The Next Generation

"You can say that again," Neal said as he placed his hand against the wall for support. Rose was the main reason that Neal didn't have to work out in order to keep up his physique. The girl knew how to make him work for it when they were together. As she asked him about whether or not she was going to join him or not, the answer was an extremely obvious one. "I'll be there in a second," Neal said as he just watched her walk away. God, that woman could WALK. Neal grabbed a towel before drying himself off completely, without waiting any longer he walked over to the bed and curled up next to Rose, his arms wrapping around her before he kissed her neck and closed his eyes.

---

"Okay, everything looks like it's getting ready," Neal said as he was checking all of the food that he had prepared. It was Friday, the day that Rose and he decided they would have their date. Neal had told everyone else about his plans, saying that he wanted them down in the living room when they came down. They were his family after all, Neal just wished that Dick could be here. If he was, it would have been the entire team but Sarah would be there to congratulate them.

Neal checked his food again, as he was cooking several things at once. The steak was perfectly cooked as Rose liked it, the vegetables were doing well, the pasta was smelling fantastic and the sauce wasn't burned. The dessert was in the fridge, a cheesecake that Neal had prepared earlier in the day.

He quickly took the food to the roof and set up the large table that he had prepared earlier in the day. It was a nice warm day, not even a breeze in the sky to mess up any of the food. "Yes yes yes," Neal said to himself before running downstairs. He didn't tell Rose that there was any sort of dress code, but in actuality Neal was wearing a tuxedo that he had rented for the day. He merely cast an illusion over it to make it look like he was wearing his usual costume, with the exception of the helmet.

He glanced down at his watch, waiting for when Rose was going to show up. She still had a few minutes before they had originally agreed to meet, but Neal still waited eagerly for her to show up.

Of course, since Rose had no idea what was really going on, she wasn't dressed in anything nearly as fancy as a tuxedo or a gown. Rather, she was just in her simple, casual clothes. Granted, she had gone through her wardrobe to pull out something at least a little nicer that jeans and a leather jacket, but she was still quite under dressed for the momentous occasion, not that she would realize it yet. She was just hoping that this wasn't actually their anniversary dinner that she'd completely forgotten. if it was, and Neal had gotten her a gift of some kind, then she'd look really stupid with nothing to give him in return.

When she finally found Neal waiting for her, she let out a small breath of relief. He was dressed in his uniform, minus the helmet. Well at least she was dressed more or less appropriately, in that case. And that couldn't mean that it was any special celebration either, or surely he would have dressed nicer. "Hey there," she said with a smirk, leaning in to give him a warm kiss. When she pulled away, she wrapped one of her arms around his and started walking with him. "So, what's on the menu tonight?"

Neal glanced over as Rose finally showed up. She was wearing fairly casual clothes, but Neal was okay with that. He figured that if he asked her to dress up or anything like that she would have grown suspicious. He had never seen Rose in a dress before after all, and he doubted that she'd start wearing one now. Who knew, they would have to just wait and see after tonight. As she approached him he gave her a warm kiss, wrapping his arms around her for just a moment before letting go.

"Hey love," Neal said as he gained a grip on Rose's hand and began to lead her upstairs. "What isn't on the menu is the better question," Neal said as he lead her to the roof. Everything was still perfectly placed. "Steak, pasta, fish, various vegetables and some fruit platters, fresh rolls.......and a cheesecake for later if you'd like it," Neal said before walking over to one of the chairs and pulling it out for Rose.

Rose lifted her eyebrows as Neal described everything on the menu for dinner. He'd really gone all out tonight, hadn't he? "What are you trying to do, make me gain back everything I just lost in my last work out?" she asked with a chuckle. She gave him another quick kiss before sitting down in the seat that he pulled out for her. Ever the gentleman, this one. "But I suppose since it is a special date night, I can make room. And I do love cheesecake." In fact, it was her facorite dessert. Something about crumbly, creamy cheesecake just made her taste buds tingle with enjoyment.

Neal laughed as Rose accused him of trying to make her gain weight. "Please, with the amount of work that you do in one day you probably have to eat like twenty thousand calories in order to have ANY sort of fat on you. And for the record you don't," Neal added before kissing her and pushing her chair in lightly once she set down. "Do you? I couldn't remember if you did or not, looks like I made the right choice though," Neal said before moving over and taking his own seat across from Rose. He pulled himself in lightly before smiling up at Rose. "Well, no sense in letting it get cold right?" Neal said as he grabbed some pasta and began to scoop it onto his plate.

"Oh yeah, my favorite dessert if I've never mentioned it before," Rose replied with a small laugh. She could have sworn she told him about that a while ago, but if she hadn't then it was even more amazing that he'd made some for tonight. Or perhaps just coincidental. Either way, it worked out well. As Neal started to dish out the food onto her plate, she took in a deep breath through her nose. She did have to admit, it smelled wonderful. All those cooking shows that he had been watching lately really seemed to be paying off. Of course, how would it taste? That was the true test. Without further ado, she took her utensils into hand and began to eat the pasta set on her plate. About three seconds into, she let out a pleasant moan of satisfaction. After swallowing, she breathed outwardly. "Okay, wow... that's good."

"Well, I can guarantee you that I'll never forget that from here on out," Neal said before tapping his head lightly. "My mind is like a steel trap after all," he said with a laugh. Rose of course already knew about Neal's enhanced learning ability, but he still liked to joke about it every now and than. Neal began to scoop up some food onto his own plate, particularly grabbing some of the crab he had cooked earlier. As Rose voiced her approval Neal could only smile. "Thanks, I have been practicing every now and than," he admitted. Rose's several hours in the gym often provided Neal with an excuse to try out a new recipe.

"Well don't feel the need to hold back on whatever you want, it's not like I promised Cyborg we'd save any," Neal said with a joking wing before cutting into some of the meat on his plate and taking a bite.

And hold back she didn't. Once she got he first taste of Neal's cooking, she didn't stop. Of course, under normal circumstances she'd pace herself and wouldn't even think of indulging like this... but hey, it was a special night, might as well splurge. Besides, she could always hit the gym again after and work some of it off if she felt that she ate too much. It was amazing how everything tasted so... so freaking wonderful. Normally, people had a few good dishes, but weren't perfect at everything. Neal proved that he could make anything just about perfectly. From the pasta, to the steak, to the fish, to the crab, all of it delicious. By the time she was done eating, her stomach felt like it was about to burst. When she put her hand to her abdomen, she half expected to feel a bulge. Of course, all she felt were flat, rock hard abs, but still.

"Alright... I'm stuffed," she said, with a chuckle, leaning back in her seat. "You really need to cook for us more often."

Like Rose, Neal didn't hold back either. He enjoyed his own cooking, and he wasn't going to hold back. It wasn't like Neal was gaining any fat on his muscled body anyway. His training with the Titans and the League of Assassins taught him how to stay in shape and eat the right foods. Granted this meal wasn't exactly a warrior's meal, but they could afford to indulge for this night!

Neal glanced up at Rose as she leaned back on her chair and commented that he needed to cook for them more often. "I'll make sure to do that, you have my word," Neal said as he reached into his pocket and clutched the box securely in his hands. "Hey Rose, you know that I love you more than anything right? You know that I really would do what I said all those months ago, about how I'd follow you to the end of the world if you needed me to?"

Rose gave Neal a curious look as he suddenly changed the subject and the tone of the conversation. She leaned forward, one arm against the table as she stared back at him, pursing her lips. Okay, something was definitely up. This couldn't just be an ordinary dinner... but what was he planning? "Yeah, I know," she said, with a believing nod. "It wasn't like I thought you were just making that stuff up. And yeah, I'd do the same for you, too. I mean... hell, I didn't ever even think I'd be in a serious relationship, what with given my past and all, yet here we are, two peas in a pod." She hen narrowed her eyes at him, giving a small, half smirk. "But, I also know it's not like you to just randomly bring that stuff up unless there's an important reason... what's going on Neal?"

Nael just listened as Rose said that she knew that he was telling the truth and she also knew that she would be willing to do anything for him as well. It was love, and that was all that Neal needed to know. He had made this decision months ago, and now it was time to let Rose in on the know. She had already figured out that something was going on, so clearly it was time to tell her what was going on.

Neal just stood up and walked over to Rose, standing in front of her for a few moments. "It's like I told you Rose, I would do anything for you. And I don't want to wait when anything could happen. I want you to be around for the rest of my life. I love you Rose, and I will never change my mind on that," Neal said as he dropped his illusion and revealed the tuxedo he was wearing. He pulled out the box, dropped to one knee, and slowly opened the box.

"Rose Wilson, will you marry me?"

Rose straightened herself a little as Neal proceeded to explain what was going on, about how much he loved and how he would do anything for her... and how he wanted her there for the rest of his life. At this point, the suspicion formed in her head. But... no, this couldn't be it, could it? It... couldn't really be happening. Not to her. Something like this could never happen to her, right? It was when Neal dropped the illusion and revealed his tuxedo, however, that the butterflies began to form in her stomach. Now, Rose was never the kind of girl to freak out and get excited over sentimental stuff like this, but even she felt all nervous and tingly everywhere. Her throat began to go numb, palms sweaty...

When Neal finally dropped down to one knee and pulled out the box, opening it to reveal the gleaming diamond ring inside, she immediately brought a hand up to her mouth, gasping with surprise. She just stared at the ring for a few moments, before glancing back up at him. Her expression was one of pure shock. "You... you mean you... I mean, this is really... you mean this? You... you really want... with me?" She could barely get out full sentences she was so flabbergasted, in a good way. Call it epic shock value, but she was completely stunned. Definitely not what she expected tonight.

Neal just continued to kneel there, holding out the ring as he could see the shock and confusion on Rose's face. This was obviously not what she had been expecting, and Neal couldn't blame her. They had only barely mentioned marriage once, but Rose didn't realize that Neal had taken that idea so seriously and allowed it to grow in his mind. This was what he wanted, and according to everyone else they believed it was what Rose wanted to. "I really want you to be the one by my side forever Rose. I've never been more sure of anything else my entire life," Neal said as he looked right up at her.

"It would mean the world to me if you would say yes"

Rose couldn't even bring herself to utter the word, she was so taken by surprise. She tried to, but nothing came out. Instead, she settled for her actions speaking for her instead. Dropping down out of the chair, she came level to Neal and wrapped her arms around him, embracing him fully and pulling him into a deep, tender kiss. She honestly tried not to cry, but even she couldn't help a few tears wetting her eyes. No matter how tough she was, no matter how hardened, this was a moment that made her heart thump with excitement. She didn't know how long she held the kiss, but it wasn't until after she pulled away that she was able to form words again. Placing her forehead against his, she held her hands against his cheeks, taking in a deep breath and slowly letting it out. "Yes... yes, Neal, of course yes." She smiled, kissing him again. The answer would always be yes.

Neal just stared up as he was waiting for Rose to say something, anything. Neal was so certain that he knew the answer, but he couldn't help but worry that maybe she wasn't ready yet. What if she said no? Thankfully, Neal wasn't going to have to worry about that. Rose slowly got down, and embraced him in a tight hug before fully kissing him. Neal of course returned the kiss, but he didn't get quite as emotional as Rose yet. He waited to hear her answer, eagerly waiting for the words to slip from her mouth. When they finally came, Neal just allowed his own tears of joy to come out as well. He held the kiss, holding Rose close to him before it finally broke.

"I promise that I'll make a good husband for you Rose. I'll keep those wedding vows that I told you about and I'll do even more for you. I'll never let you down," Neal said softly as he just kept holding on to his fiance. Wow........Rose was his fiance now.

"Right back at you," Rose replied, with a small chuckle. She kissed him yet again, holding it for a while this time. When she finally broke away, she held a hand to her head and let out a deep breath. Her entire life had just changed with a single question and answer, and she couldn't be happier about it. "Wow... wow, I'm going to be a wife. How freaky is that?" She laughed again and stood up, taking Neal's hands in her own and bringing him up with her. "I guess I'm going to need to find someone to walk me down the aisle... isn't exactly going to be my dad, now is it?"

"I wouldn't call it freaky, I'd call it a new challenge or adventure right?" Neal asked with a joking smile before standing up alongside of Rose. As she mentioned her father walking down the aisle, Neal couldn't help but laugh at it. He didn't mean for it to be rude, and he hoped that Rose didn't take it that way. "Wow.....I'm going to be related to Deathstroke. I never even thought about that I have to admit," Neal said with a warm smile. "I'm sure my dad would love to walk you, but that's something for you to decide. For the moment though," Neal said as he pulled out the ring, "How about we just place this on your finger and make it official?"

"Yeah... yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Rose said, smirking as she held her hand out and allowed Neal to finally slip the ring onto her finger. She couldn't help but marvel at the sight for a few moments, lifting her hand up to her face and inspecting the ring. It really was quite a remarkable one. He definitely made the right choice when picking it out. After taking her time staring at the sparkling diamond, she lowered her hand again and then grabbed Neal's. "Come on, let's go tell everyone the news. I'm sure they'll be thrilled!"

Neal just watched as Rose outstretched her hand. "I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to this Rose," Neal said softly as he carefully took the ring from the box and placed it onto her finger. It looked good on her, although Neal was convinced that anything really would look good on Rose. Neal gripped Rose's hand tightly as she took his and explained that they needed to go and tell everyone else. "Yeah, that definitely sounds like a great idea. I'm sure they'll be happy for us," Neal said as he smiled before heading for the door. Rose of course didn't know that she had been talking to everyone about what he was going to do tonight.

They were probably all eagerly waiting by the door knowing those guys.

And so they were, everyone waiting in the lounge for the loving couple to arrive. At first, they'd just been hanging out and watching some television, playing games, whatever it took to pass the time. After a while, they'd resorted to sitting and staring eagerly at the doors. It had been quite some time now, surely those two were almost done with it! Of course, when Rose did finally walk through the door, she wasn't exactly expecting to see everyone standing there staring at her.

"So?" Cyborg asked, straightening up. "How'd it go? Give us the scoop!"

Rose just blinked in surprise, glancing around at everyone in the room. Neal had apparently covered all the bases, going so far as to tell everyone else what was going on in advance. Letting out a small breath, she merely smirked and held up her ring finger, showing off the diamond. There were immediately collective cheers and shouts of congratulations all around.

"This is most wonderful news!" Starfire declared, flying over and giving the newly engaged couple a big hug. "I am very happy for the both of you!"

"Thanks, Kory," Rose replied with a small chuckle. "I'm happy too."

As the others came over to shake hands and offer their own words of excitement for the couple, another figure walked out from the corner of the room with his arms crossed.

"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order," Dick said, giving his friend a smirk.

Neal walked alongside Rose, holding her hand tightly as they moved down the stairs in order to head back to where everyone else had gathered. When you learned that one of your friends was proposing, you had to be there to hear the news. He was glad that everyone was there, smiling as they walked through the door to see their faces. They all looked eager, as if the world depended on whatever happened next.

As the entire group looked at them, Neal could only turn to Rose and give off one of his cute smiles. Well he had to tell them, there was no way he was going to take the risk that they were going to run off and do something stupid on such an important night. Neal decided to let Rose answer, which she did by simply holding her finger. Neal could only cheer himself as everyone shouted their congratulations and showed their pleasure for the newly engaged couple.

As Starfire flew over, Neal returned the hug with equal strength. She had been the one that Neal had first discussed this with after all, if she had been skeptical Neal might not have had the courage to go through with it. Neal continued to shake hands and hug everyone around him, saying how happy he was that Rose had said yes to it.

However, it was when a familiar but unexpected voice spoke up that Neal shot his attention around. "Dick? Ah Dick!" Neal said before moving over and hugging his old teammate and leader. "I didn't realize that you were going to be here. How did you know to come?"

"Kory called me," Dick responded, giving Neal a pat on the back. "Didn't think I was going to miss this, did you?" He laughed a little, then pulled away and crossed his arms over his chest. "So, Rose Wilson, huh? Gotta say, didn't see that one coming. But it's good, I'm happy for you. The both of you."

Starfire, meanwhile, was busily discussing all the fun things they had to do before the eventual wedding. "I think you'll look beautiful in a wedding gown, Rose, really! Oh, and when do we get to go shopping for all those bright and colorful dresses that the bride's friends wear? I look best in purple, I think."

"Easy there, Kory," Rose said, trying to calm down the excited Tamaranean. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Ah, I'll have to thank her for that," Neal said as he glanced over at Starfire who was busily talking to Rose and the others. "I'm glad that you're here, I just wasn't sure if it was appropriate to call you or not," Neal said as he scratched his head. "And yeah, Rose Wilson. I don't think that any of us saw it coming, especially the two of us," Neal added as he crossed his own arms as he looked over towards Dick.

"Considering yourself already invited to the wedding, we'll work on those details later though," Neal said as he smiled at his old leader. "So how are things on your end? I hear you have someone special in your life as well"

"Things are going fine," Dick said, giving a small nod. "It was strange living a normal life, at first, but I think I've settled into it pretty well. Got a job, an apartment, and yeah, got a girl, too. She's special, you know? Kind of like what you got with Rose, though I can't say I've thought of popping the question yet. I want to, just... you know, I'm not sure if I'm ready for that step, yet. Good to see you are, though. I wish you both the best."

Rose finally managed to pull herself away from Starfire and the others, though she was sure that she'd be hounded by them later again. Something about a woman getting engaged just seemed to attract all sorts of excitement. Slipping over to her fiance, she took his arm and gave him a small kiss, then looked over to Dick.

"Look who showed up," she said, with a smirk. "Glad to see you could make it."

"I'm glad to hear it, you deserve to be happy with whatever you choose," Neal said before he heard about Dick's girl. "Well, when you decide to pop the question made sure I get invited. And don't worry, I'll make sure I show up as myself so as to not raise any questions," he said jokingly to Dick. "Still man, I'm really glad to hear that you're doing so well. I'm sorry I've been out of touch, life's been crazy this past year though," he said seriously.

As Rose showed up, Neal felt her taking his arm and turned just in time to return the kiss that she gave. "Yeah, Starfire apparently decided that he should be here. I'm glad that she called him. It just wouldn't have felt right without you here Dick"