Sorry for the delay, been crazy with xmas and surgery. Hope you are all still interested in this story. Thanks for reading:)

Charlie took a step back stunned that Tony had blurted that out. Michelle had stopped moving, stopped everything as though she was trying to digest what Tony had said. She wasn't sure she was hearing right. She stared at him and silence over came the room. All that could be heard was Tony breathing so heavily as he held her and stared at her anxiously waiting for the answer that would change his life forever.

Her voice had a glimpse of happiness that Tony recognised straight away but it was quiet and weak. "After everything I have done, after everything that has happened you want me to..."

He pulled her head up a little closer to his and cut her off, "Yes. Yes sweetheart. I've wanted to ask you for days...hell I've known you are the one for me since we met. I've never been more sure about anything in my life. I need you Michelle...don't you understand? Can't you see how much I need you? You complete me. You are everything to me. Please..."

"I would love to marry you Tony. I've never wanted anything more..."

He stared at her stunned. He played her words over in his head a few times making sure he would always remember them. "Really? You will be my wife?"

She started to get the biggest smile he had ever seen, "And the mother of your baby."

He kissed her passionately. When his mouth left her lips he kissed all across her cheek to her ears. "I love you so much."

"I love you Almeida. You are my whole world."

He sat up and started to laugh a little. Relief set in and it made him laugh. He looked at Charlie who was grinning from ear to ear. He jumped off the bed and hugged his Dad. "Did you hear that? She said yes!"

Charlie held his son tightly. "Oh I heard, I couldn't be happier for you both." He let go of Tony and leaned down of Michelle and kissed her on the forehead. "Congratulations and welcome to the family."

Michelle felt like she was in shock. She desperately wanted to be able to get up and jump up and down. For the first time since everything that had happened with Sam she felt alive again. Excitement was pounding through her body and she couldn't take her eyes off Tony. "Thank you. Oh my God is this really happening?"

Tony grabbed her hand. "You better believe it! You said yes! You just made me the happiest...the luckiest guy in the whole world."

She reached up and pulled him down so their faces were just inches apart. "You saved me Tony. You are the most incredible man and I can't believe I get to spend the rest of my life with you."

They held each other's stare for a few moments as images from the last year ran through their minds. All the secret glances at each other, all the times they brushed up against one another, made the other one laugh or cry...it all came together to create this feeling they had right now.

Michelle tried to move, to sit up a little so she could hug Tony properly but her body just wouldn't let her. The slightest move sent pain radiating through her body. She put on the bravest face she possibly could, not wanting anything to ruin this moment. Tony kissed her forehead, "Can I go get Mom and Jess? We have to tell them..."

Michelle nodded. He basically jumped off the bed in excitement. As he landed on the ground his ankle made him stumble a little but he didn't care. He steadied himself on the bed and then kept going.

Michelle slid her hand under the sweatshirt she was wearing to the side of her stomach. She looked up at Charlie but he was grabbing something from his case. He was talking to her, telling her how happy he was. She pulled her hand out slightly to see it covered in blood. She felt like screaming, she was in shock. "Charlie..."

He spun back around and she lifted her hand to show him. He stared at her bloody hand and for a moment without a word he leant over her and rolled her body a little to the side enough to see blood on the bed under her. "Fuck. Stay calm Michelle...stay calm."

He ran to the door and screamed at Tony. "Wait Tony...stop!" Tony was just about to open one of the other bedroom doors where Natalie and Jess had gone. He spun around to his Dad. "What?"

"Come back..."

Tony could tell by the expression on his Dad's face something was very wrong. He ran back. As soon as Charlie had told Tony to come back he ran back over to Michelle. "I need to get your top off, can you move?"

She tried to sit up a little but her head was dizzy and she wasn't strong enough to support herself. Charlie used one hand on her lower back to support her up enough so that he could slide the sweatshirt and t-shirt up. By this time Tony was almost back to the bed. "Tony, help me get her top off.

"What the f..." He stopped when he saw the blood. He didn't say another word, he just helped his Dad to pull her tops off. Michelle knew what was happening but it didn't feel real, almost like she was watching this happen to someone else. She didn't have a bra on, she knew in a second she was going to be exposed but the adrenalin had worn off and she was in so much pain just breathing was too hard.

Charlie had gone into doctor mode completely. This was serious and for now he had to forget that Michelle was his soon-to-be daughter in law. Right now she was a very sick woman and he needed to get the situation under control. With her tops off, he rolled her body to the side again a little so he could see everything. He could hear Tony asking him a million questions and panicking but his words were not sinking in. He started giving Tony orders, "Close the door, get me some wet towels and a couple dry ones. Pull my case onto the end of the bed."

Tony did everything his Dad said. Although it had entered his mind that Michelle was completely exposed, it left as soon as it came in. That couldn't matter right now, she needed help. He was thinking about how rough he had been whilst he wrestled her before and he was over-come with guilt. Without a doubt, the stitches had all come out when he had been trying to stop her. After he handed his Dad the towels and pulled the case onto the bed he looked up at her eyes. They were opening and closing and he could see she was in so much pain she didn't know what to do. His Dad asked him if he knew how to give Michelle and injection for pain. He did, so whilst Charlie tried to wipe the blood to see what he was dealing with, Tony gave her an injection for pain into her thigh.

"Tony..."

"I'm here baby. It is going to be ok. It's going to be ok." He wanted to kiss her and hold her and take away every ounce of pain she was feeling. He had never felt so hopeless. "Dad, what can I do?"

Charlie grabbed one of the dry towels and placed it over Michelle's chest with one hand whilst with the other he applied pressure to the wound. "Call down to the front desk and have them send a doctor up immediately."

Tony used the phone by the bed and called down. He asked if there was a doctor at the hotel, as soon as they said yes he told them they had an emergency and needed one immediately.

"A doctor will be up in a minute...now what?"

For the first time since he had seen the look of shock on Michelle's face and the blood on her hand he allowed himself to stop for a moment and try and collect himself. He stared at his son who liked like he was on the verge of losing it. To his credit, he could also see the agent in his son who was able to remain collected under pressure and help him. "Tony, you need to have Mum open the door for the doctor when he arrives and bring him in. I am going to need him to help me restitch this..."

"I can do that Dad, I've had to do it before in the field, and I can help you."

"No. Not with Michelle. Sorry Tony but you are too close. This is a push for me."

"What can I do to help then?"

"I'm not sure if you should be in here Tony..."

"I'm not leaving Dad, no matter what."

Charlie only needed to see the look in Tony's eyes for a second to see that there was no point arguing with him. "Ok but you do what I say. Please go warn your mother."

Tony bolted out of the room and burst in on his mom and Jess who were on the bed talking. "I can't explain everything but Michelle's stitches have come out and she is really bad. A doctor from the hotel is going to be here in a minute and I need you to let him in and send him into the room..." He turned to rush back to Michelle.

"What? Oh my God is she going to be ok?"

"Dad's handling it...please just do it, I have to get back in there." He didn't wait for an answer, he just started making his way back.

Charlie ran his finger over Michelle's eye that was closed, he wasn't sure how with it she was. She opened it a little at his touch. "You hanging in there? Do you understand what is happening Chelle?"

She slightly nodded her head. "Can I have something for pain?"

"Ok, just give me one second, ok? I need to check exactly what Tony just gave you."

As soon as Tony came back into the room they discussed exactly what Michelle had just been given. "I want to use a sedative Tony..."

"Whatever you think..."

"I want Michelle as comfortable as possible."

"Just tell me what to do."

"Apply the pressure like I am doing so I can put some things together."

Tony took over from his Dad at holding pressure on the wound. He was able to lean down and kiss Michelle on the cheek. "We are going to have you feeling better in no time baby. You just need to hang in there, ok?"

"Thanks..."

"You are so strong sweetheart. Just close your eyes and allow yourself to drift off. Don't fight the medication."

She nodded her head but he wondered how much she even really knew what was going on, she seemed so out of it. He turned to his Dad, "Is that the pain that's..."

"Pain, shock, her blood pressure...everything." He had finished making the injection and he gave it to Michelle in the thigh.

Within a minute of the injection, it was clear Michelle was asleep. Charlie had Tony help him begin to prep her side. He needed to give her a pile of local anaesthetic around the area before he could stitch it. He also needed to clean it up properly. He was very impressed with Tony and how well they were working together. Just like he had, he could see Tony had flipped a little switch and fallen into 'work' mode to get through the situation. He wondered if he had made a poor decision to take Michelle out of the hospital and care for her here. Physically, her condition was something he could easily manage, that didn't frighten him, it was the emotional side to the entire thing that was bigger and more powerful than he had thought it would be. Trying to help his daughter, Michelle and Tony through this was harder than he could have ever imagined, especially when he was so emotionally involved himself. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the other doctor walking into the room. He introduced himself as Eric and asked what the situation was.

30 minutes later they had restitched Michelle's wound. Over 20 stitches, however it was the position of them that was difficult. With the wound being on the side of her stomach and round it was tough, it didn't help that Michelle was so thin there wasn't a lot of extra skin to pull together. Charlie was satisfied that it looked good and everything was under control again. They thanked Eric and he left.

Charlie turned to Tony. "How are you doing?"

"Ok, she is going to be ok, right?"

"Yes, she will be fine Tony. We were lucky. You did a great job, I am very proud of you."

"Thanks Dad, I just don't know what I'd do without you."

They both looked back down at Michelle who was still completely out of it. She would be for awhile. "Let's get her cleaned up."

Tony helped his Dad clean up all of the blood off Michelle. Tony didn't even think twice this time when they had to remove the towel that was covering her to pull a new t-shirt on. He felt a bond with his Dad that he had never experience before. To go through what they just had, was almost unbelievable. After they had Michelle all done, they pulled the bloody sheets from under her and stripped the bed, she didn't stir once. They had Natalie call down for clean sheets. Tony picked Michelle up in his arms and held her whilst Charlie and Natalie made the bed again. He stood holding her watching his parents. Everyone was trying to be quiet so as not to wake her. She needed to sleep for as long as possible. Once the bed was done and Tony put Michelle back down he crawled up beside her. He asked his Dad for an ice pack for his ankle which was now really swollen. Charlie helped Tony get comfortable and then applied the pack to his ankle. He gave Tony some pain relief and was surprised when just a few minutes later he was sound asleep next to Michelle. He had his arm around her and her head was cradled into his shoulder. Natalie and Charlie watched them for a moment before switching the lights off and leaving the room.

As soon as the door was closed and they were out in the kitchen Natalie asked Charlie what the hell had happened. He collapsed into wife's arms and cried. He had kept it together for as long as he had to but now in the comfort of his wife's arms he let himself go. He told her everything except for the part where Tony had proposed. He wanted Tony and Michelle to be able to tell Jess and Natalie when they were awake and could enjoy the moment.

They checked on Jess who was now fast asleep as well and then they went into their own room. They lay on the bed and talked. Charlie told Natalie how hard he was finding this. That it was so painful to see Michelle and Tony going through all of this and that there was no easy quick answer to any of it. They discussed what had happened with Jess that had kick-started everything. They knew they needed to get Jess talking to someone as soon as possible. They couldn't force Michelle or Tony but they certainly could with Jess. They spent a couple hours talking about everything and trying to come up with somewhat of a game plan to get their family through the next few days. Eventually they both drifted off to sleep.

Everyone slept for over 9 hours. When Michelle opened her eyes she found him watching her, his face so close to hers. "Hey sweetheart, how you feeling?"

"I'm ok, how are you?" It was taking a few moments for Michelle to figure out what had happened. Everything was a blur.

"I'm good baby, I love sleeping in your arms. Do you remember what happened sweetheart?"

Michelle thought for a moment. Flashes of everything started flying through her mind. "Yeah I think so..."

Tony's heart pounded as he asked the question, "Do you remember telling me you would marry me?"

It hit her like a ton of bricks but in the best way possible. She had forgotten for a moment but the second he said it, she could remember every word that was said. "Oh my God Tony, we are going to get married!"

He smiled and then shifted so that he was lying on his side supporting himself up on his elbow and leaning over her. "Do you still feel the same way?"

"Of course I do...that's about the only thing I am certain of at the moment...is how much I love you and want to marry you."

He didn't want to ruin the moment but for his own sanity he had to say it. "You know what this means now don't you baby?"

"What?"

"You can't run anymore. This is a pact that you and I are in everything together from now on. I just can't handle feeling like I am going to lose you anymore baby, it's killing me..."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"No, I don't want you to be sorry Chelle. I understand, I do. If I had been in your shoes before I would have felt the same way. I am so sorry for what Jess said. She didn't mean it but I can understand how it made you feel. I know you better than anyone baby and I know how hurt you were."

"I just hated hearing her say that it should have been her that Sam did that to. I don't want her to feel guilty for any of it Tony. She didn't say anything I wasn't already thinking of myself. I wish I had been..."

"No baby...you did everything the best you possibly could have. I know you have been feeling that way. Because you are an agent you have placed a very unrealistic pressure on yourself. I don't know what you could possibly think you could have done better but the honest truth?"

"Yeah?"

"Knowing you baby...and I am not saying this in a bad way, I would be the same, I am the same...anything other than absolutely nothing happening with Sam is the only thing you would settle for. You are trying to shoulder responsibility for everything that happened but you are not letting anyone else in. We all had a role to play. Do you know how angry I am with myself for making you stay in the car whilst I went into the house?"

"You can't think like that Tony, you were trying to protect me..."

He kissed her gently, "And you were trying to protect us."

She stared at him. She was so completely consumed with love for him.

"Right?" He pushed her.

Finally she agreed with him. "Right."

"So anything that happens from here on out, will you try and trust in me and my ability to understand how you are feeling? If you talk to me, tell me how you are feeling then I can help you but if you keep going back to that dark place of thinking you are alone, or that I am disappointed with you then you are going to keep pushing me away...and that's what I can't handle."

"I don't mean to Tony. It's just that I can't help but have moments, especially like what just happened when I get so so scared that you are going to be angry with me or...or I feel so angry and frustrated over what happened that I struggle to understand how you could want to be with me."

As much as he was so happy and grateful that she was opening up and talking to him, it hurt like hell. He had dealt with enough victims in his life to completely understand why Michelle felt the way she did and he knew that it was going to take a long time of constant-enforcement to make her truly believe she did the best she could and that none of what happened was her fault. "Baby, what you are feeling is so normal but it is also so wrong. When you feel that way, next time I want you to try and stop and look at me...look in my eyes and see how much I love you...try and listen to what I am saying and hear the words. I'll do everything I can to pull you out of that dark place but it is only going to work if you trust in me and let me in. I love you so much and I promise you Michelle, we are going to get through this."

She trailed her hand from his forehead down his cheek. "I've never had someone so protective of me, someone that looks after me the way you do. Trust me Tony, I appreciate it more than you could ever imagine. I promise you, I will try harder. I'll try and stop and tell you how I am feeling before trying to run and deal with it myself. I'm just getting use to having someone to turn to. I am closer to you than I have ever been with anyone...not even my Dad. What I have with you is like nothing I have ever experienced."

He smiled and kissed her finger. "I love you. God, it feels so good to talk to you again like this. I need you so much Chelle. When we are holding each other and talking like this...I feel like there is nothing in the world we can't get through. You make me feel so strong."

"Me too baby, me too."

The kissed softly for a few moments. Tony opened her mouth with his tongue and found hers. They took it slow and gentle but it was still very passionate. He had missed this so much, it felt like forever since he had kissed her like this. He didn't know what was going to be too much too soon, and he found himself start to hesitate and pull back a little but she didn't let him. She reached her hand around his neck and pulled him back in. She deepened the kiss and ran her hands through his hair. She heard him moan quietly and it reminded her of all the times they had been together. How much she loved being so close to Tony. In some ways she still looked at him as her ultimate fantasy, one she had spent a long time wondering if she would ever have.

She felt him go to place his hand on her stomach and then quickly remove it, then she felt it go to land on her arm but then lift off again. She didn't want him to feel like he couldn't touch her. She barely broke the kiss as she whispered into his mouth, "It's ok Tony...you can touch me."

His breathing was getting heavier the more he was getting turned on. "Where?"

She looked him in the eyes and panted, "Everywhere...anywhere, I am yours remember."

He groaned and collapsed his head into her neck. He continued to kiss her. "I don't want to hurt you...or rush you...or..."

"Hey, hey, you could never hurt me. What do you want baby?"

His voice sounded desperate. "Everything..." he laughed a little and smiled. "Remember at the hospital I told you I wanted to kiss every inch of you and..."

"Yes."

"I just need you so much Chelle. I never feel like I can get close enough to you. Even when I am inside you, I want to be closer..."

His words made her head spin and she pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him strongly. She moaned into his mouth and minutes and minutes passed as they just kissed. Eventually his hand landed on the side of her neck and he held on tighter. She trailed her hand up and down his chest, under his shirt. After a long time, she knew he wasn't going to be able to touch her unless she showed him what she was comfortable with. She loved that about him, he made her feel so safe. She placed her hand over his and slowly moved it down to her breasts. She held her breath but she could hear him panting and struggling to breathe properly. She kept her hand over his for a moment. He stopped the kiss and looked at her.

Tony needed to see in her eyes that she was alright. That she wasn't pushing or rushing herself for his sake. He kept his head close to her and they held the most powerful eye contact as he so gently began to hold her. He knew she had areas where she was hurt, he knew exactly where they were and avoided them. It felt so nice to be intimate with her again. He was so gentle with her and it actually started to feel like a little bit of a healing process. He studied her eyes, ready to pull back the moment he saw a look of uncertainty in them but he didn't. He saw nothing but love and that look she got in her eyes when he touched her. It was something he had first noticed in her apartment after they had been at the cemetery. It was a look that felt like it was just for him, that his touch was sending her to another place and it was the best feeling in the world. When he saw her scrunch up her face just the slightest he knew they were there. There was nothing else in their thoughts but each other and the feeling of being together, so close. It had scared him he might never see that look on her face again. That after what she had been through, she wouldn't be able to lose herself in him anymore but now he could see that there was every reason to believe they could get back what they had. His touch was more powerful than Sam's, his love was strong enough to pull her out of that dark place and he would have the chance to spend every day for the rest of his life making her as happy as she made him.

An hour passed as they did nothing more than kiss and hold each other and it was the most precious hour in the world to both of them. She sucked so hard on his chest, she left a dark mark and they both giggled like teenagers. She looked at the mark proudly and he said he could do better and before he knew it, she was egging him on to prove it. He sucked on her shoulder giving her the biggest hickey, they both laughed. The laughed so much that she ended up telling him he had to stop because she needed the bathroom.

"Do you think you can get up? I'll help you."

She nodded her head. "Yup, just go slow."

As they sat up, they inspected his ankle which was still very swollen. "Does it hurt?"

He laughed, "Yup, fucking kills. That's the last time I kick a metal shelf." He kept smiling so she would know he was ok. It took her a moment but then she smiled with him.

It took them quite awhile to get off the bed and go to the bathroom and wash up. Michelle was sore and stiff and she was slow moving but she felt good to be up again. "Do you think we can shower Tony? I really want a shower."

"Let me ask Dad baby. I don't know if you can get your side wet or not. Want to wait here and I'll be back in a minute?"

He went to leave but could see a look of hesitation on Michelle's face. "What are you thinking?"

"Nah, it's...I mean I know there wasn't any way around it...I just remembered that I was pretty...ummm...exposed ummm before with your Dad."

Tony wrapped his arms around her, he could understand how that would make her feel. "Trust me sweetheart, he was in such 'doctor' mode that..."

She waved her hand, "I know, really it's alright. I'll never be able to thank your Dad enough for the way he has looked after me."

He watched her for a few moments to make sure she really was ok before heading out to find his Dad.

Tony found his parents in the kitchen area having coffee and was surprised to learn that Jess was in the other room with the woman counsellor. He was really happy to hear that she was open to talking to someone and that Charlie had been able to organize it so quickly. He hugged both his parents. They were more than eager to hear how Michelle was doing. He said that she had slept well and woken up feeling a lot lighter about everything. He could see the look of relief on both his parents faces. He then told his Dad that they would come out and join them all for food but first they wanted a shower and he needed to know if that was alright with Michelle's wound. Charlie said he would come and wrap it with waterproof tape so she could shower. Charlie followed Tony back to the bedroom and they found Michelle sitting on the end of the bed waiting.

As soon as Charlie walked in, she stood up and gave him a huge hug. She caught him by surprise but it felt really nice. "It's so nice to see you up and smiling Chelle."

"Thank you for last night, or this morning on whenever it was. You were amazing Charlie."

"Hey...I promised you I would look after you." They held eye contact for a moment. "You have been through so much Michelle and you still continue to amaze me."

"Thanks doc! I can certainly say you have seen me at my worst now and I really appreciate you...ummm...making things comfortable for me. With everything that has happened, I really trust you and you have been so gentle and kind with me."

Charlie couldn't do anything but smile. After how seriously upset he had been before watching her in so much pain, seeing her now smiling and thanking him was one of the best feelings in the world. He leaned in to both of them, "Just so you know...I didn't tell mom or Jess about your engagement, I figured you both would want to tell them and maybe we could all celebrate over a meal after you have showered?"

That made both of them grin ear to ear. "We would love that!"

Charlie applied a waterproof tape to Michelle's wound and took her blood pressure. He was relieved to see it was the lowest it had been. Tony and Michelle struggled to keep a straight face when he then launched back into 'doctor/dad mode' giving them instructions on how careful to be showering. He wanted Michelle to sit on a plastic chair in the shower and Tony to be with her at all times. As he turned to walk out he laughed, "And don't think I can't see you both laughing at me!"

Tony and Michelle giggled as they made their way back to the bathroom. Under the water Tony held Michelle tightly. He could see again how much she was loving showering. She went to grab a scrub brush but he gently took it from her hand and reminded her he was in charge. He promised he would use half a bottle of soap on her again if she wanted but she had to let him do it. Whilst on one hand it was hard for Michelle to hand over control to Tony when she wanted to go crazy scrubbing herself, she knew this time it was for the better and she didn't want to argue with him. She talked him into letting her wash his hair, which he had never had someone else do for him and once she started massaging his head whilst she did it, he decided she could wash his hair every day for the rest of his life if she wanted. It took them nearly an hour to shower, dress and be ready to head out to the family. Everything took a lot of energy out of Michelle and she constantly needed to sit and rest for a minute. Tony was just so happy to see her not resisting how her body was feeling and looking after herself. They talked and laughed the whole time. Michelle soaked up every second of having such a good time with Tony. They were so excited to tell Jess and Natalie that they were engaged. Michelle was a little nervous about what it would be like with Jess but Tony kept assuring her everything would be ok. They kissed on the lips before he helped her make her way out to the kitchen with everyone else.

Thanks for reading. Please take the time to review and let me know what you think and if I should continue to write this story and post here. Hope you all had a great Christmas holiday! Cheers