A/N: I feel the need to clarify that the name Mia for the cheating ex-girlfriend has nothing to do with anyone in Darren Criss' real life. I used the name because a girl named Mia cheated on a very good friend of mine. He was devistated when it happened and ever since that name has just sort of been associated with that type of behavior in my mind. Sorry if there was confusion. =D

Thursday

Catie hadn't mentioned the championship meet to me other than saying that she'd be leaving tonight for a school in Pennsylvania that was around four hours away. I wondered why and I thought it was probably because she had thought I wouldn't be able to see it and she didn't want to ask me to come with such short notice. She probably thought that would to selfish and she didn't want to ask that of me. If she had I would have told her I was going anyway, but this just made it so much better because I could surprise her. Her parents, Cathy and Brian, as they'd told me to call them, knew that I was coming and hadn't told her a thing. So it would be perfect, I'd get to support her and give her a special surprise, the kind which she could reciprocate, and I'd get to meet her parents!

That was later in the weekend though. I had a surprise for her today that I'd been planning since before I'd left. I couldn't wait to give it to her today; I just hoped she would like it. I asked her parents and her friends and my parents and my friends, well our friends, and they had all assured me that she would love it, but I didn't want her to just say she liked it because it was from me. I wanted her to genuinely love the gift and I hoped it wouldn't scare or intimidate her. This was going to be a long morning.

We didn't actually have to get up early because she had gotten an email in the middle of the night from her teacher explaining that a family emergency had come up and that class would be cancelled. Catie's phone had gone off alerting her of the email and when she read it she said that he'd been cancelling a lot lately and that she hoped whatever this emergency was wasn't too serious.

As it turned out we woke up on the early side anyway, took showers, got dressed and went to a nice little place I'd found close by for breakfast. When we got there we were served stuffed French toast, her favorite breakfast food, and I think Catie thought that was the surprise because she seemed to relax a little after being served. She got so much pleasure out of the littlest things in life I really hoped she would like the real surprise.

Catie's POV

I'd been pretty nervous about the whole "surprise" thing since I woke up. I was excited, but I really had no idea what to expect. I was sure I'd love it, but I always worried that I couldn't reciprocate the gift giving the way I wished I could.

After we finished eating I had a feeling that I was wrong about thinking that the food was my surprise. Darren could see that I'd gotten a little tense again and asked if I was ok. I told him I was just excited for the surprise and he seemed just as uneasy about it as I was. I didn't know what to think about his reaction, but I figured it was just that he wanted me to like whatever it was.

We had a lot of time that day because it was only about 11 and I had to be at the bus at three. I'd packed the day before because I thought I was going to have class until just before I had to catch the bus to the meet. So we drove back to the hotel and Darren asked me to sit on the couch while he went to get my surprise from his room. There went my hope of reciprocation; I just shook my head a little. He really did just love spoiling me. I decided that I'd have to talk to his mom about what to get him as a surprise sometime soon.

Darren came out of the other room and pulled the ottoman in front of where I was sitting.

"Catie, I have something that I want to give you that I'm hoping you will like and wear proudly." With that he took out a ring box. My eye went wide and while I knew he was more sensible than to propose to me that soon I still got a little worried. He must have seen my face because he chuckled and said, "It's not an engagement ring, don't worry. Although, I promise, if you'll have me, that sometime in the future you'll be getting one from me."

I swooned a little at that and said ok. He opened the box and it was a beautiful claddagh ring with an amethyst heart set in it. I was speechless, I'd been talking to my mom about how I wanted one because of being Irish and just because I thought what they symbolized was beautiful. For Darren to give one to me was just incredible. I asked him if the color of the heart held significance and he told me it was purple because it was not only my favorite color, but also his birthstone.

In doing research online I knew that there were certain ways to wear the ring and to I allowed him to put it on to my right hand with the heart facing me, showing that my heart was not "free". I knew before he said it that this was meant to show that I was not only his girlfriend, but so much more too. The ring means friendship, loyalty, and love. He told me that as soon as the thing with his ex had been sorted out he had started looking for one. He ordered it from a store in NYC that got them right from Ireland and he just wanted to pick the right time to give it to me. He told me that he knew he had to give it to me as soon as possible the day that I'd finally been able to introduce him to my teammates.

It couldn't have been a better time either, because I would have to be away from him for a few days again and now I had something new and incredibly special to remember him by. This was one gift that I couldn't find it in me to complain about not being able to reciprocate. I could tell this was his way of promising that he'd never put me through anything like his ex-girlfriend had insinuated and that he felt terrible for even inadvertently having made me feel the way I had.

I thanked him told him it was beautiful and that I loved it. It really was one of, if not THE, most thoughtful gift I'd received up to this point.

The rest of the time before we had to head back to school was spent simply enjoying each other's company. We watched movies, and cuddled, and I called his mother to let him know how thoughtful her son was, also to thank her for encouraging him to actually get me this gift like Darren told me she had. Mama Criss had tears in her eyes when she saw it and I was once again taken aback by how grateful I was feeling to have such a loving family of my own and to have been accepted into Darren's so completely.

Eventually I had to go so I wouldn't miss the bus and we parted ways for the next three days.

Darren's POV

Catie was a little teary eyed when I dropped her off to get her stuff and get on the bus. She said, "I'll see you Monday, baby," while we were saying goodbye and it was incredibly difficult for me not to just tell her right then and there that I'd be at the meet the whole three days and staying at the same hotel she was. I couldn't ruin the surprise though and I just told her I'd see her soon. It wasn't a lie, I just didn't tell her how soon.