Helen takes her time preparing for tonight's date. It's a special one, because today is her and Bob's one-year anniversary.

She removes the curlers and flattens her bangs down, frowning in the mirror. Why can't her hair cooperate for once? It finally lies flat, and she smiles at her reflection, satisfied.

Helen has a tingly feeling that something special will occur tonight. She just hopes that it won't be an emergency duty call; they've had enough dates interrupted by a selfish villain who couldn't hold his horses until the next morning.

Grabbing her purse, she heads to the Italian restaurant that they're now regulars at.

A short while later, Bob, per usual, can't take his eyes off the woman sitting across from him. Softly curled hair, bangs falling into her eyes, a red low-cut blouse. One would think the shirt would clash with her hair, but it doesn't, not at all.

She looks...stunning, Bob thinks, trying for a better adjective but coming up blank.

Helen raises her eyebrows at him, clearly expecting an answer to whatever she just asked him.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said, do you want to look at the wine list?" she says with a shake of the head, clearly aware of his gawking.

"Oh, right. Yeah, let's order."

The waiter comes and goes, finally leaving them in peace.

"You left some things in my car the other day," Bob says nonchalantly. He slides a black gift bag across the table, and Helen gives him a puzzled look.

"Why'd you go through the trouble with a bag for a lipsti-?"

Her sentence cuts off with a gasp as she discovers something else in the bag.

Helen's lipstick is there, yes, but it's a black velvet box nestled against the tissue paper that gets her attention. She pulls it out and opens it, eyes widening.

Bob takes her hands from across the table, feeling more nervous than he has before any television appearance or magazine cover interview. But one glance into her eyes gives him strength enough.

"Helen, would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife? I don't have a great speech prepared or anything, just that...I love you, and we belong together," he states simply.

Her brown eyes are soft in the candlelight, and she blinks once to hold the tears back.

Finally. Helen has waited so long to find someone who gets it. She has needed someone who can fulfill her every need, be it physical, mental, or emotional. Someone who can let her be herself, but also complete her. Someone who can keep up with her, but take care of her when she can't be strong. Someone as special and super as she is.

That someone is Robert Parr, arguably the strongest man on earth in every meaning of the word.

Steadying herself, Helen replies, "Yes."

At a loss for words, Bob slides the ring on her finger, the beauty of her face brightening the dimly lit room.

"It's about time," she adds. There's that smirk.