"Aaron, where are we?" Natalie asked, blindfolded, as Aaron led her slowly along the beach. He stopped her in front of a blanket and took off the blindfold.

 

"Here." he said. He sat down on the blanket and pulled her by the hand to sit down next to him. Looking around, she realized they'd been to that beach before. But never had the view at sunset seemed this amazing... And she wasn't talking about the beach. There was something about Aaron's eyes tonight that seemed... different -- in a good way...

 

"Okay..." she said, still unsure of what exactly her boyfriend was up to. Could this be the day she'd been waiting for for just less than a year and a half? She held her breath as Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

 

"Natalie," he said, still holding the box in his hand, "I have something I want to give to you." She nodded slowly as he showed her the box, frowning when he opened it, revealing that it was empty.

 

"Um..." she said, still staring at it, confused.

 

He laughed. "Look at me, Natalie." he said, taking her left hand in his right and inconspicously tampering with the small box as he kissed her on the lips softly. "You've been there for me and my brother ever since Brie left, and you're irreplaceable to me." he swallowed, then continued as Natalie looked into his eyes and he looked into hers, "I've been falling more and more in love with you since the day we met. I've been putting this off for a while." he explained, "But... I can't anymore. I won't and can't lose you." he kissed her again and held the box out in his hand once again. "Natalie, I want you to have this."

 

"All that to give me an empty-" she stopped, unable to speak as her teary eyes came to rest on a beautiful ring Aaron had slipped into the box. Aaron stood up and kneeled at her side. She had told him once before how much of a romantic she was, and he couldn't think of anything she deserved more than a truly romantic proposal.

 

"Natalie Jameson, will you marry me?" he asked after taking the ring out of the box and preparing to place it on her wedding finger. She sat stunned for a moment, unable to form an answer. "Natalie?" he asked, his heart pumping faster. Before he had any time to worry about his timing, Natalie pulled him into a passionate kiss, which he took enough of his focus off of to slip the ring on her finger.

 

"Nothing would make me happier on this earth than knowing I'll spend the rest of my life with you, Aaron." she smiled. They embraced for a few moments before looking out at the sunset, Natalie's head resting on Aaron's shoulder. Truly what she'd always dreamed of.

 

 

~The Next Morning~

 

Natalie and Aaron walked hand-in-hand down the stairs that morning and found Nick on the couch in the den, a big smile on his face at the sight of the happy couple, and in particular the ring now on Natalie's finger.

 

"Finally! I've been telling him to ask you ever since you agreed to move in." Nick commented. After Brianna had left Nick and the twins, Aaron sold his apartment and moved into Nick's house to support his brother. Natalie also agreed to move in and sell her apartment, and had been helping take care of all four boys ever since. Aaron wasn't the only one who had come to depend on her.

 

Natalie smiled and pick up Trevor, who had been sitting in the playpen with his brother. "I'm glad he waited. It was perfect." She lifted Trevor up, making him giggle. "Now I really am your Aunt Natalie!"

 

"You've always been their Aunt Natalie." Nick stated. She knew Nick has always seen her as a part of the family and more recently as more than an aunt to his kids, but she knew that if he wanted to talk about Brianna he would.

 

"But now its official." she stated. Nick got up off the couch and hugged her tightly after she'd put Trevor back in the playpen.

 

"I'm happy for you two." he told her. "I was worried you'd dump him and leave."

 

"I wouldn't do that, Nick, you have no reason to-" she began, stopping before her sentence was finished as she looked at Nick's face. "Sorry."

 

He gave her a fake smile. "Don't be." he paused for a moment before continuing. "Actually, I need to talk to you. In private." he said, looking up at Aaron.

 

"Shes almost my wife now, Nick." he argued, sighing as he saw Natalie's hands rest on her hips. "Okay, okay..." he said, walking out of the room.

 

 

Natalie frowned as she noticed that the smile had faded from his face. "Nick, whats the matter?"

 

"Aaron's not the only whos been waiting to ask you something."

 

"Nick, I've told you a thousand times. I'm in love with your brother, I can't marry you."

 

He smiled, which was the exact reaction Natalie had hoped he'd have. "I know," he responded, "And I've told you a thousand times that hes a lucky bastard but I'll find my own girl. I wouldn't even try and steal you away from him. But thats not what I've been wanting to ask you about."

 

Natalie sat down on the couch with Nick, still eyeing him closely. "Okay. Whats on your mind?"

 

"The day before Brianna left..." Nick trailed off.

 

"Yeah, I remember that day. What about it?" she asked.

 

"Brie wanted to talk to you about something, right?" he paused, waiting for her to confirm before he continued, "What did she talk to you about?"

 

Natalie sighed. "She was telling me how much what that girl did bothered her. She asked me how I dealt with all the girls doing that to me, and I reminded her that we'd had girls do worse to us. I told her that I love Aaron and that thats what kept me going."

 

Nick sat, silent. At least now he knew what was going through her mind. Sadly, now he wished he hadn't.

 

"Nick, she loved you. I don't know why she left and I'm sorry that I don't, but if I'd known she was gonna do what she did I would have-"

 

"She didn't want me blame myself, but I won't let you blame yourself either." Natalie leaned over and hugged Nick.

 

"I better not have any reason to worry." Aaron said, leaning in the entryway to the den. Natalie got up from the couch and pulled Aaron into a passionate kiss.

 

"Does that answer your question?" she asked. Aaron's answer was a simple nod. He looked past his beautiful fiancee at his brother.

 

"I told you things would work out, bro, and I meant it."