Survival Of The Fittest

Bella entwined the fingers of both of her hands with Garrett's, and pressed her palms against his own. Here was someone who'd lit up her entire world, who'd filled in all of the cracks and made her whole. She needed nothing else to make this night perfect. Just being with Garrett was more than enough.

"Garrett Robert Wilde, I need only your tender touch and your softly spoken tones to make my night complete. Nothing could make me happier."

She brushed her lips against Garrett's again, taking in his delicate aroma, before looking straight into his eyes, her hands still linked with his. "I don't know what the future will bring, Garrett. But I know it'll be okay with you by my side."

He couldn't have asked for anyone more perfect. Her words were sweet enough on their own, but they were made even more special by the fact that they weren't just charming platitudes. He honestly believed that she meant every word. He felt her fingers weave between his, and found himself curling instinctively, holding her palm against his own as she pressed in.

"Your wish is my command, reine du bal."

He squeezed her hands and drew her close, whispering a soft message meant just for her.

"I don't know what's going to happen next. For once, I haven't planned a thing. That doesn't scare me, though. You make me feel like everything doesn't have to be guarded and controlled, that as long as I'm with you everything will work out eventually. That's the most precious thing anyone's ever given to me. Thank you, Bella."

The rest of the night was a soft blur. They danced, they laughed, they shared small conversations with friends, but that was all mostly ancillary to him. His mind was blissfully unfocused, content to enjoy each moment as it came. It seemed the last dance was winding down before long, fading out as they weaved across the floor in each other's arms until those left began to idly funnel out of the building. He took off his white tuxedo jacket as the cool night air washed over them, draping it over her bare shoulders before his armed followed its suit. There was a vague uneasiness about as they first crossed into the parking lot, and for an irrational moment he was worried that another catastrophe might be looming around the corner. Everything appeared normal, but he held her just a little closer, partially out of protective instinct and partially because he was afraid something could try to separate them again. As they neared the car, he couldn't help but think back to the words that had perhaps been the genesis of this entire chain of events.

You win, Wilde.

In a way, they disgusted him. There was something inherently selfish and possessive about them, and he didn't appreciate that sort of connotation being directed at Bella. He hadn't "won" her, because she wasn't a prize. She was a person...but she was also so much more than that. He loved her, and shockingly enough she loved him too. Taken in that light, Hansel's words couldn't have been more accurate. He could imagine no greater victory than the triumph over his fear that had been experienced tonight.

He leaned in and kissed Bella's cheek as they rounded the car. "This has been the most thoroughly enjoyable night of my life, love. I hope it's everything you dreamed it would be."