Never

Chapter 12: Bended Knee....

So the day was set. It was a crisp summer's evening, the rotunda just outside our apartment building, was decorated with streams of white lights. Daisies, roses and baby's breath filled the arch ways leading to the round table, lit with candles, centered perfectly in the middle of the shelter. I was nervous as hell, the sweat dripping from my face. I was frantically trying to make every little detail perfect, everything in its place, perfectly centered, or set up. Shit, I felt like Martha Stewart, creating a perfect atmosphere.

I felt like a little bitch. *chuckles*

After a few hours of working vigorously at the moment that could change my life forever, I stood on the steps, just below the opening leading into the body of the rotunda and sighed. I have to admit, I did a damn good job. *smiles smugly* The scene before me set an image of something Jack would always talk about. A perfect picture of the fairy tales she would relay to me, of what her mother and grandmother would read to her, at night, before she laid her sleepy head onto her pillow.
I wanted this to be her fairy tale....

The air was slightly cool, the horizon falling, I knew it was time for me to prepare for my heartfelt speech. Time for me to take down the tough exterior, the wall I had built around my emotions and beating heart and let it crumble completely. It was time to give myself entirely to my Jack. At that moment, I didn't care if I came off soft, or "normal". This was what I wanted, to make Jack forever a part of my life, and this was the way to secure this detail to my life. With a heavy sigh, I adjusted my baby blue tie, and waited.
And then the vision from my dreams appeared...
There she was, dressed in an eloquent gown of light pink. The top of the dress tied gently around her delicate neck, fitting perfectly to her soft curves. She was an angel. My angel. I could see her expression as she rounded the corner, and took in the luminated garden before her. She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wider then I had ever seen them, took in every detail of my hard work. I hid deep into the shadows of the lilac bush, watching her play of emotions.
My heart skipped a beat as I looked at her smile slowly widening.
I heard her speak my name softly, and her eyes roaming the area around the small dinner setting. I waited a few minutes, then appeared, as I always do well, from within the shadows to her sightline. I smiled, and walked to her, my hands taking hers, squeezing. I bent down, and placed a gentle kiss on her heart shaped lips.
"You did this?" Her brows raised.
"Yeah, that big of a shocker?" I Teased her.
"Yes.." She had a twinkle in her eyes, letting me know she loved it.
"I thought I would do something special, just don't get us to it." I smirked, letting her know I was kidding, but still maintaining my tough exterior the best I could under the circumstances.
"Sure Mr. Riddick." She laughed and studied the structure once more.
"Shall we?" I asked as I extended my arm to her, letting her fingers fix around my bended elbow.

I walked her to the center, quietly pulling out her chair, and holding her hand as she took a seat. I sat across from her, smiling, my secret still in tact for the moment. A man, the waiter for the night, along with his help, filed the walkway to our small setting. They brought trays of Jack's favorite food. Penn pasta bake, roman salad, fixed to her liking, garlic bread, and for dessert her favorite. Cheese cake. I watched in fascination as she packed salad and main course away. Never had I seen her eat so much, except the first night we arrived from the hellish planet.
The kid could eat more then I could. *Smiles*
Once the waiter brought the dessert, I summoned them all away for the moment I had been waiting for and dreading those past few weeks. Time to ask for her hand. I took a huge chug of my wine, finishing the last of the contents in my wine glass, and wiping my mouth. I watched as she looked at me with question, then returned to the sweet concoction in front of her.

"Jack..." My voice falters slightly, as my nervousness comes to the surface. She looks up at me, and smiles.
"What's wrong Riddick?" She sees the play of emotions on my face, and her brows furrow in worry.
"I have something to tell you. Or rather ask you." I say as I force my eyes to meet hers.
"What is it?" She asks as she sets the fork down, across her plate, and wipes her mouth, preparing herself for the news.
I take a ragged breath, then push my seat from under the table, and walk to her. "Close your eyes Jack." I ask of her softly. She looks up at me, a puzzle look in her eyes. She finally gives in to shutting her delicate lids, as I take one reassuring breath, I bend one knee, and take out the ring I had designed.
"Open your eyes Jack." I wait, watching as she slowly opens her eyes, her lashes parting to reveal her gorgeous blue eyes. Her eyes widened into saucers as she gazed as my position and then to the small box firmly sitting in the palm of my hand.
"Riddick?" She whispered.
"Jack, you know I love you. I've never felt this way about anyone. No one has ever understood me the way you do. No one has every cared enough to even give me a chance. But you have Jack. You love me. You care. You stuck beside me, even when you knew what I really was. You didn't see the killer, the convicted murder, you saw a man." I take the box and open it, revealing the ring. "Jack...Marry me?" I asked, my eyes locking with hers.
I can see the tears fill her eyes as she looks as the ring, then at me. Her head begins to nod profusely as she laughs and throws herself into my arms.
"YES!" She screams and rains kisses over my face and neck. I sigh in relief and kiss her passionately.
The kiss finally broke, and I finally had the chance to place the ring onto her finger. I held her tight, as she threw her arms around me once more. I looked you to the sky and thanked whatever force was up there, to bring her to me, and to have her now, permittenly in my life.
It couldn't get any better then that....