Participants:
| Scene Title | Irreplaceable |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | In Griffin's case, Nadira is. |
| Date | January 11, 2011 |
A blizzard. It's been spoken about quite a bit today, and Griffin has helped as much as he could to prepare Bannerman Castle for the oncoming snow storm. Now, however, it's night time, and the hectic pace has slowed. Owain is off eating dinner with the Lighthouse Kids, and Griffin is just settling down to warm up after helping out as much as he could.
He's sore, a bit bruised up and having a bad case of the sniffles from his adventures in hijacking a DoEA truck and being thrown into the Hudson River, but that didn't stop him from helping as much as he could.
Now, however, it's time to relax. Griffin has built a small fire near where his and Nadira's and Owain's cots are located, and is currently bundled up in his winter finest. He's invited Nadira to join him, and currently has her all but crushed up against him beneath a blanket, the pair sitting in a good vantage point to watch the snow fall.
Resting up against him, Nadira's content to watch the fire, as well as the falling snow. She lets out a small breath. "I'd thought about going back to the mainland but it might not be good to travel in this snow. Not to mention I'd likely get snowed in alone on the mainland."
"Probably not the best idea." Griffin leans over, planting a small kiss on Nadira's forehead, a small smile on his face. "Besides…I'm enjoying this whole getting to spend time with you every night thing. I know I'm busy with Owain and helping out around here a lot…but I rather like being able to return to you at the end of the day." He smiles out at the snow.
Then, after a sniffle, he takes a deep breath, squeezing Nadira a little bit closer. "I had a dream last night. It's kind of a recurring dream I've been having lately." He tilts his head toward Nadira, a faint smiles resting over his features. "Where we don't have to worry about running from those who lash out because they do not understand. Where all you have to use your power for is to distill some water, and all I have to use my power for is to fetch us some tea from the kitchen. And Owain is safe, and we're— we're all so happy."
The Egyptian laughs, shutting her eyes as she leans against him. "Sounds idyllic. The perfect image of how life should be." Nadira snuggles against him, breathing deeply. "It's a good dream. It's hopeful. There's not a lot of hope here. I do like being with you, though."
Griffin offers a faint chuckle, planting another small kiss on her temple as he holds her close. "Perhaps it is a bit of a hopeless optimist's dream. It's a nice one, though. A pleasant change from the bad dreams, I suppose." He smiles to her, offering yet another gentle, affectionate squeeze from beneath the blanket. "It's a future that probably never will happen, true."
He watches the Egyptian woman for a long moment, a faint smile dimpling his cheeks. "But I still like to think it's a dream that I can work towards. If I can make just a few little parts of my dream come true, I think I should be a very happy man." He tilts his head toward her.
"I like to see you optimistic. I try to be. So many people here seem to be crushed under pessimism. You are a good example." Nadira reaches up to brush her fingers along his cheek. "I am certain you have plenty you can be working towards. If there's anyone who can work hard towards a goal, it's you."
Griffin leans into her touch, smiling warmly down at her. "I'm going to definitely work toward this goal. And I think that I can start working toward it today. If I give it a really good shot…maybe I can make my dream come true a little. I have to try and make light of something…otherwise I'll just be another person, crushed under the weight of pessimism and lost hopes."
Suddenly, he catches her left wrist in his hand in a gentle grip, leaning over to plant a kiss on the woman's forehead. "Nadira Sana Karim. You have been a bright light in my life since the first day that I met you. I didn't know, the first time that I spirited you away, the first time we drank good scotch in my dingy apartment, that you would come to mean so much to me." He slowly raises her hand above the level of the blanket, quietly examining her fingers with a fond look in his eyes.
"You have stuck by my through thick and thin. You have been understanding, loving, caring to me, when I'm not so sure I deserved it. You helped me to move past my grief over what happened to Cindy— she still remains in my heart, but thanks to you, I can live again. You've stuck around when you thought I was dead, and you've always greeted me with a smile, a hug, and a kiss." He smiles over to the woman once more.
"I don't want to ever take anything for granted, ever again. I don't ever want to miss out on anything, not ever again." He leans down, kissing her hand. "And that includes you. I know it hasn't been long since we've met, but in this short time, you've come to mean so much to me." His left hand then flits out from beneath the blankets, passing over hers, and Nadira can feel something sliding over her finger.
When he removes his hand, a ring is there, on her left ring finger. A black diamond, surrounded by smaller diamonds, set in platinum. "Nadira…will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?"
Nadira doesn't realize what's coming, at first. Perhaps she hasn't watched enough romantic movies, or she's just busy listening to the sweet things he says. About halfway through his speech, her smile turns into more of an open mouth, eyes wide in surprise. Did he just…? Well, that ring on her finger sure seems to think so. At first, she can't speak. She's looking at the diamond. Wow.
She then looks back up at him. "Me?" She seems absolutely surprised. "Me. You want me." She leans in to kiss him, so not to terrify him by her response. She laughs, just slightly. "Griffin, are you absolutely sure I'm what you want? I'm not the kind of wife Cindy was. I didn't ever even think someone would want me for a wife. I'm not saying no, Griff… I'm just… are you sure? Me?" She's blushing, at least. Can't keep those particular butterflies down. "I don't want you to make a mistake if I'm not what you want…"
A warm smile forms on Griffin's face at Nadira's disbelief of his proposal, the man offering a faint laugh and leaning in to offer her a few kisses, some on her forehead, some on her cheeks, some on her chin, and some on her lips. "I wouldn't be asking you that question if I wasn't sure, Nadi." He squeezes her a little closer. "You're beautiful, you make me smile, you make me happy."
Suddenly, he pulls her into his lap, squeezing her close beneath the blanket. "I would be a fool to give you up. You make my world a little brighter whenever you walk into the room." He reaches up, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I've been thinking about this for a few weeks. I like the idea of it. And…I don't want another Cindy. Nobody can replace her, and you're not a replacement. You're a new installment, just as irreplaceable as she is."
He offers a smile, kissing her nose.
The Egyptian woman laughs, arms sliding around his neck as she settles in against him. "I tried to warn you that the bartender's the woman you just want to take home, not keep home. You can't say I didn't warn you off, Griff…" Nadira smiles, leaning in to plant a kiss on his lips. "I am just entirely stunned that anyone, much less you, would want to marry me. Take me home and keep me forever. And you've actually been thinking about this for weeks?"
Griffin can't help it. He's all smiles right now, just like Nadira, kissing her right back. "Why would you be stunned? I mean…I know I've been a bit on the withdrawn side, but I have told you that I love you, and I have practically worshiped you since the day I met you." He grins. "You should've seen it coming when I got you the necklace for Christmas."
Another kiss. "Mmm-hmm. Weeks. It's been rolling around in my mind for a while now. It got sidetracked a bit by time, and by circumstance…but yes. I've been thinking about it for a while." He reaches down, lifting her hand to examine the ring on it, before he plants a kiss on it. "You like this? I'm a stalker, I checked your ring size while you were asleep."
"You didn't!" Nadira gasps with a grin, looking at the ring. "It's gorgeous. You're sly, managing to do that. The necklace was beautiful, but I had no idea this was coming." She admires the ring for the moment, looking at it from a few different angles. "I always thought I was going to be the mistress type, and now you're making me the wife."
"You are way too great to be a mistress. No, you're my trophy wife, or something to that effect. My beautiful, smokin' hot trophy wife who I all but worship." He laughs, kissing at Nadira's chin. "So I guess that's a big yes?" He knows the answer to that, but 'Yes' just seems like it will seal the deal. "You can't tell me that you, my beautiful Egyptian Princess, have never envisioned yourself walking down the aisle?" He chuckles.
Nadira laughs at that, reaching a hand up to tap him on the nose. "Yes, Griffin, I'll marry you." She leans in, and then kisses the tip of his nose before leaning against him a little more. "I thought about it. But I never really thought it'd be me. I'm too wild, I think."
Griffin's face brightens. "Mrs. Nadira Sana Mihangle. Has a pleasant ring to it, I think." He winks up to her, squeezing her close. "You don't seem too wild to me. You still have that wonderful spark of youth shining bright in you, but too wild…not really." He smirks. "Besides…you're engaged to a wanted terrorist. I'm not exactly a tame beast myself."
"I should warn you, Griffin, I'm a terrible flirt and I work in a bar. I get a lot of eyes on me." Nadira laughs again, clearly pleased as she leans in and kisses his cheek. "I guess we're a regular Bonnie and Clyde, then. Plus I don't think you're a terrorist. Terrorists are there to cause terror. You're fighting for a good cause and trying to save lives with it. This country should give you an award."
"I suppose it's a good thing that I trust you, then, isn't it?" Griffin smiles warmly up at the woman. "And I suppose it's also a good thing that I am a bouncer at the bar you work at, so I can keep an eye on those eyes on you." He laughs, squeezing Nadira just a little tighter, happy as can be. "I'm much more inclined to believe in your rationale, but the media has happily painted me as a criminal and a terrorist."
He squeezes her close, kissing at her chin and jawline. "I love you, Nadira. I'm honored that you will be my wife."