I'll Be Home For Christmas

Bonus Chapter 1

"I'm nervous" Harry mumbled pacing the living room of his and Piper's flat.

"Well don't be. You already know she's gonna say yes." Gemma said. She loved her little brother, she truly did, but if she heard he was nervous one more time she very well might strangle him.

"Harry, you'll be fine." Anne chimed in. Unlike Gemma, she found Harry's anxiousness endearing.

"I swear she knows."

"Probably because you've spent the last few days jumping at your own shadow. Probably wondering what on earth is wrong with you."

"Gemma, don't be mean to your brother."

"Yeah Gem, don't be mean to me." Harry stuck his tongue out at her.

"Ugh, how Piper, a sweet and lovely gal, puts up with you is beyond me."

"I'll have you know, I'm excellent company. Great conversationalist, amazing jokes, I give grade A cuddles, and, most importantly, Piper can't cook for shit." Harry listed off. Gemma rolled her eyes with a chuckle. she loved yanking her little brother's chain, but she was happy that he was finally asking Piper to marry him. They'd been together a few years and she swore they put Hallmark to shame with their constant cheesiness.

"Keep telling yourself that little brother." Gemma said.

"Did you pick up the ring?" Anne chimed in. Harry nodded and opened the drawer of the small table beside the couch. He pulled out a small box and opened it up so they could look at the ring he picked.

"Oh Harry it's gorgeous!" They both gushed over it.

"Harry, I'm home." Gemma's eyes widened before practically throwing the ring box at Harry in a panic. He quickly put it in his pocket just as Piper entered the room.

"Hello everyone." Piper greeted everyone with a kiss on the cheek before putting her things down.

"Have a good day?" Harry asked as she sat down next to Gemma.

"Yeah. Finally finished the book to send off to Maddie for her to look at." She said referring to her boss.

"That's good. Think she'll like it?" Anne asked.

"I'm not too sure. She can be picky sometimes, but I enjoyed it. Kept my attention." She said.

"I know. Felt like I could barely tear you away sometimes." Harry laughed from the kitchen. It wasn't uncommon to find Piper's head buried in a manuscript or to have a bunch of different ones laying around.

"So what have you guys been up to today?" Piper asked.

"Oh you know, catching up." Anne said looking at her children.

"Yeah, we took mum to lunch as well." Gemma chimed in.

"Oh that was nice of you guys." Piper smiled.

"Did you guys want to stay for dinner?" Piper asked. Gemma looked behind her to see Harry frantically shaking his head no and adamantly pointing towards the front door.

"We'd love to, but I promised mum I'd show her...some of the new drawings the girls did." Gemma said the first thing that came to her mind. Piper gave her a smile, but Harry was giving her a look of disbelief. "Next time though for sure."

"Yeah, we should probably get going. Chat later Piper?" Anne asked getting up to give her a hug.

"Of course!" She said eagerly hugging back.

"I'll walk you guys out." Harry offered. "Show mum drawings the girls did? That was your excuse?" He whispered harshly as they got to the front door.

"Well I'm sorry! I couldn't very well say 'Sorry Piper, can't stay because Harry wants to propose to you, could I?" Gemma defended herself.

"Say it louder why don't you! Let the whole neighborhood know."

"Kids, kids." Anne cut in. "Harry, go propose to your girlfriend. Gemma, take me to my grand babies."

"Yes mum." They said simultaneously. They each kissed her cheek before both women wished Harry good luck one last time. They both knew he wasn't going to need it, Piper was going to say yes.

"Are you okay?" Piper asked eyeing him as he jumped at the sound of her voice.

"I'm fine!" Harry all but shouted.

"Are you sure? You seem a bit...jumpy." She said carefully.

"I...well there is something." He said finally. No sense in waiting any longer.

"I'm listening." She said giving him her full attention.

"We've...we've been together for a little bit now. I, I...I knew that...I was wondering..." Harry began tripping over his words.

"Harry, take a deep breath." Piper said placing her hand on arm to calm him down, sensing that he was working himself up.

"Marryme?!" He blurted out.

"What?"

"Shit." Harry said shaking his head. That wasn't how it was supposed to come out. He took a deep breath to try and ease his nerves.

"Piper, I've known from that first week we spent together that you were someone incredibly special. It was on New Years Eve that I realized I never wanted you to leave, ever. These past few years have made me the happiest I've ever been and I cannot begin to fathom anyone else standing before me now, no one else I'd ever want by my side."

"Oh my god." Piper watched as he pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it.

"So, Piper Marie Kendrick, will you marry me?" Harry asked holding the ring between them. He wasn't going to get down on one knee because he wanted to look her in the eye as he asked. He always thought that when he finally asked someone to marry him that his heart would be racing and his palms would be sweaty, but looking at Piper now he felt a calm wash over him. Long gone were the nerves from earlier.

"Oh Harry..." Piper gasped. Harry watched as shock and happiness crossed her face before tears sprang to her eyes. She nodded and threw her hands around his neck bringing him into a massive hug.

"Happy tears?" Harry clarified wrapping his arms around her waist. He felt her nod and smiled to himself.

"Of course they're happy tears. I'm...I...yes! Yes a million times over." She said pulling back to look at him properly.

"Can I?" He asked. Piper wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded with a laugh before holding her hand out.

"I look a mess." She said. Harry shook his head as he slid the ring on her finger.

"You look beautiful. As always." He smiled. Piper grinned back and kissed him in excitement.

"I was going to wait until Christmas, because you know...but I just couldn't wait that long." Harry mumbled against her lips. Piper smiled and laughed before kissing him again.

"I'm glad you didn't." She agreed. She broke away to look at the ring he picked out once more, a simple white gold band with a single diamond. "Oh Harry, it's beautiful." She gushed.

"I'm glad you like it. I was going to have this whole elaborate plan, but someone once told me that with some things in life, it's more fun to just roll with it." He said grinning at her.

"Oh yeah?" She asked knowingly and Harry nodded.

"If I had gone with the Christmas theme, then I would've either gotten a ring box that looks like an ornament or I would've gotten a custom ornament that said 'Will You Marry Me' on it with the ring resting on top."

"Both solid ideas." Piper commended with a smile.

"I thought you might approve. If I were a patient man it would've been spectacular I promise you."

"I have no doubt about that."

"I'll just...knock you up in March so you can pop the kid out at Christmas time."

"Oh? Already planning children?" She questioned.

"You know it baby!" He laughed.