DISCLAIMER: Don't own.

Author's notes: So much emphasis was put on Kirsten's ring in the last episode, I've decided to write a fic about how Sandy proposes with a plastic ring. This chapter takes place in "The Mallpisode" in the scene in the Cohens' bar when Sandy and Caleb are talking about the plastic ring.

"If memory serves, you proposed with a ring from a Cracker Jack Box."

"Actually I won that ring, at the Cliff House arcade in San Francisco."

Sandy swirled his drink around, still thinking about the night he won it, saying, "I knew for a long time that I wanted to propose to Kirsten. I was just looking for the right way to propose to her without, well you know, a real ring, since I didn't have enough money saved yet to buy the one I had in mind. Finally it hit me how to propose when I won that ring."

That night Sandy and Kirsten had gone out with two of their friends who had been dating. The girls went shopping while the guys played video games in the arcade. Later on they were going to meet up for dinner and a movie.

Sandy desperately wanted to and was ready to propose to Kirsten, but didn't have enough money saved up to buy the 2 carat platinum wedding set he had his eye on for her. He was financially ready for marriage, but it was just that this ring would take a huge chunk out of his savings that he was hoping to save for when he and Kirsten eventually bought a house. And besides, if he proposed now, what was he going to say, "Kirsten, will you marry me? You will? Great! Just one thing, I'm still saving up for your ring, but don't worry, by the time we walk down the aisle I should have it for you."

No, he couldn't do that. He knew Kirsten didn't care if she had the most expensive, glamorous ring in the world, but he wanted her to know that he was financially stable to start a life together with her and he didn't think proposing without a ring would make that impression. And besides, even if she didn't want the most expensive ring, he sure wanted to buy that ring, and only that ring, for his princess.

He had one token left. Video games required two. Just as he was about to chuck the token, he saw a crane game that only required one, so he put the token in, having no idea what he would soon stumble upon.

"Hey Mark, I won!" Sandy said a little too excitedly. "And this isn't a 'Win Every Time' crane game".

Sandy opened up the pink egg to see what his prize was: a plastic diamond ring. He did a double take at the ring, suddenly feeling nervousness throughout his body as he realized that this was just the thing he needed.

"Sandy, you're actually gonna keep that?" Mark asked, laughing.

"Yeah…I'll give it to Kirsten, let her know I was thinking about her," Sandy said discretely, not wanting to expose his plan just quite yet.

"You are such a softie."

Sandy and Mark saw their girlfriends already sitting at a table in the food court.

"Hey Mark, just don't say anything about the ring, okay?"

"What ring?" Mark asked, already forgetting about the piece of plastic Sandy had won.

"You know, the ring I won."

Putting it all together, Mark said, "Are you gonna…tonight…?"

Sandy smiled and nodded.

"Well, then I'll make sure me and Sam have an excuse to leave early tonight."

Though he ate, dinner wasn't on Sandy's mind. He couldn't stop staring at Kirsten and thinking of what he was going to ask her tonight. He looked at her left ring finger that was naked, thinking to himself, "tonight it'll have a ring on it".

After dinner the four headed to the movies.

"Hey Sandy, why don't you and Kirsten get the tickets, we'll get the refreshments, okay?" Mark asked his friend, then winked and secretly whispered, "by refreshments I mean we'll be leaving, good luck".

"Thanks," Sandy said, unable to contain his excitement.

"Sandy, I thought we were going to see "Against All Odds", Kirsten said as she heard him order tickets for "Footloose", adding in, "and we already saw 'Footloose'".

"Ah, come on, let's see this instead," Sandy said, nodding to himself for thinking of the idea to see a movie that had been out for a while so that there would be less people in the theatre, thus more romantic.

"But I really wanted to see "Against All Odds", Kirsten continued.

"Please," Sandy said with a puppy dog face, "you know I love the songs in 'Footloose', do it for me?"

Kirsten rolled her eyes playfully and said, "Only because I love you," and then gave him a kiss on the lips.

They headed into the quiet, empty theatre. Perfect, Sandy thought to himself. He started getting nervous as his idea was getting closer to becoming a reality. Thoughts went through his mind, "maybe this was a really stupid idea, maybe Kirsten will say no, maybe you shouldn't do this".

But his confidence outweighed those negative thoughts and he found himself reaching inside his jacket, making sure that the egg was still there.

"Hey I just realized we forgot to tell them we're seeing this instead! I'll go get them," Kirsten said as she started to stand up.

Sandy grabbed Kirsten's arm and sat her back down in the seat. "Kirsten wait, they know we're here."

Now was the time Sandy thought, "You can't keep lying, and she's going to get suspicious as to why you're acting so jittery, just ask her already!"

"Okay…" Kirsten said as she looked at him strangely.

"I want to ask you something."

"Okay…" Kirsten said again, looking at Sandy suspiciously. "He's been acting weird ever since he and Mark came to the food court," she thought to herself.

Sandy stood up, stepped back into the aisle, got down on one knee, and took Kirsten's hand. Kirsten's mouth dropped open and she started to tremble.

"Kirsten, I've been wanting to ask you this for a long time. I just couldn't think of the exact way in which I wanted to do it. Since you've came into my life you turned my world around and I've never been happier…I've realized that with you I can do anything…you are the spark in my life and you light me up…you are my rock and my soul mate…I want to spend every single day of my life with you…I want to laugh and cry with you…I want to start a family with you…I want be your husband…Kirsten Nichol, will you marry me?"

Kirsten's eyes had started welling up right when she saw Sandy drop down to one knee. Now she was crying. "Sandy! Yes, yes, oh wow, I can't believe this is happening," she said, and then much louder as she started to realize that it was real, "Yes, yes, of course yes, I love you!"

Sandy reached into his jacket, took out the pink egg, and put the ring on Kirsten's finger. "Kirsten this ring is just temporary. I've wanted to propose to you for a while but I'm still saving up for the ring I picked out for you. I didn't want to propose without a ring."

Kirsten rolled her eyes, "Sandy, I would have said yes regardless of if you had a ring or not!"

Still, Sandy explained further, "When I won this tonight at the arcade, I realized I should propose to you tonight with this so you have something to wear for now. But I don't want you to think this is your ring. I'm saving up to…"

Sandy's explanation was interrupted by Kirsten's mouth covering his, as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. When they took a minute to catch their breath, Sandy continued, "Kirsten, I just want you to know that I'm financially stable for marriage, I just want to buy you a specific ring that I'm saving…"

"Sandy!" Kirsten said again, looking him in the eye and smiling, "I don't care if it was a string you tied around my finger, as long as we're together, that's all I care about. You know that! I have you…that's all I need!"

Now Sandy was brought to tears, nearly speechless. "Kirsten, I love you!" he said as he wiped the tears off her cheeks and tucked her blonde strands of hair out of her face. Then, in a smart-aleck grin, he said, "But I'm still going to get you that ring!"

"And the fighting begins," Kirsten said laughing as she pushed him playfully, and then said more seriously, "Sandy I can't wait to be married to you. I can't wait to start a family with you. I can't wait to introduce myself to everyone as Mrs. Kirsten Cohen, I can't wait to see our names written together on address labels and checks!"

"I know me too."

"So that's how you proposed to my daughter…in a movie theatre with a plastic ring," Caleb remarked.

"Yup," Sandy said proudly, "that's how I proposed."

Pouring another glass of wine, Caleb asked, "So when you saved up enough money, you bought her the set? When'd you give it to her?"

So the next chapter will be a flashback about how Kirsten gets her rings. I'm also going to incorporate in some scenes regarding Kirsten's recent "misplacement" of her ring. Hope you liked it and that you leave me a review telling me what you thought! Love ya!