"Don't panic," Ian said quickly when Cassie looked up from the ring to him. "It's not an engagement ring…"

He wasn't ready to make any such move, and knew that she wasn't, either. Especially with both of them in school, and her going to the other side of the country in the fall.

"What is it, then?" Cassie asked, curiously, and with a little relief. Not that she didn't want to be engaged, but she would have assumed that it was proposed because he felt guilty about making her mad – or worse, that he'd assumed that was what she wanted. Cassie wanted him when he was ready, and not until then. Besides, she had a lot of school ahead of her, and Ian was most definitely a distraction.

Ian took the box from her, and removed the ring. Holding it in one hand, he took hold of her right hand and slid the ring on her finger.

"It's a Promise ring."

She looked down at the ring, admiring the way it looked on her hand.

"It's beautiful…"

He smiled, relieved that she liked it.

"You know what a Promise ring is?"

Cassie's smile was brilliant.

"Remind me."

He hesitated, as if uncertain she was serious, and then nodded.

"It's a promise of my love for you. And in this case, a promise that I'll always be here for you. No matter what you want. Or need. Or ask for."

Cassie felt her insides turn to goo, but Ian wasn't done.

"I'm sorry that it took you getting mad at me for me to finally get it for you… I thought I was just looking out for you."

Cassie took his hand.

"You don't always have to look out for me, you know…"

"Yes, I do."

He had been ever since they'd first met, after all – whether she realized it or remembered it or not.

"No. I'm not a child, Ian. I'm a woman, now, and more than capable of taking care of myself. You, and my mom, and even Sam and Jack have to realize that – but you more than any of them, because you're the one who's driving me crazy."

"I don't mean to."

"I know."

"I love you."

Didn't that say it all? You watched out for those you loved, right?

Cassie sighed, and hugged him tightly. Guys were so dumb sometimes – even brilliant ones like Ian – but she couldn't hold that against him, even as he put his arms around her and returned her embrace.

"I love you, too." She tilted her head to look down at the ring, and then up at him, meeting his beautiful dark eyes. "And I love this ring. Thank you so much…"

"You're welcome…" he brushed a kiss against her cheek, but Cassie turned and caught his lips against hers, kissing him soundly. So soundly, in fact, that it literally took his breath – and hers – away, and the two were flushed when they separated a moment later.

She smiled; slightly embarrassed at her response to him – although it was hardly the first time he'd ever had that affect on her. All that, just for a ring? Yeesh! What if it had been an engagement ring? They'd probably have been – well, it didn't matter.

"We should probably get going…" she said, breathlessly.

He nodded, his own smile a tad more amused, although he'd been no less affected.

"We'd better…" Otherwise things would get out of hand quickly. Not so bad if not for all the people who were waiting.

She gathered all her presents, and Ian put them in a large box and carried them down to her car for her, while Cassie walked beside him.

"How did you know my ring size?" she asked curiously, as he put the box into the back seat and then walked around to open her door for her.

"Your mom told me."

"She knows?"

He grinned at her amazement.

"She helped me pick it out."

"My mom?"

"Yes."

"Doctor Fraiser?"

He nodded.

"Yes."

"The woman dating Emm-"

He put his finger on her lip to hush her.

"Yes. I was desperate for help, and she offered – and I'm glad that she did, because without her help and Sam's, you'd still be mad at me, and I'd still be miserable."

"You were miserable?" she asked him, smiling a little.

"You were mad."

"Well, I love the presents, and I'm glad to know that Sam and mom helped you…" She told him as she got into the car and started to buckle her seatbelt.

"Why?"

"Because I as beginning to wonder if maybe you were the Son of God – only a real miracle maker could have chosen exactly the right presents to buy to make things right."

Ian cursed – to himself – as she shut the door, wondering who'd told her about that whole Son of God thing. Someone was truly going to pay, because Cassie had such an amused look on her face, he knew he wasn't ever going to live it down.

"Get in," Cassie said, leaning out the window to look up at him. "Unless you're driving yourself…?"

"Are you planning on bringing me home later?"

"Will you turn some water into wine if I do?"

He rolled his eyes, and walked around to the other side of the car, ignoring her amused giggles as well as he could. Oh yeah. Someone was going to pay. Big Time.