Chapter 42

I: Isaac was preparing his speech for a very long time. He had spent the entire day trying to pick out the appropriate outfit, while also wondering if Jess would actually go to the ball at all. He was not sure if she even wanted to bother going, or if she wanted to listen to whatever it was, he had to say about how he had become a success in the hunting of demons. Isaac knew Jess was a major part of his success, especially since the whole reason he was promoted was because he brought her back to the group while everyone thought Jess was a lost cause. She was not lost, she simply needed to find her way back, and Isaac had discovered that Seth was her way back. Now that she was able to be back with her family, Jess had become more of a success than any of them could have foreseen, and Isaac wanted to be sure to recognize that tonight.

Isaac was called to give his speech, but before he was able to go to the stage, he took another glance at the room. When he finally saw Jess, he was completely astonished that she arrived with such an elegant and elaborate appearance. He stared at her guiltily, and it just kept reminding him how he lost something so precious, so perfect in his life simply because of his own selfishness and greed. Isaac held the speech he had written in his sweating palms, and he glanced back at her, only for his heart to stop. Isaac swore, he swore for the life of him, that he saw the ring on her finger. His eyes pierced her, as people began to walk between them, blocking his sight. He pushed past them, his eyes on her hand, and before he could call her name, his heart completely stopped. It was his ring! His engagement ring that he had given her was unique, special, and crafted especially for her. Of course, she would wear it, but why? Why would she choose tonight to wear the ring that would bind them forever if they decided to get married? That was a gift he had given her for the sake of being with her for the rest of his life. Why did she put it on? What did it mean? Was she going to stay? Was she going to marry him? did she wear it to hurt him? Did she wear it to make him proud, happy, surprised, and emotional? Why would she wear it? Why would she put that ring on unless she truly loved him!

Isaac began to pull at his striped tie, trying to relieve the pressure on his neck. The microphone was passed to him and he was forced up the stairs to speak. He stood there dumbfounded at the podium, his eyes glancing at Jess wondering how she could show up at this moment with that ring on her finger. "Hello, everyone. Thank you for...coming." He tried to speak up, his voice wavering as he tried to un-crumple his notes. "My name is Isaac, but most of you know me as Zack. I...used to be one of you. Just a regular guy, trying to make the world a safer place for humans." He swallowed hard as he realized...he could not say the same speech he wrote. If Jess had come wearing that ring, then that meant there was hope for them. He had to speak as if that hope was as much alive in her as it was in him. He took a deep breath and smiled as he stuffed the paper into his pocket.

"When I was younger, my parents told me that tragedy would strike no matter if I knew about the existence of demons or not. That means, bad things are always going to happen. So, I would ask my parents, how did they have hope to survive if they always knew terrible things were coming? They answered me, that you have to hope that by doing a little saving every day, that the bad things will get pushed further back. Fight for one more day. Have hope for one more day. Eventually, you will see the sun come up and the clouds disappear." Isaac then looked to Jess. "I found someone who showed me that. As we all have someone we care about. They are probably in this room, they are probably human, probably someone innocent in our lives that we want to protect. They are the reason we fight and the reason we continue to have hope. I was elevated to this position because I kept fighting. Even when I lost my family, and almost lost...the person I loved more than myself. I kept fighting. Because the world I lived in needed me, the Institute needed me, and it needs all of you too. Every single one of us makes this world a safer place, and even if the war is ongoing, as long as we keep fighting, we can keep the bad things from happening. I found something worth fighting for." Isaac looked at everyone, but he then looked at Jess, and nervously he smiled. "Have a good evening everyone. Thanks for coming to celebrate."

Isaac smiled as everyone began to clap for him, and he shook hands with Alexander and the other officials who had promoted him. He accepted his new title and took a few photographs. Once his speech was over, he went down to speak to Jess. He tried to move among all of the people, and when he finally reached her, he took her by the hand and he gently kissed it and rubbed his fingers softly over the ring. "Jess? By the end of the night, I need to know what this means for us." He said, speaking about her wearing his ring. He pulled her closer to him, and he softly kissed her neck. "You're so beautiful Jess. Please dance with me."

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B: Jess had Isaac struggling on the stairs. She felt bad. He was normally good in front of people. She watched him closely from behind her brother's shoulder. She would have to talk with Alex later about her decision about Paris. She noticed that Isaac stuffed his notes in his pocket, and she stiffened a little. Would he call her out? Would he make a big deal of her leaving? Was he drunk? When he started to talk Jess felt something inside her. She listened to him carefully.

As he finished his speech Jess started to make her way over to him. She waited till Alex was gone and she stopped in front of him. He took her hand and kissed it. Then spoke, "Jess? By the end of the night, I need to know what this means for us." his words rung in her ears. When he asked her to dance and called her beautiful, she only nodded. She wanted to tell him then and there, but she couldn't.

The music started back up and Jess was in Isaac's arms. She tried not to press herself to close but she did keep herself close to him. They twirled and swayed to the music as the song ended Alex walked up and asked Jess to come with him. She looked at Isaac and smiled. "I will be back." She turned and left with Alex. A few moments later she returned and found Isaac. "Isaac, your speech was very touching." She said softly to him.

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I: Isaac held onto Jess, his arms at a modest position as he touched her and swayed with her to the light music. His eyes were watching her, and she seemed as if she was holding in her thoughts. Isaac did not press her, but he did continue to look into her eyes as he carried her across the dance floor. She was beautiful, and as he glanced at the ring on her finger, he imagined they truly were married. When Alex came to her, Isaac did not want to let her go so soon. He released her regardless and waited patiently for her to return.

Standing on the side, his arms folded as he waited, he looked more like a gentleman desperate for answers and willing to wait forever for those answers he needed. But he did not have to wait forever, she was already on her way back. Isaac walked up to her, and he smiled, gently taking hold of her again. "I meant every word of it Jess. You inspired me. I want you to know that I love you, Jess. I will do whatever needs to be done to stay by your side. I will change, Jess. I will change for you. Can I take you home after a few more dances? I want to know how our future will be and...Jess I am afraid." Isaac took her hands and pulled her into his arms, and he kissed her lips passionately. He hugged her to his chest not letting her slip away again. "I am afraid to lose you again."

B: Jess smiled as he spoke. "Isaac, you can take me home. I would love that. I have something important to tell you before we go any farther." She said and placed her hand on his chest as he kissed her. "I'm not going to Paris. I can't. My life here is the life I want." She said and hugged him closely. "I don't want to lose you, either." She said resting against him. "I am wearing your ring because I want to be with you. I want to marry you, still. I love you too much not to. I will change to. I promise to stop with the stupid fights." She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him deeply.

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I: Isaac felt he was not even in his own skin. He felt like a man who was watching this all happen from a distance. He believed this was a dream, a dream that not only had come true, but a dream that would never be tarnished by the past beliefs that what he was experiencing right now would never last. It would last, and he would be sure to make it last, forever. Forever.

Isaac could not believe the words she spoke, not until she pulled him for the most passionate kiss he had ever felt. Emotions ripped through him, all that he had done to Jess, all the pain caused her had left so much guilt that now in this kiss and he was free of it, he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He kissed her, kissed her deeper, and he grabbed his love into his arms and spun her around as he laughed in so much joy that she had said yes. Jess had said yes. His life would never, ever be the same.

Isaac took Jess hand, and he held it close. "I want to marry right away Jess. I am afraid that if we don't, something may happen, and I cannot risk losing you again. However, I know that weddings are special, they are important. So, I want to be sure that you have the wedding of your dreams. That is why we will wait, and we will plan, and we will make your special day perfect. But for now..." Isaac gently picked her up in his arms. "...for tonight, you are mine."

Isaac kissed her softly and he began to carry her out of the ballroom, and there was a resounding ovation as they left together.

-

Back at home, Isaac removed his suit jacket, and he poured some chilled wine into glasses for them. He sat on the edge of the bed, and he handed her a glass. "A toast, to our friendship, and then to our love. I hope that no matter what happens, we always find a way back to one another." Isaac took her hand, and he softly kissed her fingers, and he took a sip of the wine.

"Jess. Tell me everything that you want. I want to know what is in your heart. For tonight, for our future, everything. Tell me what I can do to make you the happiest woman in the world. Is it love? Children? A big beautiful house on a lake? I want to know your dreams Jess. Give me the knowledge to make them all come true."

B: Jess smiled when he picked her up and twirled her around. "Isaac, put my feet on the ground, please." She said with a smile. But her smiled faded when he started to talk about them marrying now. "Isaac, we can't. There is a lot I want to do before you fully settle down." She said softly to him. "But I want to do them with you." As he picked her up and carried her out of the Institution she blushed deeply. "Isaac….never mind." She smiled and snuggled into him.

When Isaac handed her the glass and made the toast she smiled. "Isaac, I don't want to fight like we have been. I can't live like that. I think we should both go to a counselor. Together." She smiled and looked at him wirily. She was hoping he would not get upset at this statement.

She smiled when he asked about her dreams. "All I want for tonight is it to be us. As for the future, yes, I do want children. I would like a vacation house on a lake, but I still have my parents. Seth won't go there, but I have been there a few times. It hurts but I love the place. We can figure out the rest as we go. You make me happy." She said walking over to him and kissing him gently.