"Graham, I wanted to spend the day with you. I can spend any day with Nyssa, and Tegan any Saturday." She says running her hands along his biceps.
"I know that, but this is all part of my plan, you have a spa day with two of your closest friends, they have my credit card."
"Graham."
"What, you are going to be spoiled today."
"Graham, you have been spoiling me a lot lately. From a few nights ago, yesterday."
He takes both of her hands in his, "my Love, my Great Precious Love, I will not always do this; I promise you that. These past few days, I wanted you to know how much I cherish you."
"Graham, I feel that everyday in the way you look at me."
"I'm glad," he brings her hands up to his lips and kisses each of her knuckles. "You should get ready, wear something comfortable."
"I know Graham, I have been to a spa before. I know I can't go in my birthday suit."
"As much as I love it, I don't want everyone seeing its beauty."
"So it's a beauty?"
"Very much so, with that I am going to leave the bedroom before we get distracted." He leaves as Ace goes to her dresser finding a loose fitting shirt and some sweats. When she comes down she hears more than just three voices.
"Liam? What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to visit."
"Why don't I believe you," she puts her hands on her hips, everyone but Nyssa knows what might happen when she does this.
"Ace, we have an appointment to keep." Tegan jumps in saying.
"The four of you will have to answer my questions tonight." She goes to grab a light weight jacket then over to Graham, "you better answer them the best. We live together." She leans up to kiss him before leaving with Tegan and Nyssa. In the car, "ok you two."
"We are not telling you he is planning."
"Is he asking me to marry him?" She is greeted by silence. "I take that as a yes. How long has he been trying to ask me?"
"Since Nyssa got here."
"You did say yes then," Nyssa points out.
"What?!" Tegan says trying to remain focused on the road.
"I said I would say yes, but he wants you; Tegan to be there."
"He better, I need to see my best friend get engaged and have her sappy happy ever after even if it makes me sick."
"Like you should be the one to talk, your long lost love is right next to you. It took me until helping out the Professor again to find my love. Graham is the first one to understand everything about me."
"We know that," Nyssa turns to face Tegan after saying that to Ace. "Let her be. We are taxed to make sure she is calm today." They arrive at the spa, "appointment for three under O'Brien." They get checked in, Tegan and Nyssa go into a room together, Ace by herself.
While those three were driving Liam is apologizing, "I am sorry for coming by early."
"She's your sister, you never need to apologize when you want to see her."
"I just wanted to see her before she is engaged."
"Ryan and John Nathan will be here in half an hour, want something to eat or drink?"
"I'm fine." Graham gets out a banner that spells out what he has been spelling out this past week.
"What all do you need help with?"
"I have some more decorations in the closet next to K9. I do have a question, your sister seems to be nervous about something and it isn't how she can feel I am about to propose."
"You don't know why?"
"I don't; all I can think about is the fact, Paul, the man who attacked me, is out on bail."
"My sister is probably worried about that. She loves you, more than I have seen her love anyone. I have seen her in a few relationships, but none of them she talked about before she started dating them."
"She's told me a little about them. I just wish some of them stayed long enough to understand her."
"She kept secrets from them too often, with you she can be open about her past without the difficult questions considering you know the Doctor." The door opens to too tired faces.
"The two of you are hung over aren't you?" Graham says not too happy.
"No, just played games into the wee hours." John Nathan defends himself and Ryan.
"Go get some coffee in you, we need you guys here tonight." They started to set up, people start to arrive, all took a train so cars wouldn't be in the driveway. Once most everything is set up Graham gets a phone call.
"Is everything ready?"
"No, Tegan can you drive her to get something to eat, use my card."
"She's still suspicious."
"I know, but please. We are almost done here; even with help we aren't done yet."
"What all are you doing?"
"Inside and out will be decorated. I want everything to be perfect for her."
"It will be. We'll be there in half an hour."
Got it, thank you Tegan." Everyone gets to work some have never seen Graham like this; he runs upstairs to change into his nice shirt and slacks and grabs the rings. When he comes back down he hears three car doors shut. "They're here," Graham runs outside to the back, Tegan had made sure before leaving the spa that Ace had changed into new clothes, Nyssa knew what her sizes were and when they walk in, Ace's mouth drops at the decorations and arrows pointing them to the kitchen then outside where a string quartet starts playing and Graham is on one knee.
"Is it time," she asks her friends and Graham; not noticing everyone including the Doctor as her Doctor pops up in his hologram form.
"I think it is Ace, you got this."
"I know that Professor," she focuses back on her best friend and lover, "Graham."
"From the moment I got a buzz in my pocket signaling the psychic paper was wanting me to go somewhere; something told me my life was going to change again. Then as I turn a corner, a woman almost swings a bat at me. After the psychic paper knows to trust her, she tells me her name. Ace, and she truly is just that and much more. After we get dropped off we exchange numbers and become friends. After a meeting between a handful of friends we share a first kiss. We start to date, I fall deeper in love with you everyday. The moment we move in together, I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Dorothy McShane, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"
Getting down on her knees she just nods her head, unable to speak. She kisses him with his head between her hands as everyone starts to cheer. When the kiss stops, he slides the small cut ring with peridots surrounding the center diamond on her finger. "Of course I'll marry you; you daft man." She finally says finding her voice. "I love you." As they help each other up their family and friends come up to them.
"Ace," she gets drawn into a hug from the Doctor and Ian shakes Graham's hand. "Congratulations. Out of all of you, I am glad I got to see the day you get engaged. I saw Jo's but that happened within weeks, yours took some time."
"A little over a year, Professor."
"Try decades for me, I always want the best for all of you."
"Professor until I met Graham from the moment I started my charity I didn't want to get married."
"He changed that?"
"He loves me and I love him. We understand each other, that is what is different." She holds out her hand that has a new ring on it and Graham takes it.
"We also aren't afraid to tell the other anything, one of the most important things in a relationship is honesty." Graham says not seeing Ace's face as she isn't keeping him updated with everything going on with Paul. She decides in the moment she needed to tell Graham as Jo picks up her hand to take a look at the ring.
"This ring is gorgeous," she says.
"Only the best for Ace, since she's ace."
"Graham," Ace gets his attention.
"Yes?"
"I am not perfect."
"I know that, but you are close to it in my eyes," he kisses her again and everyone starts to celebrate the engagement. Hours later everyone starts to go home. After the last people leave, Tegan and Nyssa, Graham locks up. "Ace."
"Hmm," she is relaxing on the couch.
"Is there any way I can see you in nothing but the ring?"
"What about a smile?"
"I always want to put a smile on your face."
Taking his hand, "follow me," she says walking backwards. "So," once they are in their bedroom she adds after lightly kissing him, "do you want to help me?"
"I would help you with anything," his hands move to her nice top, first untying the tie on the top of it, then slipping the top off over her head. She then takes his shirt and suit jacket off.
"You made this day one of the most special days of my life. It's up there when I started traveling with the Doctor and made the first million for my charity."
"I hope our wedding will be up there too."
"I have no doubt," she pulls his arms and they land on the bed.