A/N- Thanks for all the reviews and favourites. They really do encourage me to write more. A chapter of mainly fluff here. I'm not a doctor so nt sure about recovery rates, etc but hope this reads okay.

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Downton Abbey belongs to ITV/ Carnival/ Julian Fellowes.

A stunned silence fell across the room as Anna tried to process what John had just uttered. She wasn't sure if it was the previous hours of unconsciousness, or the drugs for the pain, but she was pretty certain that the man she loved with all her heart had actually just proposed to her. He had closed his eyes again, but Anna could tell he was still awake, his adams apple bobbing as he swallowed hard, it seeming to take him a lot of effort.

'Oh, it's still there then. The last thing I heard before I blacked out completely was that they might have to... have to...'

As his voice trailed away, Anna was shaken from her trance like state to see John looking down the bed at his leg, elevated but heavily bandaged. She kept her brow furrowed as she followed John's line of vision, instantly having to look away as she was reminded of what the man laying before her had been put through.

'I should get the doctor, now you're awake,' Anna began to move before feeling John's hand take hold of her wrist.

'Did you hear what I just said?'

'Yes.'

'And?'

'I should get the doctor,' she suggested, looking out of the window of the room into the corridor. 'He went past not a couple of minutes ago. You have been through a massive ordeal, and I was told as soon as you woke up I should let someone know.'

'Anna.'

In the next moment, she could no longer keep her emotions inside. Slumping back down into the chair beside the bed, tears began to fall as John tried with all the power he could muster to squeeze Anna's hand. The past few hours had been absolute torture. First not knowing if John would make it, then thinking he might have to grow accustomed to losing a limb, then watching him all day, counting every scratch and bruise on his body, trying to block out imagining the amount of pain he must be in. And now he was awake, and suggesting they fulfil the only dream Anna had ever truly hoped would come true. It was all too much.

'Please don't cry, Anna.' John begged, trying to sit up, although whatever made him think he could was beyond him as he barely left the bed. 'I am being serious. Marry me.'

Before she had a chance to answer, the doctor came striding into the room, carrying a clipboard. 'Mr Bates, you're awake.'

'I was about to let you know...'

'Call me, John. Please,' the patient insisted, Anna stepping aside to allow the doctor to commence with his observations.

'How are you feeling, John?' The doctor asked as he shone his torch in each of John's eyes.

'Well, I was alright until you blinded me, doctor...'

'Doctor Clarkson.'

'This is one of the doctors who saved your leg, John.' Anna informed him, standing awkwardly behind the doctor as he worked.

'But I can tell from your quick wit that there was no serious damage to your brain,' Doctor Clarkson joked, stepping back and placing the torch back in his pocket. 'Why don't you go home, Miss Smith? I need to complete my observations and John needs his rest. You've been here since last night with no sleep, you must be shattered.'

'Have you?' John asked Anna, clearly touched at her gesture before reaching for her hand once more.

'Of course I have,' Anna whispered, smiling at him as she brushed another tear from her cheek. Doctor Clarkson moved away for a moment, pretending to be busy filling out a form attached to his clipboard.

'Go home. Get some sleep. Think about what I said.'

'Okay,' she ran a finger along his jaw line, relenting to his request. As they let go of each other's hands, a nurse walked into the room and began to chat to Doctor Clarkson. 'They'll take good care of you here.'

'They'd have to go some to surpass you, I can't believe you've been here all the time.'

'Miss Smith, Nurse Brown and myself should really be making sure John is alright, Come back this evening. This is a private room so visiting should be no bother.'

'Private?' John's tone was questioning as he sought out the doctors gaze.

'Yes, a Robert Crawley set it all up before he left this morning.'

'Rob,' John gasped, looking to Anna. 'Is he alright?'

Anna nodded then leant down to kiss John on the forehead. 'I'll see you later.'

'I'll be counting the minutes,' John breathed, lightly brushing Anna's lips in a brief kiss, taking her by surprise as she still leant over him. Suddenly, a realisation came over him. 'Roxy.'

'I'll go and see to her,' Anna said in an attempt to alleviate John's fears, 'I'll take her home whilst you are in here. Dad will keep an eye on her.'

'Thank you. See you later and think about what I asked you.'

And with those words, Anna moved away from the bed, nodding in the direction of Doctor Clarkson and the nurse before leaving the room. Stopping to watch from the window, Anna allowed herself a moment to gather her thoughts. Inhaling deeply, she smiled as John must have murmured something that amused the nurse, she now laughing. Then her thoughts were overtaken by the fact John had proposed to her. She had played the moment over in her mind so many times over the past few months. How it might happen, the words he would choose as he asked her to be his wife. Anna's imaginings were never as it had played out in reality. And she knew what she had said to trigger his words was true. She would marry him tomorrow if she could. Anna just had to get her head around the fact it was actually going to happen.

Walking into his flat, having been given John's spare key pretty early on in their relationship, Anna hadn't prepared herself for the onslaught as an onrushing Roxy almost flew into her arms. Anna couldn't help but laugh as the Jack Russell began to lick her face, her tailing wagging profusely.

'Alright sweetheart,' Anna said through a giggle, placing Roxy down on the floor. 'You must be famished. Lets get you something to eat then we'll go to my place.'

Roxy raced into the kitchen, looking up expectantly at the cupboard where her food was kept. Even as Anna moved her hand towards the handle on the cupboard, Roxy was barking excitedly. After placing some food in her bowl, Anna looked down the hall to see a trail of some kind of material coming from John's room, leading out into the hallway. Intrigued to investigate further, Anna patted Roxy on the head before moving towards the room. Claw marks on the door were clearly visible, Anna instantly realising Roxy must have broken her way into John's room when he hadn't returned. The two were so close, she must have known John's movements pretty well. When he didn't come home, she must have panicked and tried to look for him.

Pushing the ajar door to his bedroom open, it suddenly dawned on Anna she had never seen the inside of his room. It suddenly felt quite awkward to be doing this, but the mess she was met with demanded she take action. Roxy had knocked John's bedside table flying, it seemed for a little one she had some strength in her. The material she had seen from the kitchen were John's pyjama bottoms, dragged from the bed in Roxy's panic, no doubt. Deodorants from a table in the corner of the room were strewn across the room, the drawer from the beside table and it's contents also lying on the floor. Sighing, Anna began to try and put things back where the belonged, lining up the table with John's toiletries then folding his pyjama bottoms and placing them on his pillow. Looking towards the bedside table, she lifted it upright before reaching for the drawer. Placing a pile of papers back in first, she then reached for a couple of boxes before a book, open to one page garnered her attention. After putting the boxes in the drawer with the paper she read the front cover of the book.

JOURNAL was emblazoned in gold letters. A journal? John didn't seem the sort. It was clear from the strains in the spine of the book that John had obviously used it quite a lot. With the book still open, Anna turned it over, her intention to close it until her name in John's familiar hand caught her eye. She couldn't resist reading the page. Surely after the past twenty four hours no one would begrudge her a glance.

'I came back from London today, the divorce is finalised. At last. But what a fool to think I'd come riding back into town with the girl waiting for me with open arms. Anna's engaged. I've never known hurt like this. It feels like a part of me is dying. All because of my inability to be open and honest, I have lost the only woman I can truly say I have ever loved. She has invaded every part of me. Now she's gone.'

Feeling a tear trickling down her cheek, Anna closed the book before she could feel curiosity getting the better of her. She knew she'd hate herself for it later, but the book contained the inner most thoughts of the man who she loved more than any other, a man she had so nearly lost a few hours previously.

'Forgive me, Lord,' Anna whispered, looking to the ceiling before turning her attentions back to the book. Looking to the hall, although not knowing why as she knew she was entirely alone, Anna began to flick through the pages. She read as he spoke about moving to a completely different part of the country, settling into a new town.

'Life up here is much slower, I think I like that. The people I work with seem alright, Thomas was a little hostile and I can tell he has a big ego. Alfred is a great kid, Daisy is sweet. Robert hasn't changed a bit. However it's Anna who has made the biggest impression on me. We just talk about nothing and everything. She's beautiful, far too good for the likes of me.'

Shifting to sit with her back against the headboard, Anna continued to read as John described the path their relationship had taken from his point of view. She gasped aloud at some points, her heart swelling as he described her as an 'angel' and 'the reason to get up each morning and face a new day.' She cried all over again as he described what seeing Anna and Anthony together did to him. If only she could tell him in all those months they were apart he was still the only thing she thought about, the reason she breathed. Reaching the pages that documented her would be wedding, she was slowly coming to realise, if she hadn't before, the depth of the feelings John carried for her. The passage she was reading must have been from the morning of her wedding.

'I'm going to do it. I have to. I can't lose her. I feel sorry for Anthony, and I might be a selfish bastard, but I want Anna. I need her. She told me in uncertain terms the ball was in my court, I could stop the wedding. I know I will regret it if I don't try. She belongs with me.'

Exhaling a shaky breath, Anna thanked the Lord that John went through with it. Carrying on, she laughed as John talked about not being to stop singing, in particular 'Top Of The World' by The Carpenters. She nodded as she read, remembering the little details of their dates that John had documented, in particular he wanting to walk Anna home the longer route so they could spend some more time together. Then came that fateful night at John's flat, after dinner with her parents.

'God, I've been an absolute bloody fool. Why can't I recognise when I have something good? All I do is ruin everything. Anna ran out on me. After the successful evening at her parents, this is not how I envisaged the night ending. I'm hoping, or rather praying she is alright. It seems inappropriate to text her. I'll just suffer this sleepless night and see her tomorrow. But I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel good, being that close to her. I can't even put it into words, she makes me feel a million and one things. I just hope I get the chance to tell her every single one.'

Again, the relief was evident in his writing as John explained how they had decided to work hard at things, his musical adventures even travelling to trying to burst out some Frank Sinatra in the shower on one particular day. As she reached the end of his musings, she came across one paragraph which left her in no doubt that this man was perfect and that he was the one, the man with whom she would feel lucky to live out her days with. The man she couldn't even try to live without in her life.

'I haven't seen Anna for two days. Absolute torture. Bloody work rota. Every time I close my eyes all I see is her. Her beautiful blue eyes, her stunning figure, the smile that captures my heart every single time I see it. Not being able to hold her hand, or brush a strand of her hair from her face is agony. I find myself staring at my phone, willing her to reply to my messages. I live for our phone conversations. If I didn't think it was too soon, I'd ask her to marry me tomorrow, then marry her the day after that. But propriety suggests we do this properly and God knows, I need to do this right. Fate has finally dealt me the Queen of Hearts, I now know not to blow it. I will protect what we have with every fibre of my being.'

'Darling,' Christine cooed, rushing to the front door before taking a step back as she took in the sight of Roxy under Anna's arms. 'Who is this?'

'Roxy,' Anna replied, kicking the door shut behind her before dropping Roxy's bag of belongings to the floor, then Roxy herself. 'She's staying here whilst John is in hospital. Dad likes dogs, doesn't he?'

'Yes,' Christine replied, struggling to cope with Roxy's attention at her ankles. 'How is John?'

'Awake.' Anna walked further into the room, falling into her mother's embrace. 'I've never been so frightened in all my life, Mum. I thought I'd lose him.'

'He's alright though, isn't he?' Christine tried to console her daughter, Roxy sitting beside them. Christine looked down to see the Jack Russell looking up at the them. 'Obedient little thing, isn't she? Come on, lets go and have a cup of tea.'

Anna explained all about the previous twenty four hours, their argument, the events that lead to the accident and feeling so helpless as she sat beside John in the hospital bed. How the moment he woke up she had never felt relief like it. Roxy slept on Anna's feet under the table as she and her mother shared their conversation.

'So he saved Robert's life?' Christine asked, raising her eyebrow as she tried to digest what Anna had just told her.

'Pretty much,' Anna nodded, 'he might have to use a cane but he's going to be alright.'

'Well, it could have been much worse.'

'And don't I know it. I'm not going to Oz, Mum,' Anna insisted before taking the last gulp of her tea. 'Not now John needs me.'

'Oh Anna, I do wish you'd think about this. Your Aunt's proposal is such a wonderful opportunity for you.'

'He asked me to marry him, Mum.' As she let her revelation reverberate around the room, Anna lifted her head to meet her mother's gaze. 'The proposal was his first words when he woke up.'

'What did you say?'

'Nothing yet, but I know I am going to say yes.' Anna felt her heart sink a little as Christine looked back at her with what seemed to be a disapproving expression. Despite having done so on so many other occasions, Anna took a breath before saying what she felt she needed to, to convince her mother John was the one. 'He's everything to me, Mum. He is the only man I have ever loved. The only man I could ever imagine letting get close to me.'

'You know, my Mum didn't want me to marry your father.' Christine admitted all of a sudden, looking down at the table and following the grain of the wood with her finger. 'She thought it would be a monotonous existence, the life of a vicar's wife. She didn't want that for me.'

Anna smiled, feeling privileged to hearing this never before heard information. 'What did you do to convince her?'

'I never did,' Christine shook her head. 'To her dying day your Nan never liked your father. They were civil for your sake, and mine I suppose. You see, only the owner of it knows their own heart. Your Dad fired up something within me I never knew was possible. No one ever made me feel the way he did, or still does in fact.'

'That's how it is for me and John, Mum,' Anna persevered, placing a hand on her mother's wrist. ' I'll admit that he's flawed, that he's not perfect to the outside world. But he is perfect in my eyes and is perfect for me.' Anna shrugged before adding, 'And at the end of the day, that's all that matters.'

Christine considered Anna's words for a moment before rising to her feet, moving to put the kettle on to boil again. Anna waited for her mother to speak, impatiently tapping her fingers on the outside of her mug. As the rumble of the kettle boiling filled the air, Christine rejoined Anna at the table. Looking at her daughter with a smile, Anna couldn't help but reciprocate.

'I'll be honest, John is not who I would have chosen for you.'

'I know, Anthony was a wonderful...'

'No,' Christine interrupted, shaking her head. 'Marrying Anthony when you didn't love him would have been a mistake. I see that now. At the end of the day, you need to do what is right for you.'

'John is right for me.'

'Yes. God knows you have never spoken about any other boyfriend in the same way. You have been waiting all your life for the right person. If that is John, then you have mine and your father's blessing.'

'Blessing for what?' Christine and Anna turned to see Richard standing in the doorway, Roxy obviously enamoured with his appearance as she bounded towards him. 'Hello. Who is this little beauty?'

'Roxy, John's dog,' Anna informed her father. 'Mum has said she can stay here whilst John is in hospital.'

'How is he?'

'Awake, thank the Lord,' Anna replied.

'Indeed, I was praying for him today.' Richard walked further into the room, Roxy following before leaping onto his lap as he sat at the table. 'What do you need my blessing for?'

'John proposed, Dad.'

'Wow,' Richard said as he scratched behind Roxy's ears. 'And have you accepted?'

'Not yet, but I want to.'

'Well, I'm happy for you, sweetie. Really, I am.' Richard rose to his feet, kissed Anna on the top of the head before pointing towards the door. 'I take it the lead in that bag by the door is this little lady's?'

'Yes,' Anna replied.

'Right, who wants to join me in taking her for a turn around the block?'

Robert was feeling nervous as he walked through the hospital towards John room. He didn't know why. Anna had text him to say John was awake and seemingly alright but it was playing hard in his mind that he was the reason John was lying in that hospital bed. As he rounded the corner on the corridor where John's room was situated, he took a deep breath. He looked down at the bag of grapes he was clutching. Why, he didn't know. Everyone brought grapes when they visited someone in hospital, didn't they? Reaching the room, Robert turned his tentative gaze to look through the window. John was sitting up, albeit heavily supported. An empty bowl beside him suggested he had eaten something. Deciding there was no use in delaying their meeting, Robert knocked on the door and slowly opened it. John turned his head to the door immediately, Robert making eye contact as he closed the door behind him.

'Hello John,' Robert almost whispered, conscious of the fact his friend had just had major surgery a few hours previously.

'Rob. I thought you might be Anna.'

'Oh, erm... sorry,' Robert stuttered, instantly fiddling with the brown paper bag he was holding. 'I can go if you want.'

'Don't be silly,' John replied, his voice still quite husky. 'I'm pleased to see you.'

'Really?' The relief was noticeable as Robert's demeanour instantly relaxed. He walked closer to the bed, standing beside it and looking down at John. 'I would have thought you would never want to speak to me again. And I wouldn't blame you.'

'I thought I told you to stop being silly.' Robert chuckled then as he sat on the chair beside the bed, placing the grapes on the table where John's empty bowl was situated. 'What's in the bag?'

'Grapes,' Robert shrugged, 'I didn't know what else to bring.'

'Right, thanks mate.'

'It's me who should be thanking you,' Robert pointed out, awkwardly rubbing his feet along the floor beneath him. 'No words can express my gratitude as to what you did last night.'

'But grapes can?' came John's reply, smirking which in turn caused a grin to play on Robert's features. 'The details are still sketchy but you wouldn't have stood a chance had I not done what I did.'

'They arrested those men,' Robert informed his friend, wanting to change the subject and not think about what could have happened, had it not been for John's intervention. 'One of them had a knife.'

'Blimey, just another quiet evening in Downton, eh?' John's attention was caught by Robert's wrist then, heavily bandaged. 'You didn't come out completely unscathed, then?'

'Oh this, it's only a sprain. It's my filleting hand though, I can't cook for two weeks.'

'I'll trade you the loss of your filleting hand for the pin in my leg that is now keeping it together.'

Although John meant it as a joke, Robert was suddenly filled with guilt once again. 'I don't know what to say. What you did for me...'

'I'd do all over again,' John interrupted, observing the sheen of tears in Robert's eyes. 'You are my best friend, Robert. One of the only people to ever believe in me. So please, don't feel bad. Just be relieved I am going to live, and that the world shall not be without my famous duck a l'orange.'

'I think I can do that.'

'And perhaps, there is something else you can do for me.'

'Name it,' Robert said without missing a beat.

'What time is it?' John asked.

'Erm,' Robert lifted his arm to look at his watch. 'About half five. Why?'

'I asked Anna to marry me earlier.'

'What?'

'I could hear her. Speaking to me.' John explained, softly clearing his throat before continuing. 'She said she'd marry me tomorrow if she could. Those were the first words I could hear when I woke up. I told her okay. Let's do it.'

'You old dog...'

'She was a little apprehensive. I think it was the previous few hours taking their toll. But I intend to ask her again tonight when she comes in to visit. A nurse told me she'd be here about eight, she called them to check it was alright to come and see me.'

'And where does my help come in?' Robert enquired, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the bed.

'Go to my flat, in the wardrobe, the side where my shirts are hanging. At the bottom there is a black box. In there, there is a smaller red box. It holds a ring my mother left me when she passed away. It was her engagement ring. I want to give it to Anna.'

'That's quite a gesture,' Robert remarked, raising his eyebrows. 'Are you sure?'

'She is the only other woman in the world worthy of it, apart from my mother. I am sure. Would you do that for me?'

'Of course, but what about Roxy. Has she been sorted?'

'She's with Anna. So you'll escape an attack from the Jack Russell.'

'Alright, I'll go now shall I?' Robert asked, rising to his feet. 'I'll be as quick as I can.' He moved to the door, placing his hand on the door handle before looking back over his shoulder at the man laying in the bed. 'I just wanted to say it again. Thank you, John.'

Brushing him off with a wave of his hand and a smile, John turned his head to look out of the window before Robert left the room, ready to carry out his mission.

He kept reaching behind his pillow, every few seconds, checking the small box was still where he had put it. Robert had returned within half an hour with the item John had asked him for. He stayed for a while, still feeling guilty about all that transpired but all John asked was that Robert made sure Thomas didn't rearrange his kitchen, and all would be right in the world. Robert left with assurances he would take the reigns until John was fit to come back to work, however long that may take.

John counted himself lucky that after the accident he had only been left with a broken leg, but God, it was really painful this evening. The drugs alleviated the pain only so much, the aching thud in the lower part of his leg was the most agony John had ever felt. He tried to think of something else, anything else. And the something that he usually thought about was Anna. Her reluctance to answer him earlier made him wonder if marrying him was what Anna really wanted. Was it too soon? They had known each other for a year now. John had been in love with Anna for almost that long, his feelings for her had been that instant. He knew that she was who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. What did time matter? Hopefully Anna felt the same. Then her job in Australia seeped into his mind. He suddenly wasn't even sure a proposal would stop Anna leaving, and he felt so awful about what he had said to her.

Deciding to try to read, it was then the doctor came in to check on him. After discussing his symptoms, the Doctor decided to increase the dosage of his medicine for the pain, and within half an hour the ache was now more manageable. For now, at least. Now able to sit comfortably, he read a magazine one of the nurses had brought into the room for him. After hearing he was a chef, she raided one of the waiting rooms for any food publications there may be. As it neared eight in the evening, John was becoming distracted from reading about one hundred things to do with different vegetables as he realised he would soon be in Anna's company once more. The pain in his leg was still bearable, thank goodness.

Anna moved so gracefully, John didn't notice as she appeared in the doorway. Lifting his head up to look in her direction, she had been standing there a number of seconds before John had realised she had arrived. He smirked, placing the magazine on the table beside him before shuffling up on the bed a little bit.

'Hey you,' he said, his smile evident in his voice.

'Hey,' Anna breathed, walking further into the room. Anna kept her gaze firmly on his as she grew closer to the bed, her face etched with concern. As she reached him, she stroked his forehead, brushing a strand of hair back into place. All she could think about were John's words that she had inadvertently stumbled upon earlier. She would never have thought it possible, but Anna loved John even more now after she had read his inner most thoughts about her. She had dreamt that someone would feel that way about her, she never believed she would actually find him. And here he was.

'I missed you.' John turned his head to kiss her wrist, her hand having found it's way to rest on his cheek.

'I missed you too.' Anna smiled, gasping softly as she felt his lips upon her skin. 'How are you feeling?'

'Err, not too bad.' John shifted his eyes to his elevated leg. 'They upped the dosage of my medication, I'll be alright.'

'John, I don't... don't,' John looked up to see Anna bring a trembling hand to her mouth, tears glistening her blue eyes.

'Oh Anna, there's no need to cry, please don't cry,' John pleaded, trying desperately to be everything she needed but in that moment he knew he couldn't be. 'Please, sit down.'

Taking her hand in his, John watched as Anna moved the chair into position, keeping her grip firm on his hand as she sat. Looking back to him, she wiped a tear from her cheek before continuing. 'I hate to see you like this. It's breaking my heart.'

'Don't say that, I've already done enough of that.' He replied with a chuckle. 'I don't want to do it again.'

Anna allowed herself to smile at his remark as she took his hand back in hers. They sat in silence for a moment, Anna unsure as to whether to tell John about what she had come across earlier, or to just keep it a secret. She hated to lie to him, but John had probably never intended anyone to read his journal. Opening her mouth to speak, Anna was stopped as John squeezed her hand.

'I haven't forgotten about Australia,' he uttered, looking to her with an uneasy expression.

'I'm not going,' Anna replied without missing a beat. 'I called Aunty Sarah. She said she understood. I can't go when you need me here.'

'Anna, please think about his. I have no right to ask you to stay. The details about last night are still pretty fuzzy, but I feel terrible about what I said. I will support you, no matter what. Don't just stay here because of me and the accident. Robert will...'

'I am going to stay her because of you,' Anna interrupted John, her voice filled with conviction telling John he was going to have a difficult time changing her mind. 'But it's not just because I want to take care of you. It's because what happened last night has made me realise, I can't be without you. I was a fool to ever think I could.'

'Do you mean that?' John whispered, bringing her hand to his lips then placing a kiss on her knuckles.

'I do,' Anna nodded, her emotions overtaking her once more.

'Well then.'

Anna furrowed her brow as John turned away from her for a moment, reaching under his pillow. When he moved back towards her, what Anna noticed almost took her breath away. A small red box was in his hand, housing what seemed to be the most beautiful, elegant ring she had ever seen. A shimmering, solitaire diamond sat upon a gleaming gold band.

'John, I don't know what to say.'

'Then, let me speak.' John asked, patting the bed beside him to indicate to Anna he'd like her to join him. She sat on the edge of the bed, John taking her left hand in his own as the index finger and thumb of his right hand held the ring. 'You are an incredible woman, Anna. I walked into that restaurant almost a year ago, laid my eyes upon you and that was it. You stole my heart. I have made mistakes, I haven't always treated you the way you deserve to be but I want to make sure you know I regret that every minute of every day.'

'I know,' Anna nodded, smiling as she thought about what she had read in the journal. 'Really, I do.'

'I'm glad. I was worried you may think what I am about to do is too soon...'

'I think our circumstances dictate this hasn't come a moment too soon,' Anna admitted, blushing slightly as she realised how enthusiastic she may have sounded. 'Sorry.'

'Don't be,' John replied with a chuckle before a realisation came over him. He was about to propose to the woman he loved with all his heart. Clearing his throat, John inhaled deeply, desperately wanting to get this right. 'This isn't about the physical side of our relationship, not at all. It's everything about you. You are the only person I can truly be myself with. We have shared this connection from the moment we met.' Anna smiled as the memories of their getting know one another filled her mind. 'When we used to talk to each other, in my first few weeks here, about everything and nothing, you said you hoped to meet someone, someday. Well Anna, it would be the single most wonderful thing to ever happen to me if I could be your someday.'

She was openly sobbing now, his beautiful, perfect words reverberating around the room as he placed his mother's ring just over the top of Anna's ring finger.

'This was my mother's. And I know she is looking down on me right now, and she is smiling. Because she knows I have finally met the one person I can't live without. You are the only other person who is deserving of wearing this ring, the only other woman who has a place in my heart. Anna, I love you. Will you be my wife?'

A few seconds passed before Anna spoke. 'I waited my whole life to meet someone like you, to love someone like this,' Anna took John by surprise, seemingly having something to say apart from accepting. 'I can't say yes without telling you this.' She moved her hand away from the ring.

'Go on,' John said, furrowing his brow as he watched Anna move her hand.

'Earlier on, when I went to pick up Roxy she had got into your bedroom. Everything was a mess. I tidied up. And it was then that I found your journal.'

'My journal?' His tone was unreadable, Anna was suddenly panic stricken. 'Did you read it?'

'I'm sorry,' she sounded desperate, clutching his hand in hers. 'And I wanted to tell you because I don't want any secrets between us.'

'I don't mind you reading it Anna,' John shrugged, stroking her cheek with his index finger. 'I'm just worried you think me an incredibly cowardly person.'

Confused, Anna tried to search the inner recesses of her mind for a reason why John would believe she thought that of him. 'Why would I ever think that, John?'

'Because I could write those things about you in my journal, but not say them to you in person when it mattered.'

'Well, maybe you could try to tell me every single one. For the rest of our lives.'

John's face was a picture, Anna smiling upon the sight of it. 'You mean, you're going to say yes?'

'Why don't you ask me again, and we'll find out.'

Positioning the ring over her finger once more, John took another deep breath before meeting Anna's eyes with his own. 'Anna, will you marry me?'

'Yes, of course I will.' With the ring on her finger, a perfect fit, Anna leant forward to place her lips on John's. As she pulled away, she placed her forehead against his. 'You know, maybe our first dance could be to 'Top Of The World.' I always did like The Carpenters.'