Connor had been fourteen the year his Gran had died. He was the oldest of seven grandchildren, all boys and had hence inherited Gran's engagement ring. She had told him a week before she had passed away that he was to give it to the girl who would hold his heart for life and he had promised he would.

He held the ring in his palm, his finger slowly tracing it. He wanted to keep his promise, he really did, but seeing as how Abby had made it clear a hundred times over that they were definitely not more than pals, he wasn't quite sure an engagement ring would be an appropriate gift.

And yet, he knew that she was the one. Whether she ever accepted him or not, whether she moved on, moved out (or kicked him out) and one day he never saw her again, she would still always be the girl who held is heart. The ring itself was gorgeous, small and delicate, the gold entwined in the shape of leaves, the tiny diamond and blue apatite flowers throughout the entire circle sparkled. The blue was the exact colour of Abby's eyes, and the diamonds were her birthstone, just as it had been his Gran's. He had no doubt that the ring was meant for Abby.

If he was going to keep his promise to his Gran, he just had to find a way to give it to her without scaring her off forever. In the end he couldn't think of any way of presenting it that would make the gift seem more appropriate, so he decided to just talk to her, to tell her the entire story about his Gran and all, and hope that she'd understand his reasoning enough to accept.

He was dead nervous about it.

"Abby?" Connor mumbled as they ate their breakfast. "Could, we maybe have a bit of a chat today?"

Abby looked at him, something in his tone telling her that this was serious but she couldn't help teasing him a little, "We chat every day, Connor, so unless you were planning on giving me the silent treatment, I'll go with yes."

He smiled, "A good proper chat though Abby, no distractions, mobiles off. It's important. Well, it is to me, might not be to you, but we're pals, right? So would you hear me out anyways?"

Mobiles off? They were supposed to keep their mobiles on at all times in case of an anomaly, so Abby knew that, whatever this was about, it was no little thing. Not to Connor at any rate. She instantly agreed, "Of course, Connor. You're my best pal, you can talk to me about anything."

Ten minutes later Abby joined Connor on the sofa. He instantly switched off his video game and then his mobile. Abby turned hers off too, giving him her full attention.

"Only, I'm not really very good at this talking thing," Connor muttered under his breath, but loudly enough for Abby to hear him. She put her hand on his arm reassuringly and he continued. "Okay well, I just want you to know before I start that I'm not proposing to you…" A look of alarm shot across Abby's face and she drew her hand back.

"Not, I said not, Abby."

"Good," she replied. "That's probably a very good idea, Connor."

"Okay, well as long as we're clear on that then, because I have something for you, it's special, and I didn't want you to say no when I'm not even proposing."

Abby sighed, "Connor, I understand. You are in no way, shape, or form, proposing to me right now. Whatever we talk about, whatever it is you have to say, you don't want to marry me, I get it."

"Well I wouldn't exactly go that far," he protested, before realising what he'd just confessed to. Judging by Abby's look of surprise, she had caught on too but he continued quickly before she could say anything, "but yeah, I'm definitely not proposing, because even I know that would turn out badly now, wouldn't it? Please don't answer that. Anyways, I just, I have a present for you, is that okay? I really, really want you to have it."

"Connor, people give each other gifts all the time and they don't have to be getting married. Did you never have a birthday party as a chil- oh." Abby's question was cut short by her surprise as Connor suddenly unveiled the ring to her, holding open the ring's box so she could see its beauty.

Abby's speechless surprise lasted long enough that she didn't protest as Connor removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger, being careful to place it on her right ring finger instead of the left as extra emphasis that he was indeed not proposing to her.

"Connor, what is this?" Abby asked when she found her voice.

"A ring," he explained.

She rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, I can that, Connor. What is this about? Why are you giving me this ring?"

So far she hadn't taken it off, so that was a good sign, he thought to himself. "Abby, it's just that, well, have I ever told you about my Gran?"

Abby wasn't quite sure where this was going, but she nodded, "Yes, at least you've mentioned her now and then."

"She was a fun Gran, Abby, really fun. I was always especially close to her and when she died she gave me that ring. It was her engagement ring. Me mum got the wedding ring. I was told that when I was grown, I was supposed to give it to that one special girl who had me heart forever, and that's you, Abs. It can't ever be anyone else. You have to take it, Abby. I promised her right before she died and I know you don't want to commit to me, or even have a relationship with me, at least not that kind of relationship but it doesn't change a thing about my feelings and, oh Abby, you just have to take it because I can't break the last promise I ever made to her, now can I? It doesn't even have to mean anything on your side, just a gift from one pal to another, that would be okay, right?"

But it wasn't "just a gift", and it never could be. Abby knew that, and Connor knew she did, that's why he was clearly so nervous about this whole thing. Because even if it wasn't an engagement ring per se, at least not for her, and even if he wasn't asking her for anything at all, which he wasn't, not any kind of commitment or declaration of feelings from her, even if he said it was no strings attached, it still represented his feelings for her.

She took it off and fiddled with it, undecided whether to give it back or not. She knew it would hurt him if she did, but…

"Connor I'm not ready to be more than pals with you right now," she began.

"I'm not asking you too, Abby!" he quickly interjected. "You can do what you want still. If you wanna keep dating other guys and stuff that's fine… I'll deal with it and all."

"Okay first of all, Connor, you say that like I've been doing it. When, since you've moved in here, have I ever dated anyone, eh? And secondly, like what? I'm supposed to just wear it always? On a date? How do I explain that one… Oh, this, this is nothing, just a symbol of some other man's feelings for me but don't worry I'm totally into you. Yeah, I can see that one going over well."

"Yeah, only, I didn't really think that part right through," Connor admitted.

"No, obviously. See, Connor, the thing is, if I'm going to take this ring, I feel like I have to make a commitment to you, because I can't to any one else. Not without giving it back to you, because who would want me if I have it? Besides, I don't think it's really what your Gran had in mind. I think she meant for you to give it away when you are proposing, not when you're not."

"But Abs, if I'm not gonna marry you than I'm not gonna marry anyone else. It's not like I can just replace you. You're still gonna always be the one girl for me, whether you're with me or not."

Abby remained silent, too many thoughts racing through her mind to properly voice any of them. She longed for some time alone to think but somehow she knew that if she told Connor she needed to "think about it longer", she'd never really decide one way or another. She'd postpone the decision indefinitely while he waited and waited, and Connor didn't deserve that. No, she had to make up her mind now while their was the pressure of him waiting here for her to do so or she never would.

"Abby?" Connor's voice was small when he interrupted her thoughts after a long silence.

"Yeah?"

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done this yeah? It was just a stupid idea. I wanted to keep me promise but I don't want to put all this pressure on you, and you're right, what would you say to anyone else you dated? It's okay, Abs, you don't have to take it."

He reached his hand out towards Abby to take it back, but she held onto it still.

"It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen, Connor," she said, her mind still not made up. She should just give it back. Connor, well he'd be disappointed but he'd understand and he'd deal with it fine, he always did when she rejected him.

"It's the same colour as your eyes Abby, and the diamonds is your birthstone."

He wasn't trying to convince her to keep it with that statement, just telling her some facts as he was always inclined to do.

She really should give it back but – but what if she shouldn't? She had mentioned the problems it would cause if she was dating others, but really, she didn't date anyone and she didn't want to. What was the point? It was her fear of commitment that kept her from being in a relationship with Connor, not her lack of feelings for him.

The thing is, she knew that if she couldn't commit to Connor she sure as hell couldn't commit to anyone else. And if she was ever in a place where she could, well then she'd never find a man who loved her more and she knew that. He wasn't asking her for a commitment right now anyways, or even ever, but it's not like she could ever imagine herself with anyone other than Connor either.

And suddenly she realised that she already was committed to Connor in her mind so the entire thing was moot anyways, and to her surprise the realisation didn't scare her. She glanced at Connor and chuckled slightly at the fact that she could have ever found him scary.

He had been staring at his hands, which were in his lap now, but his eyes shot up to her face when he heard her laugh. Abby grinned at him, suddenly feeling very light and happy, as she slipped the ring back over her finger. Reaching for face, she suddenly drew him close to her and kissed him eagerly. She felt his surprised gasp before he returned it.

She drew away again just long enough to look him in the eyes and tell him, "I love you, Connor Temple."

She didn't think she'd ever seen his eyes lit up so much as he questioned, "This, this means you're keeping the ring then, right?"