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| Part Two: 'The Proposal' |
| Walker chuckled, thoroughly enjoying all of Alexs' little kisses and her excitement. God, he Loved this woman. She was everything any man could ever want in a woman, intelligent, kind, caring and very loving. She could smile and make even the darkest day seem brighter. She was definitely one of a kind. And she was here...with him! And there was no one else around for miles. Alex finally stopped kissing him and began asking questions. "Where are we? Whose place is this?" Walker's only way of stopping the flood of questions was to put his hand over her mouth. "I will answer all your questions Alex, in time. For now let's get our stuff in the cabin and get something to eat. I'm starving. Okay?" Alex nodded. "Okay. Come on." Walker handed her suitcase to her and then he grabbed his suitcase in one hand and the box he had brought along, in the other. Together they headed to the porch. Walker removed the rose from the door handing it to Alex with a small bow. "For you My Lady.", he said as he opened the cabin door standing aside letting Alex enter first. The cabin was just as lovely on the inside as it was outside. It was freshly cleaned, with a vase of yellow roses from the bushes outside sitting on a table that was just to the right of the door. There was a wood stove, a counter with some cupboards and a hand pump for water that sat right beside the sink. Opposite the table was an old fashion ice box, the kind that you had to put big blocks of ice in to keep your food cold. On the other side of the door was the rest of the small cozy room. A beautiful stone fireplace took up the entire end of the cabin, with a hand woven Indian rug lying on the floor in front of it, and a comfortable looking sofa and small table facing the fireplace. There was also another door leading into the bedroom. On the walls there were various Cherokee wall hangings and on the mantel above the fireplace there were two old pictures. One of a man and a woman, the other of a man, woman and small boy. Alex walked over to the picture of just the man and woman, picking it up. It was a very old picture but she knew immediately that the man in the picture was Walkers' Uncle Ray and the woman must have been his wife Ruthie. Sitting it back down, she moved to the other picture, looking at it carefully. The man was handsome and obviously of the Cherokee nation. The woman was light skinned, with blonde hair and very pretty and the little boy was definitely a wonderful mixture of the two. It had to be a picture of Walker and his parents. "Walker, is this picture of you?", she asked looking at him as he came to stand beside her putting his arm around her waist. "Yah, we had it taken right before we came here for the last time. My Mother had two taken, one for here on the mantel and one for at home." Alex looked at Walker as he took the picture and looked at it sadly. "Why would you stop coming here, it's so beautiful?", Alex asked. "Because a month after this picture was taken and placed here on the mantel, my parents were killed." "Oh Walker. I'm so sorry." Alex could see the sadness in Walkers' eyes as he stood looking at her but not seeing her...as if...he was somewhere else...far away...remembering... "Walker? Are you all right?", Alex asked as she touched his cheek with her hand. He blinked, coming back to the present. "Of course I am. I'm here with you!" He quickly kissed her hand. “You can put your things in the bedroom and I'll get us something to eat." Alex pick up her suitcase and carried it into the bedroom. It was a small room with the most magnificent bed she had ever seen. It looked to be all hand carved and it dominated the room. On the bed there was an old patchwork quilt, with another rose laying on the one pillow. There was a small dresser, with an oil lamp and a pitcher and bowl for water, and a slightly larger stand up wardrobe that stood right beside that. Trying the door on the stand up wardrobe Alex found that it was locked. She'd have to remember to ask Walker if he knew where the key for it was. For now she decided she would put her clothes into the smaller dresser. Being that it was such a beautiful day out; Alex guessed it was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon and with it being that time, the worst of the heat of the day was yet to come, so Alex decided to change into some shorts, a sleeveless shirt and some canvas sneakers. When Alex had changed and put her things away, she ventured back into the main part of the cabin, wanting to see what Walker had been up to while she had been gone. Walker had already packed a picnic basket. It was sitting on the table with an Indian blanket beside it. He had also changed into shorts, a tank top and sneakers. Alex giggled drawing Walkers' attention to her. "What?", he said looking at her and her outfit approvingly. "I just never saw you in shorts before. You have GREAT legs.", she said with a giggle; actually he did have great legs, especially his thighs. Alex loved his thighs. "Thanks. Yours aren't so bad either," he said laughing as he picked up the picnic basket and the blanket. "Are you ready?" "Sure am", she replied. With that they went out the door arm and arm. They headed off the porch and turned to the right, heading off into the woods. They followed a small path, taking the time to look at the scenery and the beauty of the nature that surrounded them. They hadn't walked far when they came into another small clearing that over looked a nice size stream. Walker sat the basket down and had Alex help him spread the blanket out. They both sat down and Walker started to unpack their lunch. The first thing he pulled out was another long stem rose. As he handed it to her, he leaned over kissing her softly on the lips saying, "A beautiful rose, for a beautiful Lady." Alex accepted all. The words, the rose and the kiss, saying, "Oh Walker, you have made today a birthday I will never forget. It is the best one I have ever had, even if I did start out by forgetting it was my birthday to begin with. Thank you so very much for sharing this wonderful place with me!" Walker winked at her and handed her a glass of wine. "The day is not over yet Alex. The best is yet to come." Alex looked at him with many questions in her eyes but Walker was already handing her a bowl with a chef salad in it, with her favorite dressing on top. He then pulled one out for himself along with a loaf of hard crusted bread and a plate of assorted cheeses. "He has thought of everything." Alex thought as she took a bite of her salad. This was one of her favorite meals; right down to the kind of wine they were drinking. They ate for awhile in total silence, each realizing they were allot hungrier than they had thought. As the were finishing up Alex put her plate down. "Walker. Will you tell me about this place and the cabin? Who owns them?" Walker picked up Alexs' glass and refilled it with wine, doing the same with his, then he shifted so that he was sitting cross legged in a more comfortable position. "Well, the land has been passed down in my family for generations. My Grandfather got it from his Father and then passed it down to my Father, splitting it between him and Uncle Ray. When Uncle Ray married Aunt Ruthie, he built the cabin for her as a gift. After Aunt Ruthie died Uncle Ray gave his share of the land and the cabin to my Father on his wedding day." He paused...his eyes beginning to take on a far away look. "We, my Mother, Father and I, used to come here every chance we got when I was a boy. We all loved it here very much, especially my Mother. She used to say that this was the most beautiful place on earth. We were always so happy here. I used to run and play for hours on this mountain. I fished and swam in this very stream. I knew every inch of this place like the back of my hand; every hollow log and every cave there was to know. When it would be time for us to leave, I would run and hide, not wanting to go. It would take her and my Father hours to find me. I always thought that when they did find me that I would get in trouble, but I never did. They knew that this was the only place that I ever felt that I belonged; because they knew that here was the one place on earth that there was no one around to call me a half breed and make fun of my heritage. I loved this place so much until..." His voice had drifted off. Alex looked at Walker seeing so many emotions cross his face. He sat there oblivious to her, because he was so caught up in the memories. First there was happiness, but to soon it changed, to a very powerful sadness. She couldn't take the silence or seeing Walker so sad. Placing her hand on his thigh she brought him back to the present time and place. Knowing he needed to let his emotions out she asked him, “You said that you stopped coming here after your parents death. Why?" "Because I couldn't deal with the memories. It had always been such a happy place and after my parents were murdered there was no happiness for me, for a very, very long time. I never had the desire to ever come back here again until the man that killed my parents was brought to justice. Remember, after he was tried and convicted, I took off for a week? I came here for the first time in twenty five years. I knew that I finally had a reason to start the healing process. He would never hurt any little boy again like he had hurt me; by taking his parents from him!" They were silent for a very long time, each lost in their own thoughts. Alex had tears running down her face. This strong, proud man had had so much sadness in his life, beginning at such a young age. It just hadn't been fair. She finally understood why he was the man he was. He could of went the easy way through life and turned out to be just like the man who had killed his parents, but he chose to go the hard way; by fighting for what he believed in and trying to help others to do the same thing. Walker realized that Alex was crying. Before Walker could even realize what was happening, all the emotions and feelings he had tried to keep hidden from everyone, including himself, for so many years, came flowing out. From the sorrow he had lived with all these years...to the Love he had for this woman here before him. There was nothing he could do to stop them. The time had come. "Alex don't cry. It's all right. I'm all right. I still miss my Mother and Father after all these years and I always will. But my healing process has begun and every day I heal a little bit more. There are two reasons that I have finally begun to heal. Not just because the man that killed them has been caught, the other reason, the MAIN reason is YOU! My sweet, beautiful Alex! That's why I brought you here. YOU have made the biggest difference in my life. YOU have made me happy again. YOU are the one that makes my life complete!!" Placing his hands on both sides of her face, Walker held her close; slowly and methodically kissing away her tears. "I had resigned myself to living my life alone; until eight years ago, when you came into my life. You made all the difference in the world to me and my life began to change. I started waking up in the morning not just looking forward to doing my job to the best of my ability, but also looking forward to seeing you. I knew I would get to talk to you; to see you, to be with you, even if it was at work. And then things changed again. Our relationship started to change and it got even better, because I knew that maybe, if I was lucky, I could sneak a kiss in every now and then. I had finally found someone to give my life meaning. It was YOU Alex. YOU brought meaning into my life. I LOVE YOU ALEX CAHILL!!! YOU are the best thing that has ever happened to me!" Alex knew she would never Love Walker any more than she did right now! He had told her his innermost feelings; something he had never done with anyone else. "Oh Walker...I Love you too! I think I have from the very first day I met you!" Then they kissed and kissed; telling each other how much they were Loved between kisses. And they held each other. Neither wanting to ever let go. Their kisses soon began to change; from kisses of comfort, joy and happiness, to kisses that wanted and needed to show the other person just how much they were Loved. Walker knew if they didn't stop, and soon, there would be no stopping, and that would ruin his well planned agenda for the days to come. Before Alex knew what was happening, Walker had picked her up, walked over to the bank of the stream, and jumped into the water, still holding her in his arms. The shock of hitting the water had made Alex gasp as they had gone in, causing her to take in a big mouthful of water. As she came to the surface; coughing and sputtering, she yelled, "WALKER, WHY DID YOU DO THAT!!!" Brushing her hair out of her face, he replied, laughing, "I thought we both needed to cool off and this was the quickest way of doing that, that I could think of." Shaking her head, still not believing he had done this to her, she said as she splashed water in his face. "I sure could of thought of better ways of cooling off...a LOT later!" "Why Alexandra Cahill, YOU are a wanton woman!" And he laughed, the heartiest, happiest laugh that he had ever done. "Only when I'm with you." she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and molding her wet body to his. "I LOVE YOU, Cordell Walker. I Love you with all my heart!" The rest of the afternoon was spent frolicking and playing in the stream, not as an Assistant District Attorney or a mighty Texas Ranger, just as Alex and Cordell; two people very much in Love. Enjoying their new found happiness...together!" ******** As evening began to approach, Walker announced it was time to head back to the cabin. They were both wet, tired and a little sun burnt; but they were very happy! They gathered their shoes, picnic basket and the blanket, heading back to the cabin. On the way back they laughed and talked only stopping long enough for Walker to retrieve another long stem rose from behind a bush. After reaching the cabin, Alex went into the bedroom to get out of her wet clothes and to give Walker some privacy to do the same. Stripping down and beginning to dry herself off, Alex relived the days events in her mind. It had truly been a day she would never forget. A day that she had always dreamed about. Just her and Walker, all alone. No phones, no cases, no bad guys, no one around to spoil their plans. It had been the perfect day. The perfect birthday. A day she would always cherish. And Walker had said, "The best is yet to come". Alex could think of only one way it could get any better...Mmmmm. Laughing out loud, Alex thought to herself, "You really are a shameless wanton woman Alex Cahill!" "Oh well," she thought, "A girl can dream...can't she?" Smiling and humming a song, she dried her hair, pulling it up on top of her head, arranging it casually. She then looked through her clothes, looking for just the right thing to put on. She finally decided on a pale blue sun dress that Walker had never seen before. It wasn't fancy but it was very flattering on her; fitting her curves just right and it complimented her complexion and her eyes. Picking out a bra and pair of panties, Alex finished getting dressed. Finally she applied a little mascara and put the perfume on that Walker liked so much; putting a dab on each wrist and behind each ear and then putting a dab at the top of her cleavage between her breasts. Enjoying the feeling of being bare foot, she decided that she would stay that way. Alex looked at her reflection in the mirror above the dresser. "Not too bad." she thought. Checking her hair one last time she left the bedroom. Walker turned as she came out of the bedroom, handing her a glass of wine and another rose. "Boy, you sure look pretty Alex!", he said with a smile of approval on his face. "Thank you. You're looking pretty good yourself, Cowboy." Alex said as she was checking out his attire. He was wearing a casual black short sleeved shirt; unbuttoned half way down his chest, tucked into a pair of loose fitting black pants, that were tied at the waist. And he too, was bare foot. "Dinner will be ready in five minutes. Are you hungry?" he asked as he leaned into her kissing her neck tantalizingly, moving from one ear to the other and back again. "I'm hungry all right", Alex thought to herself, "But not for food." But out loud she said; trying to sound nonchalant, "Yes I am. What are we having?" Walker looked at her and began to laugh, almost as if he knew what she had been thinking. Under his breath he mumbled just loud enough for her to barely hear, as he shook his head, "Wanton woman." Alex began to feel her face getting red because of the thoughts she was having and because she knew that Walker knew what she had been thinking. HOW did HE keep himself from becoming aroused; when she was having such a hard time of it. It must be the self discipline training he uses with his karate. She really should have him teach it to her. It sure would come in handy at times like this. Walker knew she was very frustrated right now; It was taking all the strength and training he had, to keep from whisking her off her feet and proceeding to make Love to her right here and right NOW. But he wouldn't. Not yet! Kissing her cheek quickly, he offered her his arm, escorting her to the table handing her yet another long stem rose. They ate their dinner by the light of a single candle placed in the middle of the table, with soft romantic country music being played by a battery operated radio that had magically appeared. ******** When they were finished eating, Walker kissed her hand, excusing himself from the table saying he would be right back. He picked up the radio and an oil lamp from the counter and headed outside. "Now what is he up to?" Alex thought as she began to hum the song she had just heard and started to clear the table off. By the time Walker ventured back into the cabin, Alex had just finished cleaning the table and counter off. Coming to stand behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist, asking her if she would join him outside. Alex turned around in his arms, smiling and nodding that she would. As they walked out of the cabin door, Alex could once again hear the sounds of soft country music playing. The porch was dimly lighted by the lamp, which was sitting on the rail of the porch, with a bottle of her favorite champagne, which Walker picked up and started to open, and two champagne glasses. While Walker was opening the champagne, Alex walked to the porch rail, looking at the stars and the moon in the sky. What a truly perfect place this was, and she was here with what had to be one the few perfect men on earth and he had told her that he Loved her! Smiling, she turned just as the cork came flying out of the bottle of champagne and Walker started to fill their glasses. Walking to his side, she took the glass that he offered her and waited for him to join her in a drink. Picking up his glass, Walker turned to her, raising his glass in a toast, saying, "I Love you Alex. Happy Birthday My Love!" Touching glasses, they each took a sip of the champagne, and then Walker kissed her. It was a slow, lingering kiss that conveyed all the feelings that each had for the other. There was no need for words, everything they wanted to say to each other was being said threw that kiss. "I Love you too, Walker." Alex said with tears in her eyes. Taking her glass from her, and sitting it with his on the porch railing, Walker quickly gathered her into his arms...wanting...no needing to have her body against his. They slowly began to sway to a song that had begun playing in the back ground. Walker softly whispered..."Alex...listen to this song...It says everything that I can't." I did everything I could, to get you here tonight, without telling you why. Now girl if you only would, please hold out your hand. Just close your eyes. I've been dying to ask you, one burning question, Will you be mine? From here to eternity, I'm asking you to share your life with me. Now and forever, I guarantee, I'll always stay by your side. I promise my Love to you, I'm willing and able and ready to, whatever you need, I am here for you, and I'll always be, From here...to eternity. Well, I saved a year for this ring. I can't wait to see, How it looks on your hand. I'll give you everything, that one woman needs, from a one woman man. I'll be strong, I'll be tender...a man of my word. And I will be yours. From here to eternity, I'm asking you to share your life with me, Now and forever, I guarantee, I'll always stay by your side. I promise my Love to you, I'm willing and able and ready to, whatever you need, I am here for you, and I'll always be, From here...to eternity! All too soon the song ended. Walker kissed her, brushing away her tears and began to move away from her. She started to protest, but putting a finger to her lips to silence her, Walker told her that he would be right back. With that he disappeared into the cabin, reappearing almost immediately. Coming to stand before Alex once again, he gazed deeply into her eyes whispering, "This is for you...with all my Love!" as he handed her another long stem rose. Alex accepted the rose...catching a glimpse of... "Oh my God. Walker?" Tears began to trickle down Alexs' cheeks. She couldn't believe her eyes. Walker slowly removed the diamond ring, that had been nestled all safe and sound in the middle of the roses' fragrant bloom. He gently took her left hand and slowly sunk down to one knee. Holding her hand and looking up into her eyes. Walker took a deep breath, searching for just the right words. He began to slide the ring onto her finger saying, "Alex, you know I'm not very good with words and I don't have an easy time of letting others get close to me, or for sharing my feelings with other people. I'm not the easiest person to get along with, and I know there are allot of things I do, that upsets you", he paused, drawing in a nervous breath. "But...I LOVE YOU!!!...and I know you Love me...and if you'll have me...I would...Alex ....WILL YOU MARRY ME?" Alex felt as if she was living a dream. A dream that she had prayed for a very long time; but this wasn't a dream. It was REAL, and the man who was looking at her with such Love in his eyes was also real. Very REAL! "YES", she said, "Oh yes I'll marry you!" Walker came to his feet pulling her into his arms. Suddenly, he pulled back, looking into her eyes. "You DID say yes...didn't you?" Alex laughed drawing his lips to hers. "Of course I said yes Cowboy!" And then they kissed. A long...slow...time stopping...everything's all right with the world kind of kiss. And at that moment, everything was right with the world. Their world consisted of just them; just Alex and Walker, and nobody else. Page Three |