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The muted creaking of the rusted door hinges alerts Skye to the presence of another person entering the run down house.
"I think it's gotten worse out there since the last time I snuck out," Grant tells his girlfriend as he enters the room. He removes his filtration mask and hangs it on the hook by the door. "Even the filtration masks don't seem to be enough protection anymore."
"That's why I hardly go outside anymore," Skye says as she stands in front of the poorly patched up window on the other side of the room, watching her city burn all around her. "I think this is the longest one we've ever had." She turns away from the window and walks over to the ratty old couch, sitting down on it. She lets out a cough and lays her head back, closing her eyes for a moment, "I'm so sick of all these raids. And I'm sick of the poor air quality around here. It's getting harder and harder to breath by the day. Sometimes my lungs feel like they're on fire."
He nods his head, "I know, but we just have to—"
"Have to what, Grant?" Skye sits up and looks over at her boyfriend. "What can we possibly do that we haven't already been doing for the last eight months during this damn apocalypse?"
"Have faith," he says quietly, looking at her straight. "And hope. And keep fighting."
"What for?" she scoffs, tossing her hands into the air. "Our families are either dead or in hiding, our friends all left within two months after everything started, we can't even step out the front door without risking being shot because you had to be a part of the damn Resistance, and if we don't die from getting shot we'll definitely die from some random disease that pops up. So tell me what on earth is so damn important to have faith and hope and to keep fighting?"
"Us," he says seriously. He moves over to the couch to sit down next to her. "You and me," he gestures between the two of them, grabbing one of her thin hands in both of his. "We're still here, together. All hell is breaking loose outside and we've stuck together through all of it."
She nods her head, "I know. I'm just…tired," she looks up at him with eyes full of pain, sadness, worry, and exhaustion. "I'm tired of all of this. I just wish it would stop," she tells him with tears brimming her eyes.
He sighs, shifting on the couch to wrap his arm around her shoulders, letting her lean into him. "I'm tired too," he tells her.
A large explosion outside their home makes them both jump in their seats.
Skye curls further into Grant's side, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face in his chest. "I just want this to stop. But there's nothing we can do."
Grant presses a comforting kiss to the top of her head, hugging her tightly to him.
After a minute, he disentangles himself from her and stands up from the couch. He looks down at her and holds his hand out, giving her a small smile, "Dance with me."
She furrows her brows, "What?"
"Dance with me," he repeats.
"We're in the middle of the freaking apocalypse and you want to dance? Are you serious right now?"
He nods his head, "Yeah, I am."
"In case you haven't noticed, there's no music," she reminds him, gesturing to the emptiness of the room, save for the few pieces of worn out furniture.
He shrugs, "There's always a song in your head and in your heart. You told me that, remember?"
She nods with a small smile, "Yeah. I said that when we were young and stupid and thought the world would go on forever."
He chuckles lightly, "It was only five years ago when you told me that. And I've never forgotten it. Now get up here and dance with me."
"I don't think my legs are going to let me stay up for too long," she tells him.
"I'll hold you."
"You aren't going to let up on this, are you?" she asks him.
He shakes his head, "Mm-mm."
She sighs, "Fine." She stands up from the couch and takes his hand in hers, linking their fingers together.
Grant pulls her close, wrapping one arm around her waist while she rests her other up on his shoulder. The two begin to slowly sway back and forth in the middle of the run down living room.
"We haven't danced like this in a long time," Grant says after a few moments.
"Technically we're just swaying," Skye tells him with a small smile. "But I know what you mean. The last time we danced like this was the Senior Prom; the night we finally got together." She lets go of his hand and wraps her arms around his neck.
He smiles back down at her, wrapping his arms around her waist to help hold her up, "Best night of my entire life. But I'm hoping to make this night even better than that one."
"And how are you hoping to do that when the world's literally on fire?"
"Marry me."
Skye's breath hitches, "What?"
"Marry me," he repeats.
"Are you crazy?" she asks him.
He shrugs, "I might be. But what isn't crazy is how I feel about you. I want to marry you. I want to stay right here with you and pretend the world outside doesn't exist."
"I want that too," Skye smiles up at him.
"So is that a yes?" Grant asks her.
She nods her head, "It's a yes."
With a grin on his face, he leans down to softly press his lips against hers.
When they pull apart, Skye moves her arms from around Grant's neck to wrap them around his torso, stepping forward to hug him.
"When do you want to get married?" Grant says into Skye's ear.
She leans back slightly to look up at him, "What?"
"Our wedding," he says again. "When and where?"
"Grant, I don't…"
"Come on, Skye," he gives her a small smile. "Just think about it. When do you want to get married?"
Skye bites her bottom lip between her teeth in thought. "Um, well I've always liked the idea of having a spring wedding," she admits.
"Spring is nice," he says.
She nods slowly, "Yeah. I think we should get married next spring."
"We can definitely do that," he smiles. "What about the where?"
"Hmm," Skye thinks for a moment longer, resting her head back on Grant's chest as they continue to sway to the music in their heads. "Do you remember the field where we met?"
"I think so," he says, a hint of a smile on his face. "But you should probably refresh my memory."
"It's the one right across from the mini mart," she reminds him. "We used to go there after school and hang out."
He slowly nods his head, "I think I'm starting to remember."
"And we'd always make sure to have a couple of dollars on us in case the ice cream truck ever drove by."
"You never had enough," he says.
"But you always had an extra dollar for me," she smiles. "I think we should get married there in the spring. It'll be so beautiful."
Another explosion goes off, making Skye jump again. Grant tightens his hold on her, pressing a lingering and comforting kiss to her hair.
Holding her close, he dips his head down next to her ear and whispers, "Let's meet up far away where astronauts and gravity have opened up the atmosphere, we'll be so safe up here. Navigating the space, we'll create our own star. And I'll name it after you."
"Grant, what are you doing?" Skye asks him.
"Just giving you an idea of what our first dance will be like," he tells her. "You and me, holding each other close, swaying back and forth to the music while all of our family and friends watch on. You've always loved this song and I think it's the perfect song to have our first dance to."
Skye smiles as she closes her eyes, "Yeah, it is. And I can see it, it's beautiful. My dad's crying while you and I dance."
"I'm sure he is," Grant smiles. "What else can you see?"
"Everyone we love is there. And they're all really happy for us."
"Because they're all glad that we're finally doing this."
Another explosion goes off, larger and closer than the last.
Skye holds as tight as she can to Grant as another harsh cough racks her body, bringing to tears to her eyes.
"Keep singing to me," Skye says quietly.
"Whatever you want," he smiles. "You just close your eyes, relax, and think about that wedding we're going to have next spring."
Skye nods her head against him, closing her eyes as another explosion rings out and she coughs again.
Grant tightens his hold and lifts her up slightly to set her feet on top of his. He holds her close, resting the side of his head against hers. He closes his eyes and continues to softly sing to her, "We'll be so calm up there, we'll fly around with the quiet air. The sun will bring us 'round again, inhaling and orbiting. Our great planet will fit on the tip of your thumb. You'll say I finally see how time stops and everything that hurts us drops off."
As he sings, explosion after explosion rings out around their house, making them both jump and hold each other closer.
"I'll be what you want, when everything is gone. Let the world disappear, there are places up here we can hide. We'll be safe way up high, somewhere only we can find."
A crash sounds out as a nearby explosion busts out their already broken window, letting the harsh air flood into their home.
"Keep singing," Skye tells him as she coughs. "It's so wonderful right now." She swallows thickly, "My parents are dancing right next to us, and Fitz and Jemma, even though they still say that they're just friends."
"I'm sure it's all as wonderful as you say it is," he tells her, tears coming to his eyes from the stinging of the air entering their home. He lets out a cough.
"Are you okay?" she asks him and then coughs.
He nods his head, not wanting to worry her, "I'm fine, I promise." He rests his head closer against hers, letting his lips linger by her ear, "And no one's safe from being called out or evaluated. And people change on a whim, so cue the violence. Let's go rescue a planet who's been thrown away, you'll name it...after me. Cause after all we're only...one triumphant bang away from...resting in infinity or darkness or some...brighter place. Let's not waste...one more second on caring about, trying to...figure out what looks right. Cause that can't take away that...you're mine."
As he quietly sings, he feels her body slowly go limp in his arms. When he reaches the end of the verse, he drops a kiss to the top of her head, his eyes shut tight to stop the tears threatening to break through.
Using what little strength he has left, he lifts her body into his arms bridal style and carries her over to the ratty couch. Sitting down on it, he lies back and shifts until he's comfortable, stretched out on the couch. Then he positions her small body so it's lying next to him and tucked into his own body, his arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Just keep dreaming of our wedding, Skye," he says with closed eyes, his face buried in her hair. "It's going to be amazing." He lets out a rough cough and then swallows thickly. He opens his mouth to sing again, "Now I'll be what you want, when everything...is gone. Let the world...disappear, there are places...up here...we can hide. We'll be safe...way up high, somewhere...only we...can find. I'll be what...you want, when everything...is gone. Let the world...disappear, there are...places up here...we can hide. We'll be safe...way up high, somewhere only we...can find."