Movin' On

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I could have Rex all to myself, I don't. Nor do I own any of the other DOOL characters. It's so sad.

A/N: I'm a huge Rimi fan, so to celebrate the holiday season, despite the events that are to take place on the show, I thought I'd write a quick one chapter holiday fic. It takes place right after the Salem Stalker assaults Sami in "murder alley" and shows up at Bonny's Christmas tree lot. I promised myself I wouldn't write a fic where Cassie is dead, or is going to die, but for this one I kept it along the lines of what happened on the show, so that's right, Cassie's gone. Reviews are greatly appreciated. So here goes nothing.

It was hard to lead a normal life in a town being terrorized by a serial killer. There is always that haunting feeling no matter where you go. This little voice saying you're being watched. People wouldn't go out at night. Dark alleys remained abandoned. Relationships were going through a constant tossing and turning like a ship sailing on stormy seas. It was even worse when your boyfriend was a suspected killer. That's exactly how Mimi Lockhart felt.

Rex was having violent mood swings and Mimi was beginning to wonder if the guy she loved more than anything was really capable of committing something as gruesome as murder. She stuck by him through this whole ordeal. When Cassie died Rex was devastated, and now his father was a threat. The night Sami was attacked proved his innocence. He couldn't be holding his half sister at knife point in a dark alley if he was with Mimi when it took place.

As much as he hated being a Brady, he was still protective of them. They were relatives, and if there was one important lesson he learned from being a DiMera, it was to stand by your family through thick and thin. Family values meant a lot to Rex, although he puts on the front that he doesn't care. Little to Mimi's knowledge, he was considering asking her to join the family, and soon. All he wanted was to make her happy. She was his life. Without her, he never would have made it this far without losing his mind completely.

All these thoughts were flowing through Rex's head as he browsed his way through the third jewelry store he visited today. He didn't want to buy Mimi just any ring, it had to be perfect. She was special, so she deserved only the best. He could still remember the look on her face the night of the Salem Bicentennial when he gave her the diamond he retrieved from his laser experiment gone horribly wrong. He loved seeing the gleam in her eyes, the satisfaction of knowing it was he who put it there.

The showcase of exquisite rings had quite a range of prices, but Rex had more than enough money to buy them all. A fine cut blazing blue diamond was the one he seemed decisive on. It had Mimi written all over it. He called the clerk over and pointed out his selection, far from being the type of ring a child would buy for a quarter in a gumball machine. It had a hefty price tag on it, but that didn't hold him back. After losing their house and living in a box far a short time during high school, Mimi more than deserved this.

Rex paid for his purchase and graciously thanked the clerk before walking outside into the bright sunlight of midday in Salem Place. He couldn't wait to pop the biggest question he would ever ask. As he rounded the corner, he bumped into Belle who had a few shopping bags of her own and had obviously gone against Shawn's warning not to go outside at any time without an escort. "I'm so sorry… Rex!"

"Belle, hey! I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going. I'm surprised Shawn doesn't have a twenty-four hour surveillance team following you around."

"Yes, well, that's why I love him. He cares so much, but… I admit there are times when he goes a little overboard. Hey, what's in that bag? Is it what I think it is?"

"Um, okay, first, what do you think it is?"

"Judging by the fact that it's from the biggest jewelry store in Salem… Oh my God! Did you buy an engagement ring!"

"I might have. But listen, you can't tell Mimi, okay! I want this to be a surprise."

"Wait, what are you saying here? Did you just accuse me of having a big mouth? I'd hate to burst your bubble, but I think you've got me confused with your girlfriend, who must really have you head over heels."

"Yeah, I guess I am. You know, when I first came to this town, I had nothing. The only person I knew I could count on was Cassie. But then you and Shawn helped us get used to the daily tasks life had in store. The two of you helped us learn to speak, what it meant to have friends, what a real family was. But the thing I'm most thankful for is that you're the ones who introduced me to Mimi. I love her so much, and I don't know what I would ever do if I lost her."

"And you're very welcome for that. I feel the same way about Shawn. If he weren't here for me to lean on, I don't know how I would have ever made it this far. With all these killings, and the fact that they're all either close friends or family members of his, it's amazing he hasn't had a total breakdown by now."

"He sure had a hot head when it came to pointing the finger, that's for sure. But I can see where he's coming from. It's hard to lose a loved one. He just needed a way to vent his anger. I just happened to be lucky contestant number one. I'm glad we're past that now. We can work together to catch this bastard that's tearing our family apart." Rex's cell phone rings. It's Mimi and it sounds urgent. He and Belle exchange farewells and go on their merry ways. Mimi had said to meet her at his loft pronto.

Rex hides the bag inside his coat pocket in order not to spoil his surprise. He slides the door open to reveal a room filled with candles and a romantic dinner set for two. Mimi is standing behind the couch in the center of the room, basking in the pride of setting all this up. Rex can't help but smile as he walks toward her, pulling her into his strong grip.

"I love what you've done with the place! Merry Christmas, Meems." He pulls her closer for a quick lip lock. After pulling apart, Mimi tries to grasp back onto reality so she can speak once again. "Wow, um… Merry Christmas to you too. But wait, there's more!" She grabs his hand and pulls him across the room into the kitchen, where she has a meal fit for royalty, definitely not the TV dinners Bonny had tried to pass off as home cooking when she paid Mickey a visit.

"We've got champagne, salad frisee, lobster, filet mignon, and I got some strawberries for dessert."

"Did you really make all this yourself?"

"Why would you ask such a question?"

"Mimi. I've tasted your cooking before. You can't even make toast without burning it to a crisp!"

"Ha ha, very funny wise guy. Oh who am I kidding, you're gonna pry it out of me sooner or later. I had it delivered from Tuscany's. There, are you happy now?"

"I'll be happier when we get started on those strawberries. What do you think of having dessert in bed?"

She moves closer, smelling his cologne and fighting the urge to skip dinner all together and throw him straight into bed. "I think I'd like that very much. But-" He cut her off with a passionate kiss. "Okay, what was I saying?"

"The strawberries."

"Right! But before we get to that, I don't think we should let a perfectly delicious dinner go to waste. Then we can move on to the bedroom." She began playing with his hair, then led him to the table. There were crystal glasses, a bucket of champagne, candles, and rose petals scattered across the tabletop. Keeping his cool was easy. He fooled the lie detector test by regulating his breathing patterns, and although he was extremely nervous, he did just that in order to seem normal.

Rex was fidgeting in his seat, but Mimi was too excited at finally getting a moment alone with her boyfriend to notice. She was indulging herself with her salad when Rex gathered up the courage to go for it before it was too late. "Mimi," he said, taking her hand and getting down on one knee.

"Oh my God! Rex-"

"Just hear me out… Mimi, since the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one for me. When I was first getting used to living in Salem, you were there. Throughout these murders, and the investigation, you never gave up on me. I was never one to really believe in fate, but… You've changed me in so many ways. You're like an angel. It's like I was sent here for a reason. That reason is you. I love you so much. That brings me to my next question. Mimi Lockhart, will you marry me?"

She was moved by his proposal. She never saw it coming, and she was on the verge of tears. "Yes!"

He swept her into his arms, engaging in the deepest kiss either of them had ever experienced. In the candle light of their little haven, they embraced each other, never wanting to let go for fear of losing the other. Rex looked deep into her green eyes, pulling the ring out and slipping it onto her finger. She got the same bright eyed expression she had when she received the diamond that summer, only this time it was ten times more brilliant. She was speechless, but Rex had one thing on his mind at this point.

"Now, how about those strawberries?"