissed her. She let the kiss linger as long as she could, but soon she had to break away when she had to go onto her flight.

"I wish you could stay," he murmured into her hair before kissing the shell of her ear and wiping away one of her tears. "I love you, and I always will," he breathed into her ear.

"And I you," she replied quietly. He handed her the carryon bag she would be bringing, and handed her a small novel.

"The Unfinished Tales. I knew you didn't have that one, and that you wanted it. It will give you something to keep you busy on the long trip." She wiped away one of his tears and boarded after giving him a gentle goodbye kiss.

As the plane left, she watched for him to leave the port, but he was too small to see, and a tear spilled from her already wet eye as she felt the plane pick up speed and climb into the air.

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Celebwen Telcontar: Well, how did you like it? Romance and angst. What a combination.

Balrog: I hated it. It's a rather disgusting thing, you know. Not enough action.

Celebwen Telcontar: No action, you mean. Well, it'll get there, I think. Maybe I'll keep it to a Romance/Angst fanfic. I hope no one throws things at me again. Well, that's that. The first chapter of my story is finished.

Balrog: Ugh… I think I'm going to be sick…

Celebwen Telcontar: It's not that bad, is it? Or… What's that sundae you're eating made of?

Balrog: Limestone, marble and calcite.

Celebwen Telcontar: Will you never learn? You shouldn't eat that stuff! It gives you heartburn and indigestion! Well, until next time, folks!