Title: "Now and Forever Pt. 1"
Author: Rebecca Bradstreet
Rated: PG
Archive: Sure.
Summary: Bailey tells Asher of John and Becca's engagement.
Warning: Language.
Disclaimer/Notes: This is a Profiler/Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Crossover. I don't own John Grant, or any other Profiler character. I don't own Asher, or any other Anitaverse character. I do own Rebecca Belinda "Becca" Drake. She's a dragon version of me. I own other characters that aren't Profiler or ABVH canon. I use :: for telepathy, // for thoughts, and ** as emphasis.
Special Thanks to: JoLN who beta'd this for me."Now and Forever Pt. 1"
Rebecca Bradstreet (c) 2002Atlanta
John and Becca's Apartment
Monday July 2, 2001"John?" Becca said tentatively, stretched out over the sofa. Her feet rested on an arm; her head rested in his lap. The nightly news was a soft murmur on the television. Becca's hair was spread out over his knees.
"Yes?" John smiled down at her, mild curiosity in his sky blue eyes.
"How do you want to get married?" She asked.
"To you," he answered with a mischievous grin.
"I know *that.* I mean...do you want a ceremony? A priest?" Becca looked up at him all seriousness.
"A priest?" He questioned, looking into her pale eyes.
"You where raised Catholic. I don't know what we'd tell a priest. I mean I'm not even human much less Catholic," she reached up, and ran a finger along his jaw.
"*If * I wanted a Catholic priest, we could tell him you're a good Catholic girl," John caught her raised hand, and kissed her palm.
"Uh, you're not worried about going to Hell for it because?" Becca's tone was still serious, but the beginnings of a smile where visible at the corners of her mouth.
"I'm going to Hell for not being repentant about losing my virginity at 15 everything else is just extra," he slid her captured hand around his neck, and lifted her up to sit in his lap.
"No priest?" She asked, making no comment about when he lost his virginity.
"I was raised Catholic, but I haven't been to church...in a long time. All I need are two witnesses, a Justice of the Peace, and you, Becca," John told her, taking his turn looking serious.
"I don't have a family to fill out a 'Bride's side' of a guest hall, I don't like wearing high heels, and I wouldn't know what to do with a train. Can we keep it simple?" She once more traced his jaw with one hand.
"We can certainly try," he kissed her.
The Gray Goose
"Becca, and John are engaged? Truly?" The Master of the City asked Malone.
"Truly. They came in this morning engaged, and more," Bailey told him, helping himself to a drink from the cabinet he suspected Sean kept stocked.
"More?" Asher repeated, leaning back in his chair behind his desk.
"They're lifebonded. That's what they called it. They..." Malone wasn't sure how to describe the difference it seemed to make.
"Lifebonded?" The Master of the City whistled, and Bailey couldn't help being startled. He hadn't seen anything make Asher whistle. Of course the Master of the City was still new in town there were various things Malone hadn't seen him do yet.
"They...they were good at finishing each others sentences before. Now...now they don't even start the sentence -- at least not out loud," Bailey said, still hunting for the best way of describing the quiet and complete connection the two had formed.
"They don't have to voice aloud thoughts between them. A lifebond gives them a constant link. Next to what they have already done Bailey Malone a marriage is...anticlimactic," Asher didn't snort, but Bailey guessed it was strictly breeding that kept the vampire from making the sound.
"They're engaged. They seem to think getting married still has some value," Malone observed sitting on Asher's couch, and taking a swallow of his drink.
"Oh it does. A lifebonding is hardly a legal union. They have committed to each other utterly, but it's hardly on file somewhere. I don't know how pragmatic John Grant is, but Becca is undoubtedly considering all the practical reasons for having a marriage license on file somewhere," the Master of the City sat up in his chair.
"Pragmatic," Bailey shook his head smiling, "John proposed to Becca because he loves her. If that's practical..."
Asher waved his hand dismissively at the question of what was practical, "They love each other, they have pooled their life forces, and they mean to get married. As friends of theirs we ought to do something for them."
Malone nodded, "That's what I was thinking."
The Master of the City linked his fingers together and rested his chin on them, "Have they spoken of their wedding plans?"
"No, that didn't seem to come up," Bailey had to admit sitting up on the couch, and matching Asher's thoughtful expression.
"Well perhaps we should start with finding out what plans they have for their wedding," the Master of the City gave Malone a toothy smile.
Headquarters of the Violent Crimes Task Force
Cafeteria
Tuesday July 3, 2001"So, got any plans for your wedding?" Dr. Grace Alvarez asked Drake, once she had her cornered at the coffee machine.
Becca gave Grace a tight smile as she asked John, :: Can I bite her? I know where she's going with that question. She wants to plan our wedding for us. May I bite her please? ::
Grant didn't choke on his coffee, but he did have to shake his head, :: Becca, no biting the nice doctor. If you want to be a pain in the butt tell her, "I could tell you my plans, but then I'd have to kill you." ::
Drake spent a long moment considering John's suggestion, making him laugh, :: All right. I won't bite her, *and* I won't threaten to kill her. But, if she thinks for one minute she's getting me into a train... ::
The images Becca flashed by Grant when she trailed off made him very glad he'd set his coffee down. They also made him glad no one was sitting at his table. Someone would have asked what his problem was, :: You know we aren't married yet. I could be made to testify against you if you follow through on some of those thoughts. ::
:: If I follow through, :: she didn't stick her tongue out at him, but it wasn't because she didn't want to. It was because Becca didn't want to explain it to the nice doctor.
"I want to keep it small and simple," Drake answered honestly.
"Oh, small and simple. I guess you don't have a lot of family to invite," Grace nodded.
:: You promised not to bite her, :: John reminded Becca.
:: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Somebody has to do the blood test for us, :: she grinned impishly at him.
"I don't have a lot of people to invite," Drake acknowledged before stepping away from the coffee machine, and heading for Grant's table.
John pushed Becca's chair out from the table with his leg.
:: Very chivalrous, :: She sniffed at him as she sat down in the chair.
:: Nothing's to good for the love of my life, :: John smiled at her playfully.
Alvarez stood at the table looking at them, "Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something?"
:: Because you are, :: Becca said to Grant.
John scowled at Drake briefly, before he answered Grace, "It's nothing important. Want to sit down? There are more chairs."
He half expected Becca to kick him under the table for making the offer, but she managed to concentrate on the coffee she'd gotten herself.
"So, John, do you have any idea what you want for a wedding?" Alvarez asked as she sat down at the table.
"Short," he answered pleased to see the smile he got out of Becca with the answer.
"Small, simple, and short...you two are sure you want to get married, right?" Grace checked.
:: Now can I bite her? :: Drake asked Grant again.
He kicked her under the table.
:: Hey! I could bite you you know! :: Becca yelped at him.
:: *Not* at the office, :: John flashed her a toothy grin.
"Yes we want to get married," Grant answered Alvarez.
:: Not at the office hmm, :: Becca flashed him another series of images. This time he had to reach out and squeeze her arm before she was done.
:: I love you, :: John told her part appreciation part apology.
:: And don't you forget, :: she flashed him her own toothy smile.
"What are you three talking about over here?" Malone asked as he came over to the table, and pulled out a chair.
"John and Becca's wedding. They want it small, simple, and short," Grace informed him.
:: We're sunk now, :: Drake whimpered.
:: Sunk? Bailey's divorced you think he really wants to go through another wedding even if it isn't his? :: Grant offered her, giving her arm another squeeze.
:: Nice try. He went through Janet's. Any man that will go through his ex-wife's remarrying... :: For once she trailed off into silence instead of a flash of images.
John sighed, :: Well he might listen to what we want. ::
:: He might, :: Becca was prepared to concede.
"Small, simple, and short hu? A priest and some witnesses eh?" Malone guessed.
:: I can't believe he's a null, :: Grant's voice rang with surprise.
:: You get used to it. The man may not be psychic, but his mind is very *very* sharp, :: Drake put a hand on John's knee and squeezed it.
"Something like that Bailey," Becca told Malone.
"Something like what?" Fraley asked as he sat down at the table.
:: Gee, remind me where Rachel is? I mean the gang is mostly here, :: Drake observed to Grant.
:: She's spending the Fourth of July in Buffalo with her family, :: John reminded her.
:: If she's lucky she won't get back here in time to watch Gracie stuff me into a wedding dress, :: Becca sighed to him.
:: Grace is not going to stuff you into a wedding dress, :: Grant tried to reassure her.
:: So you say, :: Drake grumped.
"John and Becca want a small simple short wedding. Bailey suggested a priest and some witnesses," Alvarez answered.
"You know you guys if you want to keep it small, but you want to like send it to people who can't be at the wedding I can tape it for you," George offered around a mouthful of food.
Drake leaned her head against Grant's shoulder, and managed to keep her whimpering just between them, :: Oh perfect. Rachel can stay at her folks as long as she likes. George will tape it all for her. ::
John put his arm around her, and squeezed her tight, :: Becca, they only want to help us. They know we're happy together, and they just want to get to celebrate it with us. Cut them some slack. ::
She took a deep breath, and looked him in the eye, :: Well we're only going to do this once. ::
:: Absolutely, :: he smiled, and rocked her a bit.
"We're definitely missing something," Alvarez grumbled to Fraley. George shrugged, and continued eating his sandwich.
"None of our business apparently," Bailey smiled at Grace.
"Sorry guys. George, it would be great if you could tape the ceremony," Becca grinned apologetically.
"You got a few ideas about where we might have the wedding Bailey?" John asked Malone.
"A few," Bailey answered vaguely.
Laboratory
"So...ah...Grace...we need our blood tests for our marriage license, and...uh," Drake wasn't sure why she couldn't just say it. It wasn't like Alvarez didn't know she was a dragon. They'd crossed that bridge a while ago.
"And you want me to do it because you don't want strangers looking at your blood," Grace finished for her.
"Actually...I'd just as soon nobody looked at my blood. I mean it's not like I'm a carrier of anything," Becca grinned hopefully.