As Fate Would Have It

Ten

                        *several weeks later*

     It's almost 6:30.  I'm getting ready for my date with Courtney tonight.  I put on a suit and tie and everything.  I comb my hair back and put on a little cologne.  I take another glance at my watch.  6:24.  Aw, close enough!  I lace up my red converse.  Hey!  Something has to remain "Duncan-like". I make sure I have everything I need. Keys. Phone. Jewelry box. Check, check, and check. I lock the door to my apartment and go across the hall to Courtney's. I knock on her door.

"Just a minute!" Her voice shouts from behind the closed door. A few minutes later, the door opens and closes. I look over and see her. She's wearing a sparkly green cocktail dress. It's a halter and goes all the way to the floor. There's a slit at the bottom that runs all the way to her mid-thigh. She's carrying a matching handbag. Courtney's wearing big gold hoops in her first ear piercing with crystal studs in her second ear piercing. On her wrist, there's a small gold watch.

"Wow. You. Look. Hot." I stammer as I rub the back of my neck. Courtney blushes and laughs.

"Thanks. So do you." She laughs, slipping her arm through mine. She points to my feet. "I'm really digging the converse."

"You do?" I question, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's the true Duncan style," she answers. "Now where are you taking me? All I know is that you said to dress up and that it was 'incredibly fancy'..."

"You'll see, Princess." I lead her to the stairs.

"Um, Duncan, I'm in a dress. Isn't the elevator working?" Courtney protests.

"Who knows," I answer with a smirk. I put my arm around her waist and swing her legs up into my arms. I proceed to carry her down the stairs bridal style.

"Duncan Nelson!" she exclaims. Then her tone changes. "Woah, you must be like really strong..."

"What was that, Princess? Were you complimenting me?" I say in a mockery tone. I give her a look and she punches my shoulder. Her feistiness is one of the many things I love about her.

"Whatever." Courtney says, rolling her dark brown eyes. "But, I mean you did just carry me down four flights of stairs..."

"I'm glad you're impressed, but just wait 'til later..." I reply with a wink. She giggles and I continue to carry her all the way to my car. I set her down in the passenger seat and close the door. Once I sit down in the driver's seat and start the car, Court leans over and kisses me on the cheek. I smile at her and she smiles back.

It's a bit of a long drive to the place I'm taking her. I pull into the parking lot of the Melting Pot.

"Omigosh, Duncan! I love the Melting Pot!" Courtney gasps.

"I know, Princess." I get out of the car and open her door for her. We walk up the steps to the restaurant and I open the door for her again. We enter and I go up to the girl at the podium.

"Reservation for Nelson," I say to her. She looks at the list in front of her.

"Follow me," she says. Courtney and I follow her to a dimly lit table for two. There's one burner in the center of the table for the fondue pot. We slide into the small booth and the waitress hands us our menus.

"My name's Ava and I'll be your server for the night. Would either of you like the wine of the day to start?" greets the waitress.

"Yes, I'll try it." says Courtney. They both look at me.

"None for me, I have to drive." I sigh. " I'll just have some water." Ava nods and walks off.

"How responsible and mature of you, Duncan." Courtney says, grinning at me with her head sitting on her hands, leaning over the table.

"Well, Courtney, I am 27 now..." I say, poking her nose with my pointer finger causing her to wrinkle her nose adorably.

"That's true..." she laughs. The dim light from the hanging lanterns is bouncing off Courtney's eyes making them sparkle and shine more than usual. I can almost make out a whole new galaxy in them.

The dinner is extremely nice and Court and I have a million great conversations. She's so amazing, I can barely stand it! I pay the bill, but with my credit card because two twenty dollar bills definitely won't make the cut for this one. We get up from the booth and exit the restaurant. We're walking back to my car hand in hand and her head is resting on my shoulder.

"Duncan, I don't think I'm ready for this night to be over..." Courtney says, looking up at me.

"Who said this night was over already?" I ask with a smirk. "I don't know about you, but I'm just getting started!"

"Oh, Duncan! Where are you taking me next?" Courtney questions excitedly.

"You'll see..." I answer with a wink. Her smile widens and we get back in the car. I drive over to a nearby park that has white lights hanging all around it. There's a lot of people around for a firework show. There's a small lake in the park with a walking path around it. "We're here." I tell her as I pull into he park's parking lot.

"It's so gorgeous," Courtney gasps, looking around at all the lights. Some of the lights twinkle on and off, must be because of some sort of setting. I lead her up to the walking path which is lighted up from the bottom with LED white lights that are so white they almost have a silver tone to them.

"So are you," I say, putting her bangs behind her ear. I look into her sparkling eyes. She blushes and takes my hand and we begin to walk around the lake, very slowly.

"This is probably one of the best nights of my life, Duncan!" she exclaims. "I love you so much! No one has ever done anything like this for me...ever..." We stop walking and I go in front of her to face her.

"Courtney, you are the most amazing person I have ever met. You are so driven and never stop for anything, not even those closest to you! It's one of the things I love about you! On that horrible island all those years ago, you caught my eye unlike any other girl. I never thought that an awful rainstorm would finally bring us together again after a little over a decade. I had never been so glad to see anyone when you got in my car. I'm so lucky that you took me back those many weeks ago." I say, starting my speech. Courtney's eyes are tearing up and I take her hand in mine. I take my other hand and reach for something in my suit jacket. "You're just so insanely intelligent, tough, and beautiful. In all honesty, I don't know what I'd ever do without you. I love you more than words can describe, I always have and I always will. Maybe fate put us back together, but I'm so incredibly grateful it did." I start tearing up myself and pull the jewelry box from my pocket. I slowly open it to reveal a silver band with one giant diamond-cut diamond in the middle with intricate silver twisted around it to hold it in place. Courtney gasps louder than I've ever heard anyone gasp in my entire life. She starts crying and smiling so wide, I can only imagine her cheeks are starting to hurt. "Courtney Elizabeth Barlow?"

"Yes, Duncan?" she chokes out.

"Will you please do me the honor of marrying me?" I ask, extremely hopeful.

"Yes!" Courtney exclaims with barely time in between to think. "A thousand times yes! I will marry the crap out of you, Duncan Robert Nelson!" I slip the ring on her finger and everyone around us starts cheering. Courtney jumps into my arms and I spin her around as we passionately kiss. Just then, there's the loud BOOM! of fireworks. We break away long enough to see the explosions of all colors in the sky sparkling around us. We look each other in the eyes and kiss again as another round of fireworks go off around us.