I sat down on the beside him, barely registering the squeak as I did so. I just couldn't seem to tear my eyes away from what he held in his hand, not even to look at Will. I desperately wanted to know what it was for. I wasn't stupid. You gave a ring, in particular, to a person you wanted to wed. To get married to.

Holy Hell…

"Elle?" Will asked softly, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of my reasoning for Will to have a small, black velvet ring box in his hand.

I glanced up at him. He didn't look nervous at all, he seemed relatively at ease. I wondered if he noticed that I was breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Yes?" I asked, my voice not quite working.

"Are you ok?" Will asked looking me in the eye.

Uh, no Will, I'm not.

I started talking before I thought about my response. My voice quivering as I did so.

"Well, you s-see, you're um, um, holding a, well, a, uh ring box. And I, I just don't really understand why you might, um, have that. Yes, I don't understand why you have that." I finished, somewhat satisfied.

I hadn't even considered the possibility that he might propose. No way. Yes, he was the reincarnation of a man who lived in the Middle Ages, where the average courtship span was probably about a good two hours long, but still…

"Oh, Elle, honey. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you with this…" He said, moving the ring box around in his palm. "It's a pretty complicated reason why I have this, but if you'll just hear me out. I promise I'll explain everything right now okay?"

I nodded, allowing him to go on.

" A few hours ago Mr. Morton called."

I nodded.

I remembered that. It was this afternoon, we'd been swimming. He'd talked for almost two hours.

Will took a deep breath.

"He was calling to tell me that the Order of the Bear has found the college where they think it will be best for me to attend. The president of the college and the dean of admissions are both order members. It's Exeter, Elle. In England."

He paused, knowing it would need to sink in and register.

"In England?" I asked with a panicked expression. I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. It wasn't fair. He spends three years going out with the wrong girl, and then when he meets me we only get a couple months together?

"Yeah," He put his arms around me and I leaned my head against his chest. I could barely even see, my eyes were blurred so bad.

"I told him that there was only one way I would go. Only if I got to bring you with me." I gasped. Will didn't seem to notice. " He argued with me, saying I might be distracted from my studies with you there, but I politely reminded him of that day in the ravine with Marco and how in all the legends it seems that Arthur always needs the Lady of the Lake's help. Yeah… so anyways he ended up agreeing with me in the end. He's going to try and get the Dean and President of Exeter to agree with him as well, but he thinks you'd be able to get into the college or at least finish up over there." He looked down at me gauging my reaction, because now I knew what he meant by "finishing up over there."

"You want me to move to England? With you? Before I graduate?" I blubbered, not believing the words coming out of his mouth. He was insane. I was a junior in high school, who didn't even have her driver's license yet and he wanted me to go to England?

"Yes, before you graduate. More like in three weeks." He said softly. He must've guessed I thought he was being ridiculous.

Not that I wasn't against this idea at all. I would follow Will anywhere. But how does a sixteen year-old girl ask her parents to let her move to a different country, start college abroad, and live with her boyfriend who she's been together with for all of two months. The answer is she doesn't. Because not in any universe would those parents ever say yes.

"Three weeks, Will?" I hoped he could hear the sadness in my voice. I looked at him. He nodded, not speaking.

"Why so soon?"

"The entire order, and even myself, think the sooner I start somewhere new the better, Marco won't be held forever. He might even make bail, if my parents ever go down to the police station." He got quiet for a moment then whispered to me. "He threatened to hurt you once before, I wouldn't put it past him to do it again. I don't want you ever have to deal with that again."

My insecurities came out all too soon.

"Is that why you want me to go to England with you. Because you think I'll get hurt if I stay here?" I asked. Wondering if he really cared about me enough to take me with him, or if this England deal was out of obligation. Not that there was a chance I could go anyways.

"Yes… and because I'm in love with you and it would be the hardest thing to leave you at the airport." I nodded. Knowing it would be the same for me if I were in his shoes.

I was going to have ask about this sooner or later, so I decided it better just be sooner.

"But why the ring?" I asked. If in fact it was a ring, which I was pretty sure it was.

"Because, I don't want your parents to think I'm whisking you away for the wrong reasons. I'm going to make them a promise, if you'll have me when we finish college, then I promise to marry you."

Oh no he didn't.

Oh yeah, Elle… he did.

"Wait, are you…"

"Yeah, Elle, I sort of just proposed."

Oh god, breathe, Harrison. In and out. In and out.

Will slowly got up from the bed then down on one knee and took my hands.

"Elle, if I promise to take care of you and love you forever, when the time is right, will you marry me?" I looked into his eyes. And I could see that he was completely serious. He wanted me.

I wanted him.

"Yes."