[A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Kate, my Tumblr soul mate and the person who single-handedly ruined Niles and CC for me. Happy birthday!]

Part Two: Before

September

CC felt Niles' hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her toward their table. She preened as she spotted others staring jealously at her gown. Made of a light silk organza, the dress was luminescent in the soft light and cast a glow about her. The muted gold color suited her skin tone and the halter cut displayed her exquisite shoulders.

Two waiters, resplendent in tuxedos, pulled open the French doors leading to their private dining area. The curtained glass doors shut behind them and immediately, the sound of the other diners muted and was replaced by classical violin music. The ceiling was extravagantly vaulted and draped in gauzy chiffon, twined with soft white fairy lights.

Their private table was set simply but elegantly with a single white orchid as the centerpiece. A bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket near the table told CC that interference from serving staff would be minimal this evening, and she was captivated with the beauty of it all.

"Do you like it?" Niles asked softly in her ear. His breath slid over her ear and down her neck, causing her skin to erupt in gooseflesh.

"Of course," CC replied, her voice still tinged with wonder.

Niles squeezed her hand before leading her to her chair, quickly pulling it out for her. In a rustle of silks, CC arranged the skirt of her gown and sat down.

"Niles, you didn't have to go to such trouble," she said, touching the fine linen of the tablecloth.

"I know it's nicer than the trop you usually eat out of," Niles began, his eyes twinkling, "but it's our one-year anniversary. I wanted it to be special."

"It is," CC assured him, glancing up at the chandelier that sat at the apex of the draped chiffon. "It's gorgeous in here."

"It pales in comparison," Niles said as he poured her champagne.

CC smiled as she accepted the flute. "You're sweet."

"Hm, I was talking about myself," Niles teased as he poured a flute of his own.

CC laughed, delighted and intoxicated with the atmosphere, the bubbles tickling her nose, and her immense amount of feeling for this wonderful, wonderful man.

"I love you," she told him, happy to say it freely and proud of herself for the ability to do so after so long.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," Niles told her, squeezing her hand. With his free one, he lifted his flute in the air. "To us."

"To us," CC repeated, clinking her glass against his.

As if from nowhere, a waiter appeared bearing two plates of arugula, pear, and gorgonzola salad. Soon after setting the plates down, he disappeared again.

As she picked up her salad fork, CC commented, "What service. I'm not used to being served meals without an insult or two."

"I did find his performance lacking," Niles admitted as he speared a pear with the tines. "He didn't drop even one bit into your lap."

The couple lapsed into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their salad.

The dreamy, romantic atmosphere was barely punctuated by servers removing plates and adding new ones with courses Niles had ordered in advance. CC felt her entire persona inflate with happiness, as if she were one of the bouncy castles she'd always begged her father to buy for her when she was younger.

Their conversation dashed and swerved and lingered in the way that CC had grown accustomed to, finding that the random turns and intervals delighted her more than any other conversation had before. She reveled in the insults, as usual, but was just as enthralled with his take on current events or even his opinion on a movie they'd watched recently. He had the uncanny ability to make her laugh and make her think, and it was this more than anything else that endeared him to her. She had even found that his humble upbringing, instead of shaming her, had actually molded him into a wonderfully magnanimous and understanding man with a unique perspective on life.

"CC? Still with me?" Niles asked, breaking into her thoughts. She came to with a smile and nodded. "Good. The dessert's on its way."

"Dessert? I couldn't possibly…" CC stopped herself as she saw the chocolate swirl cheesecake set down between them. The server walked off before CC could ask for another spoon.

"We don't need two," Niles said, reading her mind. He picked it up, sliced it through the tip of the cake and, being sure to get some of the crust on the spoon, offered it to her. She leaned forward delightedly and accepted his offering.

"Oh, my God, this is amazing," CC said. "My turn, my turn." She took the spoon from him and got another bite on it, electing to eat it herself instead of giving it to him.

"You glutton," Niles said, crossing his arms in mock anger.

CC laughed and wiped a bit of chocolate from the corner of her mouth.

When Niles uncrossed his arms, CC noticed his right hand wasn't empty. It was clutching something small and dark. Before she could even set down her napkin, Niles was at her side on one knee.

"CC," he began.

In a strange, adrenaline-induced moment, CC's senses piqued and she thought she could hear the clinks and chatter of the patrons outside of their dreamy cocoon. A second later, a whooshing sound filled her ears and the violin music sounded much louder than normal. Then, with what sounded like the air being let out of a tire, CC heard Niles' last sentence.

"Will you marry me?"

The question hung in the air between them, the letters looping and merging and increasing in size until it barricaded her from him. Then the jumble of letters and words exploded, covering the couple with a dizzying array of glitter. CC blinked and more got in her eyes, but then it turned to snow and melted into water on her cheeks.

Her heart pounded a rhumba in her chest, and for an insane moment, she wanted to get up and dance to it.

Then the sparkle from the exquisitely cut diamond winked at her and she came back down to earth.

"Yes!"