A/N It's back! I seriously hope that more than one person actually still cares about this story. You know it's a proven fact that fluff is good for you - so read this and live a long, happy life! Thank me in a review!

Greg and Olivia sat on the sofa in their living room, watching an episode of Sex and the City whilst eating Chinese food. This was the way they spent the few evenings a week that they had together, but tonight wasn't exactly like any other night of the year. Plucking another pork ball from the foil dish on the coffee table, Greg thought about the past year. "Sorry we couldn't go out tonight. I've been kind of strapped for cash lately."

"It's OK. I would rather be here with you than out getting drunk, believe it or not. Not something I ever thought I'd say."

They sat engrossed (or not, in Greg's case) in the escapades of Carrie and co. until the commercials started. He really needed to go to the bathroom, but there was something that he'd been wanting to ask her all night, and now was as good a time as any.

"So, Olives, what are your new years resolutions?"

"Oh, I probably won't be making any. I always end up breaking them within a week, anyway."

"Come, on! I'm sure there's something that you want to happen this year."

"Well...I guess I'd like to take up yoga again. I really got into it when I went to Japan before college, but when I got back I just didn't have the time any more. Or I'd like to learn how to make sushi. That good enough for you?"

"Yeah, anything else?"

"What are you trying to say? You think I need to work on my personality or the way I look or something?"

"No, no of course not – just trying to make conversation, that's all."

"OK, well I guess I'd like to take a nice vacation by the end of the year. But that's not really a resolution, is it. If I smoked, then I'd give that up. How about you?"

"Oh you know, spend more time with my family, get a promotion at work, the usual stuff. Get married maybe." The look on her face prompted him to add: "To you."

"My love, my life, my everything," he said, feeling incredibly cheesy as he looked down at her with a mixture of adoration and plain hope. "Do you maybe want to marry me?"

"Are you serious?"

"Like a heart attack." He could see she was mulling it over, but he suddenly felt very exposed – he had just spilled his feelings to her, and could only hope that she wanted this as much as him. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Impossible. I love you when you're mad at me. I love you when you make me mad – I even love you when you hit me with the duster when you're trying to get me to help with the housework. And I would love for you to be my wife. So what do you say?"

"Let's get married!" She cried, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"Now, I know you think I'm a total peasant, but... I did get you a ring."

"You did? Is that why we couldn't go out tonight? Because you'd spent all your money on a ring for me!" Her face lit up with excitement, causing her normally murky-brown eyes to sparkle. As glad as he was that she had actually agreed to marry him and that she seemed as ecstatic about it as him, he realised that when he had told her that he had bought a ring, he perhaps should have added that he didn't actually have it in his possession right now. Waiting until he did to propose would have been a better idea, but he had been so worked up about asking her for the past few days, he couldn't sleep. He didn't like to entertain the thought of her actually refusing to marry him, but once his head hit the pillow he couldn't seem to stop worrying about it – as she lay beside him, he would look over at her and realise that she could do so much better. That she could have any guy she wanted. But he must be doing something right if she chose to be with him. His mind stopped spinning when she leaned up and kissed him again. "Did I mention that I love you, you sweet man?"

"Slight problem. Henry has it."

"Why does he have it? Are you planning on having a civil partnership with the guy?"

"There is no way he could lose the ring, whereas I could lose it without even trying. He's the most anal, uptight, scarily-compulsive person I know."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

He had stayed up for hours trying to come up with a good enough idea, but he thought he had finally come up with something. Trying desperately hard not to wake Olivia as she slept, taking up pretty much the whole bed as she usually did, Greg tied a piece of thread to her finger. Since he had been a complete bonehead and trusted Henry to look after the ring until he had summoned the courage to propose, he decided that actually giving her the ring would involve a little creative planning.

"Hey Olives," he whispered in her ear. "Wake up..."

She groaned and tried to swat his hand away from hers, but he held the end of the thread and pulled it towards him, taking her hand with it. "M'sleepin'. Leave me alone."

"I've got something for you."

Hearing that, her eyes snapped open. "What is it? A bit of old string?"

He took the ring from his pocket where he was keeping it safe, and slid it down the taut thread where it dropped onto her finger. He straightened it so she could see the diamond setting with two sapphires on either side. "Do you like it?"

"Like it?! I love it!"