Twelve Red Roses (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)

Chapter 40- Goodbye Forever?

•Tom•

Tom turns again, a troubled look on his face. He's been up for two hours now, unable to sleep. Last night with Cass was fantastic, that's for sure, but the thought of today made his head hurt and his stomach churn. There must be some way he can convince her to stay in this short amount of time. He knows how greedy it is to ask this from her, but he decides to do it anyway. About an hour earlier, he had left Cass in bed, and had gone out into the city to get a red rose for her. He hoped this would help his case. This was his eleventh rose to her. The twelfth, and final rose, would come in London, if everything went according to plan. And if it didn't, he knew he would just have to run back into town to get her that last remaining flower. He secretly blamed Sophie for making him forget to get Cass a rose in the last state they were in. 

He moves closer to her, and presses his lips against her neck as she sleeps soundly. His kisses move up and down her skin, and along her jaw as she slowly awakens, groaning lightly at the feeling he gives her.

Cass giggles gently, draping her arm carefully around his neck as she wakes up. "I was sleeping, Tom.." She complains, stretching, though there's a smile on her face.

"We need to talk," he says.

And the smile is suddenly off her face, replaced with an expression equally as serious as his, if not more. It's as though she knows where this conversation is going before she's even told. "Okay," she says softly, sitting up in bed. 

He sits up alongside her, and takes her hands in his. And then he sits there. Valuable time passes as he sits there and stares at their hands. 

"You know I love you," he finally starts, meeting her eyes. They're an icy, cold blue with a hint of grey, as always, yet they look so warm and welcoming to him. And scared. 

She nods slowly. "And you know I love you."

"But do I? How am I supposed to know you're not just throwing those words around without really meaning it? You're leaving. Would you really do that if you truly loved me?"

Tom regrets the words as soon as they exit his mouth, and sees Cass' surprised look. He knows her feelings for him. No one can deny the fact she cares for him. So why does he feel like she's not doing her part?

"I'm leaving," she starts, her voice soft, "because I'm not sure if I can pack up my life and move to a whole different country with a celebrity. Even if I love them more than life itself."

He nods, looking down. He feels her hands shaking slightly, as if she may cry.

"I know I'm asking a lot of you. I'm sorry. I just want the both of us to be happy."

"...What exactly are you asking of me?" She asks, as though he can put this all into one definition. 

But he can. "Well, basically... I'm asking you to elope with me."

"Elope..." She repeats. "The act of running away with an intention to marry, usually without parent's consent."

"That's the closest word I can think of," he says with a light shrug. 

"So... You're asking me to...?"

Tom suddenly hops up from the bed and makes his way to her side, dropping onto one knee, grabbing her hands. 

"Marry me, Cassidy? Or, if you can't do that, at least do me the honors of living in London with me so I can ask you this same question within a year's time. Whenever you're ready."

She looks as though she doesn't believe his words, though he is completely serious. 

"You're just asking me that because I'm leaving," she whispers.