"Thank you for saying yes to my marriage proposal," Dave told JJ as soon as they were both in his car. "I know very well the story we told you was nearly impossible to believe, even with the demonstration."
"I won't say it wasn't," JJ said, as she sat in the passenger seat. "But I love you and if I had told you no, as I told you at the Hotchners I would only have made myself miserable. I was serious when I said I would never marry, never have children, if it wasn't with you."
"I can say the same so I'm glad you feel that way," Dave offered, even as he drove towards JJ's apartment through the sky lanes in order to drop her off. "Plan whatever kind of wedding you want and I'll pay for everything."
"That doesn't seem fair," JJ protested.
"I am very wealthy as I invested wisely and well," Dave told her. "I will not have you going without something you really want just because you can't afford it."
"That's very generous of you," JJ told Dave.
"I want you to have the kind of wedding you want, because unlike normal humans, we'll never be able to get divorced. It's going to be the only wedding you're going to get, so we might as well do it up right."
"I hadn't thought about that," JJ said.
"Of course not, you still have a lot to absorb," Dave said. "Give yourself a break, sleep on it. You can ask me any questions and I'll answer them as best I can. If there's one thing I've learned is that we all pick up things at different speeds and what you were told was earthshattering and I'm well aware of it."
"That's really good advice," JJ decided.
"Your subconscious will work on it while you're sleeping and you might even dream, as dreams are way to help you work something out depending on what it is," Dave said.
"That's really very wise," JJ told Dave.
"Thank you, but I've been around a long time, so I've had quite awhile to absorb human nature. I've always been naturally observant for instance, some people are and I've become something of a people watcher. Besides, you can't live as long as I have and not learn a lot of different things," Dave told her. "I also read a lot and not just history. I've read many scientific articles sometimes amongst other things. New inventions or a cure for some disease are being discovered every day JJ and I do try to keep up, so I don't get behind everyone else who knows these things. That way you don't stick out when somebody asks you about the state of the world or if you like whoever is in office, or who you are going to vote for the when the next elections come up. That kind of thing," Dave explained. "I might be immortal, but that doesn't mean I'm not part of society, even if I have to move around every generation."
"That's really fascinating," JJ admitted. "I'll have to do the same since I'll be immortal too."
"You can do anything you want once you are. You can start your own business no matter what that is or you can keep getting jobs that interest you," Dave said.
"I'll have to seriously think about it," JJ said. "I never imagined that I'd have the capital to start my own business."
"Well, now you do, so start thinking about something you enjoy doing and you can start up your own little cottage industry," Dave said. "It should be something that you have a talent for. A hobby you enjoy in your spare time can easily become business depending on what it is. It doesn't have to bring in enough money for you to live on, but it will keep you busy and stop you from being bored and that's always a good thing, especially for an immortal."
"I'll think about it," JJ promised kissing Dave's cheek, just as they pulled up at her apartment building. "Let's get the wedding planning out of the way, before I even consider what I like to do to keep myself busy."
"A very good idea. You have enough to worry about with planning the wedding, though I'm sure Clare will be glad to help you," Dave approved.
"She would. I could use the help as a lot of little details go into weddings depending on how big a one you want. I certainly helped to plan hers to Aaron, so I'm sure she'd be glad to help," JJ agreed smiling, even as she got out of the car and headed for the front door of her apartment building.
~~~Aaron and Clare~~~
Epilogue
A hundred and ten years later
Dave and JJ disembarked from the shuttle into the airport on the moon. It was there anniversary and they were meeting Clare and Aaron.
Dave and JJ had been to the moon plenty of times in the last hundred years and Dave remembered the creation of the first Moon colonies once they had the technology to create a city on a planet with no natural atmosphere. Dave also remembered when the human had created the second city and he had visited once it was in operation and four more such colonies had followed.
The fact that the citizens of those cities had to live under great domes, because there was no atmosphere didn't matter as humans had created something spectacular for themselves. While Dave or any immortal could visit they couldn't live on somewhere like the moon for the atmosphere was to controlled, not like on earth where one could disappear quite easily. Not so on the moon. They could visit certainly but not live for any length of time.
Visiting was exactly what they were doing as they were meeting Aaron and Clare here to celebrate their anniversary. Dave and JJ had met over hundred years ago and they were happy to celebrate their anniversary with their two good friends Aaron and Clare Hotchner.
"This was a great idea for our anniversary," JJ told Dave. "I'm glad you made the suggestion."
"Really this is where it all began," Dave told JJ kissing her cheek affectionately. "This is where Aaron met Clare and through Clare I met you. The fact that they're also having a showing for an artist that is slowly becoming famous just cemented my decision, since I know you enjoy art."
"You spoil me," JJ told Dave with a smile.
"I love spoiling you," Dave told her fondly, but with twinkle in his eyes.
"I know you do," JJ agreed not bothering to argue with Dave as it wouldn't do any good.
"You know how long I spent looking for my mate," Dave told her softly, as the two of them headed to get their luggage.
"Yeah I do," JJ agreed contemplatively. "I know how lonely you were before you met me and while I understand that intellectually I don't in my heart, because I never experienced that kind of crushing loneliness."
"I'm certainly glad that you didn't experience the loneliness that any immortal does if they are any age at all," Dave said. "You know how old I was when we finally met so I experienced that loneliness for many centuries, longer than Aaron certainly."
"It still amazes me to this day that Aaron met Clare first even though he's much younger then you," JJ said.
"It is not really all that amazing sweetie," Dave told and JJ. "Meeting your mate is always by chance as you know and that Aaron met Clare first isn't as amazing as you believe," Dave continued softly. "The goddess always has a plan for her peoples lives and she was always in control of the situation. She heard my prayers and finally we met through your friend Clare. I have thanked the Goddess every day that we did meet and you agreed to be turned immortal. The fact, that you still have Clare in your life, because she was the mate of my friend, is something I know you're grateful for."
"True, I am," JJ agreed immediately
"Now let us get to our hotel, so we can check in and then we meet Aaron and Clare for dinner as agreed," Dave suggested making JJ nod.
"It will certainly be good to see Clare, as we haven't seen each other in several years," JJ said
"Which isn't really long at all to an immortal," Dave reminded JJ.
"That might be, true but that doesn't mean I haven't missed her," JJ said simply. "All my other friends are either very old or dead. They don't need to see me still looking the same age as a century ago, because I haven't aged a day from the time you turned me immortal."
That was a point Dave admitted silently, as he and JJ collected their luggage and got on the slidewalk, which was the way a lot of people traveled, though there were bicycles with big heavy tires and also some cars but mostly moon crawlers.
~~~Aaron and Clare~~~
Dave and JJ unpacked quickly before heading down to the restaurant in order to meet Aaron and Clare for dinner. This was a different hotel than the one he and Aaron had stayed in a hundred years ago as the Hilton here in Crescent City had been full because of a conference and so they were staying at the Zullo. The Zullo was another five-star hotel that was as popular as the Hilton.
"This city has grown a lot since last time we were here," JJ told Dave.
"Yes, it has," Dave agreed. "But it has been decades since we were here last, so it's not really a surprise that Crescent City has grown so much. Cities must grow and change or people as begin to move away where they can find jobs. The population then shrinks a lot, though city's this big almost never die completely, but they sure can become a lot poorer to where the streets aren't swept and buildings become abandoned. It would take some kind of citywide disaster for a city to be abandoned entirely.
"Like some kind of nuclear bomb," JJ said and Dave nodded a little grimly.
"Absolutely, but let's think about happier subjects and go meet Aaron and Clare for dinner before we're late," Dave suggested. "This is their anniversary after all."
"And I think it's time we had another baby as it's been about thirty years since our last one grew up on us," JJ said making Dave get a massive grin on his face.
"If that's what you want I'll be happy to accommodate you," Dave assured her giving her a long passionate kiss before breaking away. "Now let's go meet up friends before we really are late."
JJ nodded looking dreamy after Dave's kiss and took her mate's hand, as the two of them exited their suite on the top floor of the hotel.
"Let's go, as I'm anxious to see both Clare and Aaron," JJ said, as the two of them walked towards the elevator with Dave pushing the button for the lobby.
The elevator dinged and both of them got on Dave asking for the lobby by voice instead of having to push a button
Elevators were much more advanced and safer in this day and age then they had been in the 20th Century. They were soon exiting the elevator on the lobby level and they headed directly for the hotel restaurant following the signs.
Dave and JJ were soon greeting their friends who were already sitting at the bar having drinks waiting for the Rossis to arrive.
"It's good to see you Dave," Aaron greeted his old friend, "and you to JJ."
"We've already asked for a table and it should be ready in a few minutes, so why don't you too have a drink while we are waiting," Clare told Dave and JJ.
"That sounds good," Dave agreed smiling. "What would you like honey?"
"Oh my usual is fine," JJ said and kissed Dave on the cheek before he gestured for the bartender and ordered their drinks.
The four chatted as they waited for the table to be ready and the bartender delivered their drinks promptly.
"A hundred and ten years sure has passed fast," Clare said in a quiet voice, as she took a sip of her drink.
"Yes it has," JJ agreed, even as she and Clare clinked glasses before both took another sip at the same time.
"It's been an amazing hundred and ten years with you," Aaron said, as he kissed his mate's cheek while Dave did the same thing with JJ. "I am so glad we met that day on the city tour and I'll always be grateful that we did."
"I totally agree with you on that," Clare said, as she and Aaron clinked glasses.
A few minutes later their table was finally ready and they were showed to it promptly and given menus.
There was plenty of laughter and conversation over the next couple of hours as all four of them got reacquainted with each other doing an excellent dinner before the two couples headed back to their different suites to make love for what remained of the night.
