Take These Broken Wings
The rented limo pulled up before the apartment building. Albert Pine stepped out, looking dashing in a custom tailored tuxedo. I like it when I can use this for something fun, and not just work. He dusted off an imaginary speck and reached back for the bouquet of flowers he had brought with him.
With a bounce, he practically flew up the stairs. A swift knock and he waited patiently for his lady to answer the door. When it took longer than a few minutes, he knocked again, putting an ear to the wood and listening. He could hear a faint crying sound.
“Lucy? Are you in there? Are you okay? Open up.”
A muffled “No, go away,” caused him to frown. “Lucy Dotson, open this door, or I will pick the lock.”
He heard her shuffle his direction and then the locks tumbled open. He gave her a moment to gather herself before he entered. Closing and locking the door behind him, Albert followed the sounds to her room. There, he found Lucy sitting desolately on the floor, dressed in a stunning blue gown and in her bare feet. A small pile of colored glass lay on the rug beside her.
“Honey, what happened?” He knelt, careful of the pieces.
She looked up, her cocoa brown eyes shattered. “I broke it. I broke Grams’ piece. It was hers from Gramps.” A hiccup interrupted her crying. “She…I…it was an accident. I was in a hurry and it fell…”
Tears flowed once again and he pulled her close, ignoring the smudges on his tux. When she became quiet, he shifted until he was seated and wrapped his arms around her. “Tell me about this piece.”
A faraway look came into her eyes. “Grams told me about this picture she saw in a store. It was a stained glass picture of the Good Shepherd holding a sparrow with a broken wing. She loved it. It’s one of her favorite hymns. But Gramps couldn’t afford to get it for her.”
Albert handed her his handkerchief as she choked back a sniffle. “Here. Take your time. We’ve got all night.”
“But your plans—“
“Can wait. They were plans to be with you. I’m here, with you. Plans change.” He kissed the top of her head.
She sighed and leaned into his chest, holding on a little tighter. “I know…” A small pout emerged.
He was tempted, so very tempted to make it disappear but a nudge held him in check. Prompting her to continue, he picked up with, “So, what did your grandfather do?”
“Oh. He worked long hours and walked to and from work. On his way, he would find bits of colored glass and save them. A friend of his helped him form a frame for a small sparrow. Another friend who worked for a glass blower helped him melt the pieces and form the bird. They mounted it onto the base. He gave it to her as a ‘Just because’ present.”
She paused, remembering her question to Grams. “I asked her once why the sparrow was whole and not broken like the picture she wanted. She told me that Gramps saw the sparrow as God wanted it to be after the Good Shepherd had tended to it.”
Bert nodded. “That makes sense. I would have liked your Gramps.”
“He would have liked you.” Lucy turned her eyes to him. “Thank you for listening.”
He leaned toward her, making gentle contact with her lips. It was sweet and yet bitter as he pulled away.
“Why—“
A finger rested lightly on her lips. “This isn’t the time.” He inhaled her scent and held on to it, memorizing it. Rising, he offered her his hand to help her up. “Let’s go get something to eat and just…talk.”
Confused but hopeful, Lucy agreed.
It was well past midnight when the limo pulled up. Albert stepped out and walked Lucy up to the apartment door. He stroked her cheek and smiled. “You are something special, you know that?”
“So you keep telling me.” Her own smile was wide.
“I love you, Lucinda Dotson.” He paused. “I want to ask you something but I need to wait until tomorrow.”
A delicate brow went up. “Bert, it IS tomorrow.”
“You know what I mean.”
“A girl can only be patient for so long.”
He smirked. “Well, maybe if the girl has incentive?” He ran his hands across her shoulders and pulled her close.
“Depends on the incentive.”
“How about this?” He teased her lower lip with his teeth before laying butterfly kissed along her cheek. A deep breath next to her ear had her shivering in anticipation as he his moved his hands upwards. Cupping her head, he trailed more kisses down the length of her neck, stopping at that little hollow spot. It caused her to start as it tickled and she giggled, bumping her head against the door.
Both froze as the locks began turning a few seconds later. Sue stared at them in shock and then began apologizing. “I’m so sorry, Lucy. Levi heard the door and I thought maybe you’d forgotten your keys…” She turned away closing the door behind her.
Lucy leaned her head against Bert’s chest and laughed, feeling his laughter as well. “That was incentive and a good night call, I think.”
She pushed the door open and tapped Sue on the shoulder. When the blonde turned, both of them signed SORRY.
CRAZY YOU Sue shook her head. NIGHT She disappeared into her room.
Albert took her suggestion and gave Lucy a chaste kiss. “Good night, honey. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Okay.”
It was seven p.m. He should have called by now. Lucy paced the length of the room and back. Her cell was no help. There were no new messages as of thirty seconds later.
“Lucy, could you please stop. You are making Levi dizzy.” The golden hid his head under a paw with a sympathetic whimper. Sue looked up from her computer; a frown marred her features. “Maybe he got caught up with a case or something. You know how it goes.”
The mocha skinned woman plopped ungracefully on the couch. “I know. I’m just anxious, that’s all.” She blew a strand of hair out of her face. “I wonder how Donna stands it?”
“Lots of practice and twice as much faith, I imagine.”
The pair shared a laugh but Lucy withdrew inward, keeping to herself the rest of the evening. At ten, she took her leave and went to bed, only to stare at the ceiling. “Lord, keep him safe, where ever he is. And help me to be patient and fair. Amen.” She closed her eyes but sleep was a long time coming.
Sue glanced at her friend. The rotor kept staring off into space, distracted by the least thing. Twice this morning, Jack had snapped at her for pulling the wrong case files. Bobby had spilled a fresh pot of coffee on her second favorite pair of shoes and Myles had made several comments, which had gone unheeded.
Father, she’s trying. It’s a long process to learn the patience that comes with true love. Please, send her a comfort of some sort.
Lucy hung up the phone, tears sitting on edge in her caramel brown eyes. A slight wave at Sue gained the blonde woman’s attention. “He didn’t come in this morning,” she mouthed.
OQQ
The rotor shook her head. “They wouldn’t tell me anything else.” She swallowed hard and tired to focus on the rest of the day.
Please, Father. Help her to hold fast… Sue bit her lip and continued to pray all day.
At twenty till six, Sue’s computer IM popped up.
Silntgi: u still thereQQ
Angelface: yes
Silntgi: is L still thereQQ
Angelface: LQQ
Silntgi: LucyQQ
Angelface: yes whyQQ
Silntgi: stay put sksk
She wrinkled a brow at the odd message from her brother but waited for her roommate to finish her computer work. A gloved hand signaled for her to come out to the hallway. Sue excused herself and stepped out.
James stood there next to Albert who was on crutches. Her eyes went wide but he made the ‘Shhhh’ motion. He motioned for her to stand aside as the injured man inched into the Bullpen.
“Lucy?”
She turned and froze. As shock wore off, the rotor found her tongue. “What happened? How did you…is that a break or sprain? Are you okay? I was so worried.” She stood in front of him, unsure of what to do.
Bert pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I was out climbing and got called on a rescue. There was no reception where we were or I would have called.”
She sort of drooped at that point. “A rescue?”
He tilted his head at her look. “Hello? Lucy, I’m one of the few qualified rescue climbers in this area.”
“I just never realized…does this happen often?”
He shrugged. “Depends. I’m a specialist. I get calls when they need me. The Bureau lets me go on the side in exchange for my amazing accounting skills.”
A slight grin appeared at that. “A specialist? Oh, is that what they call it these days?” She gestured at his leg. “And what is this? Did you fall?”
He had the grace to look embarrassed. “I, um, twisted my ankle getting off the chopper.”
She covered her laughter.
“It’s okay. Laugh. I don’t mind.”
She shook her head slowly. As she did, she noticed something amiss. “Where’s Sue?”
“She stepped out. I saw her brother in the hallway. He said he would see her home.”
Lucy moved closer to Bert and ran a hand over his jacket. “So, where does that leave us?”
“In the most unromantic place possible,” came the droll reply. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flat box. “Here.”
Unromantic is right. This is not how I want a proposal… Frowning, she lifted the lid to the box and gasped. It was her Grams’ little sparrow. Only…only it’s… She picked up the finely pieced pin. It caught the light, the browns in the little bird shining brightly. “How did you do this?”
“I have a friend who does metal work on a small scale. I dared him to do it in less than twenty-four hours.”
She turned the pin over and over. It was smaller but still the same basic frame her Gramps had made with the glass carefully fit in to make the feathered design. “Grams’ sparrow…I see the line where his wing was broken and now is whole. She…” Lucy trailed off.
“…knows. I called and asked her permission.”
“You and my grandmother are getting along way too well.” A slight smirk played about her lips.
He gave a sly grin in return. “I should hope so, seeing as I want to keep her around.” Edging toward her desk, he leaned heavily on it, drawing another box from his jacket.
“What is that? More of the sparrow?”
“Maybe.”
Her curiosity was piqued. She moved closer and he flipped the lid open. “I know this is not the greatest place but I nearly waited too long.” He put a hand on her face and locked her gaze to his. “Lucy, I love you and want to marry you. Will you have me?”
Eyes wide as saucers, she looked at him as if he’d grown two heads. “You’re darn right. This is not the greatest place.” She swallowed and tried not to tremble. “And today was hard. Not knowing where you were and not having the means to find out… I…I don’t want to lose you. I love you too much. I would…I mean…yes…YES!”
Bert took the ring from its temporary velvet home and slid it to its true home. He found her mouth and caressed it gently before letting her go. “Do I need to do this again when I can actually kneel so you can have a story to tell our children?”
She shifted closer and sighed. “While it’s not what I dreamed of, somehow, it’s better. You’re here and that makes all the difference.” Another gentle kiss and they smiled in their joy.
“You want to go tell Sue now?” He laughed at her jumping clapping response. “I guess that’s a yes.”
“Let me grab my stuff and we can go…” She fairly trembled with excitement. “Wait…will you pin this on for me?”
With great care, he took the sparrow pin and attached it to a spot above her heart. “You know, this little bird reminds me of that eighties song.”
“Oh…oh, no…don’t you dare.”
“What?” he teased.
“You are not going to sing.”
“It was just a thought.”
“If you love me, do not sing.”
He rolled his eyes and hummed quietly as they made their way out of the Bullpen.
“I can hear you.”
“I’m not singing.”
“Close enough.”
“That reminds me of another song…”
The elevator dinged and they stepped on, Lucy convincing her fiancé not to sing with her best possible argument. Lack of oxygen. A very deliberate lack of oxygen. One that left him gasping for air with a huge grin on his face. He whistled instead, while she stood smugly as the doors closed.
The End
***
A/N: This concludes my challenge Arc. Lucy and Albert bid you adieu, to you and you...And you...don't think they didn't see you over there.
Yes, I am talking to you. *Self: You are doing it again.
trecebo: What?
Self: Talking to the fourth wall.
trecebo: Oh. Sorry.
Self: *rolls eyes* Geez. What am I supposed to do with you?
trecebo: Ebay?
Self: Goodnight, folks....
)
Absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!! Loved the sparrow.......the broken glass........the broken date.......and all the healing at the end! 
I loved your arc...but I think this one is my favourite.
Restie