Unexpected

I will always be waiting.

"I don't know if I'm going back, Ville."

The words that Ville dreaded hearing the most after a week in Pennsylvania. They hung in the air, looming, until she finally said them outloud. In the past week Marley's father came to after having undergone a coronary bypass graft that saved his life.

As much as Ville offered and slightly pushed he could never get Marley to leave his side for extended periods. She had barely slept at all. It showed on her face, the shadows under her eyes darker than ever. Even at her father's insistence that she go home and get rest because in his own words, "It's not like I'm going anywhere fast."

"I'm worried about you." Marley's father, Ethan, whispered.

"You should be worried about yourself. I'm fine." Marley whispered back.

They were both whispering because Ville was asleep on the small sofa near the window in the hospital room. Ethan took a notice to how Ville nearly never left her side since they had arrived. He respected him for it even though Ville was still just a stranger that showed up with his baby girl.

"Who is this man to you, Klara?" Ethan Stocke inquired of his daughter.

"He's someone I care for a lot, daddy." Klara smiled.

Ville may have appeared to still be sleeping but he had slightly woken up and heard what Marley said and he couldn't help but smile to himself. It was too soon to be exchanging "I love you's" but it felt good to know how she felt. With that said, he fell back into as deep as sleep as the hospital chair would allow.

"Does he care for you the same?"

"Yes, he does. I've never had anyone treat me as well as he has in such a short period of time. Much less after years. I can see how he feels about me every time he looks at me." She beamed.

"You've only been away a week and look at you. Already have a handsome foreigner at your beck and call. Ethan said through a wheezy giggle. "What does he do?"

"He's a musician. A damn good one at that. His band is pretty popular back in Finland."

"I should have known. You've been drawn to music since you were only a baby. But.." Ethan hesitated.

"But.. what?"

"Your trip to Finland was only for a few weeks was it not? What's going to happen when you have to come back?" Ethan asked seriously.

"I haven't the slightest. I told Ville earlier this afternoon that I don't know if I'm going back."

"Why wouldn't you, Klara Leonore?" Ethan asked, sounding disappointed.

Marley knew it was serious when her father used her full name.

"I honestly just don't want to leave you. No trip is more important than you." She whispered.

"My life isn't more important than living yours." Ethan said as matter of fact as he gets. "Me and your mother gave you life not only to love you unconditionally but to watch your grow, find happiness and prosper. Staying here will only clip your wings."

"But dad... your health. I can't leave you like-"

"Like what? Ill? Klara. I've just had a heart attack and had surgery. I'm lucky to be alive. If anything this should prove to you that your life is too short to stay in one place. I have your mother. She will take care of me until I'm healed. There's nothing you can do here. Go. There's two opportunities you'd be passing up, not just one."

Marley fell into a stunned silence. Her father always spoke very matter of factly. He didn't like to beat around the bush and she knew that. Yet she was still taken aback by how he put everything she had been anxious about into a clear perspective. She never passed up her father's advice and she wouldn't start now.

"You're right, dad. I was just so scared of losing you that it sent me spiralling."

"Don't pass up this opportunity, my girl. I'm not just talking about the trip. I haven't even spoken to the boy yet and I can tell you have a deep connection with him. Don't let that go. I didn't. Me and your mother had so many things riding against our relationship and I never gave up. Your grandparents had her set up to be in an arranged marriage for Saint's sake."

'I never knew that, dad." Klara mumbled.

Marley knew her parents met in Romania where her mom was originally from but they never told her about how it came to be besides her dad was on leave from the military and decided to backpack Europe. It was a whirlwind romance and as soon as it was possible her mother was on a flight to meet her father back in the U.S. and she moved in with him at the base. She never knew what obstacles almost ended her parents.

It honestly wasn't much different than how things have been going with Klara and Ville. No wonder they'd taken Ville in stride instead of suspicion.

"They wanted your mother to be with who they chose and to lead your typical married life. No job. No college education, just a stay at home wife. But we both know your mom had bigger dreams than that. That's why she has a masters and that's why she an art studio at the house. You can't let life clip a bird's wings. That's my entire point of this speech." Ethan said through another wheezy laugh. "You are your mother's child. Don't let anything get in your way."

He was right Marley thought to herself. She couldn't pass up what could possibly be. She turned to look at Ville.

He still appeared to be asleep. Beanie pulled over his eyes, arms crossed and legs propped up. She stared at him for a minute and she couldn't help but think he looked like home. He had been through her side throughout this ordeal. Took care of her. Let her have space when she needed.

He was there to hold her hand on the flight. She couldn't just give it up as if it never happened and move back here. There was nothing for her here besides her parents and she and her father knew it.

"I'll book my flight after you're released and we can get you home. I'm not leaving until then, dad. Deal?"

"Deal." Ethan said. They sealed it with their usual pinky promise.

By the time they were done pinky promising Ville began to stretch and pulled his beanie back into the right position on his head and he stood up, stretched and walked up to finally introduce himself properly to her dad.

"Ville Valo, nice to finally meet you, Mr. Stocke." Ville said, reaching out his hand to Ethan.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Valo. We have a lot to talk about." Ethan said through a grin and a firm handshake.

After visiting hours were over Ethan chased Marley out of the hotel room and told her to get rest. Ville wholeheartedly agreed and they both managed to convince her to leave and go to her parents house to sleep. As soon as they walked out of the hospital exit Ville pulled Marley into him with one arm and kissed her forehead.

She felt warm and a sense of happiness every time he touched her.
She didn't want to let that go. She wasn't going to.

Her attitude about Finland did a complete 180 after Ethan gave her one of his famous philosophical speeches. He always knew how to ease her mind and help her make decisions.

She had the tickets for both of their flights booked by the end of the cab ride back to her parents.

When Marley and Ville arrived at her parents house they both immediately collapsed on the bed after changing. Before Marley fell asleep she felt Ville pull her towards him and he held her for a majority of the night while they slept. Right before falling asleep she turned to look at his face for a minute while he was already fast asleep.

She took notice of the how peaceful his beautiful face looked while he slept next to her and finally slipped off into her own sleep wrapped in his arms.