A Happily Ever After Gal

Juliette knew the possibility of it—Nick had asked her before, after all—but she didn't realize how happy it would make her.

Pairing: Juliette/Nick, Rosalee/Monroe
Rating: teen
Warnings: Fade-to-Black Sex Scenes
Tropes: Canon Divergent – Adalind Never Comes Back, Canon Divergent S03E17 Synchronicity, Wedding Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Words: 1,556
Original Release Date: 29 July 2020

Juliette was still smiling from her little giggle fest with Rosalee after Rosalee had headed back to the changing room to get out of her wedding dress. Her grandmother's wedding dress. It was beautiful and very white for being a vintage garment. It fit Rosalee well, and if that's what she wanted, Juliette wasn't going to say anything otherwise.

She just knew something like that wasn't for her. First off, because she didn't have her grandmother's, or even her mother's wedding dress, but also because even though she wasn't some fashionista, she wanted a more modern looking dress. Like the beautiful white, strapless A-line near the mirror. The ruching and crystal details sparked daydreams of what it might be like to walk down the aisle toward Nick.

She also knew that she'd told Nick that one wedding at a time was enough, but she could help think back to the night before and the ring waiting in his sock drawer. Maybe getting engaged now wouldn't be so bad. They wouldn't have to start planning a wedding immediately, after all.

The door opened and Rosalee was dressed in her regular clothes and holding a mauve garment bag over her arm. "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

Juliette looked longing at the strapless dress she'd held in front of her a few minutes ago, then turned and said, "Yes. Why don't we pick up some lunch on the way back to your house?"

* . * . *

It was cold and raining heavily when Juliette finished up dinner. It was just some meatballs and spaghetti but it was something that she and Nick both enjoyed. She'd tossed together a garden salad as well and was just putting the last few dishes on the table. A loud rumble of thunder rattled the windows as Nick came down the stairs.

"Looking great," he said and stopped a few steps away from the table.

Juliette smiled and looked up at him, "Really? Spaghetti?"

"No, I was talking about you," he said. She could see a blush just starting on the tops of his cheekbones. He'd changed shirts from what he'd been wearing earlier but she hadn't heard him take a shower yet. Instead of the brighter red polo, he'd donned a burgundy button up—one she'd complimented him on several times. She really liked that shirt on him.

Juliette laughed a little and said, "Ah... what's going on?" She tipped the wine bottle up and started pouring a glass.

"It's funny you should ask," he said. He cleared his throat and turned. She could tell he was nervous by the fidgeting hand in his pocket and the way he was vaguely starting to pace. "Because I was thinking that, now is as good a time as ever to, umm..."

Juliette watched as he looked at the floor to gather his courage. "To...?" she asked, drawing out the word. She set the wine bottle down and rested her hands on the table so she wouldn't fidget too. She didn't know if she was helping him or making him more nervous. She was relishing every moment of this, though. She felt both in the moment and out of it and hoped she'd be able to remember this for the rest of her life.

Because she knew what he was going to ask.

And she knew what she was going to say.

"To ask..." he said, pausing again. He pulled the engagement ring out of his pocket and held it up to her. It sparkled in the dim light of their dining room. "Juliette, will you be my wife?"

"Yes."

With all they'd been through, she wasn't surprised to see a hint of relief in his eyes the second after she answered, but the smile immediately after that was all she could hope it to be. She knew her own smile was wide and toothy. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him to give him a hug and a kiss.

The kiss was followed by another and another, and Juliette let her hands play on Nick's shoulders and down his chest. In between kisses, he reached up and grabbed her hand to slide the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly, just like she remembered when she'd found it originally. It had been a long two years since that day, and they'd had some rocky times, but they were still here, still together, and they were going to make it.

Their kisses grew more heated, and by mutual agreement, as they were climbing the stairs to their bedroom, they decided that dinner could be reheated.

* . * . *

Juliette wanted to show off her ring and share her news with all of her friends, especially Rosalee, but she also thought she wanted to wait until after Rosalee and Monroe's wedding to tell her. She didn't want to take Rosalee's thunder, as it were. So when the four of them got together for dinner later in the week, Juliette decided—and mentioned to Nick—that she wasn't going to bring it up unless they noticed the ring and brought it up themselves.

She should have realized how observant her friends were.

After a delightful gourmet-quality meal from Monroe and Rosalee, Rosalee casually asked, "So, when were you going to mention that ring on your finger?" she only glanced up at Juliette before continuing to eat the deliciously tasty souffle that she and Monroe had whipped up.

"Oh," Juliette said; she could feel a bit of heat rushing to her cheeks. She set down her spoon used her right hand to fiddle with the ring on her left. "Well, I didn't want to take any attention away from you guys."

"You could only do that if the two of you got married at our reception," Monroe pointed out, gesturing at the two of them with his spoon. Nick, Rosalee, and Juliette glanced up at him. "What?" he said, shrugging and spooning another bite.

"Well, we're definitely not doing that. One wedding at a time," Juliette reassured them. "Besides, we haven't talked about a date or if we even want a big wedding. Maybe we just want to go to the courthouse." Even as she said it, she knew Nick would call her own it. She may not have spoken directly about getting married but they'd watched enough movies and TV shows together than Nick knew how dreamy-eyed she got at wedding scenes.

Nick raised his eyebrows at her and smirked after he finished his bite of food. "Your mother would have something to say about that."

"And I saw how you were eyeing those wedding dresses the other day," Rosalee added, grinning.

Juliette smiled and canted her eyes coyly towards Nick. "Yeah, maybe I do."

Monroe set his fork down and slid back his chair. "I think I've got a bottle of champagne around here that will go with dessert," he said as he started standing up.

"No, we don't need—"

He bent down and opened the new wine cooler they had installed in the kitchen. His head and shoulders disappeared behind the door. "Nonsense! Of course, we need some champagne to celebrate with," he said. "Aha!" He pulled a bottle from the cupboard.

Rosalee got up and set out four champagne glasses. Monroe popped the cork with practiced ease, poured, and handed them each a glass. He set the bottle on the counter behind him and held up his own glass. "Congratulations, Nick and Juliette, to your wonderful engagement! May it be as easy and agreeable as ours has been." He said the comment with a straight face but his eyes betrayed his teasing. Nick, Juliette, and Rosalee laughed and tinked their glasses together.

"Thanks, guys," Nick said after they'd all had a sip.

* . * . *

That night in bed, after a playful round of lovemaking, Juliette and Nick were sort of snuggling. Not quite ready to sleep, they were facing one another on their sides, with their faces very close. Juliette was enjoying mapping each line and curve of Nick's face. His eyes were closed but his fingers were still gently sliding back and forth along the top of one of her hands.

"What are you thinking about?" Nick asked, without opening his eyes.

Juliette hummed in thought before saying, "That I'm so glad you finally told me everything. I was so worried that I'd lost you when you closed off after Aunt Marie died. And then the coma and not remembering you. It's been a long, bumpy ride."

Nick smiled and opened his eyes, then looked into hers. "It's probably going to always be a little bumpy with me being a Grimm. Are you sure you're up for that?" His smile slipped somewhat and Juliette could see the worry hidden in his question.

She pressed forward to kiss him gently, feeling the prickle of the beginnings of stubble. She relished in the way it scraped lightly at her upper lip and the way he pressed back against her. She did worry that what he did was dangerous, even more so than when he was just a cop, but as long as they kept confiding in one another she was absolutely certain that everything would work out. When she finally pulled away after their languid kiss she smiled. "We are a team, and we'll handle anything that comes our way."