A/n:

So you are interested in "the plan" yes, no?

Anyway, wow- I've been busy this week with the updating! You also have been busy! Great job with the reviews guys! Sadly it is nearly the end of the month and there are still five chapters left, so the fic won't end before the end of the month… but let's try to see if we can get it done by the 4th, ok? I will be going away from my computer for several days… and I don't want to leave you hanging for nearly a week to see the suspense… well, maybe a little hanging would be ok…

The next day seemed to go on and on for Tai. His game was definitely better today than it had been the last few weeks. His coach had commented on it and told him to keep it up. The men's FIFA Cup had been named, and even with the last few games not being the best he had ever played, Tai has secured a spot on the Japan team.

He knew that with time he could get over the hole in his heart, he had done it before; the only exception was that this hole was infinitely larger, but he could get over it. The thing was that he didn't want to get over it… over her.

Sora came into his life for a reason. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. And if things had not gone so horribly wrong, he was ready to propose to her. Thinking about the time he had till the meeting at five that evening, he sighed. It seemed like so far away.

Practice was over and his team mates smiled seeing Tai was in a better mood on and off the pitch.

"Now, don't blow this ok?" Matt said patting Tai on the back. As far as Matt knew, Sora was rather clueless that Tai would be at the dinner with Mimi and Joe. Tai had one shot, and if he messed this up, it was pretty much over. Or at least that had been his experience with girls. Then again, the girls he seemed to date were on a different caliber as Sora…often times the girls gave him a second chance due to his celebrity status and good looks… Tai could not play those up because his girlfriend was just as much of a celebrity as he was… and truth be told, Sora was a lot better looking than Tai.

"If all else fails get on your knees!" Davis chimed in. "Begging is a great way to give you a few seconds to think."

"You sound you have had to use this before…" Tk said as he walked over to the group.

"TC, you would not understand the complexity of women. You just better keep Kari happy, otherwise I will have to swoop in and steal her from you."

Tai smiled as the two boys began a small argument about Davis being dyslexic and that Kari was never going to date the brown haired boy. The say was looking up. Now, if only the next four hours would go by faster….

"Sora, hurry up. We're going to be late." Mimi called to her roommate as she for once was ready to go on time.

Sora threw a wrap over her shoulders and slipped into some medium height heels. The semi-formal dinner Mimi and Joe were treating her to called for at least a little preparation time. The couple had insisted on taking her out to celebrate one of her dreams coming true. She was going to play in the World Cup.

Getting into Joe's car, the girls talked back and forth as if nothing was about to happen. But Joe was nervous. He only hoped that Sora did not notice.

At the restaurant Joe went on ahead to make sure Tai was there and everything was fine. Giving a wave to Mimi, who kept Sora near the entrance of the place, the two women walked over. Mimi kept Sora's attention diverted till they were at the table.

"And here we are." Mimi smiled as Sora took her eyes off the lush and decorative flower designs around the large room. She had not seen flower arrangements like them since she left her mother's shop.

"This place is…" Her words stopped in her throat at she saw a certain brown haired man standing up from the table where Mimi had stopped.

"Sora…" Tai began looking at the woman he had been missing so much… the time seemed like years that they had been apart. In reality it had been no more than a week or so.

Sora looked away from Tai's gaze quickly, not allowing his orbs to take their effect. When they had been dating he could get her to do almost anything by just looking at her with those eyes…

Looking at Mimi she didn't know what she should do or feel at the moment. Mimi was her friend… her best friend. And yet she had set her up… set her up with the man who broke her heart.

A small voice in the back of her mind told her that she had done the same for the other girl, but it all seemed so different. Mimi wanted to be with Joe and Joe wanted to be with Mimi… Sora didn't know what she wanted at the moment.

True, seeing him made her heart skip a beat, but then the image of him and that other woman slammed back into place.

"Sora, please… just hear me out." Tai said with pleading eyes. He took a step and was about to close the distance between them when she stopped him. Putting out her hand she didn't look at him.

"Please… don't touch me." She said her voice becoming shaky. It had been so long since she had been held by his strong and caring embrace. How she had missed it, woken up late at night to look at the sky and remember what they had… but there still was a big factor on why they had been apart…

"Sora, Tai just wants to talk to you…" Mimi started. "You have to listen. That is all we want, ok? What if, just what if it was all a mistake? Can you let him go so easily? You love him damnit!"

To this Sora could say nothing. She knew it was true and it drove her mad. How could she still love someone who shared such a moment with another woman, especially after they had just shared a wonderful evening and morning?

"All we ask it for you both to listen and talk." Joe said as he walked over to Sora and pulled out her chair. She sat down a little hesitantly, but it was still a first step.

Tai sat as well and nodded to the couple that they could go and try to enjoy their own evening.

"Do you think they will be all right?" Mimi asked as she let Joe walk her to another table.

"We can only hope that they will not forget the feelings they shared and let a little misunderstanding ruin things." Joe said pulling out her chair at their new table.

"But it wasn't just a little misunderstanding… I am still mad at Tai for letting his ex do that… and then sitting around for days before getting things together."

"I know… but it is in their hands now…"

The waiter came around and gave each of them a menu and asked for a drink order. Tai smiled and ordered for both of them. Sora seemed to concentrate on the cloth napkin in her lap, and thus the silence continued before Tai sighed and decided to begin.

"You look wonderful tonight… I really mean it." He smiled as he saw Sora blush a little. Her reaction gave him some hope that things were not totally lost between them… just very messed up at the moment.

"Thank you." She replied looking up at him for a brief moment.

"I know you must be mad at me…" Tai did not let the 'humph' from the woman sitting across from him discourage him too much. "And I do understand why you are… I just want you to know that above anything else that I am sorry. I really do hate myself right now… I could have pushed her off, I could have thrown her out of my apartment… but my body just would not move… I never meant to hurt you."

Sora listened to his words. Deep down she knew he would never intentionally hurt her, he had told her that… but still the pain was there.

Tai knew she was not convinced. He was unsure of what else to say. Taking his chances, he was going to risk everything. She was worth it.

"Sora, I still love you. This time apart has been killing me because there is this large hole in me… I know I have been stupid for nearly giving up, but I know now I can't. I can't go another second knowing that we are not together because of something stupid I did… I can't promise we won't be hurt in the future; it was stupid of me to promise that before. Life is all about trials… but I can promise that what ever hurts you, whatever trial you are forced to endure I want to be there with you…"

Tai stood up and walked over to her side. Looking down on her, he found her gaze still on her napkin which was being twisted in her very tense looking hands.

Kneeling down and putting his hand on hers and the napkin, he got her attention.

Eyes of deep crimson pooled with tears as she looked at him, trying to hold up the last of a front she had put up. Sora knew she was losing it. His tender voice and obvious feelings for her were slowly chipping away at her fortifications around her heart. She met his eyes, it was over then for her. Sora saw in his chocolate orbs everything that he had been saying and more.

He was telling the truth…

"So, I guess what I am saying is that if you can find that part of you that still loves me, let it free to me once again. Be with me, be my partner on the field and off… Sora, marry me."

A/n:

OMG! A proposal! What better spot to cut off the chapter!

Bring on the hate reviews! Yeah!

Anyway- next time we will see if things will smooth over, or if suddenly things totally break down! SUSPENCE!