An thankyou everyone for all of the encouragement I've written around five or more chapters ahead of this so prepare for some twists!

Tom's POV

I dial Zoe again , telling her of my amazing luck. I am alone.

I take a seat on the tree swing as I ask Zoe about the plans for this evening.

Everyone is aware of my surprise for Sam. It isn't usually something that you share but under the circumstances that I want to keep the entire party a secret from Sam and I don't want everyone to think I don't trust her , I decided to tell them.

They where all very enthusiastic so I have nothing to worry about.

Zoe tells me that the cake and decorations are already there. We managed to get the pub to ourselves and everyone was aware of what was going to happen.

I would walk in with Natalia and Sam whilst everyone would follow the usual surprise party routine . Then I would get the microphone and give Sam her present and hope to the heavens that she accepts it.

Now all I have to do is wait ...

Sam's POV

I walk with Natalia into the shop. She told me in the car that a nice top and jeans would be perfect and I had agreed.

We walk around the rails in silence for a few minutes before I pull out a long,lacy,pink dress and hold it up against Natalia ,"this looks perfect!"

Natalia looks like a cat after it has been called a dog. "no ,no,no,no,no!"

She takes it off me and puts it back.

I laugh at her,"I was only joking!"

She smiled and turns to another row of clothes.

I go back to my searching and I am only looking for a few seconds when Natalia shouts for my attention.

I turn around and she is holding up a blue ,silky top.

I nod and smile enthusiastically ,"it's perfect!"

Her smile matches mine as she puts it in the basket and we move to the jeans isle.

It takes a mere five minutes for us to find a pair of black jeans ,which we are both glad of.

We leave the shop in high spirits.

Natalia has shoes already(small black slip on ones) so we are both prepared for tonights dinner.

Now all we have to do is get ready and listen to Tom scream again...

The small family where ready in under half an hour.

Tom was wearing one of his best shirts and jeans and had gelled his hair into a smart look.

Sam had her outfit that she looked out earlier on and her hair down with a black band to keep it out of her face. She had put on some light make-up and didn't even bother to ask Natalia if she needed any as she new her reply. She had to be one of the best teenage girls for Sam to have this relationship with and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Natalia had on her new outfit and her hair in the same stile as Sam's.

Neither of the girls where aware of what a surprise they where going to get when they entered the bar.

Both had been more than happy with Tom's reaction as he stood gawping at them for about thirty seconds before he remembered how to speak . When he did he spent the next five minutes complementing both of them.

Tom's parents picked them up and

with a lot of complementing later they arrived at the bar.

"gran " and "gramps" went in first -and quickly at that.

Sam looked up puzzled at their sudden departure as Tom helped her out of the car.

Natalia hurried to their side as Tom took Sam's hand and they walked into the bar.

"surprise!" Natalia jumped back in shock and Sam jumped a little too.

Tom let go of Sam's hand and picked Natalia giggled slightly as everyone turned her around a little before lowering her to the ground again.

Sam stared with a smile on her face that was the complete opposite to how she was feeling in the inside.

A mixture of anger and hurt but mostly hollowness.

She didn't know what to think.

Why would Tom not tell her? Did he not trust her to keep the secret?

Sam came out of her whirlpool of thoughts to see Tom standing on something that resembled a stage with a microphone in his hand.

He looked over at her with an amazing look in his eyes.

He smiled at her before addressing the crowd.

Sam looked around as he spoke about how lucky they where to have Natalia.

The entire ED staff had appeared for the event and many people that Sam guessed where Tom's family sat around tables too. She even recognised a few of her family and ex soldier friends stirring together too.

Balloons scattered the place with congratulations banners across the walls.

Sam suddenly felt arms wrap her in a hug and she looked down to see Natalia smiling up at her with tears in her eyes.

Sam held her tight too and many people "ahhed ."

Sam looked up again to see everyone looking intently at Tom and a few looking towards her. What was she missing?

Tom's eyes met hers again "now I have to speak about one person who without I don't know where I would be. She has helped me through all of my doubts and is definitely not only my girlfriend but my best friend. But I don't want her to only be that. After the way I have seen her with Natalia I realise that there is no way I can let a woman like her slip out of my grasp. She is too brave,kind,smart ,funny and not to mention beautiful. So Samantha Nichols will you marry me?"

The tears that had been welling in Sam's eyes finally spilled as Tom got down on one knee, a ring box in his hands.

Nat squealed slightly and ran to the table where her gran and gramps where sitting sensing that she needed to be out of the way.

Everyone had cleared the space between the couple so Sam simply had to take the twelve short steps towards him before they where only a meter away.

"yes!" she shouted as she admired the ring in his hand.

He jumped down and pulled her towards him.

The crowd cheered as they broke apart and he slipped the ring on her finger.

"forgive me for not telling you but I wanted to make it a surprise," he whispered.

"did everyone know?"

Tom nodded.

"I thought so..."

Tom looked worried which caused Sam to brake down in laughter and kiss him again.

Slow music started and Tom pulled her towards him.

"Tom you know that I don't dance " Sam tried to persuade him.

"yes I do and I don't care!"

They waltzed around to the beat and a few couples joined them on the dance floor.

The song finished and a faster one came on.

They both had the same idea as the walked towards Natalia. They pulled her up and the small family danced together. Not the most normal family but none the less : the closest family Holby had seen in a long time...