I ran up to Lizzy pulling her in my arms. I had to touch her, she was real, right? I buried my face in her hair trying to find her unique peppermint conditioner scent.

"It's me, I pro...mise," she whispered but I felt her teardrops on my shirt.

"I thought I had lost you..." I couldn't finish because my eyes were squeezed so tight trying to keep my own tears from escaping.

"You can't get rid of me that easy," she chuckled but she continued to hold on to me as the tension in her body slowly drifted away. I kissed her on top of the head.

"Lizzy, ah baby," her mother said coming up embracing her. "I was so worried."

Lizzy looked from her mother to me. Her eyes widen as she tried to make sense of her mother's presence. "Mom how did you know I was here?"

Ms. Johnson looked around. She seemed to be fidgeting. "Ah... you didn't answer your phone and after I saw the video, I came thinking you were here."

"What video?"

"Someone took a video of you and Aries."

I pressed play on the phone. Lizzy watched in horror. She touched her throat where I saw the purple and black marks around it.

"I'm going to fucking kill him!" I yelled out.

"Sean calm down," she said in a whispery tone.

"He hurt you, and we can't let him get away with it."

"He won't." She held on to my hand while she adjusted her purse on her arm. "Hi Ms. Gipson."

"Hello Lizzy."

"Can we talk?" She looked around. "In private."

How could she be so calm?

"Sure, come on."

I grabbed her hand as we walked away leaving our mothers both standing by the door. We went to my room and I locked the door.

She sat on the bed taking off her shoe. She remained quiet. I walked up to her and took her other shoe off. She watched me and then our eyes met. She leaned in caressing my face.

"I love you. You are the only man I have ever truly loved. I was scared I would never be able to tell you that." She began to cry. She wasn't a crier, but her deep sobs told me how frighten she was. I held her in my arms again this time stroking her hair. She held on tight as if she was scared I would let go but I wouldn't. We stayed like this for a while until she eventually let go.

She looked tired. Dark circles were forming around her eyes and those dark bruising around her neck were pissing me off further. I picked up my phone and dialed my friend Thomas who was a cop.

"Hello?"

"Thomas it's me."

"What's up Sean?"

"Aries tried to strangle Lizzy at Fan Day. I have it all on video, Iwanthis maniacassarrestedimmediately."

"Calm down Sean, I don't understand what you're saying."

"I want Aries arrested. He tried to kill Lizzy. I have proof. I need you to come over to my house now so he can go down."

"Sean..."

"Now THOMAS! Whatever you are doing I need you over to my house as soon as possible."

"Okay, okay, I'm on my way."

I hung up the phone putting it on the night stand. I turned my attention back to Lizzy. She looked so frail as her eyes darted back and forth from her hands to the floor.

"I promise he will never hurt you ever again."

She put her head down fumbling with her hands.

"Lizzy look at me. You did nothing wrong."

"Sean when he had his hands around my neck, all I could think about was not telling you how much you truly mean to me. I was so stupid. You were right, he wasn't the one."

"Forget what I said. I'm just glad you're here. I was so worried when I didn't hear back from you. I almost chartered a plane to see you. Lizzy you mean the world to me, if something was to ever happen...God forbids..." I swallowed hard, "I wouldn't know what to do."

She held my hand and placed them on her lap. Bringing them up to her lips she kissed them and stroked them against her cheek.

"I love you Sean."

"I love you too Lizzy Bear."

"Can you just hold me please?"

"Of course."

She climbed in the bed and I got in behind her. I had never seen her so defeated. She was always so strong and ready to battle upon a moment's notice but this was wearing on her hard. I stroked her arm, I needed her to know I was right here and we could stay like this as long as she needed.

"Before I left home, I had decided I was calling it off with Aries. I didn't want to do it by text or email so I went ahead and went to him. I was sick, had been since I got off the plane, some was probably food poisoning and some was probably nerves. Anyway, he sent for his doctor. He examined me and indeed I was sick, my birth control was making me sick too. He removed it and I think they thought I was pregnant. Which I'm not before you really flip your lid. Oh and his mother worked on my last nerve."

She caught me off guard with that suggestion. Pregnant, thank heavens she wasn't for that punk.

"I tried to break it off and I think he knew. He told and showed me pictures of you and Shae. He pretty much told me you two were going to be a happy couple. I didn't believe it. There was no way you and Shae would have a happily ever after, that belongs to us."

Us...us...yes only us, my Lizzy, always. I wouldn't want it any other way, that was for sure.

I couldn't help the big smile on my face although she couldn't see it. I wrapped my arm tighter around her waist.

She turned and faced me. "Before we left his house I overheard them having a conversation about a little boy. I didn't pay too much attention but later on I found out, Aries has a son and a very, very crazy ex-finance that he was still sleeping with while he was with me. His baby mama came for me too, at first I thought she was just a fan, but believe me she made it known she was the first of many. Anyway, I confronted Aries. We had words and one thing lead to another where we began to argue."

I could see her tears starting up again.

"He threaten me. He told me if I left..." she stopped.

"Tell me Lizzy," I managed to say in an even tone although my voice had begun to crack.

"He's been recording him and I having sex."

"What?!" Calm down Sean, take deep breaths, you will get your chance to crush him, permanently.

"Shhh. I don't want my mom to hear. He said he would show and sell these videos online. I had no idea he was recording us. I saw snippets and the look in his eyes told me he would. I dared him hoping he was bluffing me, but I don't think it worked. If those videos come out my career and the possibly of losing you..."

"They won't make it pass his phone. You would never lose me, that one thing you never have to worry about. You defied him and in return he put his hands on you, Lizzy, I want to murder him, right now. He has no right to cause you pain. I would never turn my back on you, I love you."

She nodded wiping her tears away.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you." I pushed a stray hair behind her ear.

"There's nothing to apologize for. I left and went to the airport. I couldn't find a flight out. I met this man, Sam, he was really nice and offered to help. I had even lost my bracelet, the one you bought and he found it. I lost my phone during the scuffle with Aries. Anyway I was in dire straights, come to find out Sam, is Alanna's dad friend and he's very close to her family, she calls him Uncle. I tried calling you but you wouldn't answer."

"I think someone took my phone. I had to get a new one."

She stroked the side of my face and I kissed her palm.

"Since Sam knew Alanna, I knew I was in good hands. He's a really good listener, even has his own private plane and is co-owner of an international security company and he's an ex-navy seal."

"Well you were in good hands. I will have to thank him."

"You can, he's coming over later."

"Oh?"

"I told him everything about us, Shae and Aries. It's amazing how everything just came out. He never shut me up, he just listened. He even asked questions which turned out to be really useful. He's a great guy, very much a thinker as if he's trying to visualize everything I was saying. He actually felt like family, which was strange. He wiped my tears, held my hand, which didn't seem creepy at all, come to think about it and I found out something about Shae and her cohorts. Stop making that face."

I didn't realize I was, I was just trying to figure out why she was so calm. This Lizzy was different. And this Sam guy, who was he, how did he spot her of all the people in the airport, there was something strange about this guy, I had this feeling. I would keep a mental note.

"Sean did you hear me, I have some news about Shae?"

"Yeah but forgive me. The Lizzy I know would be ready to do a Bonnie and Clyde on both Aries and Shae. This calm Lizzy is scaring me."

"Don't be. I have a lot to tell you, and to get it all out, I will have to remain calm or either I will explode."

She closed her eyes and started to breathe deeply. "Sam taught me this little exercise and it works. He said he uses it to clear his mind and to focus on the task at hand."

I continued to watch her breathe and then she opened her eyes and focused on me.

"What do you have to tell me."

"A lot so just bear with me. But first..." she leaned in and kissed me. Her hands caressed the side of my face. She deepened it and I didn't hold back. Wrapping her arms around me, I pulled her as close to me as I could. Our lips couldn't control the intense heat they were expelling. I had waited so long to have her like this, that I never wanted it to end, but I had too.

I pulled back. "God you have no clue how many times I have dreamt about having you just like this."

She traced my lips.

"Before we get side track, what do you have to tell me?"

"Shae is a fraud."

"Okay?"

"She's not pregnant."

"Lizzy..."

"The doctor, Ausef Banda, is a friend of hers. She had convinced him to help her and paid him a butt load of money but he ran off with it and some chick. It was also discovered that Shae is on Michael's payroll."

"What the fu..." She put her fingers to my lips.

"Michael's been paying her for years. The way it looks, he pays her to be with his clients, to keep them in check so they don't run off. H2O Sports Management Firm, owned by your agent, owns the lease to her fancy apartment, her car and credit cards. Her income and her bank statements have H2O as the only depositor in her account. Not only did Shae pay this Ausef Banda, but Michael did too so Shae could end up with Kevin Harris."

"Shit!" I started thinking about the conversation Mike and I had earlier.

"Both Ausef and Kevin are legit doctors. The worse part, Sam knows Kevin personally as he works for Alanna's mom with The Foundation."

I lifted up off the bed.

"Sam thinks, Kevin, Michael and Shae are running a scam on you."

"How does a man you just met know or think of all of this?"

"Well inside his plane he has all this surveillance technology. He made calls and worked on his computer until we landed. It was like being in a CIA secret room. Anyway after making a call to one of his contacts, he found out Ausef Banda is in police custody somewhere in the Caribbean. I don't know why he was arrested as Sam wouldn't tell me but he did say Ausef began to spill the beans on Shae and Michael for leniency."

"You are leavin details out."

She took another deep breath. "When this whole Shaunte baby drama started, I had this feeling it wasn't right. That scuffle we had basically confirmed it for me. She never held her stomach. When I went back home I talked to Alanna about it. Her dad is like FBI or CIA and being the friend she is she started to investigate. Sam and his partner Cason have been investigating a baby trafficking network for a while now. When I mentioned Ausef's and Kevin's name, Sam told me about an international investigation involving Ausef which has now been tracked to Kevin."

"Wait they are stealing babies?"

"Yes. It's like a baby mill. They breed young, poor, unexpecting girls by either kidnapping or offering them a better life. The girls come from different countries, have sex with the highest bidder and then they sell off the babies for profit."

"This sounds like a CIA movie."

"I don't have all the details as Sam said, he would be able to tell me more later on but as the clues start coming together, we think Kevin was going to give Shae a baby."

I blew out a breath. This was so fuckingcrazy!

"Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary with either of the three?"

"I spoke to Michael today. He thinks that Shae and I should work together for the sake of the child and now you are telling me there isn't one."

"He's pushing you Sean, you need to be careful."

"I told him if he was on Shae's side, then we would have to rethink this partnership."

"What did he say?"

"Of course he tells me he isn't but he was persistent with the Shae and the baby talk."

"He can't know about this. He can't know that we know what he's up too."

"This whole situation is messed up."

"You're right we should have been married a long time ago and this wouldn't be happening."

"You weren't ready and that's understandable." She leaned in where our noses were almost touching and our eyes focused on one another.

"Anything happened at the doctor's office that you can think of that seemed off?"

I started to think back. "No but Jarreau was able to get the samples and I sent them off."

"I will call my friend at the lab. If it's true which will prove our theory then this charade is over."

"I won't say anything."

"That goes for Jarreau too."

"He won't say a word."

She sat up on her arm.

"I want all this over Sean."

"It will be soon. I just can't believe all this is happening. How did we get caught up in this mayhem? My agent is rogue, a golddigger and now some criminal doctor, what happened to life being normal?"

"Life is far from being normal. The good thing is now we know. The question is how is this resolved?"

"Marry me," the words just came out my mouth naturally.

She laughed. "You want to marry me with all this craziness going on? You have enough stress..."

I got up and headed to my closet as she stopped talking. Pushing the sweaters that were neatly folded out the way, I pulled out a Tiffany blue box. Taking a deep breath, I walked out with it in my hand. She was sitting up on the bed looking confused until I got down on one knee in front of her.

"Don't worry about me."

"Sean?"

"Elizabeth Sinclair Johnson, I've been in love with you forever. There is not one thing I love more about you because I love everything about you. I love your sarcasm, your naughty ways and even the attitudes you sport. Even with that, you have the biggest heart I know. You've been the best friend that most people wished they had, but I'm sorry to tell them, you are all mine." I started to choke up with emotion. She wiped the tears from my eyes.

"I didn't quite plan a proposal like this. I thought I would do this on a beautiful island in Fiji and sweep you off your feet, but I don't want to wait. You have been my rock before and even through this, you are my ride or die chick."

She laughed wiping her own tears away.

"Lizzy Bear will you do me the honor of being my ride or die chick, my baby mama, my partner in crime, but mostly importantly my life, my soul, my best friend, my wife?"

She was really crying. Was it happiness, or was she going to tell me no? I know it wasn't the most romantic situation but I didn't want...

She nodded her head. "Yes Sean Patrick Gipson, the Clyde to my Bonnie, my Jay-Z to my Beyoncé, and my Anthony to my Cleopatra, yes I will marry you, Seanny Poo."

I kissed her, happy as any man could be at this moment. She smiled against my lips and wrapped her arms around my neck. She pulled back and I put the palladium, six carat, Princess cut, blue sapphire engagement ring trimmed in another two carats of flawless diamonds. I spent my whole contract bonus to make sure I had the perfect ring.

"It's beautiful. Wait how long have you had this ring?"

"Right after you left. You seemed confused with Aries and I was just buying my time until you saw the light."

"You sure this wasn't suppose to go to Shae?"

Her sassiness was back. "Look inside the ring."

She took it off and began to read it. "To my one and only true love Elizabeth Sinclair Johnson, my bestfriend, my soulmate, my life."

"Your life ah?"

"There is no me without you."

"It's beautiful, it's solid, you've come a long way from my blueberry flavored candy diamond ring pop that you gave to me when we were eleven."

"It's almost the same size, just not on a plastic ring holder, and it cost more than a quarter and oh yeah no eating it. If you don't like it..."

"No, no, no, this is perfect." She kissed me on the lips and then the side of my mouth.

"I don't want to wait. From L.A. to Vegas is one hour by plane and four hours in a car."

She stopped kissing me and looked at me. "Okay what are you saying?"

"Let's get married tonight Lizzy."

"Say what?" Her eyes bored down into mine. "There's paperwork, a blood test..."

"Not in Vegas. No blood test needed. As long as we are at the licensing bureau by midnight we can get a license and be married and back in time for me to be at Fan Day."

"Are you serious Sean?"

"As a heart attack. Let's do it. Why wait?"

"This is not how I saw this conversation going."

"If we do it, no interference. We can have the wedding of your dreams whenever you want at a later date. We can get married, lie and say we are engaged and do something big later. Our parents are here, I can call Jarreau and no one has to know but us."

"This is so crazy Sean." Her eyes were darting back and forth across my face.

"You said you love me."

"I do. I said yes didn't I?"

"Well let's do this."

There was a knock on the door.

"Think about it." I looked at my watch. "You have one hour to decide as it will give us enough time to get it done either by plane or car."

I kissed her with so much passion this time that when I pulled away I heard her moaning and panting. I got up and went to the door but before I opened it she said, "yes, okay let's do it."

I open the door with a huge smile on my face. "Detective Thomas Stanley is here to see you," Ms. Johnson said.

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Is Lizzy okay?"

"I'm fine mom," Lizzy said walking up behind me putting her hand on my shoulder.

"My detective friend is here. Are you ready?"

Lizzy lower her hand and held on to mine. "I'm ready."

We walked downstairs and Thomas was standing by the door.

"Thanks for coming Thomas." I held my hand out and he shook it. Detective Thomas Stanley was one of my poker buddies. I had met him a few years ago when he was head of security for the All-Star team. He was an older guy about five ten and nearly all gray at the top. He had been a detective for over fifteen years and a overall good guy.

"Dr. Lizzy, good to see you again." Lizzy nodded and shook his hand.

"We can go in my office and discuss everything." Thomas nodded and the three of us headed there.