Ribbons in Her Hair

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"Aren't I great?" smiled Madeleine, standing on tiptoe to kiss him lightly.
She could do this. She could kiss him... and never stop.
He was hers again, and Madeleine knew that she was never going to let him go again. Even if he... heaven forbid, even if he forgot everything again, she would tell him. She'd describe every single memory to him in minute detail, no matter how long it took. She'd tell him that she loved him, even if he couldn't remember loving her. And she'd go through every possible trigger to get him back.
And she was certain that even if he didn't return it, she'd love him forever anyway.
But for now, she wouldn't even consider the possibility of Lee losing his memory again. She was going to live in the moment, and keep the moment cherished close to her heart.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Great?
Great wasn't good enough.
"Maddie, you're freezing," Lee said finally, after returning several of her kisses. "Did the fire go out?"
Hence the empty fireplace. He grinned sheepishly at the stupidity of his comment, and took Maddie's hand, leading her around to in front of the fireplace. Out of mid-air, he conjured a blanket, which he wrapped around them both. He hugged her close, savouring her warmth.
But...
Fear crept in, even now, even though she was right there; sure and safe in his arms. The idea of losing her was suddenly all the more real, and all the more terrifying. Because he had lost her- not lost her like before- really lost her, and the worst part was, he hadn't even known it.
And with this fear came a new, irrational impulse. One that had his little voice of logic weeping in despair at just how far gone he really was.
So he was just going to come out and say it.
"We should get married."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

As Lee put the blanket around them both and pulled her close to his chest, warmth and contentment rose up in Madeleine, spilling over and making her... well, happier than she'd ever been before.
Yes, really.
She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him just as tightly as he was hugging her, inhaling his wonderfully familiar scent and absorbing his touch, letting it imprint in her memory.
This felt so... so right. So perfectly right. It was the way it should be, and would be, as far as she could help-
"We should get married."
The words came from Lee's mouth suddenly, and it took one second for Madeleine to hear them properly.
Another two seconds for them to sink in.
Another one to realise what they meant.
And another second to react.
It felt right... so right. He was right. They should get married, but... they were too young, weren't they?
Madeleine pulled back from him slightly so that she could see his face. "Are you serious?!"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

It was insane, wasn't it? He didn't blame her for asking the question. It was insane, and stupid, and random, impulsive... blah, blah, blah... but it also was... right.
"Yeah," he said softly, staring forward into the empty fireplace.
The attraction of the idea was growing now; becoming stronger and stronger. Marriage... something... something that would tie him to Maddie forever. Marriage would mean that they were... were each other; it would show just how much they loved each other. Some marriages failed, he knew that.
But Maddie and him had been through so much, it now felt like they could withstand anything.
Marriage would mean Maddie would be his; and only his.
"We should get married," he repeated, turning to face her. "We should... we should get married and have kids and grow old together... we should spend the rest of our lives together, and die together."
Not just together. As one. A unit. A set.
They'd be married.
"Marry me, Maddie!"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Marriage.
They were too young, yes, but... God. Now that the idea had been put into her head, she wanted it... oh, so badly - she'd never wanted anything more in her entire life. He would be hers, and hers alone, and she would totally, completely belong to him, for the rest of their lives.
And the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. They'd already been through far more than most married couples, and they'd come through it still strong and together. They loved each other, and had lost each other but had made it through, all through sickness and health and better and worse and so many other things...
And they were in a war - surely, it was better to do it sooner rather than later, in case something happened to them, in battle or not? She'd already died once, surely it was a good idea to marry him in case it happened again, to either one of them? Shaun had died before he'd had the chance, she didn't want that to happen to her.
And they were already in love, they shouldn't have to wait any longer, should they?
They could get married. Madeleine could wake up beside him every morning, spend every day with him, bear his children, grow old with him...
It was right. Maybe others would say it was stupid, but Madeleine knew it was right. She just... knew.
"Marry me, Maddie!"
His chocolate eyes were earnest, hopeful as he looked at her.
Her face lit up into a smile, with an elation that eclipsed the one she'd felt only a minute or two before.
"Okay," she smiled softly.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Okay."
Okay.
Lee's face broke into a smile; and he took her face in his hands and kissed her. Maddie was going to be his wife. Madeleine... Madeleine Norris. He tried it out in his head, smiling coyly. Maybe he could take her name? Lee Baudelaire. Or she could combine it. Madeleine Baudelaire-Norris. Norris-Baudelaire?
"You're going to be my wife," Lee said, after a couple of minutes, stroking a curl from her cheek lovingly, just like he used to.
Just like he would every day for the rest of his life.
"My wife. Think you can handle it?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

His wife.
Lee's wife.
It was overwhelming... but it felt so perfect.
"I think I can," she smiled, leaning forwards and pecking him gently on the lips.
She'd be able to do this all the time... every day until she died.
Wow, he'd be her husband. Her husband. It was... scary, but she liked it. More than liked it. Loved it.
"I hope your family don't hate me," she said, pursing her lips gently. "Ha! My dad's going to freak."
The idea was so much funnier than it would have been an hour ago. Everything was so much better. Just... better.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"And my parents will love you," he laughed, putting his arm around her shoulders and kissing her cheek. "Who wouldn't?"
You're insane, Lee, you know that?
He smiled softly. Yeah, he was. He was 16, and getting engaged. God... in three years time... he'd be married. Madeleine would be his. He kept thinking that over and over, enthralled by how it sounded. Madeleine would be his. Maddie really had said... she'd said yes.
"Maddie, I really do love you," he repeated, grinning at her.
He couldn't say it enough.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"I love you too," she smiled, snaking her arms around him and pulling herself closer to him, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "So much."
Married. His. Spending her life with him... every day, every night, everything in between.
It was perfect.
She could love him forever.
"We're getting married," she said, almost disbelievingly. "That sounds so perfect."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

He chuckled. "It's us. I don't think we can ever be... perfect- but we'll sure as hell give it a shot!"
Perfectly imperfect, that's what they were. And he liked that idea.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine laughed. "We'll be much more interesting than perfect. We're better than perfect."
He was right... with their drama, they wouldn't be perfect - but it would be better than perfect, because now that they had each other forever, the drama would only be the good type.
And if it was bad... well, they'd still have each other, and Madeleine knew that she could go through anything with him.
It was funny how just a few minutes ago, he didn't remember her, wasn't it? She could have laughed. In the space of ten minutes, he'd remembered her, and proposed.
It was a pretty perfect 2 a.m.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Content now, sleep began to wash over Lee, and he relaxed against Maddie, breathing in her sweet scent.
"I don't have to move, do I?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"Please don't," she murmured, adjusting her position so that she was resting against him, absorbing his warmth and his touch.
It was late... and they should go to their dorms... but she didn't want to. She couldn't leave him, not now, after what had just happened.
And what if - her mind involuntarily flinched away from the thought - what if he woke up in the morning and couldn't... oh God, couldn't remember any of this? Orla was dead, Madeleine knew that she wouldn't have to worry about her attacking Lee again, but Lee's mind, having been broken into before, would now present an easy target.
Instinctively, her arms tightened around him, keeping her with him.
She'd just have to have faith that that wouldn't happen. Because if she didn't, every time he went to sleep at night, she'd be lying awake, restless with worry.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Feeling her tense up, a wave of worry washed over Lee, and he returned her tight grip.
"Okay, then," he said, kissing her lips. "So I'll stay here with you. But be warned. I've been known to snore."
Maybe he should've waited to tell her that after the marriage.
Lee shook himself slightly. It was so weird to be in this frame of thinking.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine rolled her eyes, comforted by the way his arms were holding her tightly. "Oh, no. I might have to rethink this..."
But to let him know that she was joking, she returned his kiss, before laying her head on his chest and snuggling into him.
And to think... she could - would - be able to do this every night after their wedding...