Preparations

Lauren brushed her hands off, walking away from a padlocked closet, across from the Long Title Library. She entered the library once again to find that Micky still had atleast one comic book that she wasn’t able to lock away. She planted her fists on her hips and gave him the best glare she could muster.

Micky raised his eyes and his eyebrows arched. He quickly made a poor attempt at hiding the comic book in the couch he was perched on and smiled innocently at Lauren. "Hey, babe."

"I thought you agreed to ease off the comics for a while. I just spent an hour filing and then locking them in the closet out there," Lauren said, motioning towards the hall.

"I am easing off. I usually read five or six at a time." He pulled the comic out. "This is the only one not locked in there."

Lauren sighed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, alright. I’ll give you that."

"Thank you," Micky replied, smiling, as she sat next to him on the couch. He nodded his head toward the stack of wedding magazines and the like. "Should we actually look through those?"

She made a small disgusted face. "I don’t think so. I am not looking into getting a dress, and a nice, simple cake is fine since Em offered to make it."

"And we’ll be using the pad for the ceremony and the party after," he added. She nodded.

Silence reigned momentarily, before Micky spoke up again. "I guess the others think it was about time I... uh, popped the question, huh?" He gave her a small grin.

"I’ve got to admit," Lauren began, returning the grin, "I was sorta starting to wonder about that."

"Yeah?" He sat back a moment, thinking. "So, you aren’t gonna change your mind or anything, are you?"

She shook her head. "No, certainly not." She frowned slightly at how quickly she responded.

"Positive?" Micky asked, catching her frown.

Lauren shrugged. "I’m just nervous, that’s all. This is a huge step. I mean, it’s been, what, a few months, tops, we’ve known each other."

"Fate works in weird ways." To "prove" his point, Micky made a face. He sighed. "You don’t think I’m nervous?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don’t know. If you are, you’re covering it up well."

Micky smiled. "See that? You already know me well." He paused, beginning to look weary. "Scared shitless seems appropriate."

"What? You didn’t think I’d say yes?"

"No, that isn’t it. I just hadn’t really expected to ask you this soon, but with everything that was going on... my life passing before my eyes, you getting kidnapped, I just decided not to wait any longer."

Lauren blinked. "You were already waiting? For how long?"

Micky made his thinking face. "Umm, remember when you got sick from the carriage ride and the little chat we had that led up to the love potion?"

She scratched her head. "Really?" He nodded. "Geez," she breathed out.

"Soooo..." He looked away for a moment, then turned back. "Any ideas on where we can go for the honeymoon?"

Lauren’s eyes got wide. "I hadn’t thought about that." She paused. "We don’t have to go anywhere particularly fancy or far away." She grinned. "You’ve already sucked a bit out of my savings with your snack raid."

Micky feigned shock. "Oh, so it was a choice between snacks or doin’ it in Paris, right?"

She smacked his arm, beginning to laugh. "You’re terrible!"

He shrugged. "It is true in a way, though." He smirked.

"’Ey?" Both turned to the doorway to see Davy standing there. "You two are still ‘ere? We’ve been waitin’ for you back at the pad."

"I had to lock up the comic book collection and Mick wasn’t letting it go that easily," Lauren explained, with a small grin.

Davy paused a moment. "Right. You comin’ or do I ‘ave to get Mike?"

Micky jumped up and saluted Davy. "Yes, Sir, short general, Sir!" Davy rolled his eyes and left the doorway as Micky broke out laughing.

* * * * *

Later that evening, Emma and Mike had gone out for a walk along the beach, in hopes of sorting out a few more differences between them.

Meanwhile, the others were just beginning to prepare for the camping trip, which would be followed by a trip to Manchester... and, of course, the wedding.

"Bombs away!"

The shout caused Lauren’s head to snap up, just in time to see a bag land next to her, having been launched from the second floor. She looked up and frowned at the owner of the bag... and the huge grin.

Micky chuckled. "Sorry, babe, but, hey, I warned ya!" He retreated into the room he still currently, but not for much longer, shared with Mike.

Lauren rolled her eyes, headed back towards the door to the basement, which had been basically turned in her and Emma’s own little apartment. At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped and looked around, briefly wondering if it could be one of the last few times she’d be in there.

She had to admit, Micky’s impromptu proposal had basically put everything on end. They still didn’t know where they’d go to honeymoon, and after they got back, where they’d be living. They couldn’t occupy the basement apartment or either of the rooms.

Lauren wanted to respect Emma’s wish to not be roomed with any of the guys, and both Lauren and Micky knew that the other three guys would kill each other first before learning to coexist in one bedroom. That was why all four had shared one room for merely a week before finishing off the basement for her and Emma.

There was no way they’d still be living at the beach house. She didn’t like the uncertainty of it all. Lauren wondered if Micky had come up with any of these thoughts. She’d was considering asking him about it, but she wasn’t sure how he’d understand her concerns. Yes, he was, by all means, happy-go-lucky, but she knew the temper was there. She had one herself, but it took alot to get her going.

Lauren also considered confiding in Emma. This was the better option, in her mind. She decided to bring it up while on the camping trip. The two of them would have one trailer all to themselves and it’d be easiest to talk in private then.

She flopped herself onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. There was that other problem, also. There were two voices in her mind, one louder telling her what was right to do... and the other one quietly nagging at her, telling her to give in to Micky. She knew her stance on that subject, but the voice in her mind was aggravating and even a little scary. Actually, the scary part was the logic behind the voice.

They were getting married and soon. It wouldn’t be very long until the honeymoon. Her eyes closed tighter and she sighed. He wasn’t as persistent anymore, but the teasing that came so naturally between them was beginning to wear on her patience.

The others had done their best in wearing down Micky’s persistence, thankfully, but Lauren’s resistence had been worn down at the same time. Now, she just felt confused about the whole thing. She wondered about bringing this up while talking with Emma. Thing was, she knew her friend’s stance on this subject, too, or atleast her personal stance. But Emma also knew Lauren’s, or atleast what was her stance. Lauren didn’t know anymore.

A knock at the basement door cut through her thoughts and she shot up. Lauren sighed. The others had to be ready to go already. The knock was a little too loud to be Emma’s, which meant it was Micky knocking. That quiet voice began wishing he’d just bust in without knocking. She shook her head, a vain attmept at clearing the thoughts.

Some peace and quiet, camping in the woods of the Berkshires was what Lauren sorely needed at the moment. She steeled herself and headed up the stairs with what she hoped was the confidence she’d had before the proposal had broken it down.

~~~End~~~