keeper [rick flag]

Chapter 28

"Are you sure you're going to be fine?" Ryland asks, pulling back from the hug.

June nods, laughing at her sisters over protectiveness.

"yes. I'm going to be fine. It's London, not Antartica" She says, chuckling.

Ryland laughs, nodding at her words.

"Okay. Well, you call me if you need anything. Or if you find something interesting. I'll be right here" She says.

June nods, grabbing her suitcase and giving Ryland one last hug.

"I promise" She says as she pulls back.

"Love you" Ryland says, watching as June walks away.

"Love you too!" She hears June say back as she walks into the airport doors, her suitcase trailing behind her.

Ryland smiles at her sister.

"You take care of mom for me!" She shouts jokingly, hoping that June heard her.

June raises a hand into the air, acknowledging what Ryland just said.

Ryland laughs, shaking her head and turns around, climing into the car.

"You said your goodbyes?" Rick questions as he looks into the airport at June, who is making a line.

Ryland nods, and turns back to look at him, entwining his hand with hers.

"yeah. I said goodbye. Hopefully she can get by on her own" She mutters, looking back at the airport.

Rick nods, kissing Ryland's hand as he pulls away from the airport and starts to drive away.

"You know she will, she's strong. Like you" He says, smiling at her.

Ryland turns to look back at him with a smile.

"I know. Hopefully she finds someone that can keep her happy. Like you make me" she says, scrunching up her eyes at him and smiling happily.

Rick laughs, resting his hand on her thigh as he continues to drive.

"SO... where to now that this is all over?" Rick asks, as he turns a corner.

Ryland smiles looking at the landscape around her, trying to think to think of something.

Then she turns back to look at Rick, who is smiling.

"How about..." she trails off, and then looks forward, finally realizing where she wants to go.

"Let's go Home"

____

Three months later.

"Rick, I'm going to the market. You want something?" Ryland asks from the apartment doorway.

Rick looks up from his computer at Ryland.

"No, I'm fine Ry. You go ahead" he tells her, offering her a small smile.

"Okay. Love you" She tells him before Rick hears the clicking of the door, signaling that she is gone.

Rick waits a moment, and then slowly closes his laptop, looking at the apartment door suspiciously, as if she was going to burst through the door at any moment.

When he's certain that she's not coming back, he stands up, walking around the desk, pulling open a drawer and grabbing the box inside it.

He hears panting, and then the clicking of nails against the wooden floor, and he turns around to geet Milo, their dog.

The fluffy Australian Shepherd stares back at him, panting happily as his blue eyes scan Rick.

Rick leans down, smiling at him as he pets him.

"What do you think, buddy? Not too flashy?" He asks as he opens the box lid and shows the contents to the dog.

Milo whimpers, a sign that tells Rick he wants to be petted again.

Rick laughs and ruffles his hair, his head turning to look at the box.

Then he chuckles and shows Milo the ring.

"Let's just hope she says yes" he jokes as he puts back the ring, closing off the drawer and grabbing Milo's stuffed animal from the floor.

"You want to play buddy?" He asks him jokingly as he throws the stuffed animal across the room.

Milo launches himself for it just as the front door opens, revealing Ryland.

"What's going on here?" She asks playfully as she sees Rick and Milo playing.

"We're just playing" Rick then frowns "What happened, weren't you supposed to go to the market?" Rick asks as he stands up from the crouch he was in to look at Ryland.

Ryland shrugs, putting her bag on a chair.

"I was going to go. But I was halfway there when I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I came back" she says as she plops down into the couch.  Then she cocks her head to the side as Rick sits down besides her.

"Why. Did I miss anything?" She questions as she lays her head on Rick's shoulder and snuggles closer to him.

Rick puts an arms around her and kisses the top of her head, watching as Milo plays with his stuffed animal. He smiles to himself, glad that this is now his future.

"Nope. Didn't miss anything at all"

_____

Waitttt there's one more chapter and then an announcement, pleas don't skip it!!!