Okay so here we go. Please review. Thank you for the reviews I am glad that you all are liking this story. Please keep it up. So sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except characters unknown. ENJOY!


Four hours, six hundred twenty three dollars and ninety two cents later, Emily had found the perfect dress. It was sleeveless, maroon and red colored, tight in all the right places, and floor length. I knew, along with all the other customers in Bloomingdale's that, that dress had been made just for her. Zander was going to be happy with the outcome, and he was going to completely understand what people meant when they said the word "priceless."

We got back to Kelly's around five, which gave her just enough time to go back to the mansion, and get ready before Zander showed up around seven thirty. As I was driving back to the apartment complex, I realized that spring was right around the corner. It was April but it had been in the mid- thirties the past three weeks which made people wonder if spring was ever going to come. I stopped at a red light and looked out the passenger side window and saw the trees staring to bloo and what looked like flower buds coming up from the ground. I smiled as I thought about the months ahead, summer vacation from school, Stephen and Dillon moving in, my nephew's first birthday, thanksgiving, and my birthday. At that moment life was looking pretty damn good. Nothing could possibly make my good mood go away, I was enjoying life in a way that was once lost to me.

When I walked into my own living room it didn't look anything like it had when I left this morning. There were candles lit everywhere, rose petals all over the floor and furniture, and the lights where turned off. I even turned around to walk back out the door, to make sure I had the right penthouse. Yet when I turned around the only person home was standing between me and the door, dressed in a tux and holding a long stem red rose.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed and jumped when I first saw him because I didn't think anybody was home.

"Do you like your surprise?" Stephen asked as he turned on the music with the remote in his hand. As I turned around to do a double take of the red and white rose petals everywhere, candles lit in every nook and cranny, the low sounds of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw singing and him in a tux. It was almost too much for me to handle at once.

"Baby...Like it? I love it! And..." I said as I walked into his arms. "I love you. What's with the surprise anyways? I mean, not that I mind, but I thought that tonight was suppose to be a lazy night?" I said as I kissed him and looked around again.

"Well, I told Georgie and Dillon my plan and they wanted to go along with it. And I wanted to surprise you becasue we never really got a first date. So I thought..." He stopped and looked down at his hands with embarrassment. "I'd bring the date to you. Besides, I think we need a little alone time. Oh," he started as if he'd forgotten something important. "Why don't you go upstairs and change. More of the surprise is yet to come. Now upstairs. Go." He said as he pointed towards the stairs, and I followed the orders with a salute and a smile.

As I walked down the hallway I pulled off my shirt and threw it on the floor, then the boots, hoping on one foot to get each off. When I got to the bedroom I noticed a card taped to the outside of the door, with the words: Open Me, on it. Inside was written: " Follow the clues to claim your prize. Open the door to reveal your first of many." I lowered my hand to the door knob, turned it and pushed the door open, at the same time. As I walked in I gasped at teh sight in front of me. Laid out on the bed was a two piece, white silk dress, with red lace over it, and a pair of red stiletto, open toed shoes. The top tied in the middle of my back, but ended four inches above my belly button, and the bottom zippered up the side, ending just below my belly button.

Five minutes later I was standing in front of the full length mirror admiring the way the top hugged my body in all the right palces, and how the bottom fell just above the floor but with enough cover to only reveal my toes. I had taken my hair down just becasue that was how he like it. As I turned around to go back downstairs, another note caught my attention. It was taped to the back side of the door. Inside read: "To meet your match open the top drawer on his side of the bed. Then I will meet you outside." As I tried to run to his bedside table I almost tripped over my own two fee, I wasn't use to wearing dresses let alone one this pretty. I pulled out the drawer to reveal a beautiful diamond necklace staring back at me. (It was a chain of diamonds with three tiers hanging from the middle.) And yet another note; onky this one was the last. This one said: "Do not open until I see you, put on the necklace and come down the stairs soI can see how amazing you look. I love you and can't wait to see you. -S"

As I walked down the stairs, carrying the note and wearing the necklace, I noticed the terrece doors were open, allowing agentle breeze to sway throughout the room. It left the room feeling more alive with Mother Natures own breath then the stiff air that was being reused. WhenI got to the open doors I stopped, took a deep breath, and ran a hand over the front of my dress to make sure that it looked okay. As I stepped through the drapes I saw him standing with his back to me, looking out over the lights of teh city. He looked so handsome, as he stood there thinging, the moon reflected his glow of happiness n to me because just seeing him there was enough to make me smile.

"I must be the luckiest women around. You know that? You're so handsome when you're thinking hard like that. What was on your mind, baby?" I said as I walked over to him as he turned around, his eyes wide, and an expression of udder shock at how I much of looked.

"Mmmm. Well, I knew it would look good, but, wow. I didn't realize just how good. Oh, my mind...um well, I was thinking that I must be living a dream because somebody like you only happens in dreams and fairy tale movies. I mean look at me, I am just some average guy with a thick southern accent and you, you are this amazing, beautiful, spunky, talented women that deserves a man of the same kind." He said as he walked around me to the open doors.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" I said as I grabbed a hold of his hand and forced him to look me in the eye. "The one thing I love about you is your accent, and that you aren't just like me, because one of me is enough to last everybody a life time. Besides, if I even wanted somebody just like me, I probably would have dumped you after the first week together. But you know what?" I asked as he shook his head 'no.' "You are the one person who actually likes the fact that I amspunky, quirky, and sometimes yes, I have my blonde moments. You have never once judged me because of what my brother's 'day job' is and you are the only guy that Sonny and Jason like, so if you go anywhere except back over to that table you are in big trouble." I jokingly said, but neither one of us laughed. "Stephen, I love you. Up 'til I met you, I am surprised that I even understood what life was or is. Let a lone what love was. You are my life and I want to live life knowing that when I roll over in the morning you'll always be there. If you actually believe that I'd want some smuck that was just like me, then you can leave, but baby you...You are the only person I love and that's the way it's going to stay." I said as I kissed the tip of his nose causing him to shiver and pulled him into a hug.

"I love you, too. Did you bring the note?" He asked as he pulled back but left his hands on my hips. I had almost forgotten about the note in my right hand.

"Yup, and I didn't open it. Stephen thank you for the dress, shoes, and necklace I will treasure them forever. Can I open the note yet?" I asked like a little kid at Christmas. We both laughed at the excitement in my voice.

"Nope." Was all he said then laughed at the depressed expression I put on. "First you have to dance with me." He said as he grabbed a hold of my hand and once again pressed play. We danced to a song by Tim McGraw, called "She's My Kind Of Rain." As the song came to an end he dropped his hands from my hand and hip, and pulled back to look at me.

"Now you may open teh note. But I'll be right back, read it while I'm gone." With that said anda kiss he disappeared inside and out of sight. I opened the folded piece of hard paper to see the last thing I expected; a love letter. It was dated the day before. I walked over to one of the chairs and sat down to read the letter that would probably melt my heart. Here is what was written inside the letter:

April 19, 2004

-Rachel

You are the only person who knows me better then I think I know myself. I fell in love with you so quickly thatitscared me, but now I am not so scared. Everyday after I see you and I go hame, I find myself thinking ofnothingbut you. You always seem to find a way to invade my thoughts. I even called my sister your name. And believe me,I've never done that before, not with any of my other girlfriends. Rachel Alexandra Corinthos... Oh boy, how do I say this without really saying it or sounding childish...

I wiped away a tear that had fallen.

"Baby?" I jumped so high. I looked down at the card and saw that there was nothing else written on it. I walked over to where Stephen stood, just beyong the drapes. He looked as if he'd been crying, I wish I knew why.

"What didn't you get a chance to write?" I whispered as I wiped a tear that had fallen on his face with my thumb.

"Well...um...Okay. Baby why don't you come sit down."He said as he grabbed my hand and lead me towards one of the table chairs. "Okay." He started as he kneeled down in front of me and put a hand on my knee. "Baby, I love you. You are the only person I've been able to give my soul to. Except, see there's more to it then love and soul. Do you remember the first time I talked to you? Your first words to me were, 'What can I do for Mr. Crump?'" We both laughed at his botched attempt at being me. "But you only made me fall harder and more quickly. I took it like a man and just worked even harder to be somebody that you could possibly fall in love with. And the surprising part is that you did fall in love with me. This is something I need to ask you first." He stopped, stood up and kissed me. If anybody had been watching this they probablycould have sworn he was about to ask meto marry him. "Well, here it goes. Will you be my girlfriend?"

"You goof. I already am, you didn't have to ask me to be your girlfriend." I said as I smiled, kissed him and spun aroundhappy with joy. "You know what? Nobody has ever asked me to be their girlfriend. They always just assumed that I was. But I'll never forget that you asked." I said as I looked at him in the eyes. "Baby, I love you." I kissed him again only he backed away and turned serious again.

"Rachel. I do have to ask you though. See where I come from in orderfor a couple to be classified boyfriend/girlfriend, the guy has to ask the girl first. SoI'll ask you again. Rachel Corinthos will you be mygirlfriend?" He was serious, he had the glassesover look inhis eyes that told me that he was about to cry.

"Oh Stephen." I gushed as I ran my right thumb over his cheek. "Of course I'll be your girlfriend. How could I possibly say no after all you went through to make this night perfect. Anyways, you are the only person I can give my soul to, as well. I love you and that will never change. And part of me feels like I owe you so much, not just because of all of this, " I said as I moved around him and over to the table, which I had left the note on. " I mean for everything. You have been nothing but an absolute gentleman, you haven't pushed me, you never once tried to push me away when a situation happened and you never once stopped loving me, trusting me, and lastly you never once ecpected anything from me. So you see I shoudl be the one to do something for you. I just wish I knew how to give you something like this. So now I guess I have a question for you." I wiped a tear away that had fallen on my cheek and then smiled at the beautiful though I was having. I walkerd back over to where he was standing, put my hands on his hips, kissed him and looked in his eyes. I saw the same sense of happiness and joy. "Will you be my boyfriend?" I laughed at the look on his face.

"Now who's the goof ball?" He said jokingly and kissed my face. "Yes. And now that, that is out of the way. Will you dance with me?" He asked with a half assed grin, sicne he already knew the answer.

"If I must." I said as I playfully rolled my eyes at him, but smiled, knowing that I couldn't possibly be any happier then now.

He pressed play on the remote one more time and the beautiful lyrics of Jessica Simpson's "In This Skin," came out of the speakers. I laid my head on his shoulder and noticed that the moon was full and the stars were in their place. Everything felt right and that wasn't going to change, at least not tonight.

The remainder of the night was spent dancing and talking about nothing and everything. Okay so maybe the talking part doesn't sound so romantic but to Stephen and myself it was perfect. By the time we went up to bed it was close to two in the morning; Dillon and Georgie had come home around eleven, to find Stephen and I laying on the couch just holding each other, almost passed out.