Me and Mr Topp.

Forever.

The house was quiet and empty, just what I did not want for myself, especially after the hell of a 36-hour shift that had been the follow up of days like that. It wasn't easy to lose patients and it seemed that with each day more people died. Tears threatened to fall but I reached for my phone and dialled Shayne.

"Hey, Aphie. You're on speaker." I wanted to cry but had to hold it in.

"Are you busy?" Distant chatter filled the call as well as the sound of an engine and a passing road.

"We are in the middle of work but I can come by as soon as I'm done. I just have to drop these off. I'll work from home. I wasn't actually supposed to be working today but Damien got me in on something."

"No, it's fine. I just finished a shift so I will head to bed now anyway but call me if you need anything at all. I can help." Tears were quietly falling and I knew my voice would give me away if I spoke again soon.

"Well, we are going for drinks in an hour if you want to come as well. I know you are eating at mine but we won't be drinking alcohol and it is only ten now. Feel free to join." I didn't say anything for a second as I tried to regroup but I was struggling. "Aphrodite. Is everything okay?" Shayne asked with concern in his voice. He didn't often call me by my full name but there seemed to be a time for everything.

"No. Fine. Talk later." I knew that he would be able to hear me and the chatting seemed to stop as I spoke so the others had heard it and I hated myself for my weakness.

"No. Look, I will be over in half an hour." I wanted him to be happy and free.

"Don't be silly. I will head to bed now and I will see you when I get to your place." He didn't back down when I was upset but I could try and fight it.

"Aphrodite, nobody should be alone when they are sad. I assume it is work-related but if it isn't we can talk but I will see you soon. Love you." He hung up and I was so glad that we were together but I didn't want to be a burden either. Not a good mix, clearly.

I walked up the steps and climbed into bed after I had changed into my favourite pyjamas. I was so comfortable and as I felt my eyes grow heavy someone climbed into the bed behind me and I turned to see the blonde hair of an amazing man. He was just in a top and his underwear so he could also sleep in the bed with me.

"I hate work sometimes," I cried out before he held me close and I slowly fell into a deep sleep. He was a man that could undo me and we both knew it as I had grown reliant on him but he was so refreshing that I didn't care.

After hours passed, the sky grew darker and the house smelt like food, I climbed out of bed and saw Shayne had left but the house smelt good so I knew where he was. I crept to the kitchen and snuck up behind him before kissing his cheek.

"Thank you." He smiled and brought me to rest between his arms. His chin sat on my shoulder and his breath fanned against my neck making all of my hairs stand on end.

"You have done the same for me before. Giving up the few hours between shifts where you should be sleeping just to lay with me." I smiled as I could see his fragile face and I felt glad that he appreciated the work I put into helping him.

Finally, the food was done and the table had been set for us but it was different. Shayne didn't normally make such a fuss, he clearly felt bad for me and in time it would fade but I didn't care because it was nice to be spoilt from time to time.

"So, do you mind telling me what made today so bad for you?" I bit my lip but he pulled it from between my teeth and finally the sentence was formed.

"I've been losing a lot of patients this week. With the flu that has been going around, old people just aren't surviving. It's not just me either. The whole of LA and other parts of the US are dealing with it. It isn't fair." I carried on eating when Shayne began to send a smile my way.

"What?" I asked unsure of what had him so happy.

"Do you remember when you were cooking last night and every time you went to try it, it tasted like salt?" I nodded and looked unsure but I was smiling as well.

"You kept kissing me as well but never went any further." He looked down while eating the salad around the edge of the steak.

"I was putting salt on your finger." I began to laugh and tried to pretend to be annoyed but I didn't have it in me so I carried on eating.

"It didn't taste bad when I actually ate it but, oh, I am so stupid. I had no clue." He was laughing at me and I had to join him. "Why did you tell me? It could have been a lifelong mystery to me and when you are about to die and I am your slutty nurse you could have told me or put it in your will." He seemed to enjoy the slutty nurse comment before he suddenly stopped and got nervous.

"Funny, uh. Getting old." Was he dying? I began to feel worried as he got clammy.

"You aren't dying are you?" Shayne shook his head and I felt a weight lift but I knew there was something and it wasn't until he dropped his hand from the table and moved it down I could tell that he was doing something serious.

"Will you grow old with me?" My eyes went wide and a smile grew as a box was seen and my eyes had practically bulged out of place. Shayne was always surprising me but this was the big one.

"Is this..?" I looked at the box and he opened it. We had been talking for two and a half years. Dating for two and yet it felt like he wouldn't ever actually ask me.

"Aphrodite Laurel Evergreen. Will you marry me?" I began to cry as the box opened and his face was right there with me. He had done the proposal in a way that I loved. It was private and in a place we both shared a lot of memories.

"Yes." The silver ring was placed on my hand and it was a sweet diamond in the centre with a stretch of diamond leaves growing away from it. Perfect in every way. The fit was perfect and suddenly I saw that I wasn't stupid and hadn't lost my other ring, he took it.

"I love you, Shayne." My arms wrapped over his shoulders as he was on the floor but as he stood I was still attached to him and our lips meshed into a beautiful pair. His arms wrapped under me and I sat on him until my hands started to undo the top of his shirt and I felt myself be moved. I enjoyed the pink shirt but it was getting in my way so I pulled at it. The creek of the steps told me to back down or we would both need an ambulance and that wasn't cheap so I pulled my lips from his and began to kiss his neck. His soft skin was beautiful and I lost any sense of time as my bottom and then back slowly met the bed.

It didn't take long for both of us to be naked and with time it stopped but even after we were done I found myself laying naked and on top of him. My legs were resting between his as I kissed his chest gently. We had reached a comfortable closeness.

"Your family know, don't they?" He didn't seem upset so I saw no reason to be anything but blunt.

"I told them two years ago that we were seeing each other but nothing else." My hand rested as I scooted slightly up and rested my head on his shoulder.

"When do you want to tell them about the ring?" I closed my eyes and felt my breath run across his skin and down his body.

"Not now. They will want to facetime. I know that your friends and family don't know how close we are but do you plan on telling them soon?" I was genuinely worried that he wouldn't let our relationship progress because he was scared of telling his friends.

"Yeah. We are all meeting up tomorrow, remember? I know you can't come because of work but the next time we go out as friends and you can make it I will tell everyone." I kept quiet and found my body was relaxing.

Even as I was semi-conscious and he was snoring I couldn't help but not believe a word he said. There was the realistic part of me that told me he was going to keep it to himself and tell no one else. That part of me died slightly as the night grew darker but I eventually passed out and fell asleep so the worry couldn't get to me there.