A lonely figure stood by the window, watching as the lighting flashed in the dark sky and the hard rain hit fiercely against the glass. He didn't hear the roaring thunder above, nor the soft voice from the door.

"Sam?"

CJ Cregg hesitated a moment, not sure if her company was wanted. "Sam?" She said again.

The younger man stood still, hands deep in his pockets.

"I thought---"

He sighed quietly and turned to face her, and the empty look in his eyes made her take a step closer.

"I know." She replied softly, reaching to touch his arm gently. "Me too."

He lifted his eyes, and stared at her for a moment. "Are you okay?" He asked finally.

"I'm fine." She whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She promised, a small smile on her lips.

They shared a soft smile and she broke the eye contact first. "Toby and I are going for a drink. You wanna come?"

He shook his head. "No, I need to go somewhere."

"Sure?"

"Yeah." Sam nodded and grabbed his coat and briefcase from his desk.

"If you change your mind..." She said as he guided her through the halls.

"Yeah." He said, both knowing he would not come.

-----------

Thirty minutes later he sat in his car outside the dark building. He stared in front of him seeing nothing, hearing only the raindrops as they hit against the roof. Suddenly he got out of the car and ran to the door. He used the stairs to go to the second floor and stopped behind the familiar door. After a few silent moments, he lifted his hand and knocked softly.

The door was flung open, and Ainsley Hayes looked at the man before her.

"Ainsley." His voice was only a whisper.

She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him, leaning her face against his chest. His strong arms were around her at once, and he closed his eyes.

"You're soaking wet." She pulled away and looked up to his face.

"I'm fine." He replied softly, but let her pull him inside the apartment and took off his jacket.

"I wasn't sure if you would come." She said quietly as she put the jacket to dry.

"I had no other place to go." He said and walked behind her. "I need you close, Ainsley."

She turned to face him. "I'm here. I will always be here." Her promise was soft. She took his hand and walked in her bedroom, and he followed her, exhausted.

"Sit." She ordered softly and kneeled down in front of him.

He sat quietly, letting her undress his wet clothes. Her fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt, touching his skin gently, making him to look up into her face. He trapped her hands in his.

"Ains." He breathed out.

"Shh." She said whispering, placing his hands on his lap, and then sliding his shirt off of his shoulders.

"Please." He said closing his eyes.

She stood up, and he lifted his face to see her. "Ainsley."

She cupped his face with her hands. "It's okay now." She whispered, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"I know." He replied tiredly and then pulled her closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face against her stomach.

Her hands caressed his head, and she bent down to rest her cheek on his wet hair. They stayed like that for a long time before she heard him whispering.

"I love you."

"I know." She said, the unshed tears threatening to fall down on her cheeks. "I love you too."

He pulled away, and took her hands in his. "Everything seems so unreal now, but you are one real thing in my life."

"Sam." She looked down at him, her hands cupping his face again.

"Marry me." He whispered, locking his eyes with hers.

"What?"

"Marry me, Ainsley."

"Why?" She let her hands fall on her side.

"Because I love you."

"Sam," she stepped away from him, and he felt the cold air in his bare skin. "You're not... Everything that..." she turned to look at him. "It's been a long day and the funeral and..."

He stood up and walked to her. "I love you Ainsley. I love you more than anything."

"I know you do." She said softly. "But..."

"But what?" He interrupted.

"But if this is because what happened tonight..."

"We can't change what happened. We can only live with the consequences."

"I understand that, but..."

"Ainsley." He smiled gently.

"Yes?"

He pulled a little box out of his pocket and opened it for her. "Marry me."

She stared the ring quietly before she could lift her trembling hands to take the box from him. He stood up and walked to her.

"I know you think this is because of the all things that has happened. Or that this comes too fast." He reached for her hands. "I love you, and I want to spend rest of my life with you. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want to wake up next to you every morning rest of my life."

"I..." She said, tears running down on her face.

"I want the whole world to know that I am madly love with you. I want to make you happy."

"Yes." Her answer was barely audible.

"Yes?"

"Yes." She lifted her eyes to meet his and laughed through the tears. "Yes!"

He cupped her cheeks and kissed her softly. "I love you, Ainsley Madeline." He whispered against her lips.

"Oh, and I love you, Sam. More than anything else in this world."

He hugged her closer, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Sam." She said softly.

"Yeah?"

"You know this doesn't mean that I won't kick your ass in Capital Beat, don't you?"

"I didn't think so." He chuckled and then kissed her lightly.