All She Is • •

[gabriel pearce fitzpatrick]

His Gramps had given him the ring when he had taken Fallon home to the ranch in Lincoln. That was how sure he had been that Gabe wasn’t just temporarily lovesick, but that this was the real thing; the kind of love people searched their whole lives for. The young scholar had kept the ring hidden behind some old books – the kind with titles of tribal brutality Fallon wouldn’t dare touch. He knew she was prone to making herself at home in the apartment he shared with Myles, so he had to be completely sure she wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon the old, worn box when she was bored one day. Those books were the kind that would turn her green and she knew it already. Gabe knew that, so it had stayed there ever since, at least until they had returned from LA, where Gabe had made his intentions clear to Trevor. He would never have been able to propose without speaking to him first. Gabe held too much respect for both him and traditions to just go on ahead with asking Fallon to be his wife. He had needed to let Trevor know that he would spend the rest of his days doing right by her, making her happy, and doing everything he could to make her dreams come true.

After that, he just needed to get the ring out of the box and onto the finger he so badly wanted to see it on. It had belonged to his grandmother. Edward’s wife had passed many years ago, and Edward had held onto the ring with every intention to give it to Gabe when he knew the time was right. Fallon was the one destined to wear it next, both grandfather and grandson were sure of that when they looked at the family heirloom. Gabe thought about making some big, grand gesture to Fallon, but he also knew how clumsy he could be and saw a million ways that would go wrong. In the end he opted to stick with something simple, and just had to bide his time until everything was right. Eventually, he had a day off and Fallon was off out to see Immy and spend the day with Freddie. Gabe knew that meant she wouldn’t be home until the evening, and he could set his plan into motion.

Gabe let himself into Fallon’s place using his spare key. He put the bag of things he had brought with him on the couch and began pulling things from it. His plan was to cover the place in fairy lights, but after the fourth set was up he heard the snap, crackle and pop of a power surge in the extension and then everything went out. Grimacing, he glanced around and realised that regardless of how many nights he had spent here, he had no clue where the fuse box was. Quickly, he pulled everything down, shoved it away and reverted to Plan B. He raced out and bought up boxes of candles, returning back to Fallon’s to place them everywhere and then tracked down a box of matches. He burnt the tips of his fingers several times lighting them all, but when he was done the main room was aglow with vanilla scented candles. Gabe hadn’t realised they were scented in his haste to buy them, but at least they were all the same. He scattered the rose petals everywhere next, making sure not to let any fall too close to the flames, and leading a trail of them towards the front door, but not so noticeable that Fallon would see them immediately after she returned home and pushed open the front door.

It was a simple, safe layout, but with Gabe that was probably for the best. He didn’t want their memory of this night to include a trip to the ER for treatment after his clumsy nature had left him needing a doctor and then for the whole department to know that he had botched his proposal efforts with the woman he loved. He might have blown a fuse and cost Fallon her electrics for the time being, and he might have a stinging sensation in the tips of a few fingers, but he was in one piece. Gabe checked over everything and put the bag of useless fairy lights out of sight in a cupboard for the time being. The ring box was in the pocket of his jeans, safe until he needed it. He heard the key in the door and quickly moved to the centre of the room, dropping to one knee, feeling his bad knee pull slightly at the position that it didn’t really want to be in. It was worth the strain though. Fallon always would be.

• • •

TAGGED! Fallon Alexandra Flynn
WORDS! 798!
OUTFIT! Nervous Nerd!
LYRICS! A Thousand Years Part 2 - - - Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee
NOTES! <3

[Fallon Alexandra Flynn]

Fallon’s schedule seemed to be busier than ever since she and Gabe returned from LA. If she wasn’t in the classroom, it felt like she was at an airport, on location or in her office working to right wrongs made without her notification. Ettie was excellent at her job but there were things that even she couldn’t deal with and they both knew it. But then if Ettie could do everything, Fallon would be out a job! And Fallon really loved what she did at the studio, often thinking she should return full time. But then she stood in front of the lecture hall full of eager faces, waiting expectantly for her to give them sage advice about the film industry and she thought maybe one more year. It was something that she would probably say every year for a few more before she really did decide it was time to return to her very first job, the one she knew she really couldn’t have ever left.

She missed Gabe though when she and Ettie had to run off and he couldn’t go with them. It killed her to know that sometime he would already be asleep or already up and gone by the time she had a chance to get a Skype call in. They still had text messages and midnight phone calls but it wasn’t the same as being with him. The job at the university gave her those few days where she would definitely be in the city and spending her nights curled up next to him, waking up with him, even on the days where she could sleep until ten just so she could have breakfast with him before he ran off to do what he needed to do. That day had been no different really, except instead of spending the day with Gabe, she had gotten dressed and headed straight over to Imogen’s to spend the day with her best friend and her favourite, and only but who was counting, nephew.

Fallon hadn’t honestly known what she would be like around little Freddie. She had been so happy for Imogen and happy to spoil the little she was having but she had honestly been terrified she was going to do something and didn’t want to hold Freddie at first for fear of dropping him or something. But Imogen had laughed at her ridiculousness and told her if she was that nervous to sit on the couch and work from there slowly. He was still so small but was growing so fast and Fallon felt lucky she could be there to see it. Of course, it didn’t mean she was sure she wanted children of her own but Freddie was warming her heart to the idea. Gabe would be an excellent parent, so if she royally fucked up like her own did, at least they would have Gabe to make up for having a rotten mother.

It was an idea to wonder about later when she wasn’t out shopping with Imogen and sweet little baby Freddie. Time seemed to fly by and before Fallon felt even remotely tired from their excursion, she was dropping the mother and son off and helping Imogen up the stairs with her shopping bags. She kissed Freddie’s forehead, hugged Immy and promised to see her the next afternoon to take Freddie of her hands for a couple hours alone before returning to her vehicle and heading back to her place. When she got home, she would call Gabe and let him know she was back and figure out what sort of plans they could come up with. Maybe she would put on one of the dresses she’d picked up and talk him into go out to dinner somewhere. She cut the engine once she was in her assigned parking space and just sat there for a second, reply to a text message from Trevor. He was always sending her messages and links to cat videos on youtube and other completely ridiculous things. The man should never have been shown how to use social media.

With her reply sent, she put her phone away, gathered her things and after locking up her SUV headed up to her place, thinking of all the restaurants she could get reservations for on short notice. She unlocked the door, setting her bags just inside on the floor, she could deal with them once she knew what her plans were and set her keys in the decorative bowl Myles constantly teased her about. At least she knew where her keys were when she went to get them while he spent an hour searching the apartment for his! She didn’t bother switching on the lights, she knew her way around her own apartment well enough without them so instead started up and stopped, noticing for the first time the flower petals on the ground. Confused and intrigued, she continued to the living room and saw Gabe down on one knee. Her heart kicked into high gear and she felt tears of joy well up in her eyes, realising instantly what was happening. “Gabe?”

Tag || gabriel pearce fitzpatrick
Words | 885
Clothes || Surprised Professor
Music || Heart Shaped Wreckage --Smash Cast
Notes || <3

[gabriel pearce fitzpatrick]

Gabe knew that proposing to Fallon would be the best thing he ever did; if she said yes. He loved her with all of his being, and knew that the rest of his life needed her in it, or else it wouldn’t be worth living at all. He had his books and his pets, but they could only offer him so much. Fallon was the rest. She always had been, even when she hadn’t realised it. Gabe had been a lovesick puppy back when he shouldn’t have been, pining over a girl he had thought he would never have a chance with. Now he wanted to make sure no one else had a chance with her. His feelings were strong and anyone with eyes or ears could understand just how crazy he was for the film and media professor. Hell, he had only gone back to his PhD research the day after he had burst into her classroom and already the whispers were buzzing about the scene he had made. Thankfully, in the library, he was a little too bookish to have people pester him, so no one had really approached him to find out what had gone down. People just eventually knew that he was head over heels for Fallon, and she him. The rest was their story to have to themselves, and he supposed anyone they chose to tell; like Myles.

His best friend didn’t know about this right now. Only because Gabe knew that telling him would bring about a whole bunch of Pi Kappa Phis. A group of Frat brothers in New York City would arouse suspicious from Fallon if she bumped into them, and there would only be a small number of reasons for them to be there. Plus, even if he did convince Myles to postpone the Greek invasion, he didn’t trust his best friend not to accidentally let something slip on a night out beforehand. Myles was really like a brother to him, but there were times when Gabe wished he had the strength to at least lump him one. No, everything about this proposal was between himself and the reflection in the bathroom mirror. Trevor knew of his intentions, and Edward knew he had the ring, but Gabe had kept everything else to himself, too afraid of jinxing something.

Hearing Fallon set his heart racing. He was more nervous now than he had ever been in his life. Plus, it was difficult to stay in this position with his knee hating every position apart from one that involved lying in bed. Still, he wouldn’t give in because of his injuries. He wanted this to be perfect; it had to be. “Fallon, I loved you seven years before we shared our first kiss. And in those seven years I knew I wanted to spend all of my life with you. I know that sounds crazy, but I was crazy, and I still am crazy – for you. I want to be the man to make all of your dreams come true and chase away your nightmares. I want to make you the happiest woman alive, but first, I need you to make me the happiest man. So will you, Fallon Alexandra Flynn? Will you marry me?” He pulled the ring box out from his pocket and popped the lid, revealing his grandmother’s ring resting against the black cushion. Gabe wobbled slightly in his position, but managed to hold on. He wasn’t budging from that spot, not even if his knee broke again, not until Fallon had given him an answer.

• • •

TAGGED! Fallon Alexandra Flynn
WORDS! 598!
OUTFIT! Nervous Nerd!
LYRICS! A Thousand Years Part 2 - - - Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee
NOTES! <3

[Fallon Alexandra Flynn]

Fallon had been head over heels for Gabe since practically the minute they’d met really; she just hadn’t known it. If she hadn’t been in that stupid excuse of a relationship, she probably would have done something, flirted maybe but she’d had a boyfriend and that had never happened. But it did give them something that most couples didn’t get when they first started dating. They knew what they were getting into far before they’d shared that first kiss. Fallon appreciated that. Gabe had seen her at her absolute worst, had comforted her through what she’d thought had been the worst day of her life. He put up with her addiction to movies, sitting through endless hours of them, despite the fact that he really couldn’t stand them just for her. And though she hadn’t been there for his worst days, she knew about them, and had helped him through the days where the pain from that was too much.

The next logical step would be marriage but there was a small part of Fallon that thought because she was terrified of having children, Gabe would one day leave her for someone who would want them, despite how completely, foolishly in love they were. He`d told her a dozen times that it was stupid to think that. He loved her and they would figure it all out but she still wondered. If what if’s were money, she’d have far more money than she did. Or she would have none at all since her only real what if’s were about children. Freddie was making it easier, they all knew it which was why Fallon had a feeling Imogen was a little more lax with the California blonde taking the baby off her hands for a few hours. Sure, it gave Imogen time to do what she needed but it was also the chance to get Fallon used to the idea of children constantly in her life. She didn’t want to look back at eighty and think she’d missed something.

For so long she’d had the mindset that she’d end up just like her own mother but it was kind of stupid when she thought about it. That woman had raised her, Trevor had and he’d been a wonderful parent. Firm when he needed to be, disciplined her when she’d done something wrong but also rewarded her when she did something exceptional. If anything, that would be the kind of parent she would be but her mind wouldn’t let her think that way. Someone she’d managed to get the idea that it was in her blood to walk out. However, none of that really mattered at the moment and Fallon was getting into her own head too much; once again. Seeing Gabe kneeling in the middle of the floor had all her thoughts flying from her head all at once.

She was completely speechless as she listened to Gabe give his little prepared speech. It was so sweet, the happiest tears she’d ever wept poured freely down her cheeks and her laugh sounded drowned but she still managed to nod her head as she rushed to Gabe. “Yes.” She said, pulling Gabe to his feet again. She couldn’t stand to see him kneeling there knowing it was killing his leg. “Yes. Absolutely yes.” She said, reaching up to press a kiss to Gabe’s lips now that he was standing again. She held her hand out to him so he could put the stunning ring on her finger. It was simple but so perfect. “I love you so much.” She said, laughing happily as she tried to dry her cheek.

Tag || gabriel pearce fitzpatrick
Words | 659
Clothes || Surprised Professor
Music || Heart Shaped Wreckage --Smash Cast
Notes || <3

[gabriel pearce fitzpatrick]

Despite knowing Fallon for as long as he had, and going through so much with her, Gabe could still be surprised by her. It was a good thing, because without a few surprises he was pretty sure he would have been bored a long time ago. He knew the signs of a bad day without needing to ask about it, and he knew exactly how to cheer her up. However, they were still finding new things together. Places to try for date nights, or reading about places online that they wanted to add to their vacation list. Not that they were jetting off often given that work kept them both busy and Gabe had previously been working to deadlines like most other students. At least now he had a bit more freedom when it came to submitting papers and carrying out his research. There were some sites and locations he wanted to go to now for future publications that he didn’t think Fallon would enjoy too much given her aversion to some of his favourite topics, but it was work, just like she took Ettie to places when production needed her out there for some reason. It was one of the things he thought kept their love alive and their fights few; they had their lives away from each other even if they crawled into the same bed to sleep at the end of the day.

Gabe knew that there were parts of the future that scared Fallon. Parts scared him, too, but maybe not to the same extent. He already knew he wanted a family. He wanted kids who shared Fallon’s passion for life and maybe his lust for knowledge running around in a place they called home, filled with pets who made keeping clothes clean a nearly impossible feat. He knew that idea was practically terrifying to Fallon, but he hoped that by proposing she would see that he was willing to wait for her and no one else. That future had only her as his wife and the mother to his children. He didn’t want to and would never pressure her, but he knew she was spending time with Imogen and Freddie to try and lessen her fears. To him, it was a big step from her for him and this was him reciprocating and finding his way of showing that he was going nowhere in life without her. It didn’t matter where it took them, it would always be them.

Grinning when he heard that perfect ‘yes’ come from Fallon, he had to balance on his good leg as he slipped the ring onto her finger, holding her hand to see it, take a moment to realise that it was actually there now after weeks of just trying to picture it. Gabe didn’t care that his leg ached now, or that he’d probably limp for a day to make up for what he’d just done. It was damn well worth it to know that he was going to spend the rest of his life with Fallon now and be able to call her his wife! “Good, because you’re stuck with me forever now.” He teased, pulling her close and kissing her sweetly. “By the way, you’ve got no lights.”

• • •

TAGGED! Fallon Alexandra Flynn
WORDS! 547!
OUTFIT! Nervous Nerd!
LYRICS! A Thousand Years Part 2 - - - Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee
NOTES! <3

[Fallon Alexandra Flynn]

Fallon had dreamed about her wedding, her engagement since she’d been a small child. What little girl didn’t; especially when they were surrounded by princes and princesses. Or what she’d thought were princes and princesses as a small child. For the first six years of her life she thought she lived in a fairy tale land where everything was real and there was no such thing as make believe because dragons were real and could be slayed by the wonderful and charming white knights on their loyal steeds. It hadn’t been until she’d gotten older and realised the truth but that hadn’t stopped her from dreaming and believing. Except after that, her dreams, ideas and thoughts all went into the movies her uncle’s company produced. She was young and already had more credits as a producer than the Olsen twins had but there were no rewards, awards or recognition for things like that. It just was and that’s all there was to it.

Nothing in Fallon’s life had ever made her stop believing in happily ever after though. Not even the mess that was her first engagement had stopped her. After her tears were shed on Gabe’s shoulder, Fallon had thrown herself into the party scene, though she hadn’t been as free wheeling as other girls on campus. She was free spirited but wasn’t that free spirited. Plus she’d always had Gabe to tell her when enough was enough and she listened to him when she wouldn’t hear a thing anyone else said. They were good for each other. As stupid and cliche as it was, Gabe really was the calm to Fallon’s storm. He always had been. And now he always would be. Though in all honestly, if things had been different and they’d gone down separate paths that led them to different people, Gabe would still be the only one that would be able to calm Fallon down. They knew each other too well to be a part.

For seven years, Gabe had been the one that all other men needed to compare to. And all of them had failed miserably. It had always been Gabe who Fallon wanted in her life but she hadn’t known that until recently. Thank god they’d been given chance after chance to get it right because Fallon couldn’t picture her life without him. She hated those mornings when she woke up alone or the nights where she was wishing she was wrapped up in his arms. Their story was what fairy tales spoke of; if fairy tales had modern day twists to them. Gabe was Fallon’s best friend. He’d been the one for all those years that she could turn to about anything at all. When Imogen had gone off to school, their conversations had been few and far between and there were things that she hadn’t been able to bring herself to tell her fellow blonde. And though she loved Devon and Ettie and everyone else, at the end of the day, Gabe was the only one who knew all her secrets. “I was stuck with you anyway. You know too much.” Fallon teased, laughing happily. She had wanted this day to come for so long that now that it was finally here, she felt like it wasn’t real; like at any moment, she was going to wake up and have all been a dream. “I’ll fix it in the morning.” She brushed it aside, knowing in the morning she would only remember it when she needed coffee and couldn’t get the machine to make it for her. “Fallon Fitzpatrick has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” She asked, leaning in for another sweet kiss from her husband-to-be.

Tag || gabriel pearce fitzpatrick
Words | 677
Clothes || Surprised Professor
Music || Heart Shaped Wreckage --Smash Cast
Notes || <3

[gabriel pearce fitzpatrick]

Gabe was a romantic and always had been. There had just never been anyone to show that to since women always saw him as the friend and never the boyfriend. His relationships before Fallon had always been short lived, disastrous and had fizzled out like a dud firework that hadn’t even made it as far as falling over sideways and exploding dangerously. He had wanted to find someone though that he could spoil with little things, surprise at the smallest moment just by arranging a date that they wouldn’t necessarily expect from him. He had longed to find someone who he could settle down and have a family with one day, who he would love for the rest of time without anything fizzling out. He felt ridiculous knowing that it was right there in front of him this whole time and had taken so long just to see it. He had always known that there were feelings for Fallon locked away that had been there since college, but he had knocked them aside so as not to ruin a friendship he needed. When it turned out that was a huge mistake to do so, he wanted to kick himself for wasting time!

But none of that mattered now. What was done was done. All that mattered now was that they were finally here, together. It wasn’t going to be some other man putting a ring on Fallon’s finger again and crushing Gabe’s heart with a devastating blow. There was no other woman in Gabe’s life who could make him feel the way she could, and there never would be. It was just them, together forever now. The thought filled him with such elation that he couldn’t even put it into words. All he knew was that no one would be angry at this; at least no one who mattered to the both of them. His family adored Fallon, and he had his gramps’ blessing with a ring and Trevor had given his blessing for this, too. It was all Gabe had needed to go ahead with this, and now they could take the time to celebrate together and then start letting everyone know the good news.

Grinning, Gabe pressed his lips to Fallon’s, his arms encircling her waist to hold her close. “And they have ways of making me talk…even as your husband. The Greeks have a very powerful reach you know?” He teased with a wicked smile on his face. He was ecstatic right now, but that wasn’t going to stop him being his usual tormenting self around Fallon. Along with his Frat brothers he had joked around with her for years now, and that wasn’t going to slip away and become a thing of the past just because of a pretty antique ring and a change of title. No, he wanted them to keep what they had but just make it official so all the world would know how much they meant to each other. He wanted them to have a family, a home of their own, and a yard full of pets because this was Gabe and no image of his future was without a small army of animals. “I’ve been thinking that since I started saying it to myself all those years ago.” He revealed in a whisper. Even when they weren’t a couple, when they couldn’t be one, Gabe had momentarily daydreamed about what it might be like to spend his days with Fallon. He couldn’t help it when his heart was hers even when it shouldn’t have been.

• • •

TAGGED! Fallon Alexandra Flynn
WORDS! 598!
OUTFIT! Nervous Nerd!
LYRICS! A Thousand Years Part 2 - - - Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee
NOTES! <3

[Fallon Alexandra Flynn]

There was a time in Fallon’s life when she genuinely thought her whole world would be nothing more than movie sets, production meetings and arguments with diva actors. When she’d been younger, her plan had been to take on the world just like her daddy. Trevor may have had Bernie all these years but she hadn’t known that when she’d been little so she always thought she could do the same. There was no point to getting married. She didn’t need a boy to make her happy. Of course, she also thought all of that back when boys still had cooties and staying up past nine was against the law. Some things changed, like they always do but quite a bit of it remained the same. When she’d gotten engaged that first time, she made a promise to herself to make sure to keep her lives separate. She didn’t want him having his hands anywhere near her business. That should have been a sign right there. She never spoke about the studio and really, she rarely spent any time with the man. She’d been too wrapped up being with Gabe and his frat brothers, her brothers to give a single damn what her supposed boyfriend was getting up to in his spare time.

Gabe had always been different though. She’d been sharing with him everything about the studio and the problems she’d been facing that she couldn’t quite figure out. Fallon had gone to him as a sounding board more times than she could count. It was blatantly obvious now that she was looking back on it all just how much she loved him and how much his opinion on things mattered to her. She’d gone to him to talk about signing deals and contracts and though he couldn’t tell the front from the back of the often twenty plus page contract, he still sat there and listened to her rant about it and offered up any advice he’d thought she might be able to use. Her boyfriend hadn’t even really been a thought when things like that, or anything at all came up. Her first response was always about Gabe. What he thought, if he’d be interested in something like that, what his plans were because she was going to make him change them. He was the only one that could talk her out a stupid stunt. At least, for the moment. She was a stubborn girl and if the thought stuck with her, she went ahead and did it anywhere, even if she was calling herself foolish afterward.

“Oh, I think I can handle your Greeks.” She said with a smirk. There would always be teasing and playful comments tossed around and Fallon wouldn’t have it any other way. It was the way they were and she loved that about them. Neither of them really took what the other said to heart, knowing that it wasn’t meant to harm and Fallon genuinely thought if the teasing ever stopped, they had a serious problem. There had been too many jokes for too many years for it to just stop because there was a gorgeous new bauble on her finger. “Maybe if you’d said it a little louder this would have happened ages ago and would have saved Trevor from a few gray hairs.” She teased, knowing if this had happened any sooner it might not have been what they’d needed. The what ifs were endless and Fallon didn’t want to think about them. She wanted to spend the night celebrating their engagement. “Speaking of, I need to call him.” She said and she would but in a few minutes. She wanted to let the moment sink in before she broke away to make that call.

Tag || gabriel pearce fitzpatrick
Words | 674
Clothes || Surprised Professor
Music || Heart Shaped Wreckage --Smash Cast
Notes || <3