The Aftermath

[Emily Shale-Vanders]

The party had been interesting to say the least.  What had been planned as a fun event had been full of monsters and channelers and the like.  Emily for one, was glad to be home.  She was equally glad for the man that held her.  She hadn't known love before.  Of course she loved her parents and her sisters, but romantic love was a new feeling for Emily, and it had come out of nowhere.

Emily had known from the instant she had met Jared that she had loved him.  She felt as if she had loved him even before they had met.  It was a strange feeling.  She had never read about that sort of thing in any of the fairy tales or stories.  She sat on the couch with Jared - well, really she sat on Jared who was sitting on the couch - and his arms were wrapped around her.  She felt safe there. Safer than she had ever felt.

They hadn't said much since they had returned to Emily's place, but she felt they hadn't needed to.  Emily sighed contentedly as she leaned her head into Jared's shoulder.  She saw his arm move, his hand taking her jaw and turning her head as he gave her a light kiss. It wasn't their first, and the passion in it didn't come for the pressure of the kiss or the length.  It was ethereal, but it was definitely there.

Emily smiled as they broke it off. "I love you," the words came unbidden and without fear from her lips.

Jared smiled, but didn't answer right away.  She knew the answer - she knew he loved her too, but why did he hesitate.  He surely wasn't worried about her reaction. "And I love you." he said, smiling and kissing her again.

Emily sank into it wondering about his hesitation.  "Is something wrong?" she asked, when their kiss had ended.

"No," Jared said, smiling. "It's really the opposite...It's..."

[Jared Vanders]

Jared felt - at home. That's really the only way he could describe it. He had met a woman, and had felt connected to her. In fact when they had first met, he had felt drawn to her. It was a strange feeling. Jared had know he had loved her from the start, but it felt like more than that.

Emily asked him if something was wrong. Nothing was wrong. Jared currently felt better than he ever had with this wonderful woman in his arms. "No. It's really the opposite...It's..."

Jared picked her up and she giggled as he set her down on her feet. Jared held her hands as he dropped on one knee. "I have no ring, but this just feels right. I think I want to marry you. Will you marry me?"

Emily was speechless. She just stared at him with her mouth slightly open. Jared hadn't felt very nervous asking her, but in this surprised silence he did. "I know this is..."

"Shut up," she said and he obeyed as she joined him on the ground. "Of course I'll marry you!"

She kissed him and he could feel her smile as well as his own.

[Emily Shale-Vanders]

Emily felt her heart begin to speed up as Jared got on one knee. She couldn't believe that this was happening, especially because it was happening so soon. Jared proposed, and Emily felt her mouth open slightly, and she found herself unable to respond. She knew the answer to his question, but in her surprise, Emily couldn't form the words.

It was Jared's nerve fueled words that broke her silence. "Shut up," she said, kneeling with him. "Of course I'll marry you!"

Emily kissed him and smiled. Her heart rate was still elevated from the excitement. She didn't want to let go of the kiss, so she pulled him closer to keep him from ending it. He didn't pull away until she finally did to take a breath.

Breathing hard, she looked into his eyes. "I love you," she said again. Standing, she pulled him to his feet. "I know you have to go soon, but I want you to stay for as long as you can."

Emily pulled herself closer to him so that there was no room in between them. She kissed him and put his hand on her waist. "I have a few hours before I have to be back to HQ." Jared said, brushing her hair.

Emily smiled and pulled him towards her bedroom. She knew how she wanted to spend those few hours.