Thanks for the reviews! This story was a very emotional one to write. I'm pleased at how it's turning out and appreciate your input! Now Enjoy!


Zac rushed from Vanessa to his mother. Dylan joined them as they both embraced the woman who was sobbing in front of them. In seconds they too were crying with her, realizing that their grandmother was gone. Alexander Aames looked solemn as he watched the three but he didn't make a move to join them. Instead he took a seat and leaned his head against the wall. His son-in-law sat beside him and took his hand.

Vanessa watched the scene from the corner of the room. Again she didn't feel lonely, but she could feel the loss and the pain in their hearts. Tears welled up in her eyes again as she watched Zac comforting his mother. Vanessa knew that part of his strength came from her being there. After a minute Vanessa stood and walked towards them.

Starla saw the young lady coming toward her and released her sons. She stepped between them to take Vanessa into a loving embrace. "If you weren't here," Starla cried, "this would be so much worse for all of us."

Vanessa was taken aback by Starla's words. Did she really mean that much to Zac…and to Dylan? Was she more a part of this family than she realized? She unknowingly gripped onto Starla's sweater as though she were hugging her own mother and let her tears fall again. Zac watched as his mom pulled away from his girlfriend and dried her eyes as though Vanessa was one of her own children.

He watched as Vanessa returned to Starla's embrace. As the two women spoke softly to each other they drifted to the corner where Vanessa had been sitting.

Zac backed away from them and sat down beside his grandfather who had witnessed the interaction as well. Alexander patted Zac on the leg and saw the ring box in his pocket. He and Zac looked each other in the eyes as Alexander told him, "It's time."

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"It's time." What more of a sign could his grandmother give him than this. He didn't know how she had done it, but it was obvious to Zac that his Grandma Aames had put those words in his grandfather's mouth. But he wasn't ready for this, was he? Was he ready to propose to Vanessa after just a year of dating? It all seemed to be happening so quickly.

Zac looked around and realized they were still sitting in the family room at the hospital. He realized his grandmother was gone and that he, and his entire family, should be mourning. But instead he was worrying about proposing to his girlfriend. More than that, his grandfather was telling him to propose. Perhaps what Zac was worrying about was pleasing his grandparents, his grandmother in particular. Apparently she had heard his request to her through the beeping of all those machines. And apparently she approved of Vanessa. Zac thought he could already feel her watching him.

Alexander Aames leaned over to his grandson. "Zachary? I didn't mean right this minute. I more meant that you don't want to let her get away. And you have the tool to hang onto her right there in your pocket. Just remember," he whispered to his grandson, "an engagement doesn't mean that you've set the date. But it does mean that you've promised yourself to her. And if she accepts that engagement ring, then she's promised to you too."

Zac was amazed. In a time when his grandfather should be, well, grieving, he was giving Zac instructions on getting engaged. Grandma must've had quite a hold over Grandpa for her to be directing his actions this soon after her death. Zac thought. Either that or there had been other discussions about him and Vanessa behind their backs.

Meanwhile in the opposite corner Starla and Vanessa continued to cry with each other. Vanessa simply listened as Starla talked to her about the last few minutes with her mom. She described the moments as peaceful, when the machines were finally turned off. She and Alexander and David had held hands and said a prayer as they knew the time had come. Mr. Aames had spent the next few minutes along with David trying to console Starla. She simply wanted to come and find her sons.

Then Starla shared something with Vanessa that made her understand this moment a little better. "When David and I were dating, his grandmother had cancer. In the last few weeks of her life we went to visit her together. She was in a coma and I don't know if she even realized we were there. But David's mom noticed. On the day that his grandmother died David asked me to come to her house with him, where the family had gathered, so I went. I felt out of place, but his mom came to me and told me how much she appreciated me being there for him. That made me feel like part of his family, before we were even engaged. And I know because we were able to share that before our marriage, and knowing that his mom appreciated me, it's made our marriage even stronger."

Vanessa just sat for a moment soaking in what Starla had said to her. "Thank you." Was all she could think to say. Then she leaned over and gave Starla another hug. Before they broke away Starla whispered, "I appreciate you being here for Zac…for all of us." The women looked at each other and smiled tearfully, knowing that Starla had just passed on her blessing, again, for Zac and Vanessa to be together.

The young couple stared at the floor for a few minutes in their opposite corners. David, Starla, Dylan and Alexander met in the middle and began to discuss what happened next. They knew a doctor was waiting for them to give the word and Amanda's body would be moved to the morgue. From there she would be cremated and then a wake would be held. Again it was all moving quickly. Zac and Vanessa listened intently as the conversation moved into the hallway and included the doctor. The wake could likely happen in three to four days depending on a funeral director's schedule.

The doctor instructed the family to go home. This was all something that could be dealt with the next day.

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The drive back to the Efron's house was quiet. Zac didn't mention the instructions that his grandfather had given to him and Vanessa didn't talk about the conversation with Zac's mom. But they were heading back to the house alone.

Zac's parents had decided to spend the night at his grandfather's home. Grandpa Aames wanted to go home where he was comfortable and Starla wanted to be with her father. David and Dylan were going to support both of them. But Zac had declined the offer from his grandfather.

Vanessa couldn't believe that Zac had fibbed to Alexander, telling him that they had stopped by the house and dropped off their bags before coming to the hospital. Starla and David knew better. They knew that Z & V had come straight to Saint Luke's.

Vanessa had seen Starla catch Zac's hand after that fib. She gave him a questioning look and Zac had given her a simple answer. "I just need some time with Vanessa." His mom had smiled at him but Zac had just shaken his head and said, "I just need to be near her." Starla had smiled faintly at that admission and nodded her head.

As they left the hospital they had all shared hugs and kisses and decided to meet at Alexander's house the next morning. Zac gave one honest request, "If we aren't there by ten, call and wake us up." Zac was notorious for sleeping in and the fact that it was already one in the morning wouldn't help. He knew Vanessa was exhausted too. He didn't want to push waking up in the morning, but he wanted to be back with his family to help however possible. Zac had taken Vanessa's hand after his grandfather kissed her cheek and led her to the car.

Once they buckled their seatbelts Vanessa had reached over and put her hand on Zac's leg. She felt something in his pocket, something like a box. She knew it hadn't been there yesterday when they got to the hospital. But she assumed it was just keys or something that Zac's mom had given to him.

When they got back to the house Vanessa remembered the last time they had spent the night at this house alone. It was after Starla and David's 25th wedding anniversary, and just before she and Zac had admitted their love for each other. She remembered being nervous that night and having a short conversation with Zac about trust. Zac had blown off the conversation, kissed her on the cheek, turned over and gone to sleep. She smiled remembering that simple night, snuggled closely to him in his old twin bed.

"I'm just gonna change clothes and run to the bathroom," Zac said when they got into the house. Vanessa watched him disappear into his room and then heard the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on. "Well that's odd," Vanessa thought. But then she figured Zac probably needed a warm shower to relax after such an emotional day.

She wandered upstairs into his room and noticed his clothes tossed on his bed. "Typical Zac," she thought. She grabbed his shirt and folded it neatly and put it on his dresser. When she reached for his jeans she thought about the item that was in his pocket. It wasn't there now. Oh well, he must've remembered to take it out. Then she noticed the ring box sitting on his dresser by the shirt she had just folded.

The box was old and worn, obviously not something new that had been bought recently. She picked it up and rubbed her finger over it gently before opening it up. Vanessa gasped when she saw what was inside. A beautiful, antique diamond ring. The stone was set perfectly in a worn, gold band. She lifted the ring out of the box and admired it. She noticed the engraving on the inside, "To Amanda, with love." She didn't notice the bedroom door open behind her, or Zac's footsteps as they whispered to her side.

"It's yours, you know." Zac said faintly.

Vanessa's heart started pounding in her chest. He startled her just being there. And the words he said put tears in her eyes again.

"Wh – what?" she stuttered and kept staring at the ring.

"Nessa, look at me, please?" Zac's voice was still a whisper.

Vanessa tore her eyes from the ring and looked into Zac's deep blue ones. "This isn't how I pictured asking you. But if you'll bear with me…it seems like someone or something else always gets in the way of my plans." Vanessa smiled, remembering how he had planned to tell her that he loved her, but she had spoiled that plan. Now what plan was being ruined?

"I'm listening." She said as they continued standing by the dresser.

"This whole day has been crazy. I have never felt so sad and empty in my life and yet with you here, it's been bearable. And I've even found myself smiling, because you're here with me." Vanessa looked back at the ring she was holding.

"Earlier today, Grandpa pulled me aside and handed me the box. It's my grandma's…"

"Engagement ring." Vanessa finished. She looked back into Zac's eyes.

"This morning, at some point before she lost consciousness," Zac continued, "Grandma told Grandpa to make sure I got this ring. She told him when the time was right I would know who to give it to." Zac was looking deep into Vanessa's brown eyes as her tears ran down her cheeks. "When we were in that room, and I was talking to her, I asked her to give me a sign. I even told her I was dense about this stuff, and I needed her help. Then after she died and you and mom were hugging, it was like you were already in our family. You even said it yourself, my family is your family, and it's true, Vanessa!" Zac started sniffling as well. "While you and mom were hugging, Grandpa patted my leg and looked at my pocket where I had the ring box, and he just looked at me and said, 'It's time.'"

Vanessa's head started spinning as Zac was talking. She didn't know what to make of all this. Zac took the ring from her hand and sat her down on the bed. It was the 'I love you' conversation all over again, only this time he didn't have to pull the car into the emergency lane. He just had to keep talking.

"Nessa, I'm only nineteen. You're only eighteen. But we know we love each other. And I hope you know now, after today, how much my family adores you, trusts you and already depends on you. I'm not asking you to marry me next week, or even next year for that matter." Zac slid off the bed and down in front of Vanessa, kneeling on one knee and holding Amanda's engagement ring between his thumb and index finger for Vanessa to see. "But I am asking you to marry me sometime in the near future, please?" Zac asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Vanessa could see new tears forming in those deep blue eyes and she recognized them as tears of fear. He was afraid she was going to turn him down.

She couldn't take her eyes off of him. She couldn't speak. Zac had summed up this whole day in just the past few minutes but she couldn't find the words to answer him. So she nodded. She put her arms around his neck, smiled through the tears running down her cheeks and nodded.

Zac's tears started flowing again too. He took his grandmother's beautiful engagement ring and slid it onto Vanessa's hand. "This ring means that I'm promised to you, and you only." Zac said. "And by accepting it, it means that you're promised to me too." Zac gently echoed the words that his grandfather had told him earlier. "It doesn't mean that we've set a date, it simply means that I'm yours and you're mine. Can we agree to those terms?" he asked, still searching Vanessa's face, learning again every beautiful expression.

"Yes." She finally whispered.

Zac pulled her toward him, kissing her with every ounce of love he could find. "I – love – you," and he emphasized each word with a kiss to her soft lips.

As they sat on the bed just basking in each others' presence their exhaustion finally took over. "You need to change," Zac said softly as he remembered why they were there. He also remembered why he had wanted to bring Vanessa back to their house, alone. He didn't mean to propose to her that night. He had simply needed to be as close to her as possible. And, he realized, he still needed that.

When Vanessa returned to the bedroom she was wearing the t-shirt that Zac had packed for her. "Nessa?" Zac started somewhat childishly.

"Yes?" Vanessa started to climb into the bed next to him.

"I'm jumping around all over the place, I know. And I know we're both emotionally drained. But, but I brought you back here with me…instead of going to grandpa's house…because I just want to feel you near me."

Vanessa looked at him with sleepy eyes. "I'm right here Zac, I'm not going anywhere. And I promise, I'm yours." She said as she held up her hand, showing him the engagement ring again.

"I know. But I need to feel, you know, close to you." He started to turn his face away from her as he continued. "Can we, maybe, do what we did in Hawaii? Just sleep like we did those couple of nights, please? I need you as close to me as you can get."

Through the tiredness Vanessa could see the sadness in his eyes. The child inside Zac was missing his grandmother; but the man inside him wanted his fiancée.

Vanessa just nodded as she took off the t-shirt and panties that she had on, and watched as Zac undressed in front of her. She lay down beside him with her naked back and hips pressed up against Zac's bare chest and waist. They both fell asleep as Zac wrapped his arms around her chest just below her breasts, Vanessa feeling the warmth of his touch and his breath on her neck as he whispered, "I love you, Nessa."

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