"Yar har, fiddle di dee, being a pirate is alright with me! Do what you want because a pirate is free! You are a pirate!"

The booming chorus sounded over the rippling waves of the quarry as three pirates sang like a bunch of drunken tavern boys. Granted, it wouldn't have been surprising if the three men singing were a still a little drunk with how much they had drank the night prior. Instead of waking up hung over, Kristoff, Olaf, and Marshmallow had stumbled out of their tent at one in the afternoon and immediately rushed to the water; proclaiming to be the best pirates to sail the large body of water.

"Yo ho! Ahoy and avast, being a pirate is really badass! Hang a black flag at the end of the mast! You are a pirate!" Anna belted back in response.

Elsa felt wet fur brush past her ankle in the cool water as Star and Marble swam past, each carrying their own floating toy. She sighed slightly and focused on a school of minnows that swam by. Pirates just weren't her thing.

"Avast ye, foul wenches!" Kristoff yelled from a small raft floating in the middle of the quarry. He was wearing a pair of bright red swim trunks, allowing his thick, glistening chest, stomach, and leg hair to shine in the sun as the rays reflected off of what little pale skin dared to peak through the natural carpet. An eye patch covered his left eye while a pirate hat perched itself snugly on his head.

"Ye shall rue the day that ye picked a fight with the mighty Kristoff Bjorgman and his crew! Olaf, load the cannons! Marshmallow, turn the ship starboard so that we may broadside these scurvy dogs!"

"Aye-aye, Captain!" Olaf called as he filled three huge squirt guns with water from the quarry. His snow white skin nearly blinded the sun with its own rays as he dunked the weapons. Lime green speedos never looked good on anyone.

"Aye-aye!" Marshmallow boomed from the water. He placed his massive hands on the back of the raft and kicked furiously through the water; bringing them closer to Anna and Elsa's inner tubes.

"Ye dare to insult the great red haired maiden?" Anna proclaimed, standing on her inner tube. A squirt gun was clasped tightly in her hands and a bright red bandana was tied around her head. "Ye filthy bilge rats shall pay for such disrespect!"

Elsa rolled her eyes as she pushed her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to stare at the four goofballs incredulously. "Oh, Captain Anna, could you tell your cousin to cover up? No one wants to see that nasty shag rug he has growing on his chest and stomach."

A loud, squealing giggle erupted from Anna's lips. "Ye heard the maiden, Bjorgman!" She shouted at the incoming vessel. "Hide your furry skin, then we shall see who the greatest pirate to sail these waters is!"

"I am not a furry!" Kristoff shouted, severely breaking character. "I looked it up once online! Once! That hardly makes me a furry!"

"I never said you were a furry!" Anna howled with laughter as she lost her balance and fell onto her tube. "Oh, Gods above, I can't breathe! My cousin just admitted to looking up furry porn!"

Elsa's cheeks puffed out as she tried to hide a ferocious bout of giggles. "I bet it was a reindeer furry."

"It was no- HOLY SHIT!" Two loud splashes filled the air as Kristoff flipped his team's makeshift raft; plunging him and his first mate into the chilly waters of the ravine.

A soft sigh escaped Ceili's lips as she stretched out on the couch in the Summers' living room. She couldn't hear the words Lily recited from her favorite poem as she lounged in front of her, using her chest as a back rest, but she could hear the warmth in her voice. The smell of cinnamon hazed over her senses, but this time it did little to calm her.

Bright crimson eyes stared up at the ceiling as an insistent buzzing plagued her mind. She didn't know how much more of this torture she could take. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her hands felt clammy, it felt like there was a lead brick lounging in her belly, and it was all because of the burden lying in wait in her pocket.

"Ceili, is something wrong?"

The sudden change in Lily's voice snapped Ceili out of her internal torment. She stared down at the brunette gazing up at her with concerned, lavender eyes and felt the lead brick in her stomach exploded into a flurry of butterflies as she tried her best to feign a smile. "I'm just great. Why do you ask?"

Lily removed her reading glasses and sat up straight, resting her book on the coffee table. "You seem a little…off tonight. You're not your usual, perky self, and you keep staring off into the distance like you have something on your mind."

"Oh, do I? I didn't notice," Ceili laughed unconvincingly. "I guess I'm still getting used to the idea that Elsa's going to be going off to college in a few weeks. It's a lot to take in. You know?"

A slight frown tugged on the edge of Lily's lips. "You're a horrible liar, Ceili. What's wrong?"

There was no use in trying to hide it anymore. Ceili sighed heavily and felt her shoulders slump like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She sat up and wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders, pulling her into her chest.

"You know. This is the first time in quite a while that we've been able to have any alone time together," she said calmly. Her voice was soft as she twirled a loose strand of hair from Lily's bun around her finger. "What with work, getting Elsa's graduation party cleaned up, and that incident with Rogen last month; it feels like it's been forever."

Lily's eyes widened slightly as a faint, pink blush peppered her cheeks. "It has been a while," she agreed as she gently wrapped her arms around Ceili's torso and nuzzled her face into the younger woman's shoulder. "But I get the feeling that isn't what's been bothering you."

A small yelp escaped the brunette's lips as she was suddenly pushed down onto the couch cushions. Her small shriek of surprise suddenly turned into waves of laughter as the younger woman attacked her sides in a barrage of soft tickles. "Ceili, stop, w-we're both too old for this!" she cried out in vain.

The sound of Ceili and Lily's laughter filled the air as their tickle battle turned into an all-out wrestling match on the sofa. At one point, Lily had the younger woman pinned beneath her, then the next she was being tickled from behind while she begged for mercy through one of the pillows on the couch. It had definitely been too long for the both of them.

"Ceili, stop, please! I submit! I submit!" Lily gasped as tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

Ceili giggled and ceased her onslaught, allowing a minute for Lily to catch her breath before wrapping her in a warm embrace. "I love you, Lily. You know that, right?"

The blush on Lily's cheeks darkened in color as a girlish grin spread across her lips. "Of course I do." She kissed her girlfriend's cheek and gazed into her crimson irises. "And you know I love you too, correct?"

"How could I not?" Ceili replied and kissed her love fondly.

It was silent between the two as they sat in each other's arms. Elsa and Anna would be back from their camping trip tomorrow, so they had to enjoy the time they had alone. Ever since school had ended for the summer, they had been bombarded with more of the teens' relationship than they ever would have dreamed. As much as they loved the girls, it had been nice to have some time alone.

"Do you know what I thought the first time I ever saw you?" Ceili asked gently as she wove her fingers through Lily's and held her hand tight.

"It must not have been anything too special, considering you didn't even recognize me when we actually met face to face," Lily teased.

"Ouch…that hurt." Ceili pouted childishly before a small chuckle escaped her lips. "I was wondering: What is such a beautiful woman doing sitting all by herself?"

Lily stared at her girlfriend incredulously. "Is that so?"

"You bet," Ceili beamed confidently. She gently twirled her thumb over the skin on the side of Lily's hand. "And do you know what I thought the first time we hung out?"

"I thought that was a date to be honest," Lily admitted shyly as she glanced at her and Ceili's intertwined hands. Each swipe of the younger woman's thumb sent prickles of electricity through her hand.

"Then do you know what I thought on our first date?" Ceili corrected as she nuzzled her girlfriend's neck tenderly; planting soft kisses as she went.

Lily felt her heart jolt in her chest as the electricity tingling in her hand shot through her neck and ignited a vast fire deep within her core. It wasn't very often that Ceili initiated this kind of behavior, but, God, did she love it when she did. There was always something more when the younger woman started it. It made her feel whole, more complete, like this relationship was worth the risk and so much more.

"W-What did you think?" Lily gasped when she felt a set of lips gently brush against the shell of her ear.

A loving smile coveted Ceili's features as she pulled away from the brunette's ear and brushed the back of her index and middle fingers along Lily's cheek. "I thought: I am totally going to get this woman, even if it kills me. I knew on that night that there was just no way I could have let you slip away."

The heavy burden sitting in Ceili's pocket burned like a million suns as it listened to each confession. She could feel it searing a whole through the fabric and brand her leg as a dry lump formed in her throat. This was it. This was her chance.

She slipped her hand into the pocket of her shorts and grasped onto the soft fabric that lay inside. "I-I guess, what I'm trying to say…"

A blaring shriek filled the air, causing the two women to nearly fall off the couch.

"I'm sorry, Ceili. Could you hold that thought?" Lily rushed over to the telephone and held the receiver to her ear. "Hello, you've reached the Summer's residence?"

Ceili flopped back onto the couch and rubbed her eyes aggressively. Close! She had been so, so close! Who the hell called at midnight on a Saturday anyway?

"Of course, Mr. Weselton, I'll be sure to be in right away in the morning. Good night." Lily sighed heavily and placed the phone back on the receiver.

"Is something wrong?" Ceili asked from her spot on the sofa, tilting her head backwards so she could see her suddenly drained girlfriend upside down.

"My boss wants me to come in early tomorrow and go over the new winter fashion line with some of the other designers," Lily explained dully. "I swear. That man has been running me ragged ever since I shot him down for a second date."

Ceili's eyes nearly shot out of her head. "Whoa! Whoa! Wait just a minute; a second date? When did he start pushing for that?"

"Shortly after we started dating," Lily replied nonchalantly. She made her way back to the couch and pecked Ceili on the lips. "Don't worry. He's not exactly my type. In case you haven't noticed, I happen to like women."

"I've noticed," Ceili chuckled, returning the kiss passionately.

Lily moaned softly into the kiss before pulling away; sighing at the sudden loss of soft lips against hers. "I'm going to go to bed. As much as I hate to say it, I do have to get up in the morning."

Ceili watched as Lily made her way to the hallway. Her fingers brushed against her pocket and she bit her lip in a desperate attempt to calm her pounding heart as it tried to rocket from her chest. She quickly stood from the couch and took one step before her feet froze to the floor.

This was crazy, foolish, completely irrational, and her body knew it. It was screaming at her not to move; to let Lily go to bed and join her in a few minutes after the brunette had changed into her pajamas and was nestled under the covers. There was a good chance that nothing physically intimate was going to happen between them tonight, but she had been surprised before. The little fling she had been dragged into at the hotel lobby in the Southern Isles after letting Anna drive was proof of that.

"Will you be my promised life partner?"

There it was. She said it. Oh, God, she actually said it.

Lily froze in the doorway leading to the hall as Ceili's words ricocheted through her mind. The world seemed to fall to pieces around her; leaving her and the white haired woman standing on a pedestal in an infinite space that was once the universe. All the blood drained from her face only to race to her extremities and shoot back into her cheeks with a vengeance.

One hand plastered itself to her chest to keep her hammering heart from exploding from its cavity while the other clung to the door frame like a lifeline. She slowly turned around and immediately felt the wooden frame press against her shoulder blades as her knees gave out. Soon it was all she could do not to completely crumple to the floor under her lover's intense gaze.

Ceili looked absolutely terrified as she stood rooted to the floor, but in that scared expression Lily could see a resolve like she had never seen before blazing in the younger woman's bright red eyes. Her body was tense, almost as if she was ready to be struck down, but at ease enough where if she was knocked to the ground she would bounce back up. However, despite that fierce determination, she still gave off the impression of a puppy that was scared out of its wits as small tremors caused her shoulders to shake.

"What?" That was all Lily could say. She was so shocked by the initial bluntness of the completely unforeseen question that she had no idea how to react.

"I understand that we haven't been together long," Ceili explained as she took a tentative step forward, only to take half a step back after every second or third step in the process. "Eight months is hardly what someone would consider long enough to make such a big decision, but you've seen me at my absolute best when I'm greeting everyone at Oaken's café, drinking and dancing at the bar, or messing around with Elsa or Anna. You've also seen me at my worst when I've been battered and bruised, lying in the dirt after fighting with my father.

"I've also seen you at your best and worst too," she added as she pulled a folded, red kerchief out of her pocket. "Between seeing you smile and laugh while you execute a perfect kick flip or just relax while you read your favorite book, and the time you cried on my shoulder when I asked about Anna's father. I can say that we have gone through more together as a couple in these past few months than most go through in a life time."

She glanced over her shoulder at the sofa and smiled fondly. "We've made love on that very couch. You were the first person I ever trusted enough to let touch me like that. You're still one of the few people who can ambush me with a surprise hug without me freaking out.

"I guess…what I'm trying to say is that I love you, Lily. I really do. When I first protected you from that creep the night we officially met, I did it because I wasn't about to let some sicko get away with his crude intentions. Now I want to keep you safe because I don't want to see you get hurt."

Lily felt the breath catch in her throat as Ceili stopped within an arm's reach of her and revealed a small, silver ring with a single diamond set into the band and multiple engravings etched into the precious metal. Fire exploded across her face as she gazed into the younger woman's brilliant red eyes. The love and adoration swirling deep within them only enhanced their crimson hue.

"I can't stand the idea of you being someone else's angel, Lily, but I know that I have to give Elsa and Anna a chance to take this step for themselves," Ceili admitted. She turned the ring over between her fingers and stared at the piece of priceless jewelry nervously. "If it wasn't for the fact that I have such a strong feeling that someday Elsa and Anna will get married, I would be asking you a completely different question. But as it were, I need to set my own desires aside so they can at least have some kind of normality in their relationship."

A pink flush coated Ceili's nose and cheeks as she turned her attention back to Lily. "So, I will ask you once more." She held up the ring and took a deep breath.

"Lily, will you be my promised life partner? I promise that, even though it's not quite a marriage that so many women want, I will make each and every day the best day of your life. I promise you that so long as I live I will never stray from you and be unfaithful. All I want is the chance to prove that I can make you happy. So, if you'll have me, will you give me that chance?"

Tears welled in Lily's eyes as she clapped her hand to her mouth. "Ceili…do you understand what you're asking? I-I mean, yes, I understand that this isn't a m-marriage proposal, but a life partner? What if things don't work out between Elsa and Anna? I highly doubt it won't, but what if-"

"I never said I wasn't being somewhat selfish," Ceili admitted. "That's another reason why I'm not making a marriage proposal. In the possibility of a snowball's chance in Hell that Elsa and Anna's relationship doesn't work out, this won't cause them to be stuck seeing each other all the time.

"We can still live in different houses, have our own cars, and live our own completely separate lives, but I want to be your one and only lover, Lily. Then, maybe, when Elsa and Anna are sound in their relationship, we can make this an official engagement. I will do anything I can to make this work, so will you take this risk with me?"

That was all Lily could take. Her knees gave out completely, causing Ceili to hold her tightly to keep her from falling to the floor. Tears were slowly slipping down her cheeks as a whirlwind of emotions spiraled out of control deep in her soul. A small smile hid behind the barrier and she nodded.

"I would love that."

Ceili's felt her heart stop as her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "S-So…does that mean?"

Lily wrapped her arms around her love's neck in a tight embrace. "Yes, I'll be your life partner, and then when Elsa and Anna have a sturdier relationship I would gladly be your wife. I want to be with you, Ceili, for now and forever."

Done! God! Why couldn't I just finish this before?! I ended up plastering two chapters together for this one. I found a sequel outline for this story, but at this point it seems like a moot point to write it. Maybe I'll do it for fun. I still need to finish NOTWH first.

Cheers!,

FFMM