Kiri probably thought Marcus had forgotten what day it was, since he hadn't made any mention of it. Marcus wasn't usually the type to forget important dates, but it had been a busy week, and though he was a Rhy'Din native, he was only human. But Marcus hadn't forgotten their one year anniversary. In fact, he had set a plan in motion that would mark that day as special for the rest of their lives, but the timing had to be perfect. Thankfully, her routine was a fairly predictable one, and he had a key to her apartment.

Predictable, certainly. Especially during the week, when she was required at the studios to film the upcoming episodes of the daytime soap opera that had made her a household name in Rhy'Din. Kiri Calderon was best known as Dr. Jo Stafford on Horizons, and had been playing that role for almost three years now. She knew the character inside and out, a feat that made filming her scenes easy these days. In the heat of summer, though, spending a six hour day under the studio lights was not the best way to pass the time, and it was with no inconsiderable relief that she returned home, beginning to feel the buzz of excitement that came with knowing she'd be seeing Marcus later on. Even if he had forgotten the importance of the date, she hadn't. She didn't need a fuss made, but she was going to mark it, if he would let her.

After being together for a year, Marcus thought he knew her pretty well. He knew she wouldn't want him to make a big fuss, and he also knew she'd want to relax after a long day at work. He'd managed to get off work tending bar at the Shanachie a little early tonight - early enough to hurry home and put his little plan in motion.

When Kiri stepped in the door of her apartment, the first thing she'd notice was that the lights were out and the shades were drawn, but there was a trail of candles set out leading to the balcony that overlooked a view of the city below. It wasn't quite dark yet, but the sun was just starting to set, turning the sky into pastel shades of blue and pink and orange, one of Rhy'Din's moons just starting to rise.

Used to the occasional surprise from Marcus, nonetheless Kiri was surprised to find that her apartment was apparently already inhabited when she got home. He didn't usually get off work until late in the evening, so his presence here was unexpected, to say the least. Add to that the fact that he was out of sight, but had obviously made some kind of effort, and she was smiling before she closed the front door behind her, dropping her bag down by the table beside the door and bending to retrieve the carefully wrapped gift from the shadows beneath.

"Follow the lights, huh?" she said, her heels gently clicking against the floor as she did just that, pausing in the door to the balcony to peek outside.

The candles that led to the balcony didn't end there, as it seemed Marcus had been busy creating a certain romantic ambience he hoped would not only surprise but please her. The candles didn't end there, but lit the space where a small table was draped in white and set for two - crystal, china and silver sparkling in the candlelight. A bottle of wine sat waiting in a bucket of ice, and the plates were covered to keep whatever meal awaited them warm until she arrived. Soft music was playing, the sound of Nat King Cole's voice singing, "When I fall in love, it will be forever...."

Her eyes skimmed over the beautifully arranged setting, widening as she realized just how much time and effort had gone into it. Dinner for two, it seemed; private and personal, lit by candlelight with her favorite singer crooning a love song filled with memories. Suddenly very aware of her jeans, of how very underdressed she was for such a lovely turn out, she hesitated, pulling on one corkscrew curl as she glanced back into the apartment. Did she have time to run back and change for him before he appeared"

Just as she was considering that thought, another voice joined that of the singer - one she'd recognize well - and Marcus stepped out of the shadows and reached for her hand to draw her out onto the balcony to join him. It didn't matter to him in that moment or any other what she was wearing. She was beautiful in his eyes and always would be. "When I give my heart, it will be completely, or I'll never give my heart," he sang, moving to one knee before her. Taking her left hand in his, he slid something cool and sparkly onto her finger, his voice still singing softly of his love and the question he was asking. "And the moment I can feel that you feel that way, too, is when I fall in love with you."

Startled to find her hand in his, Kiri looked back as Marcus dropped to his knee, and quite suddenly she realized what was going on. This wasn't just a marking of their first anniversary. This was a promise that there would be many more to come. Utterly charmed by the sheer romance surrounding her, by how well he knew her to do it like this, she bit her lip once again, barely even glancing at the ring that sparkled on her finger. The ring wasn't what mattered; the man who gave it to her was.

"I can't kiss you while you're down there, you know," she heard herself say, laughing a little at how utterly practical and unromantic that comment was.

And so like her. She hadn't answered his unasked question yet in so many words, but he knew her well enough to know that was as good as a yes. He smiled and moved to his feet, not only taking her in his arms but dipping her back as he tasted her lips, his kiss soft and warm.

Just as well her arms were already about him before he dipped her backward, or she would have panicked. As it was, his kiss found laughing lips that warmed to him only too happily as she gave him her answer without needing words. "I love you, you know," she murmured to him, brushing the tip of her nose to his. "You sweet old-time romantic, you."

"I should have been born a few decades ago," he admitted, pulling her upright, his arms still around her, a soft smile on his face, guilty as charged. "I would have put it in your champagne glass, but I was afraid you might swallow it," he teased.

She laughed softly as he drew her up once again, curling her arms about him tighter to embrace her fiance as she giggled. "You really do know me too well," she grinned, kissing his neck affectionately. "Just because I set fire to my own hair the night we met." Admittedly, she hadn't been paying attention, and hadn't realized he'd set light to the shot she then picked up and tried to drink, but then, Kiri rarely paid much attention when she needed a drink. Down the hatch was a way of life when she felt the need to take the edge off.

Hopefully, she'd learned since meeting him that there were more ways than one to take the edge off. He chuckled at her remark, remembering that night. "You're lucky I had a bottle of sparkling water handy to put out the fire," he teased, drawing her over to the table and pulling out a chair for her. She hadn't even had a chance to look at her ring yet, but hopefully, she'd like it.

"Which would make us even, except I cooked," he replied, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out at her. "Which reminds me ....dinner is getting cold," he reminded her again. He set the box aside, grinning like an idiot as he waited for her to see what was for dinner.

"I'll do the dishes," she countered playfully, finally raising the cover on the food to reveal honey-glazed tuna and stir-fried vegetables - the same dish she'd ordered on their first date. Her jaw dropped, eyes rising to his in near disbelief. "How the hell did you remember that?"

"Mind like a steel trap," he told her, tapping a finger against his temple. He wasn't exaggerating either, priding himself on never forgetting a line, whenever he had the opportunity to do a little acting anyway.

"Obsessively compulsive," she countered laughingly, reaching to serve him, and then herself. "Totally obsessed with me, obviously. I mean, I am just impossible to live without." Raising her glass to him, her smile softened. "To us."

"Guilty as charged," he replied with a laugh. "To us," he echoed, tapping his glass gently against hers, a happy smile on his face. He'd been planning this evening for a long time, and it made him happy to know that everything was going well, at least so far. "So, when do you want to break the news to your mother?" he asked. "You'd better make sure she's sitting down first in case she faints!"

Kiri laughed as she swallowed, setting her glass down to raise her knife and fork, eager to enjoy the fruits of his labors. "The same goes for your mother," she pointed out. "I think we should get them all in the same room, yours and mine both, and tell them at the same time. Otherwise, it's an argument waiting to happen."

He winced at that idea. "You're a brave woman, but you're also the bride. I'm pretty sure the wedding is supposed to be mostly about you," he told her, perfectly happy to go along with whatever she wanted and decided, trusting her judgment.

"You are kidding, right?" she asked in amusement. "It's our wedding. You're not getting out of making decisions, Marcus Spencer. I refuse to become bridezilla, and you're going to make sure it doesn't happen. Lots and lots of sex is your reward for managing it."

He laughed, nearly choking on a forkful of tuna. "Oh ..." he coughed once and took a swallow of champagne, before continuing. "Poor me! I'll do my best." He grinned, eager to see the look on their families' faces when they shared the news, though he doubted they'd be very surprised.

"It'll be fun," Kiri predicted hopefully, not really wanting to envision a year of pure stress in the run up to their wedding. "We'll make sure it's fun, for everyone. And then we'll skip out early before they start getting drunk enough to fight, and go somewhere tropical for a couple of weeks to get over it."

"Why somewhere tropical?" he asked curiously, knowing it was supposed to be romantic and all, but there were so many things to see besides palm trees swaying in the breeze and ocean sunsets. It was only one of many discussions and decisions to be made over the next year. He held up a hand, remembering something. "Forget I said that. We'll decide together."

She chuckled at his response, glad he'd taken the threat of bridezilla unchecked seriously. She knew she could be more than a little nit-picky over inconsequential details; she needed him to balance her out. "Of course we will," she agreed with a warm smile. "But, you know, I'm gonna hold out for at least a couple of days on a beach in a bikini. Fair warning."

"Point taken," he told her, exchanging glass for fork and cutting into his tuna again. "We have plenty of time to sort things out, but tonight is about celebrating," he insisted, smiling softly over at her. Even if their families couldn't agree on wedding plans, they'd work it out somehow. All that mattered to him was that they were together.

"Mmhmm," she nodded, murmuring her agreement around a mouthful of tuna. A year was plenty of time to browbeat the network into giving her a month off this time next year, too; she was already being written down into a less regular spot, and if everything went to plan, she might not mind being written out entirely. "How did you get the night off" You didn't pull a sickie, did you?"

"No, I swapped hours with another tender," he replied, scooping up a forkful of veggies. "So, what do you think" Is it passable?" he asked, with a nod of his head to food on her plate. He might never be a chef, but he knew his way around the kitchen well enough.

"Mmm, more than passable," she assured him warmly. "I might have to make you do all the cooking from now on." She paused, considering this thought. "Well, I might, if it wasn't for the fact that you work much later than I do," she conceded, chuckling. "Sundays and Wednesdays, you cook."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," he said, unsure how she'd feel about his suggestion but he had to tell her sooner or later. "I think I'm gonna audition for the Shanachie this year." It wasn't such shocking news, considering he was an actor, as well, but he hadn't had quite as much luck as her in finding steady work.

"You should!" Kiri was instantly enthused, eager for him to do what it was he loved best. "Absolutely you should audition. They could do with some new faces, and you're easily the equal of anyone on that stage, Jonathan Granger included."

Marcus chuckled. "Hardly, but thanks." His smile widened, dark eyes shining with a hint of amusement. "You could audition, too, you know. It's a steady gig, and we'd be working the same hours," he suggested.

Her smile was a little mischievous as she swallowed her mouthful. "I was thinking about it," she admitted. "I came out worst in the contract negotiations. Higher salary ....less than half the screen time. So I actually took a pay cut." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her own stupid decision. "I was thinking about auditioning to be a guest at the Shanachie. In case they write me out completely."

He lowered his fork full of veggies to frown at her. "Why the hell did they do that' Your character is a popular one." As for himself, he only had an occasional guest spot and, as such, needed to supplement his income somehow, which was why he was moonlighting as a bartender at the Shanachie.

"Well, there are a couple of reasons," she shrugged. "There's Old Faithful - that someone in the cast is getting protective of their reputation and wants more screen-time, and is possibly bribing to get it. Or it could simply be that I've had three years, I've had good storylines, and they're running out of ideas when it comes to Jo. It happens, baby. The last soap I was in, I got written out after five years, after all. I'm not prepared to sleep with a producer or bribe a writer. If they want me out, I'm out. And I'll make them feel guilty for it by being gracious about it, too."