"The Best Thing that Ever Happened"

Summary - Tumblr prompt: "Erica surprises Mel and takes her on a special date."

"Woohoo! Finally the weekend! Two long days to relax and do nothing!" Melanie gushed, a pep entered her step as she crossed the parking lot. She spread her arms wide and spun around in a circle to complete her appreciation.

"Well, i wouldn't say you'd be doing nothing," Erica commented with a sly smile. She reached forward and wrapped her arm around Melanie's waist. "I have big plans for you," she continued and kissed the side of her girlfriend's head.

"Plans that I like or plans that end up with claw marks down my back again?" Melanie asked, her eyebrows rising. Erica's eyes turned up to the sky and she began to whistle. "Look, I have no problems with it, it's just the last set took forever to heal."

"I'll be more gentle next time," Erica promised, removing her hand from Melanie's waist to her hand. She laced their fingers and smiled. She just couldn't help it, doing anything with Melanie now made her beam. She thought coming out would be hard but she was thankful to have a girlfriend that made it end with a much softer landing than she expected. "I don't want to head home right away."

"Oh? Got weekend celebration ideas, then? Okay, let me guess. B. Bean Sweets? Beacon Coffee & Tea? Beacon and Eggs? Beacon for More?" Melanie paused, as if a thought had just occurred to her, and then laughed with glee. "I never noticed the puns! Damn, we live in the best city in the world!"

"Sure," Erica agreed with a nod. "If you can ignore the werewolves, the hunters, the supernatural creatures, the killings…" She tucked her hair behind her ear and paused by Melanie's truck once they finally got close enough. "It's a surprise. Just trust me, okay?"

"I always do," Melanie replied with so much sincerity it made Erica's heart skip a beat. Erica shifted her weight from one foot to the other and tucked her hair behind her ear. Getting The Bite was supposed to put her in control and give her more confidence and yet Melanie somehow still had the power to turn her back into her previous timid self. Melanie squeezed Erica's hand and then pumped the door handle to her truck. "Just tell me where to go. I'm yours to command."

"Mmm, don't tease me. Save that for later," Erica all but purred, pressing Melanie against the side of her truck. She ducked her head and placed a quick but sweet kiss to her mouth. She smirked when she noticed the red pooling in Melanie's cheeks and the sound of her heart speeding up once she pulled away. Melanie may have super powers but that didn't mean Erica didn't have some of her own. The power to render her own girlfriend speechless wasn't an ability she took lightly. "Okay, chauffeur, get to driving."

Melanie saluted. "Yes ma'am."

Erica threw her bag into the back of Melanie's truck and got in the passenger seat. The entire ride she frowned at the chipped polish on her nails and calling out directions to move them further into the city of Beacon HIlls. The closer they got to their destination, the harder Erica's heart beat. Which was just silly. Because it was only Mel she was trying to impress. But it was Mel she was trying to impress. It was easier to do things like this when they were friends but now they were girlfriends. The extra word added extra weight she wasn't prepared for but everything had to be perfect. She deserved it. She was worth it.

"Okay, now turn here," Erica stated, reaching out across Melanie to point to her left. Melanie hummed in response as she always did to alert her that she had heard her. Some people would affirm having heard the request aloud but that bugged Melanie. Going through driver's ed with Stiles and some other Beacon Hills students' nearly drove her up the wall with how many times they said "okay" after being given an instruction.

Melanie pulled into the empty parking lot, put the parking brake on, and then cut the engine. Erica pulled her lower lip into her mouth to hide her smile as she watched the confusion settle into her girlfriend's face. "Why are we at the pool? It's drained this time of year," she pointed out.

"I know," Erica replied. "I told you to trust me, remember?" She got out of the truck and adjusted her clothes (seatbelts didn't do well with corsets), and then held out her hand. "Eyes closed. Hand please."

Melanie did as she was told, promptly closing her eyes and placing her hand in Erica's as soon as she rounded the front of the car. Erica led her ahead to the community pool, waving to the guy inside as she passed by the building and went straight to the gates. He waved and nodded back, spinning a set of keys around his finger.

As soon as she placed a hand on the gate she paused, her heart revving in her chest. She had double checked that everything was set and in place before the school day had ended but still her brain tried to think of ways that something could inexplicably go wrong. But she swallowed that lump in her throat and the fear that came with it, tightened her grip on Melanie's hand, and pushed open the gate. She lead them inside, walking past the stacked deck chairs and the ladders and walked them over to the shallow end of the pool. "Okay, we're at the shallow end. Climb down with your back facing the center. I don't want you peeking."

"Are you going to do some sacrificial life-bonding ritual on me?" Melanie asked, an eyebrow lifting.

"No. We did that ages ago, remember? Mixing our blood?"

"Yeah…Mom was pissed once she found out," Melanie said with a little laugh. She let go of Erica's hand and slowly reached down to feel the edge of the pool. Erica watched as she carefully turned and lowered herself into the pool, swinging her leg back and forth until the front of her shoe scraped the concrete bottom. Then she let go and waited for Erica to jump down next to her and walk her the rest of the way. It was a bit strange to walk along the bottom of an empty pool that she spent many summers swimming in but she spotted the setup at the end and all the went away as excitement was replaced; bubbling up inside her like carbonation in a soda.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now," Erica announced, dropping Melanie's hand only to shove hers in her pockets.

Melanie's eyes blinked open and she took a second to stare at the picnic blanket and the basket set atop of it before she beamed. "What's this for? It's not your birthday. Nor mine."

"No," Erica agreed, "But today marks the sixth year anniversary of the day we first met." She sat down on the blanket and patted the space next to her. With a grin, Melanie instead sat down on Erica's lap, looping her arm around her neck. Erica held onto Melanie's waist and pressed her nose against the side of her head, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo. "It's funny how someone I used to hate became the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Oh, c'mon Eri," Melanie started, shaking her head. "I'm not—"

"You are," Erica interrupted her, holding her tighter. "You make sure I don't feel bad about myself when you don't have to. You're insanely patient when it comes to my epilepsy when you don't have to be. You shut down anyone that tries…well, tried to make fun of me. You…you do a lot for me, Mel. And I never knew how to make it up to you and I know this doesn't come close but this is a start." She reached over to the basket and flipped open the lid. "So, we have purple KoolAid, sugar cookies, ants on a log, and your favorite, pecan tarts."

"Erica," Melanie muttered, her words as tender as her smile an a blush settling in her cheeks.

"And, for our viewing pleasure," Erica continued, lifting her chin to motion to the projector and screen she had set up, "The Parent Trap. We can even mute it and recite all the lines this time if you want."

"But that drives you crazy," Melanie pointed out.

Erica shrugged. "So do you," she admitted with a sweet smile. She tucked Melanie's hair behind her ear, cupped her cheek and added in a whisper, "in the best way possible." She closed the gap between them, locking their lips in a firey kiss that she usually reserved for when they were behind closed doors but she couldn't hold herself back. Melanie kissed her back with equal fervor, their lips moving together in sync to express what mere words could never fully support. By the time they pulled away they were both panting, sparkles in their eyes and cheeks as red as as the fading colors in a sunset. Erica rested her forehead against Melanie's and stared in her eyes. "I love you," she whispered, as if speaking any louder would shatter their world.

"I love you, too," Melanie replied, nuzzling her nose against her girlfriend's.