Goren leaned on his cue stick as Logan lined up a shot. "Damn," Logan muttered when the ball banked over the pocket and away from it. He looked up, but Goren had not moved. He frowned as he moved over toward his friend. "Hey, space cadet," he said as he nudged him. "What's up? You've been lost in your own world all day, and that scares me."
"Is it my shot?"
"Not until you tell me what's going on with you."
He looked thoughtful. "Do you remember once we talked about me getting married?"
"Why? You're not thinking about it again, are you?"
He chalked up his cue stick and nodded as he studied the balls on the table. "Yeah, I am."
"I still stand by what I said then. If you're not gonna marry Eames, it's not gonna work. Not for you."
Goren took his shot, sinking his ball. "Who else would I be talking about?"
"I never know with you."
When Goren gave him a dirty look, he laughed. Goren tapped the table with his cue stick. "Eight ball, side pocket." He leaned over but raised his eyes to look at Logan. "So what do you think?"
"I try not to…but since it's you and Eames, I can't see it not working."
"Why?"
"You have what it takes. If you can't make each other happy, no one can."
Goren thought about that as he hit the cue ball and sank the eight. Logan threw his hands up in the air. "I want to play with the girls again. The only time I've stood a chance of winning lately is when I team with Eames."
Goren laughed and tossed him the cue ball, racking up the other ten balls.
---------------------------------------
He took her to dinner at her favorite Italian restaurant. Halfway through dinner, she set her fork down. "All right, Goren. Out with it."
"Out with what?"
"You have been distracted for the past few days. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I've just been thinking."
"About what?"
"You."
She sighed. "What about me?"
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Opening it, he handed it to her. "That's what," he said softly. She stared at the ring, then looked back at him as he said, "I know you've had a hard time with marriage, and I understand that. But I would like to marry you, if you'll have me."
She shouldn't have been surprised, but she was. "But we're partners…"
"I talked to Deakins. We're ok."
She studied her partner…always keeping her guessing…always surprising her with what he thought and what he did…always putting her first…always…
She looked at the ring again. It was understated, simple…and beautiful…exactly what she would expect from him, for a change. "You have always treated me right…always respected me. You took my daughter into your heart before you ever knew she was yours. When my life was miserable…" She wiped a tear from her cheek and finally looked up at him. "You were the one who brought me happiness…the only one, at times…and look at what I did to you, staying married to the wrong man for far too long, ultimately putting your life at risk." She wiped away a few more tears. "If you can forgive me for that, and still be willing to have me…then, yes, I will marry you."
A week later, in a small civil ceremony, they did just that. Logan and Barek stood by them, while her father and Jimmy and Angie Deakins attended. And standing right there, in the middle of everything, where she always wanted to be, was Maggie, making absolutely sure everything went right.