Choosing Life

Chapter Forty Nine

The kids of the Isle had a similar talk. It was the 'you hurt them and death by hyena would be too good for you' talk. Jade had had a similar talk with one of the evil step-granddaughters after word reached her ear that said evil step-granddaughter had chased Jay around Dragon Hall after he'd flirted with her at a party despite his multiple tries to get her to leave him alone. He had finally managed to ditch her by hiding behind a statue but that had been the catalyst for Jade's 'talk'.

And Jade had wrestled a six foot crocodile so she could be scary when she needed to be. Granted she had also almost drowned but the scary factor was still there.

It had been rather fortunate that Ava Tremaine had also heard about what had happened and so had, without planning to, met up with Jade when she went to give the evil step-granddaughter the talk. CJ didn't know exactly what Ava Tremaine had said but she did know through the scuttlebutt of the Isle that Dizzy had been mentioned.

CJ shook her head softly as she shoved her thoughts down. It wasn't that she didn't like thinking about Harry or Jade or the Isle...but that she knew that if she'd brought it up, she might make Ryan sad if he though of his sister.

"You know the one thing that hasn't changed?" Ryan asked, his voice soft and CJ looked over at him. "It's always been us together. Through every plot and scheme, thick and thin, it's always been you and me..."

"Ry? Why do I get the sense that you're leading up to something?" CJ asked.

Ryan smiled softly and pulled the ring box out of his pants' pocket. "I love you Cali. You're my best friend. Will you plot and scheme with me forever? Will you marry me?"

CJ stared at the ring in shock, her old nickname barely registering in her ears. In all honesty, she would have never thought she'd have a ring like that. Oh not because Ryan couldn't afford it or anything, she wasn't shallow by any means, but because she just didn't think about it. However, looking at the ring in front of her, CJ couldn't deny the fact that it was perfect.

Everything about the proposal was, in fact. Because it had come from Ryan and there was no one who felt more deeply than the brunet before her.

Okay, maybe Henry but that kinda went without saying. Plus Henry practically raised Ryan so it was safe to say Ryan had come by it honestly.

Wow, did my thoughts just go down a weird path, CJ thought. And Ry's still waiting for an answer. I should probably put him out of his misery.

"You know I think we probably lost a lot of members of the crew a lot of money. Haven't they had bets on us getting together going as far back as when we both turned fifteen?" CJ asked as she took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her hand.

Ryan shook his head. "Nah, I think the whole 'betting on people' thing stopped after Harry and Uma got out of their denial and Henry proved he wasn't going to marry his sword...wait, are you...?"

"What do you think?" CJ asked, holding up her hand to show Ryan the ring. "Does it suit the next Mrs. Williams?"

Ryan shook his head. "Nah, I think it suits the next Mrs. Hook."

"Ryan, I'm not going to make you give up your last name—."

"I want to CJ. Besides, your last name has more gravitas in the pirate world. If we have kids...they should have that protection."

CJ smiled softly and gently kissed Ryan on the cheek. "Compromise? We could hyphenate? Like how Harriet and Sammy do it."

"I think that sounds fair," Ryan nodded. "But your name goes last."