A Not-Quite-So-Brief Encounter

A Miranda / Gary fanfic

Takes place in episode 3x06 - an alternate ending more to my liking. Warning: fluff ahoy!

Having made a quick change, Miranda hurriedly lolloped into the restaurant. She spotted Gary putting the finishing touches to one of the dishes he had lovingly prepared for Penny's what-I-call wedding renewal. Sliding her arms round his waist she attempted a seductive "Hell-lllo" in his ear. He turned round immediately, a huge grin on his face. "Hi-iì!" he said and surged into her personal space, sweeping her into a kiss as she returned his infectious grin. Her arms clasped behind his back as he reached up to caress her hair. As they parted he let out a contented 'mmmm' which made her heart flutter even faster.

"This is so weird!" he exclaimed.

"I know!" A giddy, almost surreal current of happiness flowing through her, Miranda asked "Shall we tell everyone?"

A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face and, seeing it, sensing his hesitation, Miranda's smile dimmed a notch.

"Let's just wait for a bit" he hedged, casting his gaze round the restaurant and towards the door.

"I don't think I can!" she protested.

How was it possible for sheer bliss to turn into sinking despair in a split second?After all it had taken to get them to this point, was he now falling back into old ways?

Stepping back from his embrace she looked at him fearfully, waiting for words which could break her newly-winged heart.

"What?" He spread his arms wide, not knowing how to react to her swift change in demeanour.

"Gary, I..."

She couldn't continue and her head dropped, her eyes focusing on a small square of carpet at her feet.

She felt his fingers nestle under her chin as he tilted her head back up. Reluctantly she lifted her eyes to his and was met by a panicked gaze as he breathlessly exclaimed,

"Miranda, no! I don't mean I don't want to tell people about us. I want to tell everyone! This is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

A half-hopeful smile returned to her lips as he continued his impassioned plea, reaching for her hands as he did so.

"I just don't want to tell everyone straight away. Not here, not now. I do want to tell them, but one by one - spread the love around, y'know? Please say you understand? Because this is so new, so special. I know it's kind of selfish of me, but I just want to keep you to myself for today. For tonight!"

She smiled shyly as a blush crept up her cheeks at the possible implications of his words and she allowed herself to be drawn closer to him.

Sensing he was was getting through to her, he settled his hands on her hips and lowered his voice.

"Besides, after your Mum's party I thought we could go back to your place and...talk." He nuzzled the tip of her nose with his own and planted a butterfly kiss there, then one on her cheek, then one below her earlobe.

"Talk?" she asked shakily, her focus on the lips which had just caressed her face.

"Yes, talk", he insisted, a playful glint in his eyes. She looked at him quizzically as he started to move his mouth towards hers. Just before their lips met he whispered huskily "You do know how to lip read don't you?"

They kissed slowly, softly, their earlier urgency replaced by a sense that this was just the beginning. His arms snaked round to caress her back as she stroked her fingers over the downy hair on the back of his neck.

Eventually they parted and at his concerned "OK?" she could only nod in mute, giddy acceptance. He could have asked her almost anything then and she would have agreed!

"Everyone will be arriving any minute now. I have to get the rest of the food out. Will you be alright if I leave you to it?"

"I think so." She stepped back but still her hand lingered on his chest. He covered it with his own and brought her fingers to his lips. As he planted a gentle kiss on her fingertips she found the strength to move away, saying "I'll see you later then."

"It's a date!" he replied grinning, before heading behind the bar.

Just a few seconds later Miranda heard the door of the restaurant open. This was followed in short order by a short squeal from her short-ical best friend who launched herself into a big hug.

"You've had more farewells than Cher!"

As she detached herself from the lofty embrace Stevie noticed Gary making his way towards the kitchen.

"Are you staying?" she asked Miranda excitedly, hoping that her meddling had finally done the trick. Honestly, the pair of them were as bad as each other when it came to ignoring the allure they held for each other!

Miranda half-turned towards Gary, unsure what she could say without giving the game away. He winked at her and she found herself shrugging her shoulders at Stevie and saying "I don't really know!" in a general Yorkshire accent. 'A bit camp!' she mouthed over her tiny friend's shoulder.

Just then her mother swept in through the door and swept Miranda into an uncharacteristically warm hug. "Darling! Oh there's someone here who'll be delighted!"

She turned back towards the entrance as Tilly and her new fiancé bestowed their 'welcome backs' on Miranda.

"Where's he gone?" barked Penny, and the crowd parted to reveal Mike striding purposefully through the door.

Looking round in confusion, Miranda stuttered "Mike, what are you... Are you back for good?" as he came to a stop in front of her.

"That depends on.." he started to say as Penny hovered close by with an anxious expression on her face. He started again: "Well, a few weeks in Africa was enough for me to know..."

As Penny's expression turned into one of pure excitement Mike sank onto one knee and held up a small velvet-covered box.

"Miranda, will you marry me?"

The gasps all round were nothing approaching the shock that Miranda felt at this turn of events. Mike was looking up at her with those puppy-dog eyes of his and all she could do was look at him open-mouthed with astonishment.

"What do you say?" he prompted eagerly as she stood transfixed.

The sound of a bottle being plonked down forcefully onto the mantelpiece shook her from her reverie and she turned to see Gary taking in the scene in consternation.

Reminded of how painful it had been to watch Mike declare his love for Miranda just weeks ago, his old insecurities bubbling to the surface, Gary couldn't keep the tinge of jealousy out of his voice as he demanded "Well? What do you say?"

She looked at him blankly and then back at Mike. She had never meant to hurt him, didn't know how she could now looking at his earnest and eager expression. "Miranda?" he asked again, confused.

She felt like a deer in the headlights, didn't know how to form the words which she feared would break his heart.

She turned helplessly towards Gary once more and pleaded "What do you say?"

Finally picking up on her distress and discomfort he realised it was time for him to man up once again. Taking a step forward and reaching for her hand he moved to face Mike, subtly manoeuvring Miranda to stand behind him.

"Mike, uh... "

Seeing the shift, Mike slowly rose to his feet, the sparkle beginning to leave his eyes as he slid the ring back into his pocket.

"Mike, look..." Gary stuttered. As he tried to formulate the words which needed to be said he felt Miranda give his clammy hand a small squeeze of encouragement.

Emboldened by her touch he finally blurted out: "I'm sorry Mike, but the truth is Miranda and I are madly in love!"

Mike's face slowly fell and Gary felt Miranda let go of his hand, hearing her let out a stifled sob from behind him. Shocked exclamations all round the restaurant were followed by a stunned silence which Gary felt compelled to fill. "At least I'm madly in love with her. I just hope she feels the same way..."

Mike looked up and looked past him.

"Well? Do you Quirky?"

Gary sensed Miranda moving to stand alongside him and he could only look on in trepidation as she faced her former boyfriend, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Mike I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. But yes, I love Gary. I've been in love with him for fifteen years. I'm so sorry! I only figured it out in the past few weeks and I wanted to tell you that we couldn't be together but then you took the job in Africa and I was a coward and thought I could get away with not having to and... " she tailed off as Mike moved towards her. Leaning in, he kissed her on the cheek.

"Miranda, I want you to be happy. I wanted to be the one to make you happy..." He let out a sigh and took a step back, squaring his shoulders as if preparing to take a blow. "But I knew deep down that you were holding back on me. Does he make you happy?" A slight nod towards Gary.

Miranda could only nod tearfully in return and whisper a cracked "very" before Mike bowed his head and turned to walk away. As she watched him leave she felt a pair of arms slip around her waist and she turned to bury her head in Gary's chest. He soothed her as best he could while she cried in his arms. As her trembling subsided he rubbed her back then pulled away to look at her. Stroking his thumb along her tear-stained cheek he quirked an eyebrow at her and whispered "Fifteen years, huh?"

A watery smile appeared on her face as she repeated his earlier words back to him: "It's always been you."

Her face turned more serious and she nodded towards the doorway where Mike had just left. "There's no-one who could match up to you. Ever." He brought his other hand up to cup her face and this time it was his his eyes which swam with tears as their gazes locked.

"I love you," he managed to choke out before she smiled once more and moved her lips to his. All the tumultuous emotions of the day were poured into their embrace, and so they lost themselves in the kiss. And then they kissed some more. And then they kissed once again.

Finally Miranda felt Gary brush his lips against the corner of her mouth and gently disengage himself from her arms. Still dazed and breathless, she slowly opened her eyes to see him sinking onto one knee in front of her.

Taking hold of her hand, he began hesitantly to address her:

"Look, I know this is very sudden, but..." He swallowed the lump which had begun to form in his throat as he looked at her. "... Miranda, you're the love of my life. Would you... I mean will you... marry me?"

Before the last word was even out of his mouth she was forming her response: "Yes!"

It was amazing how something you never thought you wanted could become the thing you wanted more than anything else in the world when it was offered to you.

"Yes?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Yes!" she repeated, "I will marry you Gary." Raising her voice she shouted joyfully "I'm marrying Gary!"

And then she was kneeling in front of him, giggling and crying at the same time and he pulled her into one of his all-encompassing trademark hugs - the ones he reserved only for her. She felt him place a passionate kiss on the crook of her neck before he buried his face there, his hands pulling her tighter to him than she even thought possible.

The spell was finally broken when they became aware of a loud throat-clearing "Uh-hmmm" coming from the assembled onlookers who had been all but forgotten in the emotion of the moment.

Looking round, Gary took in the various expressions of bemusement, amazement and joy surrounding them and quickly pinpointed Penny as the source of the interruption.

Sheepishly he smiled at her whilst helping Miranda to her feet. "So much for keeping it to ourselves," he whispered to his beloved as they turned to face the expectant crowd.

Penny moved forward and reached up to kiss and embrace her daughter. "Darling, I am so happy for you. Finally!" Then she reached for Gary's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Gary, I'd be delighted to have you as a son-in-law..."

"Thank you Penny..." he began but she quickly interrupted him and resumed speaking: "But I want to make one thing clear..."

Gary steeled himself, fearing the conditions which Penny might be about to impose on his relationship with her daughter.

He looked helplessly at Miranda for reassurance. Taking his cue, she tried to interject with a desperate joke: "No buts Mum. If anything you should probably BUT out!"

Not to be dissuaded Penny continued to talk. "Darling, don't be ridiculous! I'm not butting in. Apart from the fact that I want to say to Gary 'but my daughter can't consider herself engaged until she has a ring on her finger'!"

Taking both of their hands she steered them towards the door of the restaurant.

"There's a jewellers a few doors down in the High Street. Go get yourselves a ring!"

Relief flooded both their faces and almost in unison they replied "Yes Mum!", "Yes Ma'am!"

Penny ushered them over the threshold and, winking at them conspiratorially, added in a stage whisper, "And once you're properly engaged, go get yourselves a room!"