Thanks to the support and positive feedback, the epilogue is here! Thank you all so much for joining me on this journey, and for sticking around these past few weeks. Certainly this is not the best story of all time, but I hope it's worthy of being added to your favorites library, or at least one you'd be willing to read again. This is the true end of The Freedom Phantom. One last time: enjoy!

Epilogue: The Proposal

Alfred and Arthur sat across from each other on the balcony of Arthur's apartment. The night sky around them shined with stars, and a light breeze gently lifted their hair from their faces and stung their noses. It was a warm winter night, but a winter night nonetheless. The two sat bundled up in large coats and clutching mugs of coffee and tea. For the first time in nearly a month, the couple finally had some time to themselves to relax and enjoy the evening in each other's company.

Alfred looked from the view of the city, to the dark sky, and back to Arthur. He wasn't good at sensing the mood, and probably couldn't do it to save his life, but he was pretty sure that now would be as good a time as any. Arthur looked happy, after all, and the weather was nice. Maybe he'd have luck on his side.

Alfred took a deep breath of the icy air, feeling his heartbeat begin to race.

"Well, um, I'm not really sure how to put this…" Alfred began, shuffling a little in his seat. Pretty lame start, but the finish was all that mattered. Arthur looked over at him curiously.

"But, uh…Would you…Spend the rest of your life with me?" Alfred choked out. Arthur's eyes widened in shock and his heartbeat doubled. Was Alfred asking what he thought he was?

"As in, uh…Marriage?" He was! Arthur felt heat rise to his cold cheeks as his heartbeat tripled in speed. This was really happening! They would get married and spend their lives with each other, no more messes or complications. Arthur was about to give his reply, but was interrupted.

"I've got a ring and stuff…" Alfred mumbled, hoping that last bit would make it better. He was staring straight at his shoes in embarrassment and anxiety. How would Arthur respond? Would he feel things were going too fast? Had Alfred misread the situation and asked at an inappropriate time? Would their relationship be awkward now?

Arthur looked over at his American boyfriend, face on fire, and eyes glued to the floor. The poor bloke was too nervous to even ask right, and honestly his attempt was rather pathetic. But he had still tried, rushed and awkward as it was. Arthur couldn't help but laugh.

"You call that a marriage proposal?" Arthur asked, still giggling. Alfred squeezed his hands between his knees and squirmed uncomfortably. He had screwed up, hadn't he?

Arthur stood up and shook his head, partially in disbelief, and partially in amusement. He began to walk away calmly.

"If you try coming up with something more creative next time," Arthur began as he passed, waving his hand in the air. At the door, he paused and looked over his shoulder, at the American who so nervously held on to his every word. They locked eyes for a moment, Alfred beginning to tear up. Arthur gave him a gentle smile.

"Then I'll probably say 'Yes.'"

Arthur and Alfred took their seats at the stadium, right in the front row. Whoever had gotten tickets for them had done an excellent job. Admittedly, Arthur was less than excited about going on a date to the Super Bowl, but when Alfred suggested it, he'd been so excited that Arthur just couldn't say no. He, in all honesty, detested the game. It wasn't anything like real football, and there was no strategy or tactics one could rely on during the game. But as he looked at Alfred's giddy grin, he found himself smiling along with him.

It had been almost a month since Alfred's attempt at a proposal. Every day since then Arthur had been a little on edge, wondering when he was going to pop the question again, and what sort of method Alfred had deemed as 'creative'. It was about two weeks in when Arthur thought he might just ask himself, but that would ruin whatever Alfred did have planned. He decided to wait, even if it was painstaking.

They chatted for a while as the field was getting prepped and cleaned for the opening ceremony. Alfred ordered a few concessions, none of which were what Arthur could call appetizing. Every time he felt like it was too much and he just wanted to go home, he glanced over at Alfred. His lopsided grin and rosy cheeks allowed Arthur to forget that he was at an oversized sports-stadium and focus on the fact that his date was happy.

After a while, Alfred suddenly stopped and pulled out two microphones from his bag.

"Here, this one's for you," he said, handing it to Arthur. "You're gonna need it in a little bit here."

"Really? For what?" Arthur asked, turning the microphone over in his hands inquisitively. Alfred grinned wide and winked at his partner.

"You'll see!"

"Honestly, why can't you just tell me?" Arthur asked, looking at Alfred expectantly.

"Trust me, okay? Remember to give the audience a good show! But, above all, I'd like you to be honest." And with that, Alfred stood up from his seat and walked away. Arthur sat in confusion for a few minutes, wondering what in the world his boyfriend was up to. Why on earth would he bring a pair of microphones to an American Football game?

After waiting for several long minutes, Arthur saw his partner out on the field, right along with the opening acts. He had absolutely no idea what that idiot was up to, but he feared for the worst. What had he meant by 'give the audience a good show'?

Alfred stepped out to the center of the field, with a collective hush from the crowd. They'd never seen this strange person before. Why was he in the intro to the Super Bowl? Was he going to take long? The most important game of the season was going to start, and many were hoping for the mysterious person to be done ASAP.

"Good afternoon, everyone! I know there's a big game today, so I'll try and keep this brief. You see, I have a question I need to ask a very important person in my life," Alfred spoke into his microphone. Arthur was equally confused as the rest of the audience, and was honestly expecting this to be an elaborate joke. As this thought entered his mind, however, he couldn't shake the rising excitement in his chest.

"Arthur Kirkland," Alfred began, a gentle smile on his face. "Will you marry me?"

The crowd responded immediately. Some in joy and excitement, others in anxiety. Arthur blushed a deep red. That wanker, he sighed. Arthur got up from his seat and marched right onto the field. He turned on his own microphone, to 'give the audience a good show'.

"You idiot! When I said a more creative proposal, I did not mean this! Do you have any idea where we are right now!? Do you know how many people are watching this!? Probably half the bloody country! Do you hear me, Alfred F. Jones? Half your bloody country!" Arthur shouted as he stomped closer to Alfred, careful to keep the microphone far enough away that he wouldn't blast out the people listening in the stands.

"Hey, sweetie."

"Oh, no you don't! You're not going to sweet-talk your way out of this! Is this your idea of romantic, you git? You just had to let everyone know, didn't you? You couldn't have asked at a fancy restaurant or a nice quiet park? Do you realize what you've done!?" Arthur's babbling had lasted until he was standing right in front of Alfred. He could sense the unease in the crowd, but, knowing his boyfriend, Alfred probably couldn't.

"What? You don't like it?" Alfred asked innocently. Many audience members audibly groaned or smacked their palms against their foreheads. They were certain that Arthur would turn him down now. At this thought, Arthur smirked. He was going to do something to surprise everyone.

"Kiss me, you idiot." Alfred happily obliged, both arms wrapping firmly around Arthur's waist. As Arthur grabbed ahold of Alfred's hair, the crowd went wild. Many stood up from their seats, popcorn and soda flying everywhere. Some were in utter disgust, thinking their display a sin against God. Others were in complete shock, having no idea whether they were okay with what had just transpired or not. And the remaining audience members cheered the couple on with all their might.

Alfred and Arthur continued a few more moments in each other's arms before they finally broke the kiss. They waited for the audience to calm down a bit before Alfred spoke.

"I guess I can give you this, then," Alfred said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small black box that could only contain a ring. Sure enough, he opened the box and placed it on Arthur's left ring finger. The couple shared one more kiss, although this one was shorter, more tender.

They looked out into the audience, probably not a single calm person in the lot. They looked over at the cameras, and indirectly to all the families and friends across America watching them right now. They both knew how controversial this was, but in the moment they didn't really care.

"I expect we ought to let these people watch their game, then?" Arthur asked, looking over at his new fiancée.

"Yes, we should."

"Well, then, everyone, enjoy the biggest American football game of the year!" Arthur exclaimed happily, taking Alfred's hand in his own.

"Dude, it's just 'football,'" Alfred corrected as they began to walk off the field.

"No it isn't, love," Arthur replied teasingly. The two policemen turned off their microphones and walked back to their seats together, arm in arm.

Arthur thought back to everything they'd been through together. From taking out the leaders of the White Mask group and their first kiss, to the wondrous night where Alfred kissed him on the cheek, to his recounting the sins of his past, to the interrogation, to the first time Arthur realized Alfred as a person and not a criminal, and even to their shaky, odd first meeting three and a half years ago. Arthur wasn't sure if he believed in love at first sight, but he believed in the love he felt right here, right now. He believed in Alfred, and he believed in their lives together.

THE END