I Do / S.M/ ( sequel to Strings) *On Hold*

Chapter 11 Date Night

Shawn POV

I look around the loft and sigh. Zoë should be here any minute and everything has to be perfect. These past couples of months have been rough for us and I hadn't realized how hard it is on her when I'm away until I was home.  I hear a knock on the door and hastily set the vase on flowers on the table before getting the door. "Y- you look beautiful." I stammer. She tucks her hair behind her ear her eyes scanning the room. "This place is amazing! Is it yours?" I nod. "Y- yeah I figured we could have dinner here and relax before my show at MSG tomorrow."  "Are you excited?" She asks smiling. "Oh my god yes this is HUGE! And my girl will be there, front row."  I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss her cheek. "You bet I will be." She says. 

 "Where should I set my purse?"  She asks  "Oh! I... here." I go down the hall and open the door to the bedroom. "This view is  insane." She says looking out the balcony window overlooking the cityscape. "That's partly why I got this place,"  I reply. "I have to say this is so romantic." I smile. "Only the best for you beautiful."  I sit across from her at the table.  We eat dinner and have a little bit of small talk, there's a lull in the conversation and I clear my throat nervously. "Zoë I know I haven't been there for you and Skye but I'm going to do my best to not be where we were again and I'm hoping, that you still want to be my wife?  We can wait as long as you want for the wedding." I reach into my pocket and slowly pull out the ring. I hold it between my fingers my eyes focused on her. She hasn't said anything yet which is making me nervous. 

"Zo?"

 "Shawn.." She breaths.  She's going to say no, I can feel it. "Tonight has been so great and I've had a great time but.." 

"But what?"

"How do I know that you're in this for the long haul? Your career is-"

"Makes having a relationship hard but I swear I'll do anything for you and Skye, You two are the most stable thing in my life right now,"  I say gently. 

She reaches her hand out her fingers grazing the ring. "Yes?" She looks up at me and I see tears. "Do you mean everything you said?" She says softly. "Definitely Zoë it's only you." She swallows thickly and retracts her hand.  "Honey, what's wrong?" "I want to be with you Shawn of  course but you know how these past few months have been, it's like I'm a single mom when your not here and fuck it's hard."

"I know but-"

"We can't avoid the distance Shawn and you know that I still love you so much but.."

"We can make this work we just hit a rough patch but we can do this." She rests her elbows on the table her shoulders hunched.  "You want to talk about this later?" I ask weakly as I let the ring fall into my palm. She takes a shaky breath and sniffles. 

"I do,"  she says inaudibly. 

"You what?" 

"I want to marry you." She looks at me and smiles a little. 

"Seriously?!"

 "Yes, I want to be with you forever." She says. I  push my chair back from the table and jump up. "Yes! You're going to be my wife! Oh my god, I knew you would never leave me!" She laughs at my excitement. I walk over to her and drop down to one knee and slide the ring back on her finger with shaky hands. "De Ja Vu huh?" She laughs before  I press my lips on her and notice this kiss is different than the others but I can't exactly explain it. 

" Can I serenade you?" I ask and am surprised that I found a little nervous She laughs nodding excitedly. "Of course! I would be mad if you didn't." "Ok hang on." I get up and go down the hall to get my guitar from the bedroom.   I sit down on the couch and pat the empty space next to me. Zoë tucks her dress under her before sitting. I begin strumming.  

"Don't cry or do, whatever makes you comfortable 

I'm tired too, there's nothing left to say

Let's call the truce, 'cause I don't really wanna go to

Bed like this,

I'm so sorry
That we're still stuck in the middle
I'm so sorry
'Cause in the moment I

I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I'd know what it's like to be you..."

 I look up at Zoë who's smiling. "I wrote this, and thought about all our fights and everything we've been through."

"It's beautiful Shawn." She says. 

"I also wrote another song about you," I add as I put my guitar away. "That makes three songs about me, who knew I was so special." She jokes. "Are you going to tell me?" "No  I'll surprise you with it tomorrow night."  She rolls her eyes and rests her head on my chest. "Are your parents flying out here for tomorrow night?"  I nod. "Yep, is Skye with your mom?" I ask. "She nods as she takes off her heels. "Yeah she flew out with me I think they went sightseeing today," Zoë says. "I can't wait for tomorrow."  

  I get off the couch and clean off the table and blow out the candle. "Did you cook dinner?" She asks  "I did, was it okay? I'm not the best cook so." It was delicious." She says cutting on the tv. "I should go change this dress is making me feel stiff."  "Wait! there's a surprise for you in there." I  stick the leftovers in the fridge and go back over to the couch. "Can you pick me up? My feet hurt from wearing heels." She whines. I roll my eyes but lift her up with one arm and carry her heels with my free hand and go down the hall. "My prince charming." She cooes making me blush. "Your cheeks are so red! Awe I made you blush." I shake my head trying to hold back a smile but fail as I push the door open with my foot.  "Close your eyes okay?"

"Shawn, what are you doing?" She asks nervously. "It's a surprise trust me ok?" She sighs and shuts her eyes. I set her heels down by the door and carry her bridal style. I look at the floor that has a trail of rose petals that are covering the bed.   I move over to the bed and swing her back and forth making her squeal. "Shawn! Stop what are you doing?"

"I'm going to  set you on the bed ok you may bounce a little but."

"Are you dropping me from high up?" She panics. "No of course not baby."  She mumbles something. "I'm dropping you now," I say.  She laughs as I swing her again.  I missed the sound of her laughing and seeing her this happy.  I drop her lightly on the bed and jump on the bed making it bounce.  "That wasn't so bad not huh?" 

"No, wait what is on.." She opens her eyes and sits up abruptly as she looks at the rose petals on the bed and then me. "Shawn..."

"I thought it was romantic, I spelled out your name with petals but I sort of threw you on the bed before you could see it, but I took a picture."  I sit next to her and scoop up a handful and sprinkle them over her head. She smiles shaking her head and places her hands on my cheeks pulling me into a kiss."I like that we are  back to this, I hated us fighting."   She says.  "Same here."  "I'm going to change and you want to watch some hockey like old times?" She asks. "Yes!" I get off the bed and go into the main room and cut on the tv and turn to the game as I wait for Zoë. 

Zoë cuddles against me watching the game. I let out a deep breath she's not mad at me,  and she still wants to marry me. "He so missed that goal, oh c' mon!" She yells sitting up as she looks at the screen. I chuckle quietly.   "Is Skye still playing hockey?" I ask.  The seasons over." She replies  "My phones on the table I have pictures of her at her most recent games, she's so stinking cute." She says. "I'd get up but this is comfy," I whine. She rolls her eyes before going to get her phone and sits next to me. "Here's her game from  a few weeks ago." I smile looking at Skye in all her pads and flying down the ice.  who knows our girl might go pro someday."  She smiles setting her phone on the table. "I'd love that,  what do you say we go to bed now? Tomorrow is going to be so busy."  "I agree." She stretches and lets out a loud yawn making me giggle as I  get up and go into the room and get into bed.  a few minutes later I feel a dip in the bed.  "Night Shawn." Zoë snuggles closer to me. I smile kissing her forehead gently and brush a strand of hair from her face. "Night Zo."

A/N This is what I imagines the apartment looking like