Welcome to Gaia! ::

Did it? At Dea’s words, Noah smiled slightly. He continued to drive, watching as memories blurred by. The first time he found this place... They’d been so young. He hadn’t told her about it at first. He’d meant to keep it a surprise but he’d ended up finding a better use for it.

He’d proposed to her here under the willow tree. Bubbles had brought him the ring, but the other Pokémon had been involved too. He’d planned for them for them to lead her to him while he waited for her.

“It’s beautiful here.”

"We can make up for it by making new memories here," Noah suggested, and gave her a smile. He parked after a while and sat back in the car. He was silent in his thought. "It isn't your fault you forgot," he added. "It's mine."

He opened the car door and climbed out, hurrying to Dea's side and opening the door for her. He offered her his hand. "I'm going to make up for that mistake."

She said that, but he didn't think he could help the guilt that lingered in the darkest corners of his mind. "I suppose you're right," he agreed, sighing. He had done what he thought was best, but it hadn't been. He hadn't ended up protecting her, she'd still been targeted.

He had to make this right. He led her to an old willow tree. The branches bowed down with the weight of their foliage. Someone had carved their initials not in the tree itself, but in a rock beside it. Their initials showed white against the gray rock, and Noah was surprised that they hadn't faded away with the pond's constant lapping. The wind caused the water to move almost like a beach's. But they'd stayed.

"Do you remember this place?" he asked.

She did remember! Noah had known most of her memory had returned—maybe all of it, but something inside him had kept him from being confident of that. His insecurities faded and he smiled at her. He slowly bent down on one knee.

“And now, I’m going to ask you again,” he said. He pulled out a velvet covered box.

“Dea, I’ve known you all of my life. I’ve loved you since I can remember—long before I could ever say it! You’re my forever, and I want to keep the promises I made to you in our original vows. The promises I broke. Will you renew our vows with me?”

Noah opened the box slowly. There wasn't a ring within, but a necklace. It was two hearts intertwined with a stone for each of their children. And pokemon, because with those stars he didn't know how many children they might eventually end up with. He wasn't sure, but this jirachi, the one tossing the stars down to earth seemed mischievous.

Who knew what that jirachi had in store for their family.

"I wanted to pick out the ring with you," he said, after a moment. "I couldn't find one that was perfect for us on my own."

She certainly seemed happy with the necklace, maybe he wouldn't have failed finding the right ring after all. He offered it to her. "Put it on?" he suggested. He gave her a smile and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He wanted Dea to be happy and she was! But now what?

"Do you want to skip stones with me?" he asked. Flat, round rocks were the easiest to skip. Maybe they'd find some here.

Oh? Noah smiled and moved to stand behind her. He draped his arms loosely around her shoulders and held each clasp in either hand. He gently moved her hair aside with two fingers as he did so, and clasped the necklace. "I want to see it on you," he said.

He moved to stand in front of her and studied her in silence for a moment. "Beautiful," he said.