Chains Of Love

By Merzibelle

Gilded Ring

Wesley wandered the exhibit slowly, spending more time watching Fred than the things on display. He had to admit that the exhibit was interesting, a rather eclectic mix of original artifacts from the ship and pieces used in the movie. He wondered if there really was a reason for them to be there, a vision like Cordelia claimed, or if it was merely a ploy to come to the opening without being caught. He idly wondered how'd she feel if she knew that he hadn't gotten the tickets from David or Virginia, but had them himself.

Cordelia had certainly demanded that the team dress the part. Both she and Fred were wearing period dresses, Fred's much more fitting than Cordy's. Fred was again wearing that wonderful shade of red, a beaded evening gown that was an almost direct copy of the so-called 'jump dress'. Wes didn't know what Cordy was thinking when she picked out her dress, but it made her look like a courtesan. Wes shook his head, stifling the laugh that threatened as Cordy dragged a reluctant Angel by on her way to the most popular of the displays, that overly ostentatious necklace.

Wes leaned on the newel post of the recreation staircase, absently tugging one of the cuffs on his shirt into place. Of the three men in Angel Investigations, he knew he was the most comfortable at the exhibit, having gone to them off and on since he'd started attending college. He chuckled softly, watching a long-suffering Gunn, again forced into a tuxedo, follow an excited Fred around the exhibit.

From his position, about halfway up the stairs, partway between the two levels of the exhibit, he could watch all the activity on the lower level. He smiled, looking over his shoulder at the reproduction of the grand staircase's clock. Catching Gunn's eye, he nodded once and watched as the other man handed Fred a note. Wes dropped a hand into his pocket, reassuring himself that he had the box with her ring in it. Drawing in a breath, he straightened while watching her read the note. As she turned, he could see the light catch on her ruby necklace. Every time he saw that necklace, he couldn't decide whether to be happy or sad. He usually settled on being happy. Now, however, he could only be nervous as he stepped a bit back into the slight shadows on the stairs.

Meet me under the clock and I'll make you very happy, my love. W.

Fred read the note through, read it again and then gave Gunn a questioning look. Gunn shrugged in response, muttering that he didn't know what Wes was up to, just that he was to give her the note. Shaking her head and sighing, Fred turned toward the stairs, looking for Wesley. She didn't see him, but wandered that way anyway. She could sense Gunn following her and wondered if he knew more than he was letting on. He hadn't been very happy that she'd left him for Wesley, though that had changed when the Council had paroled Faith.

As Fred reached the bottom of the stairs, Faith joined her, looking up the stairs before smiling at Gunn behind Fred. Fred managed to stifle the laughter that threatened, as Faith looked as about as comfortable as Gunn did in the dress that Cordy had forced on her. Fred gave Faith a questioning look, again getting a headshake in response. With a sigh, Fred mounted the stairs, feeling the other couple watching her.

Concerned over the beading on the dress, Fred climbing the stairs slowly and carefully. When she reached the landing between the floors where the clock was, she paused, turning in a small circle, enjoying the view of the exhibit. As she turned back to the clock, Wesley stepped out of the shadows to one side of it. She smiled, laughing softly. "What has you so nervous?" she asked quietly, able to read his mood from the way he was staring at her.

"Oh, lots of things." Wesley smiled, moving closer to her. He gestured at the clock. "Do you know what time it is?"

Fred crinkled her brow, turning her attention to the clock, and then gasped, her hand rising to her mouth. "Titanic hit the iceberg right now, didn't she?" Then she processed something else, a memory that flitted through her mind as quick as a butterfly's wing. Turning wide eyes to Wesley, she murmured, "I lost you then. Are you leaving me now?"

"No, sweet." Wes came closer, raising a hand to stroke her cheek. "No, I thought it rather fitting to ask you something now." Dropping his hand, he ran a finger over the chain of the necklace. "This is as close as we can get to then. I know we were happy and lost so much that night."

Fred nodded, watching Wesley with wide eyes. As she watched, he knelt on the stair landing before her and reached into a pocket, pulling out a small ring. She gasped, recognizing it and watching with wide eyes as he took her hand.

"My darling, would you marry me?" Wesley asked the question softly, all his attention on her, uncaring that not only the team, but also several of the other guests at the exhibit were watching them. As he looked up at her, he saw tears gather in her eyes, even as she choked out a yes, her hands tugging him to his feet.

Fred flung herself at Wesley, laughing and crying as he twirled her about briefly on the landing before setting her down to slip the ring onto her hand. Smiling at him, she admired the ring on her hand, finally gathering the courage to ask the question. "How did you get this? I thought it was lost."

Wesley smiled, chuckling softly. "Luck and timing." He tightened his grasp on her hand, absently accepting Gunn and Angel's congratulations. "I helped sponsor the last expedition. One of my conditions was that they try to locate this as they had already retrieved a few other things from that suite. Are you happy?"

"Very," Fred replied, a bit breathless. She couldn't believe that he'd gone to all that trouble just to get her ring back. She knew what it cost to run those expeditions. Tilting her head, she couldn't resist the question. "Where are the other things?"

Wesley laughed. "Still in conservation," he replied. "I've been promised that we'll get to see them first before they go on display. It took a lot of talking for me to get them to finish that piece before the others." He stroked the ring for a moment, leading her back down the stairs. "As it is, I'm arranging for it to be copied, as I don't think you'll want to wear that one."

Fred raised her hand, smiling at the ring. "Yes, it'll be too fragile." Pausing on the stairs, she stepped back a step and leaned over to kiss Wesley. "Thank you. This was perfect." Fred started laughing, looking over her shoulder at Cordy, who was standing behind her with Angel. "A vision, huh?"

Cordy chuckled, catching Angel's hand. "Well, no one asked what the vision was of!" She tugged Angel down the stairs, the rest of the team following her back into the exhibit proper. "So I didn't say it was of everyone being happy."

"Happy!" Faith cried. "I hate this dress. This stuff is old." Then she softened, smiling at her Watcher. "Well, I'll concede. It was nice." Faith caught Gunn's hand, leading him away, leaving Wes and Fred alone at the base of the stairs.

Wesley turned to Fred, kissing her gently before following the others. It had all been very worth the expense to arrange. Now everything was perfect. He had her and knew that she wasn't going to leave.

~Fin~