Hello, I'm your wife. Allow me to introduce myself.

[magneticmiss.livejournal.com]

She sat at a table set for two at one of her father's favorite restaurants. The candles, flowers, place settings and linens were all arranged just so. As is she, she thinks, in her brand new dress and shoes, her nails freshly manicured, her hair trimmed and styled.

I might as well be one of the decorations.

A small thought as she plucks at the hem of the tablecloth.

She's waiting to meet the man she's going to spend the rest of her life with. She's less than excited. Matter of fact, she's downright nervous...if not a little scared...but she can't let any of that show, what with the dutiful guards lurking in the corners. She also figures any smidge of potential romance is utterly destroyed by their presence.

She sighs, glancing down to check her watch without being too obvious about it, then takes a sip of water...and waits.

Comments

[magneticmiss.livejournal.com]

"The fresh roasted chicken breast, please."

Her eyes flicker to Alex, then back to the waiter.

"And a bottle of Pinot Grigio, please."

[exiles-2h.livejournal.com]

Wine? Okay.

"I don't drink very much in public," he half-warns, half-apologizes to her. "I don't like losing control."

Especially because he's never been quite sure just how many implants Forge has installed in him ... and what Forge might do with his body if he ever got too drunk.

[magneticmiss.livejournal.com]

"It's a very light wine, and we don't have to drink the whole bottle."

I can't believe I'm going to say this.

"So long as it's chilled, it keeps quite nicely...for another day."

She clears her throat and blushes.

[exiles-2h.livejournal.com]

He likes the blushing. His sister-in-law never blushes. Neither does his niece.

He's beginning to like the green hair, too. "I'd like that."

He'd like it a lot. Spending the rest of his life with this woman doesn't seem so bad after all.

[magneticmiss.livejournal.com]

She surprises herself when she realizes that she'd like that too. She can't believe she's actually going to have to thank her father. This Summers son is not the monster she was expecting. Far from it, actually. She wonders what it would be like if next time his kiss went a little east of her cheek, then blushes again at that impertinent thought, and focuses on her place setting.

Fortunately, the wine's appearance at their table saves her.

[exiles-2h.livejournal.com]

The wine is shortly followed by the entrees, and as Alex's knife cuts into his lamb, he is struck by a horrid realization.

"You're not what I expected," he says, barely moving his lips.

[magneticmiss.livejournal.com]

She had taken a moment to just enjoy the aroma of her chicken before cutting into it and taking a bite.

Alex's question brings her attention back to him and her brows lift.

"Oh? What did you expect?"

It isn't as if I haven't been in every newspaper or on every channel at one time or another.

[exiles-2h.livejournal.com]

He continues to wield his knife and fork, speaking with the minimum of lip movement. "I didn't expect to like you." There is the barest suggestion of a sigh. "I'm sorry. That you're getting dragged into this family stuff."