A/N: Okay, there it is. The last of all chapters. The Epilogue. I hope you've all liked reading this as much as I liked writing this. Thanks to Mel for the beta and for sticking with me throughout the whole story!
Myra
Epilogue:
Five months later:
"Mel, I'm sorry about this Ball. I know you had planned something else for tonight," Hodges said as he fixed his tie, looking at Mel in the mirror. She was standing in front of the wardrobe, her fingers on her bottom lip, as she decided which dress to wear. "But, thank you for coming with me." He finished.
"David, you know I enjoy being with you. I don't care if I'm missing the girl's night out. God knows there will be a lot more," she said, turning around. She walked up behind Hodges and helped him fix his tie, which he was having some trouble.
Hodges smiled and grabbed her hands. "Remember I have to breathe honey."
She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry," she said as she finished his tie and walked back to the wardrobe. "Do we have a color-code for tonight?" She asked, as she picked out a dark red long dress. "This alright?"
Hodges looked back. "It's a Black and White Ball." He sighed. "I should've told you earlier, I'm sorry... I uhm, just figured you would wear a black dress."
Mel grinned. "Well, I don't have a black dress..." When she saw Hodges' shocked expression she gave him a quick peck on his cheek. "I do have a white one though."
She saw how Hodges blew out a released sigh, which he supposedly had suppressed for quite a while. He turned back to her, "Want me to get out of the room while you change?"
She laughed. "Nah, it's okay. You've seen me before, remember?"
"Of course I do," he said with a blush; but still he turned around to give her, her privacy. Then he felt Mel's arms sneak around him and he turned around in her embrace. She was standing there, only in her bra and panties, and he felt himself blush.
She kissed him softly and grabbed one of his hands to place it on her stomach. She pressed it against the little swelling and looked at his face expectantly. He was frowning and looking down at her stomach. With a smile she tilted her head, and he looked at her. "I'm pregnant," she whispered.
Hodges pulled back and looked at her, his mouth falling open. "You mean..." He swallowed. "I'm going to be a daddy?"
Mel nodded and felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered; her voice full of emotion, as tears started rolling down her cheeks. She smiled as he stood there, his mouth agape and his eyes twinkling.
"Thank you!" He exclaimed before scooping her up in a hug and holding her close to him, swinging her around.
She giggled. "Okay, get me down David, we're going to be late," she said, and faked an angry tone. She failed though and kissed him hard on his lips.
Hodges whined playfully. "I don't wanna go, I wanna stay here with the mother of my baby." He kissed her again and pushed her onto the bed, laying down beside her. He placed his hand on her stomach again and softly caressed it.
Mel started to laugh and turned away from him. "That tickles," she chuckled and stood up from the bed.
She grabbed her white dress out of her wardrobe and showed it to him.
"Well, what do you think?" She asked him, holding the dress before her body.
He smiled. "It's perfect Mel." He stood up from the bed and went to stand in front of her. "But you know... everything looks perfect on you."
Mel pulled down the zipper of the dress and pulled it over her head. "Flatterer," she joked and turned her back to him. "Zip me up, will you?"
Hodges nodded and reached for her zipper. Carefully he pulled the zipper up, trying not to get any skin between. His fingers lightly grazed her hot skin, and it sent showers of sensations down his spine. He felt her shiver and pulled the zipper up till the edge, which was on the small of her back.
She turned back to him. It was a long dress, it seemed like it would reach her ankles. It looking tight at the waist and wider at the bottom. The top showed a bit of cleavage and was backless. It had long wide sleeves, so wide that when she wore it, she would have her arms down then almost reached the bottom of the dress. The fabric looked like silk and was shiny when the light hit it. "Thank you," she whispered before capturing his lips with her own. But before he could react, she'd already pulled back. He smiled goofily before taking her small hand into his larger one.
"Let's go," he said before walking her out of the house. He closed the door behind him and helped her get into the car.
They spent the drive in silence, and Hodges had some time to think about how lucky he was with her. He wasn't getting any younger, and he thought he'd never get somebody like her, not somebody who could make him feel like she did.
When they'd finally reached their destination, Hodges helped Mel get out of the car and guided her inside the hotel lobby. There they were told to wait, because the ballroom wasn't ready yet. They seemed to be one of the first, and the soon found a couch in the corner of the room.
They sat down and Mel soon grabbed his hand to turn his attention towards her. She captured his lips in a chaste kiss, and moved her other hand to the back of his neck.
Hodges didn't have to think twice about responding to her kiss and pulled her close, his hands on her hips. He opened his mouth to her and dug his fingers in her hips, causing her to moan, in arousal he figured. He massaged the flesh and felt her pull away from the kiss.
Her lips were slightly swollen and he felt a strange pride as he watched her. He looked at her for a few loving moments before leaning forward again. He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips. Then he slowly sucked at her bottom lip, and he felt how Mel sneaked her arms around his back, underneath his suit jacket.
She got lost in his kisses and was in desperate need to feel some skin. Slowly she tugged at his dress shirt and felt how it loosened from his pants. Just when she laid her hands on his bare back she was pulled away from him forcefully.
"What the hell are you doing? Mel, get out of the way. I need to talk to David." Her father was fuming, and normally Mel would know better than to get in his way, but now she had to. She didn't know what her father, or David, would do. She had to stop them.
"Dad, stop it!" She yelled, as Ecklie yelled at Hodges. He didn't listen to her so she grabbed his arm hard, wondering for a moment if it would cause a bruise. She didn't care though. "Dad!"
"What!" Ecklie spun around, his hand still holding on to Hodges collar.
"Let him go," Mel said, her voice calm, although she was feeling anything but. "Dad, I am in love with this man." She stopped for a moment and threw Hodges a smile. "And we're expecting a baby."
Hodges put his shirt back in his pants, and then wrapped his arm around Mel's waist. "Sir, I love your daughter," he paused. "So much... I want to marry her."
Ecklie looked stunned and didn't say anything. Mel and Hodges used that time to get into the ballroom and get on the floor for the first dance. Hodges took Mel in his arms, but before she relaxed against him he pulled back.
"Mel?" He asked. When she looked at him, he reached into his pocket.
Mel's hands flew to her mouth, as she saw how he pulled out a black velvet box. Her eyes started to get watery, as she comprehended it all. He got down on one knee and it seemed if they were the only people standing in the room; but in fact there formed a whole circle of people around them.
"Mel," he said again. He opened the box to reveal the most exquisite ring she'd ever seen. It was a white gold ring, set with twelve small diamonds and a 1.4 carat pink Sapphire in the middle.
"From the very first time I saw you on that stage, I couldn't get you out of my head. The time we spent together has been Heaven to me, and it is something I would love to have forever. Mel, will you be my wife?"
When, she'd said 'yes', he stood up and slipped the ring onto her finger. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. Neither of them was aware of the 'oh's' and 'ah's' around them. They only saw and felt each other, and it was all that mattered.
The End
