The next morning Penny woke early to the sound of birds tweeting outside the bedroom window. She was laid with her head against McGee's chest and felt relaxed as she listened to the birds and his rhythmic breathing.
She found herself still in shock from the previous night's events, but she was ecstatic with joy at the thought of her and McGee being engaged. Part of her wondered if they were maybe still a little too young to be married, but when she thought about how much she loved him and how she couldn't imagine her life without him, it's when she realised that their decision did feel a hundred and ten per cent right.
She laid and watched him as he slept and stifled a laugh as his head rolled back against the pillow, allowing a gentle snore to escape his lips. However, it wasn't long after this that he began to stir as well.
'Ouch my head!' He groaned as he came round and placed his right hand against his forehead.
'Aw my poor baby.' Penny replied as she planted a soft kiss to his lips.
'What happened last night?' He asked, not noticing the crest fallen look on Penny's face.
Realising that he didn't remember proposing, that's if he intended to at all.
'Well we had a lovely meal and then we went on to the cinema, where we bumped into Abby.' She filled in.
'That would explain the bar.' He replied with a small laugh.
'So do you not remember anything from last night?' She asked, secretly pleading he'd remember something.
'I vaguely remember somehow ending up on the floor.'
'Oh that's good, that's really good. What else do you remember?' She exclaimed with delight.
McGee looked at her with confusion at her excited and hopeful look to her face, racking his brains as to what could have happened. He remembered being unable to propose at the restaurant, or the cinema…surely he didn't do it whilst he was drunk?
'Did I do anything "special" last night?'
'I would say asking me to marry you was very special.' She replied, grateful that he'd remembered something.
'Oh no, I asked you whilst I was drunk? That's so not how I planned it!' He groaned as he placed his aching head into his hands.
'If it makes you feel any better, I thought it was really sweet and romantic; much more appropriate for us.' She said as she snuggled up close to him.
He looked at her with surprise, how could she possibly have found that romantic? But no matter, he guessed the important thing wasn't how he did it, as long as her answer was yes.
'Well I'm sorry it wasn't as romantic as I'd planned it, but…um…what was your answer?'
Penny laughed happily, feeling as if he was proposing all over again.
'Of course it was a yes Tim! Why would it have been anything else?' She said as he happily hugged her and held her tightly, kissing her passionately. 'I love you Tim, more than I think you'll ever know.' She whispered as he rested his forehead against her's.
'I know you do, it's just that there are some days I wake up and can't believe you're with me.' He whispered back. 'Did I give you the ring?' He added, noting her ring finger was empty.
'No not yet.' She replied with a smile.
With that McGee immediately leapt out of the bed and went to his suit jacket placed neatly on his chair. He went through the first pocket and then the second, beginning to panic slightly when he couldn't find it. He then grabbed his pants he'd been wearing, but still couldn't find it. By this point they were both beginning to panic.
'Maybe it fell onto the floor when you fell over?' Penny suggested.
They both ran into the living room, looking under chairs, cabinets and anywhere else they thought it may have fallen.
'What about in the hall?' Penny suggested as they stood in the middle of the room with their hands on their hips.
At her suggestion McGee ran out to the hall, again looking carefully for the little red box. They both followed the route they'd taken the previous night, even taking the elevator down to the lobby, still finding nothing.
'I'll call the cab company, maybe it fell out there.' Penny suggested whilst McGee disappeared outside to check there.
On his return he could see that her face was saddened, clearly the taxi driver hadn't found it in the back of his cab.
'I'm sorry McGee.' She said as she placed her hand on his cheek.
'Well that's that then.' He replied angrily and with a defeatist tone.
'Well not necessarily, I mean you could have dropped it at the cinema or the restaurant. Let's check their first before we throw the towel in completely.' She said optimistically.
They drove first to the cinema and checked around outside first, before going inside to speak to the front desk; but much to their dismay there was nothing. They walked their way to the restaurant hoping to see the box on the sidewalk, but again there was nothing. Their final hope was at Alesandro's.
'We're not open yet.' A young waiter said to the couple as they walked in.
'Oh that's OK, we're not looking to eat yet.' Penny said politely.
'Actually we're here to see if anyone found or handed in a red box with an engagement ring inside.' McGee explained further.
'I'm not aware of anything like that being found; but let me check with the manager.' The waiter said as he disappeared.
McGee's heart was in his mouth the whole time the waiter was gone and Penny was holding on tightly to his arm. They both prayed for good news, but it was clear they weren't going to get it.
'I'm sorry, but nobody found anything like that here.' The waiter said on his return.
McGee was heartbroken. He'd chosen the ring especially for her with the help of his sister Sarah. It wasn't anything too spectacular or too flashy, he knew Penny hated that sort of thing, nor was it the most expensive ring in the shop. It was made from white gold with a small diamond in the centre, with a series of smaller diamonds slightly down the band.
They both walked solemnly back onto the sidewalk and towards the car. Penny felt awful for McGee, knowing how important this was for him, but for her the important thing was that he'd wanted to ask her, not what the ring looked like. However, she knew there was no point in trying to offer him words of comfort, he was just going to have to deal with the situation in his own way. She just hoped he could cheer up enough for their meal at her's that night.