A/N: Here is the next update! Thanks for reviews! Hope you're going to enjoy it! :D
„The wedding was a wonderful event. All the people, who gathered to witness it were rapt and for hundreds of years it was believed to be the most beautiful ceremony the kingdom ever held. The prince and the princess were loved by each other and everyone very much, and lived happily ever after."
Lucy closed the book and looked up, straight into a pair of a sleepy brown eyes. Today was one of those days, when she got the chance to babysit Emily, what wasn't happening often lately. She enjoyed to spend time with her friends' daughter very much, she was a wonderful, adorable child and never caused her any problems. She was always eager to stay with the girl, but recently it was mostly Jack, who Sue called first and he was much more often available than not. Not that Lucy was angry at him, because she believed it was good he spent so much time with his child, but she wouldn't mind to pass a little more time with Emily, like she used to before Hudson's return.
"How great it would be if life was as simple as a fairytale..." she sighed, placing the book on the table and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking the girl's hair. "Maybe your parents wouldn't be so blind then and chose to be together, making everyone happy, themselves and you in the first place." she smiled slightly, seeing Emily's look and even was kind of happy she probably didn't understand what Lucy meant, because she would be repeating everything to her mom then, and Miss Dotson was certain that Sue would be upset with her. "Good night, Sweetie."
"Night, Auntie Lucy."
She tucked in the girl, turned off most of the light and left the room wondering, what was happening on the ball. Even though practically, she was a part of the team, for the higher-ups she was just a rotor and in result, wasn't invited to the event. Not that she minded, but this time she wouldn't mind being there. Perhaps she would be able to make something, what would make Sue and Jack spend some time together, encourage Hudson to ask her to dance or whatever would be possible. She didn't have anything to Trevor, she was sure he was a great guy and she would have supported her friend in the decision to be with him if Jack hadn't returned. But he did, and Lucy has always believed that he was the perfect man for Sue, and the time she watched the two being – finally – in a relationship only proved her right. She also believed that Sue shouldn't have doubts, that she should be with the man she married. If she didn't want to do it for herself, then she should for Emily and in time she would see, that it was the best decision she has ever made. If only Sue wanted to listen to her!
Sue looked around the room and didn't see Jack, but she knew he was going to be there. It was one of the first things Lucy told her, when their chat moved to the topic of the ball. She wasn't happy about it; she was putting a lot of effort in keeping Jack and Trevor from walking onto each other, and now they weren't only going to be in the same room for few hours, but she was convinced that also in each other's company. There were no doubts that the team will want Jack to accompany them, he was still considered to be one of them, but she wasn't sure it was such a wonderful idea. She wasn't wrong, and the moment Bobby noticed the man, called out for him to join them. And, because there were two spare chairs at their table, one reserved for Michael, who informed them he was going to be late, and one completely unoccupied, Jack took the second one. Sue only wished she sat somewhere else, because as a result, she ended up sitting with Jack on her left and Trevor on her right.
The evening of course started with all the guests' speeches and by the end, most of the people stopped listening to them. Nobody however dared to speak with companions, and when the last one finally took the place and the pseudo stage was taken out, the actual ball began. The first dance was supposed to be danced by every couple in the room and they all started to get up. Sue, however, froze in shock when instead of turning to her, Trevor offered to dance with Tara, since her partner wasn't present, yet. The rest stared at the man like he just grew a second head, Tara probably the most but he seemed to not notice. Myles was just about to say something, when Sue saw Bobby look at Tippy emphatically, almost unnoticeably gesturing his head towards two Hudsons and the woman immediately agreed, when she realised the meaning behind his look. Sue sent the two of them an angry look, which promised them that she'll deal with them later as she couldn't say anything now without making a scene.
She focused so much on them that she completely forgot about Jack, who was still present at her side and almost jumped and gasped, when she felt him touch her arm gently to get her attention.
"Since your date stole the person I intended to ask to dance, perhaps you'd do me the honour?" he offered her a hand, and could see uncertainty in her eyes for a moment, but then her eyes landed on Trevor and Tara and she took it.
They made their way to the dance floor, Jack purposely chose to find a place close to where Sue's boyfriend was and smiled slyly, seeing the surprise in Hartwig's eyes, when he spotted them. He saw Tara tell something to the man, and was pretty sure that the fire that lit up in his eyes was reflecting a wave of hatred, which he felt to him but Jack didn't care. He didn't know if the man was an idiot, or just chose to abandon Sue, convinced that she couldn't dance; what he cared about was that he has just gotten the chance to spend some time one-on-one with her, and it was passed off to him by her boyfriend himself.
"Does he think you can't dance?" Jack couldn't stop himself from asking and Sue rolled her eyes.
The way he was looking at Trev told her, that it was exactly the same side of Jack, which was always coming up when someone underestimated her. He was always very protective over her, and was getting really angry when someone doubted her abilities. It was actually the side of him, which attracted her to him in the first place. Over the years she's met a lot of people, who weren't able to see past her disability, when they got to know about it. Jack was the first one, who not only didn't care about it, but even showed her that the skills she had thanks to this could work for her advantage and let her achieve a lot. It was thanks to him, that she wasn't patronised but considered seriously. But even personally, he's always made her feel special. Everyone always expected her to adjust to the world of hearing people, and he was the first one, who decided to do the same for her. She knew, that he's started learning to sign for her; he didn't need it and he probably wouldn't even be interested in considering it. Yet, there were moments when this protectiveness was annoying her, and it was one of those moments that she wasn't happy with it.
"Okay, okay, I'm silent." he responded to the look she sent him.
They chatted a little, as the music continued, swaying to the rhythm of music. They had no idea that they were watched by their friends, who wouldn't admit it out loud, but were extremely ecstatic that Trevor acted like the biggest fool of the universe. Even Tara, who had this misfortune to dance with Hartwig, and he turned out to be even worse dancer than she was, constantly stepping on her feet and not even caring to be careful. If only Jack and Sue were going to spend time together, she was willing to make this sacrifice. Bobby, on the other hand, was wondering if those two were aware how they looked like; as if they the world around them completely didn't exist. He knew that Sparky was very much, hopelessly in love with his wife and didn't see a world beside her but what about Sue? With her, no one knew and he suspected that it could be due to the reason that she wasn't sure how she felt herself. It didn't change the fact, that in this moment they looked like the two enamoured people he remembered them to be.
Despite pretending to ignore it, Trevor could see it, too. He could feel anger and jealously raise in him at the sight of Sue, looking at Hudson this way, and him, holding her like this. It wasn't a look, which was supposed to be meant for the person she was keeping a distance from and if he wasn't the person, who she was in relationship with, he would suspect that those two were very much in love. It was infuriating him enough before, the thought that she was spending so much time with a man, who had managed to make her love him so much, that she married him. She was claiming that it was in the past and he was willing to believe her, but in this moment he wasn't so sure it was true anymore.
"I believe you told me you don't dance." he hissed, when they took their seats behind the table, when the opening dance ended. She couldn't hear it, but his anger was perfectly mirrored in his voice.
"I told you that I don't dance much." she answered, feeling herself getting irritated. How could he make her a scene, when it was him, who didn't even care to ask her.
"Or perhaps, you dance only with him." he meant it as a statement, but it sounded more like a question, and seemed to have a hidden meaning as well. Because he also said it much louder than intended, he got an attention from others. Under Sue's deadly glare, they decided to pretend they didn't notice them. She stood up and gestured for him to do so as well, and then dragged him to the side of the room.
"What was that supposed to mean?"
"I remember very well, how I asked you to dance once and you told me a very clear no, and when I inquired why, you told me that you just don't feel comfortable on the dance floor. And he asks you the first time, and you just jump up and go with him."
"The first time? I was married to him, I think it's quite clear that it wouldn't be the first time he asks me to dance. And the truth is, that all you had to do was ask, so stop acting like an idiot! Don't make me a scene, that I danced with him because it's you, who didn't ask me!"
"Of course, everything is my fault. If that's so, I think it's time for me to leave. And you can have as much fun with him as you want."
She was staring at him, her mouth open in shock, as he made his way to the exit of the room. Did he really just made her a scene because of a stupid dance? Yet, under the influence of anger and jealousy, any reason was good when someone didn't really control his emotions. A moment later she realised that he really left, and didn't intend to return. She shook her head in disbelief; it had to be some kind of a ridiculous dream.
She returned to the table, and was glad that her friends at least decided to pretend like nothing happened. She didn't feel like thinking about it now, let alone talk to someone. She shook her head; her boyfriend might have acted like an idiot, but if she was to spend the evening there, she could as well try to enjoy it.