that one where Nancy says Ace's full name
Ace looks at Nancy, exhaling a big puff of breath from his lungs, and the smallest of smiles creeping up the corners of his mouth. "Feels kinda weird, doesn't it? Being free from the supernatural drama for once?"
Nancy, eyes wide, mind racing, turned her head slowly as she looked up at her smiling Ace. Free from supernatural drama. Free. They were free. They had been free for months and they didn't even know, and now here they were, side by side, free, and neither of them had done anything about that. "Yeah, it uh... kinda makes you wanna do something crazy, you know? Something uncharacteristic, something..."
"Spontaneous?" He wiggled his brows at her and Nancy couldn't help but give a splitting face grin back. Then he added, "What're you thinkin'? Paris?"
She nodded thoughtfully, then turned to face him completely. "I was thinking something a little more spontaneous than that,"
"Yeah?" Ace laughed, his hand running through his hair just to place it back in the perfect spot. "What could be more spontaneous than Paris? Getting married?"
He was joking, it was obvious. He was laughing and expecting Nancy to be laughing with him, but his smile deflated when he met her serious, bright blue eyes and said, "Yeah," then she shrugged, then said, "Honeymoon in Paris would make it even better."
His mouth opened, then closed. Then it opened again, then it closed again. His hands were on his hips in a very confused and serious stance, and finally he said, "Nance, are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Nancy shrugged, "I'm saying I love you, and not being able to say that I love you has been torture for the past few months. Now that I can, I don't intend of ever not saying it again."
"Nancy..." He was searching her eyes, panic in his, clearly terrified she wasn't real right now, or she was messing with him, or this was all another part of Temperance's ploy to ruin their happiness all over again.
So, Nancy took it upon herself to make it very real. "I am asking you in the middle of the sidewalk of Horseshoe Bay, in the purest spirit of spontaneity and love, that you, Joseph 'Ace' Hardy, will marry me."
"Resurected and proposed to all in the same day," he chuckled, his grin growing bigger and bigger by the minute. "Most definitely will be telling our grandkids about this one."
At this point, Nancy was wrapped securely in Ace's arms. She rolled her eyes teasingly as she said, "So... is that a yes?"
"Can I think about it?" Nancy would have said yes if he wasn't obviously joking. Before she could even answer he said, "I thought about it. I think Greece might be a better honeymoon destination."
Nancy rolled her eyes at him again, said, "Hell no," and pulled him from the collar of his shirt, bringing their lips together in a messy but sweet kiss. It was a kiss to make up for all of their lost ones, every opportunity stolen from Temperance, now being taken back and reclaimed as their own.
"Hey, get a room," they heard in a deep voice, a little too deep. They both pulled apart to see Bess walking up behind the two of them with a wide and beaming smile on her face, the obvious culprit of the fake deep voice. She gave a little wave and said, "Sorry to interrupt, but Nancy your dad's are looking for you."
"Oh perfect -" Nancy looked back up at Ace, knowing Bess was about to lose her mind. "Do you think they both can walk me down the aisle? Or what are we thinking, court house?"
Bess turned the color of a ghost - which would be white. She clenched both of their arms with a tight grip and said, "I'm sorry, is there something I'm missing?"
"Nothing much, just planning a wedding is all-" Ace pretended not to seem effected by Bess' squeals, "do you think Bess could be a best man - best woman?"
"Hmm, I don't know, I think Nick would be offended by that," Nancy was just being cruel at this point.
"Oh, to hell with Nickerson!" Bess exclaimed, both Ace and Nancy no longer able to hide their laughter, "If anyone is going to be Ace Hardy's best man it is going to be me." She crossed her arms over her chest and firmly said, "Now, what's this nonsense about a courthouse?"
Nancy smiled at her friend. She intertwined her fingers with Ace's and they walked hand in hand as they listened to Bess plan the most extravagant last minute wedding in Nancy's houses backyard. They walked their way up the sidewalk, up into the apartment, and with grins on their faces, shared the news with a roaring of applause.
Because after all they'd had been through together, no one could think of a better happy ending.