Ingrams & Assoc 4: Beneath the Surface Ch. 04

But, I also knew she had a job to do. There were other people to be helped. Even if I burned with jealousy knowing how she'd 'help' them. Perspective was needed.

So at the end of the two weeks, when I could walk without too much pain, I went topside and made an appointment with the best plastic surgeon that I could find on Yelp. Megan and April had promised me that their little agency would pay for it, so fuck it, I was going to claim it. I deserved that.

And then, after making the appointment, I returned to my little dank office/apartment and found Megan waiting for me.

She was just standing in the middle of the office. Not sitting, just standing, in a business suit. Her hair was up and she looked... well, frankly, she could have been wearing a burlap sack and she'd have looked stunning to me.

I don't know how long she had been there, but I stopped in the doorway when I saw her. I just didn't know what to do or say.

She smiled tentatively at me and said, "Hello Thomas. I'm glad you are up and about again."

I opened my mouth and took a breath, then moved into the room and dumped my jacket on the office chair. I closed my mouth again, not trusting myself to speak. I think she was nervous, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why.

I burned to take her in my arms, but I knew the likes of her were not for me. She was out of my league. I knew my place. It was a better place than I had ever imagined being, thanks to her, but it was still on a different plane than hers.

And then she said it.

"I'm sorry I haven't come before now. I had to... get something things sorted out. Arranged. Make sure the bad guys were put away. I couldn't put you in any more danger. Not again. You've saved me twice now, literally, and I couldn't ever make more trouble for you."

I just stood in the room, trembling.

She waited for me to say something, and when I didn't, she bit her lip.

"Yeah, I can imagine,' she said, as though replying to something I had said. "I know, it makes it look like I didn't care. I'm so sorry. But...there was something I had to take care of first."

"What?" I asked, breaking my silence.

"I quit."

There was a beat and then I just exhaled heavily, sinking into the office chair. "You did what?"

"I quit Ingrams. I can't work there any more."

I was shocked. "But you love that job?"

"Yes," she said, confidently "I did. I still do."

"Then... why? Are there other people coming after you? What?" I wanted to know. Anything that would make her give up that job had to be momentous. I knew now why she was here. She was here to say goodbye.

"I found something else I love even more. And I can't have both. It wouldn't be fair."

I just stared at her.

"If you'll have me Thomas, I'm here to stay. I love you and I need you more than anything else. I have no idea what is next, but I want...no I need to do it with you. I mean, you save a girl twice - I sat there so desperately hoping you'd find me, while I was in that house. But I had faith you would. And you did. And you compose music for me. You are beautiful Thomas, inside. Just so beautiful. I never stood a chance."

I couldn't even breathe.

She smiled at me, that wide, complete and totally dazzling smile, and the heavens sang, and I, unabashedly, broke down and cried, while I stood up and she came into my arms. My life changed forever, once more, at that exact moment.

I had the surgery. Actually surgeries. It took three months, and three operations and some removal of bone and cartilage from my hip, but they did a fairly good job. At least it's not remotely as bad as it used to be. You can still see where it was, if you look, but I don't look like something from a bad horror movie any more.

Megan held my hand the whole time. She was just never far away. I think she thought that if she was, I would think she had abandoned me.

For me, I just... couldn't believe it. She had chosen me over that career. I didn't know what to think about that. I mean, that's a big deal, right? Damned fucking straight!

Of course, Ingrams was never going to let her go. Not totally. They created a new position, especially for her. She was the new Training Overseer. She traveled to find new recruits and evaluate them, and then put together a training package for each of them, to educate them and put them through their paces. No more fieldwork for her. I couldn't tell if she was happy or unhappy about that - all I knew is that she did her best to make me happy, and god knows, I tried to do the same for her.

We were married four months after the surgeries were complete. The first field agent marriage Ingrams had ever had. Even the boss, Jessica, showed up. April was her maid of honor. I had no one on my side, besides my boss Mike and Jace, who swooped in a week before the wedding and insisted on taking me out on a bachelor party. And one other person showed up, completely unexpectedly. I didn't know what to think. I think I was pleased that Kyle Partridge showed up at my wedding; sometimes it's hard to sort through the feelings. But Megan helps me with that.

Sometimes I still have nightmares about what happened in the tunnels, and what happened in the walkup, but Megan is there to hold me when that happens.

I know what Megan was and what she is now. I'm ok with it - I've been accepted by the Ingrams family, and honestly, that's more family than I think I could ever have hoped to have. I know other field agents look at us funny, because we are the relationship that worked. It is possible, and they take heart from that, so we work extra hard at making sure it continues to work.

It sure does so far. Especially at night. We moved from Boston to Washington, since that's where Ingrams is located. I moved positions and I'm now the main EPA water guy for Washington DC. I had to actually get a proper security clearance to get that job. We live in an apartment in the Watergate building, of all places. But we are happy. I know I am, any way, and I'm pretty sure Megan is. She keeps going on about Thomas Avaline the third. I'm not sure I'm quite ready for that, but never say never, eh?