To Match Her Eyes

[Kira & Lee Norris]

This past week had been... well, nothing short of insane.
It'd kicked off whenever Lee had told Kira that his memory had returned- and not only that, but that he and Maddie were engaged. The following scream had been... well, let's just say that the bats were still recovering. A letter had been sent home to Lee's family; he was eagerly awaiting their reply; and as the news was passed gradually between friends, somewhere along the line, the secrecy cracked...
... and now the whole bloody school knew.
One of the many perks of being engaged to the Head of the Warriors.
So everything else had sort of gone by in a blur of chaos. After about the fifty-millionth, "Congratulations!" from a stranger, Lee had blanked out a bit. But, if a little lost, Lee had also been on a incredible high. Every time he'd seen Maddie, it'd been reminiscent of when they were first dating; the old rush of being somewhere new and exciting had been going strong; firing up his blood. She always had that sparkle in her eye; that slight hue to her cheek; and every so often, she would just smile at him for no reason; and that smile would dizzy him. He'd been smiling too; grinning like an idiot and drifting off in classes to a place where only he and Maddie existed...
Even the teachers were beginning to cotton on something was going on! Obviously, Prof. Hoodham had been notified that Lee's memory had returned, and Lee was scheduled to see him in his office on Monday after lessons had ended, but whether or not Prof. Hoodham knew about Maddie and Lee's engagement... who knew?
Earlier that day, Lee had cornered Jude in the heat of desperation, and begged him for help.
For the final ingredient that would make this whole thing official.
Lee wanted to get Maddie her engagement ring.
Jude seemed to know exactly what to use too. Jude had a little lump of silver metal with him- one he said to tell Maddie he'd used- and after looking going through a couple of ideas, Jude and him had finally managed to create what Lee hoped would be the perfect ring...
... and set into the silver of the ring, Lee had conjured a sapphire; the exact, sparkling blue of Maddie's eyes. It was in a velvet dark blue box in his pocket now, and he waited in the Common Room for her to arrive. He'd asked her to meet her there, at this time, because at midnight, the Common Room was generally empty, which would give them some privacy.
And he just couldn't get that grin off his face.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine had never saw the attraction of drugs.
There were always teenagers at various towns that she'd lived in whom you would find in a shady alleyway or park in the dark evenings, with bottles of cheap, brightly coloured alcohol, and "cigarettes" stuffed not with nicotine, but with some form of stronger, more dangerous narcotic.
It wasn't something that she'd ever felt tempted to try. Others said that they did it for the highs, the feeling that you were gone someplace else, a completely different world. An ex-boyfriend, Russ, had tried it once, and had described the high as "bloody incredible" - well, with more choice words. He said that it was like floating, flying somewhere on a dizzy feeling of euphoria.
She'd never found the idea attractive, but if there was one thing this past week had proved to her - she would never need to take drugs.
The week had gone in almost a dreamy haze, except everything was brilliantly, beautiful clear.
The news had quickly spread around the school, and Madeleine found herself being congratulated every time she stepped through a door. Everyone commented on how happy she looked, how much of a contrast it was to what she'd been like a month ago. And when they'd told Jack, the next time she went in to lead a training session, a loud cheer had gone up from the Warriors, leaving her scarlet, but laughing, even the embarrassment not bringing her down from floating on her constant high.
Even though her mother's reaction hadn't exactly been ... positive, Madeleine's resolution that this was the right thing to do became stronger every minute. It was every time she looked at him, catching his chocolate gaze ... it was accompanied by a dizzy thrill of elation, and a euphoric rapture every time he met her gaze and broke into a smile, her eyes following the movement, drinking in every single little detail...
In battle training, her leadership skills had come back with a vengeance now, making her better than ever before - but in everything else, her concentration levels were at an ultimate low. She was forever lost in daydreams, often sucking on her pen and gazing aimlessly into space, smiling like an absolute fool. The teachers reprimanded her, but not too sharply, putting it down to her happiness that her boyfriend had recovered his memory and the flushes of young love.
She could have laughed as she imagined the looks on their faces if they knew what was really the matter with her.
Lee had asked her to meet her in the common room at midnight that night - she'd no idea why, but it didn't stop her looking forward to it. Every time she knew she was going to see him, it immediately uplifted her mood - not that it needed uplifted these days.
So to pass the time before she had to meet him - the temptation to find him early was almost overwhelming - she'd sat at the window seat of the dorm, reading a book by the moonlight and listening to her iPod. Which amused her, because for some of the songs, she was seriously wondering if they would be appropriate for a first dance.
It still felt so weird thinking that way - but it felt really brilliant at the same time.
So at the stroke of midnight, she'd jumped out of her seat and practically skipped - yes, skipped to the common room.
When she spotted him, the corners of her mouth lifted into a bright smile. "Hey," she smiled, approaching him.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee grinned, jumping over the back of of the sofa and landing on his feet with a speed and agility he could only credit to the recent up in the intensity of Spy Training.
Grinning coyly at her, he reached out and pulled her close; his fingers burying themselves in her hair. His thumbs traced her jawline, tipping her head upwards, and their lips met- just for a second.
He broke away, and took her hands.
"Hi," he grinned. "Tired?"
It only seemed good manners to ask. After all, it was 12.00 a.m. in the morning!

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

As Lee's thumbs stroked across her skin, Madeleine felt the familiar tingle as her blood rushed to the points of contact, the touch sending goosebumps down her arms and making her breath catch in her throat.
And as he kissed her...
Well, she couldn't really describe that rush. Let's just describe it as feeling very, very, very good.
It only lasted a second, but it was enough to completely take her breath away.
"Hi," he smiled, as his hands trailed down to take hers. "Tired?"
She leaned forward, chancing another quick kiss, before, unable to keep the smile from her face, replied, "No, not really - are you?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Absolutely not," he laughed, returning her kiss. "I've barely slept all week, thanks to you."
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
"I've got something for you," Lee grinned at her, stepping back. "Bit overdue, I know... but I think we should do this properly, don't you?"
Let's see if she can guess what's going on...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine smiled sheepishly at that, concealing the jubilant leaps (and backflips... and somersaults...) of her heart.
"Do what properly?" she asked, her eyebrows contracting slightly - but still smiling as she kept hold of his hand.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

He grinned, and (he'd been over this with Kira before doing this) got down on one knee; pressing his lips to her hand.
"This time, I've got a ring."
His hand slipped into his pocket, and as he let go of her hand, he took out the box; and opened it. The sapphire glinted prettily in the light of the room; a flicker from the firelight decorating it prettily. He held it up; his offering to her, and was immediately disappointed by how stupid the sapphire suddenly seemed to look.
It was so obvious now that nothing could imitate Maddie's eyes and do them justice.
"I could ask you to marry me again," he smiled softly, "but I'd be worried in case you said no this time around."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

As he opened the little velvet box, Madeleine's hand flew to her mouth to stop the squeak escaping from it.
It was a sapphire, set in silver. A sapphire of a deep, bright blue shade, sparkling in a beam of light from the fire. It was... absolutely beautiful.
"And then... my favourite colour's blue; same colour as your eyes..."
It was a ... a ring. A perfect ring. And that made it official.
As if it were possible, her smile was a little bit bigger.
He smiled up at her. "I could ask you to marry me again, but I'd be worried in case you said no this time."
Madeleine moved her hand from her mouth, laughing, her smile ridiculously bright. "No, ask again," she smiled.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

He laughed. "Definitely not going to reject me, then?"
The little box trembled for a second in his hands; so quick a tremor, she'd no doubt missed it, but Lee felt it...
He just wanted to put that ring on her finger.
So he contented himself with watching her eyes instead; watching them shining with an undeniable dancing joy. And his heart swelled that little bit more. For the millionth time... he found himself reeling backwards in shock; shock that he could really produce that amazing effect in her...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine laughed, watching his eyes gleam softly in the firelight, entranced by the familiar brilliant shine.
"Definitely not," she promised softly.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Then..."
His fingers twitched to the box; stroking the silver, comforting band of the ring automatically.
"Will you marry me?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Hearing him repeat those words...
Well, it made her want to jump into his arms and kiss him and just... never stop; it made her want to laugh, to cry, to shout it from the bloody rooftops...
It made it official.
Lee really wanted to marry her.
Madeleine smiled brightly. "Yes," she laughed. "I'll marry you."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Thank God!"
He found himself, laughing, and he lifted the ring from its soft, cushion. Taking her left hand, he pushed it onto her wedding finger. Just by being on her hand, the ring looked that much better. He pressed his lips together; getting up, but still holding her hand, and adjusting the ring.
"It's a bit big," he said, disappointed. "I can have Jude fix that later- what do you think of his craftsmanship?" Lee glanced at her, smiling. "He used some sort of special silver... he said you'd know where the ring came from if I told you... um... something about the Coldplay song- Fix You? He said you were fixed now, or something."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine bit down on her lip, as she remembered their conversation in the gardens that night. She moved her hand out, studying the ring on her hand, and her face relaxing into that smile again.
It was Lee's ring... but thanks to Jude, there was an little bit of Shaun in there, too. Madeleine now had something that symbolised her commitment to Lee, how much she loved him, and what was going to happen next... and it also showed the person who had brought Lee to her.
And as Jude had said, that she was fixed now.
Seemingly ignoring those last words, Madeleine resolved to thank Jude later, and smiled up at Lee. "It's beautiful; it really is."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee smiled at her in appreciation. "That sapphire took a while to get right, but Jude did all the real work..."
Sure, he could conjure metal, or a ring, but to get that real finishing touch, it was always better to work from scratch, with a real bender.
"Glad you like it," he said a little teasingly, glancing at her shyly. "You might just have to wear it every day for the rest of your life."