The twenty-four hours passed and Margie’s condition improved.  Within two days they moved her out of ICU and within a week she was discharged from the hospital.  Some things of significance did happen during that time before the discharge.  Margie conducted a debriefing with her superiors.  The case was more involved than first suspected. With the detailed information that Margie provided the authorities identified and apprehended Robert’s accomplice at the intermediary hospital.  Even in her dreams Margie doesn’t reveal ‘classified’ information.  Jethro and Margie had their long awaited conversation.

After the debriefing and after speaking with her parents Margie asked to meet with Jethro.

“Hi. I know that I look terrible but I really feel better.  How are you?” she said.

“I love you,” Jethro responded.

“You do?  I love you too.  You’re not saying that because you thought that I was going to die are you?” Margie asked with a trembling voice.

“I am saying it because it is true and because that is how I feel.  I won’t deny that you almost dying did have an influence on my saying it because it did, but not in the way that you think.  You almost dying made me realize that tomorrow is not promised and we must make every day count.  I don’t want another moment to pass without you knowing how deeply I love you,” Jethro stated emphatically.

Jethro took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, and finally her lips.  She gasped and he deepened the kiss until they both had to stop to take a breath. 

“Oh my, we need to stop or I will definitely need to take a cold, cold shower to cool off,” Margie whispered.  “You don’t know what you do to me when we kiss, when we touch, when I’m just with you,” Margie said as she put her hands over his hands as he held her face.  “What happens now?  We love each other.  Where does our relationship go from here? You don’t want marriage and I can’t give myself fully to you without marriage.  Do we just remain friends?  I don’t know if I can do that knowing how we feel about each other.  But on the other hand I don’t want to lose you from my life.  I definitely don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do…” Margie mumbled that last part because Jethro captured her lips again.

“Stop talking and listen,” Jethro said as he knelt on one knee.  “Alexis Marjorie McGregor will you marry me?”Jethro asked as he looked lovingly into the eyes of the woman who gave him a new purpose and a new desire to live and not simply exist. 

With tears welling in her eyes Margie smiled as she replied,“Yes!”  Jethro stood and kissed her again and she mumbled in the kiss, “but you have to ask me again when I get out the hospital and I have on some clothes, and I look presentable, and …”.  He kissed her again and she simply moaned.