Secrets of the West Wing

Chapter 28 - Eternal

A/n: make sure to watch the time jumps in this chapter.  

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July 2027

This week was hectic.  No one could ever prepare me for how crazy it would be to run the country and plan a wedding.  And I put a rush on it, wanting to be Emily's wife as soon as possible.  Though Penelope had hired the best wedding planner in DC, she told me six months was the earliest she could make this wedding happen.  Her and JJ conspired to make this the event of the decade.

I begged them to rein it in.  I delegated as much as I could to them, but they needed my input on several things.  Emily was no help because she didn't care.  Every time I asked her opinion on something she said, "I just want to be your wife.  I don't care about the wedding."  I always sighed because I felt the same way.  I didn't care what flowers we had or what our guests ate.  All I cared about was tying myself to her forever.

I had never imagined myself getting married, but when she proposed, it felt right.  I had no hesitations when I told her yes.

January 2027

As was typical for me when I was in a good mood, I was blaring old pop and dancing around the residence, sliding around the slick floors in my socks.  Emily sat on the couch, amused.  Every now and then she would chuckle at how ridiculous I was.

"Come on!" I begged again.  "Dance with me!"

She slunk back further into the couch as if that would deter me.  "I don't know how to dance like this.  I don't even know if you can call this dancing, love," she teased.  I tugged on her arms to get her up, but she wouldn't budge.  I dropped her hands and shimmied in front of her face.  She cracked a smile again, her eyes dropping to the cleavage exposed by the gap in my shirt.

I straightened up and swayed my hips sensually as I walked backwards, hoping I could draw her to me.  When that didn't work, I jumped around and stuck my butt out at her and shook it.  When I turned to face her again, love and mirth poured out of her eyes.

"I love you," she said in admiration.

I smiled at her and shimmied again.  "I love you too, Em," I said through a giggle.  I was so happy with her.  She never made me feel bad for being silly.  Just to see her smile once again, I pulled out every lame dance move I could think of.  I started with the scuba diver and then moved on the lawn mower.  When that didn't work, I tried the disco.

"Marry me," she blurted.  I froze.  I couldn't possibly have heard that right.  But she was biting her fingernail - a sure sign I had heard her right.  My mind raced a million miles a minute, my heart pounding in my chest.  I was certain she could even hear it over the music.

I had never wanted to get married; it was a huge point of contention in my previous relationships.  But breathlessly and without hesitation, I answered, "Yes."  She shot off the couch, immediately wrapping me in her arms.

She buried her nose in my hair, placed a quick kiss on top of my head, and exclaimed, "Yes?!  I didn't think you'd say yes!"

"You've been thinking about this?" I queried.

"Since the moment I watched you walk through those doors."  I swooned, my breath hitching at how sweet she was.  How could I have possibly gotten so lucky?  She tipped my chin up so gently and kissed me softly.  "Wait here," she whispered against my lips.

She rushed off into our room, disappearing from sight.  If she hadn't returned within thirty seconds, I would have gone looking for her.  She couldn't propose and then leave.  When she walked back into the living room, I stopped breathing.  In her hands rested a small, velvet box. Holy hell.  She was serious.