Something Old, Something New
Title: Something Old, Something New
Characters: Claire Bennet, Gretchen Berg
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Word count: 325
Setting: Post-Brave New World
Summary: Claire has something to say to Gretchen after returning from the carnival.
Notes:Inspired by the heroes_contest "New" prompt. Beta by dancingdragon3.
Claire held Gretchen's hands in her own as they sat together on Gretchen's bed, facing one another, knees pressed together.
"This is all so new to me," Claire said, "to have someone who cares, who knows me, who doesn't want to use me, and who's attracted to me because of who I am." Claire looked at Gretchen thoughtfully for a while. "I'm trying to be honest here. I don't know how to have a normal relationship. No, wait … that's not the right term and I know it." Sighing, she looked down at Gretchen's hands and rubbed her thumbs over the back of them.
Slowly, Claire said, "I don't know how to have a relationship the way people are supposed to have relationships. Where we … do what we're supposed to and trust each other and love each other and treat each other right. I don't …" Claire shook her head briefly. "I don't want to disappoint you. I want to do it right. They say women marry guys like their dads but you're like my mom - you love me, you'll support me even when you don't agree with me, you're always looking out for me, and I seriously, seriously take you for granted. I've got to stop that. I'm going to stop that. It's stopped. Now. Forever. I …" Claire took a deep breath, nervous and biting her lip for a moment. "I want to be with you." She swallowed and rushed the words out: "Will you marry me?"
"I'm like your mom?" Gretchen said in disbelief. Clare gave her an embarrassed smile. More softly Gretchen added, "You've never said anything bad about your mom. Ever." Claire bit her lip again, fingers tightening on Gretchen's at the lack of an answer. Gretchen gripped her back, just as firmly. "Claire, no one ever gets it perfect and right except for TV shows and fairy tales. I want to be with you, too, for better or worse. So … yes."