"Again" by Sasha Sloan

I opened the apartment door only to find the lights off inside. That's weird, I thought as I flicked on the lightswitch. Nobody seemed to be home. Maybe they went out for a drink or something. I wasn't even a little bit mad. I was not in the mood to go to a bar. Shower, then bed, I told myself firmly. I walked over to the mattress and noticed a small velvet box on my pillow.

Curiously, I picked it up. It was light. Jewelry. My heart started to beat nervously as I opened it. A beautiful, small engagement ring was in there. It was a gold band with a small, square diamond set diagonally in the middle with two small round diamonds on either side. It was perfect. I heard movement behind me, turning around to find Murphy kneeling on one knee.

"Cecilia, I love ye," he started nervously. I put the ring on the bed before kneeling with him and kissing him, pulling him close to me. This surprised him, causing him to tumble on top of me. "Ye didn't even let me ask!"

"You don't even have to ask." He raised his eyebrows, moving his weight off of me but not moving to get up.

"I can't promise ye a normal life-I can't promise ye much. But I can promise to love ye forever. Will ye marry me?"

"Yes," I said, pulling him into another kiss.

"Shower and then bed?"

"You are the perfect man for me," I laughed as he helped me up.

We helped each other undress before making our way into the shower. He helped me wash my hair and I helped him wash his back. I made sure to poke fun at the fact that his shoulders were sore and tight because he and Connor decided to be superheroes and come in through the windows. He retaliated to my teasing by putting some soap suds on my nose.

We were laying in bed, just talking aimlessly when the apartment door opened. Connor and Romeo entered, eyebrows raised at Murphy. I rolled my eyes, holding up my hand to show that the ring was on it. They grinned, offering congratulations as they got ready for bed.

"How long have you had this?" I asked curiously once the other two had fallen asleep. Murphy shifted uncomfortably. I sat up slightly. "You've had this since before I left for Germany."

He sighed. "Can't this just be one of those happy moments ye don't over think?"

I continued to stare.

"Ye wouldn't be Cecilia otherwise I guess." Another sigh. "I got it before ye were kidnapped." Before Rocco died.

"You've kept it with you all this time?"

He shrugged as if it were the most normal thing in the world. I kissed him. He never gave up on us, even when I had. I looked at the ring on my finger again. I'm glad he waited. I'm glad we've gotten a second chance. Even if we wouldn't have, though, I'd have done it all over again just to have known him.

I laid back down, resting my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat as he fell asleep. It didn't take me long to fall asleep either.