Chapter Text
C.J. examined the ring which sparkles on her finger and believed it to be quite beautiful especially when the light hit it just right. She lay on the couch in the cabin of Matt's Lear Jet as it flew back to L.A. after taking off from Anchorage. She heard Matt bustling around in the small galley for some fixings to make them a meal while Murray regaled her with stories of what had been happening with Houston Enterprises while both of them had been gone.
They had left Cicely a couple days previously after spending a final week in the rustic town together on what C.J. called one of her favorite places on earth. She told the townsfolk before she left that she planned on visiting them again and they all told her after presenting her and Matt with a very unique plaque and key to the city to not make themselves strangers. Just before they left, Shelli's water had broke during C.J.'s final Scrabble tournament with the town's women and she and Hollings rushed off to find Joel at the Elk's Club and he and Marilyn delivered their new son, Hollings Jr. of course. Both mother and baby had been resting comfortably and getting to know each other and as for the proud father, he was just fine once Marilyn revived him from where he had fainted on the floor.
Hollings woke up where Joel reminded him that he had become a father for the first time at the age of 64.
Matt and C.J. spent some time with them and their new baby which C.J. got to hold in her own arms, imagining it would be like when her own little one arrived. The first of the next generation of Houstons, she thought with a smile. Oh Matt would make damn sure of that as he had been already calling around making plans while she had started the process of shopping around for a new house for their growing family. Somewhere just outside of the bustling city with plenty of room for all their children that would certainly come to run around and play, filling the air with joy and laughter.
C.J. pulled the comforter closer around her while Murray deftly changed subjects on the turn of a dime as he often did.
"I don't know how Maurice is going to do it, but that shopping mall is going to be beautiful," he said, breathlessly, "Just what the town needs, a crown jewel."
C.J. snorted.
"Oh Murray, you know that will never happen," he said, "Maurice likes to run the show, every show but ultimately he'll have to take a back seat to what the town wants."
Murray shook his head.
"You just can't stop the flow of progress and the mother of innovation and all that," he said, "It's like a rushing river that can't be stopped."
C.J. let Murray prattle on half-listening when she heard a small crash coming from the galley.
"Houston, are you okay in there?"
"Fine just fine C.J."
He sounded somewhat less than totally confident.
"Would you like me to come there and help you?"
He laughed.
"C.J. the kind of help I want from you," he said, "isn't appropriate for Murray's ears."
She smiled and looked over at Murray who looked up startled from his monologue.
"What, did someone just say my name?"
C.J. suppressed her own laughter.
"No Murray, everything's just fine," she said, "Houston's busy making us some lunch."
Murray shrugged and continued talking and she heard every third word. Matt finally came out with a tray of what looked like slices of pizza and what looked like champagne. On closer examination, it turned out to be a bottle of sparkling grape soda in deference to her condition.
"Oh Houston, this is lovely…"
He smiled and sat down on the couch beside her.
"I just think we've got some celebrating to do," he said.
She winked at him.
"Haven't we been doing that?"
His face flushed just enough to make her smile and reach out to stroke it.
"Houston, I'm just happy that we're back together and ready to get back to our lives," she said.
Murray had his own reading of the situation which he felt free to share with them.
"There's a stack of paperwork waiting at the office that I couldn't fax, you've got a board meeting and two staff meetings and the helipad needs…"
Matt held up his hand.
"Murray we'll get to that soon enough," he said, and then started pouring the juice into three glasses, "But right now I'd like you to share in our celebration of our engagement day 10.
"Well it's not going to hurt the company's stock now that you two are engaged," Murray said, "In fact, it might even help it."
"Your glass please Murray."
Murray looked at it strangely then his face brightened.
"Oh, a toast of course," he said, "I can do that."
And the three of them toasted the future and what lay ahead for them.
Later on, Matt and C.J. lay on the couch underneath the carpenter, with his arms around her as she snuggled close to him to get that rest that she had promised him she would on the flight back. The delicious food had made her sleepy and she started to drift off. He smiled as he felt her gentle weight against him. They had washed dishes in the galley and of course found other things to do in there to keep themselves busy with Murray none the wiser. After readjusting their clothes, they headed back to the couch hand in hand.
"Miss anything," Matt asked casually.
C.J. bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Murray looked up from his journal, his eyes perplexed behind his glasses.
"Nothing to miss big guy," he said, "We'll be landing soon. We're entering into California airspace."
C.J. looked at Matt and then her expression changed.
"What is it C.J.?"
Her mouth formed a smile and her eyes became filled with wonder.
"I just felt it," she said, placing her hands on her abdomen, "The baby moved…there it happened again."
Matt's eyes looked hopeful.
"May I?"
She just looked at him and nodded. He gently placed her hands where hers had been and she placed her own on top of his. His face changed and the expression so damned priceless that C.J. wished she could store it inside a memory book forever.
"I'll be damned," he whispered in awe, "He's a lively one isn't he?"
She rolled her eyes but in play.
"He could be a she Houston," she said, "and yes, I think I've got a soccer player inside there."
"A football player," Matt corrected, "A star quarterback for Rice University…"
She chuckled and while his hands began generating some heat inside of her again, she kissed him lightly on the mouth, her lips whispering promises without words. In between, he rested his forehead against hers.
"I love you so much C.J."
She smiled and kissed him again.
"Just remember that when we're up all night feeding the little one and neither of us has slept in days," she said.
He smiled broadly.
"I can't wait…"
"It's going to be great to get home at last," she said.
Matt nodded of course, counting the minutes until they reached his beach house and would be alone, just the two…well the three of them. C.J. had snuggled to him almost immediately on the couch where together they soon fell asleep in each others' embrace, where they dreamed of how their complicated lives would intertwine into one strong thread and of the unlimited possibilities still awaiting them.
Murray continued to read his journal smiling to himself as he looked at the couple, thinking it was about damned time they both came to their senses. And a marriage would surely sent the Houston stock climbing.