35AN: So.. The last chapter.. I'm a little upset, I must admit xD Thanks to all those who have taken a contribution and read this story during it's course, It's meant a lot to me. Please though, since it's now finished, review?
Also, I got a little bored and made a graphic for the story. The link is on my profile. Enjoy :D
Amber's Point Of View.
It was Duncan's first Christmas. David had taken the period off, the first time since he had started working, or so he had informed me. We were visiting Robert in the Scottish highlands for a few days and it filled me with a great sense of happiness to see him with the grandson who would carry on his family name. Last night, on Christmas Eve, he had fallen asleep in his armchair in front of the fire, Duncan in his arms,
David was the best father that I could ever ask him to be. He devoted every second of his spare time to Duncan, content just to sit and watch him sleep for endless hours. We were extremely lucky, in the sense that he hardly ever cried. And when he did, all we had to do was to pick him up, rub his back a couple of times and his wails would hush. Or, in David's case, just to murmur a few soothing words into his ear. He threw himself whole heartedly into the role with extreme enthusiasm, taking his fair share of getting up in the middle of the night, and didn't seem remotely queasy when it came to nappy changes. I swear, if he could feed the child himself, he'd be more than willing.
The morning after we brought Duncan home, we were all in bed, he was quietly nursing and David was sitting at the opposite end, with my feet in his lap, gently rubbing the soles and ankles, watching with amused interest. I knew that face far too well.
I mock glared at him. 'Don't get any ideas.'
He glanced away, doing the while I'm – so – innocent act as he ran his hands up my calves. 'I wasn't. However, I've just thought of something which makes me a little upset.'
He did look sad, in all honesty. Whether he was putting it on or not, was an entirely different matter. 'What's that?'
'Well..' He slightly over curled his bottom lip. 'They're not my property anymore; they're his.'
I snorted with laughter as he gave a small smirk. 'And to think that at one point, I thought you were gay.'
'Yeah, well those were difficult times.' He slid up the sheets beside me, momentarily cupping the back of Duncan's head in his large palm. He smiled at me, his eyes shining in the sunlight which was streaming in through the bedroom window. 'Want to know something else?'
'Okay.'
'I love you.' He leant forwards and softly pressed his lips to mine.
He was still as randy as ever, don't get me wrong, but now he seemed to accept that his needs weren't quite at the top of the list of my priorities, and he didn't bug me once. However, when it did arise, he practically had 'I'm really, really desperate for a shag' written across his forehead. He was also extremely eager to reclaim his lost territory.
So, naturally, when I woke up this festive morning to find David placing gentle kisses along my neck, I groaned and pushed him away. He chuckled, catching my hands. 'But Amber, It's Christmas.'
I cracked one eye open, his beaming smile and laughter becoming infectious. 'Well then, Marry Christmas.'
'Merry Christmas.'
He still sat upright, waiting for something, a playful smile flitting across his mouth. 'What is it? You attempting to get an early present?'
He shook his head, his longer than usual hair flicking across his face. He really needs to get it cut. 'Nope.'
'Then go back to sleep.' I sighed. The room was in semi-darkness, the only light being a chink of rays around the doorframe. 'It's still dark out. What time is it anyway?'
'Six thirty.'
'And on the one morning which his lordship hasn't woken me up, you do?'
'Uhuh.' He looked dead pleased with himself. I flopped backwards, my hair fanning out across the pillows. 'Oh noo. We're not going back to sleep.'
'Says who?' I narrowed my eyes slightly.
'Me. I have something to show you.'
'Then show me.'
'Well, quite obviously, it's not here.'
'Huh?'
'We need to get up. And dressed, warmly for that matter.'
'Oh, stop mucking about.'
'I'm not.' He grabbed one of my bare feet from under the covers and tickled it. I have extremely ticklish feet. As I squirmed away, shrieking, he surged forwards, placing his hand firmly over my mouth, giggling.'Shh!'
I removed it with my own. 'The quit it.'
'I will if you get up.'
'Why?'
'Just do it.'
'Fine.' I huffed. I'm only doing this because he's now had me intrigued.
'Right.' He shoved a pile of clothes at me, already laid out on a chair. 'Put these on.'
I did so. 'David, what on earth is this all about?'
He took my gloved hand, tugging me towards the door. 'We're going out. But we have to hurry.'
'Wait.' I pulled him over to the cot at the bottom of the bed. 'What about Duncan?'
David joined me at the crib's side. Duncan was deeply asleep, his brow twitching as his eyes moved under his delicate eyelids, his toes curling and uncurling at whatever was in his dream. 'He'll be fine. Dad will keep an eye on him.'
'But, what if –'
He sharply cut me off. 'We won't be gone long, I promise.' His expression softened. 'Really, I wouldn't leave him if this wasn't important.'
I reluctantly followed him out and downstairs, at the bottom step, Tor lay, who pricked up one ear, cocked his head and heaved himself up, his claws clacking on the wooden floorboards.
Robert was in the kitchen, attempting to shove a turkey, the size of a small sheep, into the oven. This afternoon, the rest of the family would be visiting, and being eighteen on them, the bird truly needed to be that size. He looked up as we passed, raising his bushy eyebrows. 'Merry Christmas.' He shared a look with David, at which he turned to me and said 'Don't worry; I'll watch over Duncan for you.'
Outside, the air was crispy and cold, our hot breath curling steam into the early morning setting. A fresh layer of snow had fallen overnight and crunched underfoot as David led me along an uphill, tree shadowed pathway off the main track.
The one thing which I love about Scotland is the tranquillity and serene environment. A white Christmas; perfect. Although the five inch deep snow hindered my walking, David attempted to storm ahead, turning round every so often, walking backwards and encouraging me to walk faster.
He glanced up at the clear, brightening sky, biting down on his lip. 'Come on, or we'll miss it.'
I stopped for a moment, shaking my head. 'It's exhausting.'
'Okay, I'll give you a lift.' He led me over to a convenient tree stump. 'Hop on.'
'Like you'll be able to carry me faster up there than me walking.'
'You underestimate my desire to be there quickly. On now.'
I clambered onto his back, wrapping my arms around his scarf wrapped neck as he grasped me behind my knees. He set off at a pace which I had been certain was impossible, winding up the narrow path.
The surrounding forest was silent apart from the chirrup of the dawn chorus robins and David's crunching footsteps. The conifers glittered with the frozen crystals and slender icicles, some a foot long, glinting from sparse reflected light rays. Occasionally one would fall, gliding through the air with a supernatural gracefulness before shattering into countless shards against the ground with a tinkling tune.
Upon reaching the clearing at the top, he let go of my legs as I slowly slid back to the ground. 'Right. Finally, we're here.' He re-took my hand, leading me out onto the flat space, the other side bordered by a sheer drop.
The rising sun was just peaking above the mountains, its weak beams shining off the ground, creating a dazzling brightness. Far below, lay a lock, its dark, almost black, body creating a stark contract. Its surface was patched between slate and jet colours, factions of ice floating in crazed, jagged patterns. Across the frozen landscape, minute, hard lines of green would show through the almost overwhelming whiteness.
'It's beautiful.' I breathed.
I only received one work in reply. 'Yes.' He very lightly squeezed my hand before continuing. 'Recently, I've realised what I want in my future.'
'Really?'
'Yeah.'
'Tell me then.'
'Well, I'd have a house in the country, but not far from the city. I'd live there with my wife and she'd be small, perfect and breathtakingly beautiful. We'd have four kids, a couple of dogs, a few cats and a donkey in the orchard.'
I smiled, turning to face him. His nose was buried the upturned collar of his knee-length black pea coat, head coked to one side and he was looking at me in a way he had never before, well, to that extent. He looked nervous, bashful, adoring and extremely happy all rolled into one.
He took a deep breath, swallowing deeply. 'Amber May Reeve. I love you with everything that I have, and I will tell you, and mean, that every single day. When you're happy, I'm happy. When you laugh, I laugh. When you smile, I smile and something inside me is irreversibly changed, for life and for the better. You've given me Duncan; the best thing which had even happened to me other than you. I can't imagine my life without you, it would cease to exist. Which is why,'
He drew back, taking his hand from where it had been buried in his pocket, pulling out with it, a small, black, velvet box. 'I want to ask you,'
He knelt down of one knee, his eyes never leaving mine. 'If you would do me the honour of becoming my wife.'
He opened the box, inside was nestled the most perfect ring which could have ever been created. It was white gold, a slender band, the two ends curving around a large, clear cut diamond set in the centre, between two smaller ones which sparkled iridescently in the sunlight. 'Will you marry me?'
Oh my god. He'd just proposed. David had just proposed. To me. He'd asked me to marry him. To spend the rest of my life with him in a life-long undying commitment. David. Me.
David's Point Of View.
Amber stared at me, and for the first time, I was unsure. I had been planning this for months. What words I would say; they had to be exactly right, as would the place be where I said them. I had gotten Mum's rings off Dad, and had them altered slightly; in band side and the extra diamond added in the middle of the engagement. I had insisted on visiting Amber's parents before out trip, to gain her father's permission, which he had thankfully given to me. Ever since we had started dating, Amber had always questioned why I was so hell bent on getting Tony to like me. My reason, which I had never told her, was plain and simple; I was an old fashioned kind of guy, and I would never propose to a woman without her father's blessing. My own Dad was also in on it; I knew that Amber wouldn't have left Duncan unless she was sure than someone capable was looking over him.
And during all of this time, I had never considered what if she said no. I guess that I had always assumed, us living together and sharing a son and all, that she would agree. But now I realise that that isn't necessarily the case. I never thought that rejection could hurt so much; it was worse than ever before. I could feel the hurt flood across my face and I didn't even care enough anymore to hid it.
'You don't..' I swallowed my pride, and as painful as it was, it wasn't a par on the agony of being rejected itself. I stiffly stood up, a fierce sob burning in the back of my throat. I don't care if I cry; I don't see how that makes me less of a 'man', but there is no way in hell that I am going to do so now, especially in front of her.
I slowly nodded, my gaze focused far away on the mountains in the distance. 'You don't.. I understand.'
'David..' She stepped forwards, her palm spread out on my chest, her touch being sheer flaming agony, as if her skin was burning all the nerves in my body into blackened cinders.
'No, you don't have to explain yourself. I understand. Of course I do.'
'David, no..'
Even before, I guess I had had a glimmer of hope. But that was now shot down in a flaming pile of rubble upon the cold, hard ground. 'No. Okay. Please, excuse me. I need some time to myself.'
'David!' She grabbed onto my arm as I turned away and I almost physically shuddered. I just needed to be alone, to think about it all. 'David, please.' The despair in her voice made me glance at her face for the first time. She looked distraught, horrified even, her eyes brimming with tears. 'I mean yes. That came out wrong. I meant that I don't don't want to marry you.'
'What?' I twisted back to face her, confused.
'Ask me again.' She whispered, her brow crumpling.
'Will you marry me?'
'Yes! Yes, I will marry you.'
'Really?'
'Yes, David.'
'Really, really?'
'Yes. Do you want to me to shout it?! Because I will.' She stepped back, threw back her head and yelled 'Yes, David Hamish Grant, I will marry you!'
Her voice echoed through the valley, those sweet words rebounding in my ears and I swept her into my arms, enveloping her into a bone crushing embrace, and she sobbed into me.
'You know, you're not meant to cry.' I murmured, pulling back slightly, taking her face in my hands as I gently kissed them away.
'They're happy tears. Anyway, you're blubbing too.'
'Yeah, well they're happy as well. You have no idea how scared I was then.'
'I'm so sorry. I was shocked. Why, David, why would I ever say no?'
'I don't know.' I nuzzled into the side of her neck.
'David?'
'Yeah?'
'Ring?'
'Oh, yeah, right.'
I fumbled in my pocket, bringing out the box again from where I had shoved it earlier. My hands were trembling as I pulled off her gloved and pushed the small gold band onto her finger.
He face lit up. 'It fits.' She whispered.
'Yeah, generally, that's the idea.'
I was completely ecstatic. She said yes. She said yes. She said YES.
That was the third time that I grinned to that extent. The next time would be on our wedding day and the last four after that was when I held each one of my future children for the first time.
I couldn't help but laugh. Laugh in a way that I had never before, a loud, brash, stomach-aching laugh. It followed Amber's shout through the mountains, reverberating against the rocks.
'What?' She smiled at me, he cheeks still wet with tears, as were mine, whether they were each other's was never known.
'I love you.' I simply said.
That was all it was. Love. A thing which can dominate our lives; something which can complete it and something which can destroy it. And I'd found it in the most amazing, unimaginable, best form possible.
I'd found it in Amber.
THE END.
AN: So, what happened next? My new story, Suffering From Our Parent's Disputes, is a sort of sequel to this one. So if you enjoyed this one and want to know what happened, please go and read it :D Also,Her Dork In Tinfoil Armour, is SBTD from David's complete point of view. ^.^ Once again, thank you to all who have read. - WoodpeckerWho.