Prompt: Elizabeth accepts Henry's proposal, and then he promptly breaks down or gets sick, because he'd been terrified she would say no.

I normally like to keep to the skywriter proposal, but that didn't quite sound like the actions of a man who was terrified that he was going to get rejected so I opted for something simpler.

Elizabeth looked around the nearly deserted park and shivered slightly, drawing her jacket in closer to her. She took a deep breath, thinking back on the strange week she'd been having. A breakup (maybe?) and three days of solitude in which she had allowed her mind to wander through countless outcomes- none of which were particularly pleasant ones. And then, this morning, Henry had called.

"Elizabeth?"

"Henry."

She'd heard him clear his throat on the other line.

"Can you meet me in the park?" he asked, and Elizabeth sighed. She debated that for a moment- should she go? Should she tell him no? Could she tell him no?

No, she decided. She couldn't.

"What time?"

And now, she was here and waiting for Henry. She was early, but a glance at her watch told her that the meeting time was creeping close- fear began to creep in as well. What if Henry didn't show at all? How dumb would she feel then? Already she was overwhelmingly confused- the behavior he'd been exhibiting this week was quite unlike Henry, all things considered, and she wasn't sure why. Now, as she glanced up and saw him heading in her direction- right on time- she couldn't help the way her heart leapt in her chest. He approached, fidgeting inside the pocket of his jacket and offered her a small smile.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," he answered. "Listen, um, thanks for meeting me."

Elizabeth nodded her head, but didn't offer a verbal response, determined to play her cards close to the vest regardless of how she felt on the inside.

"I'm sorry for walking out on you the other day," Henry began nervously. "I shouldn't have done that, I just- I just needed to think."

"Think about what?" Elizabeth asked, her voice measured. Henry looked over at her, meeting her gaze, and took a deep breath.

"This," he said, and before Elizabeth could even process what was happening, Henry was on one knee in front of her and she felt as if her heart had leapt into her throat at the sight of him there in front of her, an engagement ring in his hand as he looked earnestly up at her.

"Henry," Elizabeth began.

"I'm sorry for leaving," he said. "But I did that because I realized how much I love you, how I can't imagine my life without you. I know I went about it the wrong way but I guess that's kind of the point. I want to be with you regardless, through everything. I want you in my life for every moment, Elizabeth. Every doubt and every bad decision alongside all the good ones. I got freaked out because I thought we were too young or something, but..we're not. I know what I want, and it's you. Forever, through it all." He swallowed hard. "Elizabeth Adams, will you marry me?" he asked, and Elizabeth normally would have noticed the way that his voice wavered but at that moment she was in too much shock to pay attention. She met his eyes and suddenly, an overwhelming feeling washed over her- a certainty unlike anything she had ever really experienced.

"Yes," she said, and she did so without even the shadow of a doubt. There was a moment of utter stillness, and then Henry dropped his head, his shoulders shaking with sobs. It took Elizabeth a moment to process that; it was not quite what she'd been expecting. Nonetheless, she dropped to her knees in front of him and drew his gaze up to hers with a gentle touch on his cheek.

"Hey," she said softly. "Henry, breathe."

He took a slow breath in an attempt to steady himself.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked gently.

"I just- I was so sure you would-"

"I would what?"

"Say no," Henry answered. They looked at one another and then Elizabeth laughed, breaking the tension through her own tears.

"I couldn't," she said as Henry himself started to smile at the sound of her laughter. "Come on, Henry, how could I say no to such a memorable proposal?"

"You mean one where prior to it you thought the relationship was over?" Henry asked, and as she nodded they both laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. Elizabeth looked down at the rng that Henry was holding and Henry took his cue, sliding it onto her finger with a shaking hand. She wrapped her arms around him as they both knelt there on the ground in the park and Henry held her tight.

It hadn't been quite what he'd been expecting. It had been a million times better than he had dared to hope for- and everything he ever could have wanted.