Cycles 1: Autumnus Chapter 3, a hardy boys/nancy drew fanfic

There is a scene in this chapter which, I'd say, is a hard PG-13. Just to warn you.

"Timer, Nan... Nancy?"

Nancy shook herself. "What?"

"The timer for the stuffing." Hannah hauled herself off the couch and headed toward the kitchen. "Your mind is somewhere else, girl."

Nancy followed her. "Yeah," she sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Didn't you get everything you wanted?" Hannah joked. "Or is it a little too late for me to blame Santa Claus."

"I know I shouldn't let it bug me," Nancy said.

"You mean Jake? Just let me talk to him. Or better yet, let Ned talk to him. I'm sure that would end on a rather final note."

Nancy smiled weakly. "So is the turkey done?"

Hannah checked. "Yup. You take the first bite, I don't want to jinx it."

Nancy complimented the main dish heavily. "Let me go get Dad. I think he's been waiting all day for this."

The four of them sat down around the dining room table. After the blessing, over the dishes they passed around, Carson said, "So you're going on a little trip tomorrow, Nancy? Any mystery afoot?"

Nancy smiled. "No mystery. Just a plain old trip to the country, no complications in sight."

"Don't talk like that, you'll jinx it," Hannah said, smiling.

"How long will you be away? Will we get to see you again before next session starts?" Iris asked.

"Oh, it's just a long weekend. Four or five days. I'll be back before school starts."

Iris looked at Carson. "Maybe you and I could get away too? I feel like I've barely seen you in the past week or two."

Carson smiled. "Maybe we'll all get away. Hannah? You have any plans?"

"Not until Friday. But I have a lot to put in order in the house, don't you worry about me."

"Remind me to hang out with you guys this summer. I'd love to be in this thing with the top down." Scott tapped on the roof of Nancy's Mustang.

"You mean between all the summer camps you volunteered to teach?" George teased him as she nudged him in the ribs.

Bess leaned into the backseat and grabbed her makeup bag. Mostly due to her luggage, everything wasn't able to fit in the Mustang's trunk, so the rest was in the floorboard in the backseat. George groaned. "When will you learn how to pack?"

"Maybe when life requires less than three outfits a day."

Scott made a choked noise. "Three?"

Nancy chuckled and caught his eye in the rearview. "Yeah. Don't sweat it, I don't think we'll be victim to Bess's well-stocked social calendar this trip."

"Oh, like this'll be a nice quiet trip to the country," Bess scoffed, studying her reflection in the passenger mirror. "When have we ever had a vacation that was relaxing, or where I didn't have to pretend to be a starlet or a clueless hiker?"

Scott looked between the three girls. "I heard Nancy was really hardcore with the investigating, but... are you serious? Have you guys never had an actual vacation?"

Nancy met George's eyes in the rearview and they both burst into giggles. "No," George reassured him, catching her breath. "I mean, I'm sure we did at some point, but it's been so long that we usually just sit back and go with the flow. We can be going on an isolated skiing trip and Nancy will stumble across some damsel in distress or a frozen corpse."

"Corpse?" Scott repeated, in alarm, and all three girls laughed.

"Just follow Ned's lead," Bess advised. "He's old hat at this. Maybe if things get bad enough he'll unplug the phone and lock the doors."

Scott leaned back. "I'd rather be locked in than stumble over a corpse."

"Hey." Ned wrapped his arms around Nancy and lifted her off the ground. "I missed you, Drew."

"Missed you too," she replied, smiling up into his eyes.

Parker pulled suitcases from the back of his Jeep. "Hey you two. Stop with the lovey stuff and help with this luggage! What did you pack in here, Jan, bricks?"

Ned walked with her to the doorway of the master bedroom. Nancy stood there, gazing at the king-sized bed and fireplace. "Whoa. You sure they don't have cameras in here somewhere?"

"We can search everything if you want," Ned replied lightly. "But the thought of that is just a little creepy..."

Nancy thought a minute, then shivered. "I just remember all the times your parents made us sleep in the separate bedrooms here. The creaking floorboards..."

"When we used to sneak out?" Ned asked, then wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned back against his chest. "Congratulations on getting that asshole fired."

"Thanks," she replied, closing her eyes. "I'm afraid I've made an enemy, though."

"Not if he knows what's good for him," Ned growled. "An enemy of yours is most definitely an enemy of mine."

A few hours later, after everyone had unpacked and the boys had set up a game console on the living room television, the girls left to go grocery shopping. Jan begged off to stay with Mike, so Nancy, Bess, and George were left to find the nearest store.

Bess was working on a list in the backseat. "We have silverware and everything, right?" she asked.

Nancy nodded. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure there's an entire set of plates and everything, so we should be fine."

"Oh, thanks, Bess," George called over her shoulder.

"Don't mention it," Bess said, waving her hand.

Nancy looked at George. "Hmm?"

"Oh, I... Scott and I aren't..."

"I agreed to sleep with George so she wouldn't have to sleep with Scott," Bess said, mercifully cutting off George. "Besides, Ned tells me Parker snores like a buzzsaw so I don't mind the sacrifice."

"Well, now I feel bad. I didn't mean to be one of the only ones sleeping with someone else."

"Mike and Jan are practically married anyway, just like the two of you," Bess said. "I'm thinking sandwiches for lunch tomorrow, maybe chili tonight?"

"Chili sounds good."

"Hang on," Nancy interjected. "Ned and I aren't 'practically married.'"

George glanced over her shoulder at Bess, and the cousins looked at each other. "All right," George sighed. "If you say so."

"What? We've been together... three months."

"Plus how many years? Besides, you two are so in love it'll only be a matter of time."

"'Practically married,'" Nancy repeated. She was scowling. "That sounds so... boring."

"I didn't mean it that way," Bess said. "Not boring. I'd like to be as comfortable as you are with a guy."

"Comfortable..." Nancy shuddered.

"Good old dependable everlasting Ned," George said, chuckling.

"And good old Nancy."

Bess was stirring a triple recipe of her chili on the stove and Nancy was mixing batter for corn muffins when Ned came up behind her and kissed the top of her head. "The guys are starving, it's gonna be soon, right?"

Nancy smiled at him. "Yeah. It'll be soon. Go back to playing your game."

"We're taking a break. Scott's thumbs are tired." Ned chuckled ruthlessly.

Nancy turned around and met Ned's eyes. He smiled down at her. She lowered her voice, so Bess wouldn't hear. "You're not bored with me, are you?"

"What?" Ned asked.

Nancy took his hand and led him outside, onto the back deck, which was covered in about half a foot of snow, and repeated her question.

Ned laughed. "Nan... I've never been bored with you."

Nancy brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "Bess called us an old married couple," she said grumpily.

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, Nan, compared to the average duration of her relationships..."

She sighed. "I know. I just... don't want us to be boring. Average."

"You're anything but average."

Nancy grinned up at him. "In some ways, at least," she teased him.

"In all the ways I know you." Ned opened his arms and Nancy snuggled inside, against the wind blowing to the back of the house.

Parker pushed open the front door, snow swirling around his silhouette. "Hey," he called, then groaned. "Trivial Pursuit?" He put the case of beer he was carrying on the floor and started blowing into his mittens, then moved aside so Scott could enter and close the door.

"Yes, Trivial Pursuit," Bess said, moving over on the couch and patting the space next to her. "No absentee voting. Come sit down."

"You gonna warm me up, Bess?" Parker asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Hey, throw me one of those," Mike called, and Scott obliged him. "Ned?"

"Just the one," Ned said, and took a beer. "It's getting late."

Parker laughed. "Like that ever stopped you before."

"It's not like we have to get up in the morning, right?" Mike looked around.

"Well, there will be some sales tomorrow..." Jan mentioned timidly.

Bess reached across the table to give her a high-five. "This girl's got the right idea. I need a new jacket."

"You packed three!" George protested.

"But not a waterproof one," Bess moaned.

"Is there anything in town to do while this is going on?" Scott asked. "Not that I won't beat you next time we race, but it'll get old kinda quick."

"I'd be content to kick back here all day tomorrow," Mike winked. "But if Jan wants to go to town..."

"It looked pretty small, though," Scott protested.

"Just that part of it," Ned reassured him. "They have a downtown with some shops where the girls can have some fun."

Nancy sighed contentedly as Ned pulled back for breath. "This was the best idea ever," she told him. "Thanks for inviting us."

"Anytime," he said, leaning down to kiss her again. He had started a fire in the fireplace before they had crawled under four quilts together, and for a moment all she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears and the fire crackling in the corner. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, acutely aware of his closeness to her.

When they broke again he nuzzled against her neck, and she smiled. "Love you," she whispered.

"Love you too," he replied, his voice muffled against her skin. He pulled back to look into her eyes. "I have a surprise for you," he said quietly.

She grinned. "Is it going to involve us taking clothes off?"

She was startled when he pulled back and crawled out of the bed. He rummaged through the pockets of his leather coat, and Nancy sat up, pulled the quilt up to her chin and watched him.

He walked back over to her and slid back into bed, under the covers, up against her warmth. "Okay," he said.

She could tell he was nervous. "What, did you finally remember that you forgot to give me a Christmas present?" she teased him.

"I didn't forget," he said. His fingers touched hers, and she relaxed into his kiss. In the midst of it her eyes popped open and stared into his.

He pulled back slightly, enough that she could lift her hand and look at the ring gleaming on her finger, sparkling in the firelight. "Marry me," he murmured against her mouth.

Nancy pulled away from him and sat up in bed, her eyes fixed on the ring. She swallowed, and her lips moved wordlessly. He watched her shake her head and open her mouth again.

Ned sat up and gazed at her, worried. "Nan?"

She met his eyes and swallowed again. "Wow," she whispered. "Um..."

He moved toward her and she slid out of bed, onto her bare feet, and stood in her camisole and flannel pants. He draped his legs over the side of the bed, still looking up at her, and she took another step backward.

"Say something," he said. "You're scaring me."

She met his gaze. "Ned, are you sure about this?"

"More sure than anything in my entire life."

"But Ned, our parents...?"

"Nancy, this is our decision. If you want me to go out there and shout it to the rooftops, to anyone who cares to listen..."

"This isn't about everyone." Nancy sat down beside him on the bed and glanced back down at the ring.

Ned took her chin in his hand. "No, it's not about everyone," he said. He leaned over and kissed her. "Tell me now," he whispered against her mouth, his eyes closed, his fists clenched. "Go ahead and tell me..."

"Yes," she whispered, and both of them opened their eyes at once. She laughed nervously. "Yes I will marry you, and..."

He didn't stop to hear any more. He stood up and pulled her into his arms, and she laughed aloud as he twirled her around, his rich baritone under hers. "Yes, yes yes yes," he said, and then he put her on the bed and smothered her with kisses.

When they broke for air she pulled the covers tight around them and nestled against him. "I love you so much," she whispered.

"Love you too," he said, kissing the crown of her head.

Bess met Nancy's eyes in the bathroom mirror the next morning. "Okay, you can't say nothing happened last night, I heard too much going on in there to be nothing..."

Nancy wordlessly raised her left hand to Bess's eye level, and Bess turned around and took Nancy's hand in hers, gasping. "Oh wow. Yeah, I'd have to say that's not nothing."

"Pretty respectable, huh."

"So I guess he didn't forget your Christmas present after all." Bess grinned. "So did he give you anything besides a diamond last night? Maybe he wanted a test drive?"

Nancy blushed slightly and leaned over the sink. "No. We'll have plenty of time for that. I just..." She turned and looked Bess in the eye. "I just think it would be too easy for him to give me that and then I just give it up to him. Immediately. I mean, he proposed to me while we were in bed."

"You must've been pretty good, then."

"We were just making out," Nancy said, exasperated. She noted Bess's grin and hit her lightly on the arm. "Yeah, if my kisses are that good..."

The two girls exited the bathroom and walked back to their table, where the rest of their party was waiting. Their plates had arrived already. "Mmm, stuffed french toast," Bess said, her eyes wide.

"Oh God," Scott said aloud, rubbing his hands over his face. "Please, please, I swear if I walk into another antique shop..."

George patted Scott's back as Jan and Bess ducked into the store next door. "Is there any other place we could go?" she asked Ned.

Nancy walked out of the candy store with a paper bag in her hands and joined the group. "Bet you wish you'd gone back with Mike and Parker."

Scott looked around wildly. "I had no idea. I'm glad you're not like that," he said, gazing at George.

George smiled back at him. "Hmm. Me too," she teased him.

"Well, you've already seen the railroad station..." Ned opened Nancy's bag of candy and felt around inside. "There's only one place left. It's an old church near here."

Nancy popped a caramel into her mouth. "Yeah, it's cool. They have these underground burial chambers..."

Scott raised his eyebrows. "Hmm. That could work."

Nancy ducked into the shop behind Bess and Jan to tell them where to find them, but located them only after five minutes of searching, a lot of sneezing, and peering behind a doll case. When she emerged she demanded, "We'd better get some ice cream. I swear..."

Nancy and Ned ended up splitting a chocolate milkshake, so they couldn't follow George and Scott down into the basement. To kill time Nancy started looking through the brochures in the lobby.

The old woman behind the counter smiled at her. "So are you and your young man here to be married?"

Nancy's eyes widened and she let out an involuntary laugh. Then she looked over and saw Ned looking over, his eyes alert.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I just saw the ring on your finger..."

Nancy glanced down at the diamond again. Ned walked over and handed Nancy the remains of the milkshake.

"So do a lot of people get married here?" he asked, in a light conversational tone. Nancy looked at him, aghast.

The old woman nodded. "Right now is a popular time. Not as popular as the summer, of course, but they like the valley out back."

Ned walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain. "It is gorgeous," he admitted. "Beautiful country around here."

"Have you been in the sanctuary?"

Ned nodded. "We have a house not too far from here. I've been here before."

"Oh. Maybe I'm too late," the woman said, her eyes sparkling.

"We're not—" Nancy and Ned began at the same time.

"I'll take two," Jan said. She eyed the stack of chips near her feet and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't try to bluff me," Ned warned, grinning.

"So I missed out on the church, and the old lady who wanted you two to elope." Bess scowled. "And I didn't even find anything in that store."

"She didn't want us to elope," Nancy said. "Just... well, get married at her church, I guess. Maybe she just wanted an excuse to see Ned again," Nancy grinned and bumped him.

George took a handful of Doritos and passed the bag. "Yeah, I can't believe I missed out on that either. But the church was pretty cool. Did you see the valley out back?"

Scott looked over. "Don't tell me we have to go back tomorrow..."

"What, you didn't like it?"

"I thought it was great. But haven't we seen everything there is to see in town?"

Ned nodded and rearranged his cards. "Yeah. Unless we go to Blockbuster and get started on the action marathon..."

An hour or so later, after the house stood silent in the dark, Ned walked up behind Nancy and watched her swallow her birth control pill.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Nancy took a sip of water and nodded. "Though maybe I shouldn't tell you that..."

Ned smiled. "No, I'm not sure you should have."

She turned around and slid her arms around his neck. "But it doesn't change anything."

Ned checked whatever he was about to say and rested his cheek against Nancy's. "I saw the look in your eyes today," he said.

"And I saw the look in yours." She kissed his cheek.

He flipped off the lights behind them and led her to bed. "I was thinking about it," he admitted. "But it would be stupid for us to do it."

"Why?" she asked, nestling against his chest and gazing up at him.

He regarded her in the firelight. "I can't even get into family housing until next semester at the earliest, but... we won't be at the same school. I won't let you." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Our engagement is going to be a year and a half long, at least... maybe two and a half, if we wait until you're out."

"So why did you propose to me now?" she asked him quietly.

"Because I want you to be mine," he murmured, half-smiling. "Purely selfish reasons. No more threatening to leave me." He kissed the top of her head.

"I'll be yours forever," she said, leaning back to meet his gaze.

"What are you worried about?"

Nancy sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "Telling my dad. Not wanting to stop when I'm sleeping with you. That someone or something will talk us out of it."

"Not cold feet?"

"I couldn't have cold feet. I feel like we've been almost-engaged forever."

"Old married couple?" He smiled.

"You know not," she said, pushing herself up to kiss him on the lips. "Old married virgins."

"Maybe that's why you want to get married," he said, reaching up to pull her to him for another kiss. "Maybe..."

She crawled over him until her knees were on either side of his hips and returned his kiss. Ned murmured something, his hand sliding down her back.

"So do you want to have kids?" he asked when they broke for air.

"Now?" she asked, grinning. She reached down and pulled her nightgown off.

Ned groaned as they kissed again. "Not now," he murmured. "Dear God, I want you..."

"I want you too," she whispered. He rolled her onto her back and kissed her again, and she put her arms around him. They broke for air and he rested his forehead against hers.

"Put your gown back on," he whispered, his eyes closed, breath ragged.

Nancy closed her eyes. "I know I should," she murmured. "But I don't want to."

He slid his palm down her side and she felt his breath catch. "Please," he whispered.

She cupped his face in her hands and he opened his eyes. "Okay," she murmured. "This is only gonna get harder, isn't it."

He laughed. "You could say that."

The following night, when Nancy and Ned returned to the house, everyone was sitting around the television watching a movie featuring a lot of explosions and a physically well-defined man who spoke nearly unintelligible English. Six pairs of eyes rose to meet them as Ned closed the door.

"Hey," he said.

"Um..." Parker looked chagrined. "Could you... go look at the pool?"

Ned released a breath slowly, through his mouth, before answering. "Do I want to know why?"

"Is there a body?" Nancy said before she thought.

Scott glanced around. "Man, I hope not."

"It's just that..." Parker led Ned to the back of the house, and Nancy took a seat in the recliner.

"So what's going on?"

Bess nodded at the screen. "That guy is chasing some terrorists. And there was something about some diamonds, but I don't remember..."

George rolled her eyes. "It's how he was supposed to pay off the guys who kidnapped his son, remember?"

Mike shook his head impatiently. "Look, all you need to know is that he's wired that building with enough explosive to throw the Earth out of its orbit."

Nancy smiled. "Thanks. Is there any popcorn in that bowl?"

Bess glanced down. "No. I'm sorry. I'll make some more—"

"No, that's okay," Nancy said, unfolding her legs and standing. "I've missed so much of it already that another five minutes won't make a difference. And I'm sure Ned will want some popcorn."

Bess looked at her once they were in the kitchen. "You okay?"

Nancy shrugged.

"We only have two more days here," Bess reminded her. "And then next week we go back to school and you'll be seeing Ned on the weekends if you're lucky. Not to mention dealing with Jake, and the paper..."

Nancy nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table. "I feel like I'm dreaming. I know we have to go back, but... it seems so far away. I want it to be far away."

The microwave emitted a shrill beep and Bess emptied the popcorn into a glass bowl. Ned walked through the back door and Parker walked in behind him, but walked on through to the living room. Ned leaned over and rested his elbows on the countertop.

"Who thought it was a good idea to take the cover off the pool?" he asked Bess. Then he shook his head. "Never mind."

Bess offered him the bowl and he took a handful. "So are you two doing anything tomorrow?"

Nancy almost coughed, but took a handful of popcorn.

Ned shrugged. "I'm not sure yet," he said.

Nancy headed back into the dark living room. Her recliner was still unoccupied so she sat down in it and pulled her legs up. After the guys had cheered over three or four massive slow-motion explosions, Bess walked out of the kitchen carrying the bowl of popcorn. Ned followed her with two bottles of water. He handed Nancy one.

She glanced up at his face. "Thanks," she murmured, then stood to offer him her chair. He sat down and pulled her into his lap.

"You're the one who said you didn't have the time to commit to our relationship."

"I can make time," Nancy said, her face set. "Maybe you can't?"

"Dammit, Nancy," Ned said, taking off his robe and throwing it at the chair. "I'm on your side."

"We could get married on Valentine's Day," she said. "Or we could just wait until then. Think things over."

Ned rubbed a hand over his face. "Are you going to still be mad at me?" he asked. "Nancy, I'm sorry. I just don't see the logic in doing it now, as much as I'd want to..."

"You do want to?" She rose from the bed and took his hands in hers.

He nodded. "But part of being married is living together," he said slowly. "We can't live together right now."

"We can live together every weekend."

He made a frustrated noise and looked away from her.

"All or nothing, is that it?" she asked softly.

"All of you," he said. "Not tonight, not now, but..."

"Are you saying you'd set a date?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Is that what you're worried about? That I'll never set a date?"

"That we'll be teasing each other and it'll go too far one night," she said. "The more I see you, the more I know I want to be with you. And how much I want to wake up every morning and see you there with me. If I could I would just fast-forward through the rest of college and then we could be together."

He half-smiled. "Yeah."

"But right now... we're still temporary, you know? Going out ends in breaking up or engagement, engagements end in marriage or breaking... either way, what we are now will end."

"Everything ends," he reminded her, and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I don't want us to end. I don't want to get so bogged down in schoolwork and stories for the paper that I end up neglecting you."

"You say it like it's a foregone conclusion," he said. "Look, I know you wouldn't do that intentionally."

"I guess I just want to know that you'll be there no matter what. Through school and temporary insanity and..."

He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth, and her eyes fluttered shut. "You have my word," he said, his eyes glowing as he smiled softly.

"But..."

"Shh," he said, kissing her again. "Just calm down, Nan."

"What if I never have the nerve for this again?" she asked him softly.

"You will," he said. "I think what you need right now is a good night's sleep."

Even after he had fallen asleep beside her Nancy still couldn't. She listened to him breathe and tried to make herself do the same, the slow rhythm, but instead she turned over and watched his face. He was unconcerned, unflappable.

Maybe she was overreacting. But she was afraid she'd never feel this way again. Afraid that one day she'd decide that having a boyfriend—fiancé, she corrected herself—so far away just wasn't worth it. She'd been stupid enough to give him up before, to have her head turned by other guys. How would this be any different? Their relationship hadn't significantly changed; they had been this physically intimate before. She'd known for a long time that he wanted to marry her. That hadn't stopped her when Sasha, or Mick, or...

And Mike had known it would happen. Everyone had known it would happen, save the two of them. Because she wanted to forget every single one of their mistakes, and she was sure Ned did too. She saw their relationship as a string of perfect days, uninterrupted, until she focused on the cracks they had worked so hard to overcome.

But she couldn't put it in words, her desire for him to go ahead, commit himself, or more accurately her, to this, to force her to stop wondering. She wanted him to tell her firmly that she could not do this again, could not go to another guy, that if she did it would be over...

But then maybe she'd tell herself that if another guy could turn her head then she just wasn't ready to settle down.

Nancy sighed and flipped her pillow over to the cooler side and curled up, facing away from him.

She could feel herself changing. She could feel herself blinding to everyone but him, and it was great, perfect. She didn't want to lose that feeling. But if she left now, went back without committing herself permanently to him, who knew how long it would last.

She ran a hand over her damp cheeks and fell into an uneasy sleep.

"Nan..."

She had no idea what time it was or if she was even awake. She felt Ned's hands at her waist, tugging at her shirt, and lifted her arms so he could pull it over her head. Once he'd done that he hooked his thumbs over the waist of her pants and pulled them off, and when her eyes fluttered open to see his face she was completely naked.

He took her in his arms and kissed her, and she twined her arms up around his neck. She wasn't thinking. She couldn't think.

When he pulled back she was smiling, one of her legs wrapped loosely around his. "You like to be in control," she accused him, mildly. "You don't want to do it when I take my shirt off, but when it's you..."

"Go ahead and take my shorts off," he told her, his breathing ragged.

Her eyes opened a little more widely, but she did as he requested, and when he came back to her she opened her legs to him. His hands wandered over her breasts and she moaned, arching her back. He trailed kisses down to her navel and she tilted her head, her breathing shallow. Her legs fell open and she took a handful of the sheet in her clenched fist.

"God, you're ready," he whispered.

"Don't stop," she moaned back to him. "Don't, please..."

She was just beginning to feel it, the fear that crept over her when they were this close. It had only happened a few times before, but she felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest. She buried her face against his shoulder, her quickened breath wet against his skin, her every nerve centered on him, on the touch of his fingers as they trailed down to her waist, his weight pressing her down—

Someone knocked at their door and suddenly Nancy was fully awake. Her eyes opened wide with shock and Ned rolled off her, closing the door quietly behind him as he went into their bathroom. Nancy dragged a hand through her hair, glancing around the room. "Just a minute," she called when the knock was repeated. She grabbed Ned's robe and slipped it on, and had just finished tying the knot at the front when she opened the door.

"Hey," Parker said. He glanced at her and then at the pile of clothes in evidence on the floor. "Um... we're gonna go ahead to the pancake place. Mike and Jan aren't quite ready yet either so they can ride with you two. If that's okay."

"Sure, that's fine," Nancy said, still trying to catch her breath.

She was sitting on the bed when Ned stepped out of the bathroom. She smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I thought I was still dreaming."

"Must have been some dream," she replied.

The lake never cooled enough for skating, never even came close. The breeze coming off the surface was brutal, though. Nancy snuggled into her coat and tightened her grip on Ned's ungloved hand, which he had placed in his pocket.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He snorted. "I'm the one who's sorry," he said. "What happened this morning was way, way out of line, totally uncalled for, and I understand if you are freaked out..."

"I'm not," she replied quietly. "Considering I was practically begging for it."

He looked down. "We can't keep doing this."

She stopped, so that he did, then looped her other arm around his neck and pulled his face down to hers for a kiss. "I love you," she whispered. "I'm not sorry. And I know... I know what I told you, and it's still true. Not until we're married."

"But...?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"A sheet of paper..." she looked over his shoulder, and smiled to herself. "A sheet of paper couldn't possibly make me love you more, make you any more worthy to be that man. And... Ned, you are going to be that man. You are going to be the one, who loves me... it feels like you've loved me forever, and it will be, our wedding night..."

He leaned close to her, pressed his cold cheek to hers. "You're not making any sense," he whispered, and she laughed at the tone in his voice, the feel of his breath against her ear, despite her trembling heart. "But we will wait, because we will be married. Not tomorrow, not soon, but... for you, Nan, I think I could."

"For me." She was smiling. "Thanks."

He heaved a mock sigh. "The things I do for you," he said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

She pressed a kiss against his cheek.

"Freeze."

Nancy stood stock-still in the kitchen, one hand on the counter, the other reaching for a saucer.

"Turn."

She was pretty sure she knew why Hannah was gazing rather intently at her, but she obeyed the command to the letter. Hannah walked over to her and took her left hand, staring at the ring on her finger.

"Is this what I think it is?"

Nancy nodded. "Yeah," she breathed.

"When?"

She turned to lift the saucer out of the cabinet, placed it on the countertop, while framing her answer. "While we were up at the cabin."

"Did he ask you over dinner? Out on the lake?" Hannah's eyes were sparkling.

Nancy relaxed a little once she decided Hannah wasn't about to yell at her. "We were alone, in front of a roaring fire…" she said, trailing off, a smile on her face.

"So when are you two going to get married?"

Nancy shrugged, then slid a slice of toast onto her plate. "It'll be more than a year from now. I don't want to marry Ned while we're both in school, and he agrees with me."

Hannah leaned against the counter, her arms crossed. "Does your dad know yet?"

"No." Nancy walked over to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of juice. "I was thinking maybe I should tell him at lunch today."

Hannah nodded. "He should be back around lunchtime. Maybe you could take him out to his favorite restaurant…?"

Nancy grinned, then bit her lip. "Do you think he's going to take it that badly?"

"You know him better than I do," Hannah pointed out. "What do you think?"

"I don't know." Nancy settled on a barstool at the breakfast nook. "Two years ago I think it was a given. Everyone knew we were going to get married. But now…" Nancy sighed.

"Could Ned make it over here for lunch?"

Nancy glanced at her watch. "Maybe a late dinner," she admitted. "Emerson's playing St Joseph's on one of the ESPN channels right after lunch."

"Maybe tomorrow would be better," Hannah said. She glanced down at Nancy's hand again. "But I think he's going to ask questions if you leave that on."

"So what's up?" Ned was breathless, returning the voicemail she had left on his cell phone.

Nancy drew the locket out from under her sweater, the locket Ned had given her a long time ago, which still held his picture. She had put the engagement ring on the necklace and tucked it under her clothes to avoid her father's questions. "Congratulations," she said, looking at the picture of him on her nightstand.

He laughed. "Thanks," he said. "Did you watch?"

"Every second," she said. "I nearly went hoarse screaming at the television."

"That's what I like to hear," he said. "I know we left plans for this weekend kind of open…"

"Yeah," she said. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you think you could…" she trailed off.

"What?"

"Come see me tomorrow?"

"Sure," he said easily. She heard his teammates start chanting in the background, and Ned laughed again, then returned to the phone. "See you in River Heights tomorrow, around lunchtime?"

"That'd be great," she said. "Wear your blue suit."

"Can I tell you what to wear too?" he teased.

"I doubt whatever you'd suggest would be appropriate," she teased him back.

"Oh, it would be for what I have in mind," he said. "Well, would have been."

"Not for going to lunch with my dad."

He was quiet for a minute. "Is this… are we announcing?"

"If you're okay with that."

"I was okay with that the minute I put that ring on your finger," Ned said quietly, and Nancy felt herself blush. "I'll steel myself for the parental inquisition."

"Have you told your parents yet?"

"Well, they knew," he said, then cut himself short. "They don't know for sure. Want me to see if they can come along too?"

Nancy thought about it a minute. "Sure," she said. "We may as well both be nervous."

He laughed softly. "Wear the blue silk dress," he said.

Ned pulled her Mustang to a stop in a parking space and turned to her. "All right," he said, exhaling slowly.

Nancy was twisting her hair up and securing it with a few pins. "Take my necklace off," she requested. When his hands touched her neck she felt a delicious shudder slide over her skin.

"Now what?"

"How do I look?"

He leaned back, a smile twitching his lips. She was wearing the blue silk dress, as he had requested, her blue eyes wide as they gazed into his. He traced his fingers a breath's width over her cheek, then kissed her. "You smell great."

"My heart's about to beat out of my chest," she admitted, laughing nervously.

"Just one more thing," he said, sliding the ring back on her finger. "Now you look great."

"Thanks," she whispered. She met his gaze. "Five more minutes until we do this."

"It's gonna be okay," he reassured her. "We have reservations."

She laughed at him, a genuine laugh this time. "We won't have to make small talk."

"Oh, we'll still have to make small talk," he corrected her. "Maybe. Though wearing that ring in may cut the small talk pretty short."

"They're going to ask us when."

He shrugged. "Eighteen months," he said. Then he glanced at her. "Or more. We should get our stories straight before we walk in."

"Eighteen months is fine," she said quietly. Then she smiled.

"What?"

"That'll avoid the 'did you get her pregnant' tangent."

Ned choked and started coughing violently. "Thanks, could you warn me before you do that?" he managed.

She smiled. "I could, but then it wouldn't be nearly as entertaining."

"I'm not going to take that chance," he said to her, seriously. "I mean it. As much as I love being with you… I don't think either one of us is ready for that."

"What you're not ready for is the unmarked grave my father will plant you in," she said.

"Oh, like he's not going to be planning that after lunch?" Ned said.

Nancy shook her head slowly. "No, I don't think he will," she replied. "We're good, responsible kids."

"Kids," he repeated, taking her chin in his hand. "We're good, responsible adults."

Nancy laughed. "No, we're not," she said. "Good responsible adults have steady jobs and don't live off ramen noodles. I'm an investigative reporter and you're…"

"Undetermined business graduate," he replied, distracted. "It's time to go inside. How do I look?"

She reached over and straightened his tie. "Charming," she said. "Not like a person about to basically ask permission to deflower me in a year and a half."

Ned scowled until he saw the teasing look on her face. "At least you don't seem nervous anymore," he said, climbing out of her car.

"No," she agreed. "But I'm sure I can remember how."

Nancy found herself unconsciously sliding the ring around on her finger as they were seated at a table with Ned's parents and her father. Ned gave her hand a final squeeze and then released it, opening his menu.

"Would anyone like to start with a glass of wine?" the waiter asked.

Nancy had to fight the urge to answer "Yes, please, just bring the bottle." No one ordered any alcohol, not even those at the table old enough to do so.

After the drinks had arrived and their entrees were ordered, the parents turned expectantly to their children. Nancy could clearly hear her heart thudding in her chest, tell-tale, and wondered that no one else seemed to notice. She exchanged a glance with Ned.

"We're pregnant," he said.

Bess let out a shocked laugh. "Then what happened?" she asked quickly.

"I think Ned had a minor heart attack," Nancy said, grinning. She stirred her chocolate milkshake with her straw. "My dad turned this shade of red that was almost purple before Ned could correct himself. I think Edith almost fainted."

"And he said that why?"

"Because it had been the last thing we'd been talking about," Nancy said. "It was right there on the tip of his tongue. I wasn't any help, I just started laughing and couldn't stop. Once everyone was calmed down, I think that broke the ice pretty well. Ned explained, we told them it would be more than eighteen months and there was no possible way I could be pregnant, we had wine all around…" Nancy shrugged and trailed off.

"Wow." Bess dipped her last french fry in ketchup and popped it into her mouth. "I guess after that there was no way they could take it badly. 'No, we're not married yet, we didn't elope, we're not about to have a baby…'"

Nancy speared a bite of Bess's chocolate cake and tasted it. "All things considered, it went well."

"Yeah, just don't tempt fate," Bess said darkly.

Nancy opened her eyes wide, innocent. "Tempt fate how?"

"By calling for another family meeting next month and announcing that oops, well, maybe the wedding will be a bit sooner…"

Nancy threw her straw wrapper at Bess. "No chance of that," she said. "Ned and I talked about it and that's the last thing we need right now."

Bess gave an exaggerated gasp, her eyes dancing. "Does this actually mean we might see you on the weekends?"

"Are you saying I only go visit him to sleep with him?"

"No," Bess said. "Well, yes. I mean, hell, Nancy, if he were my fiancé I know I'd be all over that every weekend."

Nancy laughed. "Nope," she replied. "Other than the Winter Carnival, I think we're both pretty booked. So yeah. Maybe we can get in some girl time."