poison ivy - the boys

forty-two

It was the morning and Jane laid awake. Ben was kissing her stomach affectionately and it put such a bright smile on her face.

"What do you think about names?" she asked.

                "I don't know. Whatever you want to name the little rug rat," he responded and he kissed her stomach again.

                 "You're just going to leave the naming all up to me?"

                    He thought for a moment before he nodded, "I trust you, angel. As long as it isn't something stupid."

                   "Well, what about Matthew for a boy?" she asked.

                   "We can name him Matthew," he agreed.

                  "Oh, so it's a him?" she teased.

                  He huffed, "I want a boy."

                 "You're lucky...because I do, too," she smiled and she grabbed him, pushing him onto his back as she leaned on top of him, kissing him.

                 They kissed for a long moment before she pulled away breathlessly, "I love you."

               "I love you more, angel."

                _____

                Jane went out and ate lunch with Maeve.

                 "How did he take it?" Maeve asked as she leaned back in her seat.

                 "He's happy. I'm happy," Jane smiled. "We're happy."

                Maeve shook her head, "I think you two need to get married already because all this happy is nauseating."

                "One day you'll be just as happy as I am," Jane assured. "Maybe you'll find your way back to Elena."

                 "That ship has sunk," Maeve answered.

                  "No," Jane started to smirk. "Then what about Billy?"

                  Maeve choked on her drink and coughed. She looked at Jane accusingly, "Ben told you I was there this morning, didn't he?"

                   "Yeah," Jane smiled.

                   "Look, it's just hooking up. Nothing else," Maeve said.

                   Jane hummed, "Then...how is he in bed?"

                   "You mean you didn't sleep with him?" Maeve asked in confusion. "Everyone says you did."

                  "No," Jane blushed. "I may...have thought about it. But no. It's not like that with us."

                   "Well, then he's...very good," Maeve bit her lip.

                  Jane chuckled before she analyzed her friend, "I hope you do end up happy, Maeve."

                   Maeve looked at Jane softly, "I'm just glad you are."

                _____

              When Jane came back to the Tower, she ran into Eve on the elevator. She frowned and stepped inside with the younger girl.

                  After a moment of silence, Eve spoke up, "I shouldn't have done it. It was...bad."

              "I don't want to be bad. I just...want to be you. I'm sorry," Eve said with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

             Jane thought the last phrase was odd but Eve was being genuine; even too genuine as she almost gave away the plan Homelander had.

                  "I just want to be you," Eve reiterated. She didn't like the plan but she'd do anything to be Ivy; even kill.

                    Jane sighed and wrapped her arm around the girl in a side hug, "I forgive you."

                 Jane didn't have a reason to hold a grudge. She knew the girl was young; she made mistakes. But Jane was happy and she didn't want to ruin it with bitterness.

                     But that didn't mean she would forget. The elevator doors opened and Jane threatened, "But don't ever do it again."

                   And Jane walked off.

                  _____

                    It was now nighttime and she was slow dancing with Ben in the living room. She played songs that could be their first dance song. The song was currently You Are the Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne.

                 They swayed gently back and forth. Her head rested against his chest as she was wrapped in his embrace. His heart was beating quickly in this peaceful moment like it was filled with so much love it couldn't help but beat more.

                She lifted her head as she bit her lip, "I really do drive you crazy, don't I?"

                "Truly, madly, deeply," he quoted the song she played earlier as he smirked. "I keep trying to tell you that."

                  She rolled her eyes with a blush but then he became serious.

                 "Jane...I could live without you but it wouldn't be a life worth living," he confessed. "And, fuck...I don't even think I knew what love was until you came along. Now you walk into a room and my heart fucking soars. And it lingers...like my heart will beat but it's only alive for you. I don't know what you fucking did but I don't want you to stop...forever."

                She smiled but her eyes welled up with tears, "Ben..."

                   "And, yes, you are the best thing that ever happened to me, angel," he said truthfully before he leaned down and kissed her.

                 His hands tangled in her hair and they kissed deeply as she stood on the tips of her toes. When they pulled away breathlessly, she promised, "Forever, Ben."

                  And she knew in her heart, that would always be true. Ben had not only won her heart but became her heart. She loved him so much that she knew she'd never love anyone else ever again even if they somehow lost forever. It would always be Ben. And that was okay. She chose to love him for the rest of her long life; she didn't want to burn and love and soar with anyone else but him.

And that night was the happiest they'd ever been.