MetroCourt Suite, Port Charles

She wasn't entirely certain when she knew that Dr. Hamilton Finn was the man she wanted to marry.

It was a hundred little moments, really.

Moments of tension, moments of humor, moments of heartache all woven together into the tapestry of their lives together. Each thread of their relationship was tied to another and in total told their story. There was a kiss, early on and unexpected, probably ill-advised. They hadn't initiated it, it had been part of a ruse meant to convince those dear to her that she was ready to move on with her life and dupe a formidable opponent, but it was the start of becoming them. Sometimes she thinks about his expression the moment after- a little dumbstruck, a little confused with just a hint attraction. It started and was all over quickly. However, she knew that the moment sat in both their minds and that the curiosity to explore each other's lips again only grew as they interacted each day.

She knows his expressions now. She knows what his beautiful eyes mean when they regard her. A laugh, a look, she catches his eye and the message is loud and clear. He loves her. A woman could grow accustomed to being looked at like that and Anna Devane had.

Why had it taken so long? They had danced around each other, even though he said he didn't dance. Then they kissed again. He had grabbed her by the waist and closed the distance between them and left her breathless and distracted. She tried not to wonder why she had waited for him to make the first move. Anna Devane is a woman who is used to getting what she wants. But there is always a price- and she realized too soon or perhaps too late that there is a cost too high she is not willing to pay. And one deranged man nearly demanded she did.

She wished that she didn't endanger the ones she loved. There is one thing she knows for certain.

She's not safe.

So she pretended it was fine, that the loss of him didn't matter, that she wasn't affected at all, convinced herself that she needed no one. She was a terrible liar. She thought she didn't need his friendship, his wit, that push to be better and to do better. But then she looked into his eyes and saw that he was doing just as good at being fine as she was.

It was a year ago when they couldn't take it any longer. The dam broke and the feelings flowed out. He followed her to the pier, arriving just in time and exerting the natural authority that he's not even aware he has. His expression is still burned into her brain, his eyes soft and careful as he scans her for injuries. She remembers the feeling of relief that spilled over her as he pulled her into his arms and held her. She remembered feeling comforted, and she didn't regret it, being in his arms. He cared for her and she wouldn't doubt that again.

She doesn't need a rescuer, but she does need the look that he offered her, care and wonderment mingled together. And now she lay next to him, her fiance, the man she agreed to marry. The man she loved and who loved her in return.

She lay with her head nestled in the crook of his arm, happy satisfied and sated. She luxuriated in the warmth of Finn's embrace, her left leg slung over the lower half of his body. Anna blushed at to remember as Finn took her hand and they ran from the ballroom together. She had offered to go to have the car brought to the front but he had pulled her back to him and kissed her deeply then held a key card in front of her face. Whether her answer had been a yes or a no Finn had wanted to be prepared to whisk her upstairs to celebrate or lick his wounds alone if she had come to her senses and realized she could do much better than him. He had told her this in his adorably self-deprecating way that always disarmed her and immediately she pulled him into the waiting elevator and pushed him against the wall as soon as the doors were closed. She pressed her body against his and kissed him like she was prepared to take him then and there. She pulled the bowtie from his neck and deftly opened the top buttons of his dress shirt and pressed kisses to his neck and jaw making Finn think he was going to black out from desire. The elevator doors opened much too soon, so he took her hand and led her to their suite.

"I love my ring." She said in a low voice. Her accent seemed more pronounced when she was passionate. Finn loved the sound of her voice.

"You have no idea how much trouble I went through to get it on your finger." Finn shook his head in dismay.

"Well, now I want you to tell me about it."

"It had a happy ending. That particular ring made it onto your finger."

Finn gave her a basic outline of the events that led the ring to fall at her feet and him to pick it up. They laughed heartily together as they walked hand and hand to the end of the hallway at to their room. At the door, Anna kissed him softly and sweetly, waiting for their hearts to resume their regular rhythm. Finn understood. She was signaling her desire to savor the moment. And so they had. After their toast to the future, Finn had taken her to bed and proceeded to make love to her in a tender and unhurried manner. Their future lay before them and they had all the time in the world, why shouldn't they take their time.

Now they lay together in contented silence, grateful for this quiet corner of the hotel to be together as the festivities downstairs continued on without them. Anna's eyes crinkled at the corners as she held her left hand up in the air to look at her ring, shining like a brilliant blue star on her second finger. It was beautiful. As was the story of why he chose it for her.

She understood why it mattered so much to him, and why it mattered to her. Anna smiled and she worked to suppress the giggle that was bubbling up within her. She wasn't naive and inexperienced in love but the knowledge that she was engaged to be married, something she had never expected, filled her with a nervous energy that set her pulse racing Finn was right, Monaco had changed the course of both their lives.

A hand reached upwards to gently envelop her own. His fingers slowly interlaced with hers, his thumb stroking her palm. Soon, Finn brought her hand to his lips kissing the knuckle of her ring finger while she, in turn, pressed gentle kisses to his bare shoulder. Finn turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her wrist. Anna hummed in appreciation, savoring the sparks of warmth that tingled under her skin. Her eyes closed as he nuzzled her hand against his cheek.

"I'm glad that your ring found its way home." He smiled and ducked his head in that shy way that always made her heart melt. Finn reached over and ran his fingers through her hair. Anna smiled, his boyish endearments never failed to delight her; as did his constant devotion. Then she saw a shadow pass unexpectedly over his face and his blue eyes looked troubled. For the briefest of moments, he seemed far away. Her bubble of exhilaration burst at once.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" she asked, genuinely unsure of his intentions or what worries were on his mind.

Her voice brought him back from the depths of his thoughts. He passed his hand over his face and brooded for a moment. "I hadn't planned to do this on stage with a ballroom filled with people. I'm not sure that the proposal was good enough, or what you deserved. I had planned to say a lot more to you."

Anna shifted herself off of him and sat up. She brought her knees to her chest resting her arms and chin on top as she gathered the rumpled sheets to her chest. She turned to face him as he remained reclined against the pillows. She took a moment to admire his naked torso unabashedly then she extended her hand and traced the line of his jaw and smiled as he took possession of her hand once more and kissed it ardently.

"'I wouldn't say that anything about us has gone as planned," she laughed softly as scenes of their unconventional courtship flashed through her mind. "But I'm wondering, what did you plan to say?"

"Well, I tried a couple of different speeches. But let's see, maybe I can put together my greatest hits and get a do-over? But, I don't know, maybe there should be candlelight and rose petals."

Anna shook her head. "No rose petals and candlelight. That's been done to death and this, you and me here alone together, is just fine. In fact, it's perfect. I never was a girl who dreamed about an over the top setting. All I need is you next to me. And Finn I need to apologize. I'm sorry for my first response, I was caught off guard because...I had never allowed herself to hope that you would want to marry me."

"Well, I want to marry you. I'm certain of that."

"Why are you certain?"

"There are so many reasons, where should I even begin? Anna, you saved me. I felt like I was in quicksand and you lockpicked your way into my heart and kept me from going under. And now I want to spend my life showing my gratitude and how much I cherish you."

"No Finn. You don't owe me your gratitude. It's you who saved me. I had closed off my heart and, fortunately for both of us, you wouldn't let me. You were the best surprise. I want you to stay by my side always. Will you?"

"Hey, who is proposing to who here?" Finn took her hand in his and before she could protest he slid the ring from her finger and at the same time wrapped the comforter from their bed around his waist and he moved from the bed to the floor at her feet. The sounds of Anna's breathy giggles caused him to chuckle in response. She stood up from the bed and held her hand out, letting the sheets fall away and looked at him with an arched brow.

Finn swallowed at the sight of her, the woman who had already agreed to marry him and whom he was going to ask again, but did his best to remain focused. "Alright, this version got the Roxy seal of approval. So here it goes. Anna Devane, you blackmailed your way into my heart and it's never been the same. I think I can say that loving you has been an adventure and the greatest one that I have been on. I love you and please will you do me the honor of becoming my wife so we can continue this adventure together?"

"Yes, Finn I'll marry you."

He placed the ring back on her finger and abruptly picked her up in his arms and tossed her laughing onto the bed. He settled next to her and pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly on the temple. He was content as she cuddled close to him, her hand resting on his chest. She stayed only a moment and then propped herself up on her elbow to look him in the eye.

"One more question. How many people knew about this proposal?" She asked suspiciously.

"Uh...well. Chase, I told him when I bought the ring. And Roxy, I told her right away naturally.

"Naturally."

"And then there was our Madame Mayor, Laura Webber."

"Laura?" Anna asked incredulously

"Entirely by accident! She found me practicing at GH." Finn protested.

"You were practicing?"

"I think you know by now that if I can be prepared I will be."

"Ok, and who else?"

"Robert. And Mac and Felicia found out from him. And, by the way, this ring would have been on your finger sooner if he hadn't taken it and lost it."

"Robert lost the ring?"

"And Mike Corbin found it and gave it to his girlfriend Yvonne. They are a lovely couple in case you were wondering. Sonny helped me get it back, thankfully."

"Sonny…?" Her voice trailed off in wonderment.

"And then Peter told me I needed to propose to you before your ex did. Although to be fair I have no idea how he got the idea that Robert wanted to marry you. I mean he did take off with your ring but I didn't think he was trying to beat me to the punch. "

A flush bloomed from Anna's neck all the way to her ears and she covered her face in her hands.

"Oh God…" she said in a mournful and embarrassed tone. "I saw Robert with a ring and I told Peter that I thought I might be getting a marriage proposal but not from you, which…" She reached out and took his hand in hers, "I suppose was the moment that I realized that even though I had never let myself hope for such a thing, I wanted it more than I realized." She sighed heavily "So I cornered Robert backstage tonight and told him that he couldn't expect me to try again. Oh Lord, he is not going to let me live this down. What a fiasco this all was."

"True. But still, you said yes."

"I said yes." She smiled and laughed at the ludicrousness of the situation.

Her laughter was his undoing and Finn caught her in his arms and kissed her soundly.

"Have I told you recently that I am in love with you?" he retorted and sealed his words with another press of his lips against her skin.

"No, not for the last twenty minutes at least" her smile widened, and her hand moved from him, fingers brushing against his lips and cheek, slowly tracing its lines. The feel of his lips on her skin had become a permanent addition to her daily routine and she could not imagine it any other way. "But perhaps it bears repeating?" she commented with a playful spark in her eyes, her hand shifted to the back of his neck, fingertips grazing its nape, then stroking his hair.

"Always," he moved closer to her, his arms tightened around her waist. "I love celebrating with you. Celebrating survival, falling in love, getting engaged. Don't you?"

"Yes," she breathed as he inclined his head to plant a kiss on her collarbone.

Finn's eyes met hers and he watched her closely with his usual heartfelt attentiveness. He smiled as his fingers then tilted her chin and he leaned forward to kiss her. A brief brush of his lips to start, a fleeting breath of a kiss which soon turned into a proper one, deep and searching. Anna put her hands on either side of his face, pulling him closer as the world around them faded away. She cared about nothing but the feel of their lips together and their bodies pressing towards each other. Anna sank forward in his arms and welcomed the fire that ignited within her, making her melt into him. Her breaths increased as the warmth expanded outwards, radiating through her body. She remembered their first kiss, shy and curious. She remembered how she shied away from the intense sensation of their second kiss, afraid of being swept away by a wave of emotions. But not anymore.

When Finn finally pulled away, she inhaled sharply, suddenly remembering what it is to breathe. She could feel her skin glowing, the heat that filled her no doubt visible through a blush on her cheeks; her lips are still parted as she strived to quiet her thumping heart. The air around them turned sultry from their warmth.

A new shimmer within her stirred afresh and she placed her hands firmly on his chest and lifts herself up to kiss him. It is a mere brush of her lips against his, but it left him looking expectant. She smiled and moved astride him. It was all the invitation he needed as his hips responded in earnest, his hands lingering on her hips, an intimate exploration growing fiercer as she says his name, His hands moved up to her lower back and he pulled her closer. His body grew warmer as he held her close, his hands moved with a different purpose over her skin in a gentle caress. His touch made her feel wild and wanted, made her arch her back, greedily demanding more from him. She gasped his name while he lifted himself up and wrapped his arms around her back. Anna knew that being close to him and loving him is all she needed.

Her eyes closed and her back arches as the fire consumed her; she cried out loudly and waited for the flames to die out. She half expected to find them both reduced to nothing more than a pile of ashes. But they weren't, and the warmth lingered as their bodies slowly parted. Now exhausted and languid, she allowed herself to rest on his chest, and they lay entwined as the night grew still.

"I'm going to marry you," Finn whispered into her temple.

"Yes you are," was Anna's whispered reply. The last thought in her mind before she drifted to sleep was that Dr. Hamilton Finn was the man she would marry and he would make her happy.