Title: "His Forever Love"
Author: Pirate Turner
Dedicated To: My forever love, Jack -- Happy Valentine's, my beloved!!
Rating: R for sexual references
Summary: It's Valentine's Day, and Tramp has forgotten about Lady . . . or has he?
Warnings: Het
Challenge/Prompt: Written as an answer for the ForeverInDisney 2-2-09 Characters of the Week challenge to pen a new fic for Lady and the Tramp and making use of 5 of Peja's February prompts:
3. Be my Valentine
4. Hearts and flowers
7. romantic escape
10. danger
17. wink
Disclaimer: Tramp, Lady, Scamp, Jim Dear and Darling, all other characters mentioned within, and Lady and the Tramp are © & TM Disney, not the author. Everything else is © & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Lady sighed miserably as she lay with her head resting upon her paws. Her puppies played all around her, but she ignored them all, lost in her own dismal thoughts. It was Valentine's Day, and Tramp had forgotten all about her. He'd come trotting through the room on his way out the doggie door to another night out with the boys any time now, just as he had every day for the last week.

When had she gotten old? she moaned. When had she become so little fun that he no longer wanted to spend time with her? Or did he have another, a younger, prettier, more spirited thing, as the girl in the Pound had always warned her he would eventually? No, she argued with herself, shutting her eyes tight. She wouldn't go there. She couldn't! She couldn't bare the thought that her beloved might no longer love her! Her whimper was lost in the uproar of her puppies' play.

Lady still had her eyes shut tight against the horrid thought of a world without Tramp in it when one of her puppies tugged gently at her paw. Her eyes snapped open, and she hoped she didn't see the tears therein as she lowered her head and rubbed against her tiny face. "Mama, what's wrong?"

Her little one's cry brought the others' heads all snapping up in immediate concern. As they started to rush to her, Lady thought desperately of a way to reassure them that everything was all right while not lying to them. She would not lie to her babies, no matter the cost, she swore, but yet, at the same time, she did not want them to be as fearful as she was that their father might leave. They deserved to keep their lives as happy as they were now, undamaged and unaffected by their father's change of heart, and any admission of truth on her part, Lady feared, would put them in danger of losing that.

It was just then that Tramp entered. Lady rose her head proudly and gave it a carefree toss, not wanting Tramp to know how badly he was hurting her. Her fur fluffed out and shone in the light of the den, but Tramp had already stopped dead in his tracks. He approached her slowly, his own head lowered. "Lady, sweetheart," he crooned, "what's wrong?"

Her eyes cut through him, but she calmed the barb on her tongue, determined to put up with any act he put out to keep their puppies safe from knowing. "I'm fine," she spoke, her words tight and ice hiding just beneath her deceptively calm tone.

Tramp's eyes narrowed at her. He knew something was bothering her, had known all week, and was afraid that he even knew what it was. He sighed silently. She just didn't know what it was, but she would soon. He only hoped she would understand. He closed the distance between them and tried to rub heads, but she pulled away from him.

He focused his brown eyes upon her and filled them full of the begging that already filled his heart, begging that she would understand his need for secrecy and forgive him. "Be my Valentine?" he asked quietly, to which the puppies, who had already given their mother their presents, sat up. The girls cooed and awed, and Scamp wagged his tail, hoping that his father would be able to cheer up his mother.

Lady finally met his gaze, surprise and shock filling her own eyes and face. "Tramp! I -- I thought you -- " {Didn't want me any more?!} " -- had forgotten -- "

"Never," he promised, finally succeeding in touching his nose to hers, "never in a million years would I forget the special day that's set aside for us to honor our love, Pidge. I love you, Lady, and for every year that you'll have me, I'll ask you again: Will you be my Valentine?"

"Yes! Yes, of course!" she cried, raising and covering him in kisses. "Of course I'll be your Valentine!" How could she have ever doubted him?! He loved her! He had always loved her and would always love her! She made another silent vow to forget all the old lies and rumors about her beloved. He had changed, and he would never succumb again to his old ways!

As they kissed, each pledging their love to the other, Lady began to chastise herself mentally. How could she have ever doubted Tramp? She was such a fool! He caught the sadness in her brown eyes and bumped his head lovingly with hers. "It's okay," he whispered, but the puppies heard.

"What's okay, Daddy?" they chimed together.

Tramp stood, caught and frozen. How could he explain to them what he knew their mother had been thinking without upsetting them? The sudden chime of the doorbell saved him as, with a grin, he announced, "That must be your Uncle Trusty and Uncle Jock. They're here to spend the night with you pups while I whisk your mother away on a romantic escape!"

"Oh, Tramp!" Lady cried.

The girls cooed and awed, but Scamp pshawed. This was getting way too mushy for him! He scampered off with his father to open the door.

Just a few moments later, Tramp and Lady were heading down the sidewalk, pressing close together in their imitation of holding hands as they walked. Her head was nuzzling his shoulder, and their eyes glowed with happiness. Both were relieved beyond words, and she had not felt so happy in a very long time.

"There's just one thing I don't understand, Tramp."

"What's that, sweetheart?" he asked, pausing to nuzzle her ear.

"Why you've gone out every night? Aren't I . . . " She stopped, walked in front of him, turned around, and faced him before questioning, "Aren't I still fun?"

"Oh, baby, of course, you're fun! You're fun and sweet and beautiful and loving and everything good that I never thought I deserved!" He sprinkled kisses and licks upon her in between words, striving to reassure her with his every word and action. "I can't tell you yet what I've been doing, but it hasn't just been hanging out with the boys. You'll understand soon, I promise. Wait and see?" he pleaded. She paused, lingering over the decision for a minute that felt like an hour to him, before finally nodding her submission. He yipped in relieved joy and kissed her full on the mouth.

Pressed close together again, they continued their journey around the next corner. Lady's face lit up in excitement when she saw the zoo, and once more, she danced around her beloved, covering him in kisses. Tramp's heart soared as he led her on to visit all their old friends and not-so-much friends.

They spent hours at the zoo, chasing the birds and visiting with the friendly animals therein. Tramp bravely took up for Lady when the crocodiles spooked her, telling the beasts, in no uncertain terms, that she was his forever mate and they would not lay a tooth or claw upon her silken fur. Lady's heart was still soaring from his courageous words, romantic actions, and loving touches as he guided her to their next destination. She knew very soon just where they were going, and the realization would have made her smile even grander if it was not already nearly bursting off of her face.

Tramp led her to their table and barked for service. They were greeted instanteously by the chef and his partner, waltzing to the music the large guy made as the smaller one laid their plate of spaghetti in front of them. They wined and dined slowly, sharing noodles and meatballs alike, until the very last meatball. Tramp refused to touch it, and when Lady touched her nose to it with the intention of rolling it to him and sharing that last bite, as well, she pulled back in surprise at the hard texture that stood firm against her attempt.

She looked at him with surprise shining in her eyes, and at his nod, she tried again. Ever so carefully, she peeled the meat of the especially large meatball back and then gasped at the silver wink that caught her eyes. She stared down at the gift, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, Tramp, it's beautiful!"

"No, darling," he said, "you're beautiful. It's just the diamond I've been working all week to get for you. Scat Cat and his gang have been on vacation, and all these nights that you've thought I spent with the boys, I've been singing at the House of Mouse."

"Oh, Tramp!" she cried, her eyes sparkling. She had never been so happy, excited, or touched in all her life, and in the surge of emotions, she forgot herself and jumped him in a very unladylike manner. The humans crept back inside, but even then they left a window open and continued to play for their old friend, Butch, and the little Lady that was his wife in every sense of the word except for legally. They smiled at each other in the darkness, knowing full well how connected two hearts could become even without legal ties. They deserved this night, and they were very happy to give it to them and put their own valentine celebration off until later.

Sometime later, when they lay side by side on their backs, gazing up at the stars and moon in the midnight black sky and the hearts and flowers that decorated their favorite spot, Tramp asked softly, "Any regrets, darling?" His eyes cut over to her, hoping that he would hear a negatory response, but it was not to be.

"Only one," she said after thinking for a while.

"What's that?" he whispered, choking down his own emotions.

"That I didn't get to hear you sing."

A relieved and happy grin exploded over his face as he rolled to his feet. "It's not too late for that," he told her. The humans had been quiet for a considerable length of time now, and as Tramp smiled down at Lady, he told her, "Not only did I make sure that Horace kept a copy of every night's performance just for you, my love, but I saved the best for your ears alone." And so, he sang to her a beautiful song that he had strained over all week, a ballad of love and unity, of a beautiful heroine who came into the life of a lowly dog who hadn't even known he'd needed her so, and saved him from everything, including his own worst enemy, himself. He sang to her as he carefully added the diamond tag to her collar, slipped it back over her neck, and then made love to her again, proving to her with his every word and action that he would always love only her.

The End