A/N 1: I've been infected by the post-Loyalty bug. Why can't I seem to give it to anyone else?

~.~.~.~.~

After dinner, they both lingered outside the restaurant's entrance. Neither wanted to say goodbye, but neither knew how to admit it. Finally, Alex reached out her arms as if to embrace a child, shrugged, tsk'd and looked resolutely over Bobby's shoulder.

When he stepped into her arms, rather than the quick, awkward hug she had set up, he folded her tightly into his embrace, almost lifting her off her feet.

They stood for a few moments, both guiltily enjoying the forbidden pleasure of each other's body. Then Alex said something she'd schooled herself to avoid almost from the moment they met.

"What are you thinking?"

Bobby sighed, a little wetly. "I don't want this to end."

"This?" Alex's voice cracked, just a little.

"Us."

Alex stopped trying to hold her chin clear of his shoulder, and instead turned her face into his scarf and allowed her head to settle on his broad frame. "Me too."

After a few moments, Bobby began rocking them both gently, back and forth. Alex braced herself and decided to jump in.

"Maybe… maybe we should get married."

Bobby stopped rocking. "What?" he croaked. He drew back and pulled them both into the circle of light that glowed from within the restaurant windows. The vulnerability, fear and hope on her face mirrored his. "Married?"

Alex moved her head microscopically in the affirmative.

"A real, marriage?"

Alex looked away shyly. "If you like."

"If I like?" Bobby's voice went up an octave, and he began shifting his weight back and forth.

Alex closed her eyes. "I mean, yes. A real marriage."

With his hands firmly holding her shoulders, when Bobby said her name, Alex, so imploringly, she had to fight the urge to look at him. But she kept her eyes closed.

"I just think… that when people love each other, they should get married." She was breathless and dizzy, but she'd managed to say it. She took several deep breaths and sucked on her lips, looking down at their almost-touching toes. "Plus, it would be a really easy way of keeping in touch." Genius.

When she finally looked at him, they both grinned from to ear to ear.

Yes!

~.~.~.~.~

A/N 2: I wrote this for myself first, but I'm very glad to share it with you! If you had a single thought about this fic, please review!

WORDS: 432 UPLOADED Thursday, August 5, 2010