Reign of Fire: Rising from the Ashes
Chapter Twenty Six- Forever
Creedy rolled over, slowly waking from the previous nights exploits. He reached out one of his arms to gather Holly into his embrace, only to find that his hand made contact with the mattress and nothing else. Grunting he opened his eyes and immediately sat up with the realisation that Holly was not lying next to him. Rubbing his eyes he searched the room and was relieved to find her standing by the window, wrapped in one of the dark blue sheets. He couldn't say why but for that brief time when he did not know where she was, the panic that she had fled from him consumed his heart. But the sight of her standing there, the pre-dawn light lighting up her ivory skin and creating an ethereal glow around her was one that drowned him in awe and happiness.
Holly turned abruptly from her mind's wandering to find a mussed looking Creedy staring at her. She stared back for a moment or two, neither willing to break the comforting silence that declared that everything was how it should be.
"I didn't mean to wake you." She apologised, her cheeks still flushed.
"Not to worry, come back to bed?" Creedy asked, his voice so soft and gentle that Holly felt like she was in a dream. Smiling she walked to the end of the bed before crawling up and practically throwing herself in his arms.
Creedy chuckled and held her tighter, kissing the top of her head.
"No regrets then?"
Holly turned her face to look at him, her bright blue eyes radiating adoration. She stared intently at him until she felt he had waited long enough for her answer. "Never."
Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Creedy bent his head down and placed a soft, firm kiss on her lips. After it ended, the two lovers laid together, once again in the gentle silence they desperately clung onto; afraid what would happen if it was broken.
But Holly did finally break it, her need to ask Creedy a question which had plagued her mind for so long was becoming unbearable.
"I need to ask you something."
"Aye, what is that." Creedy wasn't sure he liked where her sudden outburst was heading.
"Is Creedy your real name?" She felt foolish but she had to know. Creedy laughed again, even though he was trying not to embarrass her any more.
"Well, I suppose it is pretty important for you to know. Creedy is my surname," He looked down at her, the look on her face was enough for him to know he should continue, "Dave. My first name is Dave."
Holly sat up and looked at him with a small smile desperate to grace her lips. "Dave? Well then, good morning Dave Creedy." She giggled.
"Shut up you!" He laughed, silencing her with another kiss. "How long have you wanted to ask me?"
"A while," Holly admitted. Well, how is a girl supposed to spend the rest of her life with the man she loves if she doesn't know his first name?
Holly blinked in realisation of what she had just thought. Did she really think that? I did...I really did!
At that sudden, if not obvious, revelation, Holly inwardly squealed before pouncing on an unsuspecting Creedy. Unlike the gentle kisses and caresses they had shared before, this kiss was desperate and unyielding- a wild kiss that personified their need and love for each other. Holly pulled away panting lightly, whilst Creedy just smirked at her sudden forwardness.
"And what was that for?" Creedy asked, his voice slightly deeper and huskier than normal.
"No reason- if you don't like it I won't do it any more." Holly's sincere expression almost tricked him into believing it; but the cheeky gleam in her eye and twitching of the corners of her mouth gave her away.
"Why you little...!"
Quinn watched Alex and Holly sitting on the front steps from his viewpoint in the dining hall. He wouldn't need to know what they were talking about; it would more than likely be one of two things- the baby or Holly and Creedy's most recent escapade.
Only four months to go, he thought. Thinking of the baby and not-to-distant fatherhood made butterflies flit around in his stomach; and at the same time he couldn't help but smile so wide you would think his mouth was bigger than the Grand Canyon.
"I should have guessed you'd be slacking." Creedy voice bellowed from behind him; making Quinn jump.
"Jesus Creedy you can't do stealthy too well can you?" Creedy smiled as he looked out the window. "Anyway you have always been the slacker not me."
At that Creedy feigned hurt before shrugging it off and joining his best friend in his observation of the two women they called their own.
"But, I can see why. Those two could make any man never want to work again."
Quinn nodded in agreement and leant against the wall as Creedy turned to look at him.
"Not long then?"
"Four months and then I'm a father." Creedy could hear the anticipation in his voice.
"You'll make a great dad Quinn."
"I know, look how well I raised you." That earned him a punch on the arm. Creedy glared at him as Quinn rubbed his arm and barely held back the gruff chuckle in his throat.
"How are you feeling?"
"Nervous, excited, ecstatic, delirious- honestly Creed, when you and Holly have your first you won't know what to think; all you know is you've never felt so damn lucky and happy in all your life. What?" Quinn had noticed the sceptical and solemn expression on the Scot's face.
"Quinn we've just got together, we haven't even thought about the future let alone bairns. Hell I don't even know if Holly wants any; or if she can have them. And then, well I'm a lot older than her, what if something happened to one of us- what would we do then?"
"Oh stop being so pessimistic man! First of all, I've seen the way she looks at Alex's bump- that spark in her eyes and look of longing; I'm sure she'd love a couple one day. And secondly, I'm older than Alex and no one sees that as a problem. And if anything did happen, well it's not like we'd shun you or anything. You and Holly are family to all of us; even if some do have a weird way of showing it." Creedy grunted.
"I know, I know. But well, four years and sixteen aren't really the same are they?"
"You love her don't you?"
"Aye."
"Then what difference will it make? You two belong together- end of story. Now stop acting like a woman and go down there and talk to her. Why is it that you two just can't communicate? You're like a pair of spoilt teenagers, honest to God…."
Creedy couldn't hear the rest of Quinn's rant, the Londoner had walked off back to work, murmuring under his breath all the while. Looking back out of the window he could see Holly now sitting alone, no doubt Alex had wandered back to the kitchen to help with dinner.
"Right, talk to her." He said quietly, turning on his heel and making his way down to the front entrance.
Holly could hear him coming up behind her but continued to sit and soak up the last of the day's sunlight. She sighed deeply as she felt Creedy's strong arms wrap around her waist and his long, strong legs brush up against hers as he sat behind her.
"Hello," he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
"I didn't hear you coming, you made me jump."
"Yes you did and no I didn't, stop trying to boost my ego." Holly could still feel his warm breath against her neck and giggled as the hot air tickled the hairs. She turned her head to look at him.
"I apologise, I will never try to boost your ego again," she finished with a quick kiss on the tip of his nose.
"Now I never said that, you certainly did a good job of boosting it during round two this morning. I never realised you were such a quick study."
"Well with incentives like the ones you were offering, how can a girl not be?" She sighed as he nibbled on her earlobe.
"You might want to stop that Dave Creedy, otherwise you'll miss your dinner."
Creedy stopped and pulled her tighter into his embrace.
"How's Alex doing?"
"She's fine, nervous but very excited about becoming a mummy." Holly drew imaginary circles on the back of his hand as she spoke.
"Quinn is just the same, slightly more dramatic possibly- you know how he is. Holly please stop that it tickles." Holly giggled but did as he said.
"Creedy, do you want to have children one day?" Holly asked absent-mindedly, as soon as she realised what she had said she regretted it. What if he didn't want kids of his own? Or worse, what if he didn't want kids with her?
"Aye, that would be grand. As long as I could have them with you." Creedy hoped he hadn't put his foot in it; the last thing he wanted was Holly to freak out again.
"Well, that will be something we'll have to work on when the time is right. Right now I want you all to myself."
"Understandable. After all I am quite the catch." Holly slapped Creedy on the shoulder and shook her head in disgust.
"You're right, no more ego boosting for you mister. I am amazed your head fits inside the castle. From now on only mean, degrading comments will come from my mouth." Creedy pouted.
"That's not fair. I get enough of those from Quinn."
"Serves you right."
Creedy rubbed Holly's arms as the sun continued to set.
"You're getting cold, let's go in."
"No I'm fine, I have five layers on; I won't freeze just yet."
"Fine, but don't blame me if you end up with a cold."
"You know I will. That's why I love you and you love me." Creedy snorted.
"So it's nothing to do with my gorgeous looks, or sexy accent or my sparkling wit and fantastic personality; or the fact I'd kill all the dragons in the world for you if you asked me to- just because you blame everything on me."
"More or less. The looks and accent are of course the icing on the cake; the wit and personality thing the jury is still out on. And the dragon slaying just endears you to me even more; probably because you'd screw it up, lose your eyebrows again and I'd have to save your arse."
"So you heard about that too? Does every person who walks through the gates hear about that?"
"Yep pretty much, I think that is Quinn's favourite story."
"Marvellous."
"Would you really kill all the dragons in the world if I asked you?" Holly asked, staring intently at Creedy.
"Well I'd give it a damn good try lass. Oh God you're not going to ask me are you?"
"No, I like you in one piece thank you very much. Anyway that is my job."
"Hrmpf."
"What?"
"I just don't like the idea of you out there, risking your life like that. I can't lose you Holly. I love you too much to live without you."
"I love you too and because of that reason I'm not going anywhere. But this is my thing, I've spent the better part of the past five years taking out dragons; if one comes along and threatens you, my home and my new life, I'm gonna kick it's arse whether you like it or not." Creedy nodded in resigned acceptance and suddenly burst out laughing.
"What now?" Holly asked as Creedy continued to laugh.
"Oh it's nothing, just me being daft."
"As usual."
"I resent that Miss Matthews." Holly poked her tongue out at him. She sighed and leant back against him.
"Creedy, promise me something?"
"What darlin'?"
"Promise me it will always be like this, you know, that we will always be this happy together. That nothing will ever change."
"Holly Matthews, I promise you on pain of death that we will always be this happy and nothing will ever change- now or forever."
"Forever?"
"Forever." With his vow complete, Creedy kissed his ladylove with all the passion he possessed, cementing his promise to her for forever.
"…Err Creedy, does that mean if you break it I get to kill you?"
"No, preferably not."
THE END.
Well there we go, the end has come and we would like to thank everyone who has read as well as reviewed from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you all!
DS and LM