Less than a year later...

Erik awoke to the immediate thought that today would hopefully mark the first day of the rest of his life. For the past several, long and beautiful months, he and Rosaline had finally reached a point in their relationship where they both were overwhelming happy and more in love with each other as each new day passed. They had fought against all odds to inevitably make their way back to one another and live a life surrounded by honesty, commitment and true love. Although Erik had been dreaming about this particular day for far longer than he ever wish he needed to, he was still partly anxious about what lie ahead. Despite his complete and utter belief in his relationship with Rosaline, he was still just a man who would naturally become nervous at the prospect of asking for someone's hand in marriage. After all, Erik had waited now exactly a year to ask Rosaline one very simple, yet life-changing question that he prayed she would willingly say yes to.

"Happy birthday, my sweet love." Erik quietly spoke, as he sat with a breakfast tray beside a warm and sleepy Rosaline.

"Thank you." Smiled Rosaline, while peaking her eyes opened just enough to catch a glimpse of the food Erik had prepared.

"You made me breakfast in bed?" She softly inquired, with a grateful look.

"Just one of the surprises that I have in store for you today." Erik affectionately quipped, whilst leaning down towards Rosaline, where he pressed a delicate kiss against her forehead.

"I love you." She joyfully told him.

"And I love you." Erik reciprocated, before cheekily peppering her entire face with childlike kisses.

After enjoying a sweet tasting breakfast of waffles drenched in syrup and berries, Erik and Rosaline had retreated to the bathroom where the pair washed off the remains of last nights lovemaking. Whilst some things hadn't changed in the slightest over the past months, one thing that certainly had was Rosaline's appetite to cherish and indulge with Erik in newfound and exciting intimate experiences. Having always considered herself a bit of a prude, Rosaline welcomed herself to feel sexually liberated because of the very fact that Erik always made her feel confident and comfortable in her own skin. He never failed to shower her with affection and show her just how much she meant to him, which was why overtime she ultimately owed it to herself to open up entirely to him and trust him with every fibre of her being. She had finally grown into the women she was always destined to become and with Erik standing firmly by her side, she knew there wouldn't be a day that went by where she felt anything less.

"Remind me where we're going today?" Asked Rosaline from the passenger seat.

"Not this again. You know I won't tell you, Rose. It's a surprise after all." Erik halfheartedly chuckled at Rosaline's attempt to have him reveal the destination in which they were headed to.

"Fine." She pouted with the cutest expression etched across her face.

"You know that face just makes me love you even more, right?" Questioned Erik, as he tried to steal a glance every few moments from his position in the drivers seat.

"I know." Rosaline confirmed, while dropping a wink in his direction.

The pair continued to humorously bicker back and forth until Erik parked his car near a beautiful and enchanted waterfall clearing that stood in the near distance. Just as his pocket felt exactly a year ago, the same weight and pressure of that small box reminded him of the importance in making the most of every opportunity and letting Rosaline know exactly how he felt.

"Erik! This place is beautiful. How did you ever find such natural beauty?" Rosaline wondered aloud, just as she undone her seat belt.

"I wanted to celebrate your birthday in a really special and memorable spot that we'll always be able to come back to and relive the moments of today from." He sincerely spoke.

"So long as I'm with you on my birthday, it'll always be special and memorable." She promised, while leaning across the centre console to seal her lips against Erik's in a soulful and tender kiss.

Having stepped out of the vehicle moments later, Erik took hold of the gourmet hamper he stashed in the trunk of the car earlier on in the morning, before clasping Rosaline's hand in his own and leading the way towards the crystallised water. Fortunately, it was only a short trek that the pair needed to walk, especially given the fact Rosaline had chosen to wear wedged shoes on their outing today. A brief walk into the green forestry, landed them in a secluded and tranquil solace that provided the perfect spot to enjoy some lunch and share a glass or two of bubbly champagne. Within minutes, a rug was laid out and an antipasto platter filled with various cold meats, cheeses, olives, crackers and dips was shared between the two of them. The startling fall of the refreshing and cool water that rested behind them, truly was the most breathtaking scene that Erik could have wanted for what he had prepared next.

"I think it's only fair that I present you with your birthday present now." Erik nervously spoke up.

"I think we both know that whatever it is, I'll already love it." Rosaline sweetly said, with complete obliviousness to the serious nature of this particular gift.

"I was hoping you would say that, but before I do there's something I need to tell you Rose." Erik continued, despite feeling his palms grow anxious with light perspiration.

"What is it?" Rosaline countered, with a look of pure innocence in her eyes.

"I have been dreaming of this moment Rose for more than a year now and exactly one year ago today, on your birthday when I had intended to give you this same present things regrettably took a turn for the worst. It has been through our breakdowns that we have remarkably triumphed and persisted in the pursuit of our relationship because deep down sweetheart, I know we were made for one another. You bring new meaning to the word love and there isn't another being on this earth with whom I would rather share nor spend the rest of my life with. And so, I ask you this one question, my dear Rosaline Covault. Will you do me the greatest honour and agree to be my wife. Will you marry me, sweetheart?" Erik passionately spoke, as he retrieved the ring box from inside his pocket and opened it to reveal a stunning, white diamond.

"A thousand times yes." Cried Rosaline, before collapsing into Erik's strong arms and sharing with him their first kiss as an engaged couple.

Erik leapt off the ground beneath him and excitedly swung Rosaline around in his grasp. He gleefully smiled at the sound of his fiancées giggle fill the air around them, before gradually coming to a slow stop. Erik gently lay his fingers to rest against Rosaline's cheeks, as the two continued to share a romantic kiss. He pulled away from her, long enough to slip the ring on her engagement finger before cradling her figure against him and lovingly kissing the dark waves that rested atop her head.

"What do you make of the ring?" Erik proudly asked moments later, while still ensuring Rosaline was firmly in his hold.

"I absolutely love it Erik, I truly do." Rosaline praised with kind eyes.

"But you know what? I love you more and I always will Erik. You mean everything to me." Rosaline continued with glassy eyes.

Erik merely smiled in appreciation at the beauty of the women in his grasp. She was equally beautiful inside as she was outside and there easily were countless reasons for why Erik wanted to marry her. To put it simply however, Erik loved Rosaline because despite his dark and haunted past, she was able to look past all that long enough to realise that hidden somewhere inside of him was a man who needed to be treated and shown the same love he had long witnessed between his mother and father. A love that would withstand the tests of time and prevail against all evils. Erik Silverstein was a lucky man in that he had found exactly that and more in Rosaline Covault and how their love was both special and memorable and something worth remembering from this day forward.