Disclaimer: Same as always.

A/N: As I'm really busy you guys, just a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who reviewed. I really appreciate that!

I thought I might give you the next chapter to read for Christmas. And it's a happy one again! All fluffy and shippy. Do I need to say more? Oh and please bear with me for taking so long to post. My life is extremely stressful right now and I'm doing my best! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Chapter 5 – May I have this dance?

Logan took Max out to a small Italian restaurant in the former Italian quarter of Seattle. Somehow through al the mess and corruption this little island of traditional cuisine had remained nearly untouched throughout the years. Logan hadn't been there for a while but he remembered the excellent food and charming atmosphere very well. So he had been glad to find that it was still running and had  reserved quiet table earlier. He sighed contently, when they were greeted by the frinedly waiter and led to a nice little table a little away from the other guests. He thought about ordering a glass of the best pre-pulse wine, then reconsidered. He was going to join Max in having a glass of grape juice instead. Maybe it would suit him good to keep a clear head for what he had in mind. He looed around, satisfied. Candles were lighting the room and there was a violin player moving from table to table. They ordered some salad and some Bruscetta bread as an appetizer. Everything was real calm and quiet. They had talked a lot during the day and now they were simply enjoying each other's presence and the peaceful, relaced atmosphere. By the time they had finished their starters Logan was growing more and more nervous and started playing around with the cutlery. Eventually he cleared his throat and excused himself. Max shrugged and watched him walk towards the bathrooms. He was so sexy. She loved his tight little butt, she smirked. She just hoped that she would be able to see it for a little longer. It hurt her to see him go through this again. It didn't make a big difference to her if he was in the chair or not. However, she knew it did for him.

She looked around the small restaurant. She liked its relaxed and calm atmosphere. There were candles everywhere. People were talking quietly and enjoying their meals. The whole atmosphere was so romantic. Wait a minute; when had she begun to like this stuff? She chuckled to herself about how much of a normal girl behaviour she had taken on in such a short time. Well, blame it on the hormones, she thought to herself. She took another sip of the sweet juice, watching the people around her. Most of them were silently enjoying their meal. A few couples were moving slowly on the small make-shift dance-floor in the middle of the main room.

When Logan returned after what seemed to be an eternity, he looked even more nervous. Max wondered what had happened that had made him so nervous. The main course came and they ate in silence. Despite the rich lunch they had had, Max was hungry again from the eventful day. She finished her lasagne in no time. Then she watched Logan shove around his pasta on his plate. He had not even finished half of it.

"You're not hungry?" Max asked, noticing that this sounded familiar to her from earlier that day.

Logan looked up from his plate and blushed. "No, I'm fine. I mean…yes. I'm just…"

Max raised her eyebrows. She wondered why he was behaving so strangely. He had been so relaxed most of the day but now he seemed all tense again. Logan finished his glass in one draught, grinning at her stupidly. He frowned, noticing that the grape juice wouldn't boost his courage like wine would have done.

Max opened her mouth to say something, but was haulted by the waiter who approached their table.

"Is everything okay here?" he asked. Logan quickly nodded and pushed the plate away, indicating that he was done.

"You're finished, Sir? Madame?" the waiter asked politely. Max could not help but notice a strange look in his eyes. What was up with everybody all of the sudden?

"Yes. " Logan said a little too loud.  "I think we are ready for a …desert. " He shot an intense gaze at the waiter.

"Could we have another look at the menu please?" He twisted his head up and raised his eyebrows at the waiter.

The waiter flashed a smile, nodded hectically and hurried away.

Max watched the scene in disbelief. What the hell was going on?

Was everyone going crazy? She frowned, reached for her glass and watched Logan fumble in his pockets.

He caught her staring at him and said: "Oh, Max. …Close your eyes please." Finally having found what he had been looking for he sighed relieved.

Max cocked her head at him. "Why should I?" she asked slightly annoyed.

Logan stopped fumbling around and took her hand "Please!" he pleaded.

"Okay, okay." Max said.

She put on a little pout and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut and listened to the noises around her. Suddenly she heard Logan's chair move and he stepped closer. The conversations around them died one by one. The sound of the violin grew closer until she felt like it was right beside her.  She could hear the waiter approach, the glasses on his tablet clinging lightly. Then she could hear Logan clear his throat.

"Open your eyes Max!"

She opened her eyes. Logan was standing in front of her, his face flushed. With trembling hands, he reached for her hand and slowly went down to his knees in front of her. In his free hand, he was holding a little black velvet box. The violin music was swelling up around them. People turned in their chairs to watch.

"Max." Logan started in a hoarse voice. "You know that I have loved you from the first time I saw you. It took us a long time to realise that we belong together." He caught her eyes before he continued. "It's never been easy, but I'm glad that we have finally worked things out." He swallowed.  "You have kept me going all of  this time and I want you to know that I'll always do my best to keep you going, too. …"

He paused to catch his breath. Max sat there unable to move. Her head was spinning slightly and she was wondering if there had been more than juice in her glass.

"I want to be there for you-"She heard Logan say through a fog. "…and for our child- forever, come what may. Like you said; we're in this together." He smiled. Then he snatched the black velvet box open and looked into her eyes again.

"Max, will you marry me? "

Everybody held his or her breaths. Even the violin player forgot to play.

Max slowly managed to make sense of the words she had just heard-or at least believed to have heard, then shakily got up from her chair and knelt down opposite Logan. She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him. It was the only sensible thing she could do right now, while her mind still tried to process the answer. As she kissed him deeper and inhaled his scent, the words came flowing into her mind with a force, promting her to speak them aloud eventually. There was only one true answer.

"Of course I will. " she said still in a daze.

The tension broke and everybody inhaled again. A wave of applause rolled over them, as Logan smiled relieved and shakily put the ring on her finger. The waiter approached them with two glasses of Champaign. Max stood up, pulling Logan up with her. She flung her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear:

"I love you".

"May I have this dance?" Logan asked, when the music started to play again, bowing lightly in front of his fiancée.

"I can't dance." Max said teasingly.

A smile played around Logan's lips. Wasn't that supposed to be his line?

"Sure you can…. Mind over matter." He was going to play along with her game if she wanted him to.

"See, my problem is"…she hesitated, and then smiled. "I never learned the steps."

Logan put his arms around her, grinning broadly.

"Forget about the steps. Just dance." He said softly. Max smiled as she let him guide her to the dance floor.

If not all the eyes had been on them before, they were now, following them as they slowly moved towards the dance floor, lost in each other's eyes.

The small combo who gave the restaurant its unique flair played a slow waltz for the couple.

Their fingers entwined and their eyes conveyed all the love they felt for each other.

People could not help but stare at this display of pure love and affection.

The beautiful dark haired girl looked quite young but very mature for her age. The expression on her face betrayed that she must have been through a lot in her short life.  The tall handsome man had to be a couple of years older than her, but he had such a boyish smile that nobody had the slightest doubt that they'd fit together perfectly. Both conveyed a sense of sophistication and-despite the happy occasion- a little sadness, as they slowly moved on the dance floor. They couldn't help but wonder what could make them so sad and happy at the same time and hoped for them to get over it together. But from the look in their eyes, the way theyl wouldn't let go of each other's gaze, they knew they would probably overcome anything.

*************************************************************************************************

Okay guys, this sounds like the end, but it isn't! The trouble is just about to start. So stay with me for the next chapter!