AN: Hey kids! Sorry I haven't updated for a couple weeks. (OK Going on a month)  It's been kinda rough around the farm. We had to put my doggie to sleep, boy problems (as in not-having-a-boy problems), throw in a quarter life crisis and BAM! I just didn't feel like writing. Blegh! Just a bunch of stuff. Anyway. So here is this chapter. Another chapter should follow shortly…  oh yes the song I used was "Please Forgive Me" by David Gray. If you haven't heard it… try and find it! It's an awesome song!! Highly enjoyable. I had this chapter all written and then I heard the song and I went and re-wrote it. That's how good of a song it is!! :) teehee enjoy! And of course… review! Show me some love. They really are a high point for me. I go around and grin for a good half hour. Teehee.

++++

I called Anna from my cell phone and told her that I was going to take a cab home and not to worry about me. I told her I wasn't sure where Brock went and that I highly doubted he would be by the house that night. She sounded rather disappointed in someone or something. I really didn't want to get in it with her. Maybe later.

I walked around St. Paul aimlessly. It was a fairly nice day for summer in Minnesota. The humidity was only in the "3rd floor of hell" level. More thunderheads were starting to form on the southern horizon and I could tell we were in for another doozey of a night. While I wandered about, I did some serious thinking about the situation I had put myself in. Did it really matter how Brock proposed? I told myself no, but the little girl inside me screamed yes! real loud. And then she told me to buy and ice cream cone at the vendor on the corner. So I did. And things started to look up.

Until of course I looked up and realized that the clouds were moving rather fast I knew I had to get going before the storm burst on me, but I had one more stop to make before I could go home and face Anna and whoever else was there.

An empty taxi slid past and I quickly hailed it, climbed in and gave the driver the address.

He turned around and looked skeptical, "Ya sure you wanna go there lady?"

"Very sure, and if you can make it there before the rain starts I'll give you a shiny quarter." I said using borderline sarcasm and adding a smile to it.

"Funny." He muttered turning back and resetting the meter, "I gotta pick up the funny chick."

I used the rest of the drive to keep thinking about my current state of affairs. So much was riding on everything else. If I pulled the wrong pin, everything could come crashing down. What my brain was telling me was in direct conflict in what my heart was saying. Was it just supposed to be happily ever after?

The cabbie made a quick left and pulled in to the address. "Now where?" he asked without turning around.

"Ahhh, " I paused trying to get my bearings. They had added on since I was last here I though with a wiry smile. "Go ahead straight, and then a left at the small building. We are looking for a shelter by a small tree on the right side of the road."

"Whatevah you say lady."

I was scanning the rows of concrete and granite slabs, stretching to the sky praising the beloved mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters they guarded for eternity. I found the right one. "There. That's it." I said pointing.

The cabbie hit the brakes throwing me forward. "Well here we are and I think you owe me a shiny quarter."

I paid his fare. "Would you mind sticking around for a little bit?"

"Oh shure. Anything for you." I noted his sarcasm but didn't think of it until after I shut the car door and he drove away without a backward glance.

"Damn Cabbies." I swore and then flipped him the bird.

The air had become heavy and the birds had all safely tucked themselves away in anticipation of the storm. I walked slowly to my destination. I hadn't been here to visit in 6 months or so. I pulled off the dead vines that had started growing and then gave up for some reason. My fingers traced the letters inscribed on the stone; George J. Danials, Sarah A. Larson-Danials and Becca A. Danials. The birth dates were different, but not their final year; 1998. I sighed and sat down in front of their stone.

"Well guys, its me. The wayward daughter who only comes when she needs the car or some money." I cracked a grin at the private joke dad and I had shared. I glanced around hoping nobody else was around to see me talking to a stone. "Your tree has really grown up… It gives some nice shade. A lot has happened since my last visit, I got a new job, Brock and I have started dating, he proposed and now I'm mad at him. Oh and Becca, did I mention that Jimmy's back and is suing me for custody of the Gray-man? Yeah funny story." Thunder rumbled in the distance.  "Yeah Becca you're telling me. Son of a bitch. Sorry mom," I apologized for swearing. "So here I am. Needing help and all alone." I looked at the dark clouds right over my head, "And soon to be drenched."

I reached out and touched the stone again, "Am I crazy for being mad at Brock?"

A hot wind blew in, followed by and icy cold one that gave me a shiver.

"So you're saying I am?" OK now I know I was going crazy, if I started to hear voices it would become official.

Lightening arched against the sky followed by a blast of thunder.

"ok ok I'm nuts I got it. You don't have to yell." The first raindrop hit me in the head, followed by another and then his entire family rained down. I was soaked to the bone by the time I ran to the small shelter by their tree. I pulled out my cell phone and called home.

"Anna it's me."

"Where are you? It's pouring out."

"Ah, yeah I kinda figured that out, since I'm dripping wet."

"Get a cab. Come home." She directed, "I have a house full and they're all looking for you."

"Well see that's the problem, no cab in site. Unless of course I hop on the Grim Reaper's trolley of fun. I'm visiting mom, dad and Becca." I added

"Ah I see. Well I'll come and get you then."

"Nah you don't have to. Whose all there?"

I could hear her try to think of names, "Kurt, and the tall fellow with a tattoo on his neck, can't remember his name, ah! Mark and a few others."

I grinned, "Send Mark would you? Just let him know for sure where he's going otherwise he could get lost."

"He'll leave right now. I'll save you a bowl of stew."

I paused and then asked, "Hey Anna? Did a Brock call?"

"No, I haven't heard from him yet. Did you make a decision about it?"

I sighed, "Yeah I think I did. I'll see you in a little while ok?"

"Good bye Darling" she said as she hung up.

I shook the majority of water off me and sat there and waited. It would take him 15 minutes to get here from my house, 20 if he got lost and all day if he got really lost.

I huddled against the wall, shivering, trying to stay out of the wind.

20 minutes later, headlights made a sweeping path across me as I steeped out of the darkness of the shelter.

I started out to him, "So did you get lost?"

He shot me a look that read I shouldn't be asking him that. I just grinned as the water continued to drip off my nose.

"Hang on a sec darlin'" Mark shouted from his rental, "I'll get ya an umbrella."

"I don't think I'll make that much of a difference!" I called back ducking back into the shelter and laughing as he ran to where I was.

"Damn rain," he muttered.

"Rain? Aw hell Mark, this is just a heavy Minnesota dew." I grinned as he rolled his eyes.

"Well the 'dew' has ya soaked to the bone, here." He handed me a plastic bag, "From Anna."

I pulled out a towel, "What a doll." I rubbed my hair first and then wrapped it up turban style. "Well? How do I look?"

"Like a drowned rat. No wait, we're in Minnesota, like a drowned gopher."

I laughed and hit his arm, "Well are you done cracking jokes? Or can we go?"

Mark passed over the umbrella, "After you."

We ran to the car and had just climbed in as another pair of headlights swept over the rental car.

"Who in the hell is that?" Mark asked peering through the fogged up windshield.

Shaking my hair loose of the towel I peered out too trying to figure out where I had seen those headlights before.

The driver's door opened and a massive man stepped out holding an umbrella. I'd recognize those shoulders anywhere.

My heart flew into my throat as butterflies made themselves at home in my stomach.

 "It's Brock." I said at the same time I opened my door and ran to him, leaving my umbrella and getting soaked again.

He watched me run up to him, his face was impassive as his umbrella slowly lowered and hung there.

iPlease forgive me
If I act a little strange
For I know not what I do
Feels like lightning running through my veins
Every time I look at you i

I stopped as I got to him, watching for any movement. The only motion I could see was the rain, as it slowly ran down his body illuminated by the headlights on his massive H2. Lightening flashed in the sky, arching in a dance above our heads. I raised my head watching, breathlessly and then closed my eyes asking for help to find the words.

Help me out here
All my words are falling short
And there's so much I want to say
Want to tell you just how good it feels
When you look at me that way

 I was speechless; I had hurt him I knew. The ball was in my court; it was up to me to see this through. I couldn't go running from the problem like I had in the past. My head lowered and I finally met his eyes and the love I saw there for me answered all my fears. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him with every ounce of strength I had. He dropped the umbrella as his arms encircled my waist and pulled me closer.

"I'm sorry for being so stupid," I whispered against his now wet shirt, and then peered up at him, kissing the water dripping off his chin. Everything I had been thinking started pouring out of me, "I love you so much, and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did, it was childish of me, and I'm hoping you can forgive me for being so dumb."

Throw a stone and watch the ripples flow
Moving out across the bay
Like a stone I fall into your eyes
Deep into some mystery

I would have kept on rambling but he bent down and kissed me lightly. His lips were warm against my now freezing ones; "Just shut up a sec would ya?" he said with a gentle laugh and then kissed my forehead and pulled me closer, my body melted against his, making a perfect fit, one hand wound itself into my wet hair as the other rubbed my back, "You're not the only one who's been thinking. Can you forgive me for being so impulsive and not talking things over with you?"

. I nodded against him, "I will if you will."

"Deal."

got half a mind to scream out loud
I got half a mind to die
So I won't ever have to lose you
Won't ever have to say goodbye
I won't ever have to lie
Won't ever have to say goodbye

I smiled up at him again and standing on my tiptoes brushed his lips with mine, "I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too," he whispered against my ear.

Please forgive me
If I act a little strange
For I know not what I do
It's like my head is filled with lightning
Everytime I look at you
Everytime I look at you

"So Anna told you were I was?" I asked finally, still enjoying being held by him even though we were now cold and wet.

"No actually. I just thought you might be here."

"You know, that's almost scary."

"So what where you doin' out here?" He asked as he bent over, picking up the umbrella and folding it up. It wasn't doing us any good.

"I asked the folks a question."

"And what was tha—" he trailed off realizing what I had asked.

Brock and I watched breathlessly as lightening arched across the sky in a million different directions, followed by thunder that caused such a vibration we felt the air move. My hands clasped his upper arms for support as he pulled me closer.

Please forgive me
If I act a little strange
For I know not what I do
It's like my head is filled with lightning girl
Everytime I look at you

"I'm a, gonna go with a yes on that one." I stammered.

"Yeah me too." He faced me and got down on his knees.

My cheeks turned red, "Brock get up, it doesn—"

He interrupted, "No it does. I'm gonna do this right so deal with it." And then winked. "Maggie, will you marry me?"

I sunk to my knees and cupped his face in my hands, looking into his eyes. My thumb wiped the raindrops off his cheek as tears sprung from my eyes. I nodded and gave a simple "yes." As I wrapped my arms around his neck again. He leapt to his feet carrying me up with him, and swung me around laughing.

Mark honked the horn in triumph and the leaned out his rolled down window, "All right then, can we get outta here?

Brock kissed me again and then yelled back, "Give us a break! It ain't every day we get engaged."

"Well if I'm countin' right, it's been twice today!" Mark shot back laughing as he rolled up his window and started to drive away honking all the way.

Brock swept me off my feet as he started back towards the SUV. I threw my head back, laughing as the rain fell. A huge weight had been lifted off my chest.

"What do you think Gray will think?" he asked hoisting himself into the seat next to mine.

"Are you kidding? He's been campaigning for this forever. I think he'll be thrilled."

Brock grabbed my hand and squeezed it, "Good. I promise to be a real good father to him."

"I hope you get that chance."