//CONTINUED FLASHBACK//
As Tony whispered the last sentence into her ear he carefully reached into his coat pocket and slowly fingered a small back velvet jewellery box. He had been thinking about this for awhile not. After all; he had wanted this to be the best setting for him to tell her this. Sure; they had been dating for three months now, and only a month ago had they both committed themselves to being exclusive with the other. But when was the time right to tell the woman you loved that you not only loved her but were in love with her?
Tony had decided that tonight was his time.
"Tony? Tony!" He shook himself out of the reverie and looked back at Kate.
"Huh?"
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah... why?"
"Cause you've been zoned out for the last minute or so."
"Oh. Didn't notice." He smiled playfully. "The question is; are you enjoying yourself, Miss Todd?"
"Tony... of course I am! Dinner was fantastic. And there's this gorgeous guy sitting next to me." They laughed before Kate continued. "Seriously though... tonight has been perfect."
There is a short pause in their conversation; as they both stop to think. They of course had no clue about what the other was thinking about, but just one glance at their faces would tell the story. Both sitting in the restaurant, hands intertwined and reflecting on what the other person had brought into their life.
"Why Tony? Why me?" Kate finally breaks the silence. With the one question she's been asking herself all the way through these three months. The one question that she hadn't been able to ask before this moment; perhaps the one reason that she hadn't expressed her love for him verbally. She knew it, and he probably knew it too; so far she still couldn't say it.
"Because... ‘cause..." Tony stuttered... something unusual for him. Should he lie? And keep up the barrier which he had put up over himself because of all the shallow relationships, with nothing to last the day after? He looked up into her eyes. No. She did love him; he could see it in her eyes. What was that thing that Ducky said? ‘The eyes are the window to the soul.' And he was sure it saw love in her eyes. The truth it was. But he still couldn't look her in the eyes when he answered her question. "Because I love you;" he paused then continued. "Because Caitlyn Todd I love you, but not only that but I have fallen in love with you, and I'll never stop loving you." He paused, and then finally looked up, only to see Kate looking straight back at him, a tear forming in her eye.
There it was; that was the answer she was looking for. After the countless number of guys that she had gone through, hoping in every relationship that he would tell her that. Then she knew that she could stop fearing that hidden fear of him going back to his old ways. "I was hoping you would say that Tony, because I have absolutely fallen for you, I'm just as in love with you."
Tony reached into his pocket, and took out the same small jewellery box which he had been fingering nervously just a few minutes ago. He motioned for her to turn around before taking out the silver necklace from the box and putting it on for her.
As she turned back around, she fingered the necklace and looked up at him as he said. "This is my promise to you."
//END FLASHBACK//
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