Something Has To Give

Dreamt Of A Happy Ending

1 year later...

She found herself swimming in documents and things she hadn't yet finished. The desk was a mess and every time she sat down to attempt one of the many things in the pile, she'd get called away for an emergency.

She sat back in the chair with her hands rubbing against her forehead sighing as the door opened. "Really?" "Woah don't shoot the messenger sweet cheeks... Anyway I'm just here to tell you I love you." She smiled up at him before he moved around to her side of the desk.

"Jacob?" He leant down and pushed his lips onto hers before lifting her out of her chair. He turned around so that he could sit down pulling her onto his lap. He pulled his lips from hers before running a hand gently along the side of her face.

"You okay, you look tired." She stared off into space while Jacob placed a hand to her cheek. "Connie? Connie?"

Jacob brushed a hand across her cheek pushing the hair back behind her ear. "Connie? Babe, wake up..." Connie groaned half asleep as she started to come around. "Jacob?" "Yes sweet cheeks-" "Kiss me."

He smiled looking down at her before leaning closer and letting his lips gently caress hers. Jacob moved a hand to cup her cheek as he pecked her lips before kissing her again and deepening it. Connie let her arm fall around his neck savoring the moment of quiet that they still had.

Connie moved her hand up to rest at the base of his neck as she pushed herself as close to him as she could. He parted from her lips with a small smile as he looked down at her. "Good morning, you need a shower this morning or are you going to let me have an extra half an hour with you?" "Mmm you drive a hard bargain."

Jacob smiled once again before Connie pulled him back down to her as the bedroom door opened gently. "I know we agreed you could wake her up but this is not what I thought you meant."

Connie sat up slightly looking to the foot of the bed at her daughter who soon came bounding in. "What's all this in aid of?" "It's your birthday, Jacob helped me choose what to get you." She raised an eyebrow looking towards him as he settled down beside her.

Grace gave the flowers to her Mum who looked down at them with a smile before being passed a small black box. "Sweet heart can you put these on the table for me?" With a nod Grace jumped up moving across the room.

"Tell me this isn't what's going through my head right now Jacob." Connie lowered her voice so that Grace couldn't hear her. "Just open it sweet cheeks." They kept eye contact for a while longer until Grace returned to the room and handed Connie another box.

"Open this one first, this is from me." Connie took the box and began to take the wrapping paper off. She glanced down to see the box had the signature logo of a particular brand she was renowned for, before glancing out of the corner of her eyes to Jacob disapprovingly.

Connie was no stranger to knowing just how much these things cost and she also knew that Jacob didn't have endless funds. She continued to unwrap it before taking the lid off of the box.

Rather than finding what she had anticipated being inside, she found herself looking at several smaller presents. The first thing she took out was a bottle of her favourite perfume followed by some bubble bath and shower things. She lifted out a small red velvet box which contained a pair of silver earrings with her birthstone in the center.

"They're beautiful Grace, thank you-" "There's one more thing in there Mum." Connie frowned before looking down into the box and lifting up the layers of tissue paper. She took a small intake of breath, tears immediately came to her eyes as they caught what Grace was talking about.

She lifted out a brown canvas book which had been tied together with some white ribbon. On the front there was a photo of the three of them, each pulling a face. Connie opened it up and began to flick through the scrapbook of images, each page delicately decorated by Grace.

A stray tear escaped her eye which she wiped away. "What's wrong, do you not like it?" "No baby, it's beautiful. It's the nicest thing anyone has ever given me... Come here." Connie enveloped Grace into a tight hug before she pulled away.

"I'll go wait downstairs, happy birthday Mum." Connie smiled watching as Grace walked away before fiddling with the presents which lay across her lap. She lifted the box and swung her legs off the bed getting up. "I'll have to get round to using these-" "Connie..." "Start relaxing in the evenings-" "Connie."

She continued to ignore him worried about the present he'd bought her. She was in no way ready to agree to marry him but she couldn't lose him either. "I need to get ready for wo-" "Constance Beauchamp will you sit down and be quiet for 5 minutes? Please."

Jacob looked at her as her emotion changed and she finally sat back down on the bed. "Sorry, I just... I can't have this conversation Jacob-" "Then let me at least give you your present before you start." He passed over the black box which she looked down at before opening.

Inside was a small silver ring which featured two interlocking hearts. It was decorated with light blue crystals which twinkled as the light hit them. "It's not me asking you to marry me Connie..." She took a small breath, relief washing over her.

"This is me saying that I promise to always look after you and Grace. That I promise to always love you and Grace like she was my own daughter. This is me promising, that one day I will watch you walk down the aisle as Connie Beauchamp my beautiful girlfriend before leaving as my wife."

Connie found herself lost for words as Jacob took the box from her and removed the ring. He held onto her hand before sliding the ring easily onto her finger. "I love you Connie, so much-" She lifted a hand to his cheek kissing him before he finished.

She moved back looking into his eyes with a smile. "I love you too, it's beautiful and knowing that one day you'll be my husband is perfect." He leant in and kissed her again before she sat up running a hand through her hair.

"I'm going to have a shower while you get ready for work." Connie smiled kissing him once more as he got out of the bed and wandered towards the bathroom. As she got up and began taking things out of the wardrobe Jacob spoke from the doorway.

"And by the way, the shoes from that box are by the door downstairs... You're black dress would look really good with them." Connie turned to see a smug smile on his face before he closed the door.

After hearing the shower turn on Connie sat back down picking up the scrapbook from the bed. Turning the pages slowly she paid more attention to the photos before her. There were ones of her and Grace from years ago, ones of her with Elliot and the odd one with Sam. Images from times she'd spent with Jacob before Grace came home, right up until now.

She was so engrossed she hadn't noticed Jacob turn the water off and leave the bathroom. He stood behind her watching over her shoulder as she slowly turned the pages. "I told Grace that you'd like that."

Connie smiled with a small nod looking at the final picture. They were all so happy and for once it wasn't just a distant memory. She really was happy, here and now. Everything in her life was finally balanced; her work, her love life and her daughter.

"Move in with us-" "What?" Connie put the book down and stood up before him. "You, me and Grace. It's everything I've wanted from the start and now that I have that I don't want to let it go... Move in with me Jacob."

Grace stood unnoticed in the doorway, a smile growing on her face. "You mean that?" "Of course I mean it. Is that a yes?" Jacob laughed moving forwards and picking her up. "Yes! I love you so much Connie." He pushed his lips onto hers before Grace ran into the room hugging the two of them.

There was no such thing as 'the perfect family' but this was hers and finally she no longer had to fight for it.

A/N ~ Thank you for reading this! I always planned on it being a fairly quick one which would end as soon as everything was 'happy'. Hope you enjoyed it, I've got some new things waiting which I'll start posting over the summer :) Laura x