Sarah woke up to an empty bed, her body still in the same position she had fallen asleep. She looked around the room and saw that Mort was nowhere to be found so she got up and used the bathroom. When she was done she headed downstairs and found him sitting at the kitchen table eating some buttered toast and sipping on a freshly made cup of coffee. She cleared her throat and he took his eyes slowly away from his plate and focused them at her feet but didn't say a word.
"Good morning Mort." She forced out and walked further into the kitchen. Mort maintained gaze at her toes noticing that the red nail polish was chipping. He nodded at her words and watched her feet make their way to the general direction of the coffee pot. She poured herself a cup and took a seat next to him until her toes where out of his sight. Mort lifted his eyes now to her hands that were wrapped around her usual 'Bahamas' cup.
"So you can't even look at me?" She lifted one of her hands to her chin.
Mort took her challenge and glanced up at her face for a moment and then back down at her cup again. She wasn't impressed.
"This is wonderful." She said sarcastically.
Mort shrugged.
"Just talk to me " She finally demanded.
"What is there to say?" He asked sharply as he stood up take his dirty plate to the sink, the wooden chair making a horrible screeching noise against the floor.
"I don't know, anything... something... not silence." She begged.
Mort tossed the dish in the sink and stood directly behind her. "Well, it's a nice day outside... I didn't get much sleep last night... thanks for cleaning my house..." He babbled.
Sarah turned around in her chair. "Don't be a dick "
"You told me take care of the silence... I'm talking." He pointed out.
She glared at him. "You know damn well what I mean, stop being ignorant "
"Me, ignorant?" He laughed. "You should stop being so damn pathetic."
"Pathetic, me?" She all but laughed.
"Yeah, the moment I tell you I'm done, you come crawling over here." He replied.
"And you... stalking me, that's not pathetic?" She shot back.
Mort looked at her rather hurt. "Sarah, you know... that was a real shit thing to say."
"Well, CRAWLING over here was a real shit thing to say..." She said.
"Not as shitty as what you just said..." He looked at her like she was disoriented.
She thought about it and realized that he was right. "I'm sorry, you're right." She apologized.
Mort nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry too."
She sighed rather tired of fighting. "This is stupid." She muttered.
Mort sat back down and rested his head in his hands and then popped back up. "Yeah, it's pointless."
Sarah looked at him and back at her coffee and then back him and down to the ground. She went to open her mouth but she closed it, she didn't know what to say. So she just sat there. Mort looked at her and finally spoke, "Why did you come here? I know it wasn't to clean my house."
Sarah looked down again and back up at him. "Crawling back?" She remarked humorously.
Mort shut his eyes and held back a dry laugh. "Yeah..."
"You don't seem to want me to come back?" She questioned.
Mort starred at his coffee and then back at her. "Sarah," He began and stood up, he walked up to her and pulled her up by her hands. She was shocked by this but let him. "I don't want you to say you're coming back and leave me again."
She looked at him for awhile.
"Why would I do that?" She asked.
"You know, history repeats itself."
And just like in Mort's story she quoted, "The hell to the past, I want another future..."
Mort smiled and pulled her closer to him. "Me too, will you make your future with me?"
Sarah nodded. "I promise." And with that they shared a eager kiss.

~*~

That same day Sarah returned to the apartment only to find it empty, she glanced around a bit and found it odd that she hadn't seen Jennifer in so long. She tried calling her cell but didn't get an answer so she left a voice mail detailing that she was to call her back as soon as possible and that she was moving back in with Mort but that she needed to tell her all about it. She gathered her things and loaded them into her car. She was back at Mort's around dinner time.
When she pulled up Mort walked out and helped her carry her boxes and bags into the cabin, the whole time he was just waiting for her to change her mind but instead (to his surprise) she was excited to be coming back. After her things where inside they sat down in the livingroom on the couch and shared a sigh of relief that they were mostly finished and that the next day all she had to do was unpack.
Sarah scooted next to him and rested her head on his chest. "I'm starved." She groaned and patted her stomach.
"Me too." He muttered quietly. "Hey, you know what?" His voice lifted up.
"Huh?"
"Let's get changed, I'm gonna take you out." He pushed her gently off of him and went to stand up but Sarah buckled back and starred at him for a second.
"You're serious? " She almost bugged her eyes out.
He held back a laugh. "Positive."
"Alright." She smiled and disappeared upstairs.
Mort grabbed a pair of dress pants and a button up shirt from upstairs and allowed Sarah to use the upstairs bathroom for whatever she needed to do. She grabbed a red low cut dress that came down just above her knees and accented it a pair of diamond earrings and a silver necklace, she had high heels to match her dress and some how managed to set her short blonde hair up and place all this on and perfect make-up in less than 20 minuets. When she came walking down the stairs Mort nearly fell over. He found it hard to take his eyes off her body when she went to speak.
"You ready?" She asked as she looked him over, finding the same reaction within herself.
"Ye-ah, you ready?" He fought his eyes from lowering themselves back to breasts.
"Ye-ah." She found his look so intriguing. For once, Mort was actually out of his jeans and huge sweatshirt or lounge around the house clothes. Mort was always attractive, but he looked completely different in those clothes. He wasn't wearing his classes, he had his hair fixed up, he shaved all his rough spots and the clothes actually accentuated his body.
Sarah starred at him a moment as he looked her over too and little did they know they were both thinking the same thing-whether or not they should just push aside their hunger and take each other right then and there. Mort snapped out of the daze first.
"Alright, I'll grab my keys." He turned away and headed to the door. Sarah followed behind him and grabbed her purse. When they got out to his car he held the door open for her and before she got in she slipped her arm around his waist and pulled him close to her.
Mort smiled a bit crookedly at how playful she looked.
"You haven't taken me in anywhere in awhile..." She began. "You think I can behave myself?" She asked.
"I hope so... although.. that red dress doesn't give my hope any justice." He replied.
She shook her head and leaned in to kiss him. "Prove me and the dress wrong."
He brought his lips so close to hers she could feel the heat of his breath when he spoke. "Gladly." And with that he pulled away and motioned for her sit down.

Mort drove outside of Tashamore Lake and into the city to a nice upper class restaurant called "Yesteryears". The two of them had been there before on their first date together and when Mort parked Sarah smiled over and him sweetly and he returned it. She thought about the name of the restaurant and about how meaningful it now was to her.
When the two sat down they ordered and little did she know Mort had something planned.
~*~

When Mort and Sarah had received their order of food, he placed an order for a bottle of expensive white wine. It arrived half way throughout their dinner and Mort watched Sarah curiously sip on her glass. She was wondering what the occasion was for, although she pretty much figured it was just because she had moved in again.
"I'm very happy that you decided to come back home." Mort said as he set his wine down in sync with Sarah. She smiled warmly and slightly nodded. "Me too, Mort."
"Are you really?" He asked carful to search her eyes of any misleading emotions when she responded.
"I am, I've missed you and I'm willing to stick by your side despite the mishaps, I love you for you, and I have a feeling that the real you will always win over this spell that you've been fighting. I want to be there for you like you've been there for me." She replied honestly and finally she felt as though with those words that her heart had made its exact choice.
Mort smiled at that and let his smile grow when he felt her hand reach across the table and loop around his.
"In that case," Mort reached into the front pocket of his shirt and pulled out her former engagement ring. Sarah's eyes widened, wondering how Mort had gotten a hold of it. Then she realized that he was carrying her boxes all day and she did remember placing it in a ring case inside a box marked "Jewelry", which would have obvious enough for anyone to find.
"I know, I shouldn't have gone through your things, but I thought it only fair that I bring out, it's been sitting in a box for awhile, huh?" Mort starred down at it, somewhat flirting with the fact that he was about to re-propose to her again.
Sarah nodded, "I do suppose, I have taken it out every once in awhile..."
"Shame to hide such a pretty thing." He shook his head.
Sarah nearly sighed. "Yeah, it is."
Mort paused for a moment as they both looked it over, a million memories swarming in their minds and a million emotions. They both looked up at each other at the same time and Mort took hold of both of Sarah's hands.
"I'm asking you, not to wear this now just as a ring or as something pretty. I'm asking you to wear as I a symbol of my love and as hope for the future and our future together. If you're not ready to marry me, I understand completely. So, I am giving you the choice, I will be in no way effected by the choice you make, because I know I have you back in my arms and that you love me and care for me either way, but I want you to make up you mind upon this now. Either you can wear it on your right hand, meaning we are just dating and living together, which is fine and also that you still aren't so sure about me, which I understand fully. Or, you can place it on your left hand and state that you are planning a full future with me somewhat sooner than later, and that you do pretty much really trust me now. Either way, Sarah, I still respect and love you. I just really want you to wear this, because it means a lot to me." Mort placed it between the crevice of both her hands and watched her closely.
Sarah sat there staring down at the ring in her hands and thought about his words and her choices. She made her decision carefully and looked up at Mort as she did it. He was pretty certain that she place it on her right hand and sure enough he was right. She saw in his eyes nothing of sadness of rejection, she just saw him smile and she returned it widely.
"I love you." She whispered, not knowing why she was whispering.
Mort's heart skipped, finding her whisper intriuguing. "I love you." He replied.
"Mort..." She bumped her leg against his under the table. "You still wanna prove me wrong about this dress?"
Mort eyes light up and looked around, thanking God that table secluded.
Then he laughed. "You know something, I'm beginning to wonder..." He stood up and helped her out of chair.
"What's that?" She asked as they went to walk out.
"If you're not the one who's crazy "
Sarah laughed.
"Maybe I am Mort... maybe I am..." After she laughed she thought about his words but his lips erased her thoughts away.