It took Erin yawning multiple times in the space of three minutes to finally convince Harriet to leave and even then, it was with great reluctance that she allowed Dave to show her to the door, and only then with promises that they would call tomorrow with more details about the party. By the time he reached the living room once more, Erin was stretched out on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, and he chuckled as he made his way over to her side, bending down and kissing her softly.

As he looked at her face, he knew exactly what he wanted to do next, and Dave only hoped that she would agree to his proposal. "Are you ready to head up for our nap, bella?" he asked as he took hold of her hand and tugged her up.

"I suppose that I am. Thank you for helping to set Harriet's mind at ease. I know that she means well, but she picked up on my need to incessantly worry about everything." Erin sighed as she stood up, wrapping her arm around his waist as they made their way to the stairs. "I'm just glad she also didn't inherit my problem. Or that Greg is really good at keeping her on the straight and narrow. There were a few times that I really wanted to break into your stash of gin and drink like there was no tomorrow after Helena's diagnosis."

"I can only imagine," he murmured as they turned into the bedroom. "Head over to the bed, I have to get something before we nap."

Erin gave him a quizzical look as she traipsed over to the bed and he just smiled as he went over to the jewelry tray that was on his dresser. Laying there on the bed of crushed velvet was his mother's engagement ring. It was small, since his father hadn't had much when he asked his mother to marry him, but the sentiment behind the ring was why he wanted to present it to Erin. He had given it to Carolyn many years ago, since she had been his first love, and now he wanted it on Erin's hand, as his last love. Smiling, he plucked the ring up and then went over to the bed, taking a seat next to her and taking a deep breath. "Davie?"

"I won't lie, you scared the fuck out of me when I realized that John had hurt you. I was so scared that you would leave me alone to try and work out a relationship with our children, that I would never find a love like this again in my life, that you would take my heart to the grave with you. But then, you pulled through and we made certain that he wouldn't be a danger to us any longer. I guess, this is the long way of asking you if you would do me the amazing honor of becoming my last wife?"

He presented the ring to her with a flourish, and a wide, happy, smile spread across her lips as she nodded, picking up the ring from the palm of her hand and sliding it into place. "It fits perfectly, almost like it was meant for me. I mean, this is your mother's ring, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Oh, David," she sighed out as she looked at the ring on her finger before gazing up into his face and letting her smile soften as she reached out and cupped his face tenderly. "I love you so very much. And I will wear your mother's ring with pride, but I have to ask you one thing. Can we consider this a promise until Helena is markedly better? I don't want to tempt Fate with too much happiness at one time, if that makes sense?"

"It does, completely, and of course I will wait for your time to proclaim us engaged. I would wait for you until the end of time, because you are the other half of my heart." He leaned in and kissed her sweetly. As she deepened the kiss, Erin hooked her arm around his neck, pulling him back onto the mattress with her. "I love you, my darling Erin," he whispered as he dragged his hand through her hair, chuckling a little when she arched up against him before yawning widely. "I feel the same way. Let's get out of these clothes and then we can sleep."

A little giggle slipped from her throat as she nodded, and Dave gave her another quick kiss before sitting up and quickly unbuttoning his shirt, tossing it to the floor as he made short work of his trousers and socks, keeping his undershirt and boxers on before slipping beneath the sheets and watching as Erin unclasped her bra and dropped it off the side of the bed. Somehow, he knew that all of her clothes had ended up in a neat pile, since that was always her way of doing things. Holding up the sheets, he watched Erin contort her body so that she was fully covered by the silk sheets before she scooted closer to him, letting her head thump down on the pillow as they yawned in tandem once more. "I hope that I can catch up on my rest before Saturday. I don't want to bring the party down by leaving early."

"We still have a few days to get prepared for that, bella. And if necessary, we can have someone come in and cook for us for a few days, to take that burden off our shoulders. The cleaner will be here tomorrow, also."

"That is the one thing I still haven't gotten accustomed to while living here. Alan always expected me to do everything around the house, alongside doing my job, and looking after the children. Although knowing what I know now, he was probably doing it to punish me for my infidelity." A sad look settled on her face, and Dave reached up to cup her cheek, letting his thumb run along her cheekbone as they sighed. "I can't begin to imagine how different all our lives would have been if Alan had just told me what he knew back then. We could have had so much more time together, and it would have been glorious."

"Or we might have ended up breaking up, Erin. We were both a little more hot headed in those days. Do you remember our arguments?" She nodded. "Imagine if we were married and spending a lot more time together? There might not have been a Bruce or a Karen if we had known the truth all along. And you most definitely would not have been a Section Chief, given the frat rules. Though I have the feeling that you would have made an amazing therapist or college professor, what with all the education you have."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. And I suppose that God intended for us to be together in this time, sewing up the ragged edges of our families to make a stronger whole." He nodded before leaning in and kissing her gently as he stroked her back. "There truly is a time and a place for everything."

"That I firmly believe, Erin." They shared a soft kiss as he felt her body relax and grow heavy with sleep, and he let out a little breath before allowing himself to also slip into sleep, knowing that they needed the rest to make them well and whole once more.