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Chapter Thirty-Seven

The reception was tons of fun. Everyone danced and even sang at the karaoke stage they'd set up. Mr. Popo's food was a hit! Krillin and Goku gave toasts, and even Dende was talked into giving a toast and he did a bang up job at it, considering he was usually so shy in front of a lot of people. After his toast, Hera walked over to him.

"You did a great job."

"O, thanks. I hate talking in public."

"You? Mr. Motor Mouth who drives Piccolo crazy?"

"That's different. Besides, you did a pretty good job of that yourself today."

Hera grinned. "Yeah. I know now why you do it. It's fun!"

"I heard that!" Piccolo growled as he walked past them.

They looked at each other and burst into laughter.

It was dark outside now, the stars were shimmering. The music was soft. Dende took Hera by the hand and led her outside down the steps. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"For a walk."

"What about your friend's wedding?"
"Please? Did you see the way he was looking at Videl? He won't know or care I'm gone."

Hera laughed, "You're probably right."

He led her around to the back of the Look Out, back to the silver and white garden. The garden looked ablaze in the full moonlight. It seemed to be glowing of it's own accord. They stood there, hand in hand, for a long time, looking up at the moon. Dende's fingers moved softly across her hand. She could feel him shaking and wondered what was wrong.

"Dende? You're hands are shaking."

"Huh? They are? Sorry. Guess it's just all the excitement."

"Mmmm." She nodded.

Again they gazed at the moon. Finally, Dende let her hand go and walked over to the bench. "You really do look beautiful tonight." His deep onyx eyes drank her in. She blushed and looked at the ground.

"Thank you. And you really do look amazing yourself."

Dende grinned, his fangs peaking out from his upper lip, making her heart flip in the oddest way. He sat down, tapped his foot, stood up, smoothed his pants.

"Dende? You're not ok. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just that-" he looked up at the moon, put his hands in his pockets and looked back at her. "It's just that there's another reason for bringing you out here than just a walk."

Hera nodded. Her heart started racing. What was he doing? She wondered. She walked over to sit on the bench. He sat next to her.

"I guess the only way to do this is to do it, right?"

"Whatever it is, if it must be done, you must do it or it can't be done." Hera looked around. "Boy, that was profound, wasn't it."

Dende smiled. He took a deep breath then let it out slowly. "How long have we known each other?"

"O gosh," Hera said, "Six days? Maybe seven? Why?"

"Just a week. Wow. I feel like I've known you forever."

She nodded, "I know. It does seem like forever." She paused, "and yet, not nearly long enough."

Dende smiled, "I was hoping you'd say that."

"Why?"

"Because there's something I need to tell you. Something I need you to hear."

She nodded slowly, "Ok. Then let's hear it."

Dende looked at her then turned away. "Gosh this was so much easier in my head this afternoon."

"This afternoon? Wow, you are impetuous."

"I guess so. But I have to do this now or risk losing you forever."

"What do you mean? You're not going to lose me, Dende. Look, I know I've only known you a week, but I mean it when I say, I feel like I've known you for a lifetime already. And I don't want to go anywhere. You make me feel at home. You make me feel safe."

He scooted closer to her, took her hands in his. She swallowed hard, "I mean it. I never thought this could happen to me." She looked own at her hands in his, feeling the soft leather of his fingers against the pale skin of her own. "I remember there was this girl in my office. She met this guy on a weekend trip and three weeks later they were married. Nine months later they had twins. I've never known a happier couple."

Dende nodded.

"I guess what I'm saying is that it doesn't matter if we've known each other a week or ten years. I care about you. Deeply. I know that. It's not just an infatuation. It's more than that. Dende," she looked up into his eyes, "the first moment I saw you, I knew there was something different about you. I knew I had to get to know you better, I had to spend time with you."

"Even though Trunks was around."

She laughed, "Yes, even though Trunks was around. I'm not going to lie. I did entertain thoughts of he and I together. But when it came down to it, he didn't feel right."

"Feel right?" Dende tried to take his hands from hers.

She gripped tightly, "Not like that. I don't mean the way he felt," she reached up and brushed his face lightly with her knuckles. "I mean he didn't feel right," she put a hand to her heart, "here."

"Oh," he looked at her hand in his, wishing she'd touch his face again. "And do I," he stammered, trying not to look at her but being pulled towards her just the same, "do I feel right," he reached out and touched her throat just beneath her necklace, "there?"

She blushed, "Yes. Yes you do."

Dende leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers. He let go of her hands for a moment. She didn't look to see what he was doing. Then his hands were around hers again. Then he took on hand in his, and with the other one he slipped what felt to her like a ring on her finger. "Then marry me."

Her eyes went wide. "What?" she breathed.

"Marry me."

He dropped her hands and cupped her face in his palms. He looked deep into her eyes. "Marry me." He said again. "I told you, I'd never make you stay here. I'd give you all the freedom in the world, to travel, to do whatever it is you want to do. Just…" he stroked one side of her face with his fingers, "…just let me know you'll always come back to me. At the end of the day, I want you here with me."

Hera blinked rapidly as tears fell from her eyes. She looked away from, down at her left hand where he'd just slipped a ring. She gasped. It was a wide, silver band with a bright green stone in the center of it. It caught the moonlight and took her breath away. She looked back up at him.

"Yes."

"What?" He pulled back from her.

"I said yes. I will marry you, o great Guardian."

Dende looked as if he were suddenly 100 pounds lighter! He pulled her into a tight hug and for a moment she thought he'd never ever let her go. Then, just as suddenly, he pushed away.

"Are you sure? Look, I thought long and hard about this all afternoon. I know it's a huge step. But I'm certain it's what I want. Are you?"

Hera looked at the ring on her finger. She thought about her life in the past, how the only guys who'd ever tried for her attention were creeps or jerks who were only after one thing. How she'd never had friends, how no one had ever cared for her. Until now. Now she was sitting high above the earth, 100 years in the future, gazing into the eyes of a most remarkable being, a being of who's race she just discovered she was half. She held one side of his face in one of her hands, tracing his sharp jaw line with one delicate finger.

"I'm positive. I've waited over 100 years for something like this to happen."

"I promise you won't have to wait that long for the wedding."

He leaned forward, taking her hands again in his.

"I most certainly hope not." She breathed just as his mouth covered hers.