Hi bestiesss! I'm back with another one on a Saturday! I think I'm finally getting back to my update schedule. I know, I'm just as shocked as you. 

So this is another both perspective chapter. Issanotha good one. 

Got a Twitter? Constant snippets and sneak peeks.

Enjoy, my precious rosy tulips 🌷

♬ ✥*

Harry.

"So this is it?"

Serenity and I took a drive out to Lake Louise earlier, and she was right — the view was spectacular.

The lake wasn't frozen, but there was much more snow since we were at a higher altitude. There was also another Fairmont hotel that overlooked it — which seemed just as beautiful. I saw the way Essie looked at it, so I asked if she wanted to spend a night there; but, I was surprised when she said no.

Apparently, she just wanted to cuddle back with me without the hassle of moving rooms — or hotels in this case. However, she did say 'next time,' and that warmed my fucking heart.

The fact that she wanted to come to the mountains with me again was a surreal feeling. Maybe next time it could be for my birthday, or hers? March would be good to come back. I'd have to plan something special.

It was still a few months away, but for the first time, I was excited about my birthday. Knowing that I'd be turning 29 with the girl I adore would make life worth it for me. We wouldn't even have to do anything — hell, just lying in bed all day with her would be more than enough.

But everything was so peaceful with her — even though we were surrounded by several people, it felt like it was just us.

She passed me her phone and practically made me give her a personal photoshoot. I refused being taken of, and preferred staying behind the lens, though. There was only one picture that Serenity took of me, and that was inside my little greenhouse — that was it. We shared a couple of photos together, and those were the ones I cherished most. I knew that she'd probably want one on this trip, but she wasn't pushing it.

So far, at least.

On the drive up to the lake, Essie was the one in charge. The curved roads were a little too much for me, and she was already used to it. I know I'd told her that I didn't want her to be behind the wheel on our way to Banff for her safety, but when she saw how nervous I was, she snatched the keys and drove us herself. 

There were other things that distracted me than the route itself. Mountain goats were up on the steep hills, seeming far along the edges, but they jumped around like it was nothing. Seeing their confidence was astounding. They reminded me of a certain someone with the same quality. 

And then to my surprise, we were halted by moose crossing, elk, and a few deer. Serenity laughed and mentioned that this was the first time she's ever had to stop so many times during the drive up. She also pointed out a momma bear with two cubs behind a few trees. It seemed to have entertained her when I tensed up.

That's when she took hold of my hand and placed a soft kiss on the top, and mumbled, "It's okay, Tiger."

But now, I drove us back down, and we were standing in front of the Banff Gondola.

There wasn't anything terrifying about it when I looked at it, but when Serenity got my proper attention, things changed.

"Not exactly, baby," she spoke softly before turning to point above, and my heart fucking dropped. "That is it."

At the sight, I couldn't help but take a couple steps back. Cable cars travelled up and down the steep mountain, held by thread-like wires — thin enough to snap at any time.

"I don't know, Essie. I really don't know." Nervously, I shook my head before clearing my throat. "I want to do this for you, but I don't know if I can."

Serenity's hand reached out to hold mine, her eyes soft on me as she moved to stand in front of me — blocking my view of the ride-of-death.

"Harry, it's okay. We don't have to."

"But it's — this is your tradition. I can't take that away from you," I said, biting my bottom lip. "I'm sorry, I can't do that."

I was surprised when she smiled. "Tiger, you're not taking anything away from me. This whole trip with you has been a whole new experience for me."

"How? You come here every year with your family."

"You just said it yourself. I come with my family. This time, I came with you. I never went horseback riding here before. I never stayed in a royal suite before — heck, even imagined I'd step foot inside that hotel. I figured the most I'd get is to use their public washrooms." She let out a small laugh. "I never taught anyone how to snowboard or share a kiss on the snow. I never thought I'd be here with someone amazing like you, Harry."

"You mean that?"

"With my whole heart. I'd never lie to you."

And a beautiful smile graced her face.

Nothing could stop me from placing my hands on her hips and pulling her towards me.

"Fuck, I don't deserve you," I whispered.

"If you say that one more time, I'll throw you in the car, and dump you where the bears are so they can eat you alive," she teased in a firm voice, and I chuckled.

"Duly noted, baby."

With a heavy sigh, I gazed up at the moving cable cars, shut my eyes tightly before looking back at my girl.

"Will you hold my hand the entire time?" My words were soft-spoken, and I'm glad she heard me.

"Tiger, are you sure? Only do it if you want to try it. We don't have to if you don't want to."

"I want to jump this fire..." I paused, keeping my gaze on those pretty blue eyes I adore so much. "...with you."

"Then let's get going," she replied with a soft smile.

Her hand held mine before we even entered the building, assuring me that I wasn't alone in this moment. She knew I could get lost in my thoughts quickly and that always affected my public reactions. Essie was clever and simply understood that about me. 

I adored her.

It was chilly inside with a few people waiting for their turns. A couple stood by the large windows with an eager little boy constantly asking when their ride was coming. Another family was sitting on a bench, the parents happily talking whilst the teenaged siblings were on their phones. If only they knew that family time should be cherished, but every household was different.

Mine sure was.

"Okay, let's just wait here," Serenity's voice was sudden, catching my attention, and I noticed the subtle grin on her lips.

"You paid, didn't you?" I narrowed my eyes at her, and she just shrugged. 

"The mountain fairy just seemed to have grabbed my wallet. It's not my fault I couldn't stop her."

"Very funny, darling," I replied, and a small giggle escaped her lips as I went to pinch her waist.

We stood chatting for about ten minutes, hearing more people as they walked into the building with their mutual plan to buy tickets. Everyone looked so eager, and excited while I was trying to hold in my anxiety.

I watched as both families went into the same car, and I tensed — I didn't want to join anyone else. But Serenity just leaned into me, whispering that we'd be alone in ours. What comforted me was the fact that she hadn't let go of my hand since the beginning. 

When we were informed that we had to hop in the next lift, there was no turning back. It was a bad idea to look out of the window to see them practically moving in thin air. 

My eyes met Essie's when she tugged me softly and pulled me with her. We swiftly got in, taking a seat, and the worker quickly shut the door behind us. My breath was heavy as I kept my focus on the back of my eyelids, yet still, looking down.

I could feel us moving upwards, and it only made my blood run cold — we were in mid-air.

"Harry, baby?" Her angelic voice called out to me, and I hesitantly met her gaze. "You're okay."

"I'm okay," I whispered.

"Do you want to see the view? You don't have to look down," she asked me softly after a few moments, and I swallowed anxiously.

Was I ready for that?

For Serenity, I was.

Slowly, I turned to look outside of the hazy windows, and my jaw dropped — it was spectacular.

It seemed as if we were floating above in the atmosphere being a part of the Rockies. At a point, I swore I felt like we moved through a cloud. The mountains were up close and personal, the snow resting thicker on the rocks. A colder breeze swept into the car, raising the goosebumps on my skin.

But then, I did something I shouldn't have done — I looked down.

Fuck.

We were so up high, and a simple snap in the cables would cause an instant death.

No.

Happy thoughts.

"Tiger, you're okay. We're together, and we're safe," she whispered, placing a kiss on my hand.

"We're safe," I quietly spoke to myself, then turned towards my Starlight and asked, "Kissy?"

Without a word, she connected our lips, molding into a perfection of a kiss.

Serenity Marie Hayes always took my breath away with any simple or bold movement she did. The freckles scattered across her face were the galaxy as moments upon moments, something new happened and astonish the world.  

A gentle touch or a brief glance could cause a single soul to falter their stance and distract them. She had that magnificent power and easily had control over it. However, Essie never used the gift she had to anyone else except me, making sure I'd be the first to experience something unknown to me. 

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I could feel the love that Milo was talking about, but I wasn't sure if that was it.

It was still a struggle to differentiate my emotions; especially trying to forget what Madison forced me to feel and understand my reality — to understand my Essie.

We infinitely adored one another, and I was eager to find out what the next step in our relationship would be. Every day was a whole new experience that I was always looking forward to. Since the very moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. Surprise ran through that woman's veins and she fuelled off it.

Nothing Serenity did was simple, and she loved everything complex. The fact that she broke into my office — twice — to get an investment, easily proves that. 

I cupped her cheek and held the back of her neck, feeling her shiver from my touch. I smiled in the kiss, loving the way her body always reacted to me. I wanted to keep her warm, though — her kind heart, that is.

The cable car halted suddenly, and we parted, quickly realising that we'd reached the top. Time was lost as we spent our past several moments together in a captivating lip-lock.

Our hands connected once more, and she lead us out as soon as the door was open. We stepped down on the pavement, and I immediately felt the frigid temperature. It was nothing in comparison to how it was below. I snuggled my nose slightly in the neck of my jacket and pulled my free hand up into the sleeve.

We were surrounded by more people than I wasn't expecting, but I held my ground as she walked us over to the doors that led back out to the mountains. 

Serenity surprised me by letting go and suddenly covered my sight with her hands. She tilted my head in a particular direction and whispered for me to open my eyes as soon as she pulled away.

The view was much more magnificent up here than ever before. We were in the mountains. They encased us, showcasing their spellbinding beauty and details. The more I looked out on the horizon ahead, I could see both sharp lines and soft edges of the rocks and where the snow laid upon them. Grey clouds hovered above us, with a hint of blue sky peeking through a distance away. 

"It's stunning," I said, taking a breath of fresh, crisp air.

"It is, isn't it?" Essie spoke, a soft smile on her face. She let out a reminiscent sigh as she rested her hands over the metal railing. 

"I remember the first time my parents brought me here. I think I was six or seven, and I was terrified of going up the gondola. They tried to calm me down, but I cried because I thought we would fall as soon as we went on it. Milo and Charlie helped me through it. I mean, Choco's younger than me, but he's been through thick and thin with both of us. Milo's just that older, protective brother. Our relationships are different but the same. They held my hands the entire time, while I kept my eyes closed the whole ride up. But then, when we went here, everything changed. The miraculous view was something I'd do a million times over to see it again.

"I think it's a reason why I love dancing, too," she spoke, sucking her lips. "You asked me once why can't I perfect a routine from the first time, so I don't fall. Remember that?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "How could I forget, the Ni—River dropped you."

"The Nile?" she paused, snorting a laugh. "That's cute. I ought to tell him that one day." A grin was on her face as she caught my slip up, and I just bit the corner of my mouth, letting out a short laugh.

"Anyway, falling isn't fun. I mean, it's getting hurt, and depending on the fall, it can be career-destroying. If I constantly though about that possibility, I wouldn't be where I'm at today — with my career and the passion I have. I push past that risk and fear and hope for the best. So, if I fall, I get back up."

"It's not the same, darling. In case you forgot, we're thousands of metres in the mountains with death opening in welcome arms," I blatantly stated, and she chuckled.

"I know. Not to that extent, Tiger. Hear me out," she paused, "What I'm trying to say is that if we don't take a risk sometimes, we'll never know the outcome. I take this risk every time I come up here."

"Wait," I said, furrowing my brows. "You were afraid of coming up here? On the gondola? Today?"

"Yeah," she replied with a soft smile. "I held your hand, just as you held mine."

Fuck. Essie was incredible.

This woman was one of a fucking kind.

I adore you.

"Want to capture this moment." My words were mumbled, and I saw her smile as she heard me. "I'd like to take a picture with you. Can we do that?"

"Of course, we can, Tiger."

Pulling out her phone, she held it perfectly so she could take a picture of us together. My arm moved to wrap around her waist, pulling her close to me. As she snapped the photo, I held her hand and tilted her head so I could kiss her.

The carnival.

That was something I knew I couldn't do back then, but I could now. I could kiss her always.

"Took me off guard there, pretty."

"Couldn't help myself, petal." I grinned, pushing some strands of her hair behind her ear. "You're just so beautiful."

My precious girl blushed, turning her head.

"Want to take a walk on the bridge or get back down?"

"As much as I'd love to continue this little chat up here, I'd prefer to do that on solid ground." I let out a nervous laugh, and she smiled, taking hold of my cold hand.

"You and me both, handsome. Let's go."

♬ ✥*

Serenity.

After Harry and I got back to the hotel, he quickly hopped in the shower, refusing my suggestion to save water. I knew that he was tempted to change his mind, but he didn't.

The gondola ride down was spent of us being oblivious to the view as we focused on each others' lips and where his hands were placed. Let's just say that Harry did an excellent job of keeping us both distracted.

Harry let me drive back to the hotel, and he mentioned how content he was when I was behind the wheel. He seemed so relaxed in the passenger's seat, and it only made me smile at that fact — but mainly about how much he trusted me.

The first time I drove us someplace was to the carnival, and I could see the apprehension in his eyes that day, but he quickly gave in. In all honesty, I would've been okay with getting an Uber since I didn't have my car, but I was surprised when he allowed it to happen.

It only added to the confirmation about how I knew Harry saw me differently comparing to anyone else.

I was special to my Tiger.

But now, I was patiently waiting for him on the bed, hearing him whistle a tune alongside the sound of the water running. Something was going on inside his pretty little head. He knew I hated surprises, even though I've done that multiple times with him.

Not fair? Yes, I know.

Lost in my thoughts, I saw Harry walk through the door, a towel wrapped his waist. His hair was still dripping wet, a strand falling in front of his face — one I desperately wanted to push back. Droplets were dripping down the rest of his bare skin, shining against his toned muscles. He was well aware that my eyes were on him as I noticed a faint smirk tug at his lips.

I figured I might tease him to find out what his plans were, but when he grabbed a garment bag from his suitcase, and swiftly went down the stairs before giving me a chance to even attempt doing so.

"Nice try, darling," he spoke, then sternly told me to get ready for dinner. He also mentioned to wear the dress he'd seen hung in my closet a couple days ago, and told me to pack it.

It was easy to know why he wanted that specific one — it was red.

I struggled to figure out why he wanted me to pack a dress, to begin with. I hadn't known of the plans Harry made behind my back to surprise my family and me, so I should've at least had a feeling there there could be more.

Harry was a very clever and sly man, and it clearly benefited him in more ways than one — both professionally and personally.

Of course, I just had to wear it because I loved the reaction I got whenever I wore that colour. Most of the time, it was just for myself, but he still gazed at me like I was the most precious thing he'd ever seen.

His favourite colour on his favourite person.

Or at least, I hoped I was.

Comparing to the night of my studio re-opening, this gown was different. 

A sweetheart neckline, chiffon bunched up around my chest and cascading in pieces down my body. There were several elements within the skirt, each meaning to flow gently as I walked. A long scarf of the same fabric was softly wrapped around my neck, falling to the ground.

My makeup was bold, keeping my brows and lips standing out as I liked. Braiding a small section of my hair, I pulled it in an up-do, adding a silver clip for a little bit of sparkle. Of course, making sure to match pair of short heels, just enough to give me some more height.

"Essie, you ready?" Harry's voice called out, just as I was touching up my lipstick. Rubbing them together, I smiled as I looked into the mirror, ultimately pleased with my appearance.

This look is for you, Harry. Enjoy.

As I walked out of the bathroom, I saw him standing by the bedroom door, checking his watch; and only when he heard the sound of my heels was when he