“I can think of something else that’ll keep you up all night,” Nina told him suggestively.

He feebly raised his broken arm. “What, in this state?”

“Oh, you can just lie there, I’ll do all the work. See? New position.”

They looked at each other, then both burst into uncontrollable laughter, the tension finally released. “Oh, God,” Chase said at last, “I can’t believe we made it. After everything that’s bloody happened, we actually survived. We’re still here.”

“Still together.”

He looked into her eyes and smiled. “Yeah. Still together. Back together.”

Nina seemed about to say something, then stopped. “What?” Chase asked.

“I was just thinking…”

“What about?”

“The question of yours. When we were on the ship, you said there wasn’t much point asking it.”

“Yeah…?”

“Well, we’re not on the ship anymore.”

“But we both know what your answer was going to be,” Chase said with a sly smile.

“I know! But…” Nina smiled back. “I still want to hear you ask me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“All right, then.” Chase slowly and stiffly stood, then carefully lowered himself onto one knee in front of her. He winced as various bruises and battle injuries jabbed at him. “Ow, buggeration and fuckery, that hurt.”

Nina raised an amused eyebrow. “Those aren’t quite the words I was hoping to hear from the man I love when he got down on one knee…”

“How about these, then? Nina Wilde…” He took hold of her hand, then looked into her eyes, his face and voice completely, totally sincere and heartfelt. “Will you marry me?”

Nina smiled for a moment making a show of considering the question. But Chase had been right. They both already knew the answer.

Andy McDermott

Andy McDermott was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and now lives in Bournemouth. As a journalist and magazine editor, amongst other titles he edited DVD Review and the iconoclastic film publication Hotdog. Andy is now a full-time writer.