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A Day during Christmas 1953:
Together At Last

A "Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck" fanfic

(Inspired in part by Don Rosa's The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck)
Disclaimer: Scrooge Mcduck, etc. are (c) Disney. The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck is (c) by Don Rosa and Gladstone Publications. This story is (c) by me. Please don't copy, link, or use it in any wise without my permission.

Chapter 2

The following morning Scrooge woke up finding Goldie had left the room. The split-second flashback on what had occurred the day before made Scrooge blush and smile awkwardly. He couldn't believe what he had done... saying those three words on the floor, at her feet. He no longer felt ashamed. He had done the right thing. Only his ice cold pride was no longer there. He wanted to show Goldie from now on how much he really loved her, because she will do the same.
Scrooge gets up and slips his coat back on. Then he leaves the room to go down to the breakfast saloon. The reception below is already in full swing with guests ready to take on the slopes, tours, hot-air balloon trips and other attractions. Through the windows Scrooge notices how all of town seems to be covered in a thick snowy coat and a strong blue dominating the sky of a perfect winter day.

Walking through the doors of the beautifully decorated saloon, filled with guests all helping themselves at the grand buffet, Scrooge spots Goldie speaking to the head chef and other cooks preparing a trolley. She turns and sees him too. A magnificent smile appears on the delicate figure, now wearing a stunning emerald green dress. The sudden loss of composure and of all initial courage to show her his unconditional affection, came over him. It was too late to turn back. Goldie makes her way past the tables not once loosing sight of him.

She takes his hands. "Good morning, Scrooge. I'm sorry I had to leave you, but there is always so much going on at this time of the season. I already prepared breakfast for us.... We can eat upstairs if you want." She knew how all of this might be a little much for him and how they might need some privacy to talk about their new lives together.

"It's...it's alright, Goldie," Scrooge wispers quietly with a quiver in his voice, " we can eat here... ".

Not another word spoken, Goldie takes Scrooge by the hand and leads him to a nearby table in the corner. With a wave, Goldie orders the head chef to bring the prepared trolley with the finest of food selections for breakfast.

Once seated, he couldn't help just staring at her. It had already quieted down in the saloon, since most of the guest had left early to make the most of their day.

Her Eyes were filled with pure bliss and he could feel the purple rain of happiness they now shared between them. Scrooges cheeks glowed uninterruptedly.

Her lashes now and again sweep over her gemstone eyes, just like they always did when she was truly contented. It gave him the familiar feeling of being hypnotised by her beauty. He loved that feeling. Every night he had stood in front of her secret portrait in his room, until his webbed feet ached, just to indulge on her flawless image.

Although the table was richly set with all sorts of breakfast treats, none felt the need to eat. They had been starved of each others company for so many year, that they felt the need to feed their souls on the very presence of the other.

Goldie started after a long pause, her smile fading. "You came back.", she said with calm voice, "I knew you might come back..., if not now nor later, then in the...thereafter." Her expression was suddenly filled with great sadness. She looked out of the window. As if she was looking towards of the hut in White Agony creek she returned to every year.

"I love you Scrooge." She turned to glance back at him. "I always have."
Scrooge looked at her in disbelief and felt a stinging pain in his chest.
'She...she loves me?! But how....? And she would even wait that long? She was willing to wait ....eternally.' His eyes went watery as he realises his extreme disillusion.

"Goldie, forgive me!", he takes her hands jet again, "I should have known...I thought you hated me for what I've done. I've made a terrible mistake kidnapping you and making you work so hard under such miserable conditions. I took the law into my own hands... Only as I had gone too far, did I realise what I had done... I am so ashamed!"

"Did you not read my letter I sent you?", she replies anxiously, "I wanted to thank you for what you've done! You showed me how rewarding it is to get gold with honest, hard work....and I would not have missed that month for anything in the whole world!".

He gave her another feather raising surprised look. Then suddenly remembering her question he answers with a sigh,

"No.", and then looked down in shame and covered his face in his hands. "I was afraid you'd hate me even more for not getting your justice by having me arrested. I couldn't do it...I thought I'd rather live on pretending you...you...loved me."

She looked at him with disbelief.

Scrooge painfully carried on, "I wanted to come! I wanted to tell you that I love you, but my sledge got stuck in the glacier. I left you in Dawson...I was such a coward!", his expression turned bitter,. "And even more a coward not to have come back!", and then looked up at her----, "I'm so sorry Goldie...."

Goldie starts moderately, "It's all right, I know you were busy and..."

"Dagnabbit!! I was never busy enough for not to have come back to you!", the anger towards himself had reached its climax, "But...but I couldn't. I thought that if I'd acted cold and heartless, at least you'd think I had abducted you for revenge's sake and not for the gold you owed me, which I knew I would otherwise not have got back. My greed had got the better of me...I acted like a common thug!...I'm not better than any of 'em scums." Tears leave his eyes as he looses all posture.

"No, Scrooge, you are different! You were always different. You could have taken advantage of me, could have mishandled me, what any other scum had done!"

Scrooge seemed to overhear her. Even if he did, it seemed as though he didn't want to believe what she was saying or the other facts alone caused him such inner discomfort that he couldn't reply. He let his body and head hang limply, defeated and tired, while many folds accumulated around his eyes.

She continued unmistakably, "But instead did everything possible to make my stay pleasant...you even offered me to sleep in your bed, while you slept on the floor!...You showed me a side of you that was kind and caring!".

A pause.

"Since you said you'd wait for me," Scrooge said almost in a whisper, " I never gave up hoping you'd forgive me."

Goldie's tears run delicately down her bill as she realises how much he must have suffered under the break of his own ideals. She carefully remarks: "I knew you loved me, but I also knew that I would come second in your life..."

"No!", all fire of life returns in his sorrow filled spirit, "You're wrong! That was never the case. You and my family, above all the wealth and all trophies, always had first place in my heart. I had lost hope that there was still a chance...just the way I had lost my family...but...but in the past years Donald and the boys gave it back to me...somehow.... They never needed me! I needed them. But my conscience wouldn't let me go... I had to wait just until they were older and Donald gets married, so that I was sure they wouldn't miss me when...when...I'm gone,.... in the case you might not forgive me."

After a longer pause she whispers, "I forgive you Scrooge.", lost in thought, as she understands the depth of his appeal.

Scrooge gives her weak smile as the immense gratitude for her forgiveness overwhelms him. He then respectfully gets down to his knees once more. Now he would say what the had revised for at least hundreds of times; even if it was the last thing the should ever do.

By now the saloon had been completely cleared and the manager had made sure that they were not disturbed by the staff. Even the streets seemed empty. It seemed as if the world held it's breath and all knew that something special was about to happen. A deep loneliness and constant yearning for affection of two destined lovers should now come to an end.

Realising Scrooge had knelt down, Goldie blushes for the first time. As she turns her head bashfully, her hair sweeps over her beautiful and gracefully aged eyes, that still speak of the immense beauty she once possessed.
Sweat droplets run down Scrooges cheeks, pass the awkward smile of affection.

"Goldie,...will you...will you spend the rest of your life with me?", his voice shivered. He knew she was worth more than he could ever offer her now, but at least he had taken the chance to give her what he had left.

She gave him a grateful smile, bent down and gently lays her arms around him once more, clenching his gown.

"Of course I will!"

All sorrow had flown away at once and was replaced by tears of joy. It was a wonderful, unreal feeling for Scrooge having her so close. Scrooge took her into his arms, so that she could rest her bill on his shoulder.

They kneeled on the floor gently rocking each other, smiling with relief. They made it at last! All those old chains of restraint were gone. It was something they had both dreamed of all their lives. Scrooge for the first time, truly feels like the richest duck in the world.

Description
A Day during Christmas 1953:
Together At Last

A "Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck" fanfic

(Inspired in part by Don Rosa's The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck)
Disclaimer: Scrooge Mcduck, etc. are (c) Disney. The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck is (c) by Don Rosa and Gladstone Publications. This story is (c) by me. Please don't copy, link, or use it in any wise without my permission.

Chapter 2

The following morning Scrooge woke up finding Goldie had left the room. The split-second flashback on what had occurred the day before made Scrooge blush and smile awkwardly. He couldn't believe what he had done... saying those three words on the floor, at her feet. He no longer felt ashamed. He had done the right thing. Only his ice cold pride was no longer there. He wanted to show Goldie from now on how much he really loved her, because she will do the same.
Scrooge gets up and slips his coat back on. Then he leaves the room to go down to the breakfast saloon. The reception below is already in full swing with guests ready to take on the slopes, tours, hot-air balloon trips and other attractions. Through the windows Scrooge notices how all of town seems to be covered in a thick snowy coat and a strong blue dominating the sky of a perfect winter day.

Walking through the doors of the beautifully decorated saloon, filled with guests all helping themselves at the grand buffet, Scrooge spots Goldie speaking to the head chef and other cooks preparing a trolley. She turns and sees him too. A magnificent smile appears on the delicate figure, now wearing a stunning emerald green dress. The sudden loss of composure and of all initial courage to show her his unconditional affection, came over him. It was too late to turn back. Goldie makes her way past the tables not once loosing sight of him.

She takes his hands. "Good morning, Scrooge. I'm sorry I had to leave you, but there is always so much going on at this time of the season. I already prepared breakfast for us.... We can eat upstairs if you want." She knew how all of this might be a little much for him and how they might need some privacy to talk about their new lives together.

"It's...it's alright, Goldie," Scrooge wispers quietly with a quiver in his voice, " we can eat here... ".

Not another word spoken, Goldie takes Scrooge by the hand and leads him to a nearby table in the corner. With a wave, Goldie orders the head chef to bring the prepared trolley with the finest of food selections for breakfast.

Once seated, he couldn't help just staring at her. It had already quieted down in the saloon, since most of the guest had left early to make the most of their day.

Her Eyes were filled with pure bliss and he could feel the purple rain of happiness they now shared between them. Scrooges cheeks glowed uninterruptedly.

Her lashes now and again sweep over her gemstone eyes, just like they always did when she was truly contented. It gave him the familiar feeling of being hypnotised by her beauty. He loved that feeling. Every night he had stood in front of her secret portrait in his room, until his webbed feet ached, just to indulge on her flawless image.

Although the table was richly set with all sorts of breakfast treats, none felt the need to eat. They had been starved of each others company for so many year, that they felt the need to feed their souls on the very presence of the other.

Goldie started after a long pause, her smile fading. "You came back.", she said with calm voice, "I knew you might come back..., if not now nor later, then in the...thereafter." Her expression was suddenly filled with great sadness. She looked out of the window. As if she was looking towards of the hut in White Agony creek she returned to every year.

"I love you Scrooge." She turned to glance back at him. "I always have."
Scrooge looked at her in disbelief and felt a stinging pain in his chest.
'She...she loves me?! But how....? And she would even wait that long? She was willing to wait ....eternally.' His eyes went watery as he realises his extreme disillusion.

"Goldie, forgive me!", he takes her hands jet again, "I should have known...I thought you hated me for what I've done. I've made a terrible mistake kidnapping you and making you work so hard under such miserable conditions. I took the law into my own hands... Only as I had gone too far, did I realise what I had done... I am so ashamed!"

"Did you not read my letter I sent you?", she replies anxiously, "I wanted to thank you for what you've done! You showed me how rewarding it is to get gold with honest, hard work....and I would not have missed that month for anything in the whole world!".

He gave her another feather raising surprised look. Then suddenly remembering her question he answers with a sigh,

"No.", and then looked down in shame and covered his face in his hands. "I was afraid you'd hate me even more for not getting your justice by having me arrested. I couldn't do it...I thought I'd rather live on pretending you...you...loved me."

She looked at him with disbelief.

Scrooge painfully carried on, "I wanted to come! I wanted to tell you that I love you, but my sledge got stuck in the glacier. I left you in Dawson...I was such a coward!", his expression turned bitter,. "And even more a coward not to have come back!", and then looked up at her----, "I'm so sorry Goldie...."

Goldie starts moderately, "It's all right, I know you were busy and..."

"Dagnabbit!! I was never busy enough for not to have come back to you!", the anger towards himself had reached its climax, "But...but I couldn't. I thought that if I'd acted cold and heartless, at least you'd think I had abducted you for revenge's sake and not for the gold you owed me, which I knew I would otherwise not have got back. My greed had got the better of me...I acted like a common thug!...I'm not better than any of 'em scums." Tears leave his eyes as he looses all posture.

"No, Scrooge, you are different! You were always different. You could have taken advantage of me, could have mishandled me, what any other scum had done!"

Scrooge seemed to overhear her. Even if he did, it seemed as though he didn't want to believe what she was saying or the other facts alone caused him such inner discomfort that he couldn't reply. He let his body and head hang limply, defeated and tired, while many folds accumulated around his eyes.

She continued unmistakably, "But instead did everything possible to make my stay pleasant...you even offered me to sleep in your bed, while you slept on the floor!...You showed me a side of you that was kind and caring!".

A pause.

"Since you said you'd wait for me," Scrooge said almost in a whisper, " I never gave up hoping you'd forgive me."

Goldie's tears run delicately down her bill as she realises how much he must have suffered under the break of his own ideals. She carefully remarks: "I knew you loved me, but I also knew that I would come second in your life..."

"No!", all fire of life returns in his sorrow filled spirit, "You're wrong! That was never the case. You and my family, above all the wealth and all trophies, always had first place in my heart. I had lost hope that there was still a chance...just the way I had lost my family...but...but in the past years Donald and the boys gave it back to me...somehow.... They never needed me! I needed them. But my conscience wouldn't let me go... I had to wait just until they were older and Donald gets married, so that I was sure they wouldn't miss me when...when...I'm gone,.... in the case you might not forgive me."

After a longer pause she whispers, "I forgive you Scrooge.", lost in thought, as she understands the depth of his appeal.

Scrooge gives her weak smile as the immense gratitude for her forgiveness overwhelms him. He then respectfully gets down to his knees once more. Now he would say what the had revised for at least hundreds of times; even if it was the last thing the should ever do.

By now the saloon had been completely cleared and the manager had made sure that they were not disturbed by the staff. Even the streets seemed empty. It seemed as if the world held it's breath and all knew that something special was about to happen. A deep loneliness and constant yearning for affection of two destined lovers should now come to an end.

Realising Scrooge had knelt down, Goldie blushes for the first time. As she turns her head bashfully, her hair sweeps over her beautiful and gracefully aged eyes, that still speak of the immense beauty she once possessed.
Sweat droplets run down Scrooges cheeks, pass the awkward smile of affection.

"Goldie,...will you...will you spend the rest of your life with me?", his voice shivered. He knew she was worth more than he could ever offer her now, but at least he had taken the chance to give her what he had left.

She gave him a grateful smile, bent down and gently lays her arms around him once more, clenching his gown.

"Of course I will!"

All sorrow had flown away at once and was replaced by tears of joy. It was a wonderful, unreal feeling for Scrooge having her so close. Scrooge took her into his arms, so that she could rest her bill on his shoulder.

They kneeled on the floor gently rocking each other, smiling with relief. They made it at last! All those old chains of restraint were gone. It was something they had both dreamed of all their lives. Scrooge for the first time, truly feels like the richest duck in the world.