Trepidation || j. g ||

| w i t h o u t y o u |

"I KNOW I put you through hell but,"

Athena Williams stared out of the window of the living area, her body hugging the window seat as she never turned to face a talking Jake Abbey at the entrance of the room.

"I want to make it better. I love you, Thee. Words cannot describe how much I adore you." He speaks a bit more breathlessly now, his voice seeming much more close as Athena swallowed a response.

"Please, Athena?" Jake suddenly spoke, reaching out to gently grasp her forearm as she finally turned her face to his.

There he was. Kneeling before her with sadness in his eyes.

"I want to ask you something." He suddenly says, closing his eyes for a moment before looking down and reaching into the pocket of his t-shirt as Athena's eyes had widened at his gesture.

His nimble fingers had retracted a ring. It was silver adorned with a blinding diamond stone in the center. Athena had openly gasped as if it were the first time she was breathing air. Almost like she had been holding her breath all this time.

Jake had become a bit shaky now, upon seeing Athena's equally surprised reaction.

"Please say yes." he whispers, holding the ring between his index finger and thumb as he looked at Athena's watering eyes.

"I'm not me without you, Athena Williams. I need to know that I'll never need to worry about losing you...I want to spend every second of every day with you as more than my girlfriend. Marry me, please, Athena. You complete me."

Athena was crying then, grabbing his hand that held onto the ring as she shook her head lightly.

"How are we going to do that?" Athena cried, trying her hardest to choke back her sobs.

Athena wanted to be married. Of course, she did. She wanted a husband and a lot of children. She wanted a life out in the suburbs and she wanted her children to have their fathers eyes and her laugh. She wanted this, there was no doubt about it.

How? Was the big question. How would they get married in the middle of nowhere and when she couldn't even go outside...when they were being tracked by the police? Oh, of course, Athena knew. Jake Abbey couldn't hold the wool over her eyes for so long. She always knew. She would be stupid if she didn't...

"I can worry about that, Athena. You just figure out what you want to do and I'll handle the rest."

She looked at him then, sniffling as she squeezed his hand.

"Promise?" She whispers as he nods.

"I promise."

-

"We've gotta make this a quickie. I'm sure you two aren't new to those," Dawson winks. Jake's face falls serious at Dawson's crude joke as Athena rolls her eyes playfully.