Red Zone:

Simone’s Notes:

An engagement is a promise to marry, and also refers to the time between proposal and marriage. During this period, a couple is said to be affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. The concept of an engagement period may have begun in 1215 at the Fourth Lateran Council, headed by Pope Innocent III, which decreed that "marriages are to be ... announced publicly in the churches by the priests during a suitable and fixed time, so that if legitimate impediments exist, they may be made known." Such a formal church announcement of the intent to marry is known as banns. In some jurisdictions, reading the banns may be part of one type of legal marriage. The modern Western form of the practice of giving or exchanging engagement rings is traditionally thought to have begun in 1477 when Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring as an engagement present.

Jacilyn looked at the engagement ring that Havoc had given to her. It was silver with a real diamond in it. The head nurse twirled it around lightly in her hands. She still hadn’t given him an answer. Havoc didn’t push her at all. He was waiting her out like he normally did. “She’ll say yes,” he kept telling his friends. “Just give her some time. She’ll come around perfectly fine.” She sighed as she watched the ring shine.

Jaks didn’t know what to do now. What happened? How did this happen? She used to be such a non-commitment, free spirited, bed-hopping, bad boy loving bitch. She used just roll over and go to sleep after sex. She was still a free spirited bitch. But now… she was in a … *shutter* relationship. How on earth did that happen? When she first got involved with Jean, she just wanted to shag him once and move on to the next bad boy that caught her eye. Hell, she wasn’t even interested in him at first because he was a soldier and the nurses at the hospital didn’t like them at all. But when Jaks heard that he had lousy luck with the ladies, she decided to turn it around for the better for only one time. However when he made her come first and for real, she just had to sleep with him even more. Pretty soon, they started having a purely sexual relationship. That’s when things began to change. Soon, Jacilyn began to enjoying cuddling with him. When they didn’t feel screwing, they would just lie around in bed for so long that they don’t realize how time has passed. They would talk on the phone for long hours. Havoc knew all of her friends too well. Jaks was proud to call him her boyfriend. She moved in with him Jaks had become his personal cheerleader. He had become more confident at work and a little more competitive. They even met each other’s parents. Jacilyn had no choice but to admit it. She had fallen in love with Jean and loved him dearly. So, what was the big problem?

Jacilyn sighed again. Part of her still wanted to be free, she guessed. But another part of her wanted to make Jean very happy. Both were highly great options for her. But she could only go with one. She just didn’t know which one. Jaks sighed again hard. How did this get so hard now?

Leon angrily stormed down the hall in the same morning. He had a major bone to pick with White Rabbit. He couldn’t believe that she had yet again tricked him into sleeping with her. Now, Gemma wouldn’t talk to him at all. The deity was really going to have to work to fix this problem this time. Just when things between him and Gemma were getting fixed, White Rabbit had to go and screw it all up. He really was going to rip her a new one this time. Oh only if he had known what was to come next…

The deity was almost to the stairs when he saw her. White Rabbit was waiting for him in the hallway. She was only dressed in a black silk robe. She was smiling at him wickedly. She just loved the effects that she had on him. This was going to be a lovely game.

“Leon!” White Rabbit exclaimed. “How lovely to see you this morning!” The male deity was both surprised and angry that she was still here. He could barely speak at all. What was this? White Rabbit kept smiling as she lightly put her finger to his lips. The woman leaned in close to his ear.

“I’ve decided to move in here,” she said to him softly. “I know that I will make things worse for you guys here, but I’ve grown to like this place. So I will be staying here! Got me?” Then, White Rabbit slowly backed up. Leon stared at her in a silent panic.

“Y-You! You!” he shouted out. “You took advantage of me, you bitch!” The mistress just smiled at him again. She was winning already.

“I… I… I ought to slap you for it!” he yelled out. White Rabbit leaned in close to him again. Leon felt himself go quiet again. The woman just smiled at him again.

“Would you really?” she asked. The deity was at a loss for words on that one. The woman just smiled and headed back to her apartment. Leon just stood there and stared at her in complete confusion.

“Oh and Leon!” White Rabbit called out to him. Her toy looked up at her quickly. White Rabbit just stood there for a long moment.

“I have breakfast for you right now!” she said to him. “You can come if you like.” Then, White Rabbit walked back to her apartment. Leon still kept staring at her. And then almost unconsciously, he followed after her like a little puppy. The virus was starting to take over him.

Steven was in his apartment heading off to work when he saw Yasmine standing at the door waiting for him. She was smiling at him sweetly. The col. smiled back her tenderly.

“Hey there, pretty lady!” he greeted her.

“Hi.” Yas said back to him sweetly. Steven made it straight to her.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked. Yasmine lightly kissed him on the lips. The col. kissed back lightly. When his girlfriend pulled away, she smiled at him again.

“You know Steven,” she said at last. “I have been thinking.” Steven stared at her innocently.

“About what?” he asked. His girlfriend kept smiling.

“We been together for a year right?” she asked.

“Yes,” Walker answered. “Why?” Yasmine began to blush lightly. She couldn’t believe that she was going to say this. The virus was really pushing out her feelings here. Well, it was now or never.

“I was thinking that maybe we should try to make that into a forever for us,” she went on. “I mean, we both came out of bad relationships. Your wife divorced you and I killed Trent after many years of abuse.” Yas shook her head and forced herself to continue. “What I’m trying to say is,” she forced out of her mouth. “I really want to be with you until the day we die.” Steven raised an eyebrow at her.

“Are you saying that we should get married?” he asked boldly.

“YES!” his girl yelled out as her cheeks reddened even more. Steven lightly took her into his arms and kissed her on the forehead. He was finally getting his one wish from her. The man had been meaning to pop the question to her, but he never had the courage to do so. Now, she just made things easier for them both. Steven lightly leaned down to her ear.

“Of course I will marry you!” he said happily. Yasmine looked up at him in deep bliss.

“Really? You mean it?” she asked. Her boyfriend nodded. The hunter hugged him tightly. Steven hugged her back as well. The virus was pushing them together and unintentionally helping them.

Jacilyn came into the living room where Jean was heading off to work. Her boyfriend looked up when he heard footsteps. The head nurse had a slightly worried looked on her face. She had the engagement ring in her fingers handing it back to him. Havoc was beginning to take it as a bad sign. So, he waited for her to speak.

“I won’t wear the ring!” Jaks said aloud. “But I will marry you.” Jean began to smirk at her gladly.

“You won’t get sex for a week, little girl!” he said boldly. The head nurse just shrugged.

“Fine with me,” she said blandly. A few moments of silence passed. Then, the newly engaged couple embraced each other happily. They were laughing aloud as well.

“We’re getting married!” Havoc yelled aloud.

“I know right!” Jaks replied. The happiness kept on in full strength. Jacilyn was still a free spirited bitch, but now she had toned down to settle down with the man she had come to love. Oh well, maybe marriage wouldn’t be so bad and soul-crushing as she thought it was. The virus kept growing on.