Happy Valentine's Day!

This is set shortly before Chapter 53.

Dedicated to Bryt - the inspiration for Sana.

SeQuina Tormont was fuming. It wasn't normal – generally it was her best friend in the world, Dusty Wayne, who would sit and fume for no practical reason at all. But here she was, sitting at her desk, almost giving off smoke from her displeasure.

And it was all because of him.

James McTaverly sat innocently at his small desk in her office; drawing away at something she was bound to receive later. Talented artist he was not, but it came from the heart. She sat there, tapping her fingernails on the armrest of her chair, trying not to explode. It wasn't anything he had done – per se – that had mad her angry, rather the lack of something he had done.

He hadn't mailed the letter. That was it. It wasn't even a big thing, but here she was, fuming away. The letter was a letter for a client that was urgently being awaited, and had been delayed three days because he hadn't sent it on time.

And he didn't know she was angry. She hadn't even known to be angry with him until this morning, when the client had received the letter three days too late. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. It wasn't working.

"Hey, Sana, I was thinking that we could go out to dinner later tonight." James said, without turning around, still intently working on his drawing. She tried not to huff in displeasure before answering.

"Why?" She finally got out, managing to not sound like she was dearly wishing to strangle something. James didn't seem to notice. Instead, he shrugged and kept on drawing.

"I just thought a nice night out on the town would be nice. Since you're able to get up and around for a few hours at a time now, I thought you might enjoy it." He said, suddenly turning his pencil around and frantically rubbing out a line on the paper. Her heart almost softened. She focused on keeping the nice warm, angry feeling, and soon she was angry again.

"I just don't know." She said, "I'm really busy tonight and-"

"I thought you said yesterday that you didn't have anything going on until next week end." He said, turning around, his arm resting on the back of his chair. She gave him a searing look. His eyebrows drew together. "Uh oh. What happened?" He asked. She kept glowering at him. He looked around, "Uh…paper?" He said, remarking on the first thing that he saw.

Her expression didn't change. He looked around desperately. "Uh…lamps?" He asked. Her expression didn't change. He sighed, "You're going to have to help me here, Sana. I can't think of anything." He said.

"Letter," She said, her jaw clenched and her voice a forbidding tone.

"B," He said. Then the light dawned on him. "Oh."

"Oh," She mimicked, "is that all you can say for yourself? Oh?" She said, "My client received the plans for her red-carpet gown a day and a half before she had to wear it. Even the worst designer knows that for a gown to be sown in proper time, you need a lot more time than that."

He thought for a moment and grimaced, "About three days more?"

"Yes. Now, what do you have to say for yourself?" She said, her voice scathing and impatient. James sighed.

"Sana, do you really know what I was doing while I was supposed to be mailing your letter?" He asked, his voice rather abashed. She thought for a moment.

"I think I could take an interest." She said, her voice deeply sarcastic. "I sent you out to specifically mail that letter. You take two hours – during the hours of the day that traffic least busy, yet still manage to forget to mail the letter." She said. James shrugged, and reached into his pocket.

"Well, I've been trying all day to get your attention, I suppose this is as good a time as any…" He trailed off. Sana's eyebrows drew together.

"What do you mean?" She asked. He sighed, turned around and pulled the paper that he was drawing on. What was on the paper confused her even more. "A dress?"

"I was hoping you were going to come look over my shoulder and ask me what I was doing." He said, shrugging again, "Then, when you asked why I was drawing a dress, I'd have a chance to bring up the topic of marriage again," He said. She looked up from the page, her heart both thudding in anticipation, and yet crumbling at the memory of how she had just abused him. He smiled, "When you didn't come over, I started thinking again, what it would take to get you to that point… That's why I asked about the restaurant," He said, bouncing a bit. Then the smile slid off his face. "I'm sorry about the letter, Sana. The truth of the matter is, when I went to mail the letter, but I went and ran an errand of mine first. I ran late, and by the time I was done, the post office was closed. So…well, I just sent it regular mail instead of express. I forgot it was the weekend…" He trailed off. "I'm just…sorry." He breathed out.

Sana wasn't mad anymore. But she was intrigued. She touched his shoulder, running her finger down the fabric of his jacket.

"James, what were you doing?" She asked. He turned slightly, putting his hand back into the pocket that he'd had it in before. But this time, he fished something out.

A small, velveteen black box. She looked at it, stunned.

"This." He said, putting it into her hand, "They had to run it to where I was at from another store…it's in your size." He said. She opened the case. Inside, as she had begun to hope, was a gorgeous diamond ring. James stood up and looked down at her as she simply stared at the ring.

"Sana, I know I should have mailed the letter first, but I didn't want to be late with my consultation with the jeweler." He said. She smiled and started to cry.

"How did you get my ring size?" She asked. He swallowed.

"Bruce. He called Dusty, wherever she is at the moment, to find out." He said, his voice sounding like he wanted to cry too, "Sana, will you marry me?"

She looked up at him, disbelieving. "James, I just yelled at you two minutes ago."

"I know."

"I just screamed at you, and- and horrible and-"

"I know." He said, his voice soft. She looked up.

"And you still want to marry me?" She asked, "I'm a horrible person. I'd make your life miserable. I'd make anyone's life miserable. Ask Dusty – she got so fed up with me she threw me out of a window!" She said. James smiled.

"Well, stay away from windows and I won't be tempted. But Sana, I never expected you to be perfect. I never expected you to be even near perfect. I just expected you to be you, and you have a rather tempestuous personality sometimes. But I love you for that." He said. She looked up at him.

"Really?" She asked. He nodded. She looked down and cleared her throat, "Well, I always knew you were certifiably insane, but this takes the cake…" She trailed off. She seemed to be thinking very hard. After two minutes she looked up at him.

"I don't know, James." She said, looking him straight in the eyes, "I know I love you, but I don't know." She whispered, "There's so many things that are uncertain…" She sighed, "Can you give me a little time to answer?" She asked, looking up into his eyes. A tiny spark of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but then he smiled.

"Take all the time you need. I'll be here for you if you need me," He said. She smiled.

"You know I really do love you, right?" She asked, her voice soft and slightly apologetic. He smiled and bent down, his lips hovering just above hers.

"Yes."

There you go! I'm working on another One-Shot with Bruce and Dusty, but I have no clue when that will be up.

Well, hugs and kisses, and a very Happy Valentine's Day!

~Sabre