Things had been going good between Rose and Hawk. They weren't together in the typical sense, but spent most of their time together with Ariana. Rose had also been thinking of what Hawk had told her after the meeting with the protection group. Honestly if Hawk asked her now if she was ready for him to court her, she was certain she would say yes. Reconnecting with Hawk was easy, and despite not knowing exactly how they came to be together that night five years ago, she was finding that the more time she spent with Hawk the more she didn't care. He had loved her long before that night, she knew he wouldn't lie about that, and she had loved him. The only thing holding them back now was that Rose didn't quite know how to tell Hawk that she was ready to move their relationship to the next level.
Of course there had been some people who wouldn't leave her and Hawk alone about Ariana, and why Hawk hadn't been a part of her life until now, but it was part of the territory. Especially considering that in the Fairy Tale Realm it was practically unheard of for a woman to have a child out of wedlock. Honestly she was surprised at how well everyone was taking it considering the more old fashioned feel to the Fairy Tale Realm then the era on Earth she had grown up in.
Rose and Hawk were currently sparring with their snow magic, Rose having finally made her own unique snow and pumpkin magic wand this morning. Something within her had just demanded that she was ready and needed it immediately. Considering her instincts never led her wrong Rose had gotten help from Snow White in creating her wand, and then Hawk had immediately put her to the test once it was done. He wasn't holding back either, which made her feel ecstatic knowing that Hawk knew she wasn't a damsel in distress who he had to be lenient with while training her.
Rose was just about to try one of the icy slide maneuvers she remembered Hawk using all the time in school when a dragon flew down in front of them a frantic looking Travis gesturing for them to get on. Hesitating for a moment because of Ariana, Rose was waved off by Snow White who was guiding Ariana into the castle probably realizing something was wrong.
"Travis, what's wrong?" Hawk asked as he helped her onto the dragon and then leapt up behind her.
"There's been a breach at the Gate. King Charming ordered me to get the two of you and then ran off with Astoria and Joy."
"Is it Captain Hook?!" Rose was shaking as she thought of what the villains would do if they got their hands on Ariana.
"We don't know. Are you up to fighting Rose, because now is your only chance if your not, and no I'm not saying this because I don't think your capable. It's just you only starting learning how to use your snow magic and if you don't have enough control it could get dangerous."
"I'll be fine Travis."
Taking a deep breath Rose pushed her feelings aside. She needed to get the personal conflict out of the way before they had to fight because she knew her magic could easily get out of control if she got angry enough. Her snow magic wasn't like Hawk's, it relied heavily on her own emotions, and rose up to protect her if it felt she was afraid or unbalanced in some way. Yet she knew her magic would be more out of control if she didn't go with Hawk and Travis and make sure the two of them would be alright. They had always been a team and she wasn't going to sit on the sidelines when they were fighting villains, that wasn't who she was.
As they got closer to the gate Rose could see the clashing magic rising in the air, and hear the sharp resonance of swords as they were brought together those wielding them fighting a deadly dance. Although she could hear the skirmish and see the magic, they weren't yet close enough to actually see who was fighting. A small part of her hoped it had nothing to do with Captain Hook or her daughter's powers. Although a larger part of her seemed resigned that this breach of the Gate had everything to do with Ariana.
When the magic blasts started to get too close to the dragon they were riding for comfort Travis led the dragon down and they leapt off of it's back, walking the rest of the way holding their wands at the ready in case they were ambushed by allies of whoever the other's were fighting. It sort of reminded Rose of the time the wicked step sisters had breached the Gate and the fight they had been in then.
Once they were in eye sight Rose wanted to scream and run forward as she saw Captain Hook. She wanted to demand he leave and stay the hell away from her daughter. However she knew she had to keep a cool head and instead she waited for a cue from Hawk or Travis. They had been in more fights then she had in the last five years, and she couldn't just wing it anymore like she did when she was younger. With her recklessness back then it was a surprise she hadn't been seriously hurt or killed.
"Ah so there she is. I was wondering when the lovely Snow Princess would show herself, perhaps you can even take up your grandmother's title if you decide to join us instead of be on the side of good. Either way no matter what you decide we will find a way to get your daughter, so you might as well join us if you want to be able to be in her life." The words Captain Hook spoke would have concerned her if she hadn't known exactly where Ariana was. Snow White would keep her daughter safe, and she would show Captain Hook exactly why he had chosen the wrong woman to mess with!
"In your dreams Hook. You will get nowhere near me or my daughter."
"So protective of her. It seems if you love someone you can forgive them for anything can't you my dear," the mocking tone made Rose glare at the deranged man. She could understand why Peter Pan had fought so hard against Captain Hook if he spoke to everyone this way.
"Shut up!" She growled at him. Not wanting him to say anymore. Afraid that he would tell Hawk what she had so carefully hidden from him, she never wanted Hawk or Ariana to find out, and if Captain Hook knew it was dangerous for her daughter.
"Oh you haven't told them have you?!"
"Rose?" Hawk questioned sounding concerned for her, and like he wanted to warn her to not give into Captain Hook's games.
"I'm surprised no one asked if either you or your daughter had the ability the Snow Queen was most famous for, or perhaps they thought neither of you had ever been in the position to find out. Such a coveted ability and one that would serve us well."
"It won't serve you at all! Neither of us inherited it!" She lied.
"Do you really think we don't know what happened the night your daughter was born. You were dead my dear, declared dead by those normal humans for at least five minutes, and it was only after your mother and daughter were in the room that suddenly your heart started back up. Your daughter killed you with her birth, but then she brought you back!"
Everyone turned their gazes to Rose in shock. Hawk's hand rising as if he wanted to see if she was real. She just wished they had fought Captain Hook from the start, that they hadn't given him a chance to speak. How could she deny it when he seemed to know what had happened? Yet she couldn't let him think he was right.
A light bulb went off in her head as she let out a laugh causing everyone to jump at the sudden mocking tone. "You are more of an idiot then I ever thought possible Hook. Normal humans wouldn't have thought of how the cold Ariana was born with would slow my heart down to a crawl because of the snow magic that accompanied her birth. So once my body started to warm up and my heart beat at a normal pace again they just assumed their machines had been faulty from the power outage that happened moments before. Besides the Snow Queen didn't bring humans to life, she granted snow life, it is impossible that her magic could bring someone back from the dead!"
Captain Hook was spluttering as his allies turned towards him with accusing gazes buying her explanation without a problem. Their confusion at her words distracting them enough that the Guardian dragons were able to throw them back through the portal before they realized what was happening. She just prayed that Captain Hook had believed her explanation and that Ariana could live a normal life without anyone bringing what was said today up in any sort of conversation around her.
It seemed even her grandfather believed her explanation because he didn't demand her to tell him the truth. Joy, Travis, and Astoria even seemed convinced; but when she turned around to look at Hawk the devastated look on his face told her she hadn't managed to fool him.
"King Charming, Joy, Astoria, Travis, I'll make a car for Hawk and I to get back to Snow White's Castle in. I'm certain you all will have to report on the breach to the rest of the Protection Group."
"Bye Rose, bye Hawk," their friends chorused as she made them a car with her magic. Her grandfather nodding his head agreeing that they could leave. She still wanted time to get to know him, but she knew right now that she needed to talk with Hawk more.
Getting in the two waved and drove off. Until she could no longer see their friends the ride was quiet and she knew Hawk was trying to figure out how to ask her the questions Captain Hook had most likely inspired. Rose just hoped Hawk wasn't blaming himself for the issues she had faced during her pregnancy.
They were halfway to Snow White Castle when Hawk finally broke the silence and Rose skidded to a halt turning to look at him. She had to have heard him wrong over the wind rushing through her ears because there was no way Hawk had just asked that! Rose was just projecting her own hopes into what Hawk had said because she was afraid of him blaming himself. She would just kindly ask him to repeat himself after he stopped looking so disoriented from her sudden stop.
"You .... Uh.... What?!" She tried to ask him to repeat what he had said, but it had been such a shock to her that Rose found it difficult to articulate a proper response.
Hawk seemed to snap out of his disorientation at hearing her voice, and took her hands in his own. The way he was looking at her took her breath away and she wished he would always look at her with such tender love in his eyes, a drastic shift to the devastation that had been on his face only a short while ago after hearing what Captain Hook said.
"I know you asked to take this slow and we aren't even dating yet Rose, but the idea of losing you in a permanent way has made me certain that I want you in my life until death do us part. You are the only one I have ever been in love with, and I know you will be the only one no matter how many princesses I have met it has always been you. I love you Rose, and if you will have me I want to marry you."
Rose had been thinking only hours ago that if Hawk asked her for more she was certain she would say yes, however she was afraid he was only asking because of what Captain Hook had revealed. They had agreed to take it slow, she was about to voice all of this to Hawk, but the look of pure love in his eyes stopped her. She was just making more excuses to not let their relationship evolve the way it was supposed to years ago, if she hadn't left they most likely would have already been married. Yet if she hadn't left Rose might have never found out that she had snow magic, so perhaps that was why destiny had led them down this path.
The question wasn't really why Hawk decided to ask her now. It was if she loved him enough to say yes, to stop running away from her feelings for him, and she did. She was through running away and she didn't care why Hawk had asked now, she knew he had wanted to marry her after she told him about Ariana. Actually he had probably wanted to marry her ages ago before Ariana had ever been born, but he had been just as afraid as her. It was time for the both of them to stop running away in fear.
"Yes. Yes I'll marry you."
Hawk's eyes widened as if he hadn't expected her to say yes, and then his lips descended on her own as he slid a cool object onto her left ring finger. Everything went hazy as Rose felt all of Hawk's love pouring into her from his kiss, and she hoped he could feel just as much love in return.
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AN: I am so sorry that it took this long. I had been debating on whether or not to reveal Ariana's other abilities yet, and it took me a while to decide on this path. Originally it wasn't going to lead to a marriage proposal, but I just feel like that's the way Hawk and Rose would end up engaged in the show. Hawk being so afraid of losing Rose for good after she pulled some sort of stupid stunt that almost got her killed, and he would then ask her to marry him the fear of losing her larger then his fear of rejection, and I feel if Rose was aware of her own feelings at the time she would accept.
Please tell me what you thought, and sorry I haven't responded to reviews. Until I could decide on what to do for this chapter I was feeling pressured every time I saw someone asking me to update, and it made it harder for me to actually plan out how this chapter should go.