The Lone Bird.

Later . . .

Essa knew her boyfriend had to leave for work, but she was too tired to say much too him. As he got up to go get dressed and what not, she held him tightly and leaned over to kiss him. "I'll probably be asleep when you get home . . . So have fun, I guess." She told him drowsily as she curled up in the blankets.

Victor got up of the bed breathing heavily. He started putting on his Nightraven costume and waited to put on his eye mask. He kissed Essa lightly back and held her tight looking into her eyes. "That is fine and do not worry I will come back in one piece." Victor jumped over the bed to the window and opened it. He put on his eye mask, and jumped out of the window into the darkness becoming the vigilante Nightraven. He made his way through New York city taking out several little gangs,rapists, and stopping a murder. As morning almost came he returned to Essa's window where he sat there on the sill of it looking at the sunrise as he took off his eye mask."That was a long night.." He said to himself quietly trying not to wake Essa up.

Yawning as her alarm began to beep, she lazily reached over and turned it off. "Shit . . . Its bright, close the windows . . ." She complained, slowly opening her eyes and then smiling a bit as she saw him. "Well, good morning, Victor . . ."

Victor turned around as he heard Essa's voice almost startling him. "Sorry about that...I like to see the sunrise when I get home from work. Buenos Dias Novia." Victor climbed through the window taking off his costume once he got in the room. He got into the bed with Essa kissing her forehead before passing out into slumber.

A few months later, Essa was just walking in from work to take a shower and then go have some time with her boyfriend. "Victor? Hey hun, Im home!"

Victor had been in the bedroom putting the finally details on something special for Essa. They had been dating a few months now and he thought it might have been time for them to take the next step. Victor had finished putting the roses into a heart and lighting the candles as he heard Essa come in. "Hey babe, in the bedroom...can you come back here for a moment?" Victor went into his pocket and pulled out a ring and held it in his hands behind his back as he waited for her.

Thinking nothing of anything, Essa quickly took her boots up and then headed to her room. "What's--" Blinking, she glanced around the room curiously and quite surprised. "Is . . . it our anneversary and i forgot again . . .? Shit."

"No its not. We have been dating for awhile now. I think that it is maybe time we take the next step in our relationship." Victor got down to one knee, trying to control his breathing. His heart began to beat almost right out of his chest knowing what he was about to do. Victor had fallen in love with this girl and hoped she felt the same way. Victor looked up at her smiling as he pulled a small case from behind his back. He opened the case at her revealing a engagement ring. He had been working a lot during the day to pay for this ring; he could only hope that she would say yes to him. If she did not then, he did not know what to do anymore. Victor cleared his throat twice to make sure everything he wanted to say would come out like he wanted it to. "Essa, you have been my rose,my sun, just my everything these past couple of months. When you became my girlfriend you made me the happiest man there was, but now I want to make you more than my girlfriend. Essemeralda will you take my hand in marriage? Victor took his left arm and wiped the sweat from his forehead; he took deep breaths to slow down his heart beat. He looked back up at her, waiting for her reply to his question. He just hoped that these past few months he had shown her that he was worthy to be her husband and that she was worthy to be his wife.

Essa for many moments had no clue how to reply . . . She was shocked to silence and her usually loud and vivacious personality was completely gone momentarily--But it wasn't bad. She was stunned joyfully. She never expected a proposal and didn't mind--but this was a wonderful surprise. " . . . Victor . . . Yes . . .I-i . . . " Rushing forward, she hugged him tightly and buried her face into his shoulder. "I'd love that . . . . "

"Muy Bien!" Victor let a tear fall from his eye out of joy. He wanted to say more words but did not know what else to say. Every happy emotion he felt was let out in that one tear. He just put a ring on the finger of the girl that he loved, actually loved. Victor hugged her tightly back and kissed her on her cheek. He stood to his feet with her and laid her on the bed. "I love you.." Victor whispered in his ear as those were the only words he could out, after all the other ones that wanted to come out.

"And I love you too, Victor . . . " She smiled, hugging him close and sighing contently. "I wasnt expecting this, but its a nice surprise."

"Yes it is." Victor waved his hand slightly above them blowing out the candles leaving them in darkness. He showed her appreciation that night.

Within the next few weeks, Essa was planning a lot for the wedding amd also telling her teammates about it non-stop. As she stopped by the resturant to drop off some paperwork to her fiance, Essa glanced at her ring and grinned a bit. "Victor? Hey, hun, I'm giving up sex for Lent. Big catholic here, you know." She told him cheekily, kissing him on the cheek and setting the papers down to call a greeting to the staff.

Victor had been working in the restaurant, mostly in the office typing up some papers. He looked up as Essa walked in with some paperwork for him to fill out. "That is fine I understand, I am more Baptist then Catholic hope that does not serve as a problem." Victor smiled at her kiss and picked up the paperwork. He looked over it quickly before setting it down. He then went back to the typing his paperwork. While Essa was still in earshot he yelled something to her. "Tell Nick who has blonde hair that he can get off early tonight."

"I was just joking, bae." She grinned lightly. "I gave up being a bitch to my teammates." Snickering, she turned and went to find 'Nick'. "Hey, kid, Victor said you're off early for the night. 'Kay?"

"I would hope so babe. I need to type up one last thing and I am on my way out for the night." Victor finished typing his vows and closed down his laptop. He hoped that she would like what he wrote because it came from his heart. Victor stood up from behind his desk and walked around from behind it and headed towards where Essa is. As he passed her he whispered something only for her to her. "I am ready for some loving before we can't see each other one day before the wedding." Victor ran his finger down her jawline before walking out the restaurant.