Tim yelled "Dad! There's a woman in the wrong clothes and I think it's her!" from his careful perch halfway out of the car window. Patrick slowed the car as they came nearer to the lone figure, she turned as she heard the engine approach. He stopped the car and put it in park, with a quick word to Tim about staying in the car he then got out. She stopped on the road and set down her two suitcases. Quickly he took a few big strides over to her and hesitantly reached out to feel her forehead. He was immediately worried about her health, not knowing how long she had been walking in the cool, damp mist. After realizing she had no fever he felt like he could breathe.

He took her in, finally seeing her without her habit. She was beautiful. Her blue eyes twinkled, her gentle smile radiated happiness, her golden hair was up in an intricate bun, and her sensible clothes hugged her petite figure. She was so much smaller than he had realized, he didn't know if her thinness had been hidden by her habit or if she had lost weight as a reaction to the triple treatment. He smiled at the figure before him, so glad it was not his imagination.

"What if it had started raining? What if you had got lost?" He questioned as he slowly removed his hand, letting it fall beside him.

"I was lost. I got the wrong bus." She replied, a small smile playing on her lips. He took off his coat, flung it around her, and settled it across her shoulders. He kept his hands on the lapel holding it closed to try to warm her.

"I was on the right road." He replied smiling.

"Yes." She said back quickly, staring into his eyes. She took a deep breath before continuing, "I know you so little, but I couldn't be more certain."

"I am completely certain. And I don't even know your name." He replied, losing himself in her eyes.

"Shelagh." She responded with a smile.

"Patrick." He replied back with a smile of his own.

"There we've made a start." Shelagh said, the smile on her face growing slightly.

After officially introducing themselves to each other they stood on the misty road staring into each other's eyes. Her bright blue eyes had been enchanting him for months but he had previously always felt he needed to look away. Now he felt he could get lost in her eyes every time she was near. His glance slowly slid down to her lips. In their previous roles as doctor and nun he had always ignored her lips but now he felt he could notice them. They looked like they would be soft and warm and he so wanted to find out. He licked his own lips quickly as his eyes went back to hers.

He slowly realized they had stood there for too long and he needed to get her out of the mist and into the warmth of the car. When he finally was about to say something about heading for the car he realized her eyes had slid down to stare at his lips. He smiled even more at the idea that her thoughts had gone down the same line as his but knew she would not act on it. But he felt he had to act before the moment was lost, and who knew when they would be alone together once they were back in Poplar.

"May I kiss you?" He blurted out abruptly, his smile disappearing as he waited for an answer. Shock appeared on her face and he saw her swallow hard but she nodded yes.

A smile bloomed across his face at her nod. He reached out his right hand and caressed her cheek. He titled her face upwards and leaned himself down to close the small gap between them. He kissed her softly and gently. He pulled away after only a few seconds, trying not to overwhelm her with anything physical too quickly.

Her eyes blinked open slowly as he stepped back and a smile blossomed across her face, showing dimples in her cheeks that he hadn't noticed before. Her lips were as soft as he had imagined and she tasted of tea and sweets, the morning meal he was sure she had had before leaving the sanitorium. At the quick thought of the sanitorium he realized he really did need to get her out of the mist and he bent to pick up her suitcases.

She followed him back to the car thinking of the gentle kiss they had shared. He was so soft against her and he smelled like him, Henley's and antiseptic. That smell had haunted her for months after the Carter birth but now it felt like a warm hug.

He put her suitcases in the boot of the car then held the passenger door open for her. Timothy had climbed into the back seat so she would have plenty of room in the front passenger side. She settled in with Patrick's coat still around her, breathing in the scent of him.

"Tim, will you pass Shelagh the blanket you have back there so she can warm up?" Patrick asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"Hello Shelagh." Tim said as he handed the blanket to her.

"Thank you Timothy dearest." Shelagh responded to him with another radiant smile.

He paced in the kitchen of the community center waiting. He almost couldn't believe he had beaten Shelagh here. He also wasn't sure if this was the right place to be doing this. It held some memories that he wasn't sure Shelagh looked on fondly. But he wanted a private place and this was the only place he could think of. In the week since she had been back from the sanatorium they hadn't had much time alone together, but he was determined to do this without prying eyes or interruption.

As he heard her come in the door he grabbed the small wrapped box off the counter. He looked up to see her walk through the curtain into the kitchen. She looked nervous but when he smiled at her she smiled back. She then took a few steps to get closer to him.

"Hello Patrick." She said, as she approached him.

"Hello Shelagh." He replied before looking down at the box in his hands. He continued, "This is for you, from me and somebody else." He gently handed her the small wrapped box.

She smiled at him then looked down at the box in her hand. She gently pulled off the dark blue ribbon and then unfolded the wrapping paper. On the inside of the paper she saw Timothy's handwriting with drawings of butterflies and clouds.

"Please, will you marry my dad?" She read Timothy's note aloud before looking up at Patrick with slight confusion on her face. When she looked back down she opened the box that had been wrapped in the note and saw a small elegant engagement ring. She smiled as she looked up at Patrick again with a sigh.

He smiled at her and took the ring out of the box, holding it in his right hand. She set down the box and note on the counter near her and turned to fully face Patrick. He held her left hand with his and slowly slid the ring onto her fourth finger. He looked into her eyes again before leaning towards her left hand and kissing her hand gently. She sighed again.

They stood in the community center kitchen, once again staring into each other's eyes. Both knew they should leave soon to get to Nonnatus House for the christening but neither one wanted to end their moment together.

"Can you kiss me again?" Shelagh dared to ask. He smiled at her question and nodded. They hadn't kissed since that day on the misty road and oh how he wanted to kiss her every minute of every hour.

He placed both hands on the sides of her face and leaned towards her. He kissed her gently at first but it grew with passion the longer it lasted. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth to allow it entry. As the kiss continued to intensify his hands moved down to settle on her hips. She moaned in the back of her throat in response. Her hands moved up and she clasped them together behind his neck, keeping him pulled down close to her. After a few minutes they pulled apart slightly, gasping for air. The smile on her lips caused him to smile as well and he leaned his forehead against hers. He was already delighted she had agreed to marry him, but now he couldn't wait until they were husband and wife.