Title: Why Can't I Breathe?
Summary: Memoirs with a twist, happy ending this time.
Picks up where last chapter left off! Please, review after you've read, there are 65 hits to this story and yet I've only received 3 reviews. Reviews make my day, please please please please please leave a review! Ok, enough with my begging, on with the fic!
Why Can't I Breathe?
By
Sakura
Ruth had taken her time in fixing herself that night. If he was going to dump her, she figured that she would look good while it happened.
But as the wind whipped harshly around her, sending her carefully styled hair flying, she wished that she hadn't made an effort at all.
She continued walking toward the entrance to the Eye. She stayed at work quite late, there was nothing unusual about that, she left at 8:00 to get ready for her rendevous with Harry.
So here she was, braving the cold to meet him. The Thames reflected the lights from the Embankment. Soft spots of light illuminated the water, creating a deceiving atmosphere of a calm that she couldn't feel.
She neared the railings and spotted a familiar face at the top of the line. It was completely deserted except for them. She smiled a little. She knew he must have pulled some strings to provide them with some well-deserved privacy.
Ruth looked up, wincing as her neck cracked loudly, the tension in her back and shoulders were apparent.
The giant ferris wheel appeared to be functioning and operating normally. She brought her gaze back down and met Harry at the top of the line.
'You look tired.' She remarked when she saw the shadows under his soft eyes.
'You always had a gift for stating the obvious.' His tone was surprisingly playful. Ruth's lips curved into a sincere smile. He appeared to be his normal self.
She spoke way too soon. As if admonishing himself for the display of emotion, Harry immediately closed up again, the smile leaving his handsome face at once.
'Harry, what does this matter involve? You know, the one you mentioned in the note? Or shall we just watch the water flow downstream?' Ruth asked, her worries and doubts flooding back at full throttle. Harry didn't answer, he just found something interesting to stare at on the ground and stuck his hands in the pockets of his coat.
Ruth just jerked her head away with disbelief at his hesitance to get on with it.
The both of them were brought back to reality when the click and hum of the arriving capsule sounded and stopped right in front of them.
'Shall we?' Harry spoke up, motioning for her to get into the capsule. Ruth gave him a glare and reluctantly walked into the large glass capsule.
He followed her in, right before the door closed and she sat down on the seat. She took of her long scarf that warmed her slender neck, and crossed her legs, while he moved to stand by the window.
The capsule was moving long before anyone talked again. The tension in the air was so thick that you could have cut through it with a knife. Harry racked his brain for what to say. He cursed over and over again in his mind because he had planned this whole speech out, and in the end, he had forgotten all of it.
' Ruth...'
Her head leveled up to meet his eyes. He saw the apprehension in her posture, and wondered whether or not he had enough courage to do what he intended to do.
She just kept on staring at him, kept on waiting, and he felt his lips moving but no words came out. Like a goldfish flopping on the ground with no water.
'I need to tell you something, something that you may or may not want to hear–' He saw her draw in a breath to interrupt him, but he ploughed on. 'Please let me finish before speaking, it's hard enough trying to put all this in words Ruth.'
She closed her mouth and listened.
His voice was quiet and low as he continued, his palms were cool and clammy, and he was sweating nervously.
Their capsule had rose into the air, the lights and tops of buildings were visible from where he stood.
'I have reason to believe that Juliet knows about us. You know the consequences that will follow after she's reported it. It's a severe breach in protocol as we both know.'
Ruth knew that this was it. Her fears and worries were all coming true. Her inquisitive nature took control and she couldn't help asking a question.
'How? We've been so careful.' She made sure to place strong emphasis on her last word. That was true, they had made sure that one always came ahead of the other to work in the mornings, they had made sure to erase all texts from both of their mobiles, and they made sure to leave the grid one by one so that no one suspected that they were going home together.
Harry adverted his gaze to the buttons on the seat.
'I don't know, maybe I mentioned your name one too many times, or she's heard the gossip around the grid, my point is that we can't do this anymore. All the secrecy, all the sneaking around every morning and night, it's taking it's toll on us Ruth.'
'If we tell them, we'll be ruined.' Ruth tried futilely to persuade him.
'Exactly. Which leaves us with one other option.'
Tears had already been flowing down her cheeks and she hadn't realized it until they rolled over her lips. She bent her head in hopes that he wouldn't see.
'Please don't cry Ruth,' He murmured, longing to envelope her in his arms, but he knew that now wasn't the right time to try and embrace her.
She cleared her throat and said, 'So this is how it's going to be?' More and more tears spilled from her eyes and dropped into her lap. She wrung her hands together distressfully, and he kneeled down in front of her to gently separate them.
'Oh Ruth, this is by no means going to be easy, but we can make it work.' He made his tone as gentle as possible, and waited for his words to absorb.
Ruth, on the other hand, could not believe it. He wanted to pretend that they had never loved at all, how could she possibly go on as if nothing had ever happened?
Fury welled up from her core and she had to stifle it by biting her lip.
'No one can ever know. At least, not now.'
Ruth frowned through her tears.
What the...
'Ruth, will you marry me?' He got down on one knee and removed a small black velvet box from his jacket pocket.
He opened it and inside there was a white gold, diamond encrusted engagement ring.
Ruth clutched her chest in surprise, and in an attempt to steady herself.
'You're not leaving me then?'
Harry laughed, HER Harry was back, and she fell in love with him all over again.
'Would I be asking you to marry me, if I was leaving you? Ruth it would destroy me if I ever thoughtabout leaving you. I love you far too much. I can hardly breathe when I think about you, I can't speak when I talk about you, now imagine how hard that is in the middle of a meeting with Juliet.'
Ruth let out a half laughhalf sigh as shetentatively reached out and plucked the beautiful ring from it's container and slid it onto her wedding ring finger.She admired the fine craftsmanship of the piece of jewelry and smiled despite her running mascara.
'Oh god yes! Yes I'll marry you,' She joined him on the ground and fell into his open arms. Her tears of sadness were replaced by tears of joy, and her heart beat as if it had a reason to live again.
'I was so nervous, that's whyI've been acting like I have.I'm sorry I neglected you Ruth. I've been thinking about it all the time and I... We're only going to live once, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.'
Ruth rested her head on his broad shoulder, inhaling a shaky breath, and tightened her hold on him. 'I was so sure you were leaving.' Then she removed herself from him and swatted him hard on the shoulder.
He flinched and stared at her quizzically.
'That was for being such an arsehole! Harry you have no idea what I've been going through on account of your behavior!' Her eyes were soft and merry, he could tell that she was joking, well half joking anyway.
Ruth leaned in and kissed him on the lips, the affect she had on him was intoxicating as ever.
When she pulled back, she laughed again, and stood to help him off the floor of the capsule.
He put his arm comfortingly around her shoulders and she wrapped hers around his waist. They spent the rest of the ride staring out at the panoramic view. 'I'm glad you said yes...'
TBC...
A/N: One more chappy to go!
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