I aM tHe WaLrUs

[KERFUFFLE]

Oh, I can, don't worry

One of the cabin crew on the flight was talking to Asher while they were flying. She had been asking him about his service, if he had anyone special to see back home.

"Somebody very special. It's her birthday today, she doesn't know I'm coming home," he said, not mentioning why she didn't know-- or rather, she didn't think he ever would. "Would you.. Do you know what the weather's like in New York today?"

"I believe it's supposed to be raining all day. That's a bit of a bummer for a birthday isn't it?"

"Not for her, I don't think. She loves the rain."

 

[Bunny_grl07]

Good.

I do hope they have a really good time at their relatives! =D But tomorrow, I can relax.

Lucy sat down on the park bench, then sighed softly as it began to rain. "Wow... it seems something finally decides to go right. On the worst day of my life." She then yelled at the sky, "Is this some kind of a joke? Is this supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't! I feel worse!" She started crying. Crying made her remember when her and Asher had danced in the rain, and the raindrops disguised her tears. "Everything is so wrong. He's supposed to be here with me! We were supposed to be happy together, and have a future! We were supposed to get old and die together! It's not fair! He didn't do anything wrong, it should have been me instead!"

 

[KERFUFFLE]

I'm off to G'ma's tomorrow, of all days. But I shall be on in the evening.

In the early evening, the plane touched down. Asher was helped down the steep airplane steps, still a little shaky on his feet. So much so, he was advised to have a wheelchair around the house, as well as some crutches. A doctor would bring them sometime tomorrow. The lady who had talked to him wished him luck. He got into a cab, his luggage having been placed in the boot and he was driven home. He ran to the flower shop, and a few other places, a cake shop, too, and then went to the apartment. When noone answered the door, he found his key and let himself in, putting his suitcase in his room. No time for changing clothes, he ran out again, knowing where he should find Lucy now. He shouldn't have ran, the doctor would have told him, but he felt fine, and didn't care anymore. There she was, sat at that bench, the exact one she'd been sat on the very first time he saw her. He quietly made his way behind her, and there he stood. Holding out the roses he'd bought for her, a box with a cake under his free arm. He said, "Happy birthday."

 

[Bunny_grl07]

Okiday! I'll try to be on! =D

But have fun, okay? HAVE LOTS OF FUN! >D

Lucy sniffled and said, "How did you know it was my birthday?" She turned around, then gasped, jumping back a couple feet. Her face grew ashen, and she just stared at Asher, unable to move, barely able to breathe. "But... you're... you died..." She circled around the bench, eying him warily. "I must be dreaming again... this must be a dream..." But she reached out, slowly, and touched his face. "No... it's not a dream... Asher... you're... you... Asher!" She threw her arms around him, weeping once more. Only this time, it was out of pure joy. She couldn't bring herself to say anything, to do anything but cry, and hold on to him, as if he would vanish if she let go.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

I will. I haven't seen them for ages because I was in Germany.

Asher placed the roses and the bag with the box with the cake in on the bench and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground, never wanting to let her go. "It was all a big mistake.." he whispered, "But I'm here now, and I'm never leaving you ever again." He was crying, too, happy tears, and for the first time in over a year, everything felt right in the world. He buried his face in her hair. There it was. He'd smelled it on each of her letters, her rose perfume, but was never the same as it was on her skin. "I've missed you so much."

 

[Bunny_grl07]

Is it family on your mom or dad's side?

Lucy nodded, bawling her eyes out into the front of his uniform, never wanting to let him go either. "I've missed you too! I thought I'd never see you again... and your parents were so sad, and I felt like I was dead on the inside. You're safe! You're alive! Just knowing that makes me the happiest girl-- woman-- in the world!" She looked up and kissed him passionately, the feeling of joy exploding inside her, overflowing, making her smile so hard it was painful. but she didn't care, because Asher was home, and everything was going to be okay. "I love you, Asher Scott!"

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Dad's. They live about 15 minutes away

"I was afraid I wouldn't get here quickly enough.. Afraid you'd move away or.. Something, I don't know. And I just couldn't miss your birthday," Asher said, kissing her back with equal passion, tenderly, lovingly. He got that familiar feeling of butterflies in his stomach when they did, and they spread through his whole body, his hands shaking a little, he was so happy. "I love you, too, Lucy McClintock. I love you so, so much. There wasn't a second that went by that I didn't think about you."

 

[Bunny_grl07]

You're lucky you live so close to your family! =D

I don't see my family nearly as often as I would like.

Lucy said, "I never stopped thinking about you, either. If I wasn't thinking about you, I was dreaming about you. When I got the letter, saying you were dead, I just... I snapped, and I went home, to the country. And I just shut up, and minded my own business. I felt like a big part of me was gone. I'm so glad you're back. More than glad... even more than joyful. I can't even find the right word for it!" She kissed him again, then picked up the bouquet of roses he'd bought for her. "Oh, roses, my favorite! You remembered!"

 

[KERFUFFLE]

My close family all live within 30 minutes from me

My uncle on my Mum's side, his wife and children still live in South Africa, but they're less close than my Dad and his brothers anyway.

"And I can't describe how wonderful it is to be back. I honestly thought I'd never get away. I'll have to tell you the full story later. But it's so amazing to see you again. You're even more beautiful than I remember," Asher told her, tilting her chin up with his thumb, smiling adoringly at her, his blue-grey eyes, which had been unchanged by time, searching her face. He knew that she was tired, and had been feeling low until he had showed up, but she was a year older now, anything childlike about her features had gone and she was just simply a beautiful young woman to him now. He smiled when she picked up the roses, "As if I could forget," he said. He picked up the bag with the box of cake and offered her his hand, "Fancy some cake? We can go and find a spot by the fountain to sit, if you want."

 

[Bunny_grl07]

Do you get to visit South Africa at all?

Lucy felt like her chest was going to explode, that was how overjoyed she felt. "And you're even handsomer than I remember," she whispered, rubbing her face against his, the painfully wide smile still on her face. Photos of him just didn't do him justice. They didn't capture the depth and vibrancy of his eyes, the light of his smile, the way his hair shone. She had missed him too much for words. but her was finally home, in her arms, where he belonged. Taking the hand he offered her, she nodded and smiled. "I'd love to sit and eat cake with you. Anything you ask of me, I can do it. I could fly if you'd like."

 

[KERFUFFLE]

No. My parents don't really have any desire to go back, after all they've seen. We also saw recent photos of places we used to like to go, and there's nothing left of them any more. They say they'd like to take me to Cape Town, when I'm a little older, though.

Asher squeezed her hand gently and then started to lead her, pulling her close to his side, to the fountain further inside the park. He chuckled at what she'd said and replied with, "Well, technically, I should be doing whatever you want me to do, and not the other way around, since it is your birthday, and you only turn eighteen once."

He couldn't stop stealing glances at her. It didn't feel real to him, after being away for so long, and in so much misery that he was back here at last, and everything was wonderful again. He held her hand a little bit tighter at the thought, as though to stop her from slipping through his fingers.

He stopped at a spot by the fountain, and sat on the grass, not caring that it was wet. From his bag, he retrieved the box. Inside of which was a birthday cake, chocolate, of course, because he knew she loved few things more than chocolate, a couple of plates, and a bottle of wine, with two glasses-- the drinking age was lower back then.

"Alright, how much cakeare you having?" he asked her, having made one cut, waiting for her to tell him where to slice it next.

 

[Bunny_grl07]

That's so sad. To think, places you love and cherish could just... vanish.

"You "came back from the dead". That's all I could ever ask for, Asher, because just having you is enough for me!" And she knew it was true. She could have cared less if he had brought her a birthday present. He could have brought her a dead bird, and she would have been just as happy as she was at that moment.

She also kept looking at him, occasionally squeezing his hand harder, trying to get used to the feelings of him being there again. It was the most wonderful thing she had felt in her life, holding his hand, brushing against his side as they walked. When they reached the spot by the fountain, she sat beside him and smiled, cuddling close to his chest, feeling safe and comfortable under his arm. "Oh, I only want a small piece, please. I haven't been eating very much, and my stomach isn't used to having big portions." She then looked at the chocolate and wine, and couldn't help grinning. "And you bought chocolate! Again, one of my favorite things!" She laughed and took a piece, popping it into her mouth. Then, she opened the bottle of wine and poured each of them a glass, not caring if a little bit of rainwater got into them.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Yeah.. There are even sadder things happening though. Scary sad, I mean, unimaginable to people like you and I, living in pretty much peaceful countries.

Asher handed her her plate with a slice of cake, then cut some for himself as well. Cake was a definite luxury, something he hadn't eaten in months, if not for the whole year he'd been away.

But, of course, the biggest luxury of all was having the woman he loved back in his arms again. Her head on his chest, the smell of her perfume on her soft skin, her beautiful blonde hair, the happiest smile he'd ever known, there she was once more. And never again would he be apart from her, he vowed.

He then raised his glass of wine to her and said, "To a very beautiful woman-- the most beautiful woman in the whole world, I should say--, Lucy McClintock, on her eighteenth birthday. Cheers to that one."

 

[Bunny_grl07]

I wish I could go help, but right now I don't have any means.

But someday I'm going to try!

"Cheers," Lucy said, blushing wildly. She couldn't even remember the last time she had blushed... maybe when they sent the passionate letters to each other. Those had made her blush, but not as much as this. She took a sip from the glass and smiled at him, leaning over and kissing his cheek. Then, she raised her own glass and said, "To the love of my life, and the most wonderful man I've ever known, Asher Scott. Cheers!" She took another sip of wine, then rubbed her hand along his thigh, glad that she could be there for him, to keep him company, so he'd never have to be alone, in a place far from home, again. She took a bite of cake and let out a loud sigh of happiness. "This is delicious!"

 

[KERFUFFLE]

I'm hoping the World Cup has done it some good. It certainly seems to have. I just dread to think what will happen when Mandela dies.

"Cheers," Asher repeated, then took another sip from his glass, before smiling at her. With that smile that he hadn't given anyone for a whole year, the smile meant only for her, the smile of total devotion and adoration. When she had finished her bite of cake, he said, "I would have liked to have made you one. But, well, there wasn't really enough time," he chuckled, "But I am glad you like all of it. I ran to get it all, and then ran to find you, even though I'm not supposed to." He looked amused as he took a bite of his cake.

 

[Bunny_grl07]

Without Mandela... I don't know how South Africa is going to survive.

Lucy frowned at him and said, "Really, you shouldn't have come running for me. I planned on staying here all night, honestly. Just to try and say goodbye. I had no idea that you were coming for me... I'm so grateful to have you back. But if you were told not to run, you shouldn't have." She kept eating and drinking, completely stuffed after her first slice of cake and glass of wine. Still, she ate a piece of chocolate, the taste irresistible to her. "Asher... you are the most amazing person I've ever met. And that's saying a lot." She leaned over and french kissed him gently, getting goosebumps as she remembered how it felt.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

Me neither. It is a worrying thought.

Well, I have to go now. Off t' bed Talk to you tomorrow!

"Well, on the contrary, I had no idea how long you would be here for. And if I didn't run, even if you had stayed all night, that was a few minutes of wasted time," Asher told her, smiling as he took another sip of wine. He set it down just before Lucy had leaned in to kiss him, and then he also put down his plate, and held her face in his hands, caressing the skin of her cheeks, French kissing her back slowly, tenderly, but still as passionate as ever. It was funny how some things escaped memory over time. In a year, Asher had almost forgotten how it truly felt to be kissed at all, especially this way. But then, it was like he had never been away. He recognised everything he was feeling, the racing of his heart, the sensation in the pit of his stomach. And it was so amazing.

 

[Bunny_grl07]

Good night Tazzy Bear! Love you, and have fun tomorrow!

Lucy leaned into the kiss, bringing one finger up to stroke the back of his neck, a small smile forming on her lips. She loved being this intimate with him again, being able to make his heart beat a little bit faster, to make him completely forget everything bad that was happening, all with a kiss. She had initially been afraid that she would forget how to kiss him, that she would forget what he liked and disliked. But, for some reason, her body seemed to remember, like riding a bike. She couldn't forget, ever.

 

[KERFUFFLE]

I shall most certainly have fun today. I love you, too, and I'll talk to you at some point later today, hopefully

Have a wonderful, relaxing day, sleeping in and such!

Asher made a small noise of pleasure as she started to stroke his neck. So she hadn't forgotten either, even after all this time. Especially with the fact that she thought she would never see him again, he would have thought it totally understandable for thoughts like those to be the first to go, ones pushed out. But he was glad that she still knew what made him tick. He had forgotten over time what it had felt like to have all your troubles just pushed away in an instant, too. It just proved that he could never be happy without her, as if he didn't know that much already. He put every ounce of emotion he had into this kiss. So much had built up inside of him, his longing for her, his missing her, his still being madly in love with her, and was pouring out of him right until the very end of it.

 

[Bunny_grl07]

I slept in... and it was AMAZING! xD I'll talk to you later (I hope) But I'm having a friend over. And tomorrow I'll be insane busy.

And I'm getting a hair cut!

Lucy pulled away from the kiss eventually, the happy tears forming in her eyes again. Words couldn't describe what it felt like to be able to hold him in her arms again, to kiss him again, to see his smiling face. "Asher... I never want you to leave me again, okay? And if you do leave, I'm going with you, no matter what you say or do to try and stop me. Because now that I have you back, I never want to let you go." She buried her face in the crook of his neck, the tears slipping down her cheeks once more. Around the happy couple, the rainclouds were dissipating, and now the bright full moon shone in the sky. Thank goodness they were in the heart of the park, because the moonlight made more of an effect on their surroundings. Everything seemed to glow with an ethereal light.