Halo Two - Five Ch. 02

At times those pangs of jealousy still came to me, but I was also a realist, knowing that I was still a long way from being able to play with them the way that normal fathers did. The person staring back in the mirror every morning when I shaved put me in this situation; no-one else. To begin with it was my outlet when my wife died. My in-laws had known all along, and gladly took over care of the girls for me. In a sense they healed each other and, although I tried oh so hard not to place myself in too much danger, wasn't that what my unit did all day long?

Out there we placed our faith in people like Curtis and the boys; folks like my boss and Tony. To the outside world we were a closed-off entity that did 'something,' although even people like General Macalister weren't always sure what. We were the military arm of God's brother and, as I sat in that room full of flowers and get well cards, I just knew my time with my friends was coming to an end.

My boss reached out when my wife died and offered me a way of healing the hurt I felt. He saw the monster that was fighting its way out, wanting to hurt the man who killed my wife, and turned him away from the route of self destruction that loomed closer by the day. The unit helped me expunge the monster that could well have contaminated my family and destroyed everything in its path. With the healing process coming to its conclusion, the universe gave me Kitten, and then Brooke, and told me my healing had to take a different path.

I was hurting too many of the people I loved and that had to stop if I was ever going to have a future, both as a family man and husband. It was that thought that sent my pulse rate rising, and the only way it would slow down was when I smiled to myself, because I had finally admitted it to myself. I LOVE HER.

Brooke knew something was up when she came in with coffees in her hands. She dropped them by the door before rushing to my side, holding on real tight as my emotions set about the process of thanking the monster for keeping me alive and showing this wonderful woman that there was a place in my heart for her. Woman's intuition perhaps, or were we just so in-tune now that some actions didn't need words?

Fuck knows how long I held onto Brooke, or how many tears I shed that mixed with hers as we clung to each other. On the odd moment that we parted and made eye contact she knew, just as I knew I still had to put it into words and nailed it to the wall.

"Brooke Madison Armstrong, you're a pain in my arse, a hot fox with one hell of a killer body. You are great with my girls and they love you almost as much as I do. Will you marry me?"

I'm not sure either of us could see the other due to the tears. Brooke placed her hands on my cheeks and held onto me, forcing me to look directly at her.

"Not the way I expected that question to come out, I will admit, but it's the one I've been waiting for so I'll take it and sort you out later." Her hand went behind my head and pulled me close for a kiss; slow, gentle, and comfortable for us both. "I won't ask what took you so long, but you got there in the end, so yes, Rick: I'm yours."

One thing still nagged me, so I held off on another kiss to sort this out.

"You're going back to medical school: I'm not having a drop-out for a wife. You hear me, miss?"

A part of her looked like she was going to object. I also suspect a part of her thought that I may change my mind when she was naked and in my arms. It was the smile and the nod of her head that let me know that she knew both would fail, and she was going to be a doctor; something she had always wanted to be in the first place. Who knows, I may even invite Bernard to the wedding and thank him.

After all, it was due to his attitude that she went into the service and, eventually, into my life.

*******

I'm not stupid. I left the details of the wedding to Constance and Brooke. Hell, even my mother-in-law was on speed dial with those two asking her input. She knew that Brooke was going to be my wife, but also that I would never stop them both having access to their grandchildren, especially when they found out that, not long after the wedding, Brooke was going to resume her studies. I only insisted on two things: formally asking Brooke's father for his daughter's hand, something I was told that he wasn't expecting, and me being able to walk down the aisle.

That's when they all went into a huddle again and the doctors got to have their own input. As for me, I just carried on like before. On Tuesday it was this torture; on Wednesday it was that one. The pain meds started to diminish as bones knitted and muscles remembered what they were there for.

Finally curiosity being what it is I just had to ask.

"Brooke?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Is this a big wedding?"

She shook her head, "Nope. Can't have one of those because your friends won't be able to make it if we did."

This time I managed to grab hold of her hand.

"But do you want a..."

"Rick, the people we both want there are coming, and that's it. Daddy doesn't need to make this a showcase wedding. Not that mom would let him of course, but I promise you that the people we want at our wedding will be there."

I squeezed her hand and sighed, more from pent-up relief than anything.

"I told you this morning that I love you, didn't I?"

She giggled. "Well, yes, but never let that stop you from saying it as much as you want... OK?"

The pause was way longer this time.

"Brooke?"

"Yes, honey?"

I'm a guy, and I shouldn't know until she gets to tell me, but I'm tuned into Brooke and that body of hers now.

"Your tits are getting bigger, aren't they?"

Her cheeks reddened and her smile reached that thousand watt threshold.

"Yes, honey. It's another reason why we're getting married in three days. God, I love your doctors, those visitation rights - and, of course, that private room you had."

She moved from her position on the couch. Her legs were now under her, and she looked directly at me.

"I wasn't trying to trap you, Rick. Not even our family doctor can figure it out. Thank you for not being mad at me, but I think med school will have to wait a bit longer. Momma said I should have told you sooner, but you knew anyway, didn't you? It's also why the honeymoon is a week after the wedding. We go for our first ultrasound two days after I say I do and always will."

The End