Author's Note: During this time of uncertainty, my mind wandered to how our four POstables might be currently handling things. I wrote this chapter with the intention of it being a one-shot, but this has ended up being my longest story to-date. I hope you enjoy my attempt to entertain and lighten the mood for POstables, especially ShOliver fans. Thank you in advance for reading! Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disclaimer: Signed, Sealed, Delivered and its characters belong to Martha Williamson.

"Things are getting real." From her makeshift desk in the Dead Letter Office, Shane eyed Oliver wistfully.

"Yes, I suppose they are." Oliver forced himself to give his fiancée a slight smile, feeling a bit helpless as the world spiraled out of control. "Would you believe that I went to four different stores last night and could not find my usual hand soap?"

Shane laughed softly. "Oliver, I think it's only going to get worse before it gets better. You might have to resort to buying a different brand."

Oliver bunched his lips and then sighed with disappointment. Just then, Rita and Norman hurried into the DLO, bringing a sense of urgency with them.

"Have you seen the news?" Rita exclaimed.

"Not in the last..." Shane glanced at her phone. "Five minutes, Rita. Why?"

"Non-essential businesses are closing, per the governor's orders." Her serious tone matched the despair shown on her face.

"Oh, yes, Rita. That's just another safety precaution to reduce person-to-person contact," Oliver explained. "There's no need to panic, however. We will still have access to grocery stores, pharmacies, and such."

"Yes, I know." Rita pushed up her glasses and swallowed while Norman looked on anxiously. "But...well, are we considered an essential business?"

"Rita, we're the post office!" Shane chuckled. "I can't see them shutting us down."

"Well, maybe not the whole office, but what about the DLO?" Rita's face twisted with worry.

"Delivering dead letters is absolutely essential business," Oliver declared resolutely, standing up from his chair and rounding his desk. "It brings peace, and well, peace is essential."

"We all believe that, Oliver, but do you think that upper management will agree?" Norman inquired, wringing his hands together.

"Norman, I highly doubt that we will be forced to stop working." Oliver raised his eyebrows expressively.

"Maybe not, but a lot of people are now working from home," Norman stated matter-of-factly.

"And not just theoretically, either, Oliver," Shane interjected, grinning as she remembered their conversation when they first encountered each other at the coffee stand. "They are actually setting up their offices at home and working while they quarantine."

"Well, there's no reason for us to do so. There are only four of us, so we are adhering to the current guidelines of ten or less in a gathering." Oliver shrugged his shoulders and smiled satisfactorily. "And we have enough space here in the Dead Letter Office that we can easily maintain a distance of at least six feet between each other."

"Are you sure we can manage that, Oliver?" Shane shot him a flirtatious grin, despite the Dormans' presence. Her insinuation caused Oliver obvious discomfort, as evidenced by his blush and the clearing of his throat.

"Ms. McInerney, we are professionals," he replied, cutting his eyes at her. "Perhaps a minimum distance of six feet is what we should always strive to maintain in this office, regardless of any guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control."

"Uh-huh. Well, we are practically married, Mr. O'Toole, and you can't expect Norman and Rita to stay six feet apart." Shane grinned while the Dormans snickered.

Oliver opened his mouth to reply, then shut it. He opened his mouth once more, and a shrill ring made them all jump a little. Oliver reached for the phone.

"Dead Letter Office, Oliver O'Toole."

He listened for a moment, then glanced at the other three, his brows raised.

"Oh, good morning, Rebecca! How are you?"

Shane and the Dormans exchanged wide-eyed glances. Oliver held the phone to his ear and listened carefully for a minute, then let out a sigh.

"I understand. It's not ideal, but we will certainly manage the best we can. Thank you for informing us."

Dejectedly, he placed the receiver back on the base.

"Oliver. Did Becky just shut us down?" Shane looked at him, eyes wide, as the Dormans waited impatiently.

The section leader surveyed his team somberly. "Rita, Norman, Ms. McInerney." Shane rolled her eyes at his formality. He continued. "As of five o'clock this afternoon, we will not return to this office for the foreseeable future."

The three gasped audibly.

"We have been ordered to continue our work from home, as much as possible," Oliver announced.

"Oh!" Rita blurted, pulling her face back as though she had been hit with a physical blow.

"Wow...I never thought it would come to this." The corners of Norman's mouth turned downward.

"Norman!" Shane said with a bewildered laugh. "You and Rita just came in here suggesting that this very thing might happen."

"Oh, yeah... I guess we did. But it's still such a shock." He shook his head. "I can't recall a time that the DLO has ever been closed due to a widespread illness."

"Well, this space might be closing temporarily, Norman, but our work will continue. We will conduct business as usual today," Oliver instructed, "and perhaps we can order a to-go plate from Bistro Ramon for our last lunch together, hmm?"

"Last lunch?" Rita looked as though she might cry.

"Oh, Rita, this is not permanent," Shane told her. "We'll all be back together soon. I hope," she muttered, looking not so sure of herself. "Besides, you and Norman get to go home together. That won't be so bad!"

Rita's face brightened slightly but immediately fell again. "What about you and Oliver?"

"Don't worry!" Shane gave her colleague a reassuring smile. "We can talk to you guys over the phone or through video chats, maybe. We'll find a way to stay in touch. After all, we'll still be working together, just from a distance."

Oliver's face revealed that he had registered the severity of the situation, while Shane was too busy comforting Rita. It was apparent that Shane had not yet considered the impact the circumstances would have on her relationship with Oliver and their upcoming nuptials.

"But the two of you—you won't be together for a really long time," Rita informed her. "And your wedding, Shane! It's in four weeks and you can't have a wedding if everyone is quarantined! This pandemic is predicted to last quite a while." Rita was heartbroken for her friend.

The color drained from Shane's face, whether from the thought of being apart from Oliver or from the loss of the wedding they had planned, or both. Oliver couldn't be quite sure, but he was certain of one thing. It took all the strength Oliver could muster to refrain from gathering his future wife in his arms to console her. But...six feet apart. Not to mention, they had an audience. And Oliver still wasn't comfortable with exhibiting public displays of affection, even though he and Shane were now in a deeply committed relationship.

Shane slowly nodded, acknowledging Rita's remarks. A touch of moisture formed at the corners of her eyes, yet she fought to maintain her composure. "Well! As much as I was hoping to avoid this, we'll just have to postpone the wedding a little longer. And Oliver and I—we'll get through this together. Apart." Her eyes darted awkwardly among the POstables. "I mean...well, you know what I mean."

Rita nodded sympathetically. "Shane, I'm so sorry. It seems like the world is crashing down right now, and for some of us, more than it is for others."

Shane appeared to be on the verge of tears and Oliver was beyond anxious, not knowing how to respond—what to say or how to touch her, considering the circumstances. The Dormans graciously took this opportunity to retreat to the lab so that the other couple could have some privacy.

"You know what I would like to do, right now?" Oliver spoke gently, as soon as he and Shane were alone. "But I'm afraid my heart and my head are at odds. I'm wrestling between my desire to embrace you and my need to follow the rules."

Shane dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and chuckled. "Then I guess you'll have to make a choice, Oliver."

He stared at her from several feet away for a few moments. Then, without warning, he broke the barriers and in a few long strides had reached her, pulling her close to him. They hugged for a few moments, Oliver taking in the lingering scent of her shampoo. He gently held the back of her head as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"I'll always choose you, my dear Shane."

Shane smiled through her tears, although he couldn't see her. She rested in his arms for a minute of silence before finally raising her head to look at him.

"I just can't believe this is happening," she croaked.

"I know." He stroked her cheek with his thumb, willing her to release her frustrations.

"Our wedding!" she exclaimed. "This stinks worse than skunks. And I don't know if I can bear the thought of being away from—" Shane gulped.

"Shhh." He pulled her back into a hug.

"I'm just so disappointed, Oliver," Shane spoke quietly. "I don't want to wait a few more months to be married to you. But what can we do?"

The question was rhetorical, but Oliver thought for a moment and then responded with a gentle whisper in her ear. "Let's get married."

Shane laughed and pulled back to look at him again with a puzzled expression. "I thought that was the issue here. We can't have our ceremony until this pandemic has settled down."

"I mean, let's get married now, and weather this storm together." He dipped his chin, his blue eyes shining as they pierced hers.

"What?" Shane looked at Oliver as though she didn't recognize him anymore. "Are you serious?"

He nodded. "Instead of postponing our wedding, let's get married now."

"Now? What do you mean now?" Her eyes reflected a flurry of emotions.

"Today."

"Today?" she repeated, biting her lip.

"Or tomorrow," Oliver suggested, his eyes glinting with hope. "Or how about Saturday?"

"Oliver, I do love you, and I would marry you this minute if we were absolutely positive that it's the right thing to do. But a quick trip to the courthouse isn't exactly what I had in mind."

He nodded. "I understand." And he, of all people, did understand. The last—and only—time he had rushed into a wedding, it hadn't been the wisest decision. He regretted suggesting a similar scenario to Shane. What was he doing? He was normally so practical, but life as they knew it had been turned upside down. Regardless, Oliver truly loved Shane, and she deserved much more than a couple of "I do"s spoken in front of a judge and their signatures on a piece of paper.

"Are you sure?" Shane scrunched her face in concern. "Because I don't want you thinking that I don't—"

Oliver placed a finger to her lips. "I know you love me. And I know you have waited a long time for this. I want you to have the wedding you've always dreamed of. You deserve it, Shane." He took a deep breath. "But I won't lie to you. The very thought of being quarantined, away from you, for an undetermined length of time, is more than I feel like I can handle at the moment. All I want to do...is take you home...with me." His eyes roamed her face with enough adoration to take her breath away, while his words made her heart break into a million pieces. And Shane had to ask herself—ovee and over again—if she was making the right decision.

The POstables had kept the mood light-hearted as much as possible throughout the day, and they said their goodbyes quickly and with the hope that they would see each other again soon, in one way or another.

Oliver and Shane had had a difficult time parting, but they both agreed that it was for the good of each other's health that they remain socially distant. Although he was resistant to the changes in their work techniques, Shane contacted management and requested that a hotspot and laptop be sent home with Oliver. She reminded him that this would be the only way they could see each other if they were to remain physically apart.

"I don't even know how to turn this thing on," he had remarked, holding it awkwardly as if the laptop could explode any minute and prove his theory that technology was second-rate.

"Oliver, I will walk you through it," she had assured him. "Believe me, you'll be glad you did this."

But now, Shane was beginning to have her doubts. As she and Oliver were on the phone together later that evening, Shane realized just how completely helpless he really was when it came to technology. She propped her elbow on her desk, her forehead resting in her hand from mental exhaustion. Shane had guided Oliver through turning the computer on and logging in with his USPS-issued credentials, and somehow just that task had felt like an award-winning accomplishment.

"I'm very proud of you, Oliver." He could hear her sincere smile over the phone.

"For successfully turning on a computer." He smirked as he sat at his desk in his study, eyeing the monstrosity that was completely out of place in this room and in his life.

"Yes, well, that's a major feat for someone who does not embrace technology whatsoever." She giggled. "Tomorrow morning, we'll get you connected for our video chat meeting with Norman and Rita. But for now, I have a practice session set up for just the two of us. Our first virtual date!" Her announcement was followed by another few chuckles.

"Oh?" Oliver grinned ear-to-ear, perking up at the idea of seeing Shane again, even if it was through this...apparatus.

"Yes. Here's what you need to do to join the meeting." Shane relayed the directions to him, and within a couple of minutes, Shane appeared in a box on the screen in front of Oliver.

Shane had let her hair down since work, but she was simply breathtaking to Oliver. She appeared relaxed, dressed down in a pink t-shirt, and well, Oliver didn't know what else.

"Oh my goodness—not quite like being together in person, but a marvelous alternative." He awkwardly waved at her, not knowing exactly how to conduct himself.

Shane giggled. "I would say the same, but I can't see you or hear you through the computer. You'll need to turn your camera and microphone on."

He followed her instructions and soon, they had ended the phone call and continued their conversing online.

"I'll make a techie out of you yet," Shane stated playfully, pursing her lips.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that. But perhaps you can help me attend church services?" he requested. "I've missed the last few."

Shane let out a mock gasp. "Oliver O'Toole has been skipping church?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "All of their services are now on the line."

"Online, Oliver." She chuckled.

"That's what I said." He stared at her blankly.

"No, you said 'on the line,'" Shane disputed. "There's a difference."

He nodded once in acknowledgement.

"It's so good to see you," Shane told him, a sweet smile spreading across her face. "I mean, I know I saw you earlier today, but just knowing that we have this technology helps make being apart a little bit easier."

"That is true," Oliver agreed, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "I suppose there are benefits to modern advancements after all."

"Wow—that is quite the statement coming from you." Shane laughed again. "I love you, Oliver, and I miss you already."

"I love you, too, my dear Shane, and I miss you as well." A lump formed deep in Oliver's throat, and he struggled to swallow past it.

Reluctantly, they said their good nights, promising to spend a little time "together" the next morning before the Dormans joined them. Oliver would be giving his first remote team meeting via a video chat. What was this world coming to?

"Good morning, Norman, Rita." An uncomfortable Oliver looked awkwardly at the computer screen. Even though he had practiced with Shane the night before, Oliver was still treading unfamiliar territory.

"Hi!" Rita said cheerily as she and Norman sat side by side and waved into the camera. "This is sooo weird." She giggled excessively.

Shane joined in with laughter. "I never thought I would see the day that Oliver O'Toole's face would be on the other end of a video chat."

"These are unprecedented times, Ms. McInerney." He looked at her sternly, attempting to steer their discussion in a professional manner.

"These are very weird times, Mr. O'Toole," Shane widened her eyes and tilted her head to one side.

"Perhaps, but we must carry on. Neither rain nor snow—"

"Nor plague nor lack of technological skills..." Shane smirked, then noting the annoyed look on Oliver's face, she added, "I don't mean to offend you, Oliver." She was laughing and inadequately attempted to hide it. "You're intelligent and will catch on in no time. And your tech girl is here to answer any questions you might have."

"Duly noted. My first question is—how do I mute your microphone?" He maintained a grave expression, but the underlying teasing was evident in the wrinkles around his eyes. Even the web cam didn't hide his delight.

Shane rolled her eyes. "I'm hosting this meeting, so you can't. It's an appropriate balance of power." He huffed and she grinned. "But I will refrain from unnecessary comments and you may proceed."

"Thank you for your permission," he responded sarcastically. He looked into the box where the Dormans sat waiting patiently, amusement covering their faces. "Norman, Rita, I do apologize for keeping you waiting. And thank you all for being here—or there—uh, present for this meeting. I would like to discuss our new expectations, for at least the next couple of weeks, anyway."

For the next thirty minutes, they examined their new plan of action and reviewed a couple of letters that they were currently investigating. They had resolved to continue working in their usual roles with some modifications, and to leave the video chat on during working hours for quick access to each other.

Oliver was grateful for the ability to gather in such a manner, but he would miss the tangibility that being together in the DLO had always allowed. They would press on as best as they could during this time of uncertainty, but Oliver had no doubt that their output would suffer. For their operations to work as smoothly and efficiently as possible, some things needed to be seen and handled in person. Oliver regarded Shane in a similar manner. He prayed earnestly that God would guide them and somehow draw them closer to each other in their relationship while they were physically distant.

"I am beyond grateful that I can still see your beautiful face, Shane. This 'video chat' is better than no communication at all, and I will admit, an excellent upgrade from the basic phone call. However...I am still missing you terribly." Oliver and Shane were sharing a one-on-one session that evening, after their first day of working from home, and raw honesty had prevailed in their conversation. "Not to mention that we work so much better in the same physical space together, than in the virtual environment. This is proving to be quite challenging."

She nodded. "It's difficult for me, too. I know today was only our first day, and maybe we should give it more time, so that we can adjust..." She paused for a moment. "But Oliver, I've given your suggestion a lot of thought. Maybe there is a proper solution to address our concerns. My place is rather small, but maybe your house is big enough for the two of us, in separate quarters?" She rattled on. "I mean, I trust you completely, and we were planning for me to move in there in a few weeks anyway..." Her words slowly drowned as she watched a rush of emotions flash across his face.

"Proper solution? Shane, I can't—I won't—allow us to live under the same roof until we are legally wed." He tilted his head forward, his eyes transfixing hers with steadfastness through their screens.

"I knew you would say that, Oliver O'Toole, and I would be disappointed had you given me any other response." She grinned at him proudly.

"So you share the same conviction, as we've discussed before?" He raised an eyebrow, not exactly sure where she was headed with this conversation.

"Of course." She gave a triumphant nod. Her eyes were twinkling, and he noticed.

"But—you have a proposition?"

"I do."

Oliver gazed at her, outwardly showing patience as best he could, while inside, he eagerly wanted to know what her mind had conjured up.

"I don't want to put off our wedding celebration with family and friends, but under the circumstances, we really have no other choice. Tomorrow is Saturday and it's a great day for a wedding. Let's get married—on paper—and then we can have our public ceremony later, when it's safe to invite everyone again. That way we can quarantine and work together with no guilt. And no one even has to know, except maybe Joe, and Norman and Rita. Although Rita can't really keep a secret..." Shane made a face.

Oliver's eyebrows inched higher and higher as he listened to her, and he was rendered speechless.

"Oliver?" She grimaced.

"'On paper,'" he finally repeated. "Shane, are you suggesting that we get married, just so that we can legally live together, but separately, under the same roof until we have a public wedding?"

"Yep."

"That would be quite unconventional." Oliver chuckled. "But I suppose these are unparalleled times."

She nodded, and silence ensued for a few moments.

"So, what are you thinking over there?" Shane waited as patiently as she could, but her breath had hitched in her throat.

"Honestly, I'm just thinking—if we will be legally married, then why would we not..." He trailed off with a shrug of his shoulder, but Shane followed his trail without missing a beat.

"Six feet apart, remember?" She laughed, then took a deep breath. "Oliver, try not to think too hard about it. I just want us to be together during this difficult time—for professional reasons, and for personal ones. I think this is a workable solution. I wouldn't suggest it if we weren't already committed to marriage in the near future anyway. We can iron out the logistics later, if that becomes necessary." She blushed as she wrinkled her nose, dismissing the details that Oliver had attempted to broach. "So, are you in or are you out?"

Her sparkling blue eyes captivated him, and Oliver found himself wondering yet again how he could possibly say no to that adorable, endearing face.