AN: Oh my godness gracious golly gosh! I am a horrible bad author! I totally forgot about this story in all the craziness that is my life! If you are still with me I salute you cause there is no way my attention span is that long :P I hope the fact that this chapter is pretty long will make up for it. :D (I promise I'll try not to forget about you again!)

Chapter Eleven: Healing

I was released from the hospital the next morning and the sun was way too bright compared to the dimness of the hospital. It had taken hours for a maintenance crew to get us out of the elevator. We had managed to stop it right in-between floors and that caused the majority of the delay. Susana had fainted shortly after the cable broke, so we were saved the major pain of having to try and think off an explanation for what happened.

I, however, was not saved a major lecture on the dangers of the power from Caleb when Reid accidentally let it slip that I'd had a little trouble letting go. That was one long car ride home. Reid promised to make it up to me, but refused to tell me how. He simply told me to wear my favorite dress and be ready at seven.

I almost cried when I saw my face in the mirror. I had landed on my face when Caleb freed me, leaving the left side of my forehead was a sickly purple rimmed with yellow and my right cheek covered in road rash. I turned from the mirror to the closet and pulled out the little black dress I knew Reid liked and slipped it on. I turned back to the mirror and then I did start to cry. The dress was as gorgeous as it had always been, but the low back showed the sickly bruising and scrapes dotting my back and arms and the hem, reaching only my knees, showed the scrapes and cuts on my lower legs. I looked horrible. It was like this, crying alone in my room, that Sarah found me. I didn't even hear her until she pulled me into her arms.

"Come here," she whispered soothingly, and led me to the vanity. She sat me down and grabbed a brush and began, gently, doing my hair. She pulled it up in to a beautiful bun that was just the right amount of messy. She then picked up the foundation and began to cover my face. She was so quick that I didn't even feel it when she covered my bruise and scrape. I jumped a little when I felt her hands on my shoulder and then I realized what she was doing. She was covering every inch of my skin, that wasn't covered with by the dress, with make-up. She was very fast and five minutes later she set the bottle down and grabbed the small bag of eye-make up I had sitting out.

"Catie, it's okay, you have to stop crying or this make-up will never look right." Coming from anyone else it would have sounded horrible, but Sarah made it sound like the nicest thing you could say to a person. It was right then that I knew this was the girl my brother was meant to be with. I smiled and took a deep breath and ten minutes later Sarah was done. I looked in the mirror and almost started crying again before a glance from Sarah stopped me. I looked amazing; you could barely tell that I had anything wrong with me. I mean, there we're a few dark spots, but nothing near as bad as what I'd expected.

"Thank you, Sarah." I wrapped her in a tight hug.

"No problem, Catie.," she hugged me back, "and I know the perfect final touch!" She ran out of the room and returned a minute later with a beautiful pair of black heels.

"I didn't know if you'd be up to walking in them, but I figured you could give them a try and if not-" I cut her off.

"They're perfect." I slipped them on, grabbed my earrings from my jewelry box, popped them in, slipped on a bracelet, and was ready to go. At seven on the dot, Reid rang the door bell.

"Wait here for a minute and I'll go answer the door, then you come downstairs." Before I had a chance to agree or disagree she was gone. I sighed counted to sixty and walked down the stairs. I nearly stumbled at the sight of Reid. He was dressed to the nines in a jet black tuxedo. His hair was hat free and actually styled and most of all he wasn't wearing his gloves. If the look on his face was any indication, he didn't think I looked bad either.

"Wow," Reid finally broke the silence, "Catie you look amazing."

I blushed, "Thank Sarah for that." She simply shook her head,

"No, no, no, it was fun. I love doing that stuff every once in a while. Now, you two go have fun." She smiled and strolled into the other room. Reid took my arm and led me outside and placed me carefully in the passenger's seat before climbing into the driver's and fastening his seatbelt, something he usually didn't do. He grabbed my hand and we drove in silence. We had no need for idle chatter, we were happy just to be together. Reid pulled into the parking lot of a small restaurant and came around the car to help me out.

"Do you remember this place?" He asked steering me towards the door.

"How could I forget?" I smiled.

"Surprise!" Reid uncovered my eyes. 'The Rose' was the most expensive restaurant in town and here I was standing right in front of it.

"Oh, Reid! Really?" I hugged him tightly.

"Come on," He laughed and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door. Once we were seated at a small, private booth in the back and had our food, Reid pulled out a small box. I felt my throat go dry.

"Catie, I love you," he said taking my hands in his, "and I was wondering if you'd accept this ring and with it the promise that someday I will marry you and be your everything and that I will take care of you as best as I can?" He released one of my hands and opened the box. Inside was a small silver ring with a beautiful blue sapphire, sparkling at me.

"Oh, Reid, yes. Of course, I love you, too, so much." He pulled out the ring and slipped it on my finger and I beamed at him. Then he leaned in and gave me the sweetest kiss I'd ever had.

We walked in the door and the waiter led us to our table and left us alone. I smiled happily at Reid. The night seemed poised to go perfectly.