"Yes," Katie whispered.  Her voice was barely audible.  She'd said it so quietly she wasn't even sure she'd actually said anything.

AJ wasn't sure he'd heard her either.  The only indication that led him to believe he'd heard her right was the smile that spread across her face.  Followed by the quick nod of her head.

"Really?" he asked, almost as if he was surprised she'd agreed.

AJ stood up, the ring hanging by the string between them.  He pulled her tightly to him, burying his face in her hair to breath in her scent.  He wanted to remember this moment forever.  He wanted to be sure that this moment was real.

Finally he let her go, looking down at her face.  AJ grabbed her hand, shakily placing the engagement ring on her finger.

"Alex...wow...it's so beautiful," Katie finally said.  She brushed the tears from her eyes and looked up at him, "It's gorgeous."

"I've had it for a few weeks now.  Got it when the guys and I were in Germany.  I was so scared."

"No need to be scared.  I love it."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

AJ pulled her against him again.  Katie leaned into AJ, her hand on his chest, over his heart, and her head on his shoulder.  She could feel his heart beat against her palm and she smiled.

"As much as I hate to let you go right now, we have to get changed.  Everyone is expecting us at Howie's in thirty."

AJ felt Katie nod against his chest but she didn't move.  She held him tight for a few more seconds before lifting her head.

"Okay.  Let's go.  I can show off my new fiancé...and my amazing ring."

The happy couple let each other go and Katie made her way up the stairs to the bedroom to get dressed.  AJ, having already gotten dressed, cleaned up in the kitchen and began bringing the gifts from under the tree out to the car.

Katie returned just in time to see the rather large, oddly shaped gift find it's way into AJ's arms.  He turned to take it to the car as well when she stopped him.

"That one doesn't have to go.  That one is yours."

It was rather obvious from the shape of the gift what it was and a smile slowly crept onto AJ's face.  Katie rolled her eyes as she watched the grown man turn into a little kid as he set the package down to tear through the horrible wrapping job.

"It wasn't easy to wrap, but I got it done," she laughed.

Tossing the paper to the side, AJ reached for the clasps and flipped them open.  He slowly lifted the lid to the guitar case and reached inside.

"How did you find this?" AJ asked.

He'd been searching for this particular guitar for months, unable to get his hands on one.  Somehow she'd managed to do it.

"I had a little help.  Brian let me know which one it was and Howie tracked on down for me.  It's been at Kevin and Kristin's so you wouldn't find it."

"I can't believe you found one!"

"So I did good?" she grinned.

"More than good.  This is awesome babe."

"I think your present tops it," she held up the ring.

*****

Katie skipped up to the front door and rang the bell.

"What are you doing?" she glanced back at AJ struggling in the back seat of the car.

"I'm tryna find something!  Be right there," AJ's muffled voice called from the car.

"There you are!" Leighanne squealed as she opened the door, "You're late.  Where's that boyfriend of yours?  The guys have been waiting for him."

Katie used all her strength from squealing in happiness, wanting to casually slip the news into the conversation.

"Sorry.  Busy morning.  My fiancé is in the car.  I don't know what he's doing," Katie rolled her eyes.

He knows how to...wait, fiancé?" the tall blonde asked slowly as the word registered in her brain.

Katie nodded and held up the ring for Leighanne to examine.  The girls squealed and Kristin came running.

"What?  What's going on?  What's wrong?!?"

"It's gorgeous," Leighanne breathed as she held Katie's hand.

"What's gorgeous?" Kristin craned her neck over Leighanne's shoulder to see what the squealing was about.

"You're engaged?"

Katie nodded again, the smile on her face getting bigger.  The three girls wrapped their arms around each other in a hug just as AJ walked up.

"Everything okay up here?" AJ grinned.

"Mind out of the gutter Mclean.  Congratulations!"

More squealing.

The four guys inside finally showed themselves.

"I don't think the people on the other side of the state can hear you girls, think you could be a little louder?" Nick laughed.

"What's with the noise?" Kevin questioned.

"They're engaged!  Katie and AJ are engaged!" Leighanne and Kristin informed the guys.

"Oh," the guys replied.

"Oh?  You say that like it's old news!" Kristin smacked Kevin in the shoulder.

"It is.  We knew this was coming," Nick interjected.

"No one told us?" Leighanne pouted.

"Right.  That was going to happen.  I told them that if Katie found out before I proposed someone would get seriously hurt," AJ answered.

The arguing continued for several more minutes before the girls conceded and everyone made their way into the house to start the celebrating.