Post by katherinesullivan on Jul 8, 2021 9:18:06 GMT -5
Your eyes give life a new meaning
It's like I found the North Lights
I never knew what I needed
Until I felt your hand holding mine
Yeah, you say I'm your hero
But you are the one that saved me
If I ever lost you
I'd fall to my knees
I can't imagine my life without you
I can't imagine one night without you
If something happened, don't know what I'd do
Carter Rivera loved Rosa Croft so much his heart consistently felt full. Contentedly swelling, like when you’ve finished a good meal; satisfied. As he sat in their bedroom, listening to the water glistening of her smooth back, he felt overwhelmed with all things he loved most. The natural pout her lips always rested in, or the feathery look of her deep, structured brows. How delicate she looked, and yet how powerful she was.
She was fierce. She was fire – she was breath-taking and he was terrified.
They had been through a lot together, over only the space of a year.
After it surfaced that Nick was in fact alive, the nervousness Rosa once had held crept back in the form of scratching, crying and sleepless nights. It had taken most of his strength not to murder the man himself, and one morning Carter had sat up in bed, chest heaving and had had to check his hands multiple times for blood. Sweat dripped down his back and face, he felt hot and irritated and adamant he had just beaten Nick Walker to a pulp.
Beside him, Rosa was strangely sound asleep and he didn’t wake her to let her know. Carter never told her of the horrors that invaded his dreams, when he thought of that man and those men; what they had done to her. Swallowing, he’d laid on his side and watched the gentle breaths move her body and decided then what he was going to do. Fast forward to the present day and the diamond in his hand felt like lead.
He was thinking a thousand things as he stared at the rainbow reflection in the cuts of perfect diamond. It was a yellow diamond, pressed into a square shape, with a halo of smaller, white diamonds encasing. Carter had found it in a vintage shop and new it was right. All the ones in the shop merely seemed to glint with pretension and lack of individuality. Rosa deserved something unique, because she was indescribable and incomparable to anyone on this earth.
Only a few months ago and Charlotte had died…no, Carter chewed his lip. Been murdered.
Nick had seen red after all of his plans had fallen through and went for Rosa one day in a park whilst she was walking with Charlotte and Tristan. You knew a man was desperate when he attacked, in the open, with a knife. It was also the epitome of cowardice and Carter wished he’d gotten more than the pathetic prison sentence. He and Robbie had begged to be on the investigation but they had been shut down.
Some part of Carter saw his mother in Charlotte. Her kindness and resilience; the fact she was abandoned, bruised and exhausted but maintained the warm smile. What hurt even more was that she had been pregnant when she had died; where was the father? Pregnant and glowing, she walked besides Rosa with a genuine smile and it was rewarding to see such fractured beings thriving. Glancing over her shoulder, Charlotte had heard someone walking fast towards them and expected a jogger, a teenager, a woman chasing her dog but had instead been faced with a frantic Nick Walker.
His eyes flashed towards Rosa without any hesitation, and before she could even turn to acknowledge the situation, Charlotte had pushed her over into the bushes and thrown herself at Nick with such force the blade slid like butter between her ribs. He had jumped up from the floor, pulling the knife from Charlotte’s chest and raised it at Rosa with such ferocity, yet she had told Carter she felt no fear.
‘I wasn’t scared anymore.’ Rosa whispered as they waited in the hospital, to find out about Charlotte. Tristan was a shaking mess, his head laid on Carter’s lap as he sobbed. ‘I was just angry.’
And Rosa had lunged herself at Nick, but a passing man had seen the commotion and caught her under the arms, pulling her back. He was yelling for her to stay calm as someone else tried to wrestle Nick, but the world just sounded like static as Rosa tore her eyes away from him and towards the body on the floor, blood coating the white linen dress Charlotte had worn that day.
So Nick Walker was in prison, and life was normal. Life was… safe. Rosa still insisted on the bolts on the door and the security cameras, but last night she hadn’t jumped up to check after Carter had locked up, finally trusting that everything was okay. That they were both okay now, together.
‘Let’s go for a walk.’ Carter said as Rosa entered the room, a white towel around her waist. Her hair was in a damp bun, tendrils framing her face. He had slipped the ring into his pocket and stood up.
‘Outside?’ Rosa pouted and Carter smiled, advancing towards her to kiss her on the head.
‘It’ll be nice.’
‘It’s nicer in here.’ Rosa whined and kissed him back, the two of them savouring the moment. ‘Fine. But you’ve got to buy me an ice cream?’
Carter glanced at her as she stood before the wardrobe, dropping her towel on the floor. He could see her naked body reflected in the mirror, and the small smirk on her face. ‘I hate you.’ he whispered and Rosa gave a playful laugh as he gripped her middle and threw her on the bed. The walk could wait a while…
When they finally got outside, both their cheeks were flushed and the cool breeze was welcoming. Autumn was coming, and the leaves were all golden and crisp, lining their path. They walked for a while happily holding hands; Rosa hand a mint chocolate ice cream in the other. There was still trouble on the streets, drug dealers, thieves, rapists; Carter still went to work and saw the terror, but at least it wasn’t threatening his life right now. He appreciated moments like this, just being free, being with her.
Heading down an alley, Rosa began to look confused but Carter continued forward.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, boots echoing on the cobbled stones.
It was one of London’s infamous alleys with string lights overhead and shop doorways with small stands outside covered in their goods; books, apples, incense. They walked a little further and she could see the double doors to a nightclub she hadn’t frequented in a long time. Not since the first time she had met…
Carter came to a stop and Rosa felt her heart in her throat.
‘Fuck.’ she whispered and Carter laughed, turning to face her.
‘Fuck yourself.’ he replied with a smile.
For a moment he just looked at her face, took it all in. Her eyes were wide with interest and fear, and he could feel his own heart heavy against his ribs.
He had had the ring for a few weeks, and every time he thought he hid it well, Rosa stumbled through the exact spot. Carter couldn’t wait anymore.
‘You know where we are then?’ he asked and Rosa nodded, dampening her lower lip. ‘Rosa…’
‘Are you sure?’ she cut in quickly, voice shaking.
‘Rosa…’
‘No, but, are you suuuurre?’
Carter held her gaze. ‘Of what?’ he asked gently and Rosa shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't say the words. ‘Let me say what I want to say, Rosalind.’ he said a little firmer. Rosa held back her words then and he gave a smile. ‘Thank you. I know we haven’t been together long, and I know we’ve been through a lot, but whether I’ve known you for one year or one second, I’d still want to marry you.’
‘But… I’m a mess.’ Rosa interjected, despite herself.
‘You are.’ Carter agreed, earning a narrowed eye stare. ‘But I love how chaotic you are. I love how vibrant you are, how determined, honest and true you are; you are raw, Rosa. You are like… like an energy I can’t live without. You give me hope and purpose. You give me love.’ reaching in his pocket, he felt his hands shaking and gave a nervous laugh. ‘I’m going to get down now, is that okay?’ he asked, as if approaching a wild animal.
Rosa gave a small laugh and a nod, ringing her hands nervously.
Slowly Carter got down onto one knee and looked up to meet her already tearful gaze.
‘--I-I don’t have a big speech, but I want to have all the time in the world with you to prove this is the right decision. Why I want you to be my wife. To be someone to have children with, to grow old with.’ his chest ached and he tried to remain strong. ‘I want to always be there to protect you, and I know you will always have my back too. I don’t want you to ever feel alone or unwanted ever again. I want to keep building your walls with you and to nestle inside with you, protected and home. I want to experience so many things with you and shower you with everything you deserve. I love you so much Rosa Croft.’ he popped the box open and the sun fell perfectly on the diamonds, reflecting on her pinched cheeks.
‘Will you marry me, Rosa Croft?’ Carter asked, breathless.