'She's so beautiful,' he thought as he watched her pulling clothes from the dryer and folding them. Darien watched her neatly place each article in its proper stack. There was a time when he would've stopped her. When she had first come into what was now their house, he only wanted her to enjoy herself, to have fun. Now, six months later, Serena was living there with him. Cooking, cleaning, whatever needed to be done while still managing to work and give voice lessons. The job was to help pay the rent and bills; the lessons for extra spending money; the rest she did because she wanted to. She'd tell him she was preparing herself for married life. He smiled a little remembering how she had been when they had first met six years ago. 'That girl will be married to her art, her music. She'll never find love; she's too uppity, too shy. She's such a hopeless romantic; no man could ever hope to meet her standards.' He could hear her friends saying to one another behind her back. 'Little did they know,' he chuckled. She looked up at him hearing his laughter. "What's so funny, love?" She began stacking clothes in her tall, green hamper. He got up and walked to her. Standing behind her, he put his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Not a thing, love, simply musing to myself". He kissed her cheek and lightly nipped at her neck taking pleasure in feeling the goosebumps raise on her arms against his skin. She shivered lightly and tilted her head inviting him to continue. He pulled her closer burying his face in the bend of her neck and shoulder smothering himself in her scent. He felt her reach up and let her hair down; the soft waves cascaded over his head adding a new scent to her. She always smelled of flowers in a rainstorm. That was how she had smelled six years ago and he grew more addicted to it every day. She knew he loved her hair and he truly did. He loved how perfectly it framed her face; how it cascaded down her shoulders and back in a wavy sea of gold; especially, though, he loved how it glittered in sunlight as if it were the spun gold of the princess in Rumpelstiltskin. He moved a hand up and entangled it in her hair. The other he kept wrapped around her waist. They stood there together for a few moments enjoying one another's presence. Suddenly, a buzzing sound from his pocket, followed by sirens, then a call, a fire. They both knew what it all meant. He had to leave. He kissed her neck reluctant to leave her. She turned to face him with a smile. "I don't want to go. Hell, they can probably do it without me," he smiled pulling her to him. "Now, you go. Do your job and I'll have dinner ready when you get back," she kissed him passionately, "and maybe a little something extra too". She smirked as he kissed her back wishing he could stay. She walked with him to the door kissing and teasing him all the way. He kissed her once more as passionately and intimately as he could without sending himself into a frenzy for her. Once he broke off the kiss, he saw its affects and laughed to himself. "I love you," he softly kissed her for a final time. "I love you, too," she returned the kiss, "be safe". He started out the door, "I will". She held the door open a few moments watching him get in the car and drive off. He thought anxiously about what was waiting for him at home. Pulling into the fire department, he got out and thanked the chief for making the false call. The chief made no big deal of it and told him that he hoped Darien found the one he wanted. He assured the chief that he already knew exactly what to get. He, then, shook the chief's hand, got back in his car and drove to town. He was on a mission now. He had about an hour to buy it and return home. He parked and walked to his destination, the jewelry store. He knew what he wanted. He'd been in earlier that week after work. The man behind the counter recognized him, "Ah, back to take the ring this time?" He asked with a smirk. "You know it," Darien replied. "Same as before, I take it?" the man began sifting through his keys. "Of course, it's the only one close to perfect for her." He softly smiled as the man brought out the ring in its box. "Here you are, sir." The man rung up the price and handed him the box. He paid the man and left the jewelry store, a smile playing across his face. His cell phone went off in his pocket playing an all too familiar tune. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered. "Hey hon." He greeted her. "No, love, we're done, I just got in the truck to head back to the station." He lied. "I'll be home in a little while. Oh, the fire wasn't too bad, just a brush fire that got a little out of control." He paused finding a good pocket to hide the little box. "Yes, I'll be home in about half an hour. I love you, too, baby. Bye." He closed the little phone and started the car and drove off. He drove straight home anxious to complete his mission. He walked through the door greeted by a very familiar scene; the smell of a home cooked dinner, the couple living with them, Serena's friend, Ray, and her fiancé, Chad, on the couch watching a movie, and his little dog coming to greet his master. He picked up the dog petting him and carried him to the kitchen, where he placed him in his kennel. He caught her in his arms as she turned from the sink. He examined her up and down taking in all he could. She was wearing a black shoulder shirt with a grey tank top underneath. His favorite jeans on her, she looked so perfect in them. She was barefoot, as always. Her hair was pulled back up with a few wisps falling around her face. She was wearing only one piece of jewelry, his class ring. He'd given it to her back at New Year's. That ring had gotten her through a lot of pain in her time as a scout. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply. His hand moved to caress her cheek and neck. He broke the kiss and stood there staring into her eyes. They were a soft shade of hazel that combined with his blue eyes perfectly. He brushed his hand against the pocket with the ring box inside. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face. She was going to be so excited. Darien turned to their housemates and loudly cleared his throat. They jumped up and began walking out the door babbling about needing to run to the store. He turned back to her as the front door closed. They smiled at one another, glad to be alone. "Now that we're alone… Come sit with me. Watch some TV, relax. You've been working all day and this is supposed to be your day off." He grabbed her hand and led her to the couch. He made sure she sat down then turned on a playlist of music he'd made on his PS3 just for this moment. He sat down next to her and pulled her to lean on him. She looked up at him placing a hand on the side of his face. He kissed her forehead. She giggled and moved her face closer to his. He kissed her nose and both cheeks. She giggled again and moved even closer, her eyes begging for his lips to touch hers. He smiled at her. He loved when she looked at him like that. It made him want to give her everything her heart desired; it made him want her. He touched his nose and forehead to hers. "Have I told you lately, I love you?" He traced her lips with his thumb. "I can't remember," she laughed, "Why don't you show me?" She moved forward trying to capture his lips. He playfully teased her moving back and then barely touching his lips to hers. She moved her hand to the back of his head deepening the kiss. He playfully bit her lip as they both fell into a frenzy for one another. He could feel himself falling over the edge, but he knew this wasn't how he wanted it to happen. This part would be later, after she'd said yes. He worked to regain his self control as she kept getting closer and closer. He had gotten it, now to calm her down. He pushed her back a bit and smiled teasingly, "Later," he said, "I have better things planned for now." He gently ran his hand through her long hair. She looked disappointed only for a moment, then, at the sound of something better, perked right back up. "What could be better?" She had a look of mischief in her eyes trying to figure out what her lover had up his sleeve. "Why, only the best thing in the world." He smiled and flicked her nose making her twitch it. He unknowingly reached to touch his pocket again and she caught him. "It's in your pocket, isn't it?" She smirked triumphantly. She began trying to search him for whatever it was he was hiding. She grabbed at his sides and his coat and his jeans trying to get a good hold somewhere. He fought back tickling her and slowly making her fall backwards until she fell flat on her back with him straddling over top of her. "You'll get it in a minute, just be patient." He tickled her a few more times for good measure. "Ok, ok, I'll wait." She giggled her way into full blown laughter. "I love you so much." He smiled softly at the sight of her lying there beneath him. "I love you too." She smiled. He sat back down and pulled her back to him. "So what are you hiding from me?" She gazed up at him. "Well, I've thought long and hard about it, and I think it's high time I grew up a little bit and I'd like to take you with me." He smiled and shifted to sit on the edge of the couch. "Grew up? But you're twenty." She looked at him confused. "I know, but that doesn't mean I can't do this." He slid off the couch onto his knee as he pulled the box out of his pocket. "I love you so much it almost hurts when I'm not with you. Serena Tsukino," he rarely used her full name, she always thought it was because he never remembered it, "will you marry me and not only take the pain away, but make me the happiest human being in existence?" He looked up at her praying that her answer was going to be yes. She gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes darting from his face to the ring and back again. Tears welled up in her eyes and overflowed down her face. "Oh, of course, Darien, love, I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else in this universe." She smiled as she held her hand out. He took the ring from the box and slid it on her finger next to his class ring. It was a perfect fit; of course he'd done his research and paid attention to the size of her class ring. "It's beautiful," she murmured, breathless, "I love you so much. You can't imagine how long I've waited for this. I can't tell you how much I love you." She slid down the couch in front of him and threw her arms around him kissing him and repeating that she loved him so much. He hugged her close as she cried tears of joy into his shoulder and stared at her new ring. This had to be the first of the many happiest moments of their life together. It just had to be.