December 16, 2011

I was going over my list of people who still need their miracles and I decided we haven't given to a wolf member in awhile, so up today is part of the wolf pack. Hope you enjoy.

Clarification: Everyone in this story is human. I always refer (In my head) to the characters in the wolf pack as wolves. Same with the vampires and humans.

Quil's POV

"So how are things going with Claire?" Jared asked as we worked on his car.

"Things are going great." I smiled.

Claire and I have been dating since we were teenagers, and we have been best friends since we were in grade school. Things with the two of us just seem to get better and better every day.

"What's that smile for?" He laughed.

"I don't know." I answered. "I just can't help but smile when I think about her."

"Whipped." He accused.

"Oh, yeah?" I said raising an accusing eyebrow at him. "How's Kim?"

"She's good." He answered fighting a grin of his own. "Anyways, when are you going to make an honest woman out of her?"

My smile faltered and then disappeared. "I was going to propose on Christmas Eve." I said.

"That's great." He cheered. "Wait. What do you mean 'you were going to'? You're not going to ask her?"

"I can't afford the ring." I admitted.

I have been searching for rings for months. I just can't afford anything right now, and Claire deserves the best. I know Claire would be more than happy and fall in love with anything I get her; she's just that type of person. But I want to give her what she deserves, and nothing but the best will do.

"What's going on guys?" Jake bellowed as he came walking into the garage.

"Nothing." I answered. "How's Leah doing? Shouldn't you be with her?"

"She's doing alright." Jake said. "Apparently I'm getting on her nerves, so she told me go find something to do for awhile."

"I can see her saying that." I joked.

"Quil here was just telling me he wants to propose to Claire." Jared told Jake.

"Oh, really?" Jake asked slapping me on the back. "Congratulations. That's great."

"It would be if I could afford a ring." I mumbled.

"You're not going to ask her because you can't buy a ring?" Jake asked. I nodded. "I asked Leah to marry me with a piece of thread."

"Thread?" Jared snorted.

"Yeah, I wanted to ask her so I did. But, I didn't have a ring, so I used a piece of thread. I tied it around her finger and told her it was a place filler until I got the ring."

"That's a good idea." I said. "Oh! I could use a fruit loop."

"A fruit loop?" They both asked in unison.

"Yeah, she has a bowl of fruit loops every morning, no matter what. She says she can't function without them." I explained.

"Well, there you go." Jake smiled. "It will mean something special."

"You guys are weird." Jared mumbled to himself.

I smiled to myself just thinking about it. I was excited about the idea. It wasn't a ring, but it would be replaced by one eventually. If Leah, who's not always the nicest person, can accept Jake's offer with a piece of thread, then I knew Claire would accept my proposal with a fruit loop.

Over the next two days I kept flip flopping about the proposal idea. It sounded like a good idea, and then it sounded so stupid I wanted somebody to slap me. A fruit loop? Really? She was going to think I was so corny.

I went to the jewelry store in Port Angeles and shopped around. I tried finding a small, inexpensive ring that would work as a place holder until I could afford the ring she deserved. I knew Claire didn't care about cost, or size, she would love anything I gave her. It was me that wasn't happy giving her some little twenty dollar fake trinket.

By the looks of it, the proposal would have to wait.

When I got back into Forks I stopped at the movie store to pick up a few movie's for Claire and I to watch. When I returned to my car with the movies, there were a dozen roses and a small box along with an envelope on the front seat. I looked around to see if the person that had been in my car was still around.

After seeing no one near, I slipped into the car. I placed the flowers on the passenger seat and opened the envelope that was addressed to me.

Quil,

When two people are meant to be together such as you and Claire, nothing should stop you from binding yourselves together. The ring is not the most important part, the love that you share is. But, the ring is a token and a symbol of your love, and not only Claire deserves the best but you also. It is not often that a person finds the one person in this world that completes them perfectly, and you have. Celebrate that.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Santa

I read the card over three times before I opened the small box. I gasped as I looked in the box. It was a ring. Not just a ring, but the ring. It was perfect. It was a delicate white gold band with a beautiful diamond, nothing huge and unsightly, but perfect.

Only two people knew that I was having trouble getting a ring. I called Jared and he said he hadn't told anybody. Jacob said he had only told Leah, who claimed she didn't tell anyone. I had no idea who and how someone found out I needed a ring. I wasn't going to question it.

I rushed home as fast as the speed limit would allow. It was my plan to propose on Christmas Eve, but I couldn't wait. I wanted to do it now.

When I pulled into our driveway I realized that whoever bought the ring also knew I wouldn't be able to wait until Christmas Eve. The front porch was covered in flowers and both sides of the walk way were lined with candles, flickering, giving off a beautiful glow in the darkening night.

I rushed into the house and changed clothes, dressing in something a little fancier than the jeans and t-shirt I had on. I ran back outside and waited on the porch for Claire to get home.

I smiled and bounced in place nervously as she pulled up. She got out of the car slowly taking in the sight of the flowers and candles.

"What's all this." She asked.

"It's your Christmas present." I called to her.

As she walked slowly up the isle of the walkway towards me, I knew I was making the right decision. I couldn't wait until the day she would walk up the isle to me wearing white and would become my wife.

"Hi." She smiled when she reached me on the porch.

"Hi." I said as I gave her a small kiss and handed her the dozen roses. "I was going to give you your present on Christmas Eve, but I couldn't wait."

"You are always impatient." She laughed.

"I am." I agreed.

I took her hands in mine and bent down on one knee in front of her. She gasped and said, "Oh, my God."

"The very first time I laid eyes on you in first grade when you asked if you could borrow my green crayon, I knew we were going to be friends. In the third grade when you invited me to go to your birthday party instead of Justin Hall, I knew we were going to be best friends. In fifth grade when you let me hold your hand for the first time, I knew you would be my girlfriend. When we were fifteen and we first kissed at the school dance I knew I would grow up to marry you. When we were seventeen and we first made love, I knew that we were made only for each other.

"I think I actually realized all of that the very first time I laid eyes on you, and over time the feeling has only gotten stronger. Very few people in this world actually get to marry their best friend. I want to be one of those lucky people. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and only you. I want to have a family with you."

I dropped her hand and pulled the ring box out of my pocket and opened it toward her and said, "So, my beautiful Claire, my future, my best friend, will you make me the luckiest man in the world and marry your best friend?"

"Yes." She said as tears streamed heavily down her face. "Oh my God, yes!"

I slipped the ring on Claire's finger and it was a perfect fit. I stood and wrapped my arms around Claire and squeezed her tight to my chest as my lips met hers.

"You remember all of our firsts?" she asked amazed.

"I remember everything that has to do with you." I smiled. "I have a confession." I said as I pulled back slightly. Claire looked worried until I said, "Someone helped me get the ring. I was going to propose with a fruit loop."

"I don't care." Claire laughed. "And I do love fruit loops. You could have proposed with nothing and I would have said yes."

Santa was right, it wasn't about the ring, it was about the love. And we had plenty of love, which only grew stronger everyday.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter, I liked writing it.

Leave a review and I will see you tomorrow!