Fic: How Long Ever After Is (GHTNG, Jake/Lana, CJ/Isabella)
Title: How Long Ever After Is
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 72 - Eternity
Pairing/Character(s): Jake/Lana, CJ/Isabella
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: None of the characters first appearing on General Hospital belong to me.
Word Count: 1640
Spoilers/Warnings: Excessive schmoop? Part of the Lanaverse.
Summary: It was going to be a happy new year.
Author's Notes: This is lapiccolina's very belated birthday gift. Written for theechochorus. Title and quoted lyrics from Matt Nathanson's gorgeous song "Wedding Dress."
And you hold me in your arms
And all that I can see
Is my future in your hands
And all that I can feel
Is how long ever after is
It's all that I can do
To be with you, just to be with you
*
Another New Year's Eve, another party at Luke's.
Jake leaned back against the bar and surveyed the room, mentally patting himself on the back. Since he'd moved back to Port Charles two years ago, he'd taken over Luke's and made it his own. From the moment he'd walked into the club, he'd known it was his. He still didn't know how, but he'd known.
It was the same way with Lana.
He searched through the crowd for his diminutive girlfriend, smiling foolishly at the sight of her dancing with Isabella. She was so small, but she could fill up a room more easily than anyone he'd ever known.
Four years ago, he'd stood in almost the same exact spot and realized that it would be impossible to live his life without her.
Tonight, he was going to make sure that he never had to.
He slipped his hand into his pocket, fingering the ring that he'd put there earlier that evening. He'd thought about doing the traditional thing, dinner, candlelight, down on one knee, but that wasn't them. And it had seemed right to do it here, where he'd finally figured it all out.
He could only hope she'd feel the same way.
He suddenly felt himself be clapped on the shoulder.
"You're thinking about a woman."
Jake blinked, and turned his head to see CJ looking at him with what he was fairly certain was a bemused expression. It was hard to tell. "What?"
CJ leaned back against the bar nonchalantly. "I know that look. You've got your woman on your mind."
Jake frowned. "That obvious?"
"Only to a bartender, my friend."
"Speaking of, I'm surprised you aren't there tonight. I'd have thought you'd have a packed house tonight, too."
"That had been the plan, but I believe your woman put considerable pressure on mine. Something about needing someone to have fun with since Molly was unavailable, I think." He shrugged. "They start talking in high pitched squeals, I tune out."
"I completely understand." Jake spotted Isabella and Lana winding their way out of the throng on the dance floor. "Not that I'd ever let them catch me saying that."
"Catch you saying what?" Lana demanded, snatching Jake's bottle of beer out of his hand and taking a drink.
"How completely whipped he is," CJ answered for Jake. "He's enough of a wimp, as it is."
Lana eyed CJ skeptically. "I don't think that's what it was, but I'll let it pass." She handed the bottle back to Jake. "When are you going to dance with me, Jacob?"
"Never."
Her lip slid out into a pout.
Jake turned his head to look at CJ and Isabella. "I'm not looking at you while you're doing that. It's dirty pool, and you know it."
"Which is why she does it," Isabella pointed out, laughing at the look on Lana's face.
"You think I don't know that?"
"I'm standing right here, you know," Lana huffed, looking as though she were about to stamp her foot in frustration.
Jake shot an amused look at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "You're not that little, baby."
"Jacob!"
"You'd better dance with her," CJ advised. "Or I foresee a night with you alone on the couch, my friend."
Jake looked down at her and smirked. "Want to dance?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not if you were the last man..."
Jake bent his head and kissed her deeply, cutting off the rest of what she'd been about to say. When he drew back, her eyes were unfocused and her skin was flushed. "You were saying?"
In lieu of an answer, Lana grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her as she made her way back to the dance floor. When she was satisfied, she turned to him, winding her arms around his neck. "Hi."
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Hi."
She tilted her head back to look at him, eyes sparkling. "Are you having a good time?"
"Of course I am. Why?"
She shrugged a little, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. "I don't know, you seem a little off."
He kissed her hair. "I'm perfect. I have you after all, right?"
She preened. "Well, I wasn't going to mention that..." She shrieked with laughter, as he tickled her sides. "Stop that right now, Jake Spencer!"
He grinned devilishly at her. "What do I get in exchange?"
"Me not beating you to a pulp in front of your customers!"
He cocked his head to the side, adopting a thoughtful expression, as though he was thinking over her offer. "Not good enough."
"What do you want?" she demanded, eyes narrowed at him, as she tried to twist her body away from his hands.
His hands stilled. He hadn't meant to do this now, he'd meant to build up to it, to ask at midnight, but this was them. This was perfect. This was that moment. "Your undying love and devotion."
"Oh, is that all?" she laughed.
He shook his head, bringing his hand up to cup her chin, tilting her face up to his. "No, Lan, I mean it." His other hand dug into his pocket for the ring, clenching it in his fist.
She looked confused. "Mean what, Jake? What are you-" Her eyes went wide as he drew his hand out of his pocket, opening his fist, unveiling the ring lying on his palm. "Jake," she breathed. "Is this, are you-"
He laid a finger across her lips. "Shh."
She nodded, eyes darting back and forth between the ring and his face.
He licked his lips. "Lana, will you- will you marry me?" He held his breath waiting for her answer.
He didn't have to wait long.
Her eyes filled with tears, she nodded frantically, "Yes, yes, yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and jumped into his arms. "Yes," she whispered again, into his ear. "Yes."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him, careful not drop the ring he still held in his hand. "I take it that's a yes?" he asked teasingly.
She peppered kisses across his face. "You bet your ass it is." She wiggled her way back to the ground and looked at him expectantly.
He frowned. "Get back here," he demanded, trying to tug her back against him. "I liked that."
She shook her head. "I believe you have something for me?"
"Oh, I see how it is," he drawled. "You just want the jewelry. I'm just a means to an end."
"Something like that." She held out her hand. "Please? I want to be wearing your ring at midnight."
"I suppose I can't argue with that." He took her hand and slid the ring into place, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "Beautiful."
She tugged her hand back. "I want to see!"
He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Greedy little wench."
She arched an eyebrow at him. "Damn straight." She held her hand up to admire the ring. "Jake, it's beautiful."
It was simple. He hadn't wanted anything too big or gaudy to overwhelm her little hand. A platinum band with a crust of diamonds, and in the center, a brilliant, gleaming opal shooting fire off in every direction.
He looked at her nervously. "You really like it?"
"I love it." She stretched up on her toes to kiss him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," he murmured against her lips.
From behind them, Isabella's voice drawled, "Sorry to interrupt, but it's almost midnight, you know..."
Lana spun around, wide, beaming smile on her face. She thrust out her left hand, ring sparkling brightly.
Isabella's eyes went wide. "Are you, did he-"
"Yes!" Lana squealed.
Isabella threw her arms around Lana, and the two hugged, bouncing up and down and letting out high-pitched squeals of joy.
Jake watched the scene with amusement, enjoying the sight of two driven, professional women, reverting into little girls. CJ appeared next to him, hands full of plastic champagne flutes.
He nodded his head toward the women. "What's that about?"
"I asked Lana to marry me," Jake said simply.
"So that's what the look was about earlier. Congratulations, man." He looked down at his full hands. "I'd shake your hand or something, but my hands are kind of full."
"Right." Jake took two of the glasses from him. "Thanks." He shot CJ a look. "You ever think about it?"
CJ shook his head. "Don't look at me. Talk to her."
"Talk to who?" Isabella demanded, wrapping her arm around CJ's waist.
CJ passed her a glass. "You."
She opened her mouth to press, and he held up a finger to her lips. "Not now."
Isabella frowned, but complied.
While they were bantering, Jake wrapped his arms around Lana from behind, and bent to whisper in her ear. "You happy?"
Lana nodded. "I love you, Jake Spencer." She lifted her hand to admire her ring again. "And you have fabulous taste in jewelry."
He laughed. "Thanks, baby. I love you, too, Lana Drake." He tilted her head back and kissed her gently.
The music died, and the lead singer's voice came through the microphone. "It's time for the countdown to midnight. Ten, nine,"
"I think we should have a toast!" Isabella said quickly. "To Jake and Lana."
"Eight, seven, six."
Lana looked up at Jake and grinned, tapping her glass against his. "To us."
"Five, four, three."
The clinked their glasses together, and drank.
"Two, one. Happy new year!"
Jake spun Lana around in his arms, and she stretched up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he bent his head to kiss her, she was smiling.
It was going to be a happy new year.
Author: empressearwig
Prompt: 72 - Eternity
Pairing/Character(s): Jake/Lana, CJ/Isabella
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: None of the characters first appearing on General Hospital belong to me.
Word Count: 1640
Spoilers/Warnings: Excessive schmoop? Part of the Lanaverse.
Summary: It was going to be a happy new year.
Author's Notes: This is lapiccolina's very belated birthday gift. Written for theechochorus. Title and quoted lyrics from Matt Nathanson's gorgeous song "Wedding Dress."
And you hold me in your arms
And all that I can see
Is my future in your hands
And all that I can feel
Is how long ever after is
It's all that I can do
To be with you, just to be with you
*
Another New Year's Eve, another party at Luke's.
Jake leaned back against the bar and surveyed the room, mentally patting himself on the back. Since he'd moved back to Port Charles two years ago, he'd taken over Luke's and made it his own. From the moment he'd walked into the club, he'd known it was his. He still didn't know how, but he'd known.
It was the same way with Lana.
He searched through the crowd for his diminutive girlfriend, smiling foolishly at the sight of her dancing with Isabella. She was so small, but she could fill up a room more easily than anyone he'd ever known.
Four years ago, he'd stood in almost the same exact spot and realized that it would be impossible to live his life without her.
Tonight, he was going to make sure that he never had to.
He slipped his hand into his pocket, fingering the ring that he'd put there earlier that evening. He'd thought about doing the traditional thing, dinner, candlelight, down on one knee, but that wasn't them. And it had seemed right to do it here, where he'd finally figured it all out.
He could only hope she'd feel the same way.
He suddenly felt himself be clapped on the shoulder.
"You're thinking about a woman."
Jake blinked, and turned his head to see CJ looking at him with what he was fairly certain was a bemused expression. It was hard to tell. "What?"
CJ leaned back against the bar nonchalantly. "I know that look. You've got your woman on your mind."
Jake frowned. "That obvious?"
"Only to a bartender, my friend."
"Speaking of, I'm surprised you aren't there tonight. I'd have thought you'd have a packed house tonight, too."
"That had been the plan, but I believe your woman put considerable pressure on mine. Something about needing someone to have fun with since Molly was unavailable, I think." He shrugged. "They start talking in high pitched squeals, I tune out."
"I completely understand." Jake spotted Isabella and Lana winding their way out of the throng on the dance floor. "Not that I'd ever let them catch me saying that."
"Catch you saying what?" Lana demanded, snatching Jake's bottle of beer out of his hand and taking a drink.
"How completely whipped he is," CJ answered for Jake. "He's enough of a wimp, as it is."
Lana eyed CJ skeptically. "I don't think that's what it was, but I'll let it pass." She handed the bottle back to Jake. "When are you going to dance with me, Jacob?"
"Never."
Her lip slid out into a pout.
Jake turned his head to look at CJ and Isabella. "I'm not looking at you while you're doing that. It's dirty pool, and you know it."
"Which is why she does it," Isabella pointed out, laughing at the look on Lana's face.
"You think I don't know that?"
"I'm standing right here, you know," Lana huffed, looking as though she were about to stamp her foot in frustration.
Jake shot an amused look at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "You're not that little, baby."
"Jacob!"
"You'd better dance with her," CJ advised. "Or I foresee a night with you alone on the couch, my friend."
Jake looked down at her and smirked. "Want to dance?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not if you were the last man..."
Jake bent his head and kissed her deeply, cutting off the rest of what she'd been about to say. When he drew back, her eyes were unfocused and her skin was flushed. "You were saying?"
In lieu of an answer, Lana grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her as she made her way back to the dance floor. When she was satisfied, she turned to him, winding her arms around his neck. "Hi."
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Hi."
She tilted her head back to look at him, eyes sparkling. "Are you having a good time?"
"Of course I am. Why?"
She shrugged a little, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. "I don't know, you seem a little off."
He kissed her hair. "I'm perfect. I have you after all, right?"
She preened. "Well, I wasn't going to mention that..." She shrieked with laughter, as he tickled her sides. "Stop that right now, Jake Spencer!"
He grinned devilishly at her. "What do I get in exchange?"
"Me not beating you to a pulp in front of your customers!"
He cocked his head to the side, adopting a thoughtful expression, as though he was thinking over her offer. "Not good enough."
"What do you want?" she demanded, eyes narrowed at him, as she tried to twist her body away from his hands.
His hands stilled. He hadn't meant to do this now, he'd meant to build up to it, to ask at midnight, but this was them. This was perfect. This was that moment. "Your undying love and devotion."
"Oh, is that all?" she laughed.
He shook his head, bringing his hand up to cup her chin, tilting her face up to his. "No, Lan, I mean it." His other hand dug into his pocket for the ring, clenching it in his fist.
She looked confused. "Mean what, Jake? What are you-" Her eyes went wide as he drew his hand out of his pocket, opening his fist, unveiling the ring lying on his palm. "Jake," she breathed. "Is this, are you-"
He laid a finger across her lips. "Shh."
She nodded, eyes darting back and forth between the ring and his face.
He licked his lips. "Lana, will you- will you marry me?" He held his breath waiting for her answer.
He didn't have to wait long.
Her eyes filled with tears, she nodded frantically, "Yes, yes, yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and jumped into his arms. "Yes," she whispered again, into his ear. "Yes."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him, careful not drop the ring he still held in his hand. "I take it that's a yes?" he asked teasingly.
She peppered kisses across his face. "You bet your ass it is." She wiggled her way back to the ground and looked at him expectantly.
He frowned. "Get back here," he demanded, trying to tug her back against him. "I liked that."
She shook her head. "I believe you have something for me?"
"Oh, I see how it is," he drawled. "You just want the jewelry. I'm just a means to an end."
"Something like that." She held out her hand. "Please? I want to be wearing your ring at midnight."
"I suppose I can't argue with that." He took her hand and slid the ring into place, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "Beautiful."
She tugged her hand back. "I want to see!"
He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Greedy little wench."
She arched an eyebrow at him. "Damn straight." She held her hand up to admire the ring. "Jake, it's beautiful."
It was simple. He hadn't wanted anything too big or gaudy to overwhelm her little hand. A platinum band with a crust of diamonds, and in the center, a brilliant, gleaming opal shooting fire off in every direction.
He looked at her nervously. "You really like it?"
"I love it." She stretched up on her toes to kiss him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," he murmured against her lips.
From behind them, Isabella's voice drawled, "Sorry to interrupt, but it's almost midnight, you know..."
Lana spun around, wide, beaming smile on her face. She thrust out her left hand, ring sparkling brightly.
Isabella's eyes went wide. "Are you, did he-"
"Yes!" Lana squealed.
Isabella threw her arms around Lana, and the two hugged, bouncing up and down and letting out high-pitched squeals of joy.
Jake watched the scene with amusement, enjoying the sight of two driven, professional women, reverting into little girls. CJ appeared next to him, hands full of plastic champagne flutes.
He nodded his head toward the women. "What's that about?"
"I asked Lana to marry me," Jake said simply.
"So that's what the look was about earlier. Congratulations, man." He looked down at his full hands. "I'd shake your hand or something, but my hands are kind of full."
"Right." Jake took two of the glasses from him. "Thanks." He shot CJ a look. "You ever think about it?"
CJ shook his head. "Don't look at me. Talk to her."
"Talk to who?" Isabella demanded, wrapping her arm around CJ's waist.
CJ passed her a glass. "You."
She opened her mouth to press, and he held up a finger to her lips. "Not now."
Isabella frowned, but complied.
While they were bantering, Jake wrapped his arms around Lana from behind, and bent to whisper in her ear. "You happy?"
Lana nodded. "I love you, Jake Spencer." She lifted her hand to admire her ring again. "And you have fabulous taste in jewelry."
He laughed. "Thanks, baby. I love you, too, Lana Drake." He tilted her head back and kissed her gently.
The music died, and the lead singer's voice came through the microphone. "It's time for the countdown to midnight. Ten, nine,"
"I think we should have a toast!" Isabella said quickly. "To Jake and Lana."
"Eight, seven, six."
Lana looked up at Jake and grinned, tapping her glass against his. "To us."
"Five, four, three."
The clinked their glasses together, and drank.
"Two, one. Happy new year!"
Jake spun Lana around in his arms, and she stretched up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he bent his head to kiss her, she was smiling.
It was going to be a happy new year.