A year had passed since Alex had returned from his lengthy trip to and from Mars. He and Lea were doing their first performance of the day on Valentine's Day. Marty, as the performance was going on, had noticed that Alex had something in his pen. After the performance, Marty went to his lion friend and asked "Alex, what have you got here?" Alex glanced over at Lea, whom was having a chat with Gloria and Melman, and said "well, it's Valentine's Day, and I figured that I'd give her the most romantic gift any male could give his girlfriend. I'm planning on popping the big question." Marty was really getting excited. "6:00 this evening, I'll do this over dinner" Alex stated. Marty replied "I can't wait."
Meanwhile, at NASA, the shuttles had long since been retired, and the zoo completely rebuilt. A letter was being sent out to Alex and his friends requesting they try another week stay in the improved zoo. They would be informed of other animals that would be staying with them. After completing the letter, a supervisor asked "don't you think we ought to let that lion get settled in first? I mean he did have one heck of a long trip—to and from Mars." The typist replied "I'll wait a few months to send them out. In the meantime, we need our other occupants, including this python you specified named Kaa." The supervisor replied "oh, yeah."
That evening, at the Central Park Zoo, Alex and his friends were dining together for the Valentine's Day feast. "This is the greatest Valentine's Day ever" Lea said, "I don't know how it could possibly get any better." Alex said "well, I've got a little something for you, Lea." Lea turned to Alex, took a sip of tea, and asked "like what?" Alex said "close your eyes, Lea." Lea closed her eyes, and Alex got the ring box. He knelt down on one knee and said "Lea these past two years together has been the best I've ever known." Lea said "well, they've been the best for me, too, albeit the majority of them were taken up by your unplanned trip to and from Mars." Alex replied "well, still, they were the best. You can open your eyes, now." Gloria and Melman saw the ring box he was holding. Gloria asked "Melman, is he going to do what I think he's going to do?" Melman, getting excited, replied "I think so." Lea opened her eyes, and Alex opened the ring box. "Lea, will you marry me?" he asked. Lea was truly excited. "Yes, Alex, I will" she replied. As Alex put the ring on, everyone else was applauding.
Some three weeks later, Alex and his friends received correspondence from NASA. Alex read the letter they had gotten. "Dear Alex, Marty, Melman, Lea, and Gloria. We would like to invite you to try another week stay in our newly rebuilt orbiting zoo. This time, there will be others staying with you. Please get back to us as soon as possible. I trust you still know the e-mail address. Sincerely, Michael D. Griffin, Administrator." Gloria replied "Alex, you can tell them about you and Lea getting married. That may be a nice way to have a wedding like no other: in orbit." Lea beamed at the idea with "that'll be so romantic. We could have closed-circuit TV coverage for our families on the ground, unless NASA is willing to get them into orbit as well." Alex replied "well, I'll e-mail NASA the idea and see."
