Part III: Family Matters

Chapter: Totally Levin

Margot yawned and stretched, enjoying the feeling of soft linen sheets on her naked skin, and John's scent in the bed. It was the best scent in the world - his masculinity, his aftershave, mint and musk, steel and cotton. She felt his presence in this aroma, felt it as a warmth in her soul, heat in her bloodstream.

Christ, she could spend the rest of her days like this, in their bed, breathing in his intoxicating odor. She was still naked, after last night's rather amazing sex, and she felt blissful, relaxed and… and then she remembered.

John had asked her to marry him! Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn't a dream, was it?

She opened her eyes, and noticed Myers, already fully dressed in his comfy jeans and a T-shirt, sitting in the bed by her side.

"I want to see you waking up just like this, naked in my bed, every morning for the rest of my days." he stated.

Talk about 'Good Mornings!' This one certainly made Margot's cheeks blush.

"It won't always be like this, you know. I'll get old and wrinkled."

Myers shrugged. "I don't care. I'll love you even when we're both old, wrinkled and toothless."

"And demented?"

"Then, too. You've got my soul, you know. Getting old is not gonna change that."

Christ, the things that guy could say! Margot felt suddenly breathless, and high headed.

It was then, that she noticed he was holding a small jewelry box in his fingers,

"The ring?" she asked with a faint voice.

"And the proposal, If you let me."

Margot blushed, the heat of her blood reaching her cheeks.

"You don't have to, you know. I already said yes."

"Please, you asked for me to do this properly, and that is my intention." He turned to take something from the nightstand, a coffee mug, and handed it to her. "But first - I made you coffee, you want some?"

"Bribing me with coffee to make sure I still say yes?" Margot made a small, nervous laughter as she accepted the mug, and took a sip. Oriental coffee with ground cardamon - her favorite. He sure knew how to please her.

There was a nervous look on his handsome face, and he cleared his throat. His hands seemed to shake slightly, as he held the jewelry box, and turned it around a few times before speaking up.

"I could tell you that I love you, but you already know that." he began, his voice slightly hoarse. "And I could tell you that you've changed my world, and that I can never live without you again. It's all true, but you know that too. So, I wanted to tell you something you do not know about me, before you give me your final answer."

"I've already given you my final answer."

"Please, can I… can I just finish?"

"Sure. Sorry." Margot breathed, and hid her smile.

He gave her a glance, his beautiful, blue eyes full of emotion she couldn't name. But she was not about to pry his thoughts, not on a moment like this. Silently she waited for him to continue.

"There has always been this... emptiness in me, ever since I lost my parents when I was a kid. You can relate to that, I know. How it feels to grow up, without the one thing, that's supposed to always be there for you, to always help you no matter what. I didn't have that, and neither had you, though for very different reasons."

"But when I met you… this void inside of me… it has begun to fade. I realize now, that even if I never knew what happened to my parents, it wouldn't matter. Not any more. I have you, and you fill my heart and my soul, you complete me on a way I never thought possible, and that is all I need."

He opened the small jewelry box, revealing a beautiful golden ring with a rather large diamond. Margot glanced at it, and suddenly she was moved to tears.

"This was my mother's ring. I've kept it, all these years, to give it to my future wife." His voice was suddenly thick with emotion, and his cheeks blushed. "Margot, would you do me the honor of accepting it, and wearing it, as the symbol of our love?"

"Yes, I do." Margot breathed, and offered her hand.

His hands slightly shaking, Myers placed the ring in Margot's finger.

"Do you like it?" he asked, and Margot heard how his voice faltered, nervous.

"Oh, I love it, John. It's beautiful." she breathed. "But really, it was your mother's ring… are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"Are you sure you want to take it?"

"Yes."

"So there is your answer. It's yours now."

She was silent for a little while, observing the beautiful golden ring in her finger. It fit like it was meant to be, like it was designed for her.

She had an engagement ring in her finger. It felt surreal, like she was watching herself from somewhere far away, like she was watching a movie and not something that was really happening to her. For this could not be real, could it? Who in their right mind would ever marry her?

She was the one with damaged heart, flawed soul and so many skeletons in her closet that it was hard to keep the door shut.

Bad shit happens to people you care about, she thought to herself. You shouldn't have said yes.

But then, looking up to meet John's eyes - the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen, the look in them nothing but love, and she knew she'd die if she had to leave him again.

Was it really such a bad thing to be selfish, to want something this good for herself? Even knowing she didn't truly deserve it?

"You're too good for me." she breathed, tears in her voice. "Why you love me, I'll never understand."

"Don't." he replied, and took her hand. "Don't you dare to say things like that. You are going to be my wife, and I'm the happiest man on Earth."

Margot cleared her throat, to force the tears away. She took John's hand, entwined their fingers. His mind and his thoughts surrounded hers like a warm blanket, and she reached into it, as a flower turns to sun.

"I know I don't say it often enough, but I love you John. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know it."

A moment of silence, but a comfortable one. She leaned to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Christ, how much she loved the way his arm felt, his strong muscles under his skin, the warmth of his body keeping her safe. And his scent, cotton and aftershave, it made her head spin.

Was she really this lucky?

How long was this going to last?

A marriage - who was she fooling? How could she ever give him what he needed? A safe haven, a home, a family… and kids. That thought suddenly brought bitter taste to her lips, and she had to get off the bed, to get away from him.

Margot stood up, placing her coffee mug on the night stand. She gave him a glance, as he stood up too and stretched his divine body. The lean, hard muscles of his arms and his torso moved under his skin, under the T-shirt, and she caught a glimpse of the bare skin of his abdomen. Jesus, it was enough to make her aroused!

Lust - that she knew. But love? That was a different game.

"I'm gonna take a shower." she said. "You wanna join me?"

"Can't. I'm supposed to call your Dad, remember?"

"Oh, that." Margot hid her smile. "You know, you don't really have to do that-"

"Nonesense. I know it's important to you, besides it is the decent thing to do. He is your father, and I'm to be your husband. It's time we have the talk."

"The talk?"

He shrugged. "The 'man to man' talk."

Margot raised an eyebrow. "The feminist in me is somehow offended by that."

But he gave a small, endearing laughter. "You and your inner feminist can go and take that shower now. I love you both, you know."

"I know." Margot replied with a smile.

Though I'll never understand why.

Myers waited until Margot had disappeared into the bathroom, and he heard the water running, until he picked up his phone and dialed the number of Dr. Heinemann's office.

He answered almost immediately, he always did.

"Stefan Heinemann."

"It's John Myers." he cleared his throat. "Can I have a moment of your time, Sir?"

A long sigh, that told Myers just how much Dr. Heinemann didn't want to spare his time with him.

"Alright, John. What is it?"

"Um… It is about Margot, I-"

"Margerie? What about her? Is she alright?" The older man's voice was instantly full of concern, which didn't go unnoticed by Myers.

This was where it all came down to - the fact that they both loved Margot and wanted the best for her. They might not agree on what it was, but they had the same goal. With this in his mind, he felt encouraged to continue.

"She is perfectly fine, Sir. That is what I needed to talk to you about, actually-"

"So, go ahead. Spit it out already."

Okay. Spit it out. It's not like he can kill you over the phone.

"I have just asked her to marry me, and she has accepted."

A silence on the phone, one that seemed to go on for a long time. An uncomfortably long time.

"Sir?" Myers finally had to ask. "I am calling you to ask if you could give us your blessing."

"My blessing?" his voice was dark and pointed. "What do you need that for?"

"I don't, but it means the world to Margot."

Dr. Heinemann snorted. "She does what she wants anyway, with or without my consent. If she's decided to marry you, it hardly matters what I say or think about it."

"It matters." Myers replied. "You know this, Sir. She values your opinion and your guidance, above all else."

"And yet she's decided to give her heart to you, against my advice."

Myers was silent for a short moment, gathering his thoughts.

It would do no good to get annoyed, it would only make things worse. Besides, he could totally understand why Dr. Heinemann didn't think too highly of him. He had broke Margot's heart - twice, from his point of view. What kind of a father would not want to protect his daughter from a guy like him?

"Sir, I understand that you do not like me, and I understand that you feel Margot could do a lot better than me." he fought to keep his voice calm. "But it is not a matter of choice or a matter of reason. She has fallen in love with me, as I have with her, and that love is the most real thing either one of us has ever experienced."

"Listen, John-"

"Please, let me finish, Sir."

A pointed silence.

"Alright, go ahead."

"I love your daughter, Dr. Heinemann. I adore her, I worship her. And… for some reason she sees something in me too. I owe her my life, she has saved me twice now, and I intend to use this life I've been given, to cherish her. I swear that I will protect her with my life, that I will die for her if it comes to that." he paused for a while, the emotion he felt overwhelming him. "And that should be the only thing that matters to you. Am I right, Sir?"

Myers heard his own heartbeat, holding the phone to his ear.

A long silence, that ended with a resigned sigh the older man finally gave.

"Yes, you are right, John. I only want to keep her safe. It might be, that I have misjudged you."

"Does that mean… that we'll have your blessing?"

"It does. Congratulations, John."

The relief he felt, made his lips turn into a grin. He felt suddenly so emotional it was hard to speak.

"Thank you, Sir." he managed. "I swear, I won't let you down."

"Don't let her down." Dr. Heinemann replied. "If you do, I will kill you."

"Yes, so I have heard." Myers laughed. "But apparently Kat Wagner is the first one in that line."

His reply was greeted with a surprising laughter from Dr. Heinemann's part.

"Ah, yes, Kat. Give her my love, will you, John?"

"I will. And Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"No, thank you. The truth is that Margot is happy with you, and that's something I have wanted for her, for a long time. But we'll talk more in Christmas. I take it you're spending the holidays here?"

"Yes, we are. Until then, Sir."

"Goodbye, John. And please, call me Stefan."