*STEVE'S POV*

I walk into our lounge more nervously than ever before, the lounge that we have shared for 34 months now, and see my darling Paget, my beautiful girlfriend, my beautiful (hopefully) soon to be fiancé, and (hopefully) eventually my wife, sitting on our couch, reading an issue of Cosmo magazine, whilst simultaneously 'watching' an episode of 'Sex and The City'. I walk over to the couch and sit beside her, and put my hand on her shoulder. She grins at the contact, and closes her magazine.

'Hey sweetie', she says to me, 'you okay?'

'Yeah, I'm okay, I promise sweetie, I just wanted to speak to you, that's all.'

I nod. I figure that I must look sheepish or something, because she asks, ' are you sure everything's okay?'

I nod again, and I stand up, pulling her up with me. Then I get back down again, but I don't sit on the couch, I kneel on the floor, and I begin to reach into my inner jacket pocket.

I can see tears in her eyes, I pray to God that they're tears of happiness, and not sympathy tears because she feels sorry for me, because she is about to reject me.

So I pull my hand out of my pocket, and I'm holding a box, a navy blue velvet box, inside which contains the ring that will most likely decide how my future will turn out.

Option 1: (my preferred response, of course) – yes: I have a happy future spent with the woman I love more than the world, and we find our way through life together.

Or option 2: no – I get embarrassed, I run, I cry a lot; I probably end up single for the rest of my life. I don't want that, I'm only 32 for Christ's sake! But no one can ever, will ever, compare to Paget.

I begin open the box slowly, and look up at my girlfriend. Her eyes are gazing into mine, and I have to look away, and compose myself, otherwise I will just melt into her like usual...

That's how she wins the arguments...

I cough to clear my throat, and start to speak.

'Paget Valerie Brewster, you have been my girlfriend for four years now and I cannot imagine my life without you in it.
I am entirely in love with you, truly, madly, deeply.
I adore your quirks and your unique personality.
I adore your sense of humour, your intelligence, your honesty, your passion, your beauty. I adore you.
You make me feel whole, and I don't feel like I can wait much longer.
Good things come to those who wait. I have waited. You are the best, most incredible thing that has ever happened to me. I have waited long enough, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
I don't want 'my' life anymore. I want 'our' life.
Paget Valerie Brewster,
will you marry me?'