Sorry its been so long! i dont know if anybodys even interested in still reading this but i thought id see. i tried something kind of new on this. i encorperated a flashback. i had another story i was starting with flashbacks but i think it works pretty well here and i figured id combine them so that their would be more background. then i'll continue the flashback thing for awhile, i think, as i only posted part of the flashback that i had already writtenhere. hope that makes sense and PLEASE REVIEW! it really means a lot! :)

Michelle walked into the kitchen, placing her purse on the counter and grabbing her wallet. She subconsciously ran her hand on her neck, rubbing her neck. She had had to use cover up to hide the light pink marks still on her neck, and had felt like a fifteen year old girl all over again, trying to hide it from her parents. She played with her necklace briefly, moving the locket up and down the chain. Tony had given it to her on their one year anniversary; it was the thing she was never without. Well that and now, her engagement ring that would turn into a wedding ring. When he had given it to her, he had told her to wear his heart around her neck, and keep it close to hers. She smiled slightly at the memory of the joyful tears and smiles that followed. She walked into the living room to find everybody talking and laughing during a commercial. She joined them, chatting effortlessly with the girls, answering their normal questions about where she bought her bag and shoes.

"Fuck it," they heard Tony's voice coming down the hall.

He was scrambling with the knot on his tie, pulling it out so that the tie was hanging around his neck, looking absolutely stunning in a simple white shirt and black slacks. Michelle stood up and walked over to him.

"You ready?" she asked as she started fiddling with his tie.

"Yeah," he said, as she finished tying it.

Once she was done tying it she pulled on it so that his head came down to hers.

"You look so sexy," she whispered against his lips before kissing him.

Once she pulled back he smiled, looked down, and bit his lower lip, glancing up to her face, next kissing her quickly on the cheek. He stepped around her, heading into the living room and looking at his watch.

"We need to leave in five minutes," he said to her.

"Okay, just let me go get my lipstick."

"Why bother?" he whispered to her, a strong hint of amusement in his voice.

She let out a giggle and walked back into their bedroom. He followed her sneakily back into their room. She heard a click behind her as he shut the door, and spun her head around.

"What are you doing?" she said amusedly.

"Shh," he shushed her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, grabbing her cheek and spinning her face around, kissing her with such passion that he sucked a gasp from her. He continued spinning her body until it was fully around to hers. He pulled back panting slightly.

"I'm so in love with you," he whispered to her.

They seemed to grasp at each other at the same time, She brought her arms around his neck, bending her elbows and propping herself further up to rub her cheek against his as he held her as close as possible. It was odd how they could share intimacy like this; all they had to do was hold each other. Tony pulled his head around so that he could nuzzle into her neck, relishing in the tingling feel of her skin against his. Drunken yells of the men in the next room brought them back to reality.

"Ready?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," she smiled at him, that smile that he couldn't resist, and she knew it.

They walked into the living room holding hands.

"Alright out," Tony said grinning.

"Ah come on," whined some of the guys.

"Fine," said Michelle with the same little grin Tony had just displayed, Tony walking over to the door and grabbing his jacket, checking the pocket for his wallet, "Finish the game. But you guys had better be out of our apartment when we get home."

"Yeah, yeah," said Jack, refocusing on the game, making her laugh.

"And make sure to lock the door," she said.

Some of them grumbled in response.

"I'll take care of it," said Kate, standing up and slapping Jack on the head lightly as she walked by him.

Jack rubbed his head slightly. Michelle gave Kate a brief hug.

"Bye," she said.

There came collective 'bye's and 'see yeah's from everybody, and Michelle turned around, walking over to the door and taking Tony's hand.

"I called a cab," said Tony, "I figure we'll have drunk enough tonight that neither of us will be in a state to drive."

"Probably," she giggled.

"Got everything?" he asked.

"Ah huh," she said, opening the door.

They left, yelling 'bye's behind them again, Tony shouting to the guys to remember details of the game.

Finally at the restaurant they were meeting at for drinks, Tony and Michelle sat down and ordered. The door opened, and Tony's parents came in. The both stood up to greet them.

"How are you," said Michelle, hugging Tony's mom as Tony shook his father's hand.

"I'm good dear, how are you?" she asked.

"I'm great," she smiled.

"Hi Mom," said Tony, kissing his mother on the cheek, while Michelle hugged his father.

They sat down.

"So what's new with you kids?" asked Tony's father.

They enjoyed some casual conversation for over an hour. Julia and Thomas had fallen in love with Michelle when they had met her only a month after Tony and Michelle had started dating, and Michelle felt as though she had never met warmer people in her life. Tony and Michelle had told them they were getting married last time they had seen them, and Julia and Thomas could not have been more pleased. Unfortunately, Tony and Michelle had dinner reservations at eight, and they had to leave, but they agreed that his parents could come by CTU this week, and they would all go out to lunch; Julia and Michelle were dying to talk about wedding plans. They said their goodbyes and parted their separate ways, Tony holding securely to Michelle's hand.

They were in a fancy restaurant and having a great time drinking wine and talking like they did at the many romantic restaurants they went to when they first started dating. They both had an elbow resting on the table so that their fingers could interlock. They had ordered and were now talking and laughing as usual.

"It was so cute seeing all of you guys completely hammered today; I thought I was going to die laughing hearing all the drunken swearing. I've never seen you let so loose around that many CTU people before, Tony," she said, sipping her wine and giggling.

"God I was drunk," he laughed with her, "I didn't say anything too stupid though, right?"

"You did kiss me," she smiled at him.

"That I should do more often in front of people, even when I'm not drunk," he said, "I don't know how I resist throwing you down on the nearest desk during the day."

Michelle choked on her wine laughing so hard.

"Are you kidding me?" she managed to get out.

"Have you seen you?" he asked, smiling with a breathy chuckle at her reaction.

"For me it's always been a chair," she said, with that seductive turn of the side of her mouth, making his jaw drop in surprise.

"What if we did that?" Tony asked.

"Well, we would definitely be fired," she said giggling.

Tony started telling her about a story from a previous position he had held, and how he and a couple of coworkers had walked in on two of their fellow coworkers all over each other in the rest room where people went to sleep on all day shifts. They both had tears of laughter in their eyes, and Michelle leaned her face slightly onto their attached hands.

"Oh my God," she said.

"I know. Talk about not looking at people the same ever again," he cracked up.

They managed to catch their breath, and a peaceful silence fell. Michelle stared at him.

"I love you, you know," she said.

"Yeah," he smiled, "I love you too."

"I'm so excited to do the wedding with your Mom and sisters Tony; it's going to be so fun."

"Hey, what about the actually getting married part?" he asked with a grin.

"That too," she said.

They gazed at each other, Tony tracing his thumb over her palm softly and the tips of her fingers grazing the back of her hand.

"Tony, Michelle," said a voice, the mood idly changing as they both dropped their hands.

"Ryan," said Tony, "What are you doing here? Of all the restaurants in LA."

Michelle took a sip of her wine, smiling at this last comment.

"These are some of the people that I'll be introducing you to on Monday," he gestured to the people next to him, "Mr. Jones, Mr. Rodriguez, Marcus, this is Tony Almeida, regional director of Los Angeles CTU. And Michelle Dessler, his second in command and fiancé."

"Pleasure to meet you," said Michelle in a professional manner, shaking their hands as Tony did the same.

FLASHBACK

Tony sat in his office nervously. He had asked her to marry him after a year of being together. He loved her so much; the feeling just consumed his entire being. But now that they were getting married he had to tell Chappelle, that not only was he marrying an employee, but they had been seeing each other and practically shacking up for the last year. Tony absentmindedly stroked the side of his face. Chappelle walked in. It took them about twenty minutes to get through everything they needed to.

"Anything else Tony?" he asked.

"Yeah," he said, glancing down at her work station.

"Well?"

"I need to tell you something," he said nervously.

"I'm… well we, me and…you see Ryan-"

"Spit it out Almeida," said Chappelle aggravated.

"Me and Michelle. We're getting married," he said quickly, bracing himself for the coming explosion.

"What!" he roared, loud enough so that all of CTU went quiet and glanced up at Tony's office for a second before continuing working.

"Shit," said Michelle.

"What?" said Kim who had been talking to her.

"Tony asked me to marry him," she said distractedly, staring up at his office before back down at the folder she was carrying.

"About time!" said Kim, "Congratulations Chelle."

"Thanks Kim," she said.

Back in Tony's office, Tony flinched slightly at the loudness of his scream.

"How long?" Chappelle demanded.

"A year," said Tony.

"Jesus Tony. You can't screw an employee!" he said, making Tony thanking God that he had lowered his voice so that not everybody else was hearing this.

"I'm not screwing her I'm marrying her," said Tony, slightly angered at the insult.

"There's no difference! God Tony, this isn't happening, no. Michelle!" he roared again, flinging the door open and walking just outside Tony's office to the railing. "Up here now!" he said once she had looked up.

"Crap," said Michelle, dropping the folder and leaving a worried looking Kim at her desk.

She met Chappelle outside Tony's office where Tony had desperately joined them trying to get Chappelle to calm down.

"What is this?" he demanded.

Down the stairs, the rest of CTU could clearly hear what was going on and all seemed to be staring up at them.

"You act as if we're doing it to spite you. I'm in love with her, there's a difference," said Tony, meeting Chappelle's angry tone.

"No there's not!" said Chappelle.

"I'll expect a resignation or transfer on my desk by tomorrow morning," he said, before turning and walking briskly down the stairs.

Tony and Michelle glanced at each other worriedly before following him down into the bullpen.

"What?" said Michelle.

"Ryan you can't do this?"

He turned around, startling them, once he was half way to the exit.

"I won't have two people married to each other working in the same office. I'll expect one of your resignations or requests for a transfer on my desk in the morning or you will both be let go. That," said Chappelle, raising his voice as Tony began his protest, "Is it."

With that he walked swiftly out of the building. CTU seemed frozen. Everybody was silent. Michelle walked the few steps to her desk and sat down, leaning her head on her hand and rubbing the bridge of her nose with the other. Tony leaned on the side of her desk and rubbed his cheek.

"Damn it," Michelle said, breaking the silence.

Tony looked at her.

"What are we gonna do?" said Tony.

"I don't get it, what does it matter if we're dating or married? It's not like its affected us," she said frustrated.

"The difference is he knows," Tony said.

"Maybe we shouldn't have told him," said Michelle softly.

"Sweetheart I've been putting off asking you to marry me for six months because of this stupid ass job, I'm not waiting any longer," he said quietly, making her grin slightly even though her head was still pointed at her desk.

She glanced up at him giving him that smile he loved so much. Nobody looking at them at that moment could mistake the pulsating love that radiated between them.

"I'm almost done here. How about you?" she said quietly.

"Give me a half an hour, that okay?" he continued once she had nodded slightly, "Then we can go home and sort this out."

He said this with a small, yet encouraging smile.

"Yeah," she said, glancing down.

"Hey," he said, sliding closer to her on the edge of the desk, "It's gonna be okay."

He looked at her, eyebrows slightly raised, with a reassuring look on his face.

"Okay," she said.

She began taking her necklace off, slipping the ring off the chain and into her hand.

"I guess I can wear this now," she said softly with a small smile at him.

He took the ring from her and put it on her ring finger which was hovering below the desk, both trying to make it as discreet as possible. He brushed his hand across hers for a second as he stood up and headed up into his office. She watched him go for a minute before glancing down at her desk and again rubbing the bridge of her nose. She took a deep breath and dove back into her work as everybody got working again.

END FLASHBACK

"Well, we'll let you get on," said Chappelle.

"So I guess we'll be meeting you on Monday," said Michelle with a small smile that she reserved for work.

They sat down as the four walked over to a table in perfect view.

"Nothing like Chappelle to truly ruin the romance of an evening," said Tony bitterly.

Michelle chuckled and took another large sip of her wine. Tony pointedly poured more in her glass, then filling his up.

Hope you enjoyed this and please review. i accept anonymous ones! :)