a way to get lost in you

Savannah could hardly keep still. Bounding around by the entrance to the maze gardens, the girl grinned. She couldn't wait to see Chris. Merlin, she hadn't seen him in months. Letters just weren't good enough, not when all she wanted was to see her boyfriend.

Giggling at just the thought of him, her cheeks warming up, her laughter was cut off by a cough. A hand raising to her throat, she shrugged it off. Just a little tickle, nothing more.

Fiddling with the necklace he'd given her, the brunette grinned. This date was going to be special, she just knew it.

Christopher glanced around nervously, a restless hand finding its way through his hair. This was what he got for staying away so long. What if she had forgotten about him? Moved on, found someone better? It was a possibility, it always was. Perhaps that was why he had chosen to stay away so so long. It was easier than taking a risk.

But it was summer now and he missed her. Logic stated that there was nothing else for him to do but go and see her. He needed to. And if she came that meant she wanted to be there too, right?

Or maybe she just wanted to tell him it was over in person.

That thought froze him into place, dried his mouth and would have lead to his delightful habit of stuttering, had he in fact attempted to speak. Lucky for perhaps all involved two things happened. One he was not prompted to speak, and he finally noticed Savannah.

Worrying his lip, she had yet to see him, he snuck passed the girl coming up behind her and in a moment of impulse wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Bonjour, Belle."

Savannah let out a little sigh, grinning up at the sky. Her feet had finally stopped moving, and instead of pacing the girl now stood motionless, staring up at the blue sky.

She wanted to thank whatever was out there - and at the moment she was leaning towards fate - for letting her meet Chris. He - Merlin she couldn't even sum up just how much he meant to her. He and Juliet were everything to her. They were her rocks, she was sure of it. Without them, she'd be far worse off.

"Thank you," she whispered, a sappy grin forming on her face.

Squealing at the sudden touch, she tensed up, fingers curling into fists. But as soon as the voice reached her ears, the fourteen year old grinned, squealing his name. Turning around to face Chris, her face instantly brightened.

He looked amazing. Older, but she'd expected that. Was it possible that he'd gotten more attractive? Blushing at just the thought, she leaned into him, pressing a kiss to her lips. "I missed you so much," she murmured as she pulled away, wrapping her arms around him.

Something warm and content filled his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her back with barely controlled longing. Chris was still tender, and loving, but there was an under flow of something else in there.

He'd missed her.

"Are you sure?" he whispered back, a little grin pulling on his face, "I'm sure that there were so many more charming men to take my place." His stuttering had gotten a lot better in the passed year, but there was something about her that just made him fundamentally nervous. He cropped up again for a moment, "Not that you know- I want you to- or even-"

He shook his head with a laugh and kissed her again.

"I missed you too."

She'd been happy before, but this felt different. It was stronger than anything she'd ever filled, tinged with a feeling of relief. He was really here, right in front of her. It was almost like he'd never left. She was beginning to think that happy didn't even begin to cover what she was feeling.

"Very sure," she replied, her cheeks flushing at his grin. There was just something about the way his whole face lit up that mesmerized her. "Not a chance," she shook her head, grinning up at him. "It was only ever you. Besides, they're all annoying buggers." Savannah wrinkled her nose a moment, frowning at the thought of some of them.

Giving her head a little shake, she punched him softly. "Same old Chris." A part of her had been terrified that he would've changed, and she was so grateful that he was fundamentally still the same person. She kissed him back, pulling herself up onto her tippy-toes to reach his lips better.

Pulling away with a shy little grin, she rested her head on his chest. "I bet I missed you more," she teased.

He let out a soft laugh, over joyed with the whole entire situation. His entire being was alive with energy. Christopher supposed this was some sort of emotion, something greater than just happiness, however he did not have a name for it. Perhaps he did have a name for it, but just did not want to say it.

Some things were just too great to be approached head on, by a shy boy who was unsure of himself.

Kissing the top of her head, he grinned, "Does that mean if someone who is not an annoying bugger comes along, than I shall no longer be the "only and always"?" He pulled up his lip, teasing and never once backtracking to cover up his words. He was confident enough that she would know what he meant.

Staying like that for a moment, he relished in the feeling of her there, with him, before pulling away, grinning brightly.

"I got a surprise for you."

She grinned up at him, loving the way her heart sped up and the warm feeling spread in her chest whenever she saw him. He really was the singular most amazing guy she'd ever been lucky enough to meet.

"Maybe," she teased, her grin widening. Savannah let out a laugh, shaking her head. "Nah, no other boy could compete. They're not you." She blushed at her own words, but her gaze didn't waver, her blue eyes bright.

After all, her words were true.

"You do?" She clapped her hands, bouncing on her heels. But she couldn't help the sudden feelings of guilt. She hadn't gotten him anything. "What is it?" she chirped.

Chris smiled back, her words warm and perfect in his ears. He wasn't a particularly insecure boy - he liked himself well enough even if on occasions he lacked confidence in his own words. But he had certainly never been inclined to think that he was better than any other one person. To hear Savannah claim that to her he was, was certainly a pleasurable distinction.

"The girls back home were thinking I was lying to them about you. The little France boy thinks he's too good for us, they say," he winked at her, grin ever so slightly impish, "They're only part right."

Taking a deep breath he felt slight nerves bubbling in him. It was like the gift meant anything - at least nothing more than the other trinkets he had sent to her, or the objects he had given her before he had left - it was just he had put more thought into this one. Isabelle muttering in his ear that you had to pick out the right jewlery for girl's didn't help his nerves either. Slowly he pulled a small box from his pocket slipped it into her hands.

"Its not that big of a deal or anything - I mean I want you to like it, but I just - you don't have to just- or well..." clearing his through he took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, "Just open it."

He hoped it would fit. Isabelle had made it perfectly clear that it had to fit or else the whole thing was ruined. Maybe he should stop listening to Isabelle.



I'm a box, Open me!

Every time she looked at him, she had to suppress this childish urge to giggle. He was beautiful, easily the single most attractive person she'd ever met. And he was looking at her and grinning at her and enjoying her company.

She had to stop herself from pinching herself. This was real. He was real. And he was hers.

Giving in and finally giggling, her cheeks flushing, she opened her mouth to say something, but it simply flapped closed again. How did you express complete total happiness?

"Then I guess we need to take a trip to Canada, don't we?" Savannah grinned, tilting her head up at him, letting out a tinkling laugh.

Grinning down at the present in her hands, she bounced slightly on her feet, unable to help her excitement. "If you gave it to me." She looked up at him, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek. "I'll like it. After all, you know me by now."

Turning back to the box, she carefully pulled it open. Staring at the ring inside for a moment, a slow grin spread across her face. "Merlin," she breathed, pulling the golden piece of jewellery out of the box. "It - it's beautiful." Slipping it onto her ring finger, she marvelled at it.

Prying her gaze away from it to stare up at her boyfriend, she pulled herself up onto her tip-toes to press a soft kiss against his lips. "It's perfect," she murmured as she pulled away. "You're perfect."