A Forever Proposal

I originally meant for this to be a one-shot, but the more I wrote, the longer it got, so I have divided the story into chapters. I wrote this to figure out what happened to Andrew and Margaret during and after the movie, and how they could have a life together. Thanks for reading!

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Margaret heard the whole office applauding her and Andrew as they kissed.

"Yeah, show her who's the boss, Andrew!" someone yelled.

"What are you doing!" her mind screamed. "Do you know how embarrassing this is?"

But she didn't care anymore. She hadn't made out with a guy like this since high school, before that tragic car accident that took her parents' lives. When their faces parted, her jaw ached but she was smiling at her real fiancée.

"You came back… for me..." she whispered, her heart pounding.

He looked her straight in the eye and said in that firm, self-assured voice, "I love you, Margaret."

She could barely stand as she felt her knees go weak. She was melting… melting… and nothing was going to save her carefully constructed steel shell anymore. Like the Beast in "Beauty and the Beast", she had been transformed into a beautiful human princess. Andrew's princess.

They stood there for an eternity, until Jordan coughed and broke the spell.

"Ahem!"

Jack and Edwin had walked in to see what all of the hubbub was about.

"Tsk, tsk, Margaret, I had no idea you two were so affectionate with each other," remarked Edwin, who was still annoyed that she had mentioned LaQueesha in front of Jack.

Andrew beamed at his bride-to-be. "It's back to the immigration office to talk to Mr. Gilbertson."

"I thought you were supposed to get married over the weekend?" asked Edwin.

"It was my fault," Margaret explained. "But as you can see, we're good now." She was glad she hadn't given Jack all the sordid details about her blackmail and lies. All she had said was that things didn't work out with Andrew and immigration wouldn't give her an extension.

"Good. Keep us posted, Margaret." Jack replied. "I'd like to keep you, if I can."

"Of course, this would mean that you and Andrew won't be able to work in the same division anymore. Sorry, company rules." added Edwin.

Margaret swallowed hard as she realized what it would mean. But Andrew gave her hand a squeeze.

"I understand. I won't mind working for another department, as long as I'm working," he replied.

She looked up at him. He was so sincere, so determined.

"But you worked so hard… I should be the one to switch," she insisted. Her stomach was knotting up again and she felt terrible for everything she had put him through in the last three years.

Andrew remained confident. "It'll be all right. We can discuss this later." He glanced at his watch. "We'd better go get your visa."

Jack nodded his assent.

"It's a good thing we caught you when we did, Margaret. We had just spoken with Bob and were about to make him an offer."

"Hellooo, gentlemen!" Bob interrupted loudly as he trotted up to them. He smirked at the sight of his vanquished rival and her toady.

"So, immigration saw through your little scheme, did they?"

"Actually, Mr. Spaulding," replied Andrew. "I just proposed to Margaret in front of the whole office. Care to congratulate us?"

"Really?" Bob glanced around the room, and to his dismay saw everyone nodding. He released a nervous laugh.

"Well, it doesn't matter. You're going to Canada and I'm taking your office."

"Hold on, Bob," said Jack. "Margaret might remain with us yet."

Bob looked like a sick puppy ready to run yelping to his mama.

"But, seeing as we had our little discussion," Jack continued. "Margaret, I hope you don't mind if I reverse your previous decision concerning Mr. Spaulding."

Margaret was too grateful for the turn of events in her own life to demand anything.

"Not at all," she said. "I'll abide by your decision."

"Bob, you'll have six months to prove yourself. I expect you to correct any performance deficiencies during that time."

Bob muttered his thanks and slinked off to his office as fast as he could. Andrew and Margaret braced for his next outburst, and sure enough, ten seconds later Bob was screaming at his assistant and throwing things in a fit of rage that was only muted by his office door.

Margaret listened only so long before she cleared her throat.

"Gentlemen, we have a lot to do, so we shall be off."

With a slight bow, she hurried to her office and grabbed her purse. Then she grabbed Andrew by the hand and rushed him outside in a manner that almost had him panting again.

"Margaret, I know we have places to go, but you don't have to run."

"I'm sorry, I just never realized… how stifling it can be in that office."

He grinned. "I have a feeling it won't be quite as miserable working there anymore, now that things are different."

The next hour was a blur. They stopped by her condo so he could change into something more presentable before meeting Mr. Gilbertson. She changed, too, but not in front of him. After looking through her closet she chose a pretty purple dress and took it into the bathroom with her.

"I don't like people watching me while I'm getting dressed," she explained. "Besides, I want to surprise you."

When she came back out, he noticed the rosy blush of her cheeks and the different part in her hair. Her face seemed ten years younger.

"How do I look?"

"Not bad," he said, before sweeping her into his arms and kissing her.

"So… are you ready to admit it now?" he questioned.

"Admit what?"

"That you saw my entire body."

"It was only a second."

"But it's burned into your memory forever," he teased.

She covered her mouth to stifle her giggles, to no avail.

"By the way, I have something of yours," he said, as he reached into his bag. "You left it in Alaska."

"What is it?" she asked, puzzled. She had been very careful to take only what was hers and leave what was not hers behind.

He opened his palm and dangled it in front of her. "Remember this?"

She drew in her breath. It was the antique necklace Gammy Annie had given her.

"I… I returned that…" she stammered.

"Relax. Gammy wanted me to make sure you got this," he said as he placed it gently around her neck.

"She did?" Tears filled Margaret's eyes as she thought of Annie's kindness.

Andrew cocked his head and studied her. "You okay?" he asked.

Margaret sniffed and tried to wipe her eyes, but Andrew's hand was there first. He wiped away the salt drops and wrapped his arms tight around her.

"It's okay. I haven't got you an engagement ring yet, so the necklace will have to do for now."

She nodded and rested her head against his shoulder. "I still can't believe you love me," she murmured.

"I couldn't help it. Gertrude made me realize that I was not okay without you,"

She smiled. "I'm eternally grateful to Gertrude. Did you know--I was jealous of her?"

"You were? Why?"

"I wanted the kind of relationship with you that you had with her."

Andrew stroked her hair. "Ours is just beginning, and it'll only get better."

He kissed her forehead just as his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered. "Mom? Yeah, we're good. We're at Margaret's place, getting ready to head to the immigration office."

Margaret's eyes widened. Grace was here?

"Do you know where it is? Okay, see you there."

He hung up and turned to face his nervous fiancée.

"Your mom's here?"

He nodded. "They're all here."

Margaret's jaw dropped. The Paxtons were in New York?

"Why?"

"To support us. Besides, they want to see where I work."

Margaret didn't know whether to feel relieved or anxious. "I…I feel so… so… they must hate me."

Andrew shook his head several times. "No, no. They were disappointed, but they don't hate you. However, I don't think Gammy believed me when I told her we never used the baby maker."

He took her hand. "Let's go. Our first date's gonna be at a government office. "

Margaret tried to calm her anxious thoughts as they traveled to the immigration office. Despite her fiancée's reassurances, she still dreaded seeing all the people she had hurt. As they approached the entrance, there stood Grace, Joe, Gammy with Kevin, and… Ramone!

"There they are!" yelled Ramone excitedly.

"Hey, Ramone!" Andrew greeted him with a high five slap. "How do you like New York?"

Ramone bobbed his head up and down as he surveyed the city. "It's mucho cool. I love it!"

"Ramone's our cheerleader," said Grace to Margaret cheerily. "We brought him with us for moral support."

Margaret nodded as she shifted her feet uncomfortably. She found herself tongue-tied as she realized she had become the center of two embarrassing scandals – one in Sitka and one at work. None of this would have happened if she hadn't been such a louse.

It was Joe who stepped forward first to greet Margaret with a handshake.

"I'm sorry, Margaret. I didn't know. Will you forgive me?"

Margaret shook her head as she took his hand. "It's me who should be apologizing a million times, to all of you. You did nothing wrong. You were so kind, generous, and hospitable, and all I did was mess up your lives."

"Oh, no, no, no," insisted Gammy. "If you hadn't come, we wouldn't have united together and become a stronger family, like we are now. And I would've never come to New York."

"Oh, Gammy," said Margaret as she embraced the nonagenarian. Even Kevin seemed more amiable than usual. Margaret hugged Grace, then patted Ramone lightly on the shoulder.

"Shall we go in?" Andrew beckoned.

Mr. Gilbertson was not as devastated as Margaret thought when he learned of their second engagement. Instead, he seemed amused.

"So, let me see if I got this right… you two are engaged again."

"Yes," said Andrew, with no doubt in his mind.

"Yes," affirmed Margaret, who felt happy for the first time in a long time.

"For… real," Gilbertson replied as if speaking to cretins. But the couple didn't care.

"Yeah," they nodded.

"You sure you want to go through with this? Because one wrong answer, I'm gonna take… you… down..."

Andrew and Margaret nodded again as they looked at him quizzically. Mr. Gilbertson's exaggerated manners always struck her a bit odd. Was he a crazy maniacal bureaucrat? Margaret remembered what he had said on the plane, fancying himself being like Eliot Ness.

"'kay…" they both replied quietly.

"Let's do it!"

And so began the grilling. Questions about deodorants, farts, bed sides, positions, dress sizes, tattoos, childhoods, work, and on it went. Mr. Gilbertson interviewed everyone there, including Ramone. By the end of an hour, Margaret and Andrew were exhausted by the game show that the pencil pusher seemed to enjoy hosting.

"Are we done yet?" Andrew pleaded wearily.

"One more thing… when were you getting married?" asked Mr. Gilbertson as he paced in front of them.

Margaret and Andrew looked at each other.

"Whenever he wants," said Margaret.

"I guess… today? If that's possible?" said Andrew.

Mr. Gilbertson glanced at his watch.

"Get it done today and I'll give your fiancée her visa," he offered.

"Really? Where?"

"Go a couple of blocks south of here, to the marriage bureau. Get married, bring me the proof, and we're set."

Andrew and Margaret stared at him in stunned silence for a moment. Was this for real?

"Depart!" Gilbertson barked.

"Thank you!" Margaret shrieked as she tackled Mr. Gilbertson and nearly knocked him flat. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Go on," said Gilbertson as he gamely released himself from Margaret's clutches.

Once they were outside, Andrew broke the news to Gammy and Grace, who were overjoyed. Ramone seemed a little out of sorts at first, but that changed when he saw some hot girls walk by.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," said Joe.