A re-imagined scenario after Alicia's wedding at the hotel. Unfortunately, I will only be posting one-shots and no full fledged stories because of university and work commitments. I like to write between everything, so I apologise for the delay in between. My one-shots are most fluff, and happy, because those moments were lost to us in the book, because Will and Lou never really started.

"You want me to what?"

"Keep him company, help him through a few physio exercises. Will is so close to complete recovery. He's itching to get back on his feet."

"Shouldn't a qualified professional do this? Someone…like you, I mean?"

The man, Nathan, shook his head.

"I'm back at the hospital now. The shifts are long, and the work is heavy. I can't come out here every day."

"I—"

"Look – Lou right? Lou, you'll be fine! You've got a good spirit about you. It's exactly what he needs."

I swallowed my last excuse, and simply nodded. I needed the money…and I honestly, how hard could it be?

It was hard. Will was difficult, sometimes due to his health, but on occasion, on purpose I guessed, was horrible just for the sake of being horrible.

He would moan about sandwiches with crusts, and water spotted glasses. It drove me mad. The man was being irritable just because he felt like it.

After days of just putting up with it, one afternoon, unable to take it, I finally snapped. I shouted at him, telling him how inconsiderate and foul he was. I told him that though his condition was out of his control, his behaviour was. And then I stormed out. I was still huffing and puffing and muttering the whole way home.

Will was different the next day. He barely spoke, but he didn't whinge. I smiled, and continued on with my work. All in all, the work was fairly simple, as Nathan had promised. He was around for an hour a day, usually before he began his shift at the hospital, to check on Will, and work him through some of the more vigorous exercises. For the first couple of weeks, he stuck around for the hour after, training me through cool down exercises, and stretches. After he deemed me proficient enough to carry on without him, he left straight after the hour with a smile for me, and a wave for Will.

These hours with Will were torturous but after our talk, slowly transformed into the best part of my day. We would talk about movies, and books, and bag each other out for just about everything. He constantly teased me about my choice of fashion, and I poked fun at his fastidious, controlling nature. He was such a bully at times, that I wasn't sure whether to deck him, or help him.

"Tomato soup, again?"

"You'll drink it, and like it, Traynor."

His eyes narrowed. "When did you get so bloody assertive, Clarke?"

I narrowed mine right back. "After a certain somebody bullied beyond comfort."

"You've got a lot to thank that man for."

"Oh, yes. Those nightmares were so worth it."

He voice grew small. "Listen…Clark. I'm sorry. I know I was horrible at first. I still am, I know." He laughed. "But thank you…for sticking around."

The smile I gave him return barely contained the happiness that threatened to burst my fluttering heart. Will's physical health took a turn in August. A good turn, I mean. He was able to walk a metre or two at the beginning of August, which slowly grew to 5, and then 10. The Traynors were overjoyed, though it seemed that no amount of ice could thaw the ice that had grown between them. They were cordial, and polite, but hardly in love. Being around my parents my whole life had taught me that love was warm, and selfless. I would remember my father taking care of my mother when she was sick, fumbling around in the kitchen for an hour preparing what appeared to be poached eggs and bacon. I would remember my mother holding my father and stroking his hair after lost the job at the factory. The Traynors were so obviously far away from that dream.

Will met me out in front of the castle in the morning, and we went for a walk across the grounds. He was still slow, occasionally stumbled, and required a stop or two along the way, but otherwise, managed to hold his own. He hummed during the silences. He was in a good mood.

"Something got you particularly happy this morning?"

He nodded, and smiled again. Gosh, what was up with him? "Something like that."

"What is it? Go on."

"Alicia is getting married."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"You're happy about that?"

"Oh, yes."

"Are you sure this isn't one of those delayed responses or whatever? I'm not going to find you cutting her face out of all your photos one evening, am I?"

"And subject you to the clean-up and psych examination following that? No, of course not. I'm just…happy that she's happy."

"And you?"

"I'm happy as well." He glanced over and smiled. "Really. I am. But that isn't really the question here."

"Oh?"

"I need somebody to take me. I haven't got my licence back yet. They won't give it back until I've passed a few more examinations. Until this twitch subsides, I'm stuck. Nathan can't, so…"

"Of course." I kept my face trained forward to keep from smiling.

"Great. But, Clark. Wait." He stopped, and placed his hands into his pockets. Suddenly, Will Traynor was fidgeting. It was so unlike him, I was close to laughing out loud. This must have been what he looked like when he was nervous.

"Will?"

"Clark…this job will be the last for you. Since I've been back on my feet, I don't really need the extra assistance anymore."

"Oh."

He waved his hands in a manner that seemed to be reassuring. "We'll arrange a severance package, and prepare a great reference for you before you leave. Either way, I'm taking care of you. For what you did…I couldn't thank you enough."

I swallowed. "I knew it was coming…I just…forgot, I guess."

"I'm sorry…I wish-"

I brightened. "Don't be. I knew it was coming. Now my only worry is finding a fabulous dress for that wedding of yours. When is it again?"

I had lied to him, of course. The evening I went home, I was a wreck of emotion. I had grown so close to Will, so attuned to his needs, his conversations, our proximity, that being away felt like being a sailor away at sea. The job hunting went well, and I secured a steady paying job at the local pharmacy, packing pill boxes and unwrapping merchandise. The work was so mundane, that some days, I routinely imagined stabbing myself in the eye just to feel something. Will still kept in touch, by email at first, and then shaky handwritten letters when the strength in his hands improved.

The evening of the wedding, I drove up to the castle after what felt like months. Will…looked like Will. He looked bulkier than before, brighter also. Colour had rushed back into his skin, and his hair seemed shinier. I wore a blue lace swing dress, and had managed my hair back into a French twist. His nod of approval received an embarrassing blush in return.

The ceremony was especially long, but Will kept his patience in check, and I followed his lead. The vows were a little soppy, but incredibly sweet. The crying bridesmaids were what I couldn't understand. It wasn't that bloody emotional.

Alicia's reception was just as grand as the ceremony. The open bar was especially generous, enough to make up for the paltry servings of food that were given. It was what my uncle Rupert would have called, "rabbit food."

I was halfway through my third champagne, when I spluttered, spraying Will, and the guest he was speaking to, with a big mouthful of bubbles.

"I'm supposed to be driving." I was already feeling dizzy. Bloody hell.

"Some kind of employee, you are."

"There's a hotel just down the street, dear. Here." She offered a shiny card with the word, "The Lodge" flowered across them in red words.

"Oh, no. I'll sober up. Or we can catch a cab…or…"

Will shook his head, still smiling. He held out his card. "We can take the hotel. Make the booking. Pass my details along."

"I can pay my half." I fumbled around for my handbag in vain.

"We'll dock your pay, whatever it is, just go and book it."

The libations increased in number and strength over the night. With nothing to hold us back, we took down one bottle of whiskey, and half a bottle of tequila before we were lead out of the marquee. The hotel waved in front of us like the funniest mushroom mirage. The bewildered receptionist barely stuttered out a hello before we were passed out on the carpet. The next thing I remember, we were being dragged up to the room by two burly men.

I threw up a lot of the drink, and then cleared out of the bathroom for Will to unload. The giggling had subsided by the time he collapsed next to me.

"My tongue feels furry. Like a cat's tail, or something."

Will laughed, hard. It rumbled through his chest, and met his eyes. "See that light up there? I've finally realised that it's just the one light. I was thinking in the plural for so long."

I didn't find it particularly funny, but laughed anyway, until my chest hurt. Sometime later, music started to billow through the room, a muffled kind of sound from next door. Some classical piece I was sure Will could identify.

I sat up off the carpet, and offered him a hand.

His body was steadier than mine, and he held me close while we swayed. It felt good, being held like this, being taken care of. Patrick had only wanted sex and exercise. Not necessarily in that order. Will was more. He was so much more.

"Will?"

"Mmmmm." He was stroking my hair, and had his eyes closed.

"I don't want to go." I was whining like a child. I buried my head in his chest. I barely cared. He felt so warm.

"Go where?"

"Away from you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"But I am."

He released me, and staggered back a few steps. "Where?"

I waved my hands about. "I'm fired, remember?"

He seemed relieved. "You're not fired."

"I've been let go. Whatever."

"Lou—"

"No Clark?"

"I miss you."

I blinked. And then he stood three steps forward, and took me again in his arms. His face hovered inches from mine, his lips lowered down, so close to my own, I was sure my lips were quivering.

"Wait, you're drunk Will." I stumbled back a few steps, shaking my head. I knew he wasn't. Those eyes were as focused as ever. They were sure. Determined.

A tear slipped down my cheek. And then he was there, his hands either side of my head, his body close. He kissed that tear away; gently, tenderly. I breathed, and buried my fingers in his hair, letting the knot in my stomach slip loose. He kissed my other cheek, my lips, my eyelids. The fire in my stomach reached a climax when those lips met mine, and I nearly fell apart. The kisses grew stronger, more urgent. His lips ran over my skin, whispering my name, sending my heart into a frenzied beat. His eyes met mine when he cautiously slid the zipper of my dress down. Those eyes held so much, so much more than I had ever seen. It seemed like it had always been there.

Love.

His lips were back on my skin, his kisses brushing along my collarbone, my hairline, and he was everywhere…and then there was completion.

We lay together after, ensconced, thoroughly sated, so much love. His lips were relentless. He looked at me like I was a dream, like I was glass, so fragile and quick to break. It was there in every touch, every murmur. It was weird, because that was exactly how I felt about him. He was the dream. To think of myself as this man's dream…this incredible, accomplished man's dreams…I couldn't believe it. I could only cup his face, and kiss him as hard as my lips would allow.

That would have to be enough.

"Oh, Clark. If you had any idea what I wanted to do to you months ago…you would have ran kicking and screaming."

I laughed, and turned to face him. His face was glowing, his eyes a buttery hazel by the warmth of the fire. I kissed him, slowly, and then murmured, "I'm not too sure about that."

"You definitely wouldn't have given me a look-see at those breasts."

I shoved him. "Please. You wouldn't have even looked at them if you had the choice."

His smile softened. "I know. I was a jerk. The accident changed so many things. I thought my life was over, and then it got better. Much, much better."

"Oh, yes?"

He shifted, and moved on top of me again. My hands reached up to his face, and stroked his hair. He closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Why did you want me Will? Why me?"

His eyes flew open, and then he leaned down close. "You make me heart beat wild, Clark. You make the whole world spin, with all those crazy dresses, and insane energy, I'm sure of it. You're everything."

The tears started again. And then, he kissed me, and the night was lost.

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