Ah so this is it, this is the end. Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you've enjoyed the story. This is the first story I've written outside of school essays and stuff and it surprised me how much I loved every step of it, but the best part was seeing such a warm response from you guys. I've never considered myself good at writing and I'm so critical of everything I put up so to everyone who read and especially to those of you who reviewed, thank you and I hope this is a deserving final chapter love you all :') x x x
The morning sun streamed in through the bedroom window, picking up the golden highlights in Lauren's hair. Joe smiled to himself as he snuck out of the room and grabbed his keys.
Half an hour later, as he poked his head around the door, she was still sound asleep. He tip-toed over to the bed and carefully climbed back under the covers. Her eyelids fluttered sleepily as she shuffled towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling her head into his chest,
"So, you noticed me sneak out?" Joe chuckled
"It was hard not to," she whispered drowsily, "you made enough noise to rival that of Joey when he's drunk."
"I was being so quiet!" he gasped indignantly.
Lauren smiled and opened her tired eyes, blinking as they adjusted to the brightness,
"Maybe I just have superhuman hearing," she giggled.
Joe raised his eyebrows, "Oh, really?" he smirked, "so I'm dating a superhero, am I?"
"Mhmm, looks like it… and you're the damsel in distress."
Joe laughed and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his palm lingering on her face. He leaned in and kissed her slowly, savouring in the soft smooth texture of her lips,
"I've got a surprise for you," he whispered.
Lauren bit her lip with excitement and her eyes bulged wide,
"Wait here," he instructed.
She sat up, her face aglow with anticipation. Joe couldn't help but roll his eyes at the childish gleam in her eyes. He left and returned a minute later holding a red handkerchief, which Lauren immediately recognised as her Taz headband from Starship,
"Joe, what…"
"Sshhh," he hushed, "just go with it."
She shut her mouth as he gently tied the material around her head, blindfolding her. Then, taking her hand he pulled her up. She gasped slightly at the movement and clung to his arm, her small fingers digging in to the hard muscle,
"Lo relax, I'm right here."
She stumbled slightly as she made her way out into the hall but Joe steadied her each time. He led her though to the living room, stopping in front of the sofa. He leaned down and kissed her lovingly on the cheek before letting go,
"Joe?"
"Ok," his voice now came from behind her, "you can look now."
She reached up and pulled the bandana off, looking around, confused.
"What…" she began, turning around. She felt her knees go weak and her heart began to pound - Joe was there in front of her, down on one knee, holding a small royal blue box open in his hands,
"Lo, it took me 4 years to build up the courage to ask you out, because I'm an idiot. Each day you amaze me and each day I find myself falling in love with you even more. when you're with me, I feel whole, you are my soul mate and life without you wouldn't even be a life worth living, so… will you Lauren Elizabeth Lopez, marry me?"
Lauren felt the words catch in her throat as her eyes welled up. Time seemed to slow down and everything felt surreal,
"… I can't," she stuttered eventually. She saw Joe's face pale and felt her heart tighten painfully. She reached for him, but he moved away from her, rejecting her touch. He looked down at the little blue box in his hand, turning it over and over,
"I thought we were ready for this," he sighed, "I guess you're not."
"No… Joe wait," Lauren begged as he began to turn away, "I want to marry you, more than anything I want to be your wife and I want us to grow old together… but, there is something you want, that I can't give you…"
Joe stopped and looked around at Lauren, who was shivering wearing nothing but his oversized t-shirt,
"Lauren all I want is for us to be together."
"You want kids," she stated, a tear escaping from the corner of her eye.
"Well… yes, someday," he responded, "but that day doesn't have to be for a long time."
Lauren shook her head, "no you don't understand. Joe, I can't… give you kids," she whispered.
His face creased in confusion as he tried to understand, "I don't…. Lo, what are you saying?"
She took a deep breath, "At my last hospital appointment a couple of weeks ago, they told me that… that I couldn't have children," she paused to wipe her cheeks, which were soaked wet with tears, "the doctors said that the wall of my womb was penetrated by the knife and caused an infection, damaging the reproductive organs."
She looked down, her hands shaking as she spoke in a small low voice, " I didn't even know I wanted kids until the option was taken away from me and now… now everywhere I go I see parents with their children… and knowing that I'll never have that…."
Suddenly she found herself engulfed in Joe's arms as he held her close, "Joe I don't want to take that part of your life away from you," she sobbed.
Joe cradled her into his chest and stroked her back soothingly, "but Lo, if I don't have you, then I won't have anything at all. I love you and nothing's going to change that."
"But, we'll never be able to have a baby."
Joe hesitated before answering assuredly, "Maybe not the most straight forward way, but there's always adoption or surrogacy... We'll find a way, when the time is right."
He felt her head nodding into his chest,
"Lo, does anybody else know?"
"Julia," she croaked, "I told her last week. I know it was unfair and selfish of me to keep it from you, but I was scared."
"You should have told me, I could have been more supportive and you wouldn't have had to deal with it alone."
"I thought you'd leave."
"Never. I could never leave you. That's why…" he stated nervously, pulling back from her and taking both of her trembling hands, "I'm going to put this question forward again… Lauren Lopez, will you please marry me and make me the happiest man alive?"
She stared up at him in astonishment, "Still?"
"Always," he responded sincerely.
"Joe, are you sure? What happens when all our friends start having kids and…"
"I've never been surer of anything in my life. I love you and having you in my life is already more than I ever deserved," he interrupted, now brushing her hair back from her face and gazing into her beautiful dark eyes.
"Then, ok," Lauren sniffed, her lips curling into a smile, "yes I'll marry you."
Their lips crashed together passionately and Lauren squealed as Joe swung her up into his arms and spun her around. He stopped suddenly and placed her down on the couch. He snatched the small blue box from the table and opened it excitedly. Inside a delicate diamond encrusted silver band gleamed and winked as the light was reflected. Lauren felt her breath catch as Joe removed it carefully and took her left hand, sliding the ring onto her finger.
"It's perfect," she smiled, glancing up at her new fiancé.
"The perfect ring, for the perfect girl," he replied, before taking her face in his hands, no longer able to restrain himself, and kissing her.
"BATMAN…" they chorused, punching the air in true Starkid style as the confetti began to fall. The Starkids stepped forward, waving to the fans as the band continued to play. Lauren's eyes met Joe's from across the stage, smiling broadly as he winked cheekily at her,
"Thank you," she called out distractedly to the screaming audience, her eyes still locked with Joe's. As they walked off stage he caught up to her and whispered low in her ear, "my bunk? Thirty minutes?"
She smirked and nodded, "don't tell Julia though."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
'Go raibh mile maith agat' - that means 'thank you a thousand times over' in Irish and I mean it from the bottom of my heart x x x
(I might do a sequel yet, you never know, I have ideas ;))