Author's Notes: This takes place during the movie, while Margaret is working in the internet café. I wrote it because although I was glad Andrew and Margaret had their happy ending, I couldn't help noticing the chemistry between Andrew and Gert.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize from The Proposal.

The Two Owners of His Heart

Andrew stepped outside, leaving in Margaret in the internet café. He suspected that her time using a dial up internet connection would not be pleasant, and he had no desire to witness it. He had almost felt bad for Margaret, stuck in a strange town with a terrible internet connection. Quickly, Andrew shook the feeling off. What was coming over him? He questioned himself and his feelings for Margaret. How could he love her? She was -

"Andrew!" Gert interrupted brightly, leading a long line of children.

"Hi Gert," Andrew replied. He smiled at the kids, "Hey guys."

"Hi Mr. Paxton," a few of them chorused shyly.

"I'm helping Maud out with the day camp," Gert explained.

"We're meeting Auntie Maud at the ice cream parlor!" one of the boys exclaimed in an excited tone.

"You should come," invited Gert, "I'm off soon."

"Alright," Andrew nodded, "Let's do it. Hey guys, who's ready for ice cream?"

"Me!" the little voices shouted excitedly. The rather large group of children and two adults began walking in the direction of the ice cream parlor, leaving the internet café behind.

After leaving the kids with Maud, the high school sweethearts ate lunch at a restaurant across the street. They sat across from each other in a booth, one of those too-small, cozy ones towards the back of the room. Andrew studied Gert. He hadn't seen her in years, but she was as pretty as she had been back when they were in school. He hadn't realized how very much he had missed her until a few moments ago.

"So," Gert said, "tell me about New York."

"It's big. Uh, really big. You get lost at first, but the longer you've been there, the more familiar it gets. A million things to do. You're rarely bored in New York City."

"There are places that stay open past nine, then," Gert's eyes sparkled.

Andrew laughed, "Yes. Unlike here, there are about a million of them."

Gert became serious, "Maybe…maybe I should've gone with you."

"You did what was right for you."

She shook her head sadly, "I did what felt safe. You don't know…I think about you. Not a day goes by where I don't."

"Gert…"

She smiled, but it was anything but a happy one, "I guess it's too late now, though. You're happily engaged. Congratulations, Andy."

"It's not that simple, Gert."

She raised her eyebrows, "You're engaged to another woman. I think that does makes things pretty simple for us."

"If I could change things…"

She smiled, "If I could change things, if I could change the past, I'd say yes when you asked me to elope. I'd be brave, step out of my comfort zone, and go with you. But the fact is, I didn't do any of that, and this is where we are now."

Andrew nodded sadly. He wanted to court Gert like he had in the old days, but his feelings about the entire Margaret affair were beginning to confuse him. What exactly did he feel for that woman? It was definitely something, whatever it was.

His problem was that he felt something for both Gert and Margaret. He wasn't sure how to begin sorting out his feelings for the two women. He loved Gert, loved her as they sat in their booth, reliving the past, but he felt something for Margaret, felt that something as the blurred the lines between fighting and flirting. This thing with Margaret, it was new. He knew Gert like the back of his hand, but Margaret Tate was uncharted territory.

Perhaps when all with Margaret was said and done - because Andy knew that even if he was beginning to develop feelings for her, he would never truly reciprocate them - he could come back to Alaska. He knew that he could never stay in Alaska on a permanent basis ever again, but he could come back and get Gert. Maybe then she could be ready to take on New York City with him. Maybe there was hope for him after all.

Andy knew how things with Margaret would end: after she was finished using him, he would divorce him as quickly as he could. It didn't matter if he was beginning to have feelings for her that confused him to death. She could eventually end their sham relationship, he knew. Then, his choice would be simple and clear. He couldn't have to choose between the two women; Margaret would make is easy by breaking up with him. Then he would not have to chose between the two women that had his heart.

"What're you thinking about?" Gert asked him.

He sighed, a tiny smile appearing across his features, "The future."

"Do you love her, Andy?"

Andrew swallowed. He wasn't sure of the truthful answer to her question. He simply nodded in response.

"Well then, I'm happy for you," Gert replied, and Andy could tell she meant it. In all the years that he had known her, she had always been so pure, so truthful. She was someone that he and Margaret should really take lessons from. He hated that he was lying to Gert like this; he hated that he was deceiving and possibly hurting her.

"Thanks."

She smiled at him, "You're very welcome."

The two stayed in silence for awhile.

"Margaret," Gert spoke up, "You should probably go…she's probably done by now. Either that or she's out of dimes."

Andrew gave her a half smile, "You're probably right. It was good talking to you, Gert."

"Yeah, you too, Andy. You too."