Samantha tried very hard to listen to Sig as he "practiced" what he was going to say to Natalie. The ring had been picked up and Sig had been showing it to everyone with a pair of eyeballs, asking for reassurance that he'd made a good choice. Samantha's eyes drifted over Sig's shoulder to the Ballard Locks below. Had she realized that Sig was going to need so much hand holding during this entire process she wouldn't have agreed to help.
"Well?" said Sig anxiously. "How was it that time?"
"It was long and boring" said Samantha.
"No it wasn't" said Sig. "It was much shorter, than the time before."
"It wasn't" said Samantha.
"Fine" grumbled Sig. "Let me try it again."
"No" said Samantha. "Not again."
"Why not?" asked Sig. "Do you have somewhere to be?"
"You know I don't" said Samantha. "You asked Natalie to watch the kids, so I could help you with something."
"And you aren't helping at all" said Sig petulantly.
"Just ask her" said Samantha. "You don't need to tell her all the reasons she should do it. If she loves you, she will say yes."
"I just want to get it right" said Sig.
"Well usually people like to be asked, not lectured" said Samantha.
"Fine, what would you say?" challenged Sig.
"I'll show you" said Samantha, standing up.
She moved Sig to the couch and made him sit down. Then she grabbed the ring and walked into Sig's kitchen.
"What the hell are you doing?" said Sig.
"Just getting some props" called Samantha.
A moment later she walked out holding a cup of coffee.
"Every morning I start my day with a cup of coffee, but since I've fallen in love, I can't imagine starting my day without you. Please do me the honor of becoming my wife" said Samantha, bringing the ring out from behind the mug.
Sig was speechless, in all his attempts to find the perfect wording he'd never even come close to what Antha had said.
"Well, fuck" said Sig. "I'm never going to be able to come up with something like that."
"You don't have to" said Samantha with a sigh. "She loves you, all you have to do is get off your ass and ask her."
"She said she wanted to be asked properly" said Sig.
"Yes, she meant with a ring" said Samantha. "Not with some dramatic speech."
"This is harder than I thought" said Sig.
"I doesn't have to be" said Samantha. "Just tell her that you love her and want to spend the rest of your life with her and put the ring on her finger."
"Well when you say it that way" said Sig.
"I'm going" said Samantha.
"Where?" asked Sig.
"Out, for a large glass of wine" said Samantha.
"It's barely 11 in the morning" said Sig.
"I know" said Samantha.
Natalie sighed quietly and shifted slightly in the uncomfortable booth, she was waiting for Chris from Discovery to meet her. He'd called in a bit of a panic and asked if she was available for a quick cup of coffee. He'd refused to give her details but had asked her not to tell anyone that she was meeting him. So here she sat, bored as all get out and getting more uncomfortable by the minute.
"Can I refresh your coffee?" asked the waitress.
"Sure" said Natalie. "I don't seem to be going anywhere for a while."
"How about a delicious piece of pie, cherry is our speciality" said the waitress.
"No thank you" said Natalie.
"Okay, let me know if you want to order anything else" said the waitress with a smile.
Natalie had just finished doctoring up her coffee when Chris approached the table with another man in tow. Natalie stood and the two embraced for a moment before pulling apart.
"Hi" said Chris. "You're looking good."
"Thanks" said Natalie. "What did you need to talk to me about?"
"Sit down" said Chris. "Let me introduce you to Miles, he's from our legal department."
"Hi" said Natalie. "I'm confused."
"We got a cease and desist letter last week from a law firm on your behalf" said Miles.
"My parents" said Natalie. "I assure you it is not on my behalf."
"Well, their legal wrangling is going to cause us some serious issues and if we can't think of a way around it we are going to edit the Northwestern out of the entire show" said Miles.
"Oh" said Natalie.
"This has financial ramifications for the boat, their sponsors and some of their products could suffer because they won't have air time" said Miles.
"What do you want me to do?" asked Natalie.
"Can you talk to them?" asked Miles. "Tell them you don't want to sue."
"The suit is not coming from me" said Natalie. "They are doing it on their own. I don't know what you think I can do against their lawyers."
"We hoped it was really on your behalf and we could persuade you to call off the dogs" said Miles.
"What exactly does the paperwork say?" asked Natalie.
Miles handed her a copy of the document. Natalie took it in hand and began to read carefully. Her face fell and the frown on her face deepened and then she smiled. Miles and Chris watched her changing expressions. They waited with bated breath for her to speak.
"Well, it seems pretty ironclad" said Natalie. "But only if there was a Natalie Moore on the Northwestern."
"What are you talking about?" asked Chris.
"You just need to put my name down as something else" said Natalie.
"Natalie Moore is your legal name, someone will recognize you and want us to correct it" said Miles.
"Oh" said Natalie. "Can you just blur out my face or something?"
"No" said Chris. "It will ruin the whole flow of the story."
"I'm out of ideas" said Natalie.
"It's okay" said Chris. "We'll figure something out."
"I have to go, I'm having dinner with Sig tonight" said Natalie. "I'll call if I have any divine inspiration."
Sig sat gingerly in Natalie's kitchen trying to decide if he wanted to pour himself a drink or run to the bathroom to throw up. His nerves were frayed, he planned on asking Natalie to marry him tonight.
"Sig, I'm almost ready" called Natalie from the top of the stairs. "Can you pour me a drink?"
Sig's hands shook slightly as he dropped a couple of ice cubes into two glasses. Next he spilled a healthy splash of Scotch into both glasses. Picking them up he waited for Natalie at the bottom of the stairs. As he looked up Natalie appeared and began to walk down the stairs. Sig's eyes widened as he took in the sight of beauty. Sig's glass went to his lips and he took a sip of his drink before setting both glasses down on a small console table. He walked up the stairs, meeting Natalie half way.
"You look amazing" said Sig, taking her hand and guiding it down the stairs.
"Thank you" said Natalie. "You look very handsome. I haven't seen you in a suit since Costa Rica. This one looks even better."
"I do know how to dress up" said Sig. "Just not what dressing for dinner meant."
"Well you look smashing" said Natalie, pulling Sig down for a brief kiss.
"You look breathtaking" said Sig.
Natalie picked up her drink from the table and took a deep drink. Sig did the same.
"Well it's time to go" said Sig.
"Okay, where are we going?" asked Natalie.
"It's a surprise" said Sig.
Sig and Natalie pulled up into a small parking lot in front of a restaurant. As Natalie got out she noticed the lot was empty. Sig led her to the door and chivalrously opened it for her. Walking inside Natalie's breath caught in her throat. The inside of the restaurant looked very similar to the beach shack they'd eaten at in Costa Rica. There was a single table in the middle of the restaurant, lanterns hung from the ceiling bathing the room in soft colored light. Sig led Natalie to the table and helped her into her seat. A waiter appeared with a couple of beers and placed them on the table.
"Cheers" said Sig.
"Cheers" said Natalie, her eyes alight with mirth. "What is all this?"
"That little fish place in Costa Rica was the first time I realized how special you are" said Sig.
Natalie smiled in response.
"I wanted to wait for later, but I can't" mumbled Sig. "Natalie, I love you and I want to marry you."
With a bit of fumbling, Sig took out a small parcel wrapped in part of a blanket.
"Where did you get that blanket from?" asked Natalie.
"I found it on the boat when you got sick" said Sig. "The first time."
"Why did you keep it?" asked Natalie.
"Because it reminded me of you" said Sig.
Sig handed it to her and Natalie unwrapped the gift, revealing the ring box.
"Will you marry me?" asked Sig.
"Yes!" said Natalie, gently removing the ring from the box.
She slipped it onto her finger and then stood up. Walking over to Sig she climbed into his lap and gave him a deep kiss. When she pulled back, there were tears shinning in her eyes.
"The ring is beautiful and a perfect fit" said Natalie, once she'd resumed her seat.
"Antha helped me pick it out" said Sig. "She helped me with all of this."
"I'll have to thank her next time I see her" said Natalie.
"Is this the type of proposal you'd hoped for?" asked Sig tentatively.
"I never dreamed of this" said Natalie. "It's absolutely perfect."
Sig let out a breath and relaxed. He signaled to the wait staff to bring out the dinner. He and Natalie ate the same fare they'd had at the little food stall and at the campsite. They even fed each other a few times.
Days later Samantha sat at a park watching Natalie play with Erik and Diana. She'd gotten a call from Discovery asking her if she knew of a way of getting around the injunction. She had an idea, but was weary to tell Sig and Natalie. She smiled as Erik helped his little sister walk towards the swings. Natalie scooped Diana up and placed her in a swing before doing the same for Erik. She pushed both of them until they were squealing with delight.
"They look happy" said Sig, handing Antha a cup of coffee.
"They do" said Antha. "Thanks for the coffee."
"What's this little meeting for?" asked Sig. "You sounded very authoritative on the phone."
"Yes, well, it's important" said Antha.
"Is something wrong with Edgar?" asked Sig.
"No, this has to do with you and your fiancé" said Antha cryptically.
"Did she change her mind?" asked Sig suddenly.
"God! No! Just try to be patient" said Sig. "Edgar will be here in a minute to play with the kids and then I'll tell you."
"Why are we even at this park?" asked Sig. "Is this something that couldn't be said at your house?"
"My kids needed to get some energy out and Natalie suggested a park" said Antha grumpily. "Why don't you go play, you seem like you could burn off some energy."
Sig huffed but went to join Natalie and kids at the swings.
Hours later Natalie and Antha sat on the couch at Sig's house, holding two sleeping children. Antha had tried to explain her plan but was constantly interrupted by requests for food and drink, most, but not all, coming from her children. Finally the group decided to pick up a pizza and head to Sig's house. Once fed and watered Diana and Erik fell asleep and the group could talk.
"I don't understand" said Natalie. "They aren't filing the injunction on my behalf."
"Your parents don't see it that way" said Antha. "They are going to file it and keep it going until Discovery is out of money."
"So, if you get married now, you can change your name to Hansen and their legal shit won't matter" said Edgar.
"I guess that's fine" said Natalie. "I wasn't really keen on a huge wedding or anything."
"Your brother wants to be there" said Sig.
"What?" asked Natalie.
"When I started this whole thing, I asked him if what Nicole said was true" said Sig. "He said he wanted to be invited to the wedding, when we had it."
"Well, that sort of ruins the cloak and dagger aspect of you getting married" said Antha.
"Oh, Jamie wouldn't say anything to my parents" said Natalie.
"What about Nicole?" asked Sig.
Natalie looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.
"She's busy getting her career back on track" said Natalie. "There is no reason to bother her with this."
"You don't want your sister at your wedding?" asked Edgar is shock.
"It needs to be small and it needs to be done now" said Natalie. "Nicole is never one for small and she is never timely."
"Point taken" said Edgar with a smirk.
"I need to call Jamie" said Natalie. "As soon as he gets here we can get married."
"You need to get a marriage license" said Edgar.
"And a dress" said Antha.
"And a place for the reception" said Edgar.
"And a honeymoon" said Antha.
"All I need" said Natalie, cutting off the two. "Is right here."
She leaned her head onto Sig's shoulder and he gently dropped a kiss on her forehead. Antha and Edgar looked at the couple, small smiles spreading across their faces.
The private room in the courthouse in Seattle was small but well appointed. The justice of the peace stood in front of a wooden podium and quickly married Sig and Natalie. Antha and Edgar stood as their witnesses. Jamie had walked Natalie down the small aisle before standing with Norman. Natalie wore a simple white dress and Sig wore another well tailored suit. Natalie stopped to file the paperwork to officially change her name before heading out to lunch. Once the paperwork was filed Samantha happily called Discovery and told them the good news.
Later that night Sig and Natalie laid in bed exhausted from the days events.
"So do you think your brother is going to tell your family?" asked Sig.
"No" said Natalie. "He's going back to France and continue his search for the perfect burgundy or whatever it is he's doing now."
"That's good" said Sig.
"They'll find out when the lawyers see that Discovery has gone ahead with the show" said Natalie. "But it won't matter."
"It will matter if they come after you" said Sig.
"I'm an adult and I've been on my own for a long time" said Natalie. "They will be upset, but there is nothing they can do about it."
"I love you" said Sig suddenly. "I wanted to do all of this properly."
"We've done it" said Natalie. "It's done, we're married."
Sig leaned over, wanting to say more. Natalie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him on top of her. Her mouth sealing against his, stopping any further talking.
The first episode of the Deadliest Catch season had aired to rave reviews. The newest pseudo greenhorn on the Northwestern was thought to be an unknown family member. Natalie Hansen was a great addition to the show, her storyline was exactly as Antha had predicted. Of course the Moore family had tried to fight back and were successful in keeping Nicole from being featured in the show at all. However, just as Natalie had predicted she was barely recognizable on the boat.
The End