Once in a Lifetime

Epilogue

[Credit to: Samanddean18 for the idea. Thank you!]

A knock sounded on Tabitha's dorm room door.

Her roommate opened it and said, "Tabitha! Your boyfriend is here!"

Tabitha emerged from the bedroom in sweats and lowered her headphones. "Hey, Stiles."

Stiles smiled. "Are you super busy right now?"

"Um, a little. I'm finishing up a paper. Shouldn't be more than twenty minutes or so."

He nodded. "Do you mind if I hang out?"

"I don't. Liz?"

Liz shook her head. "Go ahead." She said quietly to Stiles, "She's had a rough birthday, so you'd better make it the best birthday she's ever had."

Stiles nodded. "I have every intention to."

Tabitha looked at him with a raised brow before walking back into her room.

Twenty-five minutes later, the redhead emerged and said, "Done. So what brings you here?"

"I'm taking you out. If you want to wear sweats, be my guest, but-"

"It'd be better if I put something nice on."

"I didn't say that."

She smirked lightly. "You didn't have to. I did. Be right back."

A few minutes later, she had light makeup on, was wearing a blue dress that brought out her eyes, and white ballet flats.

Stiles smiled. "You look beautiful. Happy birthday, Tabi."

"Thanks. So where are we going?"

"Your favorite food in the entire world."

Her eyes brightened. "Pizza?"

"Yup."

The two made their way to a nicer pizza place they frequented and got a table.

A waiter came by and said, "Hi. My name is Tom and I'll be your server. Can I get you started with anything to drink?"

"Just a water for me," Tabitha said.

Stiles nodded. "I'll do water too."

"All right, I'll be right back with those waters," the waiter told them, walking away.

"Can we share one?" Tabitha asked.

Stiles nodded. "Yeah. Whatever you want. Hey, Liz said you weren't having a good day. If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

She sighed. "Numerous things. I didn't do as well on a paper as I'd've liked, and there's been other things. It just... It hasn't been a great birthday."

"I'm sorry. Hopefully this makes up for it a little."

"Seeing you always makes things better."

Their waters were brought over and they ordered, at Tabitha's request, a simple pepperoni pizza.

As they ate, Stiles began getting more and more nervous. If she said no, he wasn't sure what he'd do.

Tabitha tilted her head. "Stiles? Are you okay?"

He blinked and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He was going to wait, but decided to ask her right then and there.

Stiles got up and went down to one knee. "Tabitha, we've been through a lot together, and I hope to have many more adventures with you. You're the best thing to happen to me, and I don't want to spend my life without you. Will you marry me?"

Tabitha smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'll marry you, Stiles."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why would I not? I love you, Stiles, and I want to spend the rest of our days together."

He grinned and slipped the ring on her left hand and kissed her.

The occupants clapped and Tabitha's face flushed as she turned back to the pizza.

She took her fiancé's hands and said, "This makes up for all the bad of today."

Stiles squeezed her hands. "Good. Happy birthday, Tabi."

"Thank you again."

The two shared a smile and finished their meal before heading off after paying.

Stiles dropped Tabitha off at her dorm with a goodnight kiss before leaving.

Liz emerged from the bedroom and asked, "How'd your date go?"

Tabitha smiled as she held up her left hand.

Liz took Tabitha's hand and looked at the ring. "It's beautiful! Congratulations, Tabitha!"

Tabitha was still smiling as she said, "Thank you."

"This calls for obligatory celebratory sparkling cider."

"Definitely."

Liz poured two cups of sparkling cider and the two clinked their glasses as Liz said, "To new adventures."

"To new adventures."

The two drank their cider and sat at the table. Liz kept admiring the ring as Tabitha's mind drifted to the man she adored and a soft smile crossed her face.

Tabitha's ring: