Chapter 7: Protection

Grillby walked into his home after running a few errands in town and he leaned against the door, feeling the papers that would become official once signed in his vest pocket. In his hand was a velvet box that held a gift that he was hoping Emma would like. He bit his lip, feeling afraid she'd reject his proposal of marriage, but he shook away that notion. Surely if he said it was for her safety, she'd accept? Not only that, he did truly love her.

"Daddy!"

That familiar cheer made him look up and he smiled at seeing Lilly rushing towards him, her arms wide open and the biggest smile on her face. Smiling, he kneeled down and caught her as she jumped at him, standing up as she hugged him. "I missed you, Daddy," she said.

Grillby chuckled. "You saw me at the restaurant and yet you missed me?" He asked teasingly, tickling her sides and making her giggle.

"Yes, because I love you, Daddy," she said, kissing his cheek in a daughterly way.

He kissed her forehead in affection, feeling blessed to have such a wonderful daughter. "Where is your mother?" He asked.

"She's in the study," the little girl said. "Daddy, can I watch a movie?"

He chuckled. "Did you get all your homework done?"

"Yes, Daddy. It's in my backpack," Lilly said.

"Then I believe you've earned a movie."

After getting her set up with one of her favorite movies, Grillby went to find Emma, who was in the study and writing something in a ledger. She glanced up when she heard footsteps and smiled. "Hey, handsome," she said. "Let me write down this final figure real quick and then we can hug."

He smiled and saw her quickly write down the figure before getting up and going over to him, hugging him and kissing him deeply. He returned the kiss eagerly, loving the way she melted in his arms when he gently ran his tongue over her lips and she opened her mouth, their tongues entangling before they gently broke away.

Emma leaned on him and smiled. "Welcome home, Handsome," she said.

He grinned. "If that's the welcome I'll always get, I'm definitely asking you to be mine," he said.

She blinked before it hit her. "You're...proposing to me?" She asked.

Grillby looked a little sheepish. "Not quite how I planned, but...yes." He took both her hands in his. "Emma, please hear me out."

She nodded. "Let's have a seat," she suggested.

When they sat down, Grillby held her hands in his. "Emma, ever since you told me about your family, I've been on guard to keep you and Lilly safe. But in doing so...I'm afraid my feelings for you have blossomed into liking you beyond a friend."

Emma smiled, gently squeezing his hand, which encouraged him to continue. "I went to the courthouse today and saw a couple judges, one of which admitted he had been keeping tabs on you and Lilly as a favor from the judge that had helped you both escape," he said.

She gasped. "So that's what he meant by the records were in good hands," she said, surprise in her voice.

He nodded. "He says he's seen how happy you and Lilly are," he said. "And how Lilly sees me as a father."

The young woman smiled as the fire elemental took a deep breath. "Emma, I officially adopted Lilly today as my daughter," he confessed. "Your judge friend had included the papers with your file in case you had found someone to love you and adopt Lilly as their daughter too."

Tears filled Emma's eyes. "You really adopted her?" She asked softly. "Does she know?"

"I didn't tell her yet," he admitted. "I was hoping to wait until I had asked you something.

The young woman wiped her face as a few tears fell from her eyes. "What did you want to ask me?"

He was quiet a moment. "I want to keep you safe from the cruel ones that hurt you, Emma," he admitted. "And I think there's only one way to really do that. Plus...I've really fallen hard for you."

She smiled. "I did notice that," she said before blushing. "And to be honest, I began falling for you the first time you picked me up and carried me when I was weakened from hunger."

Grillby smiled at that. "The day you were afraid of me was the day you began falling for me?" He asked.

She nodded. "Because you're gentle and loving," she admitted. "I look forward to every morning."

"As do I," he said before pulling out the same velvet box he had had in his hand earlier. "Emma, this is mostly for your safety, but the main reasons are because I can't live without you and I truly love you." He kneeled down before her. "Emma, my beautiful Emma, will you marry me?"

Emma felt tears sting her eyes as she looked at him and saw him open the box to reveal a necklace with a large fire opal pendant. Swallowing, she looked at him and smiled happily. "Grillby...I've been hoping you would ask me," she admitted. "In fact, I dreamed about this a couple nights ago."

He smiled. "What did you say in your dream?" He asked curiously.

She smiled at him. "I said 'yes' and now I'm saying it for real," she said. "Yes."

She reached out to him and he stood up, pulling her into a loving embrace as they kissed before he placed the necklace around her neck and smiled. "What do you say we go tell our daughter the good news about us and her adoption?" He asked.

"That sounds wonderful," she admitted.

They found Lilly in the living room and she was happily dancing to a favorite song in the movie before she saw her mother and father and ran up to them, hugging them. Emma smiled. "Lilly, can we pause the movie for a moment, honey? Your father and I have some news for you," she said.

"Yes, Mommy," the little girl said, going to the television and pausing the movie before looking back at her parents, who smiled as they sat on the couch and Grillby lifted Lilly into his lap.

"Well, first off, your mother and I are going to get married," he said to her.

Lilly's eyes widened in surprise and happiness. "Like how the princess marries the prince?" She asked.

"That's right," Emma said with a smile.

The little girl was super excited to hear that and suddenly had a thought. "Does that mean...those meanies will never come after us again?" She asked hopefully.

"Hopefully they won't, but it means that they can never take you and me away again," her mother explained.

Lilly grinned, liking that. Grillby smiled and decided it was time for the second surprise. "And now for another surprise," he said, making her look at him. "Lilly, you are officially my daughter. I adopted you today."

The little girl's face was filled with surprise. "You...adopted me?" She asked before looking worried. "But...what about Mommy?"

Grillby realized what made this child worried. "I'm not taking you away from her, sweetie," he said reassuringly. "I would never do that. What I mean is that by adopting you, I've legally become your father."

"In other words, Grillby is now your real daddy, sweetie," Emma clarified.

Lilly looked up at the fire elemental. "Really?" She asked hopefully. "My other daddy...can never get me again?"

"Never," her father said soothingly.

The child had tears running down her face as she hugged her father. "I'm glad you're my real daddy now," she said. "Because I've wanted you to be my real daddy for a long time now."

Grillby hugged his daughter warmly. "And I don't regret adopting you, Lilly," he said. "I never could."

That sealed the deal and Emma smiled with tears running down her face a little before Lilly looked at her and saw her necklace. "Did Daddy give that to you, Mommy?" She asked curiously.

"Yes,, he did," the young woman said. "Do you like it?"

"Uh-huh. It's pretty. You picked the best necklace ever, Daddy," the child said.

Grillby chuckled. "Thank you," he said. "I knew it would look good on your mother."

He then turned to Emma and indicated with his head to the bedroom. Curious, she took the hint and nodded, looking at Lilly. "Do you want to continue your movie, honey?" She asked.

The child nodded. "Alright. Your father and I have something else to talk about, so you be good," the young woman said.

"Yes, Mommy," Lilly said.

Grillby smiled at his daughter before setting her down as Emma turned the movie back on and followed the fire elemental into the bedroom, where he closed the door. "There is something that monsters do when they propose," he said, turning to Emma. "They form a soul bond with their intended."

"A soul bond?" She asked.

He nodded. "It's how monsters become married," he explained. "But...I thought you might like a wedding as well."

Emma smiled at his thoughtfulness. "I knew I was falling for a gentleman, but my goodness, you're going to spoil me," she joked.

"I'd gladly do so," he said before taking her into his arms. "Emma, do you trust me?"

She nodded. "I trust you," she said.

Grillby held up a hand and a purple, green, and blue heart was soon in his palm. He handled it lovingly before his own yellow soul came out and the two hearts joined together, seeming to become one as both felt love fill them. After a moment, the hearts vanished back into their owners and Emma opened her eyes, smiling at Grillby and kissing him deeply. "I love you, Grillby," she said.

He returned the kiss, holding her closer. "I love you too, Emma," he said, feeling like the luckiest man on Earth that he and Emma were about to be married.

Looks like they're going to tie the knot soon, but trouble comes in the form of the very people Emma and Lilly are hiding from. How will it go?

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GoldGuardian2418