Ashley was already to go out she wasn't sure where John was taking her to but she dressed up anyways she was wearing a black dress that showed off her figure very nicely but didn't make her look like a skank it was backless so you could see her tattoo she wore her hair up in a half ponytail and the part that was down Shannon had curled of course Shannon insisted on make up so she allowed very little. Ashley believed that beauty was on the inside and make up was just something that wasn't needed. She had nothing against women who wore it but it wasn't her thing. She wore heels that she borrowed from Laney the straps wound up half her leg before they buckled. She looked at herself in the mirror and turned to face Laney and Shannon who were sitting on her bed.

"Damn girl John is one lucky man" Laney said 'A lucky man who doesn't deserve you but still a lucky man' she thought

"Do you really think so?" Ashley asked

"You look so great I can't put it into words" Shannon said

"Sha Sha great is a word" Laney pointed out

Shannon just stuck her tongue out at her and Laney rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you don't mind watching Talon?" Ashley asked

"Yes you've asked us about 50 times we are fine go out and have fun god knows you deserve it" Laney replied

"Ok ok I'll have fun" Ashley said with a smile.

"Hey where is everybody?" John called from the hall

All three girls went out to greet him and were surprised to see that he was wearing a dark blue dress shirt and black pants. He was holding something behind his back.

"Wow now hell really has frozen over" Laney said

"I do clean up well don't I" John said cockily "you ready to go?"

"Yeah" Ashley said grabbing her coat.

"Oh by the way this is for you" he said handing her a single red rose.

Ashley gave him a look 'something is up' she thought but she didn't say anything. She took the rose and put it in some water when she came back she took his hand and walked out.

The restaurant was a very nice Italian place about 3 blocks away from the apartment they were sitting in the back enjoying each others company.

"You look amazing tonight" he said

Ashley blushed a little she still wasn't used to John complementing her even though he did it all the time it still got to her.

"Thank you, you look... well kinda odd but very nice" she said honestly

John laughed sipping his ice water.

"Do I look that uncomfortable?" he asked

"Yeah but I love the fact that you would make yourself uncomfortable for me" she said

"Baby I'd do anything for you" he replied

The waiter came over and took their orders and they continued to talk.

"So how was Talon while I was gone?" Ashley asked

"Good I took him swimming I think he liked it" John replied

"This is really weird we have nothing to talk about have we really become that boring?' Ashley asked

"Hell no I think it is this place" he said

"Yeah let's eat and get out as fast as we can" she agreed

They ate their meals and then went to a dance club. Now this was more like the real John and Ashley they weren't the sit down dinner type of people they were always on the move. They were there for about an hour and a half but the music was starting to get to them so they decided to walk around for a while. They found a beach and sat down near the water. Ashley was sitting up against John's chest and his arms were around him.

"I don't want this moment to end" he said

"Me either but eventually it will" she said

John stared out at the ocean her words had more than one meaning to him yeah they would eventually have to go home but he knew deep down she would find out what he had done and he knew she wasn't going to take it very well.

"Remember when we first met you were this nervous mess" he said

"Thanks John it's nice to know you care" Ashley joked whacking his arm lightly

"I knew right then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you" he said

"No you didn't because if you did then you would have done something sooner than you did" she replied

"Ouch ma that hurt" he said placing her hand over his heart. "you are the reason that I get up in the morning"

"John are you trying to make me cry?" she asked

"No not at the moment but I do want to give you this" he said handing her a small box.

She opened it and found...

"Dog tags?" she asked

"Turn them over" he told her

She did as she was told and turned them over to see that they were diamond studded dog tags. The back was inscribed To my angel love John.

"I knew that you wanted dog tags and I wasn't about to let you join the army so I you know I thought you'd like this" he said running his fingers through his short brown hair

"I love them" she said turning to kiss him

"Let's go home it is almost 12:30" he said looking at his watch

"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?" she asked

"Yeah I do but don't worry I'll see you soon because Christmas is in 3 weeks" he said. They got up and walked to his rental car which was parked at the restaurant's parking lot. The ride home was silent and filled with self contemplation. They went home and went to bed John and Talon had to be on a plane at 6:30 in the morning which was really early to everyone.

2 Weeks Later

Each week the girls took turns cleaning the apartment on the days that they had off it was Thursday and it was Ashley's turn to clean. She had finished the kitchen and the bathroom and was halfway done with the living room. She went into the guest room to put something away when she noticed a piece of paper on the floor she wasn't going to read it but something told her to. She unfolded it and gasped at what she read.

"Oh no" she said before bursting into tears.

Dun... Dun...Dun... she found the piece of paper about John cheating what is she going to do now wait and see. Hopefully it will be up tomorrow but I don't know because it's my sister's b-day party tomorrow but if I have time I'll bang out the next chapter.