Six Months Later.

It had been one hell of a couple of months. After she arrived back in Chicago, she had had case after case. Richard and her other co-workers whom she had planned a trip with, after the case she and Richard had been working on before she left for Izzy's wedding, had two weeks left on the vacation they took. She had called Richard and every one of them to apologize for bailing on them last minute then she handled a few cases for them when they returned as an official apology.

The little time she got between work, sleep, eat, and repeat, she was spending on the phone with Fred. She hadn't been able to go to Seattle during the weekend as well because the cases she has taken wasn't something she could do while she was away, she had to be in Chicago to do them. She hadn't seen Josie since the wedding and Fred since he dropped her off at her apartment after they landed in Chicago. Fred as well also had a lot to take care of after being away for weeks, so he flew back as soon as he saw her into her apartment and kissed her like it was the last time.

After a hectic couple of months for both of them, Fred was flying in to come to see her. She was all smiles the entire day and completely over the moon when she left work and immediately went home to get ready because he had called to say he was taking her out. Mia caught herself constantly checking the clock as she got ready, her heart was in her mouth as the time ticked closer.

Thirty minutes before Fred was supposed to arrive, Mia was ready and excited for his arrival. She sat in her kitchen and stared at her phone. She was supposed to meet him downstairs at exactly seven and she was sure she would die of anxiousness to meet him in the next minute. She jumped when her doorbell rang and frowned as she got up and made her way to her door. She hadn't ordered anything and she wasn't expecting anyone asides Fred.

Mia's heels clicked on her apartment floor as she made her way to her door and pulled it open, she froze and he smiled, his hands against either side of the doorpost as his gaze ran the length of her.

"You're early." She breathed.

"I probably broke a lot of traffic rules getting here." He took a step inside her apartment.

"I was supposed to meet you downstairs."

"I couldn't wait." He took the last step to close the distance between them, slipping one hand around her waist as he yanked her against him. "Fuck Mia, I missed you."

Her heart was hammering in her chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I missed you so damn much."

Fred kissed her then and there because he needed her to keep breathing and seeing her after six months was torture.

His other hand slipped to her curvaceous ass that was imprinted in his hand as he deepened the kiss.

"If we stay any longer, I don't think we'll be going anywhere," Fred said breathlessly after he pulled away from her.

Mia smiled.
"We don't have to go anywhere."

Fred groaned.
"You are not helping the situation." He warned. "I want this night to go as planned."

Mia huffed and unwound her hands from around him.
"Fine. Let's go then before I take my clothes off."

"Woman!" Fred swallowed hard as he looked at the ceiling.

Mia laughed as she went to grab her bag and then met him at the door again. They walked hand in hand to the elevator and out her building all the while gazing into each other's eyes as they couldn't help themselves.

"So, where to?" Mia asked when Fred was seated in the car after helping her in.

Fred looked at her and smirked.
"About that..."

Mia frowned.
She wasn't going to like this.

Less than half an hour later, Fred helped a blindfolded Mia out of the car and into the building. He gave a curt nod to the doorman and walked towards the elevator that was waiting for them.

"Fred," Mia called again since he blindfolded her since they left her apartment building.

"Watch your step." He said as he helped her into the elevator.

Mia sighed.
"Freddie." Fred smiled at the name. "Fred-star. Alfredo. Frederico."

"Enough." Fred managed to say sternly even though he was smiling.

"Why, you don't like the names?"

"They're not my name," He said leaning close to her ear. "and I don't want any other man's name from your lips except mine."

Mia bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. She searched for his other hand which wasn't on her waist and brought it to her lips and kissed his knuckles.
"Fredrick Zahn." She said. "Mine."

"Completely." He said tugging her closer to his side. "Just like you are mine."

She smiled.
"Always."

The elevator dinged on their floor.

"We're there?" She asked as he helped her out of the elevator.

"Almost." He leaned down, tucking his hand behind her knee, making her 'whoosh' as he lifted her into his arms. "Just a few stairs."

"Elevator, stairs." She said. "Are you taking me to the clouds?"

Fred smiled at the worker he held the door open for him. He stood at the spot and slowly let Mia on her feet.

"We're there." She clapped her hands and waited impatiently. "Can I take the blindfolds off now?"

Fred stood behind her and pulled the blindfold off. It took a while for Mia's gaze to adjust but when it did, the smile on her face fell as she took in every inch, every detail about where they were.

Rose petals covered every inch of the roof except the center where the big 'H' was, a candlelit table for two waited for them right there in the center. The view was just as incredible as everything else.

Mia turned around to look at Fred, beaming. She took his face between her palms and kissed him.
"I love it. Thank you."

Fred placed a hand on the small of her waist.
"Come." He led her to the table and helped her into her seat.

"So," Mia asked when he was seated. "where are we?"

Fred smiled.
"Remember the conversation we were supposed to have on the island but we didn't have."

"You mean the one about being in different cities and how we're going to make it work?" She sighed.

Finally.
She thought.

She had been waiting for the conversation to happen since that day, dreading being apart from him, and when they finally flew back to the US and went back to work, she hated every second of it. Being apart was hard, which was why she had applied to a few law firms in Seattle, a month after they got back to civilization when Fred still hadn't breached the topic.

Fred nodded.
"Let's eat first because I know you're starving."

She opened her mouth but then shut it because he was right.
"Alright." She agreed. "But we're talking about it once we're done."

"Promise." He agreed and signaled for dinner to be brought.

They talked about work and discussed other light topics as they ate and when dessert came, Mia laughed.

"Where did you get this?"

"The café."

She looked up at him and frowned.
"You didn't..."

He smiled.
"I would have, but they have one here in Chicago, I'm surprised you don't know about it."

She smiled.
He got her favorite donut and cocoa latte that she always had in the café in Leicester.

"To be honest, I haven't been around Chicago much. It's been work, work, work. I think I've been around Seattle more than I've been around Chicago."

"Well, we can learn all the ins and outs of Chicago when I move down here."

"Ins and outs like..." She froze and just stared at him. "I'm sorry, did you just say when you move down here?"

"We're at AFTech, Chicago."

Mia leaned back to take a look around again and smiled.
"Are you serious?"

"It took six months but, here we are."

Fred was silent for a moment as he just looked at her. Then he reached into his jacket's inner pocket and took out the little black velvet box that had been there throughout the day. He opened it and placed it on the table between them. Mia's heart pounded so hard; all she could hear was the beating of her heart as every other sound faded. She stared at the halo princess cut diamond ring that was cushioned inside the box and she let out a breath before she looked up at Fred who was watching her every reaction.

"Fred..." She began but stopped, not able to say anything more.

Fred knew this morning, before he saw her expression, that Mia was going to say no. But he asked anyway.
"Mia," He took her hand across the table. "don't panic."

She frowned.
How did he know she was?
"I'm not."

He smiled.
"You are."

"I just," She swallowed. "I just didn't expect this."

He nodded and listened to an explanation he already knew.

"It's too early. We've been together for almost seven months."

He squeezed her hand.
"And we barely know each other, we need more time."

"Exactly." She nodded and he smiled. "Why are you smiling?"

"Because I already know you," He said. "just like you know me. The two years we were apart, you were still a part of me. So, technically, we've been together just as long as Andre and Izzy."

She stared at him.

"I got the ring six months ago." He confessed. "I knew then just like I know now, I don't need a few more months or a few more years, my feelings for you would never change, only maybe grow stronger. But I know I want you in my life for however long I'm going to be on this Earth."

Mia took in everything he was saying.

"So, here's what I'm going to do," He said. "I'm going to propose to you every month until you say yes. Because there's no one else for me. Just you."

Mia felt the same way. She'd let them waste so much time being apart because she wasn't ready and now, she knew he was right just like he always was. Well, not always.

Her feelings for him would never change, only grow stronger.

"Deal?" Fred asked.

She smiled at him as he waited for her.

"This is the part where you say Double deal." Fred frowned.

"Yes."

"You're supposed to say the words, Mia."

"Yes, I'll marry you."

Fred stared at her, shocked.
Well, that was totally unexpected.

"Fred?" Mia called.

"I didn't expect that."

She smiled.
"Good to know I can surprise you once in a while."

He picked the box from the table and closed it before slipping it back into his pocket making Mia's brow furrow in confusion.

"You don't want to marry me anymore?"

Fred sighed.
"I was so certain you would want more time."

"Well, I don't."

He smiled, squeezing her hand.
"I'm glad."

"So, why aren't you slipping the ring through my finger?"

"Sweetheart, if you think I'm going to propose to you while sitting in this less than proposal worthy setting then you hurt me." He said. "When I propose to you, the world will know just how lucky I am to have found you."

Mia smiled.
"You are..." She sighed.

"Amazing?"

"Everything I ever wanted and never knew I wanted."

Fred smiled and brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles.
"Come here." He got up from his seat, helping her out of hers.

He pulled her into his arms giving one of the guys a curt nod and Dan & Shay's Speechless filled their senses. Fred held her hand to his chest and his other on the small of her back. Mia placed her head gently on his chest, her other hand around him.

"Tell me that you love me again," Mia whispered.

"I love you completely."

Mia smiled.
"I love you always."

Fred leaned in and placed a kiss on the top of her head as the music played on.

I'm speechless
Staring at you, standing there in that dress
What it's doing to me, ain't a secret
'Cause watching you is all that I can do
And I'm speechless