A/N: I apologize for the very long delay. I haven't had any time to write, and have lacked inspiration. So sorry to have kept you waiting!
The newlyweds wake wrapped up in each other, bare except for their glistening wedding rings. Skylar kisses Anna lovingly on the forehead. "Come on sleepyhead, we have a plane to catch."
She yawns and stretches before getting out of bed and heading in the direction of the shower. The hot spray of the water hitting her face wakes her up a little, and she smiles when she feels him get in behind her and start helping her shampoo her hair.
"We're going to be late," she tells him as he takes a bottle of body wash and begins lathering it, massaging her shoulders.
He kisses her neck, "I decided to start the honeymoon early," he says, his voice husky. She turns around to face him and he presses her back into the cool tile, causing her to shiver. She opens her mouth to say something, and is effectively silenced as he hooks one of her legs around his waist. "God, Anna," he breathes into her mouth as their tongues tangle.
They make love quickly, her cries of pleasure echoing off the bathroom walls. And afterwards, they're scrambling to make up the lost time, haphazardly throwing their clothes and toiletries into their bags and heading for the airport. He's wearing a hat and sunglasses, and she's styled her hair differently and put on glasses and a hat as well. They don't sit together on the plane, not wanting anyone to recognize them. Luckily, flights from Portland aren't too crowded, and they manage to make it to their destination without anyone recognizing them. A taxi is waiting in Saint Lucia to drive them to the hotel.
Skylar is surprised when the hotel manager himself is waiting to greet them, and Anna pulls him aside to talk to him privately.
"We need absolute discretion and privacy while we're here," she says, "And I want to be informed of any media presence. The bungalows near ours should be empty, correct?"
"That's right ma'am," the manager says.
"Good," Anna replies, "And we'd like consistency in the staff that handles us during our stay."
"Of course," the manager replies smoothly, "You're paying us to serve you."
They take a short ride to their bungalow, which is tucked privately into a grove of palm trees and has its own beach and pool. The bungalow itself is gorgeous, with a luxurious bathroom complete with shower and Jacuzzi tub big enough for two, a king sized four-poster bed with beautiful furnishings, and a patio overlooking the ocean. They set down their bags, tip the staff, and walk outside to admire the view.
"I'm really impressed with the way you handled everything," Skylar says to Anna.
"I just really want this trip to be about us. I paid a lot of money, and I just want it to be perfect," she replies.
"I thought our parents split the cost of this?" he questions.
"Oh yeah," she says, "They offered, but I couldn't let them. I make plenty of money, and they already helped out with the wedding."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks. "I would have contributed."
"I know," she answers, "But we're about to combine our finances anyway, so what's mine is ours, right?" She takes his hand in hers, squeezing it gently.
"I want you to know that I'm really proud of you and all your success," he says quietly, "But I'll be honest. Sometimes it's hard knowing that you'll probably do more to take care of me than I'll ever be able to repay."
"Why, because I earn more money right now?" she wonders. "You know, that might not always be true. And you do things for me that money can't buy," she clarifies.
"Like what?" he says, moving his hands to her waist.
"You love me," she replies, "And you make me happy." She leans into his touch, sliding her hands up his chest. "And you make me feel amazing."
"And how do I do that?" he asks, his eyes darkening a shade.
"Like this," she whispers, pulling his head down for a searing kiss. He deepens the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers as his hands slide up her back and under her shirt. She's tugging on the hem of his t-shirt when the sound of someone clearing their throat causes them to break apart. They turn around and see a beautiful young woman dressed in a maid's uniform.
"Sorry to disturb," she begins hesitantly, "But I wanted to check and see if you needed anything before my shift ends for the night."
"I think we're good, thanks," Skylar replies, his cheeks flushing slightly as he looks at her. The woman turns to leave and Anna looks up at her husband.
"So, she's pretty," Anna observes quietly, stepping away from him to lean against the balcony railing and looking out into the expanse of the ocean. He comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist.
"She's got nothing on you," he whispers in her ear.
"Oh please," Anna scoffs, "I'm nothing special. My hair is frizzy, I have knock-knees, and I'm way too short."
"You're perfect," he says, nibbling on the shell of her ear.
"You're just saying that because you're stuck with me now," she laughs.
"No, I'm saying that because it's true. It's only you who can't see it. You're beautiful, Anna. Inside and out. And now I'm the envy of every man, because you chose me."
She turns around to face him, pulling his face down to hers before kissing him soundly on the lips. "You know you're too charming for your own good," she teases him, breaking the kiss. "How do I know you're not just acting?"
"How do I know you're not too?" he counters, his eyes twinkling in amusement.
She slowly pulls her tank top over her head, her eyes never breaking contact with his, "Because some things can't be faked."
"Like what?" he asks, his voice dropping an octave as she pulls his t-shirt over his head and presses herself into his bare chest.
"This," she whispers, pulling his head down forcefully and attaching her mouth to his. Their kiss is passionate, and his hands quickly slide down her back and to her hips, lifting her and wrapping her legs around his waist. He easily removes her bra, tossing it to the ground as his tongue delves into her mouth.
"Skylar," she purrs into his mouth as he carries her back into the bungalow and deposits her on the king sized bed. They make love slowly, cherishing each caress and every kiss. For the first time in their relationship, they feel completely alone and free to be together.
As the days pass, they remain mostly lost in their own little world, wrapped up in each other. On more than one occasion, one of the hotel staff walks in on them making love, only to quickly apologize and disappear sheepishly, red in the face. They take some time to explore the island, but are content just to enjoy each other, free of the stresses of the outside world. Neither is looking forward to returning to work and to the hassle and public nature of their lives in Los Angeles.
On the last day of their honeymoon, Skylar wakes to find Anna missing from their bed. He pulls on a pair of shorts and steps out onto the patio to look for her. He spots her on the beach, talking animatedly to someone on her cell phone as she paces back and forth among the incoming waves. He walks down the steps and crosses the sand to where she is standing.
"I was hoping to have a little more time than that," Anna says into the phone, exasperated. "We just got married and now you want me to whisk off to London for three months?" She pauses, "I get that it's an important role, but ant this is my life we're talking about, my marriage." She turns and sees Skylar standing there. "Look, I have to go. I'll call you back later."
"Your agent?" he asks as she ends the call, and she nods. "Listen, if it's an important role, you have to take it. We're married now and we're a team, but I want you to still advance your career, even if it means being apart."
"The truth is," she says quietly, looking out at the ocean, "I don't really want to go. I love this, just being with you. For the first time in a long time, I feel normal. And if I go to London everything will go back to the way it was, except I'll have another ring on my finger and a husband thousands of miles away. Wherever you are, Skylar, that's where home is to me."
He wraps his arms around her from behind, pressing a gentle kiss just below her ear. "I know," he replies quietly, "I feel the same way. But we have the rest of our lives to be together. And we're young, and we still have the freedom to pursue our careers. I don't want you to give that up because of me."
She turns in his arms to look up at him. Her wavy hair is shining in the morning sunlight, her blue eyes bright. She looks luminous. "You're beautiful, Anna. Gorgeous. How did I ever get so lucky?"
She runs her hands down the plane of his bare chest. "I'm the lucky one," she whispers, pulling his lips down to meet hers.
"I love you," they say in unison as the kiss intensifies. He pulls her t-shirt up over her head and is surprised to find her only wearing panties underneath.
"How can I leave this?" she asks breathlessly as his lips descend to her neck, "You're everything to me."
He scoops her up gently and carries her back up to the patio, setting her down next to the pool. He slowly gets into the warm water before turning around and holding his hand out to her, beckoning her to join him. She follows him into the pool, and as she nears he reaches for her, pulling her flush against his body. The rest of their clothing is abruptly shed as they make love, clinging to each other desperately in the summer sun.
Unfortunately, the honeymoon is over all too quickly, and the newlyweds head back to Los Angeles. They have a few days together before she boards a plane to London to film her next movie, and he finds himself with nothing to do suddenly. At first he busies himself by hanging out with friends and doing small projects around the house, but he misses her like crazy. He decides to board a plane and surprise her in London after only a few weeks have passed.
She's given him the name and location of her hotel as well as where the film is shooting, so it doesn't take him long to find the set after he lands. He loves watching her work, especially when she doesn't know he's there. She's just a natural talent, and her easy charisma makes everyone on the set love her. His heart swells with pride as he introduces himself to a few of the crew as her husband.
She doesn't notice him until they take a break from shooting and she walks off the set to get something to drink. "Hey beautiful," he says from behind her, and she turns and launches herself into his arms, thrilled to see him.
"Thank God you're here!" she breathes into his neck. He moves to kiss her but she pulls back slightly. "Sorry," she explains, "I'm on antibiotics for a sinus infection. I must've gotten sick on the plane and it just wouldn't quit. I should be good by tomorrow."
"I don't care," he replies, capturing her mouth with his. She sinks into the kiss, wrapping her petite arms around his waist. A few of the crew hoot and whistle at them, and they reluctantly pull apart. "I'll see you back at the hotel later, ok?" he asks, and she nods, returning to work.
She barely has one foot in the door before she's swept off her feet and placed on the bed, his form hovering over hers. They make love for hours, trying to express their feelings through actions rather than words. And after, they curl up into the sheets and talk about their month apart. Skylar is reluctant to leave to return home, but he has several meetings with his agent and some possible projects looming, and he can't stay any longer with her. They promise each other at the airport that the next two months will pass quickly, both knowing it isn't the truth.
Every night they speak on the phone or on video chat, and he looks forward to each conversation. One night about a month after his visit, he calls and finds her looking worn out and haggard. "What's wrong?" he asks immediately.
"I think I'm coming down with something," she tells him. "The hours here have been crazy and I just need some time to actually sleep I think," she reasons.
He's on the set of Ground Floor the next day when he pauses to check his phone during a break. He has a missed call and a voicemail from a number he doesn't recognize. He loads up the voicemail and listens to it.
"Mr. Astin, this is Annette calling from Charing Cross Hospital in London. You are listed as Ms. Kendrick's emergency contact. She fainted during filming and is now in our care. Please call us back at +44 20 3311 1234 for more information. Thank you."
Skylar immediately dials the number and learns that Anna was complaining of feeling tired and weak during the morning, and by early afternoon passed out while filming. When the crew couldn't immediately revive her, she was sent to the hospital via ambulance. The nurse assures him that she's stable and resting now, and that they're awaiting results from some tests they conducted.
He knows she'll probably yell at him for it later, but he boards the next available flight to London, knowing that by the time he arrives she'll probably be discharged and back to work. He hopes that his presence may at least force her to rest a little. When he arrives in London he calls her cell phone, and when she doesn't answer he hails a cab to the hospital. The hospital staff recognizes him as Anna Kendrick's husband, and they don't hesitate to lead him to her room. She opens her eyes just as he enters the room.
"What are you doing here?" she mumbles sleepily, her eyes blinking to focus.
"I got a call that you might need me, so here I am," he replies softly, sitting beside her bed and holding her hand in his. "Have you heard anything yet about why you're here?"
"Severe dehydration," she replies. "I had a touch of the stomach bug last night, but I felt ok this morning and went into work anyway. I must have overdone it."
There's a soft knock on the door and they both look up to see a woman standing there in a long white coat. "Ms. Kendrick?" she asks, and Anna nods.
"This is my husband Skylar," she introduces him to the doctor.
"I'm Dr. Hewson," the woman says, "And I wanted to go over the results of your tests. Actually, I'm glad you're here," she looks at Skylar. "You'll be happy to know that there's absolutely nothing wrong with you, Ms. Kendrick," the doctor explains, "And I'm happy to inform you that you're pregnant. About six weeks along right now."
"What?" Anna gasps, her mouth hanging open in shock. "You're sure?" she questions.
"Positive," Dr. Hewson replies. "Congratulations."
"Wow," Skylar breathes as the doctor disappears from sight. And then it dawns on him that they were careful, and Anna has been on birth control pills for over a year. "How did this happen?"
"Must've been during your visit a month ago," Anna replies. "Remember? I had that horrible sinus infection and you didn't seem to care…" she trails off, her eyes growing wide in acknowledgement.
"What?" he asks, taking in her expression.
"The antibiotics," she states, "They can sometimes render the pill ineffective."
"They what?" Skylar is shocked. "I did not know that." He squeezes her hand firmly. "How do you feel about this?"
"I'm scared, but happy," she replies honestly. "I mean we didn't exactly plan it, but I guess this baby was meant to be, you know? Plus, I'll finally be forced to take a break."
He smiles, kissing the back of her hand, "We're going to be parents," he says quietly. "I'm so happy, Anna. I love you."
"I love you too," she answers as he climbs into the bed next to her, both ready to start the next chapter of their new life together.
A/N: Shall I end it here? I'm thinking yes. Hope this long chapter made up for my crazy hiatus. Real life kept getting in the way!