9. Proposal

Jess was wheeling herself through the open doors of the Cirque du Soleil Theater when she saw Matt behind the front desk. He raised his head and said, "He's been waiting for you."

When she finally reached the desk she tried her hardest to stay serious, "Sorry, but it's kind of hard to get around in this thing."

"Excuses, excuses," he laughed.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Just help me get inside."

One-Two-Three-Four, Up-Two-Three-Four, Shane counted in his head while he was soaring through the air, above the seats and back down to the stage. He turned to see Matt rolling Jess down the aisle of chairs, towards the stage when he ran over to the singer, Catalina, "Hey, she's here. You know what to do, right?"

"Yes, Shane, don't worry. Everyone is here for you today."

He smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Shane!" Matt called out. "She's here."

"Coming!" he called back. As he ran towards Jess's chair he couldn't stop himself from smiling because he knew that today was the day that was going to change everything. "Hey, you've kept me waiting," he joked.

"Sorry," she looked down.

He kneeled down taking her delicate face into his hands. "Don't be. You know that I would wait a thousand years for you."

"Just a thousand?" she blushed.

"No, more like an eternity."

At that she blushed to an even deeper red, which he thought was the cutest thing he had ever seen. "So, what did you need me here for?" Jess finally asked, breaking the silence that she never minded while looking into his eyes.

"I was wondering if you would do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Will you fly with me?"

Jess had seen him fly so many times that she had remembered the counts to his entire routine, but he had never asked her to fly with him. "Is it safe?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked while he extended his hand towards her.

"Yes, I do."

Shane picked her up from her chair carefully, which she knew he only did as a precaution to not hurt her.

"Can you climb onto my back by yourself?"

"I think so." Jess tried to climb the whole three feet from the ground to his back, which she managed after a few tries.

"Hold on tight," he told her.

When Jess looked around, she saw the rest of the Cirque du Soleil performers looking at them in awe. When she heard the music come on and the singer start singing she asked, "Did you ask them to be here?"

"No, I asked Catalina to be here. I think everyone else eased dropped on our conversation though," he admitted laughing.

When it was time for him to start to run she tightened her grip around him. He started to walk then speed up to a jog. Finally, at a full speed run they were lifted up into the air which made her feel like an angel taking flight for the first time. When he touched down onto the stage he said, "One more time, but I'm going to hold you this time."

"What?"

"You're going to be in my arms, while we go up," he said as the silk came back down and he wrapped his arms around in it.

"Am I going to fall?" she asked.

"If you fall, I fall with you. I promise."

He picked her up in his strong arms, and the feeling that washed over her wasn't fear, it was safety. She knew that as long as that he held her, she would never be in danger. While she looked into his eyes she didn't even know that they were being raised until the singer sang louder and they started to spin in circles while being taken higher.

Jess looked down and then back at Shane. "You know, you didn't answer my question," Jess said.

"What question was that?"

"What did you need me here for? I mean it couldn't have been for this."

"This was part of it," he smiled.

"There's a part two?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something."

Shane wondered how he was able to do acrobatic stunts in the air without supporters, in which one wrong move could mean serious injury or death, but not be able to ask a simple question. It was probably because of the fear of losing the one thing that he has ever cared about so much. He couldn't believe that four years ago he looked into those eyes for the first time and fell in love with a woman he barely knew. He finally gathered up enough courage to stutter out sounds. "Uh... Will... W-Will..." he choked out.

Jess touched his cheek, ever so lightly, that is felt like a feather. "It's ok. Just tell me."

He finally took a deep breath and asked the question that has been clouding his every thought for the past month.

"Will you marry me?"

Jess was frozen in his arms beyond control. A million things rolled through her head while she analyzed his words over and over in her head. "What? W-Will I m-m-marry you," she gasped.

"Is that a no?" He looked surprised.

"Ah... Shane, I don't know. I mean, you know my condition. I don't know if I will get better or even how long I have left. You could be a...," she didn't bother finishing her sentence, but he knew what she meant. He looked at her with his piercing honey-colored eyes, which made her stop gasp for air.

"I don't care about any of those things. As long as I am able to call you my wife, my one and only love, that's all I need." When he looked up, so did she, and that was when she saw a glimmering ring on a wire.

"Is that for me?" she gasped.

"Nope, I just wanted you to give me your advice on this engagement ring because I'm going to give it to my seventy-year-old neighbor," he smiled. Of course it's for you, silly," he laughed.

Jess looked at him and stuck out her tongue which made him smile. She unhooked the ring and closely looked at all the designs that ran around it. It was a silver band with little diamonds decorating the sides in a V shape with a beautiful center diamond."So I will ask you again. Will you marry me?"

She looked at him, this time with a smile on her face, "Yes!" His smile made her insides melt.