Great Escape

Claire swims faster and faster away from Joe’s manic splashing, Joe laughs. “You given up yet”? “No way”! Claire cals out from further into the sea, Joe smirks before swimming quicker toward her and capturing her in his arms while she squeals. “How about now”? “Such a cheat”! She giggles. “Am I now”? Joe whispers into her ear before slowly kissing the side of Claire’s face and down her neck, his breath warm against her cold wet skin. She closes her eyes, unable to resist his touch. “Mm, uh play fair” she whines. Joe gives her a sly smile, kissing her shoulders. “Does this mean you’ve given up”? She tries to break away but he grips tighter to her and spins her around to face him. He pulls her in and kisses her passionately, taking her bottom lip in between his teeth, he feels her begin to melt against him and pulls away leaving her breathless and panting. “Give up”. He murmurs. Claire raises an eyebrow, smiling defiantly. “Or what”? Joe smirks back at her. “I know you didn’t want me to pull back just then”. Claire shrugs. “So”? “Surrender and we can quit the water war and keep doing this”…. He pulls her in again, wrapping his arms around her, stroking up and down her wet back as she shivers. He began to trail his hands up to her hair but retracts just shy of it, causing her to groan in frustration. “That’s emotional blackmail”! Joe smirks again, raising his eyebrow this time. “Is that what you call it”? Claire folds her arms, stepping back a little. “What would you call it then”? He takes her hands and looks deep into her eyes in that way that always makes her heart flutter. “Charming negotiation”. He whispers. She rolls her eyes. “Fine, ok, whatever, you win, you are the king of the water fight”. Joe smiles triumphantly as Claire wraps her arms around his neck. “Now kiss me”. She crashes her lips to his and kisses him desperately, he responds in kind, a thrill shooting through her as his hands finally made their way through her hair, her favourite place. Claire lets out an audible gasp, before pulling away and resting her forehead against his. “I’m gonna really enjoy punishing you for using your charms against me like that”. She breathes out, a mischievous glint appears in Joe’s eyes at her words. “It’s not my fault you find me so irresistible”. “Oh it so is”. She retorts. “I’m gonna show you just how much I blame you”. Claire takes Joe’s hand and tugs him out of the ocean, they burst into fits of laughter as they race back to their hotel room. 

A little later they find themselves wrapped in each other’s arms, Claire resting her head on Joe’s chest as he strokes her hair. “This is nice”. She comments with a contented sigh,Joe smiles, kissing the top of her head. “Yeah it is, I’m sorry we haven’t been out here in a while it’s just, all that stuff with my family and work”- “hey”. Claire interrupts, sitting up to face him and softly kissing his lips. “It’s fine, besides, we’re here now aren’t we”? “Just the two of us”. Joe smiles back at her. “Just the two of us”. He repeats, kissing the top of her head again as she lays back down. “I wish we could stay out here forever”. Joe muses. “Can you imagine it”? “Sun, sand, sea, no one trying to come between us”. Claire closes her eyes and smiles. “Mm, peace, quiet, sounds perfect”. She opens her eyes again and sits up to face him, he sits up too. “But come on, it won’t be like this with your family forever, they just need time to get used to us that’s all”. “Claire it’s been a whole year, if they haven’t gotten used to us by now they never will”. Claire looks down at her lap. “Gee, hah, that’s reassuring”. Joe sighs, lifting Claire’s chin back up to look at him. “I’m sorry, I just meant- look I’m sick of waiting around for their approval ok”? “I love you, and if they can’t except that then screw em”. Claire smiles. “Babe come on their your family you can’t mean that”. “Yeah, we were gonna have a family too until mum stuck her oar in, trust me I mean it, I wish it didn’t have to be like this but”- Joe takes Claire’s hands in his. “They’ve been trying to keep us apart for months and I’m done with letting it happen, hence the getaway, the no phones rule”- Claire giggles. “Yeah you’ve probably got a million notifications you’re gonna have to sort through”. “I don’t care”. He replies before kissing her once more. “I love you”. She smiles. “I love you too”. 

Later that day Claire and Joe walk hand in hand down the beach, sand soothing their fee.: “Do you ever think about the future”? Claire asked after a few moments of comfortable silence. “Like having more kids and that, I mean, I know nothing will ever replace what we could’ve had with Sarah but”- she trails off, focusing her attention on the row of sea shells they’re trying to avoid stepping on, Joe gives her hand a gentle squeeze. “Of course I do, all the time, marriage, kids, the whole nine yards, maybe, maybe we could even file an application, try and get Sarah back one of these days”. Claire beams in excitement, jumping up and down a little. “Really”? “You want all that”? “I- I wasn’t sure you’d be ready”. He stops their walk, taking her hands and turning to face her. “Of course I am, and I know getting Sarah back will be hard but I really wanna try, if you’re ready that is”. Claire smiles in delight. “Of course I am, I think about her every single day I just- we have to be prepared for the backlash with your parents”. Joe chuckles, pulling Claire closer to him. “I don’t care, Sarah is our daughter, we never should’ve let them take her from us in the first place, what do you think Claire”? “Wanna be a family again”? She nods, giddy with happiness and wraps him up in a tight hug.

That night, Claire and Joe lay back on deckchairs, gazing up at the stars. “So pretty” Claire marvels, Joe turns to her. “Yeah, you are”. Claire rolls her eyes playfully. “I meant the sky you big cheese ball”. “Come on Claire if I really wanted to be cheesy I could think of way better ways than that”. Claire turns to him with an intrigued smile. “Oh yeah”? “Like what”? “Well”… Joe turns his attention back to the sky and points to a particularly bright star, Claire follows his gaze. “See that star over there, that’s Polaris, also known as the North Star”. Claire giggles. “And if I wanted to be really cheesy”. He turns to face her again: “I’d tell you to make a wish”. Claire sits up slowly, holding his gaze for a long moment before answering with a whisper. “I wish you’d marry me”. Joe splutters, breaking out into a surprised grin. “What”? “And I don’t mean some time later on in the future, I mean in the next few months”. Joe sits up fast, fully taking her in with a delighted chuckle. “Is- is this you proposing”? Claire nods. “Yeah, I know I didn’t exactly plan it and I couldn’t get a ring because of, you know, all the other stuff we’ve got going on”- he cuts her off, shaking his head. “I don’t care about that”- Claire puts a hand on his knee, desperate to continue her impromptu proposal speech. “But I will get you one, I wanna get you one, I just couldn’t wait any longer, I love you so much Joe McCain, you mean everything to me, and I wanna get our daughter back, have more kids and spend the rest of my life with you”. Joe laughs, overjoyed. “So”? “What do you say”? “Will you marry me”? Beyond words, Joe nods enthusiastically, before pouncing on Claire, their lips meeting in the most earth shattering, breath taking of kisses.