There's A Process To This Whole Proposal-Business

A/N: Sorry for the wait. But I am back, and this new chapter is pretty long and exciting. At least in my humble opinion. :)

Step One: Enlist a helper.

It's an intimidating idea, so much so that the mere thought makes him sweat. He won't admit that he's afraid to do this, won't admit that he's afraid to ask for this one thing that he wants, needs, so badly.

In truth, he'd rather face trained assassins armed with heavy artillery than have to do this.

The idea of physical injury and even death is easier to face than the thought of this...vulnerability.

Sure, they've talked about marriage, and how they'd both like to try again someday. But how can he be sure that the right time is now? How can he be sure that they're both ready for it, that she's ready for it? How can he be sure that she'll want her second chance to be with him?

What if, what if, what if she says no?

It's a mistake to mention this question to his partner, however casually.

"Carlton, calm down. She's not going to say no."

"How would you know?"

"Just trust me."

"But how could you know that?"

She rolls her eyes. "Look, you're never going to find out if you don't try."

"So you admit, it is possible that she might say no!"

"Carlton, don't be a coward. Man up, for God's sake."

Carlton glares at her. He may be many things, but coward is not one of them.

Her smile is victorious; it's obvious that she knows that she pushed just the right button. Then she softens slightly, "Carlton, I'm here to help you with everything. You love her, right?"

"Yes."

"And she loves you."

He can't deny it.

"Then the hardest part's over," she smirks.

Carlton sighs.

For better or worse, Juliet O'Hara is going to see him through this to the very end.

Step Two: Find the perfect ring.

They spend hours, over the course of several days, looking at rings together, searching for the right one. Carlton insists that this one is too plain, Juliet insists that that one is too gaudy. Too expensive for his budget, too cheap for someone special. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Just wrong.

Carlton is the first one to see it, but Juliet's eyes catch on it only a moment later.

"This is the one," says Carlton with an unprecedented amount of conviction.

He's absolutely enamored by it, Juliet can tell. And she can hear his certainty, and that's good enough for her.

"It's a beautiful ring," she agrees. "A little pricey, but -"

"That doesn't matter. It's perfect."

Step Three: Make sure you're on good terms with the prospective in-laws.

Juliet coerces him into a phone conversation with Mr. Henson.

"You don't really have to ask for permission, Carlton. I mean, you've both been married before so it's a little past that time. But you should just tell him what your plans are, your intentions with his daughter. Just keep him reassured, you know?"

"Uh...sure."

"Just do it."

He'd found Mr. Henson's number in Elizabeth's list of contacts on her cell phone, and saved it into his own without her knowledge.

Now he's got his phone to his ear and is listening as the other end rings, once, twice, three times.

"Hello?" answers the familiar voice.

"Uh, hello. Mr. Henson?"

"Yes?"

"This is Carlton..."

"Elizabeth's Carlton?"

"Yes."

"Hmm...let me guess. You want to marry my daughter."

Lassiter chokes on air. How could he possibly know that?

Like a mind-reader, Mr. Henson answers the unspoken question. "It was your voice, son. Nervous and whatnot. It gave you away."

Lassiter coughs awkwardly. "Yeah, well, you're right. I...I want to marry Elizabeth." He's not sure what else to say. God, he feels like a teenager compared to this man, a punk kid asking permission to take his daughter out on a date. "I just, I mean, I love her and I want to be with her and make it off-"

"Carlton, let me get a word in, okay?"

"Okay."

"It's nice for you to call. I really appreciate it. And I just want to say, I know how happy Elizabeth is with you...and for that, I'd be proud to have you as a son-in-law."

His relief is entirely overwhelming.

"Thank you, sir." It's all he can manage to get out.

"I know you'll look after her, Carlton. Mostly because if you don't, I'll come visit you myself. And, well, I'm not threatening an officer of the law or anything, but you should just know, I like to take my gun when I travel."

Carlton smiles slightly. "I understand."

"Good. And Carlton? Welcome to the family."

Mr. Henson hangs up right after that, and Carlton can't help but continue to smile into the receiver.

He hadn't asked for it, and didn't necessarily need it, but he got the permission anyway.

And it's nice to feel not only accepted, but welcomed.

Step Four: Wait, what's step four again?

Now he has the ring in his pocket and the pressure of others knowing; what he lacks is the right words and the perfect moment.

It's weighty, that ring.

Keeping it in his pocket, always. Probably a bad idea. He could lose it, but what if the perfect moment comes and he misses it?

A week passes and sometimes, when they're alone together and she smiles at him, just smiles, he wants to do it. He wants to get down on one knee and ask for everything.

Sometimes, when she visits him during lunch and reminds him that his bad day is not so bad, he wants to pull that little ring box out and show her. And tell her. In front of the entire station.

And sometimes, just sometimes, he stares off into space while he's with her. He distracts himself as he tries to come up with the right words, the perfect words...

Of course, she notices.

"Carlton? Honey? Anybody in there?"

He comes back to himself, back to the present. She's sitting across the table and their dinner is almost finished and it would be so easy, in the privacy of her home, to ask...

"Oh, sorry."

"Hey, is everything okay?" Elizabeth asks. She sounds worried. "You've been acting a little off lately. Is there something we need to...talk about?"

And he sees it. Some insecurity. She thinks something is wrong.

He has to do this soon or it'll drive them both crazy.

But...not tonight.

Tonight, he'll just reassure her.

Her hand is resting on the table, and he reaches over and takes it in his own.

"Oh, no. Nothing is wrong, Liz. I was just thinking...it's been awhile since we've gone shooting together. What do you say we go out tomorrow and get some target practice?"

She smiles. "Sure, Carlton. Sounds great to me."

A/N: Surely you can see where this is going. :P Oh, it feels good to be back with Carlton and Elizabeth. I missed them. Next chapter should not take nearly as long as this one did. I have a plan. Reviews are love, my friends.