A/N: A mushy, sappy oneshot romance, written for the NFA Hopeless Romantic challenge. The song lyrics come from "The Story of My Life" written by Neil Diamond. I love the lyrics and I recommend you read the whole song, although I didn't put them all in the song.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS and I am not making any money off this story. It's just for fun.
The Story of My Life
by Enthusiastic Fish
"The story of my life is very plain to read.
It starts the day you came
And ends the day you leave.
The story of my life begins and ends with you.
The names are still the same
And the story's still the truth."
Tim felt as though he couldn't breathe right. His heart was thudding against his sternum as he walked along the river. He didn't know how to say the words. What would really express how he felt, how she had brought him to life, how he didn't even realize how empty his life had been before seeing her? Was it possible that they'd known each other for such a short time?
Everything about her was the perfect complement to his idiosyncrasies. She was sure where he was uncertain. She always had her feet on the ground when he was liable to be hanging out in the clouds. She understood him in ways that no one ever had before.
He knew that he was so hopelessly in love right now that he could step off the sidewalk and fall into the river and he'd hardly realize it. He had spent hours in the jewelry store...picking the perfect ring. He now had it.
...and now, all his old insecurities were coming to the surface. He loved her. He loved her so much. He was afraid of losing her. He was afraid of not being what she wanted.
But I love her.
What more could there be than that? They'd talked about a lot of things. He'd even opened up and told her about his failed relationships in the past. She had heard them all and not left him.
Would she leave him now? Would she spurn what he wanted to give her? Would it all happen again, all those times of being told that he wanted something she didn't want?
She was coming here. He had asked her to. He had not told anyone at NCIS what he was doing tonight...but they all knew anyway. He didn't bother wondering how. ...but for once, they were letting him do it his own way. No unnecessary advice, no teasing. Just some knowing looks as he'd left.
He had asked her to come to this spot. It was where he'd first met her...walking along, feeling a bit bereft, truth be told. She had come. They had talked. They had dated.
Tim had fallen in love. Head over heels. She was a little older than he was, but that didn't matter. The ages were immaterial. What mattered was that he would do anything for her. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her.
"Tim?"
Just her voice brought a smile to his face. He felt his heart swell. It was so cliche, but he could walk on air just being in her presence.
He turned around.
"Hi," he said.
"You seemed so urgent on the phone. What is it?"
Tim felt his courage falter slightly. Could he bear it if she said no? Would he have read things wrongly yet again? Was this not as serious as he thought it was?
"Tim, are you all right?"
No. This is right. This is the next step. It's right.
Tim smiled.
"I love you," he said.
She smiled back. "I love you, too."
Tim took a deep breath, reached into his pocket, pulled out the ring. ...and then, he went down on one knee.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"I love you so much. I feel like my life didn't even start until I met you. Every page of my life has been enriched with you in it. I don't know if I can ever be to you what you are to me...but I'd like to try. I'd like to have you with me for the rest of our lives."
Tim swallowed and held out the ring box.
"Will you marry me?"
She sank down onto a bench. It was the first time he'd ever seen her without a ready word. He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.
"How long have you been planning this?" she asked.
"Not long."
"I didn't expect it."
"Are you saying no?" Tim asked. At least, the other times women had broken up with him, they'd been fast about it.
There was a moment of absolute silence. Tim was still holding out the ring box.
Then, finally, she smiled.
"I'm not saying no, Tim."
Tim chanced a smile in return.
"Does that mean you're saying yes?"
"I think it does."
"Then...could you say it? Please?"
She laughed.
"Yes. Yes!"
Then, she held out her hand and let Tim put the delicate ring on her finger.
Instead of letting him come up to her, she slid off the bench and knelt in front of him.
"I love you," she said.
"I can't even say how much I love you," Tim said...and he kissed her, trying to convey with that kiss all the feelings that couldn't be expressed in words.
The rain started a few minutes later, and they ran together, laughing all the way.
"The story of my life; it's very plain to read.
It starts the day you came.
It ends the day you leave."
FINIS!