Thank you, thank you all – you wonderful, beautiful readers and fellow writers. I am really happy with this next chapter. It just seemed to flood out of me. I hope you feel the same….PLEEEZZZ let me know….

Disclaimer as usual

Out Lightmaned by Lightman

Gillian was still sitting in stunned silence, whilst Cal was already on the phone to his daughter –

"Em – Yeah, allo luv – listen I will be home in about half hour but Gills comin as well – yeah- got enuf then have you? Right luv, oh and Em…We've got a surprise for you…No- not on the phone I won't…No…well you'll just have to bloody well wait won't you…"

Had she REALLY just agreed to that – surely not – no way.

"Cal..CAL..What on earth do you think you are doing?"

Having finally got his daughter to disconnect the line, Cal looked across at her with a childlike expression of total innocence on his face.

"Wot luv? Well we've got to tell Em first haven't we, well even if we didn't that kid of mine would have it sussed within 5 minutes of us getting thru the bloody door anyway, you know what she's like"

"Tell her what Cal? I wasn't aware that we had come to any firm decision yet..What happened to the Q&A? You can't just jump the gun like that – I feel like you're railroading me here"

In a flash Cal was back her side, arms circling round her, nustleing in her ear.

Gill tried to swat him away knowing full well what his game was, but he was stubbornly refusing to be 'swatted'

"I don't remember hearing the word 'no' Foster" His teeth were nibbling at her ear whilst he was talking

"And I don't remember saying the word Yes - Stop that Cal, don't think I don't know what you're up to"

"I remember the kiss Foster, I remember that very well indeed – and that kiss said yes – and I am not 'railroading you – I am ……gentlly leading you"

As his attack on her ear and neck continued Gill realised that her rising temperature was obliterating her protests, but she was determined to make one last effort.

"So that's it then? An argument, a kiss and the 'Great Lightman' decides that's enough to convince me that I should marry him. Whatever happened to down on one knee?"

"Fort I mentioned that I don't 'do' romance – but" he let out a very exaggerated, drawn out sigh "If it'll keep you happy my luv, and as long as you promise to help me get back up again…"

Slowly Cal slid down on to the floor in front of her. 'Assuming the Position' and plastering his very best 'serious' smile on his face he coughed once or twice – just for effect.

"Gillian Foster – Will you do me the very great honour of..Finally.. becoming my wife?"

"Cal Lightman you are taking the piss…" cutting her sentence short she realized that Cal had removed something from his jacket pocket and was now placing it into her hands.

Looking down she saw a small dark blue, soft leather box.

Tentatively lifting the lid her breath left her body as she gazed down at the perfectly heart shaped stone.

Instantly and instinctively she knew that the exquisite blue was an EXACT match to her eyes.

With just the slightest of movement she looked at Cal, who, for the first time ever, had dropped every last vestige of guards to allow her to see the complete and absolute love that he felt for her.

"Breath" she only just caught the word " breath Gill luv, you have to remember to breath"

As they walked, arm in arm to his car, Cal was feeling smug. Amazingly, wildly, crazily happy as well, but smug had definitely crept in too.

The ring had fitted her perfectly.

Lord knows it needed to – the amount of time he had put into acquiring THAT piece of information.

'Womens ring sizes! What the bloody hell did he know about womens rings sizes…Zoe had gone off and bought her own.

He had stopped short of asking his daughter to go and do it, no, he wanted to do this thing right. Happily enough, it looked like he had.

The preceding 4 months had been nothing short of a living nightmare at times.

Once he had made his decision that he WAS going to get that woman to marry him, the staging, timing and perfecting of every detail that he had any control over had started.

Keeping his intentions – and – plans under wraps had been the hardest.

Gillian had been the easier of the two. Simple evasions, concocted arguments, numerous, completely unnecessary field trips, had all helped with that.

Emily on the other hand… He had had a few 'touch and go' times with her.

"You alright dad?" would bounce across the room at him for no real, or evident reason.

"I'm fine, why?"

"Oh, no reason, - it's just that"

"Just that what?"

"Nothing dad, nothing"

There were other times when she had been more blatant.

"Are you plotting something dad?"

"WOT! – No – of course not, wot are you on about Em?"

"It's just that you've got that kinda look – like you're scheming"

"And you've got an imagination that just won't quit, now go and bother yer mum or sumthing – I'm trying to work here Em!"

He ALWAYS made sure he brought case files home during those months, just so he could fall back on the "I'm trying to work here Em" excuse.

During the short drive back to his house, the silence was warm and happy.

He wanted to leave Gill to her thoughts and they both needed the time to collect themselves in readiness for the oncoming storm that was his daughter….

As he pulled into his drive, a slight feeling of unease crept up on him.

Something was 'off'.

The house was in near darkness, it shouldn't have been.

As they both exited the car Cal, almost imperceptibly, started to move a little faster.

He had fully expected a one person stampede to descend on them when they arrived – but – nothing…

The front door yielded to his key instantly, and his hand immediately sought the main light switch on the wall just inside, - just a fraction of a second before he reached it…..WHAM.

An explosion of illumination nearly threw him and Gillian straight back out of the door.

As his eyes adjusted to the light he made a quick scan of the scene

Streamers, a huge banner with the words ' Congratulations' printed – and ' At long bloody last!' hand written- hanging from the ceiling, a large bottle of Champagne with bow on the coffee table, a box of Fosters favourite chocolates sitting next to it.

Gillians cheery laughter fell on his ears..

"Well, maybe you don't 'DO Romantic' Cal, but it appears your daughter does'

With that 'sweet' but very obvious 'dig', Gill left the arms of Lightman senior and was straight into the arms of Lightman junior.

Leaving the two woman of his life to their excited chattering and giggles, Cal turned, pushed the door shut, shrugged his coat off and started to put it away in the hall cupboard.

As he swung back round he was greeted by his daughters face a mere 2 feet in front of him.

Stuttering slightly, " How? .. When..?"

"Oh CUM ON dad… You REALLY didn't think you'd be able to keep THIS from me did you?"

Her facial expression mimicked that of his own just a short time earlier – SMUG.

With a feeling of exasperation ( and just a little pride) Cal suddenly realised that this girl – NO - woman, his daughter…his scheming, irritating, precocious, maddening – beautiful utterly amazing daughter – had now, having nearly mastered the art of 'reading' people, had also shot up a steep learning curve in the trick of ' concealment' too.

"I LUV YOU Emily Lightman"

Both moving forward together they fell into a hug.

Gripping her as tightly as he could, and allowing a single tear to form in both his eyes, Cal thought this HAD to be to best, most perfect hug he could ever remember.