Disclaimer: see previous 21 chapters…

A/N: For this past week, I have gotten an average of three hours of sleep a night. Why would you want to know that? I dunno but I just felt like stating that random fact.

"I like this house, Tai." I insisted. "Come on, it's perfect for the three of us and it's spacious but it's cozy too AND there's enough room for a few extra guests should we choose to invite any to stay over. The view from here is gorgeous and the pool and backyard is heavenly. Come on," I whined, as I tugged at his arm like a precocious toddler. He smiled faintly at me, like a parent would when their nerves are just about to snap.

"I dunno about this, Yama. I like it too but-"

"But what? There's no but's needed." I crossed my arms, surveying his indecision. The two-story house was beautiful. It was set near the ocean, on a cliff but the cliff was a little ways away, about a ten-minute hike. There was a tropical pool with a waterfall and trees surrounding it and beside the pool was a Jacuzzi. There was plenty of space in the backyard and beautiful trees outlined the whole thing. It was secluded and private but a fifteen-minute drive down brought us into the outskirts of Odaiba and it was another five-minute drive to Kari's school. It was perfect.

"It's just that- what if it's too expensive? I mean, I don't want to get my hopes up just to find out that we can't afford it." He bit his lip and looked away. I grabbed his shoulders and shook him gently.

"Hello, Tai? Newsflash: I have loads of money. Therefore, it is not an issue. Is that the only thing bothering you?" He nodded, still not looking me in the eye. "So it's just the money?"

"Yeah. I just feel inadequate that you can pay for all this and I can't." I was a bit hurt that he would suggest that I cared about his financial state or any other material things he might have been lacking. I didn't love him for his clothes or the expensive things he could get me but for the warmth I felt inside whenever I was with him. He made me whole, in a physical sense as well as mentally and emotionally. He sensed when I wanted to be alone or when I needed a hug and some attention. Tai was my best friend and even as best friends, we were always so close. I loved him so much that it ached and it didn't matter if he was the richest man alive or the poorest bastard living. The money he had in the bank could not define the person he was inside.

"Quit being such a baka, Tai. I don't care. Money is not an issue. I love you for you, not the amount of money you have. I don't care if you can afford one thing or can't afford the other. Besides, I kind of like being able to take care of you. It's like I'm saying thank you for helping me in my time of need. For caring enough to risk your well-being for mine. I could never repay you for that and the least I could do is give you all the love that I have inside of me."

"If you like it so much then I guess we could buy it." He smiled. "Wait until Kari hears about this. She'll love it." And he was right. Kari loved it and as soon as the deal was made, we packed up our things in his apartment and moved into our new home. Kari had a wonderful time fixing up her new room and we must have spent over two thousand dollars on the furniture and accessories that she required. She apologized one time to me, while we were shopping for a bed for her. There was one that she had fallen in love with and she ran over to it. She walked around, tracing her fingers on the intricate designs carved into the beautiful dark wood that made up the bed frame.

"Go ahead, try it," I urged and she flopped on, sinking slowly into the pile of down blankets.

"Oh my god, I just love it!" she sighed, allowing her head to rest on one of the pillows. I laughed and told her this would be her new bed from now on, was she sure? Then her eye caught sight of the price tag and she leapt off, blushing furiously. "It's so expensive. 800 for the frame alone?! And the mattress and everything else would cost at least 200. Oh Yama, I can't ask you for that."

"Hey, I spent three thousand dollars on a brand new amp last week. I think I can spare a thousand for your bed. It would be an honor, Miss Kari, if you would accept it." Her eyes brightened and she threw her arms around me.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She said, over and over again. My pockets were considerably lighter by the time we were finished decorating her room but the smile on her face was more than worth it.

About three months after we moved in, Kari invited her friends over to check out her new place and they'd taken three large pizzas and enough soda to flood Odaiba into her new room and stayed there, chatting and laughing and doing the things that girls do best. Tai and I were snuggled together on the couch, in front of our fireplace and he was studying the dancing flames intensely. I brushed a lock of his hair out of his face and asked playfully,

"What's the matter, beautiful?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am to be here with you." We shared a kiss and then I pulled away.

"Hold on a sec." I said and ran up the stairs to our bedroom (which had French doors and a sunroom that overlooked the ocean) and brought back a box. "Open it." He gave me a strange look then glanced at the box warily as though it might contain a poisonous snake that would bite him the moment he opened it.

"It's not my birthday, Yama. Why'd you get me a present?" he asked, casting suspicious looks at both me and my present.

"Just open it." I smacked him lightly on the head. He could do things without thinking and make stupid, rash decisions and then hesitate at the times when rash decisions needed to be made. It irritated me sometimes but I suppose it was just another one of those qualities I found endearing. How he could always push my buttons and the happiness he derived from riling me up. He was my lover and my enemy rolled into one and sometimes, I asked kami-sama what I had gotten myself into. We joked often that we would grow old together and live happily ever after or we would end up killing one another. Then Kari would pop in and add a bet that I would kill Tai first and could I do her a favor and make it a clean murder? It was on those days when I really felt like a family. Albeit, a rather strange family with a mosaic of different people but a real and true family nonetheless.

He opened it and pulled out a smaller box. When he opened that, he came to a velvet box. His eyes widened and I took it from him, getting down on one knee, before he could say a word. "Tai, I love you with every ounce of my being and I know that I want to be with you for the rest of my life. You were there for me at a time when no one knew what was wrong. I pushed you away but you stayed, glued to my side. I give this to you," I opened the box, took out the ring and grabbed his hand, "today and ask you," I slipped it on his finger, "to be my partner. For always." His mouth hung open as he stared at the ring.

"I-I-of course." He said hoarsely and I threw myself at him with unbridled glee. He was mine forever. He was mine and no one could take him from me. He was mine. The look in his eyes said it all to me. "Haha, Yamato Ishida. Now no fan girl of yours can steal you from me. You're mine." He purred into my ear.

We snuggled on the couch again, I was halfway in his lap and his head was under my chin. Right before I fell asleep, I looked into his half-closed eyes and he looked right back and I was overcome with the urge to cry, not out of sadness but from the pure joy I was experiencing. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think that I would end up with the love of my life. I never thought that I could love someone so much and that they could return that love equally. I never thought I could make someone so happy and that anyone could make me so joyful. But my dreams came true and now, I was ready to settle into happily ever after. So I did, snuggling into my lover's arms and allowed my eyes to droop shut and he did the same. As we slept peacefully in each other's arms, I knew we were already in our paradise. Forever and always.

A/N: sniffles. Wow. I can't believe it's finally over. I don't think I'll do a sequel to this but I WILL write another fiction… like I said, plot bunnies are brutal things. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

P.S. this has been a really long time coming since I kind of forgot about it. I had it written and it has been sitting on my hard drive collecting dust but life has been MURDER lately so I haven't been able to post it. D Until next time… I shall see you soon.