Authors Note: Sorry about the wait for the update, really, I didn't mean to wait that long, things just happen. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. As a reminder, Lucy and Charles-Grace's mom and dad. Hope and Bill-her oldest sister and her husband, their kids are Adam and Sam. Jack and Sally- her oldest brother and his wife. Simon-brother in Iraq. Charity-youngest after Grace. Arthur-Grace's ex boyfriend. I wanted to post this before I head out to the concert I'm going to tonight, so it's not betaed, hopefully there are no mistakes. Bonus points to anyone who can tell me what book Charles is reading.

Disclaimer: Not mine. if they were, I wouldn't have to be looking for a new job right now.

Jane lay panting in the mud. He was covered head to foot in sticky smelly mud and bits of dried grass. He had been tripped-Sorry I guess you didn't see my foot sticking out there. Pushed-Sorry I couldn't stop in time. Tackled-Sorry, I slipped on the mud. And punched in the face-Didn't you see my fist aiming for your nose? He didn't know if his team was winning or losing. He was pretty sure that people on both sides had enjoyed pushing him to the ground. He did a mental check of his body, head-pounding, arms-soar but not broken, chest-tender, but no broken ribs, legs-like jello but not broken. He sat up and the world spun around him. This is the last time he was going to cook breakfast of this bunch. He slowly climbed to his feet and almost immediately fell down again as he tried to put weight on his ankle. He didn't think it was broken, but definitely badly sprained.

He hobbled towards the back of the truck he had ridden here in; he was not going to be playing any more 'football'. He loved Grace, loved her with all his heart, but he was not prepared to die on some empty field in the middle of nowhere Iowa. He cringed as he saw Bill sauntering towards him.

"Climb on in Patrick; I'll give you a ride back to the house. I think you've had enough." He said opening the passenger door of the truck for him.

"Are you sure? Because I don't think anything's broken, just sprained." He was trying not to be bitter, but it was hard.

"We're just looking out for Gracie, know what I mean? You've been pretty crappy to her this weekend, at least from what we could see, and this is the way we show how much we care about her." They were driving now, it wasn't a long drive, but Jane could feel every bump in the road.

"I care about her too, thanks for not killing me." He could see the house now and couldn't wait to get inside and shower.

"This is nothing; we could have taken you hunting." Bill said with an evil grin as he pulled into the drive way.

Jane slowly got out of the truck and hobbled towards the back door. There was no way he was going in the front and tracking all this mud all over the place. The last thing he needed was Lucy giving him a beat down for messing up her flours. He knew the only person home was Bill, so he stood in the kitchen and striped naked, wrapping his muddy clothes up in a ball and dropping them my the washing machine on his way up the stairs.

The shower took longer than he thought it would as the more mud he washed off the more his injuries became evident. In addition to all the burses he also had cuts and scrapes almost head to toe. He got out of the shower and gingerly toweled off. He thought about looking around for a first aid kit but didn't have the energy. He simply wrapped the towel around his waist and made his way to the room he was sharing with Grace.

He couldn't manage to do more than pull an undershirt on over his head and his last pair of sweat pants. He didn't bother with socks or shoes, there was no point, his ankle was swollen to badly for more than slippers, which he hadn't brought with him. He'd have to get a pair before the headed back home; he couldn't go barefoot on the plane.

He wanted nothing more than to just lie in bed and sleep, but he had to do something else first. He grabbed the small box out of his suitcase where he had put it before they left. He had to talk to her father, and now was the best time. There wasn't anyone else here, Bill had gone back to the 'game' and the women were still off shopping.

Jane hobbled down the stairs, it felt like it took an hour, but it was really only a few minutes. It didn't take long for Jane to find Charles sitting in his La-Z-Boy recliner in the living room. The TV was on to some football game but the volume was turned off and he was reading a book with the dust jacket removed.

Jane sank into the chair next to his looked over at the book. "You shouldn't be embarrassed by the books you read."

"I'm not embarrassed, just taking a little self preservation. Most people only look at the cover, not the pine of the book, so I can read all about vampire and fairy wars without getting hassled."

"You don't strike me as the type to enjoy vampire books, if you don't mind me saying."

"No, you're right. One of the other teachers at school got me on them. I've even considered getting HBO, but can't justify the expense to Lucy."

They fell into a slightly awkward silence after the last statement until Jane looked down at his hands and saw the box. Without saying anything he put the box on the arm of Charles' chair.

He looked up and saw the box; setting down his book he opened it slowly. "Thanks for the offer Patrick, but I don't really swing that way, and besides, I'm already married."

"It's not for you."

"So, why do you think you're good enough for my girl?"

"I'm not. She deserves better than me. She really does. I don't deserve her. But, she's been the only light in my life for a very long time. The first time I thought that I might want something more than just a working relationship from her it was Easter. I had over heard that she was going to be singing a solo at her church and I had to go. I don't know why I was so compelled to go; it was like I was drawn to it. And I kept going back. I hadn't set foot in a church since my wife and daughter had died. I just couldn't do that. But Grace, she drew me back in." He paused there, as if thinking.

"I thought you said you don't believe in God."

"I don't. That's what's so odd about it. I wish I could say that I was going for the sermon, but to be honest, I often left as soon as the choir sang. I just had to hear Grace sing. I thought I was being careful not to let her see me, but she knew I was there. She didn't want to talk to me about it at work, but one day she caught me as I was leaving, and we just hit it off so to speak. It hasn't been easy, and goodness knows I have a lot of baggage. I don't doubt that at some point, Grace isn't going to want to be with me any longer, and I'm ok with that. All I know is that right now, if I lost her, it would be like losing my wife all over again. I love Grace; I love her with all my heart."

"Why are you telling me this?" Charles was still looking at the box in his hands.

"I just spent the past few hours getting my ass beat by people who love Grace. I just want to let you know that I love her too, maybe more than some of those guys, and, well, I just wanted to let you know what I was planning."

"What do you think she's going to say?"

"I don't know, but I hope it's yes."