The Proposal.

'So I'm going to need your help...'

Once Cory had said those seven words, I knew he was serious. The look in his eyes after he told me that story was really depressing. It had obviously effected him badly. He needed my help, and I'm going to give it him.

'Look Hayley, I know this relationship between us has only just started but I really need your help. Will you help me?' Cory looked at me with pleading eyes. Those eyes gave everything away. He needed my help, and I am sure as hell not going to turn it down. And by the sounds of it, its something important.

'I'm in'.

Cory nodded his head and then suddenly jumped up and pulled me into his arms and gave me a big bear hug. Once he had pulled back, he gave me this lopsided grin -that I can only imagine makes Lea go weak at the knees for- I returned the grin and then gave him one last hug before he left.

Lea got home late that afternoon after her shopping trip with Jenna and Dianna.

'Babe?' I heard her yell for Cory. But what she didn't know is that he's out busy arranging the night that they are about to have. 'Cor?' she yelled again. I decided that this is the time to start.

'Lea?' I called from the top of the stairs. She heard and looked up towards me. 'Hayley?, Is Cory not home?' I bit my lip to stop the grin from showing. Now I had to make up a good excuse for getting Lea to follow along with this plan, but giving her no clues or any whereabouts for what Cory is planning.

'nope, he's gone out to find some stuff for dinner tonight.' This was the first thing that came to my head. I kept saying to myself 'please buy it, please please please'.

I looked back at her from the top of the stairs and slowly made my way down. She looked up to me and looked really confused. 'Cory. Dinner. Food. Cooking? Its unusual for him to do that...' she replied. On the other hand, she bought my excuse. I walked down the rest of the stairs and smiled at Lea as I walked past into the kitchen to get food and make myself a drink. 'oh one more thing Lee, he asked if you could dress up really really nice for tonight please?' I gave her a grin and by the look of awe on her face she bought this and was going to do what I've told her to do.

Its 7 o'clock and I'm absolutely nervous. I don't even know why, I've known Lea since high school. I do want to do this, I'm ready for this big step in a relationship. I want to ask her this. I had one last double check to see if it was still in my blazer pocket. Thankfully it is. I wipe the sweat off of my forehead as I can hear Lea's heels walk across the hall way upstairs and slowly making her way down the stairs. Lea walked into the living room and all of sudden I forgot how to breath, oh my god. She wore this short black dress that came about mid thigh, with black high heeled boots and her hair was so beautiful. She had put in her bangs, and curled them, but had put it up so it's in a messy bun. It looked so beautiful, she is so beautiful.

'wow'. I said, my mouth hung open and I could see a slight blush come upon her cheeks and she looked down and away. I walked up to her and lifted up her chin with one finger and leant down to kiss her lips so softly but passionate. Once we had broken apart, I looked deep into her eyes and said 'you look beautiful babe'.

She looked at me with admiration in her eyes and whispered a small 'thank you'.

'well Miss Michele, shall we go?' I asked; as I remembered that we had dinner reservations at Fantino at 07.45pm.

'woah, Monteith. Where are we off to?'

'you'll see...'

We had got to Fantino at half 7 and had to wait at least 15 minutes for our table. So we sat at the bar for a little while until we were told that our table was ready.

The 15 minutes had flown by, and the next thing you know is that we are sat at the table, and waiting to order.

'So Monteith, what's the special occasion?' I was hoping this question wouldn't come up. I'm not usually good at hiding secrets. Especially from Lea, I mean I tell everything to Lea. Literally everything.

'No special occasion, just felt like the need to treat my girl once in a while. I mean we haven't been out to dinner in aaaaages, so I thought why not?' I could see her eyes brimming with tears, and the look of love in her face. I sometimes think that maybe I don't deserve her. I mean there's more guys out there who are more settled for her. So why me? Although; I'm not complaining at all, because she is amazing, and I am so happy that she is mine. And I love her to pieces. Why else would I be preparing this night?.

Once dinner had finished, even though Lea tried to stop me- I paid, I had asked Lea if she wanted to take a walk around Central Park with all the City lights in the distance. It was so beautiful.

'This is beautiful Cor' Lea had said. I looked down so I could see her face and she had that smile that reached her eyes. I love that smile. For some reason I'm not as nervous to do this as I was before.

I looked straight ahead again as I felt her place her head lightly on my arm. 'it really is' I replied.

We had just been taking a slow walk all the way around, but then Bow Bridge came. Its got to be one of the most beautiful places in Central Park at night. The reflection of the moon onto the deep blue water, the city lights ahead in the distance. Its beautiful. And its the perfect place for what I'm about to do...

After a long, slow stroll through the park, Cory had wanted to stop at Bow Bridge. I mean I'm not complaining or anything. This place is beautiful at night. 'Lee?' Cory's voice had brought me out of my thoughts. 'Can we stop here for a little while, just enjoy the view?' 'sure' I replied. It was lovely, being out with Cory was amazing. He doesn't usually ask to stop at all, he usually just wants to go home straight away. I laugh a little inside my head. He's so adorable. I wrap my arms around his waist as he wrapped his around my shoulders. Its so peaceful and quiet, I was loving it. All of sudden Cory whispered my name..

'Lee?'

'Lee?'

Oh my god, I am actually terrified now. I have all these thoughts going through my mind, all the negative points. But I promised Hayley I would do this, not just for her but for me too. I want to do this, I'm ready for this.

She had turned her head to look up to me as I said her name, she had the look of adoration in her eyes. With the way she was looking at me I had to go over everything Hayley had said to me days before...

'okay, Cory. What is it that you need help with?' I asked him sheepishly. I can hear him take a deep breath before replying to me. He looked like he was thinking it over all in his head before coming out with it.

'I want to propose to Lea, and I'm absolutely terrified. So I need your help to plan this with me so I can get it right and make it perfect!' woah, I thought. He spoke really quickly, but it had all registered. He wants to propose to Lea. Okay, and he needs my help. Shit! I don't know how to plan a proposal! I have to give him the best advice I could.

'okay, first of all Cory. You're going to need to find the best restaurant in New York that does Italian food. She's a sucker for Italian. I think there is this one place called 'Fantino' it's an Italian restaurant. Go there. You will buy her dinner, even if she refuses to let you. You will. Then you will go for a long slow walk around central park and stop at Bow bridge, its so beautiful and amazing at night. Then you are going to tell her how much you love her, how you know that you both are ready for this step. And then you will tell her how beautiful she is and that you will support her through everything she does...

Okay, I'm going to do this.

'Lea, you are so beautiful you know that right?' I could see her blush. 'I have known you since high school, and as soon as I had met you I knew that you were something special and you would mean a lot to me. And soon enough you would become a very important part of my life-' I was so nervous right now. But I have to carry on. '-we had our ups and downs throughout those years, but I still longed for you, and every minute of everyday I was with you; was the best moments of my high school life. Out life had changed after the incident, but we got through it together and it had made us stronger. I want to be the best I can be for you Lea, and I think we are ready for this step in our relationship. I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you-' I got down on one knee in the middle of Bow Bridge, and looked up at her. She had tears in her eyes, and I could feel them stinging the back of mine. They're happy tears. '- Lea Michele Sarfati, will you marry me?' I looked straight into her eyes then, and I could see the love, the adoration, the shock. The tears were running down her cheeks as she slowly knelt down in front of me and just grabbed my face in between her hands and kissed me senseless. As oxygen was needed, we parted. She had the biggest smile on her face going. 'I take that as a yes?!' I ask shyly. 'OH MY GOD CORY!, OF COURSE ITS A YES!' she practically jumped onto me knocking us both down onto the floor and hugged me tight. We parted again, and I slipped the ring onto her finger and lifted her off of the floor so we were both standing again. We stood there in silence just looking into each others' eyes. 'I love you' I told her. Then she kissed me so softly a couple of times on the lips, and pulled back and said 'I love you too; so much Cory, and I literally cannot wait until we start our lives together.' I had such a massive grin on my face, that I knew wasn't going for long time.