Stargazing
Acepilot

AN - No.20 in the Road series. When this was originally written, it was kind of envisioned as the end of the Road series, but now I'm not so sure that the Road series will ever end. It's something comfortable that I'll keep coming back to. So now I'm publishing it - I've put it off long enough, I think, and it'll make a nice special 20th story in the series.I hope you all enjoy this fic. It's really just a bit of cute fluff that I came up with in a state of romantic euphoria. Reviews are always appreciated.

Disclaimer - It's mine, all mine! Actually, it's KlaskyCsupo's. I hold credit on the plot, though, and Amanda and James.

It's been almost three years.

Three years since I finally got my butt into gear and worked it out with her. Three years since I proposed to her in my car on the side of some deserted highway. Three years since my sister and Tommy got married. Three years (or so) since Chuckie and Angelica hooked up (according to Dil's rough estimates).

It's been more than three years since the last time I did this.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Stargazing," I return quietly, still staring at the night sky above me.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I could say the same for you," I remind her. "And don't come any closer, I'm not meant to see you."

She giggles in that beautiful way she always does. "You think I'm that stressed about tradition?"

"Nup." I feel her lie down next to me, and I take her hand in mine. "I can't believe it's finally here."

"You nervous?" she asks.

Am I nervous? Am I, Phil DeVille, the man who has no sense of fear, who will do anything no matter how stupid, who got up in front of his entire school at Valedictory and made the riskiest speech ever delivered by a high school student concerning the intelligence of teachers and the worth of high school in general, nervous? I, Phil DeVille, the man who proposed to a girl who had broken up with him three months before, unflinching in the face of possible rejection...well, only a little bit flinching in the face of possible rejection, ready to face whatever life threw at me. I, Phil DeVille, the man who willingly volunteered to look after James Pickles for no less than three days with no-one to help me but Chuckie and Dil?

"I'm terrified," I confess, and pull her into my arms.

She buries her head in the crook of my neck. "Good, I'd hate it to be just me."

"Does it feel weird, to be nervous, though?" I ask. "I mean, we've been living together for nearly three years. We've been through just about everything that a couple could possibly go through. But we're still terrified of taking one more little step."

"I think it's probably perfectly natural," she offers, tracing patterns on my shirt with her fingertips. "Even if our life isn't really going to change, we're still...well, we're going to be a little different."

I chuckle. "So, how will it feel being Kimmi Watanabe Finster DeVille?"

"Bit of a mouthful, but I'll get used to it," she says. "Actually, I kinda like the sound of it."

"Am I going to have to introduce you to people with all four names?" I ask fearfully.

"No," she assures me. "Kimmi DeVille is sounding better and better all the time.

I kiss her on the forehead. "I think so, too."

And we share a moment of silence. Just us, and the stars.

And the crickets.

And Dil and Amanda. God, those two are like bloody rabbits.

"So, how was the bachelor party?"

I shake my head remorsefully. "Don't ask."

She stops tracing patterns long enough to poke me in the chest. "What happened...come on..."

I shrug. "Nothing. Chuckie and Tommy and Dil and I had drinks. It was quiet. It was actually kinda nice. Except, of course, when Tommy tried to inform me of my 'husbandly duties' -"

"You're kidding."

"No. Apparently I'm meant to do all the hard work now. And you're always right," I assure her.

"You better believe it."

I bang my head against the roof. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Nothing you didn't already know about," she points out, sliding up a little and kissing me on the cheek.

I pull her closer and kiss her properly. "I know," I tell her. "There's this sure-fire cure for nerves that I've heard about," I say, pulling us both to our feet. "And, y'know, I think we're both pretty nervous..."

"I'm all ears," she tells me, pulling me toward the stairs.

"Well, you see, first we need to find a bed..."

"Really?"

I think about it for a moment, then shrug. "No, on second thoughts," and pull her back down with me onto the roof.

reviews are ever appreciated.