The Risk of Falling

Chapter Twenty-Five: For Love's Sake

A/N: Hi everyone! I know, it's been a long wait and I'm sorry for the extended delay. It started with so many changes that went on in my personal life and then a pretty bad writer's block. Sometimes, you know your story but you're just to sure how to tell it in words that refuse to appear on paper. Anyway, here's the next installment. Hope you enjoy it!

*spoiler alert* Hope you're old enough to read this chapter. =)

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I was groggy on Sunday. 

Typical when you get engaged at three in the morning and don't part with your brand new fiance until sunrise. Since Gramps was staying with me, Luke and I couldn't just go upstairs and 'celebrate'. I may have gotten reckless but I just couldn't do that with my grandfather under the same roof—in the same room since the only walled off space was the bathroom. 

Luke was prepared though. 

First, someone from Cleo's stepped out and handed us a pair of coffee cups and some steaming hot croissants. They weren't even open yet. 

This man, I swear.

Then, a city bus slowly heaved to a stop in front of Cleo's and Luke promised my grandfather he would have me home by sunrise. He might have already prepped my grandfather with all his grand plans because Gramps just gave a knowing smile and waved us off before returning to the apartment.

The bus was empty and Luke and I slipped into the back. We huddled together in a similar spot where we stood together that morning he waited for me by Cleo's before climbing aboard the bus with me. We kissed, we danced slowly to the soulful Norah Jones music playing inside the entire bus and cuddled in the back seat as we sipped our coffee and ate our pastries while the bus took us on a slow, leisurely tour around the city where we met and fell in love. We passed places we've made memories in—from the grocery store to the appliance gallery, the jewellers, the fast-food place, the wharf, Sonic, the hotel. 

There was something dreamlike and magical about that early morning bus ride, wrapped in Luke's arms, surrounded by memories, comforted by his low laughter and quiet kisses, and captivated by the streaks and flares of golden light that filled the dusty windows as the sun slowly ascended to the sky.

"Sleep well, baby," Luke told me with a gentle kiss on my forehead after he walked me to my apartment door. "Tonight, we're going to a small, quiet dinner—just with family and friends—to close your birthday and maybe tell them the good news."

I grinned. "They'll freak out. You know that, right?"

"And some are going to try to change your mind," he said with a frown, a fierce light flickering in his eyes. "I know it's crazy, Max, but I've never been more sure of what I want than I am now."

"I know you are," I assured him because astoundingly, I just felt it. It didn't make a lot of logical sense but now was the time to trust my heart a little bit more—and the man I was giving it to. "Don't worry, Luke. I'm in for the long haul."

He pressed his lips tightly, his forehead touching mine. "You're not always going to feel that way."

I didn't want this beautiful morning we spent together to end on an angsty note, with more doubts than certainty about a life we decided to spend together, no matter how quickly that decision happened.

I tipped his chin up so he could look me in the eyes and said softly, "When that happens, I'll tell you and you're going to do something about it to remind me why I'm with you. Why, despite all the potential heartache and pain, I took this risk with you. And I expect that you'll do the same thing when it's my turn to screw things up."