The trip overall had been going well. Phil was aware that his dad always showed him some favoritism for following in his footsteps in the Air Force, so he had that in his corner. He also figured his parents would be just relieved that he had finally found someone. As far as Zia goes, they really couldn't have too many complaints. Seriously, the woman was a friggin doctor and ex-military. Ok, so Marine ex-military, but still. He didn't really think of his parents as being racist people, but he figured they might at least give pause with her being half Latino. His mother he was expecting to at least mention it in private at some point, but so far, she had held her tongue. She had outwardly made a brief comment about her height, that he knew inwardly she was somewhat serious about. He had quickly reminded her that Zia was still an inch taller than average for an American woman. In the end, he knew it really didn't matter what his parents thought, but in truth, they were easier to deal with when they had their way. It had also helped that most of the focus of the weekend had been on celebrating Ethan's recent engagement to Ginny.

It hadn't taken him long to realize that his brother's jokes about his future sister-in-law weren't really jokes at all. Ok, so it had only been two months, but he didn't feel like it had been. He also didn't feel like he was being foolish or that he was moving too fast. He and Zia just fit. She was his other half and he hoped he was hers.

The retreat home in Maryland was the soul of his boyhood. He had spent countless happy summers here, just being a kid – riding bikes, playing in the surf, beach combing, waking in the mornings to the sweet fragrant salt air softly blowing through open windows. Things that both he and his brother had been blessed to experience. He was thrilled to now be able to share some of that with the woman who he couldn't see ever wanting to be without.

Zia had started their walk on the beach admittedly on edge. Miranda in her usual way had somehow smoothly gleamed out of her that she indeed was most likely pregnant. The fact that Miranda had already figured this out had been somewhat unnerving. The woman really did have a keen awareness of nearly everything going on under her roof. Zia figured she had to be that way for everything to function as smoothly as it seemed to. Miranda had also somehow immediately shut down the water works that had threatened to fall. Telling her sternly that there was absolutely no reason for them, that she was about to go for a romantic stroll with Phil, who would be ecstatic anyway. She had helped Zia with touching up her makeup, doing magic in about five minutes flat that would have taken Zia at least five times as long and still without the same result. Miranda had also assured her that when the time was right, that she would deal with her own husband's reaction; that was what Zia was also even more concerned about. She knew that Phil's arrival had been long awaited and she was also aware that a child would throw a wrench into whatever Ken had planned for him. Miranda had made her promise to keep things to herself until they confirmed things and that she herself would take one of the cars and run into town for an at home test while Zia was out with Phil.

Within thirty seconds of Phil linking his fingers with hers, her anxiety level dropped tenfold. She really had no logical explanation for his effect on her, but she was always so much calmer when he was with her. She had been able to relax and enjoy the scenery.

They reached the end of the sand near the jetty where Phil spent countless hours playing as boy with his brother. He had taken her hand at the start of their walk. The sun was starting its drop into the ocean to the west-facing section in the curve of the bay. He turned her to where he wanted her, not letting go of her hand and sunk to one knee.

"Zia, I,…Zia," he swallowed and nearly blurted out, "Will you marry me?"

Zia felt like she had been punched in the gut. So shortly following her conversation with Miranda her brain instantly jumped to: No! No fucking way! I am not going to be his pity party just because we somehow stupidly got pregnant. No!

She snapped her hand from his, judging from the shocked expression on his face, sooo not what he was expecting. It's not that she didn't care, it's just at the moment she could barely handle her own hurt. She turned and started back down the beach.

Phil temporarily forgot how to function as a human being. When his lungs started to yell at this brain that breathing was kind of important, he sucked in a gasping breath and nearly fell trying to stand up to move after her.

"Zia!" He scrambled ungracefully to his feet in the sand. "Zia! Wait! What's wrong? What did I do?"

She turned her head, not fully looking at him, as she continued her march down the beach. "I am not going to marry you just because I'm pregnant!" she spat.

Phil felt like he had been sucker punched in the gut. His body screamed at him all over again. He fell down onto his hands and then shot back up to head after her. Once he got righted, it took him mere strides to reach her again and he grabbed to lock both of her wrists into his larger hands and dropped to his knees before her once more.

"WHAT? What did you just say?" he commanded.

Zia didn't answer, shaking her head back and forth as the tears welled.

"Z? You're…? When? How?"

The 'how' got her back to herself. She shot him a lock and rolled her eyes at him. "Do I really need to explain to you the 'how' part?"

"But, I thought you were on the pill?"

"I was, am," she corrected. "But I missed those like three days when I was suddenly little miss princess kidnapped and well, I missed a few since. I'm usually so crazy organized about it, but well, things, and well YOU," she accused, "have been well, distracting." She continued her rambling rant. "Oh, God, you don't want it! I knew it! And now you won't want me!" Her tears threatened to start anew, and she sniffled loudly, fighting to control herself, "That's fine. I can do this. Plenty of women raise kids on their own. Have a nice life Mr. O'Neill," she turned to pull away from him again, and that's when he let loose and outright bellowed.

"ZIA!" She cringed, stopping in her tracks. He had never yelled at her like that before. It was as intimidating as hell, and he meant it to be.

He spoke through his gritted teeth, the rage barely controlled. "Do Not EVER presume that I do not want a child with you, and I DARE you to tell me again that I don't want you."

It was Zia's turn to forget how to breathe. He stood, towering over her as usual, but his presence seemed even more commanding.

She stared at him wide eyed. Something in him seemed to shift. He let out a breath, clearly trying to calm himself. "Did you think that's why I was proposing?"

She nodded with just a subtle shift of her head.

"Zia, Zia, look at me," he moved a half step closer and lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "I love you. I want you. YOU. I want you with me for the rest of my life and I want to be with you for the rest of yours." Her eyes welled, threatening to spill over and he could feel his own moisten. He dropped his voice, "I swear I didn't know."

"You really do?" she asked.

"Yes, you beautiful, brilliant moron," he chided. "Now, will you marry me?"

Zia's answer was to slam her body and lips against him. Phil took a step back to catch himself and then kissed her back, briefly as her face was still wet with tears, and not just a little bit of snot. "Here," he instructed, offering her the corner of his sleeve to wipe her face on. "So, I take it that's a yes?"

Zia nodded and wiped her face again.

"Can you say it please?"

She nodded again, finding her voice, "Yes, Phillip Daniel O'Neill, I will joyously, enthusiastically, and thankfully marry you."

"And?" he prompted.

"And I love you."

"Good, glad we got that straight." He bent to kiss her again, and this time, he took his time.

When he finally pulled back from her, he glanced down. "So, is there really a little Phil in there?"

She scoffed. "Oh, please, don't put it like that. Having a little Phil down there is how we got into this mess in the first place."

"Hey!" he accused. "He is faarrr from little!"

"No, he's not," she recanted, "he's just about perfect," and with that she dropped a hand to rub him over his khaki shorts.

Phil nearly jumped. "Woman, we're going to be parents!" he jokingly scolded. "You're going to need to learn some restraint."

Zia giggled and nibbled on her lower lip. "Oh, I think you restrain me quite well, Daddy."

Phil groaned and made a half-hearted lunge for her as she danced away from him. He did manage to reach for a wrist and gently pulled her back towards himself.

"So, when did you find out? And when were you planning on telling me?" he asked.

"Well, I haven't actually taken a test yet."

"Wait, what? All that drama and you aren't even sure?"

"Well, I'm like, let's say ninety percent, maybe eighty-eight percent sure. I've missed two periods and Miranda came to see me 'cause she suspected, and this is apparently another one of her scary abilities. Anyway, she confronted me right before we came out here and that's why I thought, well you know, I thought she had told you. She was going out to go buy a test for me to confirm when we get back. I just didn't know you were planning, well, this. You really didn't know?"

"Did it look like I knew? And would I have a ring with m…" Phil nearly smacked his own forehead; he had forgotten about the ring in his cargo pocket. He hastily pulled out the small jewelry box, holding it out to her like a prize, "See?"

Zia laughed, taking it from him. She opened the box and her mouth at the same time.

Inside the box was a gorgeous sparkling diamond, flanked by a smaller sapphire on one side and an emerald on the other. It was beautiful, unique, and clearly had been custom made for her.

Phil took it from her, sliding it onto her finger as he gently held her hand and she gazed down at the jewelry. "The band is platinum, just like our bracelets," he explained. "The sapphire is for Blue, and the emerald is for the tortoises."

If the man before her had failed to melt her heart before this moment, he had just succeeded. She stretched up to lovingly kiss his lips. "It's perfect!" she gushed. "I love it, and I love you."

"Good," Phil let out a breath, "Can we head back now? I'd like to tell my family before you get any more crazy idea in your head," he laughed teasingly.

They started back towards the house, leaning into each other. Zia's eyes alternated between the ring on her finger and the reflection of the sun setting on the light surf. Phil's eyes never left her.

After a moment, she gently jabbed her body into his side. "Worst proposal, ever!" she teased.

"Hey!" he joshed back, returning a light body check. "I gave you the beach, a sunset, got down on one knee! What more do you want woman?"