After spending some time with Rum comforting her, Marie left to go see Luca.  Road had not just been his RHM, but they had been dear friends too.  Luca would need her in this moment and she wanted to be there for him.  She called Charlie to verify that he was at the new house and told him that she was on her way.

She still could not believe it all herself.  For Road to lose his life like that... to friendly fired.  It was almost surreal.  

With her lead foot it did not take her long to reach the new place.  It was a beautiful mansion and Marie suspected that it may have been purchased with her in mind.  The thought scared her a bit.  She was always pushing the brake pedal when it came to their relationship and she did not know quite why.  Charlie let her in through the gate and called the house to let Luca know she was on her way.

Marie parked the car and walked up to the front door.  She was about to knock when the door opened and revealed a worn and ragged young man.

"Oh Luca..."  She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.  "I am so sorry, darling."

It had a been a very long day for Luca. Things out west had popped off out of nowhere and his best friend and RHM had fallen. It had been a rough one. 

He had been sitting at his desk when the phone rang and they told him that Marie had arrived. He headed downstairs to meet her. 

He made it to the door as she arrived and opened it and was greeted by her. 

Luca pulled her tight. It was the one bright side to a miserable day. If he could he would hold her like this for days. 

"Thank you, sweetheart. Come in and have a drink with me" he says leading her into the house. 

He leads her into one of the offices there is a large oak desk with two vases on each side filled with beautiful orchids. 

There is a small bar at one end. Luca walks over to it and pours a glass of scotch for himself. 

"what can I get you?" he asks her. 

Luca brought the drink over to her and motioned for her to have a seat. After she sat down so did he. He took a sip of his drink and relaxed for the first time all day. 

"Whoever said war is hell got that right. I lost a good man today but more than that I lost a good friend. How is Rum doing?" he asks with pure concern.

" I went to see her after I heard what happened." He stated before taking another drink. 

Marie took the drink and sat down with him on the leather couch.  She turned a bit and put her elbow on the back of the couch so that she could face him better.  “I just left from seeing her.  She was doing about how you would expect.”  She took a drink and her eyes were filled with concern, “She is a survivor.  I am certain she will pull through with the support of her family around her.”

Marie reached out and took his free hand in hers.  “Is there anything you want to talk about?”

There was a lot of things that he wanted to discuss with her. Their life was dangerous they all knew that, but recent events just showed them how quickly things can happen. Luca realized that there was something he did not want to wait on. He wasn't going to wait anymore. 

"Marie I go you something it's on the desk over there," he says pointing to a small box on the desk. 

Marie looked at him curiously, but sat her drink down and got up to go look. "What is it?" Picking up the box she began to open it, not know what to expect.

"I have known since the first day we met all that time ago driving through Chicago that I wanted to be with you. That has never changed, when we got together I bought this house for us. In fact, the office we are in right now is yours." he said with a smile. 

"Recent events have reminded me of the life we lead and how quickly things can happen. I do not want to wait just to wait. I know what I want and that is you" he says to her 

Luca watches as Marie opens the box and takes a look for the first time at the diamond engagement ring in the box. As she looks at it Luca gets up and walks over to her getting on one knee.

"Will you marry me?" he says to her. 

Marie just blinked as she looked at the ring and then blinked again when looking down at Luca.  She thought to herself, "Whoa and they say I am fast."

Looking back at the ring she spoke in a breathless whisper, "Oh Luca it is beautiful."  She had never thought about marriage before.  Oh sure she had had day dreams as a girl, but... "Oh I think I need to sit down."  The night had been long and she had perhaps had to much to drink already.  

Luca helped her to the leather couch and sits her down before sitting next to her.  "Would you like something to drink?"

Marie shook her head no.  The last thing she needed right now was more to drink.

"I'm... I'm sorry I just was not expecting this."  She smiled at him and then looked back at the ring again.  Slowly her mind began to process what he had said.  She knew he was right.  Live in the moment.  That was her philosophy.  Well she never wanted this moment to end.  She never wanted to be without him in her life.  However, short this life maybe.  She began nodding her head and final managed to get out.  "Yes."  

She looked at him with a large smile, "Yes I will marry you."  

Luca sat there and waited as he could see her process what was happening. when she finally said yes he could not stop the huge smile or the sense of Relief that came across him. He reached over and hugged her tight. 

"I love you," he says to her before kissing her. 

She never grew tired of his kisses and she lingered in it.  Finally she pulled back to say, "I love you too.  Let's not wait to get married.  Let's go to the courthouse in the morning."

Luca smiled at her and had to admit that running off and getting married would be fun, but he knew that their families and all the Chicago families would love to be there to celebrate with them.  "That sounds wonderful, but I think our families and the other Chicago families would love to celebrate with us. Don't you?" he asks her.

Marie gently caressed the side of his face as they talked, "Ok how about a small ceremony.  Just you, me, the justice of peace, the godfather as our witness... and then a reception for everyone?"

"Now that sounds more like it," he told her before kissing her again.

After a long kiss, he breaks it off and holds her hands. 

"Well love you know we still need to get permission from one man.." He says to her.

Luca knew that they could not just get married without getting the GodFathers permission. 

"We have to go see Uncle Joe," he says to her.