Edward stepped off the train and looked around. The smoke from the train engine made it hard to see clearly. Walking away from the train to get a better look around he was nearly knocked off balance as Elysia jumped into his arms. He held her tight wishing they were alone on the platform. He finally released her from the tight embrace and gently lifted her chin so he could look into her green eyes. He could see how much she had missed him and his heart soared with that knowledge. Their lips met and it took a lot of restraint to keep it decent.

"Miss me?" Edward asked as they headed out of the train station holding hands.

"Oh! You were gone?" Elysia asked giving him a devilish grin. Edward gave her one back and spun her around before lifting her over his shoulder.

"Edward!" Elysia cried out caught completely off guard. "Put me down! You probably shouldn't be straining yourself!"

"You're the one that nearly knocked me over when I got off the train," Edward pointed out as he made his way towards Colonel Havoc who was standing next to a towncar.

Edward stopped before Havoc and put Elysia back down. The Colonel saluted smartly and Edward returned the salute.

"Welcome back General. Do you have any more luggage?"

Elysia gave Havoc a dirty look.

"Yes, if you would be so kind to retrieve the rest, I'll handle this one on my own."

"Yes sir!" Havoc said saluting again, trying to keep a straight face. He left to get the rest of the General's luggage.

Edward opened the door to the car for Elysia. She gave him a dirty look for the luggage reference then got in with Edward following after her. Once the door was closed Edward wasted no time pulling Elysia close to him. He kissed her gently and felt his weariness from the train ride melt away.

"I've missed you," he said as he brushed a stray hair away from her eyes.

"I missed you too," Elysia said looking longingly into Edward's eyes and leaned forward for another kiss. She had missed him terribly while he was gone. They talked nearly every day on the phone but seeing him, being able to hold him was much better. He was also a lot healthier looking too. Just like he was when she had seen him on the night she had returned to Central. She was so happy and relieved to see him looking so well, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. She hadn't meant to rush up to him so quickly once she saw him step off the train but she couldn't help herself. She had missed him too much and he was too much for her to resist grabbing a hold of him. She could barely contain herself in the car being so close to him.

"Were you good while I was away?" Edward asked playfully.

"I should be the one asking that."

"Al keeps me on a tighter leash than Mustang. Besides, all the beautiful ladies are here in Central."

"Lady, you mean."

"Of course, that's what I meant," Edward said as Havoc slid into the front driver's seat.

Edward instructed Havoc to drive immediately to Elysia's townhouse. He was anxious to talk with Gracia because he was even more anxious for what he had planned later that day. As they drove through the streets of Central Elysia sensed a change in his mood and looked at him questioningly. He was suddenly very quiet with his brow furrowed like he had a lot on his mind. She knew he could tell she was looking at him but he ignored it, which made Elysia suspicious.

"Why are you so tense?" She asked finally.

She noticed Havoc's reflection in the rear view mirror. He looked at them for a split second then returned his eyes to the road. A smug look came and went fueling Elysia's suspicions.

"I'm just a nervous about talking to Gracia," he said not entirely telling the truth.

"I don't believe you."

"Hey, you're not the one who has to talk to my parents about us getting married. Do you think it's going to be easy? Especially when Gracia wasn't too thrilled about us in the first place."

"I know it's not going to be easy but I can tell you've got something else on your mind."

"I've always said you were easy to read," Havoc added from the front seat.

"You mind your business and keep driving," Edward ordered and watched with annoyance as he caught Havoc's smirk through the rear view mirror.

"Don't be so rude to him. Besides, he's right. You are easy to ready. So tell me what else you have on your mind."

When Edward didn't answer right away Elysia knew.

"So soon! You've only just returned!" She exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked trying to look confused but not doing a very good job of it.

"Don't play dumb with me! I know what you've got planned. Don't you think we should wait a little longer Ed?"

"No, not really," he said giving in. "I've waited a month now. It's been long enough. Besides I had wanted it to be a surprise. I was going to ask you after I talked to Gracia."

"Really, you have no tack whatsoever. You're going to go talk to my mother then say 'Oh by the way, I'm going to marry your daughter tonight if you don't mind'."

"When you put it that way it doesn't sound so good."

"Honestly, did you think I'd agree?"

"Yes."

Well, he's right, Elysia thought. But I can't let him know that I'm probably just as impatient as he is about this.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to wait around to plan a wedding," Edward explained. "I am not going to plan some overly elaborate waste of time so people can eat cake and drink champagne while I have to be polite and wear that ridiculous dress uniform."

"I think you look good in your dress uniform," Elysia said thinking he'd actually probably look better without one on.

"So do I," Havoc said trying to keep from laughing.

"I told you to mind your fucking business," Edward said irritably in response to Havoc.

"And you," Edward said turning to face Elysia. "You'll be seeing me in my regular uniform plenty. So are you going to or not?"

"Do you have to be so strict with everything you do? You're so demanding. I won't have you being the tyrant General who gets your way all the time. You will have to talk things over with me if we're to be married. I'm not one of you're little soldiers who snaps to attention and does as you order."

"I'm not a little soldier," Havoc said trying to look offended. Edward laughed.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm sorry," Edward apologized then in a more polite way asked. "Will you marry me tonight?"

"Of course I will. You're lucky I don't want to wait any longer and I too am not in the mood to plan a wedding," Elysia said crossing her arms trying to look upset at not being consulted in the first place.

"Good, now that we've got that settled."

Elysia sighed and rolled her eyes. "I wonder how I'm going to put up with your impatience."

"You're just as impatient as me."

Elysia tried to hide a smile knowing he was right. She looked at Edward and saw him smiling at her. She loved it when he smiled. She desperately wished Havoc was not in the car. She leaned over to whisper into Edward's ear.

"I was just thinking. I'd rather see you out of the uniform," she said getting an even broader smile from him. Edward then leaned down to whisper in Elysia's ear.

"Patience is a virtue." Elysia giggled knowing it was a virtue neither one of them had.

Edward finally spoke with Gracia. He was so glad to have gotten it over with. It also helped that Gracia was very supportive of the two of them. Seeing them together she could see how much they loved each other. It reminded her so much of they way she felt when she was with Maes. They were comfortable in each other's presence and were clearly compatible for each other. They didn't shy away from showing affection for each other in front of her. She could see how gently, yet firmly, Edward held onto Elysia's hand. The way they looked at each other made Gracia feel guilty for trying to keep them apart. Gracia was very happy for her daughter to be able to find someone she could be herself in front of. Edward too was like he usually was. Friendly, warm a bit course at times but he was still Edward. They felt no need to hide how they felt about each other or to try and hide their individual flaws. She could tell it was those flaws, many they both shared, that drew them together.

She was surprised when Edward told her of his plans of wanting to marry Elysia immediately. She looked at her daughter and saw the exasperation written all over her face. But Gracia could also see that Elysia was just as eager to be married too. Remembering her own elopement with Maes, Gracia didn't blame them. She also remembered that Edward was known as a very impatient person. Though she would have loved to see Elysia dressed up in a white wedding gown, she knew Elysia was never the type for such things. She was always very practical and saved the fantasies and her imagination for her art.

Elysia was starting to feel more anxious than Edward had been. Ever since the night she had spent with Edward when he was discharged from the hospital, Elysia had been hoping for a quick engagement. She surprised herself how physically attracted she was to Edward that night. She was disappointed when he had stopped the two of them from going any further. Since then it was all she could think about. She had never had such feelings toward a man before. When she had seen him on the train platform, she wondered if she would be able to wait any longer to be with him. She thought that perhaps she should play a little hard to get. But she knew, and she was sure Edward knew it as well, that it would be impossible for her to even try. She was just as drawn to Edward as he was to her so she was glad he didn't want to wait any longer.

Edward had wanted it to be just him and Elysia. For the last few months they had always been surrounded by others. He had gotten tired of it and had decided that when they were married it would just be the two of them and the judge that would marry them. It was a simple and quick ceremony, much appreciated by Edward and Elysia. Both suspected that neither one of them really paid attention to the words of the judge. They only had eyes for each other and their thoughts of each other. They both knew what they were getting into. They didn't need to be told about sticking together through better or for worse. They were both prepared to be together forever. To grow old and die together. They would have it no other way.