A/N: Sorry for the delay; I debated for a long time how to end this, and I got stuck for a while; also I have so many other stories and projects so...originally there was only supposed to be 1 final chapter, but I wrote way too much and I ended up having to split it into two parts.

"I…what…what are you saying…" Even though she'd been the one to voice that option first, hearing him say it seemed to cement that finality all the more, rather than her own wild delusions. Was he really serious? Part of her had expected him to retort and counter—even beg her to not end this. But to hear him given in so easily… "S, So, y-you…really do want to…b, break, up…"

Before she knew it the tears were flowing again, only this time Sio made no effort to stop them. So this really was it, then…all those years of wishing, hoping, dreaming and then finally living the reality, ever since that one day where her school suddenly announced the arrival of a foreign exchange student, just like that.

'Whoa, is that the new guy? Seems kind of surly….'

'Yeah, but ohmygod is he hot; those eyes, that hair—he can yell at me any day…'

Those were the rumors that started swirling the moment the British student took his seat, attracting the attention of the majority of the female population—and a good deal of rivalry from the guys. How they'd even gotten to meet in the first place—wrong place at the wrong time, or right place at the right time?

'Oy! What're you doing—'

'A-ah! I-I'm, s-s-s-sorry Muirhead-san, but it's just…this, this is yours, isn't it?'

'…Oh. Um, yeh, that's…sorry. I didn't mean t' yell at you…uh, Ogura-san, was it?'

He took her out to coffee as a means of apology, and then the next day they acted as if nothing had happened. Until the next time she caught him reading a book on the history of British military strategies—and shyly asked, complete with stutters, if she could borrow it. Which led to her taking him out to tea as a means of thank you. And then the next time…and next time… Until her best friend Kaoru Asao and her entire little circle of friends were pestering her about just what they were going to do, after Adam's stay in Japan ended. A long distance-relationship? Or maybe they should just break up and forget about the complications of having such a thing in the first place?

She hadn't been expecting that third option, not until he presented it to her: the last week before he was set to leave, and right after the two of them made love for the very first time, sweaty and tired and cuddled underneath her camo-print blankets while rain poured outside her windows and she was snuggled tightly in his grip.

'Oy, squi—no, Sio. There's…something I wanted to ask you.'

'Hmm? What's up…'

'It's…about us. About…I don't know, have you thought about where you're going after high school?'

'Eh? W-well, I-I mean…I, I don't want to end this relationship just because you're…going back…'

'I don't either; but I have a feeling…I won't be satisfied with just a long distance thing. I…want to be with you. Always.'

'…M-me, me too…but I haven't exactly figured out what I'm even going to study yet, let alone which university to apply—'

'—What about London? There's plenty of world-class universities there. Have you…would you, consider getting your college education…abroad?'

And just like that she made up her mind, told her parents the very next day she was going to forgo Japan's nationally-acclaimed universities and seek her future overseas. It hadn't been easy of course—the number of arguments they had, until finally they gave in, after seeing how stubborn she was.

And now after they were both graduated and working and about to take that next, vital step of their relationship, living their lives together—and it was going to all come crashing down in this one moment? Her blood ran cold and the rush of adrenaline was so strong she could barely keep her mind focused.

"S-Sonna…it can't be…th, that's, all there is to this…"

Her tears were so thick she didn't even notice him until he was standing in front of her, hands framing her face and only then could she see his tears, too.

"O-Oy, Sio…I thought, you…you were the one who said you couldn't take this anymore…?" There was a hushed intake of breath as she desperately gulped down her tears in an attempt to make her voice work.

"W-Well, I-I-I…I don't…know? I thought…I-I mean, if this is, how things are going to continue…then, what choice do we have…?" She was so tired at this point, not even angry anymore as she let him continue wiping away her tears, the touch somehow soothing even though a mere five minutes ago she couldn't even stand to be in the same vicinity as him.

"I—all right you know what? Just forget all that—forget everything that just happened, and has happened, and just answer me right now: do you…still want to be with me?" Those green orbs, boring into her own; Sio wanted to blink but somehow she couldn't.

"I…I…"

"Don't try and think about this logically; just answer me with your feelings."

Her feelings, huh? The same feelings that somehow told her to just go and ask him to borrow that book; then told her to go for it, and told her that her future was not going to be found in Japan…

"I-I, do…I don't want to be with anybody else…" It was the truth, wasn't it? The reason why even after all this time, she still felt so tortured each time they fought and disagreed and tore each other to pieces.

To her surprise there was a small upturn in his lips, very slight, as if he couldn't decide whether to cry or smile. "All right…all right then. I…had hoped you would say that…because now, even after all…that…I'm more sure than ever…that I want you to be with me, for the rest of my life."

"S-So…so you really want…me…"

"Yes, I really, really do, Sio."

"B-But, what about…"

He stood up so suddenly that Sio nearly fell over, but then realized he was merely going over to his jacket, fishing around the pockets for something…

"In that time that I was…gone, I did a lot of thinking. And I've realised, you are…right. I've been immensely selfish, and I apologise—no, I don't think any words I can say now would be enough, at least not right away…" His hands were still flitting around with some object or other, but Sio couldn't see what it was through her teary eyelashes. "When I…first thought about marriage with you, I was a naïve fool; I thought I knew what it was, but I've realised…I know nothing at all. What it means to you, means to me…what it is, I have to actually give, instead of just always taking…"

Somehow he was kneeling in front of her, but her mind couldn't make sense of it. She knew what this meant—had already gone through this once, and still she didn't understand even though the ring was right there, clear as day.

"I…know this is probably the worst time t' be asking this of you, but t' hell with it all; I don't give a fuck anymore." That tiny little band being presented in front of her; where did he find it? She couldn't even remember anymore when she'd taken it off, much less where she chucked it after their fight.

"I'll…ask you once more, then: Sio Ogura, would you marry me, be my wife, and someone precious to me for the rest of our lives?"

"Wh-where…you found it…" Her mind was in a daze, heart pounding so hard and all the words and stuff she was supposed to say—wanted to say, all a jumble in her own mind.

"Heh…yeh, I…went back, actually…when you were out…" His face was set in that very peculiar expression of his, the one that said 'well, what can you do'. "Maybe I should've gotten you a new one, but—"

"—N-No, I…I like this one," she whispered quietly; why were all those bitter memories dissipating so quickly? "I…I want to marry you, but…" Sio took a deep breath. Of all the things that happened in the span of one evening, she had not expected to be proposed to again, for a second time. And if they were going to be granted another chance, there was no way in hell she was going screw it up like they did the first time.

"Yes?"

"I…" Adam's gaze was unwavering, but not unsettling; fierce, but not unkind. "…Let me come with you, please…don't just, k-keep going away like this, and leaving me behind…" She sniffled, wiping away fresh tears. "How can we really be together…if I don't even know where you are half the time?"

As part of the hospital's team of on-call public health specialists, Adam's job often demanded that he leave London—or even the country—for extended periods of time, with little or no warning, and not even a guarantee of how long. At first Sio had been fine with it; after all, before she moved permanently the U.K. their relationship had been long-distance, no? But soon afterwards, she realized the relationship they had as students was very different than when they were living together and basically about to be married; the toll of his constant, unpredictable absences wore on her temper and feelings, aggravated by the fact Adam rarely allowed her to come with—because oftentimes the assignments were to more dangerous parts of the globe.

There was a long period of silence, Adam no doubt going over it in his own mind. For they had argued about this long ago, and many times; he hated the idea of leaving Sio behind each time, but he feared the thought of something happening to her even more.

"…If…if I, agree to have you come with me more often…then, you must know…it will be difficult." He sighed and brushed her hair. "You won't ever feel settled, we might have to leave at the drop of a hat…not all the places I get sent to are as nice as London or Tokyo, and…" His lips pressed into a thin line, and Sio knew he was thinking about something serious.

"…What's going to happen once we have…kids?"

The air seemed to grow heavier around them, if possible. Children…and raising a family. They'd only ever discussed it in a casual manner, never actually delving into the details but Sio knew for a fact both she and Adam desired to start their own family eventually.

'It's another hurdle I have to clear…but, then again, hasn't this entire relationship been about clearing hurdles? Long-distance dating, studying abroad, moving overseas…'

"I…don't know yet." Despite her outward appearance, she was feeling strangely calm now. "But, I know the two of us…we have the ability to find that answer. Even if right now, we don't know…I mean, wh-when you first asked me to move here, I had no clue what I was doing." She gave a half-hearted grin, remembering how she basically had to re-learn and orient herself from the ground up. "But we figured it out…together, s-so I'm sure…we can figure this out, too."

To her great surprise there was the low sound of laughter from him, something she hadn't heard in a long time. "Oh…Sio Ogura…now I remember why I was so taken with you…why I decided I wanted to marry you."

"Eh?"

A warm hand cupped her cheek and she shivered; it seemed like it'd been forever since she felt his touch, or anyone's touch, for that matter. "Just when I think I know you…there's always something new. And I want you to keep surprising me, for the rest of my life." The ring, with its garnets instead of diamonds, catching the glow from the lamp and filling her tear-stained vision with hints of crimson. "I admit, I…don't know if I have as much confidence in myself as you do in me. But I trust you…so, I…hope you like Egypt."

"Huh?" All seriousness seemed to vanish for a second as she blinked unsteadily. "E…gypt?"

"…Well, I did warn you we would have to leave at the drop of a hat. And to…interesting places."

"…O-Oh! Oh, I—no no, I, I got it…" It seemed like all the alcohol she'd consumed, including the drinks before she came here, were all finally starting to kick in at once; it was more difficult to think straight, and things seemed to take twice as long to process. "W-Well…I've always wanted to see the pyramids…"

Something warm was starting to fill her body; not from the drinks, but from a feeling that had been absent for quite a while now, as she could see Adam trying not to smile too hard at her response.

"Sounds good to me; I'm sure I can take a day or two off to sight-see. So, that being said," he gently took her left hand, stroking it very softly, "will you marry me?"

"Yes, I'll marry you…" Sio felt like she was in a trance, unable to move and only watch as the ring slid into place, and it felt like welcoming back an old friend. "I…"

"What is it?" What had been sharp and volatile was now soft and quiet; all those angry, pent-up thoughts and rage she unleashed just hours earlier at the bar seemed like a different lifetime ago.

"U-Uh…s-so, does this mean we're staying the night here?" She asked stupidly, brain too buzzed and tired to come up with anything other than the obvious.

He stared back at her, unblinking for a few seconds as he processed her words. "Oh…ah, well I…" He shook his head, amused now that everything had happened so quickly. "I uh, hadn't been thinking that when I first paid for the room…but hell, why not, right? It's supposed to be a high-class hotel and all…we may as well take advantage of it…it's also late…"

"Y-Yeah…" Still, the two continued to sit around awkwardly, she on the edge of the bed and he in the chair in front of her. Even though they'd basically overcome that monstrous knot of finally being honest with themselves and their feelings, it wasn't as if everything was suddenly going to be peachy again. But certainly the dark, heavy cloud that had been weighing her down this whole time…it was like a sudden gust of fresh air, and though she was still rather uncertain and emotionally drained, she began to feel the warmth of being with him again; something she hadn't felt since the very beginning of their relationship.

"W-Well, I-I don't know about you, but I could definitely use a shower." Laughing nervously, Sio attempted to wobble her way over to the bathroom—man, she really did have too much to drink—but then a hand reached out and stabilized her.

"Whoa there, someone's been drinkin' a bit too much, 'ey?" There was a husky murmur in her ear, and for some reason it sent a shocking wave of heat straight through her body, tired as she was.

"Speak for yourself…I can still smell the gin…" She muttered back, although truthfully she was in no position to be a model of sobriety. "Did you go pub crawling with Mahesh earlier?"

He shrugged, guiding both of them into the large, spacious washroom that had a shining porcelain tub with jets and what seemed like mountains of fluffy, white towels. "Somethin' like that…"

For some reason, Sio's mind wasn't working when he began taking off her clothes; it was familiar yet foreign at the same time, and by the time she realized what was happening she was half-nude, standing in nothing but her silk lingerie as the tub was being filled. She gasped and pulled away suddenly, much to his dismay.

"…Sorry. I guess that was too sudden…" Adam was turning to head out the door to give her some privacy, but something caused her to pull him back before she knew it. "…Sio?"

"A-ano…you can stay…I was just surprised…" She took a glance at the now-full tub of steaming water, and the complimentary bottles of luxurious bubble bath. "A-Actually, y-you can…can we, take a bath together…like we used to…"

Sio had only meant it in the most innocent of meanings—the tub was more than big enough, and she'd missed him scrubbing her back—but as his face turned an odd shade of pink, her alcohol-fuzzed brain finally made sense of the other set of implications. "I-I mean, since you're…here and all…can you at least wash my back?"