Centre Stage

Take a King

"I love you, Lucy. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives, in whatever form that takes. You said the time isn't right for us to marry. You made that very clear, but all the same, please be with me, Lucy. Be with me and be mine. My one and only. Forever." he looked at her with such love and devotion. She was almost delirious. He had an unending capacity for love. This was not the actions of a trapped man. She'd given him an out, saved his face and yet he still wanted to be with her. Despite now feeling lower than a snake's belly, she smiled through the tears.

Holding out her hands, she walked towards him until she grasped his. To her horror, they were shaking. She looked at them, and then up at him, his eyes reflected the pain he was in. Pain she had caused.

"Oh Tom, I hate fighting with you, and I so want to believe you, but if this is just a gesture to make up.. to let me hear what you think I want..." she was afraid, so very afraid he felt trapped into saying this. It had been a bitter argument and one that would haunt her for years to come. She knew that now.

"No darling, no, I promise you that it's not. I don't care how long I have to wait. You are my world, my life. I love you, darling, my feisty kitten," he dared to smile now, one eyebrow raised. It seemed a lifetime ago since he'd called her that. A lifetime full of incredible highs and lows. A lifetime she could never have anticipated.

"Tom," she took his hands and guided him to the sofa and sat down. She closed her eyes, leaned forward, and kissed him softly. He held himself a little stiffly for a moment, unsure whether to react how he really wanted to. She pulled back and sighed. "I have done a terrible thing." she felt the emotion overwhelm her, and tears started to fall. "A terrible, terrible thing."

He raised her hands to his heart. "It's ok, darling. Whatever it is, we can face it together." he smiled at her then kissed her carefully. "There's nothing you could have done that will make me love you any less."

"Oh Tom," she collapsed into his arms, crying uncontrollably. Great heaving sobs that sounded like she was dying - which in a way she had been. His heart broke, not because he feared what she was about to say, but that she felt so awful. He wrapped his arms around her, one hand holding her close, the other stroking her hair and sushed her softly.

"Darling, tell me, please?"

"I - I - lied." she sobbed as if her body was about to break. "I lied to you b - because I - because I was scared. " she couldn't look at him. It sounded so awful, "Scared you were feeling... t-t-trapped."

"Trapped?" he couldn't see where on earth that had come from, then it dawned on him. "Oh. You heard." it all made perfect sense. The sudden wish to be on the other side of the Atlantic from him. The sudden wish to be independent. "Oh Lucy, my poor little darling girl," he crushed her to him and held her so tightly she thought she might pass out.

"Tom, please, I need to breathe!" she managed to mutter eventually. He released her and sat back, pulling her onto his lap like a child needing comfort. Truth be told, that was exactly how she felt. A child, a child in an adult world she no longer understood.

"Darling, I wasn't talking about US. I was talking about a contract. A contract they wanted me to sign that would take me away from you for the best part of a year. Broadway would mean being gone for so long. I can't be without you that long, my darling." he said softly into her hair. "I can't be without you for a day." She was shocked to feel him cry under her. His chest shook, and his breath was ragged. "Darling, if you reallydon't want to marry me, it's ok, I understand it's not for everyone."

Slowly, Lucy pulled away and sat up. She cradled his face in her hand and smiled. The most beautiful smile he had ever seen. It was the smile that told him everything was going to be ok.

"Thomas Hiddleston," she stroked his cheek, wiping away the tears. "Tommy, my own darling Tommy. Nothing in this world would make me happier than to marry you. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year. I don't care. I have always wanted to be with you. I lied to protect you from a situation I know now never existed. I am sorry, truly sorry, and I promise, " she paused and held his hand to her heart this time, "I promise NEVER to make the mistake again of not talking to you. Of not asking you. Of being afraid of what you might say. I know that you are my life. Just like I always hoped you would be."

"You do?"

"I do."

"She does!!!!" he jumped up, grabbing her into his arms as he did so, spinning her around and kissing her repeatedly. "She loves me, and she wants to marry me!" he set her on her feet and ran to the window. Opening it wide, he shouted down into the street, "SHE WANTS TO MARRY ME - IM NOT A MONSTER AFTER ALL!"

There were a few stares and a few laughs and a few. "Oh my god, was that???" He ducked his head back in and rushed to kneel at her feet.

"My darling , I am but a feeble man, a soldier in life if you will, take a soldier then take a prince. Take a prince, then take a king, take a king, and take my world." he paraphrased the man who brought them together in the first place. Lucy knelt with him, her heart bursting.

"My King. I am yours." she answered, her eyes shining.

He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. "Thank you, my darling." Then he stood, "Ok, now THAT'S ironed out, thank God, tomorrow we can go see Ken. We have a contract to settle... One that includes taking my wife." he smiled and held out a hand.

Little did they know that Ken had another surprise for them.