The Reckless and the Brave

When Lily woke up a few hours later, still flopped on the bench seat with Jack, she knew exactly what she had to do. She wasn't sure why all of a sudden she knew so clearly, but she did. The thought hit her like a train. All of a sudden, she wasn't scared anymore. She wasn't so unsure that she thought she might vomit. Suddenly, she was totally sure. Suddenly, she felt so secure with her new decision that she had to act on it right away.

She made her way back to the bunks and peeked around Alex's curtain. He was sound asleep and she scooted in beside him as quietly as she could. He stirred just enough to wrap his arms around her and sigh contentedly.

"Ally," she whispered, shaking him just slightly. His eyes slid open a moment later and she was overwhelmed by the love she saw in them.

"Mmm, hi little one," he said quietly once he'd fully awoken. He squeezed her tighter in his embrace and kissed her cheek. She smiled as she felt his stubble scratch her cheek and couldn't help but fall further into his arms for a moment, distracting her from what she'd had to tell him.

"Alex, I've got to tell you something," she mumbled into his cheek a moment later, and she heard him chuckle deep in his throat.

"Go for it," he mumbled, not loosening his grip at all or giving her any room to move away.

"Ally, seriously," she said, and he finally loosened his grip just slightly to look her in the eye. He couldn't help but chuckle a little when he saw the tiny dents his stubble had pressed into her delicate face.

"Alright, serious face. Tell me what's on your mind," Alex said, watching her intense eyes carefully. She hesitated for a moment before speaking and she could see on his face that it made him nervous. Mostly, she was just trying to compose her words.

"Alex, I love you. I never stopped. Not for a second," she said eventually, watching as his eyes went wide. Obviously, that hadn't been what he'd expected her to say.

"You're not just saying that because you think it's what I want, are you?" he asked after taking a long moment to think.

"Is it not what you want?" she asked, obviously discouraged slightly.

"No, no, no. That's not what I'm saying at all. I just want to make sure you're not feeling pressured by anything I've said or done or what happened last night or anything, that's all," he said, and she couldn't help but smile at him. The look on his face was adorable, like a little boy who thought he might be about to get ice cream or something like that.

"It has nothing to do with any of that. It only has to do with the fact that I've loved you for as long as I can remember. I've loved you since years and years before we ever even got together. I've loved you since we were both just stupid and clueless kids who had no idea at all what they were doing. I've loved you since the day we finally started dating. I loved you every single day of those four years, even on the last day. You know how you said you have nightmares about not following me that night? I have nightmares about how fucking stupid I was to even run in the first place. I should had stayed. We should have worked it out," she said, her eyes holding his gaze intensely. As she watched he nodded slowly, obviously digesting her words.

"Marry me, Lily," he said a moment later, and she instantly looked at him like he was absolutely insane.

"What?" she asked, and he sat up in the bunk and took her hands.

"You heard me. Marry me, Lily," he said, kissing the backs of each of her hands. "Make me the happiest man in the entire fucking world and marry me. I've been dreaming about marrying you since I was fifteen, and I think it's about time we make it happen. I don't have a ring right now, but I'll get one. I'll get one because I want everyone in the world to know. I want you to be mine and I want to be yours. Forever," he said, tears forming in his eyes as he talked. Lily stared at him for a moment before her own eyes started to mist over.

"Okay," she whispered, nodding slightly.

"Okay?" he asked, and she nodded again.

"Okay," she repeated, a few tears slipping down her cheeks as she smiled at him.

"I love you, little one," Alex whispered, pulling her back to him and hugging her tightly.

"I love you too, Ally," she whispered in his ear, kissing the side of his neck. He turned and caught her lips with his and kissed her deeply.

"We're gonna get married?" he asked a moment later, and she chuckled.

"We're gonna get married," she confirmed, and at that moment, both of them heard a sniffle from outside the bunk. Lily slipped the curtain open to reveal Jack standing there, tears in his eyes.

"You're gonna get married," he said, his voice shaky.

"The real question is whether you want to be best man or maid of honor," Alex said to him, slipping out of the bunk and taking Lily's hand to help her down. Jack hugged them both tightly and then scoffed.

"Obviously maid of honor. These legs are much too good to waste on a suit," Jack said, kicking both of them up in the air in a ridiculous way.

"Of course," Lily nodded, kissing both Alex and Jack on the cheek and laughing loudly.