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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 23, 2013 2:11:05 GMT -5
Damian stood with Darla and Saoirse after the show, his arms around both of them as the throng of people grew bigger and bigger. Georgiana was nearly fifteen feet away and shaking hands with everyone, but she kept glancing over at Damian to make sure she didn't leave.
The flowers were held tightly in Georgiana's hand as she was greeted by everyone.
"You did an amazing job!"
"Fabulous, absolutely fabulous!"
"Extraordinary, they can't say anything bad about it!"
"A revolutionary idea, Ms. Thompson."
"This is one for the ages, Georgie!"
"What are you doing for your next collection?"
Georgiana knew she had to answer the questions and reply graciously, though the only praise that she even cared about was the huge smile on Damian's face as Georgiana made her was toward the group. Damian was grinning alongside her, though Saoirse and Darla were nowhere to be found amidst the group.
She thanked everyone for coming, enjoying the rush of the praise as she realized that Damian wasn't going to move. "Thank you everyone so much! We have a reception afterward at Club Thirty which is a few blocks away. It's casual, so please go dress down and then come join us for some dancing and fun - courtesy of me!"
Georgiana finally was able to walk toward her family, catching both Darla and Saoirse in her arms as they ran toward her. Georgiana could hear the murmurs behind her as people saw the girls. Georgiana never talked about her personal life, but they had all assumed she only had one child. A few looked curiously at Damian, noticing the similarities, but they said nothing on their way out of the venue.
Georgiana put the girls down and moved to hug her father. "I'm so proud of you," Henry whispered into her ear, "that was really something special."
She blushed but hugged her father tighter for a few seconds. "Thank you, Dad, I couldn't have done it without you."
Henry shrugged and just smiled proudly, "It was your talent, kid."
Georgiana finally turned to Damian, who was standing and staring at his feet, a small smile curled the corners of his mouth. "What about you," Georgiana asked, gently pushing Damian's shoulder, "you like it?"
Damian laughed; his eyes flashing as he finally looked up and met Georgiana's eyes, "I did. You were amazing all those years ago, but you're even better now."
Georgiana pressed her lips together and grinned, eventually getting over the momentary awkwardness and pulling Damian in for a hug. "Thank you, you have no idea how much that means," Georgiana's breath washed over Damian's ear, causing the taller boy to shiver.
Damian held Georgiana for a few seconds, allowing his hands to feel the muscles and the dip in Georgiana's lower back while trying to keep his mind in the place it should be. She pulled back a bit, her hands still burning from the heat of Damian's skin, "Friends?" she asked with a slight quirk in her smile.
Damian nodded, "Friends." He swallowed thickly as he realized just how close he was to Georgiana. His blood boiled when he looked at the girl. He knew his skin was probably flushed red, but he would blame it on the bright lights if anyone asked.
Georgiana untangled her arms after a few more seconds and let out a giggle. "I can't believe it went that well! Everyone was so good!"
Everyone congratulated her again, and she just leaned against the runway.
"I'm happy it's just all of us," Georgiana said, grinning at everyone, including Melina and Keith who had just returned with champagne.
Keith handed the champagne flutes to Henry, Georgiana, and Damian while Melina gave ginger ale to Saoirse and Darla. "To Georgie," Henry said first, "who made an amazing show that everyone will be talking about for years."
Georgiana grinned and looked down, embarrassed.
"To Georgie, for bringing my family back together," Melina said somewhat shyly.
"To Georgia for letting me see the other side of the country and introducing me to someone really special," Keith shot a quick smile to Melina before lifting his glass toward Georgiana.
Georgiana simply lifted an eyebrow at the two but said nothing.
"To Mommy!" Saoirse and Darla said together, giggling.
Damian made sure Georgiana was looking at him, "To Georgiana, for coming back into my life in the most unexpected, fashionable, and amazing way."
Georgiana placed a hand over her heart before lifting her own glass, "To the people who helped me get here. Whether it was since I was a little girl, a high school student, or halfway through my twenties. Thank you all, I couldn't have gotten here without you."
They all sipped the champagne, enjoying the finally quiet atmosphere. Georgiana excused herself to make sure everything behind the scenes was going correctly, but she told Damian to wait around.
Damian made small talk with Keith and Melina for awhile before Henry tapped him on the shoulder. "I think I'm going to take Darla back to the hotel. Do you think Saoirse could spend the night?"
Damian thought over it for a moment, "Sure, I mean, there is no harm in it, right?"
"I just want to give them one more night," Henry said honestly.
Damian was confused, "One more night?"
"We are supposedly going to New York tomorrow. We're going home."
Damian's heart sank as he just stared at the older man, "But….but I just met Darla. There are so many things I wanted to show her, I wanted to learn all about her. You can't go back tomorrow…"
Henry shrugged, "I'm sorry kid. Georgiana only got the hotel for so long."
Damian wanted to break down and cry, "You can't go back. Why are you going there?"
"I don't know. Georgiana doesn't have work, but that's where our home is," Henry frowned, "I really wish we could stay too, but Georgie hates living in a hotel."
Damian knew the day was coming, he just hadn't expected it to come with no notice. But then again, he hadn't been exactly talking to Georgie. Sure, they were talking now, but they hadn't actually had a conversation.
Would she let the girls still see each other?
Henry studied Damian for a moment, "You know, it's a shame. I really like California."
Damian nodded sadly, "You could always tell her to move here."
Henry just looked at Damian before grabbing the hands of the two tired girls, "Come on, let's go watch a movie and paint each other's nails. I think I could go for some sparkle." The girls immediately perked up and wanted to go with him.
Damian knelt down and hugged Darla tightly, "I love you," he whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
Darla hugged him back and just burrowed her head into his neck, "I don't want to go back to New York," her voice was sad, and Damian knew she was about to cry.
"We'll figure something out," Damian tried to make his voice seem like it was optimistic, but he knew that it might not work out. Who knew what the future held for anyone in their family?
Damian reached for Saoirse next, "You behave," he whispered into her ear. It was somewhat scary for him because, other than sleep away camps, Saoirse had never spent the night at someone's house before. "And if you need anything call me. I'll have my cell phone on all night, right next to my bed."
Saoirse laughed and kissed his cheek.
Damian watched as Henry took the girls through the venue. He felt a sadness fall over him. He knew Saoirse was growing up and she wouldn't want to be with him forever. What would happen then?
What would happen when Melina wanted to start a family and wouldn't be around to befriend him?
What would happen when Saoirse moved away, went to college, and started her own life?
Would Damian be alone?
Damian was pondering every life decision he'd ever made when he felt Georgiana tap him on his shoulder. "Hello," Damian turned and looked at her. "You changed," he breathed, looking over Georgiana with a smile, "I approve."
"I'll pass your compliments on to the designer," Georgiana said with a laugh. She had changed into a flowy, casual dress, paired with knee-high brown leather boots. Over it, she had a white knit sweater that was slightly loose, but had huge buttons. Her hair was styled very similarly to the way it was in high school - a high, curled ponytail... it was a very casual look on her... something Damian missed.
Damian laughed, "She does have impeccable tailoring."
Georgiana blushed, "So…this reception tonight is in my honor…"
Damian nodded slowly, not catching on.
"And it would be really pathetic if I didn't have a date," Georgiana shifted back and forth.
"Yeah," Damian said nodding stupidly.
Georgiana laughed, "Damian, would you like to accompany me?"
"Yes!" Damian said with a smile, "I mean…" he blushed, "that probably wasn't appropriate."
Georgiana waved a hand, "Don't worry about it. I just don't want to go alone."
Damian's face suddenly fell, "But I don't really have anything to wear…"
"It's a shame you don't know a fashion designer," Georgiana sighed and leaned against the runway. She looked up at him with a small smile on his face. She still wasn't going to give up on him. She could never do that.
Damian realized what Georgiana was talking about, "Do you have an outfit I could wear? I don't really fit model sizes…"
Georgiana looked guilty, "I may have an outfit for you…."
"You planned this Georgiana Thompson, didn't you?" Damian walked forward slowly, "You planned this whole thing."
She blushed, "Guilty."
"Well, you can dress me," Damian shrugged, "work your magic."
Georgiana winked before she realized what she was doing, "Get undressed."
"Here?" Damian looked around and turned pink, "Don't you have a dressing room or something?"
"Oh," Georgiana laughed, "Sorry, I'm used to people being comfortable stripping down in front of me." She realized what she was saying as it came out of her mouth, "Oh! I didn't mean like that. I just meant...models strip in front of me so I can clothe them. Oh god," She buried her face in her hands, "I didn't mean like that."
"Hey," Damian laughed and pulled her hands away from her face, "I know what you meant."
Georgiana was still pink but motioned for Damian to follow her toward the dressing rooms, "You do realize my date has to be amazing, correct?"
Damian swallowed, "Maybe you should take one of the models…"
Georgiana shook her head, "I'm taking you." She sized up Damian before picking a few pieces from the pile of clothes she'd created while thinking of this night. "Here, put this on." Georgiana gave Damian a maroon striped shirt, a darker maroon cardigan, tight black jeans, and motioned for him to keep his oxfords on. "That should do."
"You can feel free to say I'm too ugly," Damian said, his head poking over the top of the changing station.
"You aren't," Georgiana said in a singsong voice. "But hurry up."
Damian dressed quickly and walked out. "I don't really look like any of those models," he shrugged and looked a little disappointed, "Georgie are you sure you want to go with me…your ex husband?"
Georgiana cringed at the word. She didn't want to be reminded of that tonight, "You are my friend Damian tonight."
Those words hurt Damian's heart. He knew that's what he was though. He put on a happy face and nodded. "I will be there to hold your champagne when you have to shake hands with some important people."
Georgiana nodded, "Oh yes. And you'll be there to hold my purse when I try on clothing too, correct? What about getting me drinks? Putting your sweater down when I cross a puddle?"
"It isn't raining."
Georgiana scoffed, "That is beside the point."
Damian just laughed and shook his head.
"Seriously though, the only thing I do ask is that you dance with me at least once," Georgiana pouted a little, "I haven't danced with anyone for years."
Damian got gravely serious, "Well that is a shame, Georgie. You were always an amazing dancer."
Georgiana just grabbed hiss hand and pulled him toward the door and out into the town car. They settled in together, when they both realized it was going to get awkward. "So," Georgiana said with a smile, "How's life?"
Damian laughed, "Georgie…I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I understand what you were trying to do. I don't want there to be hard feelings between us. I want….I want us to be back in each other's lives. I want some sort of stability for Saoirse. She knows you now…there's no going back. You have a way of putting yourself in someone's heart and never leaving," Damian's smile was soft as he gazed over at her.
Georgiana reached over and grabbed his hand, "Damian, I want us to be there for each other like we used to. I want us to be there for our daughters. I don't want to fight with you. I know I screwed up over the years, and I am sorry for that."
"It's over," he said, gripping her hand, "Let's start over, yeah?"
Georgiana nodded as they pulled up to the hotel, "Okay. I think we can do that."
"Good."
They walked together into the room with their arms linked. When the door opened, Georgiana was greeted with applause. It was like Damian had always dreamed. He'd always wanted to be the one behind her as she got all of the accolades. He wanted to support Georgie through everything and now he was finally getting his chance.
"You're amazing," Damian whispered into her ear, "everyone adores you."
Georgiana nodded and accepted champagne, passing on to him. "Just stay by me, okay?"
Damian nodded and tried to smile as best he could with everyone crowding around them.
The night passed in a flurry of excitement as Georgiana introduced Damian to some of the most amazing, influential people in the industry.
"This is the biggest night of your life, Georgiana!" one of the women yelled to her.
"I know! I'm so excited!" Georgiana yelled back, laughing as she danced a little with herself. "Dance with me," she said to him, her judgment a little cloudy from the amount of champagne.
Damian had been with her glass for glass and could feel it in his veins, "Can we wait until a slow song?" he whispered into her ear.
Georgiana pulled back and nodded, a small smile on her lips.
It took some time, but eventually a slow song started playing.
"Dance with me," Georgiana stuttered, "Please?"
Damian nodded and held out his arm. The crowd around the two watched as they danced. No one knew exactly what was going on with them, but everyone could see the spark between them.
Another summer day Has come and gone away In Paris and Rome But I wanna go home Mmmmmmmm
May be surrounded by A million people I Still feel all alone I just wanna go home Oh, I miss you, you know
Damian wrapped his arms around her and they swayed in the club. Most people weren't dancing, but both didn't care. They weren't sure exactly what was going on in each other's minds, yet both knew that tonight might be the last night they have for something, for anything again.
Georgiana put her head on his shoulder and swayed to the music, pressing herself closer to Damian. It was the first time she'd really been in someone's arms in over a decade, and she just wanted to feel it again.
And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you Each one a line or two “I’m fine baby, how are you?” Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough My words were cold and flat And you deserve more than that
Another aeroplane Another sunny place I’m lucky, I know But I wanna go home Mmmm, I’ve got to go home
Georgiana tightened her grip on Damian, "Tonight is my last night in the hotel…" she whispered. "I go back to New York tomorrow."
Damian hadn't forgotten. "I know," he said quietly, "I don't…Georgie, I don't want you to leave. I don't want Darla to go. I don't want your dad or Keith to go."
Let me go home I’m just too far from where you are I wanna come home
And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life It’s like I just stepped outside When everything was going right And I know just why you could not Come along with me This was not your dream But you always believed in me
Georgiana all but whimpered into his neck, "Damo…I'm sorry. I should've let myself stay longer. I just didn't…I didn't want to hurt my pride."
"No, I should have been a gentleman and invited you and my daughter to stay at my house," Damian's voice was steadily climbing.
Another winter day has come And gone away In either Paris or Rome And I wanna go home Let me go home
"Damo…I want to stay. I want to have a friendship with you. There is nothing for me in New York right now…" Georgiana knew a lot of the talking was champagne, but she didn't care.
She knew what she wanted.
And I’m surrounded by A million people I Still feel alone And let me go home Oh, I miss you, you know
"So stay," Damian breathed as the song swept towards the end, "Stay with me. Come live in my house for at least a week. The girls deserve it. You and I can…work something out between us."
Georgiana hesitated; she didn't want to do that. She and Damian were friends; would living together ruin any possibility of more?
Let me go home I’ve had my run Baby, I’m done I gotta go home
"Next week Saoirse and I are going camping. You can come with," Damian said with a slight smirk. "You and Darla. We can bond. Be a real family."
Georgiana hesitated at the thought of having to be outdoors.
Let me go home It'll all be all right I’ll be home tonight I’m coming back home
The scent and the strength of Damian surrounded Georgiana as they both let their final walls fall. They needed each other in some way, even if it only be friendship.
"Yes," Georgiana finally said, "For a few days."
Damian felt his heart soar as he pulled Georgiana into a bone crushing hug.
Friends.
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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 23, 2013 2:53:44 GMT -5
"I'm not quite sure where everyone is going to sleep," Damian admitted to Melina as they prepared the guest rooms in his house. Sure, the house was large, but he had converted the rooms into things like a music room, a rec room, a library, an office, and some were even purely storage. "Maybe this was a mistake."
Melina smoothed the navy sheets over the bed in the room Henry was staying in, "Damian, this wasn't a bad idea. You can't let her go again."
Damian raised an eyebrow as he tried his hardest to match Melina's hospital corners, "You mean my daughter, correct?"
Melina pushed his hands out of the way to work on the fold herself, "Right. What did I say?"
Damian started running a few cleaning wipes over the nightstand and the television, "I'm serious, Mel. Henry will sleep here, and then we only have one more bedroom. Darla can sleep in Saoirse's room on the daybed, but that still leaves Keith and Georgiana, and I'm not sure they want to share a bedroom."
"You and Georgiana could always have a sleepover."
Damian glared at Melina, "No."
She shrugged, "I have a futon…"
Damian nodded slowly, "Do you think Keith would mind sleeping on the futon? I mean, is it comfortable?"
Melina nodded, "It is. Plus, it would be nice having some testosterone in my life."
Damian stopped wiping the dresser off, "Oh my god. You like him!"
Melina couldn't help the coloring that rushed to her cheeks, "Damian! This is not a very good professional-worker conversation."
"That's a lie," Damian jumped in front of the door so Melina couldn't scurry off, "Does he like you? Are you in lovvveeee?" The singsong quality in Damian's voice made Melina laugh, but she just shook her head. "Mel, you deserve to have someone special in your life!"
Melina put her hands on her hips, "Look who's talking! I just met Keith, and yes, I do like him, so I'd appreciate it if you kept him around for a little bit."
Damian sobered immediately, "You really do like him? Does he like you?"
Melina shrugged, "I'm not sure. He seems like it, but it has been so long since I've even met someone that I don't really know."
Damian leaned against the door, appraising the woman in front of him. "Have I kept you from finding someone?"
"You are very needy," Melina started, a serious look on her face, "but no. I've just never met someone I connected with. I don't even know if I connect like that with him."
"You should come camping with us;" Damian said suddenly, "Camping would be great! You can get to know Keith better! I know I said it was only going to be Georgie, the girls, and myself, but it would be great if you could both come."
Melina shook her head, "I don't do camping."
Damian shrugged, "I can't really make you do anything, but it would be fun."
Melina threw a pair of yellow sheets at him, "You can go put the sheets on Georgie's bed. That's who you should be thinking about, Georgie, not Keith. You worry about your love life."
"I have none," Damian said sadly, placing his hand over his heart.
"Exactly, get to work," Melina pointed a finger at him before hauling the laundry down the hallway, "and make sure those corners are perfect, you know how particular Georgiana is!"
"You are giving me a mission I will fail at," Damian called to the retreating woman.
She simply kept walking, but Damian could hear her laughing.
Walking into the bigger guest bedroom, Damian could not help but feel a little weird. Having Georgiana sleeping in his house, but not in his bed seemed so foreign, so wrong, to him. He'd always hoped that if she would ever come back into his life, it wouldn't be this way. He had hoped they would have a romantic bedroom with candles, champagne, and music. Instead, drywall, insulation, and stubbornness would be between them.
Damian quickly went to work, placing the new mattress pad onto the bed. He made sure the sheets were then tucked in tight and the pillows were as fluffy as they could be.
Georgiana would actually be the first person using this guest room.
Melina had offered to do the job originally, but for some reason Damian felt like he needed to set up the room for his ex wife. He needed to know that Georgiana would be comfortable and that everything was taken care of.
Damian pulled the extra blanket out of the wardrobe and unfolded it to lay lengthwise across the bottom of the bed. He remembered that Georgiana was always freezing, and even though it was still mid-summer, she might need something in the air conditioning.
He walked around the room to make sure the lights worked, everything was dust free, and that the drawers were empty. He wondered if Georgiana would need toiletries, but figured that the woman was old enough to bring her own. Still, Damian made sure there was an extra bottle of everything under the sink in the guest bathroom that was attached.
Damian surveyed the room again. It was the simplest room in the house, but he had put away all of the pictures that had once been there. He did not really know why, they were just pictures of Saoirse growing up and a few of them together. Damian did not want her feelings to be hurt, so he hid them in the bottom drawer far away from her eyes.
He took a deep breath and lit a candle, vanilla which was Georgiana's favorite, and smiled into the room. It was the best he could do.
Damian walked the few steps to Saoirse's room and knocked loudly, knowing she was probably listening to her music. "Bug?"
The door opened quickly and Saoirse stood in front of him, "Are they here?"
"No," Damian laughed, "I'm just checking to make sure your room is actually clean," even though they had Melina, Damian still made Saoirse clean her own room and do a lot of the cosmetic cleaning of the bathroom.
He couldn't have a spoiled daughter.
"It's clean! I even vacuumed!" Saoirse smiled widely and rocked forward on her toes. Damian was happy to see she was excited about everything.
Saoirse walked in and flopped backwards on the bed, "So what do you think we should do with them while they stay for a little while longer?"
Saoirse jumped into his lap and put her head on his shoulder, "Well we can go in the pool, ride the horses, go for walks, play basketball, sing karaoke, watch movies, make cookies, toast marshmallows, did you know that Grandpa never rode a horse? I can't believe that!"
Damian laughed, "Your grandfather isn't the fondest of cowboys."
Saoirse rolled her eyes, "Whatever. I think that's the first thing we should do."
Damian nodded, "Maybe. But we don't have enough for everyone, we only have two."
"So Darla and I can sit on one, and then Grandpa can go on another!" Her eyes were huge as they looked up at him, "He has to ride a horse!"
Damian feigned hurt, "But what about your mother and I? What are we going to do?"
Saoirse shrugged, "Talk? That's all you two ever do!"
Damian could not help but laugh, "I think we're done having serious talks."
She smiled again, "Good, because they are boring."
He was about to argue back, but the doorbell ringing made his heart jump.
They were there.
"Last one there is a rotten egg!" Saoirse cackled before she took off out the door of her room.
Damian had the height advantage for once, but he was also wearing only socks and did not want to fall down the steps.
Saoirse and Damian raced each other down the stairs and to the front door, which they both nearly crashed into laughing.
They opened the door, both laughing and red from their quick sprint.
"We could have waited," Henry joked as he set the suitcases down in the foyer.
"Daddy is a rotten egg," Saoirse said to Darla, who laughed and hugged her sister tightly.
Georgiana smiled but it did not meet her eyes. She was freaking out. She wanted to be around Damian, but to be around Damian all the time was not going to be good for her. Seeing Damian as he was now, hair messy, a t-shirt and lazy jeans, and just a pair of socks made her heart beat. It was so domestic and so unlike Georgiana had seen Damian in many years.
"Welcome," he said quietly, wrapping everyone in a quick hug. "I'll show you to your rooms and then Melina is preparing us a light lunch we can have outside."
Henry nodded, "Thanks kid, I hope you didn't make her go through much trouble."
"He didn't," Melina said, emerging from the western wing of the house, "Just the basics. Come on, Keith, I'll show you to our room."
"We're going to be roomies?" the blonde boy asked, a huge smile on her face, "that's awesome, just like college!"
"You went to college?" Melina glanced at Georgiana before turning back to Keith.
"Well no…" Keith bit his lip and shrugged, "but it will still be like it!"
The group laughed as they watched the two walk toward Melina's room, laughing and chit chatting about something they couldn't hear.
"Am I missing something?" Henry asked, still struggling under the weight of suitcases.
"Here let me help you," Damian reached out and easily took every suitcase but one. Georgiana couldn't help but watch the way the muscles in his arms worked to lift the heavy bags. "And I think they are just very fond of each other."
Georgiana couldn't help the bemused smile that broke through her nerves, "Keith won't stop talking about her."
"Good," Damian sent her a relieved smile, "because I think Melina's head over heels."
"Great," Henry said quietly, "more love drama I'm going to have to deal with."
Georgiana's reply was cut off by Darla and Saoirse's screeching as they ran up the steps quickly, talking about manicures, late nights, and sing-a-longs. "They aren't going to get a good night's sleep at all, are they?"
"The fun will wear off eventually," Damian remarked, "remember college?"
Georgiana blushed, "I do. It only took us what, a month, to start sleeping at a normal time?"
Henry coughed loudly, "As much as I enjoy these walks down memory lane, I'd really like to get settled in and eat some of Melina's cooking if you wouldn't mind."
Damian and Georgiana shared a glance that held questions that neither of them had the courage to ask, but Damian simply led the group up the stairs. "If you need anything, either of you, let me know," he motioned them both to their rooms. "I think you'll have like an hour to get unpacked. I don't think the twenty minute drive means you'll need to freshen up, but be my guest."
Henry nodded, but Georgiana looked stricken. "You think I won't need to at least fix my clothing? It is wrinkled!"
"Trying to impress someone?" Damian asked with a grin, leaning against the door frame.
"No," Georgiana laughed a little when she realized she was caught, "I just don't like to look like a slob in someone else's home."
"Please," Damian's cocky smile was replaced with one of real hope, "this is your home…for the week. If you want to come to dinner in pajamas and a tank top, I'm not going to stop you."
Henry nodded, "Now that is my kind of dinner."
"Father, you will keep your jeans on," Georgiana said through gritted teeth.
Henry laughed, "I'll leave you two to talk."
Damian watched at the door closed, "Can I get you anything? A drink?"
Georgiana wanted to swallow her reply, but it came out anyway, "I think we're both going to need quite a few drinks to get us through the week."
"Nah," Damian shrugged, "I want you to be here, Georgie."
Georgiana nodded before turning back to the bedroom.
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"Oh my god, I'm so full," Henry leaned back in his chair, "Since you said to make this like my own home would it be inappropriate to unbutton my pants?"
Damian shrugged and tipped his glass toward Henry, "Whatever you want to do."
"I swear Dad…" Georgiana started, an evil glint in her eye, "I will make you board a plane to New York tonight."
Henry laughed, "I know, I know."
Damian stood and started carrying the dishes toward the kitchen.
"I'll do it!" Melina said quickly, "Keith can help, right Keith?"
Damian looked at the massive pile of dishes, "Mel…"
"No, I know you can't sit still. Why don't you go for a walk or something?" Melina's eyes bore into Damian's; she just really wanted time alone with Keith.
"Okay, do you all want to come with me?" Damian turned to the remaining people at the table.
"No," Henry shook his head, "I'm going to go take a nap."
Darla and Saoirse glanced at each other, "I want to show Buttercup to Darla," Saoirse said, a question in her voice.
"Okay," Damian sighed and looked at Georgiana, his eyes slightly pleading, "Would you like to go on a walk with me?"
Georgiana fought herself. She really didn't have anything she could go for a walk in, but she wanted to be with Damian. Distancing herself wouldn't help now.
"Sure," she said eventually, "as long as we don't go anywhere muddy."
Damian nodded, "Okay. I know you don't want to get your shoes dirty," he shot a wink at her, hating himself the instant it happened.
Georgiana stuck her tongue out quickly, hoping the girls didn't see it.
"Well come on," Damian said with a smile and led Georgiana out the back of the house and down the stone path that wound around the property.
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Georgiana cleared her throat and looked at Damian. "Who's Buttercup?"
He laughed, "Saoirse's horse. He's really old and sweet, you have nothing to worry about."
"I wasn't," Georgiana clarified, "I just wanted to make sure it wasn't some weird California hippie or something."
Damian shook his head, "You really haven't changed."
Georgiana shrugged, "In some ways I think I have. You, however, are still five."
"Five and a half," he joked.
They walked some more, but the silence wasn't nearly as awkward. They were enjoying being near each other, both wanting to approach topics that needed to be discussed, but neither having any idea how to go about doing it.
"What are we going to do about the girls?" Georgiana asked finally, gathering the courage to at least start discussion. "We can't keep them apart."
Damian stopped and sat on a mossy rock by the side of the path, "Come on. I don't want to talk about this without looking at each other."
Georgiana glanced at the rock, "Can I stand?"
Damian glared at her before quickly stripping off his sweatshirt and pressing it down onto the rock. Georgiana tried not to watch the way his t-shirt stuck to the sweater a little, revealing the muscles beneath.
Some things did not change.
"Sit," Damian pointed to the sweatshirt.
Georgiana moved and sat down heavily on the rock, her arm brushing his. "I have no idea what we're going to do."
He nodded, "Good that makes two of us. I don't know what is fair, what makes things easier for…for everyone."
Georgiana sat in silence. Her heart was telling her there was one way to make things easier on everyone, but they couldn't allow that to happen. "Why don't we just see how this week goes," she said quietly.
Damian leaned back against the rock and Georgiana could hear him working his jaw. She wondered what he was holding in, why he was hiding something from her.
Georgiana looked back to question Damian but was taken aback because his blue eyes were already on her. Georgiana's breath caught in her throat and she couldn't even crack a joke. Damian parted his lips a little and his eyes darted down to her's.
"Daddy!" the shrieking came quickly and they heard the slow galloping of a horse.
Damian laughed and stood up, pulling Georgiana up with him. They watched as Saoirse and Darla came by, both laughing on Buttercup.
"Who helped you?" Damian asked, quickly moving forward to make sure that everything was in place.
"Melina," Saoirse rolled her eyes, "She did it fine."
"Georgiana!" Henry's terrified voice came from the path, and two minutes later, Henry emerged on Damian's horse.
"Dad!" Georgiana was laughing because Henry was leaning forward and nearly hugging the horse's neck.
"Georgie, this thing is murderous!"
Damian walked up and allowed the horse to nuzzle him, "Henry, Darcy isn't going to hurt you."
Georgiana admired the way Damian was treating the horse. He was almost pure black, and he rubbed along his neck affectionately. "Dad, are you going to be okay?"
Henry seemed to calm down knowing that Damian trusted the horse.
"I thought you were sleeping, Dad?" Georgiana inched forward, wanting to touch the horse.
"They tricked me," Henry glared at the girls who were now walking back and forth on the grass.
Damian just laughed, "I'm sure it didn't take too much."
Georgiana bit her lip and looked at Damian, waiting to catch his eye. When she did, she suddenly became very bashful, "Can I pet him?"
Damian nodded and moved over, "Just be gentle. He gets a little afraid when there are a lot of people around."
"Fantastic," Henry said, "You know, I can just get off."
Damian shrugged, "If you aren't comfortable, I can ride him back. We need you safe to go camping tomorrow."
Henry sighed, already throwing a leg over the tall horse, "Thank god."
Damian handed the bridle to Georgiana, "Can you just hold this while I get on?"
Georgiana nodded mutely, trying to figure out how she would watch Damian get on the horse without being obvious.
Damian grabbed the saddle and pulled himself up swiftly, the horse seeming to know his every move. "Georgie, want to come up?" Damian asked, flashing her a grin.
"No, I think I'm going to walk and talk with my Dad, but thanks," Henry flashed a huge grin up at Damian.
Damian nodded and quickly turned Darcy and galloped away at a much quicker speed.
"Be a little more obvious," Henry said as he watched his daughter watch Damian ride away.
Georgiana laughed, "I still think it will happen, Dad."
Henry nodded, "I do too. Even if you both need a push."
"Please don't," Georgiana started walking toward the house.
"I make no promises."
-
"This is going to suck," Georgiana breathed to Keith as they unpacked the jeep, "Suck so bad."
Keith laughed as he pulled a cooler out, "It will be fine. You'll get to spend time with Damo."
Georgiana rolled her eyes, "That wasn't the point of this. The point is the girls, who are sleeping in the back of the jeep."
"That's the last of it," Damian announced, "Henry, are you sure you're going to be okay?"
Henry, who had insisted his horse riding injury wouldn't allow him to unpack the jeep, had sat in the driver's seat watching the entire time.
Henry looked down at his former son-in-law with a smile, "You know, I'm not sure I will be." With that, he started the jeep.
"Henry?" Damian's eyes widened as he caught on.
"Dad!" Georgiana's voice held warning, and she started walking quickly to the jeep.
Henry laughed as Melina and Keith jumped into the jeep. "Have fun!"
Damian and Georgiana stood and watched as the jeep drove away, leaving only the two of them in the clearing.
A/N Five more updates to go!
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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 23, 2013 4:10:56 GMT -5
Damian and Georgiana stood in silence for a few seconds.
Damian started laughing, the tension immediately leaving his body,"This is going to be my fault, isn't it?"
A slight hint of a smile formed on Georgiana's lips, "Maybe," she mused, "they are your daughters."
"They're yours too!" Damian shook his head. "Well come on, we have to walk to the campsite and then to the lake to get water."
Georgiana's jaw dropped, "You mean we're still going camping? Can't we just walk the half mile to the road and…I don't know, hitchhike or something?"
"Do you really want to show the girls that hitchhiking is a good idea?" Damian asked as he saddled himself with their supplies, "Also, I'm going to hurt Melina when we get home."
Georgiana eyed the supplies, "What did she do?"
Damian knew if he told Georgiana, there would be no stopping Georgiana from walking the mile to the road, "Just…nothing. Come on, it isn't far to the campsite."
"Then how far to the water?" Georgiana asked suspiciously, she still remembered how Damian worked, and Damian was obviously leaving something out. "Not too far I hope?"
"No," there was an honest tone to Damian's voice that Georgiana couldn't mistrust. But there was still something underneath it that left her worried.
She looked at Damian and the way he had slung every single item onto his body except her bag, which he was currently trying to attach to his backpack and couldn't help but want to laugh, "You do remember that I don't break, right?"
Damian looked up, "Oh, I remember."
"Then give me some of those bags," Georgiana grabbed a few things and started walking toward the clearing, her head held high. She was going to make the best of this, even if she wanted to run away screaming.
The walk was brisk, both trapped in their thoughts. They had no idea if they were only spending the night together or if they were spending a few days. Both realized what they were doing, but neither would admit it to the other.
They both also hoped it would work.
When they finally got to their clearing, Georgiana dropped her pile, looked around, and sighed, "Just like a hotel, right?"
Damian nodded, "Except in a tent."
Georgiana looked at the supplies, "Damian…where is the tent?"
Damian paled, "I was hoping you wouldn't think about that until later…"
"Damian," Georgiana moved slowly toward him, arms crossed, "where is the tent?"
"You see," he sputtered, not quite sure if it was because of Georgiana's closeness or how angry she looked, "Melina has this funny streak…"
"Damian," she said softly, her eyes boring into Damian's.
He sighed and held up the bag, "This is the tent."
Georgiana eyed it for a second, "...Please tell me that is not Ariel."
"It is," Damian admitted, "It was Saoirse's…she always liked it because we usually camp on the lake side and she wanted Ariel to be closer to the water…"
"Wait," Georgiana held up a finger, "if you usually sleep on the lakeside, why are we here?"
Damian stared for a second, "I-I just thought that because you aren't really a nature person, you would want to be closer to civilization."
Georgiana sighed and stomped over to the supplies, "McGinty, last night you went on and on about the 'McGinty Family Annual Camping Trip!' Why wouldn't we do it the same way, even if it's just us?"
Damian swallowed thickly at Georgiana referring to the pairing as an "us" but nodded dumbly. "We can go to the lake if you want to…"
She motioned toward the water, "Lead the way."
They walked in silence again except for the occasional murmur of "watch out" or "it's kind of slippery here."
They reached the lakeside and it was still early afternoon. Georgiana once again dropped her supplies and to Damian's surprise, immediately toed off her shoes and ran toward the water, the back of her dress flouncing in the process.
Damian set his own things and looked over to the girl. Her back was to Damian, but Damian could still see her recoil at the coldness of the water. The sun was low in the sky and Georgiana seemed to be illuminated from the back. She turned, "Are you going to come down here or not?"
Damian took his own shoes off and ran down to the water, not caring if his basketball shorts got wet. He didn't even flinch as he ran toward the water, jumping when he got close to Georgiana and coming down to splash the woman.
"Hey!" Georgiana bent down and splashed Damian back, "that wasn't nice!"
Damian shrugged, "When have I ever been nice?" Unlike to Georgiana, the water felt amazing to him as he walked deeper into the water, only stopping when it hit the bottom of his shorts.
Georgiana's eyes kept straying to Damian, and eventually she let them. The back of Damian's shirt was wet with sweat, and she couldn't help but gawk at the muscles that lined his back. Damian had been in shape when they were married, and he'd gotten even better since then. Her eyes went a little lower and he couldn't help but think that that hadn't changed either.
Damian, seeming to sense Georgiana's gaze turned abruptly, "Let's go swimming."
"Absolutely not."
Damian walked closer, the water sloshing around his legs, "Come on. We're here. How often do you get to swim in a lake in New York City?" Damian's eyes were wide and his lips pouty. How didn't he forget that Georgiana couldn't resist that face? "Please?"
Georgiana wanted to say no, but part of her really did want to go swimming. Damian was right, it had been a long time since Georgiana had let go and allowed herself to act like a child. "Fine…" she said slowly, hardly believing the word was coming out of her mouth. "But if you dunk me, or something strange touches my feet, I'm going to hold you under…" her threat resonated off the water as she couldn't help the smile that formed on her face, "Also…no pale comments."
Damian crossed his heart, "I would never."
Georgiana looked down at her dress, "I'm going to go put on some shorts…can we set up the tent or something?"
Damian looked at Georgiana like she was crazy. Damian was already in the water and didn't plan on leaving until the sun went down. "Go change in the trees. You could always change in the clearing. People rarely come here."
Georgiana was stricken, "But…there are bugs!"
"There are bugs in the water too," Damian winked at her, "I promise I won't look!"
Damian groaned but stalked toward their supplies, "You better turn around!" she yelled as she changed quickly, nearly stumbling over her dress.
Damian whistled low, lying back in the water, "Looking good, Thompson!"
Georgiana blushed but couldn't help but feel proud. She knew men found her attractive, and she knew that she probably was attractive, but hearing Damian say it made her realize it. Damian made her feel special in a way no gawking man on a New York street could.
She decided she wasn't going to let Damian get to her, so she turned and slowly took off her dress, thankful she had a tank top under. She walked slowly down the lakebed toward the water. She still wasn't sure how she felt about actually swimming in the water, but she wanted to be closer to Damian, who kept moving out slowly like he knew exactly what he was doing.
The sun felt warm against Georgiana's skin now, and the water didn't make as much of an impact. She closed her eyes and let the sun make her skin tingle slightly. She stood, feeling the sand under her toes. It was somewhat relaxing, and she knew she'd pay an extremely large amount of money for this kind of exfoliation in New York.
She was almost at peace with the world when she felt something heavy hit his stomach. "Damian McGinty, please tell me that wasn't a fish."
Georgiana heard a splash and knew Damian was moving away quickly. Georgiana opened her eyes and looked down to see Damian's shirt floating in the water in front of her. Georgiana had to wipe the water droplets off of her face, "You jerk," she said laughing, walking toward the man who was treading water about ten feet away.
Damian simply smiled, his entire face dripping with water. He tried not to notice the way the water clung to her eyelashes, or how her entire face was more relaxed than she'd seen it the entire time she'd been in California. "What are you going to do about it?" he asked eventually, raising an eyebrow. "You won't swim out here."
"I don't need to, I can tread better than you," Georgiana shot back.
"Ah, the jokes have returned," Damian immediately felt a sense of nostalgia at the way they were joking. Not for them being together, but the way they were before that, when they were friends. Friends who could joke about anything and be close to one another.
Georgiana moved closer, and Damian was having a battle with himself. He wanted her closer, wanted her to be as close as possible to him. But he also wanted her to stay away. He wanted to not have the ability to hurt the beautiful woman in front of him anymore.
Georgiana was eventually standing in front of her, "Yeah, I can tread."
"I can too!" Damian placed his feet flat on the surface and tilted his head up. His mouth and nose were just at the water line, but he could breath. The sand beneath his feet shifted and he moved down a little, quickly gasping in a breath.
Georgiana instinctively reached out her arms to grab Damian, "Damian!" she said quickly, pulling the taller man up. "Are you okay?"
Damian's nose burned a little, and he shook his head, "I think I need mouth to mouth…"
Georgiana was still supporting a lot of his weight, "I can drop you," she threatened lightly, moving backwards so Damian could easily stand.
Damian slowly uncoiled his arms from around Georgiana's waist and stood on his own. "Thanks…" he rubbed his neck in embarrassment, "I guess I am still pretty uncoordinated."
"That's okay, next time we'll just take you to the roped off kiddy section," Georgiana's smirk was back on her face.
Damian shook his head wildly, spraying her with water droplets again.
"Damian McGinty! You are going to be the reason I need so many spa appointments when I get back to New York!" Georgiana screeched, moving backwards.
Damian sobered a little at the thought of her returning to the city but immediately pushed the thought out of his mind. He wanted to have fun while she was here.
Even if it meant nothing.
"Fine, I'll stop. Let's just lay back and relax, float around a bit, yeah?" Damian leaned back easily.
Georgiana looked uncomfortable, "I don't know if I want to get my hair wet…"
"Your hair is already wet," Damian said with a question in his voice.
"It getting wet and soaking it in the water are two different things…"
Damian thought for a few seconds about the summers they spent together years ago, "Georgie…you can't float, can you?"
Her skin was flushed pink, "No…."
Damian nodded, "Come here, I'll help you."
"Damian, I'm not sure that's the best of ideas…" Georgiana ran her fingers down her arm self consciously, "I'm not…I don't think…"
"Shut up and get over here," Damian laughed while holding his arms out.
Georgiana walked over slowly, doubting herself the entire way. She didn't know how she would react to Damian actually touching her. "What if I go under?"
"I won't let you get hurt," he said softly, moving so that Georgiana could lean back over his arms. "I want you to just lean back and let your weight rest on my forearms."
She leaned back and almost gasped at the warm contact of Damian's skin against the coolness of her back.
"Calm down," he whispered gently, working his fingers beneath Georgiana's back. "You can do it, it isn't hard. Just relax."
Georgiana tried to listen to Damian's words, but all she felt was the gently pressure of him against her. "I'm trying," she breathed out.
"Stop trying," Damian said, "and just do it."
Georgiana was able to distance herself from the task and eventually was floating on the water with Damian's arms beneath her. She eventually felt Damian's one arm leave beneath her legs but she stayed afloat.
"I've got you," Damian whispered, "don't freak out. I've got you."
Georgiana didn't move, just listened to the water and the deep breaths from Damian. Being this close, he could smell him, the remaining cologne he used, the same as all those years ago. She wanted to just pull him down and kiss him.
Damian moved his second arm away reluctantly. He could barely believe he was feeling Georgiana's smooth skin in his arms again. Sure, it wasn't how he had wanted to feel it, but he felt it nonetheless. "You're doing it," he breathed, sliding back and floating in the water with her.
They both floated in silence, occasionally moving away, but Damian would always move himself closer. They had been floating for an hour when Georgiana found the courage to move her arms and reach them out a little. She moved her arms perpendicularly to the side and she accidentally brushed her fingers with Damian's own outstretched hand. Damian opened his eyes and glanced over at her, who didn't move, but looked terrified. Damian's heart beat faster as he intertwined his fingers with her's. Georgiana raised an eyebrow. "You keep floating away," Damian said quietly, "I don't want you to float down the river."
"I'll be here," Georgiana tightened her hold on his hand. She had been thinking about getting out of the water, but not anymore. She wanted to stay like that forever. She didn't care if they stayed in the lake until morning – she had no where better to be.
-
Melina crouched on the rock and handed the binoculars to Keith, "Do you see anything?"
"They are holding hands!" Keith said in an excited hush, "I just saw Damian lace his fingers into Georgia's!"
Melina nodded in approval, "Good. We have to push them closer. I know giving them that tiny tent is going to work. Thompson won't sleep without something covering her precious body and Damian is so puppy love sick he'd do anything to get that close to her."
Saoirse and Darla grinned at each other, "We're going to live together and get to be sisters forever!" Darla wrapped her arms around Saoirse's neck, "we just need to plan other things!"
Henry grumbled from behind them, "How did this entire group of people get the worst plotting streak ever?"
The girls just shrugged and went back to staring at the pair through binoculars.
They watched Damian and Georgiana float around in the water for about twenty more minutes before Melina sighed and put her binoculars down. "Okay, obviously they aren't going to do anything else while we're up here. What else do we have? This one was my plan, so we are moving on. Keith?"
"I'm going to go down tonight while they are sleeping to steal the sunscreen. Georgia will need someone to put aloe vera on her, which Damo will have to do." Keith smiled and he looked proud of himself.
"That's great!" Melina wrote something down on her notepad. "Henry?"
"I'm going to unleash the wrath of god on them," Henry deadpanned.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm going to put a lizard in the tent even though I think it is a terrible idea."
Melina nodded, "Good. And girls?"
Saoirse and Darla just looked at each other, "We've got this, don't worry."
Melina nodded, knowing she didn't have to worry about the girls. Anything they planned couldn't be that bad – right?
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Jul 23, 2013 15:09:36 GMT -5
HAHA. Oh my. This is getting...prank-ish. But of course, Keith is out there love it!!
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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 23, 2013 17:28:55 GMT -5
They had floated around in the water for nearly two hours until Damian realized that they still had quite a bit to do before the sun would go under the trees and they would have natural light. "We should probably get out and fix up our base camp," Damian said quiet, startling Georgiana out of her reverie.
Standing, Georgiana realized just how cold it was getting, goose bumps formed on her shoulders and chest, "Yeah. Plus, it's freezing out here."
Damian instinctively reached out and wrapped his hands around her shoulders, moving them a little to create friction and warmth. Georgiana shivered at the touch, and smiled up at Damian. "Sorry," Damian snatched his hands away, "I should have asked first."
Georgiana shrugged and linked her arm with Damian's as they walked through the water, the current was a little stronger than before and Georgiana was slightly unsteady on her feet, drunk with sun and water. "You can touch me, Damo. I am not going to snap at you for every little thing. Only the big things."
They walked to their things and both quickly stripped down, changed into sweatpants, and long sleeve t-shirts. Georgiana had to borrow one of Damian's and rolled her sweats up a little, but Damian allowed his to drag behind him in the sand. It made Georgiana smile to think Damian still had not lost some of his youthfulness. "I'm going to start building a fire if you want to start looking at the tent. It isn't difficult. I also have a blow up mattress that I put in my things. I can sleep outside on that if the tent is too small. I know I used to share it with Saoirse sometimes, but it might be too small for both of us."
Feeling bold, Georgiana decided to flirt a little, "We will just have to snuggle up."
Damian blushed and sputtered a little, "If it's okay with you," he quickly busied himself with the fire, gathering sticks from the nearby piles made by park commissioners and soon enough had a fire crackling and instantly warming both of them.
Georgiana was struggling with the tent. It only had three steps, but she still did not understand what she had to do. "Damian, I don't get it!" she all but whined when she saw Damian warming his hands by the fire. When Damian glanced over at her, she almost lost her balance. The golden glow on him skin from the fire made him appear younger somehow or perhaps it was the carefree way he was smiling at her.
Damian took the poles from Georgiana's hand and started threading them through the purple and green material, "Go warm yourself up," he looked at the way Georgiana was folded in on herself, "though I'm expecting you to help me with the food."
Georgiana's stomach gargled at the mention of food but she shook her head, "No. I want to help you. I still like learning new things." In the silence of the day, Georgiana had started thinking. They had not discussed the kiss they shared that day on the runway and she wondered if Damian even remembered it. What she wanted to know though, was if Damian would or even could love this Georgiana, the more mature Georgiana who was not afraid to get her hands dirty or make a fool out of herself.
The Georgiana who had let loose a little.
Together they eventually managed to get a tent standing, though it was shabby and sagging in some places. "Absolutely not," Georgiana laughed, "I cannot sleep in that."
"Do you want me to blow up the air mattress for you? The bugs are going to be bad outside though." Damian motioned for the mattress.
Georgiana's eyes darted between the tent and the mattress. Mosquito bites were not her friend and her skin always stayed red far longer than everyone else's did. Ariel and Flounder smiled at her on the side of the tent. She could not imagine what people would think if they found two adults sleeping together in a child's Disney Princess tent. It was not as tiny as she had imagined, and though she was sure she would have to touch Damian while they slept, that just made the tent more appealing. "Can you at least blow up the mattress? I mean, I want us to sleep together," Georgiana immediately flushed, "I mean...sleep in the same place. Right." She sighed out loudly, "Well that was sufficiently awkward."
Damian laughed and reached forward and pulled her into a hug. Georgiana could feel Damian's heartbeat and the warmth through his shirt, "Georgie, nothing has to be awkward between us. I know this situation is strange, but I meant it when I said I wanted to be friends with you."
Georgiana hugged back, "You know, we have to talk about what happened on the runway."
Damian looked at her but said nothing.
"You know…the kiss? You didn't forget did you?" She felt like an idiot. She had thought the kiss was special but maybe she was wrong. She just wanted to run into the lake and swim away.
Damian nodded quickly, "No! I know what you mean. I didn't forget, of course not," the words came out rushed and his eyes were wide and sincere, "I just…I don't know how to talk about it. I'm not….I don't…"
"If you aren't comfortable, we don't have to," Georgiana was defeated and sad. Why didn't he want to talk about the one thing they needed to discuss?
He grabbed her hand and led her toward the two folding chairs she had placed by the fire. She glanced over and saw Georgiana just staring at him with a look of disbelief on her face, "We can talk. I'm just starving and starting to feel faint."
She laughed but helped him put hotdogs over the fire and watched as they sizzled. Georgiana did not know how to start the conversation, so she hoped Damian would do it.
Eventually his voice rang out over the crackling wood, "I felt something. I still felt something."
Georgiana nodded, looking over to see if Damian was going to continue. He wasn't. "Is that enough for us...for us to do something? To be something?" She knew she was pushing, but she wanted this. Georgiana may have become more carefree, she still went after everything she wanted.
Damian leaned back in the chair and stared into the fire, "I don't know," he said softly, "Georgie I just don't know."
She leaned forward, trying to get closer to him, "What do you want, Damo? You want time? I can give you it. You want space? I'll give you the whole country. You want me to prove I've changed? Give me a task. Damian, please."
Damian held up his hand, "Georgie...this isn't for you to impress me," Damian paused and leaned forward, wiping his face off with his hands, "Georgie, you know I hold grudges. I don't want to get into a relationship with you because I don't know if I've fully left go of the past yet. I know I should have, but something is still nagging at me. There is a voice telling me that I've been alone for the last twelve years, why can't I do it for the rest of my life?" Damian's eyes were pleading with his, wanting her to understand. He had no idea how to verbalize what he wanted to Georgiana. The woman flustered him. In truth, Damian knew what he wanted; he wanted her. He was thinking with his mind and his mind kept telling him not to get in too deep – she would only hurt him again.
Georgiana felt like she had been slapped by his words. He still didn't trust her. Damian thought she wasn't worth it. "I don't...I can't believe you said that. What happened between us twelve years ago was hurtful for both of us. You think I didn't suffer? I did. Now you sit here and you flirt with me, but you tell me you have no desire to be with me again. Then why am I here? Why am I wasting my time here?"
Damian sat up straighter, "You think spending time with me if there isn't a romantic link between us is a waste of time?"
Georgiana breathed in heavily through her nose, "Damian, we don't do talking very well. We say things we don't mean and we twist each other's words."
"We've always done that," Damian said slowly, "I um…I didn't mean what I said. I mean, I did. But how I said it, how it came out. God," He put his head into his hands, "I can't even talk around you, Georgie. You just fluster me!"
She smiled at the progress, "It's always been that way. And I know that, but when I yell at you, you start to think about what you say."
Damian grinned over his soda, "You know me too well, and it is scary."
She crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair, finally relaxing. She knew how to make Damian open up still.
There was still hope.
"So can you actually tell me how you feel? Am I getting my hopes up?"
Damian looked at Georgiana for a few seconds before standing, "I wrote a song about it."
A grin formed on her face, "You always spoke best through song."
Damian smiled back at Georgiana and pulled his guitar from his pile of belonging. Georgiana flinched when she realized it had been sitting the sun and the sand all day but she said nothing.
Damian started playing a little slowly, his fingers relearning the guitar. He hadn't played for someone in awhile and he was truthfully nervous.
Like a bird without wings That longs to be flying, Like a motherless child Left lonely and crying. Like a song without words, Like a world without music, I wouldn't know what to do I'd be lost without you Watchin' over me.
Georgiana listened to the words and breathed in deeply. She forgot that Damian knew her just as well as she knew him. The man had known all along that Georgiana had some sort of feelings for him. She wasn't sure whether this gave her hope or angered her. Had Damian been the one pulling her along?
I get so lonely, when you're away I count every moment, I wait every day, Until you're home again And hug me so tight That's when I know Everything is alright.
The anger dissipated as she listened to the song. She knew this was Damian, truly what Damian felt. Damian knew that somewhere love was still inside of both of them. Georgiana wanted to get up and pull the guitar from her hands.
Like a bird without wings That longs to be flying, Like a motherless child Left lonely and crying. Like a song without words Like a world without music, I wouldn't know what to do I'd be lost without you Watchin' over me.
Georgiana nodded, wanting Damian to know that she would fight for him. She would prove that they belonged to each other. They were both worth the fight.
You're my guardian angel My light and my guide Your hand on my shoulder And you by my side. You make everything beautiful, You make me complete. Everything in my world I lay at your feet..
Damian wasn't even paying attention to the playing anymore. He was staring at Georgiana. Her green eyes shone and she leaned forward. Damian couldn't help but give himself a mental pat on the back.
Like a church with no steeple, Where a bell never rings. In a town without people, Where no voice in the choir ever sings. If a boat on the ocean Would be lost with no sail, Then without your devotion Surely all that I dreamed of would fail.
Georgiana understood. Damian wanted to love her again. He loved her. Damian wanted Georgiana to prove that she wouldn't walk out the door even if he tried to push her away. Maybe Damian didn't realize that, but it was exactly what he was doing. Damian knew he was going to mess up and cause fights. He knew Georgiana would mess up and cause fights.
Georgiana realized that Damian was still the same boy from high school, from college. She was terrified to mess up again.
Like a song without words Like a world without music, I wouldn't know what to do I'd be lost without you Watchin' over me
Georgiana just kept nodding. She knew it would take time and maturity between both of them. She knew the beginning would be hard. But she wanted this, she wanted her family back. She wanted to love Damian fully, completely, and openly again.
Damian's voice got quieter toward the end, his playing less rough.
I wouldn't know what to do I'd be lost without you Watchin' over me
"That was beautiful," Georgiana said finally, staring at him. "We can…we can go slowly, Damo. There is nothing that says we have to become the couple we were right away."
Damian just stared at Georgiana, his mind reeling. "I want to get to know you first. We haven't really talked to each other without being with children or yelling at each other."
It startled Georgiana that Damian had matured too. The old Damian would have simply jumped at the possibility of a make out session on a lake bed.
"Okay," Georgiana agreed because that was all it took for her to realize that he was now a devastatingly complex man with life stories that she didn't know.
They spent the night talking about the last ten years of their lives. She talked about crazy clients and wardrobe malfunctions, Damian talked about trips he took around the world and the few terribly bad dates he'd been on. They both told funny stories about the girls growing up. It was nearing twelve when they decided to attempt to fit into the Ariel tent.
They stood next to each other and examined the tent. "This isn't going to work," Damian laughed as he sized up the tent.
"You go in," Georgiana walked around it, trying to figure out a way they could both fit into the small structure.
Damian crawled in and settled as far as he could in the front.
Georgiana tried to crawl in but realized rather quickly that she would have to sleep in the fetal position with her knees on his chest. "Damo, this doesn't work."
Damian laughed, "Maybe if we lay the long way…"
They shuffled, and it was awkward at moments. Damian eventually settled in the tent and motioned for Georgiana to lay the same way.
She slithered down but realized quickly that the tent was nearly square. He sat up and unzipped the tent, sticking her legs nearly out of the tent. Only her feet really stuck out, but they had to keep the flap open. "Will that let bugs in?" She asked fearfully.
Damian laughed and shifted closer, "I'll protect you," he whispered and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist. "Is this okay?"
Georgiana nodded peacefully, happy to be in Damian's arms in a completely different way. She listened while Damian fell into a deep sleep. The sounds around Georgiana kept her awake. She could hear fish jumping, birds, bugs fluttering, and occasionally the sound of a car from the highway. She eventually allowed herself to succumb to sleep, nestling closer to Damian.
She had only been asleep forty-five minutes when she felt it. At first she had thought it was Damian playing footsies with her, but Damian had somehow rolled away in his sleep as was nearly dragging the tent to the side. She felt it again, there was definitely something touching her feet. She had brought them in at some point, so whatever was touching her feet was now in the tent.
"Damian!" Georgiana hissed, "Damian!"
Damian sat up and looked at her, weary eyed, "Yes?"
"There is something in the tent."
Damian pulled the thin sheet Georgiana had draped over him up and looked around. "I don't see anything."
Georgiana nodded, "It's here, Damo. It's here, I'm telling you."
Damian laughed, "No."
Then she saw it. A small, green lizard was making its way toward Damian's hand. Before she could do anything, Damian screamed.
"Get it off of me!" Damian stood and ran out of the tent. "Get it off of me! Oh my god, Georgie! It's gross and slimy," Damian was jumping around and throwing his arms in the air, oblivious to the fact that the lizard had fallen off and was already back in the wooded area. "Georgie! Where is it?"
Georgiana couldn't help herself, "Oh my god, Damian! It's in your hair!"
"AH!" Damian ran in a circle around the campfire, "Don't just stand there, help me!" Damian was reduced to jumping up and down.
Georgiana was on the ground laughing. "I'm kidding, it fell off about three minutes ago."
Damian stopped jumping, "That wasn't funny." He was laughing now, "That wasn't funny at all Georgie."
"Then why are you laughing?" She hugged Damian around the waist, "I didn't think you'd lose your cool over a little lizard."
"It was huge!" Damian's eyes were wild, "Can you curl into a ball and sleep like that? I'd really like to close the tent." His voice was small and Georgiana couldn't resist him.
"I think I'll sleep on the mattress," Georgiana admitted. "I want to look at the stars. And…I have a lot to think about."
Damian nodded, "Also, I'm getting you back for that. I don't know when or how, but I am."
Georgiana winked, "I live for the day."
Georgiana settled herself about ten feet from the lake on the mattress. It was more comfortable than the simple cover Damian had put down, and it gave her time to think without being suppressed by the aura of him. She laid on her back and looked up at the clear stars. She couldn't see those in New York. She wasn't sure Darla even really knew what a night full of stars looked like. Before she knew it, her eyes were closed and she fell into one of the best sleeps in her life.
What Georgiana didn't know if that a group of people watched the entire interaction with hushed giggles and new plans forming in their head.
The next morning Georgiana awoke to a gentle pressure on her chest. "Damian, stop," She felt a warmth course throughout her entire body.
Georgiana opened her eyes and expected to see the blue eyes or the messy hair. Instead, she saw water. Lots of water. She wanted to move and realized exactly what was going on.
She was floating in the middle of the lake on the mattress.
"DAMIAN!" She shrieked, not quite sure what she could do. "DAMIAN HELP!"
She saw Damian's head poke out of the princess tent and look directly out to the river. Damian's cackling laugh echoed throughout the lake.
"I'm going to kill you!" Georgiana yelled, trying to stand. "I cannot believe you did this!"
Damian ran out to the shoreline, "You're going to have to swim in!" he yelled.
Georgiana looked into the murky water. Suddenly it wasn't as romantic as it was yesterday. Instead it was fully of mud, dirt, and fish.
Georgiana slid off of the mattress and into the water, trying not to get her hair wet. She got angrier and angrier as she doggie paddled into the shoreline. When she could finally walk, she marched up the beach toward Damian, who was still laughing.
"I cannot believe you did that!" she wanted to slap him. She had been genuinely terrified out on the lake, and Damian had just stood there laughing.
"I'm sorry," Damian kept laughing.
Georgiana couldn't help her anger. She had been humiliated on a morning when she had plans. She was going to make breakfast for Damian, they would flirt all day, and maybe that night they would finally kiss again.
But not now. Damian was still as immature as he'd always been.
"We're leaving. We are going to pack up and walk to the highway. We will find someone with a phone and call my father. We're leaving here, and I'm leaving California."
"Georgie," Damian stopped laughing and smiling immediately, "Georgie, I didn't do that."
"I don't care," Georgiana knew her embarrassment was speaking but she couldn't help her hurt pride, "I'm going back to New York, where I belong. Darla is coming with me."
The group in the bushes a few yards away all groaned. They'd messed up big time.
"I told you this would happen," Henry grumbled, "That's why I didn't do my part of the plan. They can't blame me for this."
Melina glared at Henry, "Fine. You didn't do your part, you get to try to get them together before you are in the skies to New York, never to see California again."
Henry nodded, "I've had a plan this whole time."
A/N Three more to go!
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Post by celticbear on Jul 23, 2013 18:44:08 GMT -5
Sky glad the fashion show went well and that Georgie and everybody stayed! The whole camping scene was filled with pranks from the original movie and the remake! What ever Henry has planed I hope it works! Henry on a horse was a hoot!
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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 23, 2013 20:09:01 GMT -5
Georgiana all but ran up the stairs when Henry pulled into the driveway. The ride home had been painfully quiet and no one said anything as Georgiana ran to her room. It was as if they had known what happened, and Georgiana figured they probably did. She did not care anymore. This was a stupid idea, and she let himself nearly fall twice just to have Damian break her heart again. This time she was leaving on his own accord, Damian would not kick her out. In fact, the only speaking that had gone on during the ride home was Damian begging him to stay for a few more days.
However, Georgiana could not do it this time, she had to leave. She knew it would break her heart again. She knew she would cry and lose nights and nights of sleep. She knew her father would have to hold her, and that Darla would not simply forget this time. Nevertheless, she could not help it, Georgiana was tired of being the strong one; tired of being the bad person; tired of pretending that her feelings meant nothing.
There was a gentle knock at the door as Georgiana threw all of her clothing into the suitcase. She did not care about wrinkles; she had people who could get rid of them in a second. She just wanted to leave nothing behind. She tried to ignore the knocking but it came again, this time a little stronger – something she could not ignore.
"Yes?" her voice was tense and it seemed to bounce off the walls of the quickly emptying room. Georgiana did not even bother to turn around because she knew who was behind her. "Dad, you can't change my mind. I am leaving. You can stay here if you want to play house with Damian some more. But Keith, Darla, and I are going to New York tonight."
Henry chuckled, "Do you really think you can make Keith do something he really doesn't want to do?"
Georgiana whirled around to face her father, "What do you mean he doesn't want to do it? I suppose Damian captured him with his charms too, has he?" Georgiana continued to pack her bag with a scowl and a few ungraceful noises. "Are you really staying here?" her voice was pitiful as she asked the question. She just wanted her father to not make her feel worse about her decision.
"Tonight? Yes. But only because there are no flights back to New York tonight," Henry did not quite meet her eyes when he said it.
Georgiana appraised her father, "Why are you lying to me? There is almost a constant stream of flights to New York from here."
Henry smiled again, "Well you know I hate the longer flights, and Southwest doesn't fly until tomorrow afternoon. Plus, I think you should at least give Damian a night to say goodbye to Darla, Keith to say goodbye to Melina, and give yourself a night to think this over."
"Think what over? And Keith and Melina?" Georgiana stopped packing but made no move to remove her pajamas or creams from her bag.
Henry moved into the room and sat heavily on the corner of a desk, "This is it, Georgie. This is the only chance you are going to have to be with Damian. Do not think in ten years this will happen again. And now you aren't just ripping your own heart to pieces by leaving like this. You are ripping Saoirse and Darla's apart. Those two girls love each other to pieces. They sit up every night and talk about things they want the other to see about themselves. You are tearing apart Keith and Melina. I'm not too sure what's going on with them, but I know they aren't friends. You don't realize how many emotions are tied up in this kid."
"Dad, I know you want a happy ending for me, but I can't sit here and pretend everything is going to work out," Georgiana''s eyes strayed to her hands, "It won't work Dad, it can't."
Henry sighed, "You know, for someone so intelligent and visionary, you have no sense of foresight in your own life. I don't really think I want you and Damian together."
"What?" Georgiana stood up and stared at her father.
"Now listen to me, Georgiana. I do not think the two of you being together as a romantic couple is the best course of action today. However, I do think you two have to get out of this as friends at least for the sake of everyone involved. You can get us tickets for a plane tomorrow, Georgie. But first, you're going to sit down and talk to Damian. You have both grown so much but you're afraid to talk to each other. Do not jump right to the romantics. You were friends first, remember? Maybe you can end being friends as well." Henry sighed heavily ending his speech, "dang, I thought these speeches would be over when you got out of high school."
Georgiana fell back onto the bed, "Let me guess, you have a plan. Just like my plan to lie to Damian worked, just like Melina's plan to leave us alone in the woods worked."
Henry could not help but let out another chuckle as he looked down at her. "True, but those weren't planned by me."
Georgiana sat up quickly, "Dad…I swear to god, if you leave us stranded somewhere I will kick you out of the house."
Henry made his way toward the door, "I doubt you will kick me out of the house. And Georgie?"
"Yeah?"
"Make sure you dress nicely tomorrow. It will be a big day," Henry winked at his daughter before turning to leave.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Get some sleep, I know you can't sleep on planes," Georgiana said warily, not wanting to kill her father's hopes.
"I doubt I'll sleep tonight, I have some work today. But thank you for caring," Henry closed the door behind him and could not help but laugh at his daughter's stubbornness.
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The next morning Georgiana opened her eyes harshly, still expecting to hear the buzzing of insects and the gently tide against the shore. Instead, she heard the buzzing of a blender and the soft tiptoe of someone outside her room. She braced herself for the knock.
"Come in," she said gently when it finally sounded. She had no right to be angry with Darla and hated herself for days when she took those aggressions out on her.
"Good morning," she said as she padded into the room, already dressed.
"Good outfit," Georgiana said with a smile, taking in the cardigan and sweater.
She grinned and self-consciously ran a hand down her side, "You have to wake up. We're going to breakfast."
"Who is this "we" you speak of?" Georgiana asked suspiciously, already planning her outfit in her mind.
Darla bit her lip, "You, me, Saoirse, and Dad…."
Georgiana glared at her a little over the blankets.
"You, Saoirse, Dad, and me," she sighed as she flopped down onto the bed.
"Thank you," Georgiana said simply, curling in on herself to get out of the bed. "What should I wear?"
"You have to look pretty."
A few rooms over, the same scene was happening.
"Daddy, you have to look real handsome. Grandpa Henry picked you out an outfit," Saoirse pointed to the navy blazer and gray pants hanging from his wardrobe.
Damian smiled from his bed; he knew exactly what Henry was doing. "You grandfather is one of the greatest men I've ever met," he said with a laugh, pulling Saoirse down into a hug. "He fixes things when your mother and I mess up. He always has."
Saoirse quickly untangled herself from Damian's grip, "No time to talk now. We have to get you up, ready, and handsome."
"You mean I'm not handsome like this?" Damian pointed to his messy hair and the stubble on his chin, "I thought I was prince charming."
Saoirse put her hands on her hips and just stared at her father, "Not a chance, Dad."
Both parties quickly dressed and met at the bottom of the staircase.
Georgiana sucked in a deep breath when she saw Damian. The navy blazer and red tie seemed to bring out the youthfulness of Damian's face, and the pants fit him far better than the St. Frances ones ever did.
Damian had known Henry was trying to recreate what they looked like when they were younger but he was not prepared for what he saw. Georgiana looked amazing in her long, lilac sundress and her hair curled softly.
Damian still did not know how to respond to Georgiana. His mind wanted him to apologize as did his heart, but he knew she would not accept it. He knew he had to take this for what it was. A man could always use more friends, right?
"Well, I guess you father has set us up a goodbye breakfast, huh?"Damian was at least going to try to make conversation.
Georgiana nodded, "Our plane leaves at 3."
Damian's heard sank, "You really are leaving? Georgie…I thought maybe we could work this out."
Georgiana smiled faintly, "I think we can be friends." She offered her arm, Henry was right – a lot of feelings depended on their getting along. Besides, Georgiana still had a soft spot for Damian. "So do you have any idea or know where they are taking us?"
Damian shook his head and tightened his hold on her, "I tried to get Saoirse to crack all last night but she won't. She's tough as nails.
Darla walked in front of them, "Okay, we have these for you both," the girl held up a matching set of blindfolds.
Georgiana raised an eyebrow and turned to Damian, "Where did she get those?"
Damian was blushing, "She might have found them in that trunk of our things I had upstairs," he said out of the corner of his mouth.
It was her turn to blush, "They were lined with red," Georgiana pointed out.
Damian was going to answer as they walked out to the driveway and saw what was waiting for them, "We're going in a limo? Isn't that a little overkill girls?"
Saoirse put her hands back on her hips, "Do you want one of us to drive you there?"
Damian shot her a look that rivaled one of Georgiana's own.
"Please, indulge us. We worked hard with Grandpa on this." She motioned for them both to put their blindfolds on.
Once they were in the car they both tried to figure out where they were going, but neither could keep the twists and turns the limo was taking.
It took nearly ten minutes, but the limo came to a complete stop and they both felt butterflies form in their stomachs.
Darla got out of the limo and turned back to help her parents out of the car, "Okay, you can take them off."
Georgiana and Damian took off their blindfolds and both of their eyes widened at what they saw. A popular Starbucks was completely shut down and the inside was glinting with candles. "What?" Damian asked, glancing up to look at Georgiana.
"She's ours for the morning," Saoirse said shyly, playing with her cardigan.
"And how exactly did you do this? Pay for this?" Damian didn't want to think about how much it would cost to shut down the popular coffee shop.
Darla shrugged, "Saoirse and I pooled our allowances."
Damian and Georgiana both scoffed at the thought. They looked at each other and laughed when they realized they did it in perfect unison.
"Okay, Grandfather pitched in a bit," Darla said with some hesitation. She looked back up at them and they still didn't believe her, "Okay, he pitched in a lot."
Georgiana and Damian just looked at each other and shrugged. They both knew there was no turning anything around. They were at the whim of two very creative children and an overprotective father who wanted to get his own way.
Saoirse moved to motion her parents into the walkway, "Okay folks, right this way... "
Darla and Saoirse moved to open the double doors of the Starbucks, "Ta da'!"
They looked into the Starbucks, and both grinned. The candles flickered all over, making the room seem both cozy and romantic. Neither voiced that the atmosphere wasn't quite appropriate for their children or even the pair, but they couldn't help but get swept up in the emotions of the room.
Damian looked at the only table in the entire room, "The table's only set for two, girls."
Saoirse bit her lip and looked back at Darla, "That's the other part of the surprise we're not joining you."
Georgiana swallowed thickly and looked at the girls, "You're not?"
The girls smiled at the parents and shook their head in perfect unison. "Nope."
"No, but I am," a voice sounded. They looked up and Melina walked in the room. She wore a pair of khakis, a white collared shirt, and a black apron with a coffee cup, "Good evening, I'm Melina, I'll be your server on this beautiful morning. No wisecracks please or I will hurt you."
More movement in the back of the room caused Damian and Georgiana to glance at Keith walking out wearing the same outfit, And I'm Keith, your barista. May I offer you both a cup of our best coffee in hopes that the caffeine and atmosphere will make you both forget that you hired both this lovely lady and myself. We'd like to keep our jobs."
Melina smiled lovingly at Keith before looking back to where Saoirse and Darla had moved, "Darla, mood music if you will."
Darla pushed a button on a remote and made the lights dim even more until only the candles lit the room. She pushed another button and a familiar song echoed off of the walls.
They say for every boy and girl There's just one love in this whole world And I know I found mine
The heavenly touch of your embrace Tells me no one could take your place Ever in my heart
Young love, first love Filled with deep devotion Young love, our love We share with deep emotion
Darla started walking backwards toward the door, "Relax... Sail through time..."
Saoirse followed her, walking just as slowly, "Back to yesteryear."
The girls disappeared. Georgiana and Damian just stood looking at each other. They had no idea what was going on. "This is confusing," she whispered to Damian, "I'm lost."
"You aren't the only one." Damian said through laughter.
Melina rolled her eyes, "You don't get it, do you? Young Love, the song Damian sang to you the day you met, Georgie. Man, you two are oblivious. Quiche?"
Georgiana laughed, "So, that's what this is all about. They are trying to recreate us falling in love, Damian."
Damian looked back and laughed when he saw a handmade Cafe Noir sign, the same cafe where they would get coffee in during their high school years. "They pulled no stops. Our crafty little girls."
Georgiana couldn't help the tears that prickled at her eyes, "It's romantic." Georgiana let the last of her walls fall. She thought she'd been worn through about fifty times that week, but when the last wall fell, she knew it.
Damian sighed and pulled out a chair for her, "Sit. I think we'll have that drink. Georgie will have nonfat mocha…"
"And Damian will have a medium drip," Georgiana answered, slightly in awe of the fact that Damian remembered.
Damian sighed and leaned back, "To tell you the truth, I haven't even been to Cafe Noir anytime we went home. I couldn't get myself to do it," Damian looked at the logo again, shaking his head.
"Neither have I," Georgiana admitted, "and I think I've been in Derry a few more times than you have." Georgiana shrugged. Damian couldn't help but notice the way the candles reflected off of Georgiana's pale skin, making her eyes seem even greener in contrast.
Damian was too taken with her to even notice the coffee cups being placed in front of him. They took him by surprise but he lifted his cup toward Georgiana, "Well then, here's to..."
She lifted her own cup and clinked it with Damian, "To our daughters."
Damian looked down, blushing. That hadn't been exactly what he was thinking, "To our daughters," he echoed.
Damian didn't let go of her hand, "You know, it's funny to me. I always saw your creativity in Saoirse. She goes about things like you do – throwing them into a mess and then coming out with something beautiful."
Georgiana blushed and sipped at her drink, "That's funny because I definitely see everything about in Darla. She's like this…ball of energy all the time. And when she smiles?" Georgiana smiled on her own and ducked her head, "she is you inside and out, it's probably why I adore her."
They smiled at each other over the rims of their cups. It was slightly awkward, being like this. But they were back in their element. For a few minutes, they didn't want to fight. They both wanted to just be together – even as friends.
Georgiana glanced over and nodded toward the window where Damian just caught a glimpse of two little girls running away. "Now I know how a goldfish feels," Damian laughed, his thumb brushing over the back of her fingers.
Georgiana shakes her head, "They turned out pretty good though, huh? We've been lucky."
Damian moved his chair in again, a habit Georgiana knew meant he was nervous again, "Can we just…talk about what happened to us? It all ended so fast that I can't even remember what my feelings really were...because I don't think I ever stopped loving you."
Georgiana shrugged, "Well, I mean I guess everything for us was a weird whirlwind. Emotions ran so high throughout our entire relationship, even in the beginning."
Damian rolled his eyes, "But see, now that part I remember perfectly."
Melina and Keith looked through the window of the door to the kitchen.
"They are going to be in love so soon," Melina said dreamily, "do you think we can serve the biscotti now?"
Keith smiled, not sure whether it was for the two outside or the girl in front of him, "I'll help you."
They both moved toward the back, momentarily getting stuck in the tight hallway. Melina was stuck tight against Keith, and they both forgot how to breath. Eventually they managed to cooperate with each other enough to break apart.
Melina shook her head slowly, "Right…I'll just go get that biscotti…"
Keith stared up at Melina, "And I'll…uhm...I will"
"Help," Melina offered.
"Right, help," Keith said with a little laugh.
Damian and Georgiana continued talking in the restaurant, "So, you've done incredibly well. Your dream of owning your own coffee company, it came true," Georgiana was now playing with Damian's hands.
He shook his head, his eyes sparkling at her, "Hey, how about you, always drawing on napkins and corners of newspapers? Now you're this major designer... pretty impressive."
Georgiana took a deep breath, "Yeah, it's amazing. We both actually got where we wanted to go..."
"Yeah we did," Damian bit his lip, "I mean…though I always felt like something was missing..."
Melina walked into the room at that moment, a half-dozen biscotti sitting on the plate.
Damian tried to ignore her presence but also used it to quickly change topics, "So, what do we do about the girls?"
Georgiana sighed, realizing that they would have to figure this out. Even if she wanted to be with Damian, she was leaving in a few hours, "Well, I guess now that they've met, we can't very well keep them apart. I could keep them half the year and you could..."
Melina interrupted, "Guys, they can't go to two schools every year. That's crazy."
Damian smiled thankfully at Melina, "I agree."
Georgiana sighed, silently wanting Melina to leave so they could work it out on their own, "Okay, I could keep them for a whole year, then you could..."
Damian grabbed Georgiana's hand again, "You see, this is why we came up with the idea in the first place…"
Melina nodded, "Of course. That was why…" she met both of their eyes and realized she was supposed to leave. "Okay, okay, I'm leaving."
Damian sighed and repeated himself, "This is why we came up with the solution we have."
Georgiana peered up at Damian from beneath her lashes, "Really? I thought it was because we decided never to see each other again."
Damian licked his lips, "Not we, Georgie."
Georgiana shrugged her shoulders, "You know that part's become a bit hazy for me too over the years. I don't…I remember characterizing you as one person, but I'm sure it was different."
Damian laughed hollowly, "You don't remember the day you packed?"
"No, that day I remember perfectly. Did I hurt you when I threw that… what was it?" Georgiana laughed.
Damian rubbed his shoulder, "I never was able to throw a ball again. And it was a mannequin." Damian stopped talking for a few seconds, lost in his own thoughts, "So how come you never got married again? I always figured by now you'd be re-married with a new family..."
Georgiana was visibly startled, "Me? No...no, no... no…NO."
Damian couldn't help but laugh at her, "That's a lot of no's.."
Georgiana glanced at Damian, "That's because I realized a long time ago marriage wasn't for me..."
There was silence for a moment. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't the most comfortable they have shared either. Damian brought the biscotti to his mouth but then brought it down.
Damian looked back at Georgiana, "You know I may be alone with you again, so... About the day you packed... Why did you do it? Why didn't you fight? Part of me...even though it was me who ended it...I always thought you'd come back."
Georgiana had tears in her eyes again, "Damo, we were getting along so badly, we found out we each had tempers, we said foolish things... So I packed... I got on a plane and you didn't come after me. I waited ten years and you never came after me."
There was dead silence between them, neither wanting to move a muscle.
Damian let out a shaky breath, "I didn't know I was supposed to."
Georgiana felt vulnerable again, her emotions raw, "Well, it really doesn't matter now... Let's put on a good face for the kids, shall we and get this show on the road..."
Damian wanted to shake his head and tell her no, that he wanted to fight again, but he couldn't put his emotions out on the line. He had the friendship with Georgiana, and that would be enough for him.
They cleaned up their table and shared looks. Damian bit his lip, "Maybe…you and Darla could come back at the end of August? Or…or Saoirse and I could come to New York? I really do want us to be friends."
Georgiana put her hand on Damian's shoulder, "I'd like that. We can't keep them apart."
They got a fight from everyone involved when they told the family that they would continue to be friends, and that the flight was still leaving that afternoon.
"I really thought that would work," Henry said in disbelief, "I really thought I would be able to get them back together," he didn't want to admit that he was disappointed. He tried not to push his own thoughts and feelings onto his son or granddaughters.
Georgiana grabbed her bags as the car pulled up outside of the house, "Okay, then, I guess that's that. We're really off this time."
Damian watched Georgiana with a sad look on his face. The muscle in his jaw goes as he tries to hold back any of his emotions. He couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. "Georgie," he said quietly, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'm going to miss you."
Georgiana pulled back and held Damian with both of his shoulders, "You can call me anytime. Anytime, Damian. I meant it when I said we will be friends."
Damian wiped his eyes quickly, "Please Georgie, take care of yourself and of Darla." He already had a tear filled goodbye the girl.
"You too," Georgiana whispered.
Henry slammed the trunk shut and looked over to Georgiana, "Come on. We're off."
Darla and Saoirse hugged one more time, whispering that they would see each other soon.
Keith held a sobbing Melina close, not really wanting to let go of her. He debated not even going back, but knew his allegiance had to be to Georgiana.
They all got in the car, sadly looking back at the trio they were leaving behind.
Saoirse waved as Damian held her, his tears falling onto her shoulder.
He couldn't believe Georgiana was leaving again.
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Post by celticbear on Jul 23, 2013 21:21:43 GMT -5
Come on Damo! Get your head screwed on straight and go after her!
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Jul 23, 2013 22:27:58 GMT -5
^ Ditto.
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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 24, 2013 2:08:19 GMT -5
Damian sat on the couch in his living room, a room he rarely inhabited, and stared at the wall. He wasn't sure how much time passed – an hour, a day, a week, a year. He could hear Saoirse and Melina in the background making dinner, but he could not bring himself to join them.
Damian felt completely and utterly empty. He could not remember ever feeling more hollow than he felt in that moment. It seemed like nothing mattered to him anymore. Damian had been happy before Georgiana left.
Well maybe not happy. If Damian was being honest with himself, he had been living some sort of quasi-happy life where the only happiness he really had came in the form of a little girl who held the key to the happier days of his life. It wasn't fair to Saoirse, and it wasn't fair to Damian. But how could he make things right now that he had gone so wrong.
There were tears falling down his face but he made no move to rid himself of them when he heard Melina walk into the room. She sat down beside him and placed her hand onto his back, rubbing small soothing circles. "Why did you let her go?" she asked quietly – she knew no was not the time for her sassy remarks.
Damian sniffed and curled even deeper into himself, "I didn't know how to keep her," he admitted. "I'm afraid Melina. I'm afraid to let myself love her again. What if I hurt her? What if she hurts me?"
Melina stopped rubbing and looked at the man next to her. For a second, it looked like he was the same man he was years ago: lost in his own thoughts and afraid to take the necessary steps to get the man who completed his life back. "You really are a coward," she said quietly, "a big, fat coward."
Damian stopped crying, blinking a few times, "That's not necessarily helping me right now."
"Yeah well," she took her hand off of his back and glared at him, "you are old enough to help yourself, Damo. You're so afraid of screwing everything up that you do exactly that. You had Georgie right in front of you but you were too afraid to get hurt. Too afraid to open up to her again. You are nothing but a coward, Damian McGinty. I'm surprised you even have the ability to get up in the morning. What if the change in elevation gives you a nosebleed or you stub your toe?"
Damian blinked a few more times, "Excuse me?" he eventually said.
"You heard me," Melina stood, "You made a mess, Damo. Years ago it might have been her fault that you two divorced; but you were both young then. Now you both know better and you just let her walk away again. You would have just had to tell her how you feel right now, in this moment. Did you think she was going to sing some song again to make you pluck up the courage to tell her how you really feel? You preach to everyone that they need to just follow their dreams and have the guts but you do not have it yourself. You couldn't get yourself to tell her how you feel knowing just how she felt back. You are a coward."
Damian stood now, getting closer to Melina, "I do too have the courage to tell her how I feel. I am not a hypocrite."
Melina bit her lip, trying to hold back her squeals of happiness "Do you? Then go, Damo. Follow her. Tell her how you feel. If you are lucky, she will listen to you. I know I wouldn't."
"Saoirse," Damian called over his shoulder, already making a to do list in his mind, "pack a bag."
"No," Melina caught his stomach, "go by yourself. This is between you and Georgie, no one else. Don't you dare use your daughter as a launching pad or a bartering tool. You go by yourself and do this how you were supposed to. No more planning, no more plotting. Go and lay it all on the line."
"What if she says no?" Damian allowed some of his worry to seep into the conversation.
Melina shrugged, not giving Damian the confidence she knew he was looking for, "To get her back, is that a risk you are willing to take?"
Damian took a deep breath and nodded again, "Will you watch Saoirse for a few days?"
"I can, but it will cost you," she said with a wink and an internal flail.
-
Georgiana sighed heavily as she threw the bags down on her bed. She wanted to crawl up in it and sleep forever. She hoped the nightmares there would replace the one in which she was living.
Henry's boots clambered behind him, causing Georgiana to sigh. Henry rarely came anywhere near that end of the apartment, always letting Georgiana have her privacy. "You okay kid?" he asked gruffly. Georgiana knew that her father was taking this as hard as she was.
Georgiana nodded but wanted nothing more than to fall into her father's shoulder and sob about her life and all of the stupid choices she made. She couldn't help but feel every time she made a stupid decision, life punished her for it for years. "I just…I really thought he'd try to make me stay, Dad. He kept preaching about how we are friends and how friendship was enough for him but we aren't even that! There was no friendship formed over a cup of coffee and two people being afraid to really speak what we felt!"
Henry shook his head and leaned up against the wall, a weary frown on his lips, "I can't believe he let you go either, kid. Maybe it is time to move on. Maybe you should try to find someone else that will make you happy."
Georgiana shook her head furiously, "No! I don't want to let him go! No one else is going to make me happy, Dad. I know. I know what I felt and even when I wanted to push Damian into the lake and hold him under, I still felt more at home with him than I ever feel with anyone."
Henry shook his head, "I understand Georgie, I really do but I think enough is enough. You can't let him drag you down forever. Do you really think it will be worth it to sit around again and just wait for him to come to his senses?"
Georgiana nodded, because she really did think Damian would come. She didn't know why, but throughout their relationship they always had a sixth sense about the other. When one was hurt, the other knew. When one was happy, the other knew. Georgiana knew Damian would come for her. She knew they would be together.
But when? She had no idea if it would be this year or in thirty years when they were both knocking on death's door. Georgiana hated to admit it, but she would wait as long as it took.
"Dad…we'll be together again. I have faith in Damian," Georgiana said quietly, she hated letting her father down but she just didn't have the strength this time to put on a brave, independent face. "I know you don't want me to wait…"
"I want you to be happy," Henry interrupted, "I don't care if that is with Damian, some model who is nineteen or whatever. I've never cared who you found happiness with but what are you going to do? Wait until you visit California again or until he comes to visit you? It took ten years the first time and that was only because you have two very inventive little girls."
Georgiana wanted to shake her father and tell him she had no idea what was going to happen. But Georgiana had to believe in Damian. Se had believed in him every time, when it took him months to realize that there was something between them, when it took him ages to propose and even longer to actually write her vows for their wedding. Georgiana had had faith every time and she wasn't going to give it up. She believed in Damian.
Taking in a shaking breath, Georgiana brought her eyes up to meet those of her father's, "I understand what you are trying to tell me, Dad. But I don't think I can move on right now. I'm going to go to bed and when I wake up tomorrow I'm going to work. This is just another bump in the road and we can progress from this. I believe in our love."
Henry smiled sadly at Georgiana, "Just know that I will always be here for you, Georgie. I'll go get Darla into bed so you can have some peace and quiet. Will I see you tomorrow?" Henry knew that whenever things were going badly for Georgiana she tended to wrap herself up in her work until she fell asleep at her sewing machine.
Georgiana shrugged, "Maybe. It depends on if tomorrow is a good day or a bad day."
-
It was a bad day.
Georgiana snapped at several of her assistants, stabbed no less than five models with pins, and screwed up three orders of her newest line. It was so bad that her secretary told her to take the rest of the day off, but Georgiana ignored her as she want to sketch in her personal fitting room.
She had to keep busy. Being busy meant she didn't think and not thinking meant she didn't cry.
She sketched many things, none of them particularly earth shattering. She usually could channel her pain and emotion into something fantastical, but instead they came out depressing.
Perhaps she could design a line of funeral suits.
"Ms. Thompson?" her secretary poked her head in the room, "you have your fitting here."
Georgiana grabbed her phone and panicked, "I don't have another fitting today. My last one was at eleven."
The woman furrowed her brow, "You don't? He said he was here to see you. He doesn't look like a model but…."
Georgiana sighed, "And you just assumed a random guy that doesn't look like a model could get a fitting with me? And he just assumed he could walk in?"
The woman's eyes widened as Georgiana snapped at her, "I'm sorry ma'am…I just…"
Georgiana rubbed her temples, "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I've just had a long day."
She nodded sympathetically, "You mean your vacation didn't relax you?"
Georgiana laughed hollowly, "Not even close. You can tell the man to come in. I'm not doing anything productive anyway." She gathered her sketches and dumped them into her recycling bin.
She heard footsteps approach but when the man said nothing, Georgiana turned around – his irritation level with the man rose from a seven to a ten.
Damian.
Her jaw nearly hit the floor when her eyes met the blue eyes she'd been missing. Damian looked like he hadn't slept, the bags under his eyes looked painful and his hair was a matted mess.
"Hi," Damian said hoarsely.
"Hi," Georgiana said back, a dopey smile on her face. She couldn't help it, no matter what Damian did he would always have the ability to make Georgiana smile in some way.
Damian walked slowly across the room, "I'm an idiot," he said with a laugh, "and I can't believe I let you walk away again."
Georgiana shook her head, "I can't believe I walked away again. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, even harder than the first time."
Damian bit his lip, "I know what you mean. I wanted to grab you before you even turned around."
"Why didn't you?" Georgiana moved closer until they were dangerously close, breathing each other's air, "why didn't you follow me again?"
"I wasn't sure you wanted me to. I know said that you wanted me to follow you years ago, but I wasn't sure about this time. I…. I was afraid. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you and yet you keep letting me back in every time I screw this up."
Georgiana leaned against her sketching table and crossed her arms, "You know, I would totally offer to go sit somewhere with you and talk but I have to fit some random guy who walked in and asked for my service," Georgiana rolled her eyes dramatically, "can you believe the guts of this guy?"
Damian pursed his lips and shook his head, "The nerve. I'll tell you what," he leaned slightly closer to Georgiana, "how about you fit this schmuck and I'll go get myself cleaned up and maybe even sleep so pigeons can't build homes in the bags under my eyes. Then I'll pick you up and we can go out for dinner and talk. Really talk."
Georgiana paused as if to think, "I suppose if I'll get a free dinner out of it I can…"
Damian reached his hand out and laced his fingers with Georgiana for a few seconds, "Then it's a date?" his voice caught on the last word, but Georgiana still understood what he meant.
"It's a date," Georgiana said wistfully.
Damian stared for a few seconds before letting go of Georgiana's hand and walking with a smile over his shoulder. Georgiana waited until Damian was out of the store before screaming loudly at the top of her lungs. "OH MY GOD!" she said, nervous energy coursing throughout her body, "I cannot believe this!"
She started hopping in place, not quite sure how to expel the energy. "He came after me," she said to herself, "he came after me!"
A throat cleared behind her and Georgiana froze, "Yes?"
"I just um, I realized I forgot to tell you a time," Damian said while trying to hold back his excited laughter.
Georgiana felt himself grow red but remained poised, "Oh. Well, I just assumed…"
Damian nodded, "Yeah, I understand. So seven?"
"Seven," Georgiana echoed with a small nod.
"I'm really leaving this time," Damian said with a small laugh, "continue to celebrate."
"I will," Georgiana motioned to the computer, "a company just bought 5,000 pairs of pants that I designed. It's something to celebrate."
Damian scrunched his face up and nodded, "Of course. Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Georgiana said weakly. She really needed to work on her lying skills.
Damian turned and left again, his shoulders shaking from the laughter he held back. He couldn't help to think that Georgiana has to be quite possibly the most adorable thing he'd ever laid eyes on. She still had a youthful quality that Damian loved.
Georgiana quickly packed up her things and cleaned her workstation. It took her twice as long as it should have, she worked with fumbling hands and couldn't pay attention to anything but the excitement she felt.
She had a date with her ex husband, and it was going to be amazing.
Georgiana ran home, the energy she had wouldn't allow her to sit in a cab no matter how short the ride was. When she ran through the front door, she almost barreled over her father.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Henry asked before taking in the huge smile on Georgiana's face. "What's up?"
"I," Georgiana said proudly, "have a date."
"With who?" Henry tried not to let any hope into his voice though he thought he might know who was taking his daughter out. Georgiana didn't answer right away so he followed her to the bedroom.
"Some really cute brown haired boy with the most amazing blue eyes," Georgiana said dreamily, running around looking for her favorite dress and attempting to not completely lose her cool.
Henry held onto the door frame to support himself, "You mean the kid actually pulled through? Did you see him in person?"
"Yes," Georgiana rolled her eyes, "and he's coming for me at seven so I need to figure this out."
"Georgiana, that is in nearly four hours," Henry shook his head at his daughter, "it will not take you four hours to get ready."
"I need to look great!" Georgiana pulled several dresses out, trying to figure out which one was the specific one she was looking for.
"You don't have to do anything, he is the one who should have to do all the work."
"You have to say that, you're my father, which one of these looks better?" Georgiana held up two different dresses.
"I thought being friends was enough? Why should you have to dress up for dinner with one of your friends?" Henry couldn't help but feel nostalgia as he watched Georgiana try on different clothing options; it was like she was seventeen all over again.
Georgiana didn't stop trying on clothing as her father lectured, but she did roll her eyes a few times. "Dad, you know Damian and I have never been just friends. Not even when we were friends. My feelings have always and will always run deeper than that."
"And I'm just telling you I don't know if that is a good idea," Henry knew he was pushing but he had to try to talk some sense into Georgiana – or at least let her see the sense herself.
They went back and forth for the rest of the time Georgiana got ready. She wasn't about to listen to her father, and Henry threatened to sit Damian down and talk to him. Both agreed that wouldn't be the best option because they were keeping Darla in the dark about the entire thing.
Though the way she was attached to her cell phone, they figured she already knew everything.
When seven rolled around there was a knock on the door. Georgiana felt her heart constrict as Henry rushed to answer the door. Henry flung his arms around Damian, "I knew you'd pull through," he whispered, "but don't let Georgiana know I knew."
Damian was confused and stared at the apartment in awe. He'd never seen it, Georgiana realized, and watched as he took in where she lived. "Your home is lovely," he said eventually.
Georgiana couldn't help but giggle at how adorably tense Damian was, "Do you have something behind your back?" she asked, trying to relieve some of the tension.
"I…yes," Damian pulled his arm from behind his back to reveal a long-stemmed red rose, "For you," he said quietly, hoping Henry wouldn't interrupt.
Georgiana blushed and took the rose in one hand and latched her hand into Damian's to pull him toward the kitchen. "Let me just get a vase for this and then we can go."
Damian followed and stared around the place like he was a tourist.
Georgiana quickly filled a vase with water and placed it on the kitchen table, "It really is beautiful Damo, thank you."
Damian shrugged, "I just wanted to do something special for you."
Georgiana claimed Damian's hand again and walked them out, "Don't stay up," she called cheekily to Henry.
Damian laughed and they quickened their pace as they walked toward the elevator.
It was slightly tense on the way down, neither really knowing what to say to the other. They kept their hands clasped as they walked down the street.
Georgiana stopped abruptly once they were about a block away, "You know, I'm not really hungry."
Damian laughed, "I'm not either. I don't…I can't…I'm too nervous to eat."
"Want to just walk and talk?" Georgiana knew she wouldn't be able to stomach any food nor tolerate any idle chitchat. She wanted to get down to the basics.
"Yes," Damian adjusted his hand in Georgiana's and they continued walking without a care for where they actually ended up.
Eventually they both realized they were falling into the same trap. They were so content actually being together that they got nowhere in their conversation.
"So explain to me why you wanted out of this years ago," Georgiana said quietly with a squeeze of her hand. She wanted Damian to know they could have the conversation and she wouldn't take anything too personally.
Damian took a deep breath, "I felt overwhelmed. When we got married I thought I was getting a partner. It was fine, you know…the working those crazy hours at first because I was pretty much working from home. I was always ready for you and we could have those…moments and conversations that made our relationship what it was. Then we decided to have the girls…and it changed. I suddenly felt like I had a partner who wasn't….who wasn't living up to his end of the deal. But…that wasn't it.
I just felt like I wasn't good enough because I wasn't dividing up my time well enough. I would spend all of this energy on these beautiful girls and then have none to give to you. I constantly felt like I was failing because by the time you were home…I was tired and didn't want to have those moments. Then I started to resent the fact that you got away – you got to leave the house.
I know you hated that the girls were closer to me, but I hated that you got to have this real life. We were so young, Georgie. I can't believe no one tried to talk us out of becoming parents that young. It wasn't like they were some sort of mistake! But then the resentment turned because I put so much of myself into those girls and it felt like…it felt like you didn't care about any of us. When you missed that picnic…it was something so small.
I didn't want it to become the big deal that it was. I honestly thought you would apologize and then try to make up for it. Instead you got yourself a lawyer. I was too terrified to even try to ask you to stop with everything. I was stubborn but more than that I was hurt…I didn't expect you to actually go through with it all."
Damian had barely realized that Georgiana had sat them on a bench in Central Park. He was heaving by the time the words spilled out of his mouth. "And that is what happened…basically."
Georgiana tried to process everything she heard while not taking everything personally. The person Damian was talking about was years ago, and that was not who Georgiana was today. She thought for a moment and realized she couldn't blame Damian for feeling what he felt. Damian was entitled to his emotions and feelings. Georgiana also knew that Damian always felt more than he said, and that it always took Damian a long time to express his emotions. "Can I tell you why I worked so much?" Georgiana asked with some trepidation.
Damian nodded and moved closer, closing both of Georgiana's hands with his, eyes intent – he wanted to know so much. He wanted answers to the questions he'd been asking himself for ten years.
"I worked because I wanted to make you proud of me. I know you love me no matter what I do or how I do it…but I needed to feel a reason for you to be proud of me. I was so proud of you every single day. I watched you build up this little company and you were getting exciting news every day.
And there I was, the artist wife of the next big thing. The woman who was going to change the business world. I wanted to be something. I didn't want to be some…trophy wife that dabbled in designing. Then we talked about children and I was so excited because we would get to spend time together and both take a step away from work.
Then I saw how you were with them. I saw how they just took to you like it was nothing at all. I never had the parental bone in my body. I never took to children. So once again I felt like I wasn't enough. But I could design and I could make money…more than you were making because you willingly stepped away to raise a family. When you said you wanted a divorce…I was so blindsided. I threw myself into m work and became this robot. I didn't even think that maybe you didn't want the divorce. I thought about getting myself out of it without losing too much dignity. I also wanted…I wanted you to fail at something Damian."
Damian was taken aback for a moment but didn't let Georgiana's words hurt him. "So what I'm hearing," he tried to be as diplomatic as possible, "is that if we…if we were to ever be more than friends…we would have to learn to talk to each other."
Georgiana's heart warmed again, knowing that Damian was even thinking about them being together again was enough for her. She bit her lip shyly and looked up at Damian, "You mean…when?"
Damian looked at her with questioning eyes.
"When we get back together," Georgiana said quietly but hopefully.
Damian's face broke out into his first genuine smile in a long time, "Absolutely. When." He nodded, "When we get back together."
"When," Georgiana echoed, not really sure where to go. They had so much more to talk about. "Okay…so when…what would happen? You obviously can't move here."
Damian looked crestfallen, "I really can't. I mean…I could sell the factory and do something else here…"
Georgiana nodded, "That could work. Or…when the time comes, I could move there. Dad is getting a little old for this crazy city. I mean…I would have to come here occasionally."
"And I would be okay with that!"
"Your house is plenty big," Georgiana tried to come up with any cons to the plan. She loved New York, but the allure seemed to wear off for her after awhile. She just wanted to be where her family was.
"What about Keith?"
Georgiana paused, he hadn't thought about the boy. "Well I still need an assistant."
"Hmm…yeah." Damian stood, "Come on, let's walk."
They walked hand in hand around the city, talking about everything that could possibly go right with when they became a couple again. Neither mentioned that they were already holding hands or that they both knew their feelings ran deeper than friends. They simply enjoyed each other's company and let their feet carry them wherever they wanted to go. There were no plans and no rules, only them.
They'd been walking for nearly two hours when Damian realized how late it was getting, "I should probably get you home. Your father is probably waiting up like he was when we were in high school."
"I wouldn't doubt that," Georgiana navigated them toward the high rise. "How long are you here?"
"I don't have a return ticket yet," Damian admitted, "I didn't want to think about that when I bought the ticket here."
Georgiana grinned because now she had a plan that would work. She allowed Damian to walk her up to the door of her penthouse and turned, "Well I wouldn't buy that ticket yet."
"Oh yeah? Why not?" Damian leaned against the wall.
"Well," Georgiana grinned up at him, forgetting everything that had happened between them and just letting her heart do the planning. Her head would beat her up for it later, but she had to go with the one thing that rarely let her down. "I just finished a line."
"Hmm hmmm." Damian nodded with a smile, he thought he knew where the conversation was headed.
"And I mean…now would be an ideal time for me to make a move of some sort," Georgiana was suddenly nervous because she knew she was taking a huge risk.
Damian cupped Georgiana's face, "You know, now would be a perfect time for me to help someone to move."
Georgiana moved in closer, her eyes fluttering, "So when is…now?"
Damian nodded and closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against Georgiana's. Georgiana wasted no time and threw her arms around Damian's neck, instantly deepening the kiss and taking control. Damian traced Georgiana's bottom lip with his tongue and pulled her even closer until there was no room between them.
"YES!"
Damian and Georgiana jumped apart to see Darla standing in front of them holding her phone up; they could see Saoirse on the screen.
Damian grabbed the phone, "Saoirse, go to bed. Now."
"But Melina said…"
"I don't care what Melina said, go to bed. Tomorrow you and Mel are going to clean out the guest bedroom to make room for Darla…"
Darla gasped, "You mean we're moving?"
Damian realized then that it probably wasn't the best way to tell her, but was relieved the see the girl jump up and down again.
Straightening back up he wrapped and arm around Georgiana's waist and accepted a chaste kiss from her.
Things weren't perfect, and there would still be a lot of bumps in the road but they needed to learn to go with the flow and learn from their mistakes.
A/N One more to go!
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Post by slyoldweasel on Jul 24, 2013 2:54:18 GMT -5
Epilogue
Georgiana leaned back against Damian's chest, enjoying the early sounds of crickets and the occasional frog. She looked down at her notepad and sighed loudly, "I'm getting nowhere with these, they're terrible."
Damian hooked his chin over Georgiana's shoulder and gazed down at the sketch, "They resemble your line from two springs ago."
Georgiana appraised the pictures again, and Damian was right. Lately all she'd able to draw were designs in bright colors and while that was great for a few lines, two years worth didn't really do much for her.
"Maybe you should retire," Damian mused into her ear, nuzzling affectionately into Georgiana's neck and peppering it with kisses.
"Damo, I'm barely in my 40's," Georgiana laughed but threw the book to the side and collapsed backwards, sending both Georgiana and Damian toward the chair.
"Ooof!" Damian groaned when his back hit the plastic, "That was not good for my back," Damian moved but kept Georgiana in his lap.
"Old man," Georgiana muttered but rolled over and wrapped her arms around Damian's torso, "how long do you think we can get away with just laying like this?"
Damian's arms automatically circled Georgiana, "Not long. They'll be home soon. And don't even act like you don't miss them. It's been three months."
Georgiana nodded dumbly, "I know but it is just so quiet around here without them. A woman could get used to it."
"And I'm the old one?" Damian teased, "I really do miss them though. The constant piles of laundry, the fighting over makeup, and the hormones." Damian's voice had an almost airy quality about it.
"You're nuts, soon you're going to say you want to have more," Georgiana sounded half asleep as she basked in the sun.
Damian pondered the statement, "You know, we are still young enough where we technically could…."
"No."
"But Georgie…It would be fun," Damian reasoned, "We could have a boy…"
"No."
Damian pouted but pressed a kiss to the top of Georgiana's head. They'd had the conversation countless times over the past few years. It started about two weeks after they moved back in together and lasted until the girls left for college. They were always half serious about it, and they both brought it up on different occasions.
Though it never happened.
Both were far too busy to attempt raising another child, plus their first attempt didn't really go so well and what they had was so precious that they didn't want to get caught up again.
Damian was still in control of the coffee company which now supplied coffee to all major coffee houses in the United States as well as Europe. He had to pull away from some of the more hands-on processes, but worked just as hard behind the scenes.
Georgiana continued to design in California and made frequent trips in the beginning of their relationship but they tapered off toward the end.
As for the both of them, they re-married two months after Georgiana, Darla, Keith, and Henry moved to California. Their second wedding was definitely better than the first, only because it held so much meaning and love than the two of them every felt for each other.
As for Keith and Melina... the two had wanted a small wedding the second Melina realized Damian was going to be fine without her. And for that, she was eternally grateful.
"Mom! Dad!" a voice called as a streaking ball of brown and bright green ran to hug them both.
"Darla, what is going on with your hair?" Georgiana gasped while fingering the green streaks.
"Isn't it cool Mom? Tiffany did it one night when we couldn't sleep," she played idly with a safety pin on her shirt.
"Lovely," Georgiana remarked while passing a look to Damian. The girls grew up so differently than either had expected, but they were proud of them. Darla was currently at UCLA working toward her degree in art and business.
"Where's your sister?" Damian asked after a long hug.
"Coming, Daddy! Sorry, I was just talking to Grandpa; he's yelling at the judges again." Saoirse ran out next, hugging both of her parents as she fell heavily onto the chair next to them.
"You look tan!" Damian commented, "I thought we told you to wear sunscreen."
"I do, Dad, but practice doesn't really let me reapply it," Saoirse was playing softball for one of the best teams in the state of California and attending a small liberal arts college. While she wanted to try out and play softball longer, she was majoring in physics – a huge shock to everyone.
Georgiana stretched out and moved slightly off of Damian, "You know we are going to dinner at Keith and Mel's tonight, right?"
The girls nodded as they stretched out in the sun.
The small family sat together, basking in the sun. It wasn't anything extraordinary and it wasn't anything special. They were a typical family who had been through a lot and worked together to get through to the end.
There were still fights and days when they were all at each other's throats.
They still fought over who got what seat in the living room.
But they eventually learned to work with each other and become the one thing they all had been yearning to become – a family, even though they may not be the textbook example of one.
End.
A/N Thank you for taking this journey with me. It was a great pleasure, I'm really going to miss the twins. For now, I'm going to focus on my Cirque de Joie story and my Emmet one. Thank you for reading, have a good day. x
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Post by celticbear on Jul 24, 2013 21:42:49 GMT -5
Thank God for Mel and her Tough Love! It was just what Damo needed! So happy that this version of the Parent Trap worked just like the original did! And so happy that Mel and Keith ended up together! Bravo Sly! Job well done!
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Jul 25, 2013 0:05:37 GMT -5
I loved it so much!! Thank you for writing! I enjoyed reading this story a lot no more updates...sad.
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