Christmas Proposal

A Shawn & Katy Story

By Brown Eyes Parker

Rated: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Christmas Proposal

"What am I doing?" Shawn Hunter asked his best friend Cory Matthews. "I am not cut out to be a father or a husband. This is probably going to be the biggest mistake of my life!"

"Getting married and having a family is not a mistake!" Cory answered as he put his hands on his friend's shoulders and directed him towards the jewelry store. "You love Maya and I know that you love Katy. What are you so afraid of anyways? Isn't this something you always wanted?"

"I don't know! I like my life, Cor!"

"Oh sure you do," Cory said, signaling a sale's clerk. "I'm sure that traveling to exotic places like Bali and Egypt is very fulfilling! I'm sure it's great sleeping under the stars and eating food you can't actually pronounce and meeting all the strange and wonderful people. But is it really? You don't really have a place to come home to."

"I have an apartment in Brooklyn," Shawn answered, hoping that the sale's clerk hadn't seen Cory try to get his attention.

"You live alone though," Cory reminded him. "You don't even have a fish to come home to! I just want a better quality of life for you, Shawny. Besides, it isn't like I'm the one forcing you to propose to Katy. Yesterday, you were the one who was ready to take the leap and ask her to marry you. I'm just here for moral support."

"That was yesterday though. It was Thanksgiving and it sort of felt like I was under a spell. And Katy looked so beautiful and Maya. . . and you guys seemed so happy as your little family unit and I think I wanted it for myself. The effect of a little too much wine and being around you!"

"ME!" Cory repeated, glaring at him.

Shawn didn't get the chance to reply because a sale's clerk came sauntering up to them with a mega-watt, magenta-lipped smile. "Hi, I'm Amber! How can I help you gentlemen today?"

"Actually we were just. . ." Shawn started.

". . .Talking about looking at engagement rings!" Cory interjected, slinging his arm around Shawn and grinning. "My friend here is finally thinking about taking the plunge and he wants to see what you have to offer in the way of diamonds. Because after all every kiss does begin with 'K'."

Shawn groaned painfully. "That was bad even for you Cor."

Amber just giggled. "Follow me please. We have a wide selection of rings, I'm sure together we will be able to find something that your girlfriend will love and that will fit her lifestyle. Why don't you tell me a little about her?"

Shawn glared at Cory, who grinned almost gleefully. "Well, Shawn, she is going to need something just slightly understated because she's running Topanga's every day of the week. But it can't be too tiny either, she needs to know that you love and appreciate her."

Shawn huffed. "I know! I know that Cory! Okay! Geez, I don't think I need your help to purchase an engagement ring. Why don't you go and find Maya and Riley? We both know that if Riley finds out about this, she won't be able to keep her big mouth shut! Katy will find out before I even get a chance to pop the question."

"Hey! That's my daughter that you're talking about!" Cory protested. "I mean, it's true that she can't keep a secret to save her life. But hey. . . don't talk about Riley like that!"

"Go and find the girls," Shawn said.

"You're not going to disappear as soon as I leave, are you?" Cory asked suspiciously. "Or buy her something like a necklace or earrings?"

"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?" Shawn answered, smirking at him.

"You are a cruel, cruel man!" Cory told him as he forced himself to leave instead of hanging over Shawn's shoulder and making sure that he did the thing that would make him the happiest for the rest of his life.

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Christmas Eve came faster than Shawn would have liked for it to. The engagement ring grew heavier and heavier in his coat pocket and more than once he was tempted to return it. But he was out of the country for most of December, photographing the London Ballet Company's production of the Nutcracker. He didn't come home until the 23rd and he wasn't about to go out and face the before Christmas crowd on the basis that he was a coward.

Besides, he knew in the back of his mind that they were going to get engaged eventually. So, why not do it sooner rather than later? And it wouldn't be like Katy expected them to get married right away, he would have time to adjust to the idea that he would be somebody's stepfather and somebody's husband.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the Matthews' front door. Cory pulled it open and greeted him with a cheerful Merry Christmas and a hug before leading him inside and offering to take his coat. Shawn nodded, quickly retrieving the carefully wrapped ring box before handing it to his best friend.

He stashed the ring away under the tree with the rest of the presents and went to greet the other members of the family, his eye catching Katy's. She had picked him up at the airport the night before even though he had gotten in late and then she'd brought him home and made him a fancy grilled cheese with homemade chicken noodle soup and a decaf latte even though he had protested that it wasn't real coffee and he wasn't going to drink it.

They'd spent most of the night talking.

And now.

Seeing her again after being apart for 13 hours and feeling like it had been forever, he knew. He knew that not spending the rest of his life with her just wasn't an option. He turned around and went back to the tree to get the ring.

He thought he'd be able to wait until Christmas to propose to her but now, he wanted to know what she would say. He wanted to take a risk more than ever. He didn't even need Cory to give him a pre-proposal pep talk or tell him all the reasons he should get married.

He already knew.

He went over to Katy and gave her a long hug before pulling away and looking at her. "Hi."

"Hello Shawn," Katy replied, smiling her brightest at him.

"Could I ask you something?" He asked.

"Sure thing sweetie pie!" Katy answered, touching his wrist reassuringly.

"But first we need Maya," Shawn said. "In fact, I think the whole family needs to hear this!"

"Okay," Katy agreed, if she knew what was going to happen next, she did a terrific job at hiding it. "Hey everyone, Shawn has something to ask me!"

The whole living room quieted down so the only thing Shawn could hear was the classic Christmas carols playing on the computer and the beat of his own heart while everybody looked at him expectantly. He swallowed and then grinned because he was still Shawn Hunter and proposing was going to be a piece of cake.

He looked at Cory for a split second, who nodded encouragingly, and then over at Maya. "Could you come here, please?"

Maya nodded and stood up from where she had been sitting with Josh. "Sure."

Shawn took a deep breath. "Maya. Katy, Katy. . . I was wondering if you would. . ." he trailed off and took a deeper breath. "Katy Hart, I was wondering if you and Maya would do me the great honor of being part of my family?"

Katy laughed joyfully. "Shawn Hunter, are you askin' me what I think that you're askin' me?"

"What do you think I'm asking?"

"I think you're askin' me to be your wife," Katy said. "Please say that's what it is."

"Do you want to?" Shawn asked. "Be my wife?"

Katy nodded. "I do."

"And what about you Maya?" Shawn asked. "Would you like to be my daughter?"

Maya nodded wordlessly.

"You better give her the ring, Shawn!" Cory called.

"Oh right!" Shawn said handing her the box. "I wrapped it because I didn't want anybody to know but now. . . well, I hope you like it. If you don't we can always go back and pick out one together."

Katy shook her head. "I'm sure whatever you picked out will be just fine! Come on now, open it for me. I don't want to have to put it on myself."

Shawn nodded and pulled the paper off the ring box and then opened it. Katy gasped when she saw the solitaire diamond, her eyes welling up with tears as he took her left hand and slipped it on her ring finger.

"Katy Hart," he said again. "Will you do me the great honor of being my wife?"

"Yes Shawn," Katy answered, kissing him. "Yes, I will."

_The End_

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Author's Note:

This is my first "Shawty" story so to speak. I know it wasn't incredibly great but I've had a lot on my mind lately with trying to get ready for the holidays and writing 25 Christmas stories. I hope you at least enjoyed my attempt to write them. Please tell me what you thought!

Love,

Holly, 12/2/2015