*SPOILER WARNING*

If you wish to remain unspoiled on this series of one-shots, I recommend going back and reading the first two fanfic installments ("Propositions and Conniptions" and "Trials and Tribulations") before going on with this one. Just wanted to give a fair warning!

Well, here we go again all! I welcome you all to "Propositions and Conniptions One-Shots"! Again, thank you all so much for the love and support you have given this fanfic series over the past year. You have no idea how much it means to me as a writer. :) Anyway, I have been listening and writing down your suggestions for one-shots and mini-arcs so I will try to work through to write them as best as I can for you all. This first one-shot takes place right after Alejandro and Heather get engaged in the second to last chapter of "Trials and Tribulations". Hope you all enjoy it!

({No POV})

Despite everyone being done with breakfast for close to half an hour, Heather's parents and grandfather just stayed in the kitchen and waited with almost baited breath for Alejandro and Heather to reemerge.

Especially after the display on the way down… it was almost like they were people waiting to see who was going to emerge from a fighting pit.

Almost like who was going to come out alive?

Even Shane had joined the group in the kitchen since he was in a similar 'headspace' after just seeing Alejandro break down Heather's bedroom door before quite literally taking her 'kicking and screaming' down to the basement.

Mostly Shane was pretending to nurse a cup of coffee as he kept his eyes trained on the basement door with everyone else.

All of them almost looked like they stood at attention when the door finally opened, only to further spiral into a further state of confusion.

After the 'interesting' events prior of Alejandro practically dragging a very displeased Heather down to the basement, everyone was surprised to a point of almost catatonic shock as they watched Alejandro and Heather walked into view arm in arm and grinning at each other in complete satisfaction.

Heather's parents exchanged confused looks until Heather's mom asked, clearing her throat slightly, "Is everything... okay?"

Heather looked over and continued her current state, even though it was clear she was trying to 'contain herself' in a way as she responded, sounding vague but 'very' pleased, "I'd say so."

Then both her parents went owl eyed as Heather flashed her left hand, diamond ring in plain sight on her fourth finger.

At that moment Alejandro grinned from his place next to Heather, seeming to be in a much better mood and practically beaming with pride, as he elaborated, "Apologies for no 'advanced warning' on this. It was all a bit… sudden. Now, if you'll excuse us? Shall we, mi amor?"

Heather turned her attention back to Alejandro as she smirked and replied, still seeming very satisfied with the situation, "Let's."

After that, the pair walked out of the room leaving Heather's parents, Shane, and even her usually stone-faced grandfather in a state of absolute wide-eyed and mouth agape shock.

After it sounded like Alejandro and Heather walked out through the front door, the house was in almost painfully deafening silence. Finally Heather's father questioned, not really addressing anyone in particular, "Did Heather?... Did Heather just show us a ring?"

"Yes… yes, she did." Heather's mother replied, looking like she was also slowly putting the pieces together.

Finally both of Heather's parents finally looked at each other, almost looking like they had an epiphany about the fact that Heather and Alejandro just got engaged as they both almost exclaimed in sheer joy, "She's finally leaving!"

Both of them were practically hugging each other in celebration before the two of them ran off to get things to celebrate. "I'll get the champagne from the bar in my office." Heather's father announced as his wife added, "I'll get the glasses from the China cabinet."

This left a very confused Shane, who currently had a hand into his hair and a look of total confusion on his face, and an equally shocked Craig senior behind in the kitchen.

The two proceeded to just sit in silence and stare at where Alejandro and Heather last were.

Finally, Shane got out, sounding just as confused as he looked, "What the hell just happened?"

"You said it, kid." Craig senior replied, trying to make sense of the situation himself.

Well, until Craig senior just reached into the inside breast pocket on his suit jacket and pulled out a flask before downing his spirit of choice without a second thought.

14 hours later

Suburban Ottawa at the Burromuerto household

"Gracias. Muchas gracias! Adiós." Gerardo said, looking quite pleased as he got off the phone.

Ever since Alejandro called and told him about the engagement earlier in the day, he had been spending most of his day calling friends, family, and colleagues to share the news and get an engagement party of some kind in motion for the future.

He set down his suitcase in the hall and was practically radiating satisfaction. Though once he entered the living room… he knew he couldn't say the same for someone else.

Sitting on the couch, in the dark with nothing but the fireplace for light, and taking sizeable sips from a wine glass with the bottle also sitting within reach was none other than Elena.

Her expression was almost blank yet pensive as she proceeded to stare in front of her and drink.

Gerardo sighed, knowing exactly what was happening as he continued to observe his wife's current 'coping method'. And he knew it was just a last ditch effort of coping since usually his wife didn't drink much except socially most of the time.

Finally he straightened up and folded his arms behind his back before fully walking into the room. He continued to observe his wife before tilting his head and quirking up an eyebrow before starting, "Mi amada?"

After a couple beats of silence, as well as another long sip of wine that Elena took from her glass, she let out a defeated sigh before saying, "Well... he's done it now. He's officially crossed the line with... her. And now there's nothing else I can do, considering he's already made it quite clear to me before he left that he won't change his mind or budge on this score."

She finished the rest of her glass and looked like she was about to grab the bottle on the chair side table to pour herself another, until Gerardo's hand grabbed her's gently yet firmly to stop her.

Elena whipped her head up to look at her husband, seeing him give her a steady yet sympathetic look.

Eventually Gerardo continued to hold his wife's hand as he sat next to her on the couch. Elena felt almost captive by her husband's soft yet serious gaze as he also took the wine glass out of her hand and set it off to the side.

It looked like she was further taken off guard when her husband put his other hand on her face to caress her cheek, smoothing his thumb over her cheek as well, before leaning in for a kiss.

Despite having no idea why her husband was kissing her right now, her eyes slowly closed as she leaned into the kiss. The two stayed in that tender state for a few moments until Gerardo pulled back.

Elena's eyes opened only to see her husband looking right at her.

Although his had a slightly soft look still, she could see the firmness slowly taking over as he sighed before saying, "Elena, I know it's not what you want. But… this situation has nothing to do with anyone else but them. It's over, it's done."

Elena scoffed and rolled her eyes slightly as she grumbled in annoyance and displeasure, and also showing more than she normally would after almost 3 glasses of wine she had prior, "Says the one getting what he wanted."

Gerardo gave her a slight look before evening out and elaborating, maintaining an even temper, "Though you are not wrong. But, even so and as I said, this isn't about what you or I wanted, my dear. This had nothing to do with either of us. Alejandro and Heather both made this decision on their own accord as two adults and we have no right or reason to force or act against them otherwise. All we can do is decide how we handle ourselves in this situation. But, as to whether you want to handle it bitterly or gracefully is all up to you."

After he had finished, Gerardo leaned in to give his now in shock and doubly perplexed wife a short peck on the lips before saying, "I think I'll go clean up. I'm worn out."

Once Gerardo left the room to go to bed, Elena continued to sit in the silence of the living room for almost 15 more minutes, looking like she was seriously pondering as she looked at the now dying fire.

She sighed and eventually got to her feet, still seeming both frustrated and defeated by the whole situation, as she walked into the hall to make her way to her and Gerardo's bedroom.

But right as she rounded the corner, she looked up slightly only to stop in her tracks at the picture she was now face to face with.

Her wedding picture.

Even though it was far from the only picture of her and her husband and their sons also taking up a vast majority of the wall space with their own pictures, this picture always stuck out as one of Elena's favorites.

Namely due to the fact that their wedding day, despite being almost 35 years ago, was still fresh in her mind and will probably always remain one of if not the happiest day of her life next to the births of her sons.

She smiled, almost looking on in fond amusement at her and Gerardo in the photo and how young, in love, and happy they looked together in the photo then… just as they still felt together now as a long time married couple.

However, her expression slowly contorted back to confliction as certain thoughts came back to her.

Elena looked off into a different corner of the hall, looking as if she was really sorting through things in her mind, until eventually she closed her eyes and sighed before walking off to the study.

In a very determined manner, she sat down at the desk and pulled out a pen, a blank card, and an envelope before she started writing. The starting line making it clear she was writing a letter and more importantly who she was writing it to.

To Miss Heather Wilson.

Well, well… looks like Elena is writing a letter to reach out to Heather. What will Elena say? But, more importantly, what are her intentions? Find out in the next one-shot. Haha. ;) Anyway, I know it was a bit short, but I really wanted to have a separation between this and the next one-shot chapter since I really wanted to make the parents finding out and an Elena and Heather interaction as two separate things. I hope you enjoyed the confused chaotic energy of Heather's parents finding out and celebrating that Heather will most likely be moving out of their house sometime soon with the news of the engagement. After all, they were already partying hard together when she was just gone for a couple months on TDI so… no surprise there, right? Haha. And I also hope you enjoyed Shane and Heather's grandfather's confusion over the entire situation as well. Lol. XD Then there were Alejandro's parents. As expected, Gerardo seemed very happy about the news of the engagement, but Elena… yeah, she was brooding and not happy one bit BIG TIME about the news. Although it seems like she's got a plan of some kind in mind. But again… what is it? Find out next time! Thank you all so much for reading and constructive feedback is also very much appreciated. And again, if you have ideas of things you want to see in the canon of my Aleheather fanfics then please don't be shy about leaving suggestions on what you'd like to see and read about.

Stay classy and safe as always!

Dexter1995