#slackru

Neither are well-practiced, and anything they may have learned in the past has all but been forgotten, but after a brief a period of awkward starts they learn to make it work. They go where the music takes them - offering a cathartic release of whatever emotion it may call to. Together, alone and at the bidding of timeless words, they try to find their own unapologetic slice of happiness in a world that seemed hell-bent on stealing it away.

A lively tune may bring forth their youth. The years melting away until there’s nothing but the image of unencumbered elation that comes easier to those in their early years. He often purposefully leads her into exaggerated, almost childish dances just to relish her ensuing smile and laughter - both sweeter than any song. 

A heavy, somber number may slow their pace, bringing them close enough by song’s end that they’re all but hugging. The lyrics may summon tears from their eyes - offering a restorative release of the struggles they’ve had to shoulder, like culling nourishing rain from a storm cloud.

When impassioned words sing of love, it draws them closer in a different way. He may whisper the words into her ear, sending shivers down her spine and in return she may rest her head against his chest, taking pleasure in the way his heartbeat quickens. The feel of each other - breath and body - is heightened by words that fuel the intimacy they feel. On more occasions than they can count, their eyes would meet and keen lips would find their mark - ardent gestures that often led to a wholly different kind of dance...

Sometimes they talk throughout, using this time simply as a way to communicate their feelings, and other times, when words are not enough, they let the music speak for them. Face to face, hand in hand, hearts beating as one, it had become an anchor that held them together as the years stretched on. An unanticipated source of strength to help them endure the sunless days. 

Just as he moves to rise from his seat, Niylah shakes her head and swiftly places a hand on his arm in order to calm him down. “Nothing happened, but I can tell that there’s something wrong. She seemed very withdrawn today.”

Frowning, Marcus gives her a nod. “Alright. Thank you for letting me know.”

Niylah shrugs, “No problem, I just thought you should know. Besides, I don’t like seeing her upset and you always know how to comfort her.”

Marcus can’t help but give the young woman a small smile. Shortly after Praimfaya, Abby had offered her a position in the infirmary and it doesn’t surprise him that Niylah enjoyed working there. Nor that she felt protective of Abby.

With a final nod, he gathers his nod and turns to leave the mess hall.

He passes some people on his way to the infirmary, but he merely gives them a friendly nod, not wanting to waste any more time. As he enters the room his eyes immediately find those of Jackson. The young man smiles before nodding towards Abby’s office, which is on the right of the infirmary and he spots the light that’s still on. The short distance is quickly crossed and just as he raises his hand to push the door open, he can hear faint sniffles.

Alarmed, Marcus gently opens the door. “Abby?”

She’s standing with her back towards the door and he noticed how she briefly tenses when the door opens, but relaxes at the sound of his voice.

Not waiting for a reply, Marcus walks towards her before sitting down on the side of the desk. He decides not to push, but to simply wait for her to start talking.

They both remain quiet, but after a while, Abby decides to break the silence.

“Today’s Clarke’s birthday,” she murmurs, her voice sounding hoarse. She turns her head towards him and Marcus can tell that she’s been crying. Her face is looking pale except for the skin around her eyes, which is swollen and slightly red.

At the pained look in her eyes, Marcus feels his heart break for her. Reaching out, he gently tugs on one of her hands, pulling her towards him until she’s resting between his legs. With a soft sigh, Abby willingly follows before linking her hands behind his neck. As she plays with the hairs at the nape of his neck, she rests her head against his chest, taking a step closer.

“I miss her,” she admits, her voice coming out very fragile and small.

Marcus wishes he could take away her pain and reunite her with her daughter, but all he can do is try to comfort her to the best of his abilities.

“I know you do love,” he whispers against her hair.

Abby doesn’t say anything, just holds him a little tighter against her.

“And I wish I could do something that’ll make you feel better,” he adds and he can feel her shaking her head in his embrace.

“You are making me feel better. Just being in your arms helps,” she replies.

Marcus simply starts to gently rub her back with one hand while tangling the other in her hair in order to comfort her some more. In response, Abby clings more firmly to him as the inevitable tears start to fall.

”I just want to hold her in my arms,” Abby manages to get up between sobs. “I can’t even remember if I told her that I loved her when we said goodbye. What if I didn’t? What if I didn’t tell her I love you?”

“I’m sure you did tell her Abby. And even if you didn’t, Clarke knows. She’s aware of how much you love her. And she loves you too. Trust me, love,” Marcus tells her in a soothing tone.

Abby lets her hands slide towards his chest so she can cling to his jacket, the sobs now wrecking her body. Comprehending that no words could possibly relieve her pain, Marcus continued to rub her back in comforting circles until the sobs have died down to an occasional sharp intake of breath.

After a couple of seconds, Abby draws back, her eyes red, as she tilts her head until their lips meet in a tender kiss. Marcus instinctively cups her face with both hands, wiping away any remaining tears. The kiss quickly turns desperate until it takes on a needy tone. The same tone he has come to expect whenever she felt sad or distraught as if she needed a reminder that he was still with her and would never leave. When they break away for air, she stays close by resting their foreheads against each other. As he opens his eyes and gazes at the way tears cling to her eyelashes Marcus is once more struck by Abby’s beauty. Even after crying, with red and swollen eyes, she’s still the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

“I love you,” she mutters with her eyes still closed.

Moving his head so he can brush his lips against her forehead, Marcus replies, “Love you too.”

ii. when Marcus proposed

As he makes his way over to the infirmary, Marcus can’t help but nervously check his pocket with almost every step he takes, just to make sure that yes the box with the ring was still there. Feeling his heart pound in his chest, he dries his slightly sweaty palms by rubbing them against his pants before opening the door to the infirmary. This is the most nervous he has ever been and Marcus prays to whatever gods might listen that he won’t mess this up. Because this is too important, she means everything to him, so he has to get it right.

With a deep breath, he enters the room, giving Jackson a nod before making his way over to Abby’s office. The not so subtle thumbs up the young doctor gives him doesn’t do anything to calm his nerves. If anything it makes him feel more anxious because no matter how this evening will end, what her answer will be, everyone will know.

Well perhaps not everyone. But a lot of people. Some of whom carry weapons, are skilled assassins or have a medical degree. And they’ve all let him know that it’s in his best interest not to mess it up.

He alerts Abby of his presence by gently knocking on her office’s door and he has barely taken a step backward when the door’s thrown open and she appears with a broad smile on her face.

“Oh hi, you’ve got excellent timing Marcus, I just finished up here,” she exclaims before giving him a quick peck on the lips and hanging her doctor’s coat on the nearby chair.

He watches with a soft smile how she gives Jackson some final instructions and it hits him that in an hour there’s a possibility that she’ll be his fiancée.

Engaged

He, Marcus Kane, engaged to Abby Griffin.

The thought alone is enough to cause another wave of anxiety to crash over him. Subconsciously, he reaches into his jacket’s pocket as his fingers close over the wooden box.  

Good the ring was still there.

“So are you finally going to tell me what you’ve got planned for tonight?” Abby asks while slipping her arm through his as they start to make their way towards the exit of the infirmary.

“Now telling you would defeat the purpose of it being a surprise, don’t you think?” Marcus retorts with a grin, causing her to roll her eyes.

“Fine, have it your way then,” Abby retorts but he can tell that she isn’t really annoyed by the way she tucks herself closer to him.

Their walk passes in a comfortable silence and even though Abby gives him a side glance when they don’t take the stairs that’ll lead them to their room, she wordlessly follows him.

The longer they walk, the more nervous Marcus can feel himself starting to get. He was pretty sure he was sweating. It’s a miracle Abby hadn’t noticed it so far. After walking for a couple of minutes longer they finally come to a halt.

“The movie room?” Abby frowns.

“Uhm - yes. It’s just wanted for us have some time alone and - uh - I didn’t want to simply go to our room and since we’re living in a bunker with a lot of other people there really wasn’t a lot free space so I managed to make sure that this room would be free and -,” Marcus rambles, only to come to a halt when Abby starts to giggle.

“Oh, I’m sorry Marcus. I didn’t mean to laugh at you. This is sweet of you but you were kind of- “

“Rambling?” He sheepishly interjects, while scratching his beard to which she gives him an amused nod.

Leaning closer Abby tilts her head and pecks him on the lips. “Why don’t you show your surprise then?” She whispers against his mouth.

He takes a step backward and his haste to open the door, he barely catches himself as stumbles over his feet.

“Marcus,” Abby cries out as she quickly reaches out and grabs his arm. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m okay. Sorry,” he stammers, feeling embarrassed about nearly falling face first against the door.

Without waiting any longer he opens the door and lets her enter first, terrified about her reaction. He shouldn’t have feared because when Abby sees how the room’s transformed, she lets out a delighted laugh.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she whispers.

And it truly is. The couches have been moved to the side and now there’s a large blanket in the center of the room, surrounded by pillows. The lights are turned off and they’re replaced with hundreds of little lights hanging from the ceiling, mimicking a starlit sky.

“Yeah? You like it?” Marcus questions, closing the door behind him, still sounding unsure so she replies with a dazzling smile. That reaction causes a huge weight to be lifted from his shoulders.

“Good ‘cause I wanted tonight to be special. You deserve something special,” he exclaims, while nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Abby notices that he keeps fidgeting with his jacket’s pocket. At first, she’s confused but as she glances back at the romantic setting, her eyes widen in realisation.

Surely he isn’t going to do what she thinks he’s going to do?

“Marcus, why are we here?” She softly asks, her heart beating like crazy.

“Ah well, if you’ll give me -,” he starts while checking one of his pockets, only to fall silent when his hand comes out empty.

His eyes grow wide with panic as he starts to pat his other pockets.

“No, no, no. I put it in here. I’m sure of it,” he mutters almost to himself.

After checking his pockets multiple times he strides over to the picnic basket and starts to frantically search it.

“Marcus,” she tries to gain his attention but he continues to search the basket, only to jump up and start pacing.

“I can’t believe I lost. I had it all planned. The lights, the food. It was supposed to be perfect. O. is going to be so mad. And Indra… Indra’s going to kill me. I can’t believe I’m messing this up. I had it all written down, everything I wanted to say and now I lost it.“

“Marcus,” Abby snaps and this time he does listen and he abruptly stops pacing. The look in his eyes makes it clear that he had completely forgotten that she was still in the room.

“Ah - uhm - right. I guess I’ll have to - uh - improvise. Okay. I can do this,” he mumbles as he walks over and stops right in front of her.

“Abby,” he softly starts while gently taking one of her hands between his. “I know that I haven’t always made things easy for you. I have hurt you in the past, but you saved me. You showed me another way, you made me want to be a better man. And I want to be the man you deserve. Because you deserve everything, more than I could ever offer you, but if you’d give me the chance, I’d like to try. So my question for you is -” Marcus stops and shakily kneels down before taking the wooden box from his pocket.

The sight makes the breath in her throat to catch. 

“Will you marry me?” He asks, opening the box and revealing a simple silver band adorned with tiny stones.

Abby’s hands fly to her mouth as she stares down at the man kneeling in front of her. Instead of replying she drops down on her knees and starts to pepper his face with small kisses, tears falling from her yes.

“Yes. Yes, Marcus. Of course, I want to marry you.”

For a second he looks dumbstruck as if he didn’t believe that she’d actually say yes, but then she’s in his arms and they’re both crying.

“Oh my, I completely forgot,” Marcus stammers before breaking their embrace. It takes a couple tries because his hands are shaking but eventually he does manage to slide the ring on her finger.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, he drops a tender kiss on the ring and her hand before gathering her in his arms again.

iii. basking in the afterglow

His ears are ringing, his heart is pounding and his breath is coming out in puffs. A fine layer of sweat is covering not only his chest, but he’s pretty sure his entire body. Taking a deep breath, Marcus tries to fill his lungs with much-needed oxygen.

His fingers are holding onto the sheets as he tries to regain control over his racing heart.

Fuck

Turning his head he glances at his bed partner, who isn’t faring any better if her rapid breathing is anything to go by. Abby’s head is still thrown back, with her fingers clutching the sheets just as his are, as she’s coming down from her orgasm. Her hair’s tousled from his fingers, and it falls on her naked shoulders and breasts.

As Marcus lets his gaze travel lower, he eyes the way her skin seems to almost glisten in the dim light of their room, making it appear golden. Just like him, there’s a fine layer of sweat covering her chest and he barely suppresses the urge to lick her skin clean. From what he can tell she’s sporting a large grin and that knowledge makes some deep and primitive part of him extremely pleased.

Letting out a soft chuckle, he slides one hand over until he can intertwine his fingers with hers, and Abby turns her head towards him.

“That was…. Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“I mean, seriously.”

“Yeah.”

His short answers cause Abby to smirk. “What’s this? Don’t tell me that I’ve finally succeeded in reducing you to one-syllable words?”

Marcus rolls his eyes before pulling her closer until she’s lying with her breasts pressed against his side and their legs entangled.

“There’s no need to sound quite so smug,” he manages to state after a couple of seconds, his voice coming out surprisingly stable for still recovering from their lovemaking.

Abby moves until she can rest her chin on top of his chest. “Oh, I have to disagree with you on that,” she smartly retorts.

“Hmm, you do like disagreeing with me,” Marcus murmurs while caressing her naked back with the fingers of his left hand.

The shiver that travels through Abby’s body doesn’t go unnoticed. Nor does the way her pupils dilate.

“Well, what can I say? You do make it very worthwhile,” she points out while reaching out and gently scratching his beard.

Now it’s his turn to shiver. The soft groan that escapes his lips is an added and not unwelcome bonus. Delighted by his reaction, Abby continues to run her fingers through his beard, occasionally giving it a light scratch. Marcus gazes at her with dark eyes. He intently observes the glint in her eyes and the mischievous curl of her lips.

Not wanting to be a mere observer, his fingers start to trace patterns on her back before running up and down her spine. Feeling embolded by his reaction, Abby shifts her focus and her fingers towards his lips. As she traces the outline of his mouth, his lips moved against her touch and his tongue quickly darts out. At the sensation of him licking the pads of her fingers, a gasp escapes her lips and a warm feeling slides down her arm before settling in the pit of her stomach.

With a gentle nudge from Marcus, Abby rises from her position on top of his chest until she can brush her lips against his in the softest of touches. They continue to trade feather-light kisses until she cups his jaw and traces his lower lip with her tongue. He gladly opens his mouth and then his hands are in her hair, tangled in her luscious locks, and he moves his mouth against hers with purpose.

Their kisses grow in intensity and Abby can’t help but let out a groan of satisfaction at the feel of his naked body beneath her. Of the way her breasts are crushed against his muscled chest, how his tongue slipped into her mouth or how his fingers gripped her hips. At the sound of her groan, Marcus feels a thrill of possessiveness travel through him and he swiftly rolled over, pinning her beneath him. Bracing himself on his forearms, he leans down to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. Abby’s hands end up tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

Eventually, they have to break for air, but Marcus simply starts to pepper her throat with little kisses.

“Hmm,” Abby hums while tilting her head back to give him better access to her delicate skin.

Just as he nips at her pulse point her body briefly tenses and she yawns. Amused he leans back.

“Am I boring you?” He teases, loving both the look of embarrassment as the blush that’s colouring her face.

“I’m sorry darling, the last couple of days have been tiring. I didn’t really get a lot of sleep,” Abby softly replies. “Besides, you’re partly responsible for my tiredness as well,” she adds with a glint in her eyes.

“Oh? Do tell,” he murmurs while leaning in and dropping a tender kiss against her lips.

“Well, you’ve kept me rather occupied with things other than sleep. Things of a more lascivious nature.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Never! I’m just saying that I might need some time to recuperate,” she points out and her explanation prompts an impish smirk to appear on Marcus’ face.

“Sounds like I’ve worn you out,” he smugly replies, letting out a chuckle when Abby rolls her eyes in response.

“Whatever makes you feel better,” Abby states while giving him a slightly patronising pat on the back.

At the look of pretend affront on Marcus’ face, she breaks out in laughter, only to a couple of seconds later yawn again.

“Alright, alright. I can take a hint,” he sighs before rolling onto his back and pulling her into his arms.

As he pulls the sheets up so that covered Abby snuggles closer, her head positioned on his chest, one arm between their bodies while the other’s draped across his torso.

“Night, I love you,” she drowsily murmurs.

Marcus presses a kiss to her hair before running his hands up and down her back. “Love you too.”

iv. when Abby’s prevented from leaving their bed

“Hey, where are you going?” Marcus mutters, his voice still filled with sleep as he grabs her wrist, halting her from leaving the bed entirely.

Abby turns her head and at the sight of his rumpled hair, she feels a soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“I’ve got the early shift today. You should go back to sleep,” she proposes, but Marcus shakes his head.

“Bad idea. I might get cold or even worse lonely. You should stay in bed with me. Keep me company,” he mumbles with a gentle tug on her hand.

When she doesn’t respond right away, he tugs again. “I promise that you won’t regret it. Come on Abby, come back to bed. Much warmer in here,” Marcus groggily promises.

“I can’t not show up Marcus. Niylah would be all alone,” she tries to explain while running her thumb across the palm of his hand.

“Abby, she’s been helping you for almost an entire year, I’m sure she can handle herself.”

“I know that, but -“ Abby retorts, but Marcus quickly interjects.

“Hasn’t she proven herself to be extremely qualified?” He continues with his eyes still closed.

“Yes –,” she starts again, but he doesn’t give her time to properly respond.

“And didn’t she step up when Jackson took some time off after getting married to Miller?” Marcus presses and he knows by the sigh Abby emits that he has won her over.

Just to make sure that she will, in fact, crawl back into bed with him, Marcus opens his eyes and gives her The Look.

“Please?”

Abby stares at him for a couple of seconds, but she after while she breaks and picks up the tablet that’s resting on their bedside table.

“I’ve messaged Niylah. Are you happy now?”

“Uhu.”

"Great. You can put those puppy eyes away then,” she admonishes him, but he knows that she’s not really annoyed because Abby lets him lead her back under the covers.

She ends curled up on her side, with one of his legs between hers as Marcus quickly returns to their position with him spooning her.

“Consider them put away,” he murmurs while snuggling closer and surrounding her like a warm and extra blanket. He starts to pepper her neck with little kisses just because he can.

“Thank you so much.”

At her obvious sarcasm, Marcus gently nips at the tender skin, chuckling when she lets out a soft yelp. He soothes the spot with another little kiss and he can feel her relaxing in his arms. As he continues to kiss her neck, he ever so slowly starts to caress the soft skin of her stomach.

“Didn’t you simply wanted to cuddle?” Abby remarks, amusement clear in her voice.

“Hmm,” Marcus murmurs before letting his fingers slip beneath her panties and simultaneously wriggling closer, making sure that the lower part of his body is firmly pressed against her ass.

“Looks like certain body parts don’t agree,” she snorts, but she still pushes back, feeling him getting hard.

“You don’t seem to mind,” Marcus replies, proving his point by sliding his fingers between her folds, her flesh already slick with arousal.

“I never suggested that I - oh - mind,” comes Abby’s breathless reply when he slips a finger inside. “I’m just saying that it’s obvious you had more in mind.”

“Or perhaps it started out as me simply wanting to cuddle, but when you were in my arms I couldn’t help myself from reacting to your state of undress,” he softly remarks, brushing his lips against her pulse point before sucking on it, causing Abby to gasp out. His fingers are drawing lazy circles around her clitoris while rolling his hips against her ass. It’s making her stomach flutter and she feels herself getting even wetter.

“What if I simply want to cuddle?” Abby points out.

“Uh-huh.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“Not in the slightest,” Marcus retorts just as he slips two fingers inside of her.

“Oh!”

“Oh, indeed.”

“You’re right. We can cuddle later,” Abby states before turning her head so she can capture his mouth in a bruising kiss.

v. Mr and Mrs Kane

After thanking Jackson for the dance and giving him a heartfelt hug, Abby makes her way over to her table. For what feels like the first time today she’s able to relax for a minute, which she does by sitting down and taking a sip of wine. She loves being married to Marcus, but she hadn’t realised just how much work there went into a wedding.

On the Ark, weddings were rather sober affairs. Abby remembers having a five-minute ceremony lead by the Chancellor while wearing a dress her mother had sown herself. Jake had been in a mismatched suit and too big shoes. The only items of luxury had been their wedding rings, but it still was one of the best days in her life. And if had been up to her and Marcus, their wedding ceremony would have been something small as well, but apparently the first wedding of Wonkru especially that of Skaikru’s former heda en fisa, deserved something grant. Or at least as impressive as they could manage while living in the bunker.

To be honest, at first, she’d been a bit overwhelmed with all of the attention her upcoming marriage was getting from the bunker’s other residents. Marcus, thankfully, had been able to persuade Octavia to keep it somewhat modest. The young woman had taken it upon herself to organise the entire thing and she was determined to give them the best wedding possible. Realising that their wedding was the first thing people looked forward to since Praimfaya, both Marcus and she had decided to let Octavia plan it.

As Abby lets her gaze wander across the room she can’t help but smile at the number of people who had shown up and were seemingly enjoying themselves. Things hadn’t been easy since they got stuck here. There had been a lot of hostility in the beginning and the transition to one clan was still a work progress, but for tonight it seemed like people were willing to put their differences aside and simply enjoy the music and each other’s company.

Her attention is captured by the sound of female laughter. Turning her head towards the dance floor she quickly finds the person responsible. With a soft smile Abby watches how Marcus, with a big grin on his face, twirls a smiling Octavia across the dance floor. Ever since she won the conclave and after becoming the new heda, the young woman had been forced to grow up even more than she already had, so Abby was happy that she finally had an opportunity to be Octavia, the teenage girl and enjoy herself. She’s also glad that Octavia still had Marcus to count on, but as she continues to watch them dance, a feeling of sadness overcomes her.

Clarke

Her daughter should be here. She should have been the one to walk her down the aisle. And she deserved the opportunity to share a dance with Marcus as well. Just as Bellamy should have been Marcus’ best man. Not to mention Raven, who would have joked all night about the number of bets she had placed on them.

Abby can feel tears filling her eyes, but she quickly wipes them away.

Not today.

She refuses to let her dark thoughts take control over her during her wedding day. Taking a deep breath, she tries to push those thoughts away and she joins the applause after the current song has ended.

Octavia presses her lips to Marcus’ cheek before leaving him. His eyes immediately dart across the room in search of hers. When he does finally find her, a grin appears on his face. She returns his smile, but some of her sadness must have bled through because the grin makes room for a frown. He quickly makes his way over before sitting down on the chair next to her.

“Hey, is everything alright?” he softly inquires while placing his hand on top of hers, giving it a comforting squeeze.

She gives him a small nod, but Marcus still doesn’t seem entirely convinced so she removes one of her hands from under his hand and cups his cheek, gently rubbing his beard. “I promise it’s nothing serious. This is the happiest I’ve been in a while. It’s just - I wish Clarke and the others were here as well.”

A look of understanding flashes through his eyes and Abby knows that he’s thinking about Bellamy.

“Come here,” Marcus softly says and Abby rises from her seat, only to settle down on his lap. Her hands link behind his neck, while he rests his arms around her waist.

“I know you miss them, so do I. And I do wish that they were here as well. But the thing that gives me comfort is that they still have each other.”

His words mean everything to her and once again Abby is grateful for being married to this man. Snuggling closer she leads forward until she can press a tender kiss against his lips.

“Thank you,” she whispers but Marcus merely shrugs and kisses her back.

“Have I already told you that you’re looking stunning doctor Kane?” he asks after they break for air.

A thrill of excitement courses through her at the mention of her new surname.

Smiling, Abby answers, “Hmm, I wouldn’t mind hearing that again chancellor Kane,” and her reply causes him to chuckle.

“You’re looking absolutely breathtaking.”

“Why thank you. You aren’t looking bad yourself,” she replies teasingly.

“Such high praise.”

“Only the best for my husband,” she claims with a smile.

When she refers to him as her husband Marcus’ eyes light up with joy and he pulls her closer.

“As for you, my wife,” he promises before kissing her.

vi. with little spoon Marcus

One of the first things Abby had discovered since that initial night in Polis is that Marcus loves to cuddle. Before falling asleep, he would always wrap himself around her, as if he needed a constant physical reminder that this was real, that she was actually lying next to him.

Of course, there had been some teasing from her side but to be fair, there’s nothing Abby loved more than crawling into bed after a long day and snuggling up against Marcus. To have him pressed against her back with his arms wrapped around her and their legs entangled. She always felt so safe and loved when she was lying in his arms. And yet, she absolutely adored the rare opportunities where the roles were reversed and Marcus wanted to curl up and let her embrace and protect him.

An emergency at medical had kept her there all night. Which is why Abby’s currently walking through the bunker’s corridors at 1 am, desperate to fling her clothes off and slip into bed next to Marcus.

When she finally enters their room, she tries to enter the room as quietly as possible. The last thing she wants to do is wake him up, especially since sleep wasn’t something that came easily to either of them. She changes out of her clothes and into a pair of shorts and one of Marcus’ T-shirts.

Lifting the sheets, Abby swiftly slips between them before cuddling up to his back. As she wraps her arms around him, she moves her head until she can press a kiss to the side of his neck.

A soft sigh escapes Marcus’ mouth as he covers her hands with his, making Abby snuggle closer to him.

“Everything okay?”

“Hmm. The injury looked worse than it actually was. It’ll heal nicely.”

“That’s good,” he murmurs, his voice still laced with sleep.

Abby merely hums in response while pressing another kiss to his neck.

The sensation of her lips against his skin causes him to let out a small shiver and he wriggles a bit in her embrace.

“That tickles.”

“What does? Me doing this?” Abby teases before giving him another feather-light kiss. His responding wriggle causes her to softly giggle.

“Yes, you doing that,” he grumbles.

“Stop it,” he orders when she continues to tease him.

“What are you going to do if I don’t stop?”

“I’ll make you stop,” Marcus states, his voice coming out low and she most definitely knows what that means and she can feel her skin itch in anticipation.

“Oh really? I’d like to see you try!” She challenges with a nip to his ear.

Groaning, Marcus swiftly turns around and before Abby even has the time to blink she’s flat on her back with her hands trapped above her head and Marcus between her legs.

Which honestly isn’t a bad position to find yourself in, so naturally she retaliates by wrapping her legs around his waist and bringing their hips flush against each other. At the feel of his rapidly hardening cock, hot and restrained in his boxers, Abby gasps and she instinctively pushes her hips firmly against his.

“Abby,” Marcus growls, his pupils are fully dilated and his breathing is harsh.

“Marcus,” she retorts with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“I thought I asked you to stop it!”

“But I don’t want to stop. Besides, weren’t you going to make me?” she retorts with another roll of her hips, unable to suppress a smirk when Marcus groans in response.

“Hmm, I did say that,” he grins before leaning down and taking her lower lip between his teeth, giving it a gentle tug.

“Well, Chancellor Kane, I’d like to see you try,” Abby teases.

“Oh, I’ll do more than simply try Doctor Kane,” he retorts before capturing her lips in another kiss, effectively muffling her laughter.

vii. when Marcus is drunk

“Have I already told you that you’re looking really beautiful,” Marcus murmurs against her hair.

Abby lets out an exasperated huff, but try as she might she can’t stay annoyed at him. Not when he has a ridiculous grin plastered on his face and this is the most carefree she has seen him in a very long time.

“Yes darling, you have. Several times,” she comments, while struggling to open the door of their room.

Who knew that performing a simple task like opening door could be so difficult when you have a grown and a slightly drunk man draped over your shoulder.   

“Good. Because you are, absolutely stunning,” he replies just as Abby manages to open the door, resulting in them stumbling into their room.

She has barely closed the door when Marcus promptly starts to clumsily strip down. He lets his jacket fall on a nearby chair and scarcely avoids falling face down while taking off his boots. His shirt is the next thing to go and it’s casually dropped on the floor. After that he tries to unbutton his pants, only to realise after a couple of minutes of fumbling that removing your pants without opening your belt is perhaps not the best of ideas.

When he finally wins the battle with his belt, Marcus steps out of his pants and swiftly lets himself fall onto the bed.

Rolling her eyes at his antics, Abby fills a glass with a water and makes her way over so she can place it on the little table next to their bed.

Before she can get too far, Marcus reaches out and grabs one of her hands and gently tugs at it, causing her to fall onto the bed with a squeal.

“Marcus, I could have fallen on top of you,” she softly admonishes him.

“And that would have been a bad thing how?!” he retorts with a big grin on his face. “Wanna do some more dancing if you know what I mean,” Marcus adds with a wink, causing Abby to laugh.

“Oh, I think we’ve done more than enough dancing for the night,” she teases as she cups his cheek and caresses his beard.

“Aw, but I liked the dancing,” he pouts while leaning into her touch.

“Yes, I could tell by the way you dragged me onto the dance floor. You barely waited until Jackson and Nathan finished their first dance as a married couple.”

“You didn’t seem to mind at the time. As a matter of fact, I know that you liked it.”

“Oh, really? Do tell.”

“You kissed me,” Marcus states, looking entirely too smug and Abby can’t help but press a fleeting kiss against his lips.

“Hmm, you’re right. I did kiss you,“ she replies and he flashes her a smile.

“And not only did you kiss me, you also practically ordered me to request Can’t help falling in love with you,” he adds with a grin.

“Well, excuse me for wanting to dance to the song we used for our first dance,” Abby teases but Marcus merely hums.

“So how about it Mrs. Kane? Are you going to join me?”

“I don’t know Mr. Kane, can you assure me that you won’t throw up all over me?”

That reply earns her a raised eyebrow and mildly affronted look. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I can hold my drink.”

Abby gazes at him for a couple of seconds, but when he continues to stare back in a serious manner, a soft smile breaks through and she gives him a small nod.

“Alright then,” and the responding grin that appears on her husband’s face really is something else. It makes him look younger, his eyes crinkling in happiness. Not to mention that the smile caused a warm feeling of arousal to settle in the pit of her stomach.  

She briefly rises from her position on the bed in order to quickly remove her clothes. When she’s down to her panties Abby pulls one of Marcus’ shirts that she claimed as hers, much to his delight, over her head before crawling between the sheets.

Her back has barely hit the mattress when Marcus moves over before wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck.

“Hmm, you smell nice too,” he murmurs as he drops a soft kiss against her neck.

“At least one of us doesn’t smell like a distillery then.”

“Hey, words can hurt,” comes the reply and a gentle squeeze of her waist.

Abby snorts, “Go to sleep Marcus.”

“Yes ma’am,” he mumbles, “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

viii. when Abby uses Marcus as a blanket

Marcus is roused from his sleep by a tugging sensation. Moving his body, he slowly opens his eyes and observes how Abby’s pulling at the sheets.

“What are you doing?” he murmurs, his voice coming out rough and still filled with sleep.

“M’cold and you’re hogging the sheets,” she whispers while continuing to tug at them. He can’t help but grin at her antics before removing his hands from beneath the sheets and pulling on them as well.

Abby stops and throws him a glare, or as much of a glare as she can while still being half-asleep. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like it?”

“Marcus…I’m tired, I’m cold. This isn’t the time for games.”

“Who says I’m playing a game? Perhaps I’m cold too?” he smirks.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Abby moves into a sitting position while remaining her grip on the sheets. “Since you’re currently completely covered and I’m not, I’d say you’re lying. Now give me.” She orders with another tug.

“Not a chance,” he retorts while tightening his grip.

“Marcus. Give me those sheets.”

“Come and get them.”

Her eyes narrow as a look of contemplation flashes across her face, wondering if he’s being serious or not. When he simply gazes back at her without moving, she huffs before throwing what sheets she had left in her grasp into his direction.

“Fine, have it your way. I’ll just freeze then,” Abby snaps before turning around and curling into in a ball, with her arms hugging her knees.

“Abby,” Marcus sighs, “Don’t be silly. There’s no need for you to be cold.”

“Silly?! You’re the one who refused to share,” she throws back over her shoulder, her tone accusatory. 

“I was merely teasing you,” he explains while reaching out and running his hand up and down her arm, only to be shocked at how cold her skin feels.

“Abby, you’re freezing,” he exclaims while shuffling closer.

“What? Nooo. What ever gave you that idea? The shivering? Or the fact that I told you?” Abby states, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Realising that he messed up, Marcus presses an apologetic kiss against her shoulder. “I’m sorry love. Why don’t you turn around so I can warm you up?” He softly proposes.

Abby stays quiet for a couple of seconds and he starts to think of ways to minimise the damage when she suddenly turns around, their gazes locking.

“Well? Weren’t you going to warm me up, dear husband?” She presses, her tone curt but Marcus spots the slight upturn of her lips. 

“Certainly, dear wife,” he grins before opening his arms and pulling her into his embrace.

At the feeling of her cold skin, he can’t help but hiss and he can feel her smirking against his chest.

“Payback,” Abby whispers as her breath ghosts over his chest, causing him to wriggle.

“Duly noted,” he replied while pulling the sheets over the both of them and gently tucking her in. 

After being completely immersed beneath the sheets Abby lets out an appreciative moan at the newfound warmth. Snuggling closer, she slips a leg between his and wraps an arm around his waist, absorbing even more warmth. As a thank you, she presses lazy kisses against his muscled chest, causing Marcus to chuckle and caress her back, his fingers trailing her spine. In response Abby tilts her head until she can kiss his jaw, enjoying the sensation of his beard brushing against her lips. 

“Have you been sufficiently warmed?” 

“Hmm, not quite.”

“Oh?”  “My lips still feel a bit cold,” she informs him while shifting until she’s propped on top of his chest.

“Really? Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” Marcus teases, as he brushes a strand of hair away and behind her ear. 

“We certainly can’t.”

With a soft smile, Marcus bends his head and captures her lips in a languid kiss. Humming against his mouth, Abby moves closer while cupping his cheek. 

“Better?” He asks as they break for air. 

“Uhm, they could be warmer,” she replies and Marcus swallows her giggle with another kiss. 

They continue to exchange kisses until Abby breaks away and settles back against his chest with her head tucked under his chin.

“Warm enough now?” 

“Uhu,” Abby sighs, sounding content.

“Goodnight,” Marcus says before dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

“Night.”

ix. when Abby has the flu

Whoever said that doctors made the worst patients was absolutely correct. It had taken Marcus two days, the help of Jackson and Niylah and not to mention a well-constructed plan to get Abby to leave the infirmary and retreat to their room. Marcus had noticed right away that something had been wrong when he had woken up with a shivering, yet sweaty, Abby in his arms. All his suggestions of letting Jackson check her or to take it easy had been brushed off. Not that he had expected anything differently. He was, after all, dealing with Abby Griffin. Stubbornness was practically her middle name. She had simply taken a shower, put on an extra sweater and went to work. Throughout the day he has taken several trips to the infirmary, always with a mug of tea or some soup.

The next day she had gotten even worse, but Abby still had gone to work. It was only when Niylah had dropped by, informing him that Abby had fainted, but already back at work that Marcus decided that it had gone on for long enough. So he, the young woman and Jackson had come up with a plan. Marcus would pretend to feel ill and retreat to their room. The other two would then inform Abby about his ‘condition’ and Niylah would take over her shift.

Which is why Marcus has just arrived in their room with a couple of bread slices and two bowls of soups. He quickly puts the food down on the table before glancing at the clock. By now Abby should be on her way to their room. Feeling anxious, he starts to pace. Knowing Abby as well as he does, he realizes that she won’t be pleased about being set up and lured to their room by a lie.

It doesn’t take long before he hears footsteps echoing in the hallway. Taking a deep breath, Marcus has barely the time to walk towards the door before it opens and Abby rushes in with her kit in her hand.

She’s looking pale and tendrils of hair were plastered against her skin.

“Marcus? Are you alright?” she cries out, as she sets down her kit before checking his temperature.

A frown appears on her face when Abby realizes that he doesn’t have a fever.  “I don’t understand - Jackson said that you were feverish?”

Marcus clears his throat, feeling nervous all of a sudden. “I lied”

“You – you lied?” she repeats, her eyes flashing with irritation as she takes a step backward.

“Abby listen –“ he starts, but she swiftly cuts him off.

“Marcus, I was worried. I thought you were ill,” Abby snaps.

“I know that and I apologise for lying to you. But how else was going to make sure that you got some rest?”

She huffs. “I’m fine.”

“Fine? Abby, you’re shivering. And I’m pretty sure you haven’t eaten anything for the past two days.”

Just as she opens her mouth to retort her legs give out and Marcus barely managed to catch her before pulling her into his arms.

“Don’t think about telling me I told you so,” she murmurs while clinging to his arms.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he grins before pressing a kiss against her forehead. “Come, let’s get you in the shower.”

At Abby’s raised eyebrow, he lets out a chuckle. “Don’t give me that look. I’m sure you’ll feel much better after freshen up.”

For a second it looks like she wants to argue, but in the end, she gives him a small nod.  

Without giving it any second thought Marcus bends his knees and picks her up, cradling her to his chest. Under great protest from the woman in his arms, he starts to walk towards the bathroom before turning the shower on. He then carefully settles her down onto the toilet. Abby slumps against the wall while claiming that she’s perfectly able to undress herself when he kneels down and starts to unlace one of her boots. However. When she makes no move to prove her claim, he simply continues to disrobe her until she’s naked.

Noticing how she’s shivering, Marcus quickly strips down as well before wrapping her once more in his arms and guiding her into the shower. At the sensation of warm water hitting her skin, Abby lets out a small hiss before sighing and wrapping her arms around Marcus and leaning against his chest while letting the water cascade over her. After lathering her body with soap and rinsing her off, he first helps her dry herself before doing the same to himself.

“I’ll get you some clothes alright?”

Abby gives him a tired nod as she reclaims her position on the toilet, still wrapped in a towel.

He quickly returns, already dressed, with a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. When she’s dressed, he helps her rise.

“Do you want to eat some soup now or after a nap?”

“After a nap,” she croaks, her voice sounding hoarse.

“Alright,” Marcus replies with a nod before gathering her into his arms once more and carrying her towards their bedroom.

Abby’s too tired to protest, she simply rests her head into the crook of his neck and closes her eyes.

Soon enough they’re in the bedroom and Marcus puts her, ever so gently, down onto the bed. He then pulls back the sheets and she wastes no time into crawling between them.

“Join me?” comes her tired inquiry.

“Of course.”

Sliding between the sheets as well, he barely lies down before Abby rolls onto her side and snuggled up against him. Her arm is wrapped around his waist while her head is resting on his chest. Letting out a content sigh she presses closer. Running his hand up and down her arm, Marcus presses a kiss onto the top of her hair.

“Thank you,” Abby drowsily murmurs.

“You’re welcome. Now get some sleep.”

“M’okay. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

x. on the anniversary of Praimfaya

Today was a day Abby would have loved to skip. It couldn’t end soon enough. All day she had been strong. She’d gone through the motions almost on autopilot. It was almost as if she wasn’t really in her body. Even during the memorial for all the people they lost during Praimfaya her eyes stayed dry and she barely felt anything. She had to be strong for those who looked up to her. There was no room for tears, not when she was surrounded by others. Marcus had immediately noticed, but he didn’t press her. He simply gave her kiss before leaving for a meeting and during the memorial he held her hand, offering her wordless support. Which is one of the reasons why she loved him. His ability to spot even the slightest problem and knowing how to comfort her without pushing.

As Abby enters their room and closes the door the numbness starts to slowly dissipate. Her body starts to tremble and she swiftly removes her boots and jacket before crossing the room towards their bedroom. She’s glad when she’s near the bed because her knees buckle and she tumbles onto the bed.

The pain and guilt had suppressed during the day all came to the surface.

Clarke. Raven. John and the rest. All those they had condemned to death. Her role in the death of 400 people of their own. The pain hits her in strong waves.

A year.

A year since that fateful day. A year since waking up in Marcus’ office and realising that he hadn’t listened to her plea to let her die. Initially, she’d been furious. How dare he make such a decision behind her back? This was her life. But then again hadn’t she made a similar decision mere hours before? In the end, it didn’t matter, it was already done. There was no point in staying angry especially after finding out that there was a cure for her brain damage.

A half-choked sob escapes her as she curls up in a ball, her hands clenching around a pillow. Tears are streaming down her cheeks and her body’s trembling with the heaviness of her sobs.

She doesn’t know how long she has been lying on the bed. It could have been seconds, it could have been hours, but eventually the tears slow down, her body truly exhausted and it’s then that she can hear the door of their room open. Abby isn’t fazed by it, there’s only one person who would enter without knocking. She can hear him removing his jacket as well and she doesn’t bother with calling him out, he already knows where she is. It doesn’t take long before she can feel the bed dip behind her as Marcus crawls onto the bed until he can wrap his arms around her and pull her close against his chest. There is no hesitance on her part, she immediately shuffles backward until she’s firmly pressed against his chest while clutching his arms.

Marcus hates seeing her in so much pain. He can feel his heart shatter at the sound of her whimpers. He wishes he could ease her sorrow but he also realises that words won’t help her. So he nuzzles her neck before pressing a comforting kiss against her skin.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs soothingly and Abby lets out a relieved sigh, grateful to have him with her.

As she continues to cry, Marcus makes comforting noises and doesn’t let go of her. After a while, the tears stop falling and the room’s filled with silence, the only sounds resonating through the room are both of their breathing.

Taking a deep breath, Abby shifts in his embrace until her face is inches removed from his.

“Hi,” she whispers, her voice coming out weak from all the crying.

“Hi,” he replies before gently wiping away some stray tears.

“Feeling better?”

Abby gives him a small nod. “A little bit. Even though I feel embarrassed for breaking down,” she softly admits while glancing away.

Marcus cups her cheek and brings her gaze back to his. “You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about love. Today has been an emotionally taxing day for you. You’re allowed to be sad and to grieve. I hope you know that you don’t have to pretend with me. You don’t have to keep your calm and strong Doctor Griffin mask on with me.”

“I know that Marcus and I do. You’re the only person with whom I can completely let my guard down and be vulnerable. It’s one of the reasons why I love you,” she explains before bushing her lips against his a tender kiss.

“I’m just sorry that I wasn’t there for you today. It must have been so difficult to get up the stage and hold that speech because I know how much guilt you still carry with you. Not to mention how much you miss Bellamy,” she softly adds and at the mention of the male Blake boy Marcus had all but adopted as his own son, a look of pain crosses his face.

Tears gather in his eyes as he clenched his jaw, trying to keep the tears from falling. Putting her arms around him, Abby cradles him against her chest. “I’ve got you too Marcus. Always.”

Her statement causes a shudder to travel through his body before it’s his turn to cry. For having to make the decision to sedate everyone. For missing Bellamy. For not knowing if he, Clarke and the others were safe.

He clings to her body and Abby rubs comforting circles over his back. “We’re going to be alright. As long as we have each other, we’ll be alright.”

With their bodies intertwined and exhausted, they soon fall asleep.

xi. when Abby’s pregnant

Abby’s roughly awakened by a sharp pain just below her ribs. Quickly rising to a sitting position her hands immediately fly to rub comforting circles on her bump. Her heart’s racing and she’s trembling. There are a million reasons for the pain flashing through her mind, but when she feels a tiny kick against her hand a couple of seconds later, she relaxes.

Everything’s alright.

It’s just the baby kicking, she thinks with a tender smile as she continues to rub her stomach. “Is everything alright?”

A sleepy voice from behind inquires.

Turning her head, she observes how Marcus shuffles upright, his hair still ruffled from sleeping.

“Abby?” he presses when he notices the way she’s holding her stomach and the tears which are filling her eyes.

“I’m alright Marcus. I’m more than alright actually. The baby just kicked,” she whispers with a smile.

Marcus’ eyes grow wide before they glance towards her stomach. “She did?” He asks, his voice filled with wonder as he lifts a hesitant hand, unsure if he was allowed to touch her.

This hesitance of his, the way he holds himself back, makes her heart bleed for him. Because Abby knows how happy he is that they’re having a baby because she still remembers the way he had held after telling him the news. His body had been shaking and tears of pure happiness had rolled down his cheeks. She also knows how much he already loves their unborn baby. And yet, there’s still a part of Marcus that’s scared. Scared that this will be taken away from him or that one morning he’d wake up and realise that it all had been a dream.

Ever so slowly Abby reaches out and grabs his hand before placing it on her stomach where the baby had kicked before. When nothing happens, she can tell that Marcus is disappointed and probably blaming himself even though there’s no reason for him to feel that way.

“Say something to her,” she suggests with a nod towards her stomach.

He briefly hesitates but in the end, he shifts until his mouth almost brushes against his hand. Before speaking he glances up at her as if asking for permission and Abby nods affirmatively.

“Hi little one, this is your father,” he softly whispers and he has barely uttered the last word when he feels a soft kick against the palm of his hand.

Startled, he lets out a gasp before lifting his head and looking at Abby, who’s looking down at him with a big smile and tears in her eyes.

“Try again,” she proposes and Marcus eagerly refocuses his attention on her stomach.

“I just wanted to tell you that I already love you and I can’t wait to meet you,” he murmurs, only to laugh when the baby kicks again.

“Abby, that’s our baby,” he exclaims, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Yes, it is,” she agrees.

Tears appear in his eyes as well as he returns his gaze to his hand.

“Our daughter just kicked against my hand,” he states, looking and sounding amazed and bewildered.

Smiling at his obvious joy, Abby leans down so she can cup his cheek. “She did.”

He beams at her. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Me neither. In the meantime, however, I think I’ll try to get some more sleep,” she says before lying down again.

Marcus swiftly follows as he curls his body around hers, his hand resting on her bump. He can feel his heart swell with love, both for the woman in his arms as for their unborn daughter.

“I love you,” he murmurs against her hair before dropping a kiss on it.

Abby pushes slightly back into Marcus’ chest and covers his hand with one of her own. “I love you too.”

Soothed by Marcus’ caresses and his warm body surrounding her, Abby succumbs to sleep once more and Marcus is quick to follow her.

xii. after Vera’s birth

After being in labour for over twelve hours, her daughter finally decides that she’s ready to enter the world. The moment she does, she fills her lungs with air for the first time before letting out a scream and making sure that everyone knows that she had arrived.

Abby’s still in pain, she’s feeling tired and sweaty with her hair plastered to her forehead, but as she looks down and sees her baby, her little daughter with her perfect pink skin and tiny fingers wrapped her thumb, all of the pain disappears into the background as an overwhelming wave of unconditional love crashes over her.

“Here you go, darling.”

When a glass of water appears in her peripheral view, she looks up and gives Marcus an exhausted but grateful smile. Making sure her daughter is comfortably resting on top of her chest, she accepts the glass.

“Thank you.”

“How are you feeling?” Marcus inquiries while brushing some strands of hair from her forehead.

“Exhausted. Sweaty. Happy,” Abby sighs, “You?”

Marcus simply stares down at both of them with an awed and slightly dazed look in his eyes, as if he still can’t believe he was a father, before gently reaching out and caressing his daughter’s cheek.

“I-“

“Do you want to join us?” Abby proposes as Marcus continues to stroke the baby’s cheek.

“Are you sure? I mean the bed isn’t that big and I don’t want to hurt either one of you,” he replies, sounding and looking rather hesitant.

“Of course I am,” she assures him while slowly moving her body so there’s a small space for him.

Marcus takes his jacket off before carefully climbing into the hospital bed, resting on his side with his left arm positioned on the pillow, and Abby promptly rests her head on it so he can shuffle closer until his chest is pressed against her side.

Ever so gently Marcus reaches out and tenderly rubs his daughter’s head, amazed by how much hair she already has. 

“She’s so tiny,” he whispers, his tone filled with awe.

“She most definitely didn’t feel tiny when I gave birth to her earlier,” Abby remarks causing Marcus to softly laugh before dropping a kiss on the top of her head. 

“I still can’t believe we have a daughter,” Marcus murmurs, his voice coming out slightly shaky.

Hearing him choke up, Abby turns her head until she can brush her lips against his.

“Well, you better believe it because we’re kind of stuck with her,” she teases him, eliciting a weak chuckle from him.

“I just – I’d given up becoming a father such a long time ago and now -” Marcus halts as his voice breaks and his eyes are filled with tears.

At the sight of Marcus crying while gazing at their daughter, Abby starts to feel emotional as well. She’s immensely grateful that she could give him something that he had, deep down, always wanted, something he had hidden from everyone else because he thought that becoming a father simply wasn’t something he’d ever experience. Putting the glass down, careful not to disturb the baby, Abby cups his cheek, brushing away a stray tear.

“You already were a father Marcus. They might not be yours biologically, but I know for a fact that Bellamy and Octavia don’t care about that and that they love you as if you were their father. The way you worry about those two or about Clarke and the others that’s what fathers do. And now you have another little girl to worry over. A girl who’s going to adore you and you’re going to be amazing with her because you’re already a great father,” she whispers and she feels her heart soaring when he bestows a radiant yet humbled smile upon her.

Lifting a hand Marcus covers the hand resting against his cheek.

“Thank you, Abby. I know that a simple thank you isn’t sufficient because you deserve so much more, you deserve everything, but you have truly made me the happiest I’ve ever been. I love you,” he passionately proclaims, the nearly overwhelming love he feels for the woman resting in his arms evident in his gaze.

“And I love you.”

As they gaze at each other, their daughter stirs, immediately capturing her parents’ attention.

“So have you thought about her name?”

The question makes her stomach clench with anxiety. Biting her lower lip, Abby directs her gaze towards her daughter.

“I have actually.“

“And? Do you care to share?” Marcus softly prompts after a couple of seconds.

Taking a deep breath, Abby whispers, “Vera”. It’s uttered so quietly that for a second Marcus is absolutely certain that he imagined her saying his mother’s name, but when she looks up at him with an uncertain look on her face, he realises that he did hear her correctly. His breath catches in his throat and it almost feels as if his heart stops beating.

“Marcus?” She gingerly presses when he simply gazes at her, feeling completely dumbstruck. Both at her suggestion as at how truly astonishing his wife is.

“It was only a suggestion, we don’t have to-“ Abby starts but he swiftly presses his lips against hers, effectively silencing her.

After breaking the kiss, Marcus lets his forehead rest against hers as their breaths intermingle.

“She would have been honored that our daughter carried her name. She would have loved her so much,” he states, a note of pain lingering in his voice. “She also would have found ways to spoil her, ” he remarks with a tender smile.

“She would have,” Abby agrees with a smile of her own. “Would you like to be the first one to name your daughter?”

Marcus’ reply is a beaming smile before turning his attention once more to his daughter. He brushes her cheek before grasping her hand, marveling how she wraps her fingers tightly around his.

“Hi Vera Kane I’m your dad and this your mother,” he informs his daughter who’s gazing intently at him.

At the sound of her name, little Vera lets out a happy noise and smiles at her father.

“Looks like she approves of her name,” Abby laughs as she watches her husband and daughter smile at each other.

Directing his gaze towards Abby, Marcus bends his head.

“I love you so much,” he murmurs against her lips.