Work Text:
Smartest man in the world, they called him, yet he couldn't remember his own wedding anniversary. They were in an end-of-the-world situation here, though, so he hoped against hope that Scarlette would understand. His wife sat at moniters in the control room for The Tank, her head in her hands. He laid the rose next to her elbow so she could see it, and rubbed the back of her neck. She jumped,
“Oh God, Ronald, you scared the life outta me!” she breathed, her Australian accent thick.
“Sorry, Darling,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. “Happy Anniversary...a day late,” he added.
“Annivers-shit, I'd comepletly forgotten! Thanks Sweetheart,” she replied. Ronald sat down in the empty chair next to her as he took her hand and kissed it.
“It's alright, we both have a lot going on right now,” he sighed heavily. “I'm just glad for a break. Thank Christ we can sleep in our own bed tonight. I'm so tired of not having you beside me.”
“Agreed. I'm so glad I found that cottage. I just want to go home, open a bottle of wine and lay out on the veranda with you as we listen to the waves. But there's still another two hours on the clock. God, what a shitshow this day has been!” Scarlette slipped her shoes off and set them in her husband's lap. He took one foot and started massaging the back of her ankle and calf.
“I know. And these idiots are supposed to save us all?! May as well have the funeral now...Sombody's had anxious foot today, these knots are worse than the day Columbia exploded. Can you not chew your nails or a pencil like a normal person?” he teased her. Scarlette just glared at him.
“You're one to talk. Look at that hairline!” she teased right back. He looked comepletely scandalized,
“Woman, you leave my hair out of this! I'm going to look like my father before I'm 43!” he laughed running a finger up the bottom of her foot. She squealed and pull her feet out of his lap, but not before running her foot along the inside of his thigh. She rolled her chair over closer to him and put her hands on his thighs, leaning forward so her husband would have a nice view of her cleavage.
“Don't worry, Love. I'll always find you attractive, even when we're both old and wrinkly!” she said smiling up at him. He raised an eyebrow at her and kissed him sweetly,
“You are so gorgeous, even after three days of no sleep,” he chuckled, caressing her cheek. “And you'll probably not get any sleep tonight, either,” he added, leaning in to kiss her.
“Mmm, I think I'll be fine. Just so long as I'm with you. I miss you, even if you're just next door. This end-of-the-world stuff is exhausting. Can't we cut today short and go home early?!” she said, resting her forehead against his chest. Almost as if he'd heard her, Truman stepped into the room, rubbing his face,
“Good, you're both here. I'm calling it a day, these guys are at each other's throats again, and everybody just needs a rest. Go home early,” he said, turning to leave. “Oh, and Happy Anniversary, sorry it's a day late,” he added.
“Thanks Dan, Scarlette called after him. “Yes!!!” she whispered, then kissed her husband a little deeper.
“If you're not careful, you're going to start something and we'll never get out of here, Dr Mrs Quincy,” Ronald warned.
“Yes, Dr Quincy,” she replied.
“Get your things, I'm taking you to that barbecue place you love so much, then home,” he said, smacking her butt as she got up.
In a mere few minutes, they were in the car and almost to the beach. The Galveston, Texas waters of the Gulf may not be prettiest, but the atmosphere was a relaxing one. Especially during sunset. The Quincy's little green cottage looked out over the Gulf and coloured the sky and sea with shades of red, pink, and gold as the sound of the ocean lulled Scarlette into a trance. They'd eaten, changed and Scarlette now sat on their cabana chaise waiting for her husband to bring the wine. Ronald came out with an icebucket, the wine, and a small box with a ribbon, his shirt hanging open. Scarlette sighed, her husband may be a nerd, so was she, but he was amazingly handsome. She could get lost in brilliant blue eyes for hours on end, espcially when he was talking about something he loved and he became animated, talking with his hands as he went. She smiled as she watched him put the icebucket down and the wine inside. He handed her a glass,
“For the love of my life,” he said, also handing her the small giftbox. Scarlette laughed. “What?!” Ron asked.
“Oh nothing. Do you know that I adore you?” she asked, still smiling like a fool. Ron sat down next to her and kissed her on the cheek as he took the bottle of wine and popped the cork.
“I have a little clue, yes. But do tell me more,” he said, pouring the wine.
“Uh-uh, not until you kiss me properly, Ronald Henry Quincy,” she replied.
“In that case, I'll take these,” he said, taking the glass back from her and putting it with his own on the side table. He turned back and took his wife in his arms and kissed her as if he hadn't seen her in ages. She melted in his arms, responding by whimpereing into his mouth as she flicked his tongue against hers. When he finally pulled back, Scarlette was smiling happily, all warm and mushy, “Better?”
“Almost there...” she said. He raised an eyebrow and began peppering her with kisses all over, making her sink into the cushions. She giggled, then stopped short as he held up giftbox.
“I suppose if you want me to kiss you, that you could take or leave this little thing, then,” he said, holding it at arms length away from her.
“NO!!” she whinged, holding her hands out, “Gimme!” Ron luahged and handed it back to her, settling back next to her. She pulled at the ribbon and the box opened to show a necklace with a small grey rock hanging from it. “Ronnie, is this what I think it is?!” she asked. He nodded. “You romantic sod! Only you would give me a piece of that bloody meteor for our anniversary! I love it, thank you Darling!” she said, holding the necklace up to the light.
“You liked those moon rock earrings she made you so much, I had Carrie in diagnostics make this from the samples we got when the first fragments hit,” he replied, as she moved to sit in his lap. Scarlette leaned forward and kissed him.
“Well, I do have a present for you too. I was having a time trying to figure out if I should tell you or not, as we may be dead before it happens,” she took his hands and as she straddled his lap, she moved them from her hips to her stomach, “I'm going to have a baby.” Ronald's eyes widened, and her splayed his fingers across the growing bump he now realized had appeared in the last few months.
“You're sure this time? No false alarms,” he whispered. Scarlette nodded,
“MmmHmm, I'm nearly five months in. Just think of it, our own little astronaut,” she said. She reached behind his head and pulled a little envelope from beneath the cushion. “I've had this since last week, but wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you just yet. After all of the miscarriages...” Ronald sat up and gathered his wife in his arms, kissing her long and hard.
“I love you so much Angel,” he whispered against her lips.
“Open it, it says the gender, but I've been afraid to look!” Scarlette said. Ron took the emvelope and fairly tore it open.
“Ready?” he asked before looking at it. His wife looked anxious, but nodded. He looked down to read the photo and teared up, “It's a boy!” he exclaimed, “We're going to have a boy! A son...” for a moment he looked as if he were going to pass out. Then he looked up at the sky. Moving off his lap, Scarlette turned to follow his gaze. They saw the new star in the sky, though it wasn't a star at all, they knew. That 'star' up there threatened their happiness, it threatened everything and everyone.
“This'll work, it has to,” she whispered. Ronald put his arm around his wife, “We have to believe it will,” she added, leaning into him. They sat there for a few moments longer, just looking at the sky. In three days time, the Freedom and the Independance would launch and their questions as to wether or not their project would work would finally be answered. The fate of the world rested on the backs of four astronauts and a crew of roughneck drillers.
“Let's got to bed, Darling,” Ronald finally said, looking down at his wife lovingly. “I need to show you just how much I love you.” Scarlette smiled and kissed him sweetly.
“Sounds good to me,” she replied softly. Ronald picked up his wife and carried her inside, leaving the wine and everything else to take care of itself. He laid Scarlette on their bed and looped the necklace around her neck before he began taking off her clothes. That night, he took her to the moon and back, so that by the time they had to be back at NASA, both of them were quite happy and optimistic about what the future held.
The mission wasn't without it's problems, or it's deaths, but in the end, it was a success. The day the teams came back, Scarlette and Ronald Quincy told Grace Stamper and AJ Frost that they would be naming their son Harry when he was born, in honour of her father, who gave his life so that the world might live.