"Storm, I promise, if I ever leave, I will return for you. I'll come back and we'll get married. I promise."

He made that promise to me when we were young. And, as fate would have it, he had to leave. He left me in this hell hole, with nothing to look forward to but the prospect of him returning to take my hand in marriage. How cruel this world is…

It's been 7 years since he made that promise. Life continued on as normal. I, Storm Amayuka, continued to wait for his return, despite everyone else telling me to move on. Even my oldest friend from childhood told me that if he hadn't returned by now, he wasn't coming back. I refused to believe them. He was going to return, I just knew it. And, just as I was about to give up all hope and finally take their advice, he returned.

I was at work, filing papers like I did every day. The phone at my desk rang, startling me out of my thoughts and filing. I hurriedly answered the phone, and an odd, deep voice told me to take a break and come outside to the small courtyard behind my office building. With permission, I went outside to the fountain in the middle of the courtyard.

Standing there, jacket flapping in the light breeze, hands in pockets, stood the person I was waiting for: Vergil Suzuka. I just stood there, shocked and almost in tears that he had finally returned. He looked over at me and smiled, that same smile that I had come to love, that same smile that kept returning in my dreams. I covered my mouth with my hands, trying not to cry, as he walked over to me and put his hands around my waist, pulling me into a tight embrace.

I didn't want to cry, but the tears flooded my eyes and poured out and down my face. I sobbed once and wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his shoulder.

"You left me… you left me for so long…" I said, tears streaming down my face. He just held me tighter, waiting for my tears to stop before he spoke.

"I told you I'd have to leave, and I promised that I would come back, didn't I?" He said, his arms still around me. "And I'm going to keep my promise. Tonight, I want you to come to dinner with me, and I'll explain why I was gone for so long. And dress really nice. I have a surprise."

I just nodded, silently sobbing in his shoulder. He lightly kissed me on the top of my head and let go of me. I reluctantly released my hold on his neck. He gently lifted my chin and softly kissed me, then turned and headed for his small sports car parked by the courtyard, leaving me standing there.

After I watched his car drive off, I ran back into the building, back to my desk, where my best friend was waiting. I told her that the love of my life had returned, and that I was going to dinner with him. She told me to go ahead and go home to prepare, and that she would cover for me. I thanked her graciously and grabbed my keys and purse, heading out the door.

Vergil came by my house around 7:30 that evening to pick me up. I had on this jade green dress, and he just stared at me in awe, transfixed on me. He then, once regaining control over himself, took my hand and led me out to the car, helping me inside the passenger's side. He then got in on the driver's side and drove me out to a secluded field on the outskirts of the city, where he had a candle-lit dinner already set out on a blanket.

We ate a wonderful dinner, made by him, and told each other what had been happening in our lives, laughing at all the fun memories, and quiet at the sad. By the time we actually finished eating, hundreds of stars had come out and scattered themselves in the night sky. He then turned on the stereo system in his car, and we danced to the slow songs that were on the CD he had burned.

Around 11, we laid down on the blanket, me cuddled up in his arms, looking at the stars, every so often pointing out a constellation we saw. He gently kissed my head and I looked at him.

"What?" I asked him, giggling softly. He sat up, and I sat up with him.

"Storm… you know I love you more than anything, right?" He asked me, looking into my eyes. I nodded, watching him with a questioning look on my face. He gently brushed a small lock of my hair away from my face. He then turned his body to face me and took a small, velvety box out of his pocket. I stared at him, slightly shocked. He opened the box, and inside a small diamond ring glimmered in the candlelight. I gasped slightly, my hands immediately shooting up to my mouth in shock. He took one of my hands and slipped the ring on my finger.

"Storm, I love you, and I always will. And I want you to be mine forever…" He sighed softly. "Storm Amayuka, will you marry me?"

Tears formed in the corners of my eyes and I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck, hugging him.

"Vergil Suzuka, I will." I said, kissing his neck lightly. "I love you, too, and forever will that be so."