Author's Note: My apologies will not be enough for my tardiness. There are stuff that got in the way. I wasn't able to check FFnet . Be that as it may, this chapter shouldn't have been published/posted. But because I am sincerely pressed for time and wanted to update this story. Please be gentle with me. lol. Again, reminding you that most part of the story written before fast6 was shown in theaters. AU-ish.

As proposals go, his got to be one that went for the books.

It was a disaster.

He had planned how he'd do it. Calculated every possible scenario and plotted each contingency. Days after days of orchestrating everything and they ended up with some argument he thought will drive her nuts, pack her bags and leave. But sensible and oh-so-in-love-with-him Gisele didn't. He was not only known for his demeanour but also his precision. How the hell did he screw this up? Perfectionist, hah! Well, he failed at this perfectly.

It's his first time to propose, to fall in love for real and to discover nothing can ever ruin a proposal as bad as a missed cue.

The door opened and she went ahead of him to their room. He knew she was trying to be really patient with him. She's not one to go screaming or throwing things at him but even saints can't run on that amount of patience forever.

He entered the room, closed the door and found her fiddling with the room service menu. She even asked him what he wanted to eat. Trust Gisele to concern herself over him despite her exasperation. Han found himself smile at that. Slowly, he walked towards her and sat beside her on the couch. Gisele instinctively moved closer to him, edging the menu to him so he can read what's on it. Because she was accommodating, he felt it safe for him to put his hand on her back, gently sliding it up and down her spine.

She turned to look at him with that smile. It was that goddamn smile. The one that makes him go crazy. And that look. Do not forget the look. That one's his kryptonite. Because, really, how can she look at him that way? Gisele knows more than anyone else about his past. How can she see him like there's nothing else in the world that matters but him?

"Let's get married." Damn, he's weak. All he needed to do was keep his mouth shut for a couple of days more. By her expression, she didn't seem pleased.

"Do what? You'd been overly patronizing me the whole day. Overly patronizing the idea of marriage! Han, I don't understand what you're trying to do here."

"I'm proposing! How hard is that to understand?"

"You're out of your mind."

"I'm out of my mind? Why? Because I want to marry you? Wow. Thanks. Just great!"

"I was telling you how I would love to settle down given the chance. I was pointing at a guy who proposed to a girl under the maple tree at the park bench. I was worrying about which name to sign on the document. I was dreaming of something that can never happen."

"Never happen? Really, Gisele. If you have so little trust that I'd be able to take this farther than you think, why are you even here?" With that, he stood up and paced the room. He wanted to strangle himself. He never thought how she'd react. She longed for a family, a life beyond the things they did but he never thought she might say no to him. How can she reject him? Gisele never made him feel anything but he's her world. Han ran a hand thru his hair as his eyes looked for something to eat or drink. Anything. Hell, a smoke would've been nice.

"Don't turn it into something ugly, Han." She stood up as well and walked to the direction of the bathroom. His next question stopped her in her tracks.

"Do you even love me?"

She quickly spun around to face him. Obviously hurt.

"You're asking me that?"

"I'm the one proposing, remember? You think I would do that just because it's cool?"

"Wouldn't you? Aren't you even thinking once our names come up on the registry, we have to run as soon and as fast as we can? There are few things that frighten me but I don't entice them because I simply like the rush. Should we use fake names? That would be fun. Even our marriage won't be legit. Is that it? You've had it calculated that way with your superior intelligence?"

It became clear. She thought he was being forced into something he didn't want. And she thought it was her who was forcing him. He knew he couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't keep on pushing the idea at Gisele without her knowing why he wanted to marry her. All along she thought he was just giving her what she was asking. Gisele never demanded anything and she didn't take crap from anyone, even him. She must have broken his neck by now in her head. He prayed for courage. He could've taken a lesson or two from Roman. But then again, Gisele pointed a gun at Rome. Okay, maybe he was better off on his own at this.

Han took a long deep breath.

"Okay, please, honey. Listen to me. I know it's insane but I'm crazy about you. Wait. I know what you're thinking because I have thought about each and every one of them too. A lot of times. The possibilities. The scenarios. Foolishness, maybe. But, babe, I'd rather keep running my whole life with you by my side. I can't find an exact reason, but all I know is that, I simply can't stop needing you with me."

Her shoulders relaxed a bit. She closed the distance between them. She was near enough that Han can just reach out his hand and touch her. She seemed so fragile though that he was afraid to try.

"I'm here. I won't leave you until you tell me so. Still... marriage? I had hoped... But this doesn't seem real. It's like..."

"A dream?" He finished for her. "Then, why won't you marry me? I'm making it real. Because you deserve it, we both do." He took the chance and held her face with both hands. Han caught a tear with his thumb. "Tell me you don't want me, baby. Tell me you don't want this. Tell me you don't love me, Gisele."

Just like that, it was like opening a dam and her tears flowed like there was no end to it. No matter how much he never wanted to make her cry, her tears eased his feeling. She was still crying as her eyes anxiously searched his.

"I can't tell you that. You know I can't." He didn't let go, instead he leaned closer and brushed his lips on hers. Once. Twice.

"Marry me. Make an honest man of me." Han can feel her breath mingling with his as he fiddled with a loose lock of her hair, all the while not taking his gaze away from her eyes. He wanted her to see what she needed.

A hiccup. A small smile. A soft laugh.

"I love you, Han. Do not ever doubt that."

He was humbled. He'd always been able to blend in, to adapt. He had fended for himself in every which way he could. After all these years, he finally understood how it was to need someone as badly.

"I'd go insane if you stop loving me. Love you, baby."

xx

"You know, you never actually answered my question." They were lying in bed. It was early dawn after he asked her to marry him. She had her back at him, one of his arms wrapped around her.

"Hmmn?" Sexy. And an intentional distraction.

"Marry me."

"That wasn't a question." He was tracing her neck and shoulders lightly with his finger.

"Will you marry me?" She lazily turned so she was facing him. He was rewarded with a kiss, a smile and an answer.

"Yes. I will."

"Then you get this." He reached out to the drawer of the bedside table and got the ring he hid there while she was asleep. He planned on slipping it on her finger so that she'd wake up and see it but she was a light sleeper. He even made an excuse of looking for something nonexistent in the middle of the night just so she wouldn't get overly suspicious.

"How did you get something like that so quick?"

"Actually, it wasn't as quick as you thought. It took me 6 days."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Hey, I went to the store and bought it like any decent man who wanted to propose."

"Oh my~ Sorry, babe."

"I told you, I really was going to ask in a more formal way."

"Yeah. Yeah. It's my fault. Sorry."She didn't sound sorry at all.

"You can take the ring but you have to promise to love all your life what goes with it."

"I love you, Han." He could see tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

He slipped the ring on her finger, but only after he showed her what's engraved on the ring. She cried and laughed at the same time. Happy tears, he could manage that every day. He liked that he can make Gisele that happy. He wasn't able to resist kissing her with that goddamn smile of hers.

A/N: like I said, please don't hate me for this. haha. I'd probably edit this chapter when time permits, just so I can tweak it a bit to add more descriptive lines. No proof read/beta and definitely one of the hardest chapter for me. Still, thanks for reading.

Got to go! *runs like the wind* =))

comocodran , sentaro, reichi - thanks for adding to the reviews which are so appreciated.