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Basically you have no idea what you’re doing wrong. You’ve been trying and trying and no effects. You’ve changed through years and she started appreciating it. She’s impressed really. She asked you to change and you did it. It took you over twenty years but it doesn’t matter. All that matter is the fact that you’re together. She loves you and lets you love her the way you couldn’t back then.
But still, she says no. You’ve tried five times, every time in a different way, each one even more creative. She laughed, smiled, cried, she was really emotional about it but she still said no. You flied to Chicago to ask her parents for permission. They were so happy to hear about your plans. You got their blessing and a cute photo of baby Gillian. You love it so much you keep it in your wallet. She doesn’t know though.
You came to London and while she was trying to cook a proper dinner, you came to the boys’ room and asked for their permission. They didn’t know what the big deal was about but of course they said yes. They adore you and they’re sure that if their mommy says yes, they will be visiting you more often to play basketball. They even plan to learn baseball.
You talk to Piper over the phone and she can’t hold the tears. She says she’s so happy for you and her mom, she can’t wait for her to wear a white dress again. She helps you with planning the perfect proposal and you’re so sure Gillian will say yes.
But she says no, yet again. She keeps breaking your heart a little but you’re trying your best not to show it. She knows it hurts you but still she can’t explain it, she just says no. You keep pretending that it doesn’t hurt that bad and that you understand. She says you’re not ready for such a change and you try to agree with her although you know it’s bullshit. You were born ready to marry Gillian Anderson but you’ve been too stupid to admit that earlier.
The fifth time you propose hurts the most. You made it all look perfect, you took her to the restaurant on the roof of a skyscraper, you gave her all the reasons why you love her so much, why she’s so amazing. You showed her a video some fan made about the two of you. She cried a lot. She was smiling the whole time. But when you thought everything was going to be alright and she’ll say yes, she took your hand, kissed it and shook her head.
That night you cried, too. But those weren’t happy tears.
Now you’re going to your apartment in New York. You took Brick for a long walk and you’ve been recalling all those years you’ve spent with her. As you step inside, you don’t notice anything. Brick runs to your bedroom to relax on your bed, while you’re taking off your shoes. That’s when you notice another, very small pair of shoes. Her shoes.
And suddenly you feel both smells – the lit candles and her scent. You look around and you see hundreds of lit candles. She’s standing in the centre of the room – tears in her eyes but a big smile on her beautiful smile.
You don’t know what to do so you just stand there and blink.
“I know I’ve been terrible” she says so quietly you have to step closer just to hear her words. “I was a bitch, actually. You’ve been so sweet and you’ve been trying so hard to make me say yes. I know about everything, David. I know you went to my parents, to my kids. You’re so adorable and I love you so much.”
“Then why did you keep saying no?” you ask and step even closer. She takes your hand and places it on her chest so you feel her heart pounding. “I know you love me and you know you’re the only one. I’ve showed it in many ways…”
“I don’t know why I kept saying no. Like I said, I’ve been a bitch” she admitted and smiled shyly. “But now I understand everything. I understand that you’re my biggest and truest love and there’s no one else for me. This is it for me, David. You and me.”
“I love you, Gill.” You don’t even realize you’re crying. She’s crying, too.
“I know you do.” Suddenly she kneels before you and you raise your eyebrows. “David… Our journey has been the most incredible and amazing experience in my entire life. You make me happier than I’ve ever thought I could be. You make every day of my life perfect. I don’t want to ever be apart. So, David William Duchovny… Will you please marry me?”
You cry like a baby and you kneel right next to her and you take her in your arms. You want to say yes but you can’t say a word. So you nod and you cry and she laughs and cries.
“David?”
“Yes.”
“Really?” She looks into your eyes and you’re amazed that right now, at that moment you fell in love with her even more.
“I didn’t propose to you five times only to say no to you.” You answer and kiss her forehead, nose, cheeks, lips and chin. “But where’s my ring?”
“You’re not a ring man.” She says laughing and you know it’s true. “So you can give me my ring instead.”
“Oh.” You say and take the velvet box out of your pocket. “So you propose and you get a ring?”
“Yep. I do the talking and you pay.”
“Good thing that I love you.”
You put a ring on her finger and of course it fits perfectly. She asks where you got the ring from and you tell her the story. Your mother gave you her engagement ring that she kept all those years just for this special moment. You wonder why she didn’t give it to you when you first got married but you don’t care now. All that matters that the ring is perfect, Gillian loves it.
And that you said yes.
The sixth proposal was definitely your favorite one.