Ruby Redfort Fanfiction: Look Into His Eyes And Take Your Last Breath

One Shot Numero Dos

YES BOOK SIX WARNING THIS CONTAINS CLUBY SPOILERS
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Ruby and Clancy sat on the oak in Amster Green, staring up at the sky lit up with stars, their breath forming misty clouds in the cold night air.
"It's kinda funny," Said Ruby to Clancy, "how everything in my life has changed so much in one year, yet here we still are, sitting on the oak like nothing has happened."
"Yeah," laughed Clancy, "it's not like we've almost died like six times, or had run ins with two deadly criminals or had been hired by a secret agency." Ruby chuckled along with him.
"This time wasn't as..."
"Conclusive?" Offered Clancy. Ruby nodded.
"I know the case is closed and everything, but LB..." Clancy placed a freezing finger on Ruby's warm lips,
"You brought him back Ruby. It was the best thing you could have possibly done for her."
"Bradley died without his memories." Argued Ruby, "He didn't know he was, or even who we were, really. It felt untimely." Clancy sighed,
"Aren't all deaths untimely Ruby?" Ruby fell deep in thought, turning the revelation over in her mind.
"I don't think so. Sometimes it's just a relief for the people who are suffering." Clancy smiled sadly.
"And you mean to say Bradley wasn't suffering?" Ruby lapsed into silence again. Suddenly she leaned over and put her head on Clancy's shoulder,
"No matter what, you've always stayed the Clancy I know. And to me, that's what matters." Clancy looked affronted,
"Do you mean to say I haven't changed? I faced the Count, swam with a sea monster, followed you to the wolves, got involved in a dangerous high wire act, got bitten by a snake and tried to save you from Morgan and I'm still the Clancy you know from last year?" Ruby flashed him a wink,
"The very same one I know and love. Don't worry Clance, I'm just jesting." Clancy dug his elbow into Ruby's stomach.
"You're a pain in the ass sometimes." Ruby raised an eyebrow as high as possible.
"Language, Crew." Clancy swatted at her again before they settled down and stared at the constellations.
"So that's Orion's Belt?" Clancy asked, pointing to a formation of three stars in the night sky.
"Yup." Clancy frowned,
"It's nothing really special is it?" Ruby snorted,
"It helped me get into the Prism Vault, I'm not complaining."
---
They had sat there for what felt like mere minutes (it was two hours), just enjoying this great tree which had stood the test of time and the elements, gazing up at the never changing sky.
"Don't you ever just want to run away from it all Ruby?" Asked Clancy, out of the blue. Ruby shifted so she could look at him,
"From what Clancy? I've got nothing to run from." Clancy huffed,
"Don't you ever just want to get away from it all? Just find somewhere quiet and..."
"Settle down?" Questioned Ruby, aghast, "Never! You know me Clance, I like the crazy life, the vida loca." They were quiet again,
"We could do it, you know." Said Clancy, "Pack our bags one day, go off on a vacation." Ruby smiled. "We'd find someplace exciting, the Bohamas, Chicago, San Fransico, Hollywood, I don't know." Clancy continued hurriedly, "And we'd spend our nights under the stars, like tonight, and eat dinner at fancy restaurants, and go to theme parks and eat ice cream. And we'd get married there, in the Avenue of Stars, or under the Washington monument, and we'd come back to Twinford a couple weeks later and return to full Spectrum duty." Clancy looked down at Ruby, who was staring at him, mouth slightly open in surprise. He grinned, "We'd have cute babies, no?" And suddenly, he kissed her. It was almost too quick for Ruby, it was the fastest thing he'd ever done in his life, which was saying something. Clancy started climbing down the tree, his feet and arms finding the spots unconsciously after many years of the same route. He jumped the last few feet and dusted himself off. Ruby finally had the words to ask,
"What was that for?" Clancy winked dramatically and pointed to his watch.
"Welcome to 1974." He said, and sure enough, Ruby's Baker watch read 12:02.
"Now how did I miss that?" Wondered Ruby aloud.
"I haven't the foggiest idea." Said Clancy, "But hey, it's the new year, anything can happen." He jumped on his bike. "See you tomorrow Rube!" His smile lit up his face and Ruby suddenly realised he had dimples. "Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year Clancy!" Ruby called back. Clancy had only pedalled a couple of meters before Ruby shouted, "You better have not been lying about going someplace exciting in the future." Clancy looked back.
"I wasn't," he called back, "I meant every word of it." And he cycled off into the night. Ruby climbed down the tree and walked back to her house. Hitch opened the door for her as she came in. He was wearing a sweater with the words,
'Welcome to 1974 bozo!' Written on it.
"Nice." Ruby complimented.
"Compliments of Mrs. Digby." Said Hitch with a handsome smile. Ruby noticed the lipstick marks on Hitch's cheeks and held in a snicker of laughter.
"Getting up close and personal with LB were we?"
"Nonsense." Said Hitch smoothly, "You and I both know she's only got eyes for Bradley. Anyway, you've been busy yourself, having a nice smooching session on the tree out there."
"Who's having a smooching session?" Asked Brant Redfort, entering the hallway.
"Oh we were just talking about Elaine and Nile Lemon's wedding." Covered Ruby. Brant nodded,
"Oh boy those two are quite a handful. I'm going outside to get some wood, hold the fort, would you Hitch?"
"Of course." Said Hitch. As soon as Brant Redfort was out of earshot, Ruby hissed at Hitch,
"How on earth did you know? Are you watching me?" Hitch winked, the second time someone had done that to Ruby in ten minutes.
"I see everything kid. I see everything.
---
Ok I've got it in my head that Hitch is gonna be the only one who knows about Ruby and Clancy, and he's gonna be the one who is watching, or figures out what happens in all the one shots. I know this one was sort of like the last one, but I like the idea too much to care.