A Picture of You and Me

By: Viki

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters or MSW, just borrowing them for my enjoyment. And if I were making money…I wouldn’t be posting on a free website.

George stared into the fire, his glass of scotch sitting on his knee. He’d been alone now for a day after having Jessica with him for over three weeks. But they hadn’t been happy weeks. She’d been ill for most of them, and the last week had been spent in near silence as she contemplated the question he’d asked her. Images of what he dreamed of, night after night, were now filling his mind.

“If I were Irish, I’d kiss the blarney stone.” George muttered as he tugged once again at the black bow tie around his neck. No matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to get the thing straight. He didn’t want the bloody thing to be out of place because he wanted to look more dashing than he’d ever looked before. This day was special. Today he would marry the woman he’d been in love with for so long now.

“Kissin’ the blarney stone will get ye nowhere, Mr. Sutherland.” A soft voice whispered behind him and he turned to see the petite form of his favorite aunt smiling up at him.

“Auntie Ailsie.” He breathed as he lifted the woman from her feet in a fierce hug. “Oh am I glad to see ye.”

Touching his cheek with a small hand, Ailsie O’Donnell stared into the bright green eyes of her only, and very much loved, nephew. “Sweet George. Are ye afeared?”

Closing his eyes, he nodded. “Yes, Auntie.” He whispered as he set her back on her feet. “I love her so much.”

“Does she love ye as much in return?” her keen eyes studied him.

A soft smile flitted across his lips. “Yes, Auntie, I believe she does.”

“Then why the fear, Georgie?” she used the nickname of his youth knowing that it would sooth him.

Sighing, George felt himself relax at the sound of her gentle voice calling him the name she’d given him as a babe. “Because…I…oh, Auntie.” He shook his head as he sat down in a nearby chair and rested his face in his hands.

***

Looking up, his breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. Jessica was beautiful in the dress of pale blue silk that flowed about her as she walked toward him, a single blue rose in her arms, her blue eyes shining with all the love she had for him and tears of happiness. She was so beautiful, and in only a few short minutes she would finally be his wife.

Ailsie watched her nephew, smiling at the sheen of tears that glinted in his eyes as he held his hand out to his bride. The wedding wasn’t a big affair, nor an overly formal one, just a small gathering of friends and family, but the bride and groom were dressed as though the wedding were being held in the nearby cathedral instead of the cozy solarium of Sutherland castle. She shook her head, she should expect nothing less of her Georgie and the woman that had won his heart.

George tore his gaze away from Jessica long enough to look at his beloved aunt and give her a brilliant smile when he noticed the tears silently making their way down her cheeks. He had known that only she would give him the strength he would need to face the sudden attack of nerves that had harshly beat down on him only mere moments before he was to meet his bride at the alter, and was never as glad to see his beloved aunt as he had been in that moment several minutes earlier.

“George?” Jessica smiled at him and gently tugged his hand to gain his attention. “Love, are you alright?” she whispered when he finally looked at her.

“Yes, Jessie.” He lifted a hand and caressed her beautiful face. “Perfectly alright…now.”

Turning to the justice of the peace, the couple held hands as they repeated the vows that would bind them to one another for the rest of their lives…words that George had been so afraid he’d never exchange with the spectacular woman standing beside him.

George jumped as the ringing of the phone broke through his daydream. “Hello.” He answered.

“George.” Her soft voice was like music to his ears.

“Jessie. Are ye home now?” he settled back into his chair.

“Yes.”

“Good trip?” both were avoiding the huge elephant that seemed to be ogling them on both sides of the world.

“No trouble.” She sighed; a long pause following before she spoke again.

“You sounded far away when you answered.”

He smiled sadly, already knowing what her answer would be. “Yes, far away in never land.” He heard the catch in her breath that sounded like a sob.

“Oh…George.” Her voice cracked even though she fought to control it.

“Shh, my sweet Jessie.”

“George, tell me what you were thinking about.” She had to know before she gave him her answer.

“Just a picture of us, Lass. A picture of you and me…” he didn’t know if he should finish, knowing that it would hurt them both when she gave him her answer. “…at the alter.” He finally finished. He could hear Jessica’s tears, though he couldn’t see them. “I’m sorry, Lass. I don’t mean to hurt ye. Just forget I ever was so foolish.”

“No, George.” She cried. “No, please…” she paused to take a deep breath to get her emotions under control. “George, I’ve reached a decision.”

“I know, Lass, and it’s alright.” He sipped at the long forgotten scotch for courage to be brave in the face of the answer that was sure to tear his heart out.

“Yes, George. It is.” Suddenly he could hear a smile in her voice.

“Jessie?”

“Yes, George?”

“What are ye tryin’ to say, Lass?”

“Come to me and find out.”