He closed his eyes, reliving that moment in the darkness of the lab, the moment she had turned his life inside out and yet made everything fall into place at the same time, all with two simple words.
Marry me.
He remembered the touch of her hand, the incredible surge of her love and need for him. It shot through him like a thunderbolt. He had wanted to comfort her, to sweep her into his arms and tell her he would always be there for her, as long as he lived. He could barely bring himself to allow her to go on and endanger her life, not after he had found her at last, after she had uttered those words.
But he had no choice. He could no more tell her not to risk herself than she could tell him the same. Despite the pain he felt at the thought of losing her to the hitman's bullets, he knew he had to let her face her own challenges.
And now the greatest challenge lay ahead: what would he answer? He wanted her, he realized, more than he had ever dreamed possible. She had become an expected and integral part of his daily existence. He could not imagine going on without her at his side. She brought him a joy he could hardly begin to describe, about which he had remained silent for far too long.
However... Now that the present crisis had ended, would she still feel the same? With her life no longer at stake, the assassin in custody, would she regret hasty words spoken in a time of stress? If that were true, he could only strive to make her comfortable with whatever their relationship became. He would respect her wishes, no matter what she decided.
Just as he completed the thought, she finished up her conversation and joined him. She held her hands clasped tightly against her stomach as though to brace herself for what she was about to say. "Caine...Kwai Chang," she began. "It looks like we're alive."
He nodded, attempting to read her intentions. He did not want to push her, in case she had changed her mind. "Yes."
It seemed she was tending that way. "About what I said, in there..." He waited patiently for her to continue, though he could not prevent a sense of disappointment from welling up inside. "I can't hold you to that promise. It wouldn't be right."
He nodded again, accepting. If she were not yet ready for such a change, he understood.
She lifted her chin, meeting his eyes in perfect honesty. "But I meant every word."
He blinked, astonished, so resigned had he become. One of the remaining police officers, possibly sensing a pause in their interaction, walked up and opened his mouth to address the detective. Caine brought up his arm, barring the man's path. This moment was too important for interruption.
He took both of her hands in his, relaxing them from their clenched grip, and bowed low over them, kissing them each in turn. "I would consider it the greatest honor," he said, straightening to gaze upon her, "to be your husband."
He could see her breath catch in her throat, her tension melting away. Her whole face brightened with a dazzling smile. "Attaboy, Kwai Chang Caine," she laughed, throwing her arms around his neck. "You know what's good for you." She leaned close and kissed him with a passion born of the whole evening's pent up emotions.
The growing sound of applause and catcalls surrounded them. Neither cared.
The matter was taken out of Caine's hands when Peter, perhaps sensing his father's presence even when not awake, began to stir and blink his eyes open. "Pop?" He pushed himself up into a sitting position. "What are you doing back so soon? I didn't expect to see you again until after I checked out tomorrow. Not that I'm complaining," he hastened to add.
Caine chose to get the police-related business out of the way first so that he could spend the rest of the time concentrating on the personal. "Mary Margaret has...arrested the man behind the attack upon you at the library."
Peter grinned. "Way to go Skalany! Although," he continued, as he gave it a moment's thought, "I'll probably hear no end of jokes about her solving my case when I go back to work on Monday."
Caine suspected that, with the way word traveled in the precinct, that wouldn't be his son's biggest concern come Monday. "That...is not all."
"Oh?"
"No." He paused to collect his thoughts. He knew how sensitive his son could be about changes in his life, and he wanted this turn of events to be as pleasing for Peter as it was for his own heart. "The path of my life has become suddenly clear. I...have made an important decision."
Peter's open expression clouded over, first with pain, then disappointment. "Don't tell me," he cut in. "You're leaving again. Well, at least this time you had the guts to tell me yourself."
Caine winced at the vehemence of his son's outburst, completely taken by surprise. Unfortunately, before he could put together a response, Peter turned away, interpreting his father's reaction as admission of guilt.
"Never mind. I'm sure you have a good reason--the fate of the world at stake, the ultimate evil about to be unleashed--that sort of thing. And it has to be you, doesn't it? No one else has the power, or the knowledge, or the skills."
"Peter..."
"Just promise me you'll be careful, all right? That wherever you go, you'll remember you have a home to return to. Always."
Caine took a step closer to the bed and touched his son's hand, where the abraded knuckles were beginning to heal. "I am not leaving."
In the quiet of the room, Caine could hear Peter's heavy breathing betraying his strong emotions. It took several moments for the gentle words to penetrate the young man's defenses. Finally Peter swallowed and braved a glance at his father. "You're--you're not?"
Caine shook his head. "No."
"But I thought--!" He groaned as he realized everything that had slipped out. "I guess I jumped to a few conclusions. I'm sorry, Pop, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I should have let you finish."
"You have...reason...to suspect I would make such a choice, and for that, I am sorry. But now I have an even closer bond to this city, this community."
"Yeah, what is this big news you mentioned? If you're sticking around, I mean." His eyes widened expectantly.
"Mary Margaret has asked me to become her husband--and I have accepted."
This time complete silence pervaded the room as Peter forgot to breathe. His brows shot up and he tried to form words, but they wouldn't come. Then the hospital bed creaked, breaking the spell, as he leaned forward and grabbed a fistful of his father's jacket. "You did what?"
Caine decided that, all things considered, they were off to a remarkably good start. At least they were communicating. "I have consented to Mary Margaret's proposal of marriage."
Peter's brow wrinkled as though he were attempting to solve a puzzle. "Marriage?" His fingers loosened enough for Caine to disentangle them from the fabric. "I know you two have been seeing each other, Dad, but she's... I mean, you're not..." He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled deeply. "Whew. Are you sure about this? Not that you wouldn't be--but--well, you're still wearing Mother's wedding ring."
"Ah." Caine bowed his head. He could read the signs that he should be extremely careful. Walking on rice paper without leaving a mark was infinitely easier than tiptoeing through his son's emotions, upon which bruises flowered more readily than on his physical skin. "Yes. Your mother was an admirable woman, and I loved her more than words can express. I will always love her. Yet...she has been gone for many years." He reached out and rested his hand lightly on Peter's shoulder. "This new love can only augment that my heart carries for you, never diminish it."
"I understand that. Really, I do. It's just...Skalany?" He shook his head, overwhelmed. "It's one thing for your father to become your partner. It's another matter entirely for your partner to become your..." The word seemed to stick in his throat.
"Mother?" Caine supplied, amused.
"Exactly!" He patted his father's hand. "I don't know if I can get used to this."
Caine felt the same sentiment mirrored in his own thoughts. He smiled. "It will be...difficult for me to get used to it as well."
"I guess we'll have to adjust together, hmm?"
Peter's open, accepting grin warmed Caine through to his core. "Together," he agreed.