A/N: Sorry for the delay in updates, but you know... Honors Geometry packet due in September. Have to start now or I'll be doing it on the bus to my first day of high school... Anyways, prepare for minor character fluff. Because I got bored.
Disclaimer: What do you think?
The silver moon shone down upon a garden of lilacs and irises somewhere in rural Virginia. Small lights lined the pathway between rows of flowers as they walked hand-in-hand. The two came upon a white gazebo where a candlelit dinner was laid out.
"This is beautiful, Chris," Charlotte whispered. "You really went all out."
"I wanted our one-year anniversary to be special," he replied, pulling out her chair and kissing her gently on the lips after she took a seat.
"You're too sweet," she murmured, pushing a piece of her dark brown hair behind her ear. "How did you find this place?"
"It's actually my grandmother's old garden. That's her house, right there. She left it to me when she passed away a few months ago."
"It's… gorgeous. Have you been keeping these flowers since?"
"Yeah. I have. Thought you might like them."
"I love them. You did this just for our anniversary?"
"No. I was wondering if you'd move in here with me."
Charlotte looked up from her plate, eyes slightly widened with surprise at the question and just how casually he had asked.
"Okay."
They smiled at one another from across the table.
"I love you," he murmured.
"I love you, too."
They ate dinner while engaged in quiet conversation. They soon took a walk, hand-in-hand, down the pathway, through the rows of flowers.
"Look," Pacci said, pointing to the sky. "Fireworks."
They stared at the flashing displays for a few minutes.
"That one's spelling something," Charlotte whispered. "Look, it's… oh my God…"
The firework exploded, leaving the words Charlotte will you marry me? literally hanging over them. Looking to her side, she saw Chris get down on one knee and open a small box.
"Yes," she breathed. "Yes! A thousand times, yes!"
Chris slipped the ring on her finger and stood, gathering her in his arms and kissing her.
Kelly tugged on her sweater as she ran downstairs. She hiccupped once, and groaned. It was her birthday and she was hiccupping. And she hated hiccups.
The doorbell rang. Answering it, she found Kyle on her doorstep with a bouquet of flowers.
"Oh, Kyle *hic* you shouldn't *hic* have."
"I wanted to. You've got hiccups. Have you been drinking?"
"Yeah. But only *hic* if there's alcohol *hic* in orange juice."
Kyle grinned.
"Come *hic* in," she offered. He obliged. "You eaten *hic* yet?"
"I did, thanks. So, you busy tonight?"
"Not especially," she replied, hiccupping on the second word. "Why?"
"I may have planned to take my favorite girl on her birthday dinner."
"It's *hic* your mom's *hic* birthday?"
"Ha, cute. But I was talking about you. Are you busy?"'
"I'm *hic* not. Just *hic* for you."
Kyle grinned at her. She smiled for a second before feeling his lips on hers, and her back to the counter. They broke apart and Kyle rested his forehead on hers.
"What was that for?" Kelly inquired.
"Because I know how much you hate hiccupping."
It took her a moment to figure it out, but she got it. With a grin, she whispered,
"My hiccups are gone."
"Exactly."
"Now are you gonna give me a ride to school or not?"
"Let's go with yes."
"Kyle, this is so sweet of you," Kelly murmured as they sat across from one another at the restaurant.
"Anything for you. You deserve it."
"Since when? Only a year ago I was practically a suicidal wreck. You saved my life ten years ago. You deserve everything. You deserve so much more than I can give you."
"You've already given me everything I need, Kels. You've given me the chance to be with you. That's everything to me."
She kissed him.
"Kyle, where are we going?" she asked, tugging on the blindfold.
"You'll see. Just hold on."
He put the car in park, then ran around to the passenger side to open the door for her, and helped her to the ground.
"On three, take the blindfold off," Kyle said. "One… two… three!"
Kelly tore off the blindfold.
"SURPRISE!"
She gasped.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Kyle whispered as he kissed her head.
All of their friends stood around a bonfire in Kyle's backyard.
"You said your parents weren't home this weekend!" Kelly almost scolded him.
"I got their express permission. In addition, my godparents, Cassie and Robert, are here to supervise. Don't worry – no alcohol or drugs."
"I can't believe you did this for me. You are amazing."
She kissed him quickly before rushing off to hug the others.
Kelly's seventeen closest friends sat around the bonfire with marshmallows for s'mores and red solo cups full of soda.
"I'd like to make a toast," Kyle shouted over the crackling of the fire. "To the birthday girl. Kelly Gibbs. I am the single luckiest guy in the world to have you by my side. The best decision I ever made in my life was to go running on that February morning. I don't know what I did to win you over. Calling 911 and getting you out of that car don't seem like enough. I don't deserve you. I must've done something pretty badass in a past life to actually be with you. There has never been anyone in my life who means as much to me as you do. This is to you."
"Huzzah!" exclaimed the others.
Tears were welling up in Kelly's eyes.
"Let us sing!" Marty Deeks called. There was some cheering from the others.
"Happy birthday to you…"
When the others finished singing off-tune, Kelly blew out the fire on a flaming marshmallow in lieu of a birthday candle.
She and Kyle snuck off to the side a little later, away from the others.
"This night has been amazing," she whispered. "I can't thank you enough."
"It's not over yet," he murmured. "I got you something." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small box. With a questioning look, she opened it. Upon seeing the box's contents, she gasped.
"Oh my God… Kyle, this is beautiful. This must have cost you a ton."
In her hand was a necklace. It was a silver chain with the letters K&K in cursive inlaid with small diamonds.
"It doesn't matter how much it cost," he replied. Six months' worth of allowance was worth the look on her face.
"Will you put it on me?"
"Of course." He pulled her hair back and clasped it around her neck. She touched the pendant with her fingertips before turning around and kissing him gently on the lips. When they pulled away, there were tears running down her cheeks. Kyle wiped them away.
"I love you, Kelly," he admitted quietly.
"I love you, too, Kyle," she replied, her voice breaking. He pulled her into a gentle kiss, a single tear escaping from his left eye as he embraced her.
So... hey. What up? Nobody kill me for lack of Tiva. Or lack of Ari (yes, I'm talking about you Ari's NCIS Girl).
What do you guys think about Chris/Charlotte (I'm thinking of calling them C2 - what do you think?) and Kelly/Kyle (K2?) ? Just so everyone knows, the shipper name for Tali/Luca is Taca. Because it sounds like taco, as I've been told :) .
Please review and take a moment to visit my profile and vote in my poll (Which ship would you like to see more of in 'The Protection Detail?). Thank you, everybody!