• Disclaimer: I don't own Batman Beyond, it's the property of DC comics and WB animation. Bob Kane is creator of Batman, and I'm just playing with Bruce Timm's creations as well, because let's be real..if I owned this series, Dana would have gotten more screen time, and I wouldn't have to resort to writing fanfics. I'm not making any profit off writing this story; I write for my enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.

    Author's Notes: Wow, Phoenix is feeling prolific lately. First off, this is a Dana/Terry fic, you don't like, then hit the backspace key while you still have time. Major spoilers for the JLU: Epilogue episode, I'll admit; when I saw that ending I nearly threw something at my television because I wanted a proposal scene. So I turned to find one on fanfiction.net, and when I didn't; I decided to rectify that, because I know there are people out there who want to read one too! Enjoy!


    Proposal

    Terry McGinnis honestly had a plan. It included dinner at his girlfriend’s favorite restaurant, followed by a romantic stroll through the park, ending at their bridge, where he’d get down on one knee and ask the love of his life to marry him. That was his plan; it was a solid, good plan.

    Then...he had to tell Stewart.

    Somehow, Merina and Barda found out about the plan, and the next time he saw them they demanded to see the ring. As they fawned over the ring he got, their actions gained the attentions of some other Leaguers; and soon everyone wanted to know how he intended to propose. He wasn’t shocked to learn that most thought his plan was a little lacking on the romantic scale. However, finding out that Big Barda was a closet romantic, as she hijacked his plan, did. Terry’s still trying to figure out how to get back at Warhawk.

    So now the plan includs taking a weekend off and flying Dana to Paris, because it’s still the most romantic city in the world. Once there, he’s supposed to take her on a dinner river cruise on the Seine during sunset. Afterwards, they’ll go to the Arc de Triomphe, where he’ll propose as they both look over the Champs-Élysées. When he asked why not the Eiffel Tower, she snorted and promptly told him it was clichéd. He learned very early not to contradict the New God.

    They actually have a good time when they reach the City of Lights. They visit some of the museums before going back to the hotel to change for dinner. As they walk towards their dinner destination, Terry gets a call from a frantic Max. Bruce is in the hospital; the doctors suspect kidney failure. Dana insists they immediately go back to Gotham.

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    Some months and one small crisis of faith later, Terry is ready to try again. This time he’s determined to go through with his original plan, and he makes it clear to the other Leaguers that he won’t tolerate any change to it.

    Yeah, he should have realized that wasn’t going to happen the moment Dana opened her door and he saw her new red dress. The way it just hangs on her body makes it appear like it had been sewn on to her body and accentuates her curves in just the right way. He’s in the process of picking up his jaw from the floor as she gives him a cheeky grin. His mind begins to fantasize about what he wants to happen much later that night; and considering the way she’s pulling him into her apartment; she’s thinking the same thing. They’re only 10 minutes late for their dinner reservation.

    They do make it through dinner this time when Terry gets a call from his JL comm. He’s sorely tempted to throw it in the river. Dana gives him a sympathetic smile, and she kisses him on the cheek. She tells him she’ll wait for him at the Manor, as he apologizes to go take care of business. It turns out KOBRA is up to another cockamamie scheme which requires more than one hero to take them down. Kai-ro is surprised to see him; since he knows why Terry asked for the night off, but it seemed someone with metal wings mixed up the dates. It’s another reason why Rex is on Terry’s hit list. Kai tries to make him leave, but Terry has already been briefed on the situation and insists on staying to be his back-up. Unfortunately, this scheme takes place in Japan, and even with a mother box he doesn’t get back to Gotham until after 3 in the morning. When he gets back to the Manor, he sees Dana sleeping contently in his bed and doesn’t have the heart to wake her again. Besides he can ask her in the morning.

    Or so he thinks. He ends up sleeping in and wakes up to an empty bed, which makes him panic slightly until he sees Dana coming into the room carrying a breakfast tray. They settle down to enjoy breakfast in bed when they’re interrupted by a shrill beeping noise. This time it’s her cell not his, but he still wants to throw the offending device across the room, when she answers it. It’s from her assistant at Wayne/Powers, and it seems someone has misplaced one of their contracts and it has the lawyers in a tizzy. She’s rolling her eyes as she calmly asks where they’ve looked and silently conveys her apologies to Terry as he rubs her back before leaving the room to give her some privacy, and discreetly pocketing a small ring box into his pants after he’s change into some clothes.

    He meanders into the study where Bruce is reading a book at his desk. Taking one look at Terry, the older man quickly figures out what is wrong and takes out his own cell and begins to make a couple of calls. 30 minutes later Dana and her assistant have found a copy of the elusive contract and there’s a limo coming up the drive. Bruce hands Terry some keys, “to a small cabin in the mountains,” and tells the younger man that the Wayne private jet is prepped, fueled, and waiting for Dana and Terry at the air strip; and he better not see either of them until Tuesday.

    When Dana begins to protest, Bruce calmly informs her that he’s more than able to take come out of retirement for one day and not to worry about anything as he begins to push them out the door. She points out that they should at least pack some clothes; he smirks again and tells them that everything has been taken care of. Terry wants to laugh at her gapping mouth, but instead steers her into the limo while thanking Bruce for the time off.

    The “little cabin,” turns out to be two-storied, four bedrooms Colonial mini-mansion, located in the Rockies complete with a fully stocked kitchen, a Jacuzzi, and a totally schway view of the mountains. There are even some clothes hanging for them in the closet, though Terry doesn’t really want to know how Bruce knows Dana’s measurements. They also find a candlelit dinner waiting for them after they freshen up from the plane ride. When Terry tries to call Bruce to thank him he discovers one other feature of the house. It’s set in one of the few communication-null zones left in the country; there’s no wireless signal to or from the area, which has Terry grinning like an idiot. No more last minute calls or emergencies until Tuesday morning.

    They’re both excited to have a couple of nights just for themselves; neither can remember the last time they haven’t been stressed about Bat or regular business. He doesn’t get a chance to ask her that night, but he doesn’t mind. Realizing that both Dana and he get to really relax and enjoy the next two nights lets him shift his focus slightly. Screw the plan, he’ll find an opportunity to ask her; right now, he has other things on his mind, like his girlfriend and him checking out that hot tub. They spend the night rediscovering things about themselves both physically and emotionally.

    Terry and Dana both end up lounging in the bed for most of the morning on Sunday, before Terry’s stomach betrays his hunger. Giving her a sheepish smile, he offers to make lunch for the two of them, while she gets to use the shower first. Once in the kitchen, Terry spies a note hanging on the refrigerator. It’s a list of things and places that may interest them in the town 20 minutes away, along with the key to the car sitting in the garage, and a reminder that dinner would be delivered for the next two nights around 7. He shakes his head at Bruce’s attention to details, but he’ll talk to Dana to see if she wants to do some shopping later.

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    “Dana, where are you; lunch is ready.” Terry called out from the kitchen. When she doesn’t respond; he starts searching for her only to find her out on the porch with one of the blankets wrapped around her. He smiles at the picture before him. “Dana, lunch is done. Do you want to eat outside?”

    She turns at his voice and nods, “It’s a little chilly, but it’s beautiful out here; do you mind?”

    “All right, but only if there’s room for me under that blanket too.”

    Dana gives him a brilliant smile and before nodding impishly at him. He goes back to get their lunch and quickly gets the ring as well, one should always be prepared. As they eat, he mentions Bruce’s little note, and both agree that maybe going into the town isn’t such a bad idea. When they finish, Terry moves from being next to her, to behind her. It’s easier to hold and cuddle with her as they lounge back on one of the settee available.

    Dana lets out a sigh, “I feel like I’m playing hooky from class.”

    Terry chuckles a little before agreeing with her, “It does feel a little wrong, but I’m glad we got this time together.”

    “Mmm,” she murmurs contently before turning to face him, “Do we have to go back?”

    He stares at her wide eyes and her pouting lips. His mind conjures up an image of a little girl with Dana’s black hair and face, but his blue eyes; and his mouth goes dry. “Eventually,” he manages to croak out.

    She mock pouts a little longer before placing her head against his chest, “We should do this more often. Just take some time for ourselves.” She tells him as she closes her eyes just enjoying his warmth and presence. “Too bad we can’t stay here longer.”

    Terry tightens his hold around her a little, “Maybe next time we’ll come for a week.”

    “A week?” Dana raises her head to look at him, “How would we ever able to swing a full week away from Wayne/Powers, and Batman?”

    He shrugs and runs his hand through her hair. “I don’t know, though I think Superman and Bruce wouldn’t have a problem with it if it were for a honeymoon,” he states casually before kissing her softly on the head.

    She starts to mummer an agreement, then her mind registers what he just said, and her eyes fly open. Dana raises herself a little bit and pulls back from him to look him straight in the eyes, “What did you-I mean-Terry?”

    He really shouldn’t enjoy her flustered state so much, but he can’t help a large grin from spreading across his face as he pulls out a small box and opens it in front of her. Dana’s eyes widen when she realizes what he’s presenting to her before they begin to water with tears. Tears, he doesn’t mind causing. “You’ve been the one of the few constant presences in my life. You’ve stuck by me no matter how many stupid things I’ve done; and we both know I’ve done a lot of stupid things. I don’t know what the future holds for you or me; but I do know that love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter how short or long it is. Dana Dà Xìa Tan, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

    She smiling and crying at the same time and words can’t seem to come out of her mouth so she starts to nod before throwing her arms around him to kiss him firmly. When she pulls away from him, she regains her voice and is whispering “yes” while he slides the ring on her left hand.

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    When they get back to Gotham, Dana gives Bruce a big hug, which catches the older man off guard, but he sees the smile on his protégé’s face and smirks back at him. Later, that night Terry attempts to thank his father, but Bruce cuts him off, “Just remember one thing Terry, romance never follows a plan. It follows cues.”

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    Jadeling's Notes: Somehow I always thought there should be more humor in this series. I think that's why Eggbaby is still my favorite episode. Hope you all had as much fun reading this as I had writing this. I'm thinking about uploading some more oneshots focusing on this series, but *shrugs,* we'll see how Phoenix is feeling. They probably will have a heavy focus on Dana and Terry, though not necessarily on their relationship...like I said maybe. See you all around the site! Later.

    Dà Xìa- Long Summer