Always Hers

It felt right, that small weight on his left hand. It was simple and silver, the same one that he had picked up for the wedding that had ended in gunfire over a year before. Those rings had had seen almost as much as they had in the last year. They started in a little shop that he'd found the day that Liz had told him that she didn't want to wait until after Agnes was born. They had survived the chaos of shootout and he'd held onto them that night as he sat with their newborn daughter in the hospital, unsure if Liz had made it or not. Tom had made sure to pack them away for the trip to Cuba, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought of a small beach wedding once things had settled down. They didn't, though, and somehow in the chaos those little rings that he had found in an out of the way shop made it back to D.C. with them and had been tucked away in a drawer in their room for months. One thing after another put it off and off and off until Liz had dragged him across town late the afternoon before to the courthouse and held a slip of paper up in front of him. She'd always known what she wanted exactly when she did, and her smile still left him with a warmth that he'd never found anywhere else.

Tom's lips quirked up at the thought. She'd said it wasn't romantic, but to him it had been perfect. They didn't need a big ceremony or a bunch of onlookers. They just needed them and a promise between them. For better and definitely for worse. Forever. He would love her and she would love him. That was all he needed.

A soft, contented sound came from the bed next to him and he turned to see Liz shifting in her sleep. She looked so peaceful like that and his smile only grew at the sight of the rings back on her own hand.

Blue eyes fluttered open and his wife smiled at him. "Morning."

"Morning," he murmured back and scooted just a little closer.

She wrapped an arm around him, her fingers teasing at the bare skin of his back and he leaned in, his forehead pressed against hers and reveling in the closeness. He could stay like that forever.

Liz had other plans. He saw a mischievous smile flash across her lips before she shifted, leaning over him and he melted back into his pillow as she kissed him. Her fingers brushed down along his ribs and his hands moved to the side of her face to pull her deeper into the kiss. "How much time do you think we have before she wakes up?" she asked a little breathlessly.

Tom grinned and rolled over, bringing her with him and Liz let out a muffled squeak so they wouldn't wake their sleeping daughter in the next room over. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt her smiling through the kiss. "Third time's the charm, huh?"

He chuckled and pressed one more quick kiss to her lips before pulling back enough that he could look her in the eyes. "We've fought hard enough for it."

"And was it worth the fight?"

"Definitely," he answered and she pulled him back down into another kiss. "Don't you have to go into the office?" he managed, hating it even as he asked.

"Just a few more minutes. Cooper'll understand. We're newlyweds."

His smile only grew, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, finding himself staring. She was beautiful. She always was, but there were moments when it hit him that this kind, beautiful, wonderful woman not only knew him through and through like no one else ever had, but she chose him. He had to be the luckiest guy on earth. It still amazed him.

"What?" Liz asked, a hesitant smile tilting her lips.

"Just you," Tom breathed. "I love you. You are everything, you know that, right? You and Agnes are everything."

"I know, babe," she murmured in that tone he knew. She was focused and she always knew what she wanted.

He smiled and kissed her, feeling her pull him deeper, nails biting his skin just a little, and he felt the cool underside of her rings. They were just a symbol. He'd always been hers, even when neither of them would have admitted it. He loved her deeply and completely, to the point that he would have happily drowned in it. He almost had before, but she always kept him afloat. She saved him in ways she probably didn't even know, and he would give anything, pay any price to give her everything he could. To make her happy and keep her safe.

"Tom?" she called him softly, breaking their kiss. "I love you too, babe."

He grinned and she gave him that flirty smile of hers, laughing as she rolled him onto his back, tangling both of them in the sheets all over again.

Notes: I told a friend the other day that all I wanted to do for Keen2 writing was write them being adorable and fluffy and flirty. Then they went and got remarried and gave me the chance. :D