Page 88 of The Quarterlands (Dark Water #4)

“That’s right, although he didn’t know it was fake of course.

He really believed Gideon was dead. Next to him is Serena, who was my personal trainer, and poor little Dorothy, the waitress, who still looks as frightened as she did back at Belvedere, although I’ve done my best to ease her circumstances, too. ”

“You have been busy, tracking all these people down.”

“It was my absolute pleasure.” Alex beamed. “It’s been wonderful seeing them all again and being able to help them.”

“You’re a loyal friend, Alex. That’s never changed,” Josiah said softly.

Alex tugged on his sleeve. “Come with me. I want to show you something.” He led Josiah to the elevator and took him down to a suite a few storeys below.

“This is where I lived when I was Tyler’s IS,” he said, drawing Josiah out into a hallway.

“How does it feel to be back? Are you okay with it?” Josiah studied him carefully.

“Yes. I’ve been here a few times now, once with Dr Adams who helped me slay some demons, and I’m doing okay.

Come here, I want to show you this.” Alex took him into a spacious living room.

“I used to sit in here and look out of this window. Can you see it? Look.” Josiah saw that he was pointing to the Inquisitus building, far off in the distance.

“It kept me going,” he said. “Thinking of you, working at your desk just a short walk away. It might as well have been on the moon as I couldn’t reach you, but it gave me strength. ”

“I didn’t know. I wish I had.”

“Shh. It’s fine. I just wanted to show you. Come on.” Alex took his hand again and led him down the hallway to another room. “This was Solange’s room. After she died, George made me sleep in here. I think it was supposed to freak me out, but it just made me feel closer to her.”

They stepped into a room with views over the water. That was when Josiah realised that Alex was still holding his hand .

“Joe, I wanted to ask you something,” Alex said softly. He took a deep breath, as if marshalling all his courage. “I still love you,” he admitted. Josiah opened his mouth to speak, but Alex pressed a finger over his lips.

“Let me finish. I need to say it, and I need you to hear it. I’ve loved you for a very long time, but I didn’t think I deserved you, and I was terrified of ruining your life more than I had already.

After Neil kidnapped me, I was at such a low ebb that I just couldn’t cope with my feelings any more.

I shut down. You did the right thing to end it with me back then.

I wasn’t in a fit state to be in any kind of relationship.

But I’ve been seeing Dr Adams for a while now, and I’ve done a lot of work on myself, and I’ve almost…

almost reached the point where I think I’m good enough for you. ” He grinned.

“Don’t be an idiot. Of course you’re good enough. You always have been.”

“Not really. I know I come with a ton of baggage, and I know I’m not Peter,” Alex continued. “But we had a lot of fun together, you and me, and the sex was always ludicrously hot.”

Josiah laughed at that.

“You understand me, Joe, and you can cope with me and all my moods. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is…” He took a little box out of his pocket and opened it. “Will you marry me? Now you’re free, and I’m free. Will you?”

“Whoa!” Josiah took a step back, reeling. “I was not expecting that.”

“You don’t need to answer right now. Just think about it?

I’ve tried dating other people and it didn’t work, and you still refuse to date anyone else, which gave me a little hope.

I talked it through with Dr Adams, at some length.

” Alex sighed. “But the truth is, it didn’t work out for me with anyone else because I’m still in love with you.

I’ve always been in love with you. In fact, you’re the only person I’ve ever been in love with. So… will you marry me, Josiah Raine?”

Josiah looked at the ring Alex was holding up. It was a plain gold band, simple, shining, and elegantly cut. It was perfect, of course, because Alex not only had great taste, but he knew him inside out, and knew what would appeal to him .

“I’m used to doing the proposing,” he said, taking a moment to compose himself.

“Well, like I said, I’m not Peter. It’ll be a bit different with me,” Alex warned.

“If you’ll have me? You still haven’t said?

” He looked anxious. “I mean, I know I’m jumping the gun.

That we should probably, I don’t know, date first or something, but…

I’ve wasted so much time already, and I don’t want to waste any more.

I also want you to know I’m serious about this.

That it’s not a mood or a whim. We don’t have to get married any time soon.

I just want to know we’ll be together one day. If I know there’s hope, then…”

“Shut up.” Josiah pulled him close and kissed him.

Alex sighed and melted into him. It had been a long time since they’d last kissed like this, and Josiah felt light-headed, giddy with joy, as if he’d explode.

He didn’t have any doubts. He loved Alex every bit as much as he knew he was loved in return.

“Yes,” he said, when he eventually released Alex. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Alex gave a laugh of relief, then took the ring out of the box and slipped it on his finger.

“Would you like my father’s ring?” Josiah asked. “It’s belonged to the two men I loved most in my life before I met you, but if you’d prefer something else, it’s no problem. You might like a fresh start with something new.”

“No, I’d prefer that one. It has so much more meaning,” Alex replied with a shy smile.

“Then it’s yours. I’ll dig it out for you later. In the meantime…” He raised Alex’s hand to his lips and kissed his finger.

“Thank God.” Alex leaned into him. “I was terrified you’d say no.”

“I love you, Alex. I never stopped loving you.” Josiah caressed his face.

“I just needed to be free to commit to you. I also needed you to feel free to choose me, not because you felt beholden to me, or grateful, or even because you were too scared to go looking for anyone else. I wanted you to want me for me.”

“Oh, I do. I really do.”

“One thing,” Josiah said, feeling a sudden spark of uncertainty. “I can’t share you, Alex. It’s not who I am. When I’m in, I’m all in, and I expect the same from you. If that’s a deal breaker, then?— ”

“It isn’t,” Alex interrupted firmly. “I’m done with living that kind of life; it never made me happy. I only want you. Nobody else.”

“Good.” Josiah felt a wave of relief. “As for dating – I think, in a way, we’ve been doing that for the past two years. Let’s not waste a single second more, my love.”

Alex’s eyes were shining as Josiah leaned in and kissed him again, a long, deep, passionate kiss. Josiah wasn’t sure when he’d last felt this happy. Not since Peter was alive, for sure. He loved Alexander Lytton with every atom of his being, and he knew how completely loved he he was in return.

They wrapped their arms around each other and stood gazing out of the window, unspeaking, for a long time. Finally, Josiah stirred.

“We should go back to your party. They’ll be wondering where we are.”

“Not yet.” Alex held on to him tightly. “I’ve waited a very long time for this.” He glanced up at Josiah. “And so have you.”

“Yeah.” Josiah chuckled. “It’s been a long journey, but we got there in the end.” He dropped another kiss on Alex’s lips and hugged him close. “You know, I used to hate parties, but this one has been strangely good.”

“Maybe you’ve changed.” Alex grinned up at him.

Josiah nodded slowly. “You know, I think I have.”

Outside, the sun was setting over Ghost Eye City, bathing the dark water of the lost zone in a soft orange glow.

“You do know I’m only marrying you for your money, right?” Josiah grinned, leaning back to look at Alex.

“Well, obviously.” Alex let out a delighted bark of laughter. “And I’m only marrying you because I’m in love with Penny.”

“I knew it!”

They laughed, and then they walked back to the party together, hand in hand.

The End