"Jake, what's this all about?" I asked, my blindfold causing me to almost trip over something in my way.

Jake and I had been dating for four years when the outbreak happened. And we had the fortune of getting quarantined together. I don't know what I would've done if I had gotten stuck on the outside of the cordon. I would've hated to be separated like that. But ever since the sickness, Jake had been oddly over-protective of me. I mean, don't get me wrong, Jake did care for me but...he'd always been the player type before we started dating. 

And as far as I knew, our relationship had been one of the longest-lasting Jake had ever been in. So him acting like this was very out of character for him. 

"Just a little farther," Jake said to me as he led the way through the hospital.

Jake had blindfolded me and told me he had a "surprise" for me. His calloused hand held mine as he guided me up a flight of stairs. I heard the squeak of a door and light penetrated my blindfold. I felt Jake step closer to me and the cloth over my eyes was removed. I gasped at the sight before me. 

Somehow, he had gotten a table and chairs up on the rooftop. And a single candle sat in the middle. I grinned from ear-to-ear as I walked over to the table. Jake smiled and pulled out a chair for me. I sat down and he then sat down across from me.

"How did you even do all this? It's beautiful!" I asked, the smile never leaving my face.

Jake blushed at the compliment.

"Katie helped me set it up and some of the other guys in the hospital helped bring the table and chairs up here." he said, sheepishly.

I reached my hand across the table and laid it on his.

"Well, I think it looks amazing. Thank you," I said, genuinely. 

He smiled at me and we began talking as we ate our food. Soon, it started to get dark and once we finished eating, Jake and I walked over to the edge. He held me in his arms and I laid my head against his chest.

"I love you so much..."Jake whispered into my hair as we watched the sun go down,"You know that?"

I blushed and nodded.

"I know. I love you, too." I said as I wrapped my arms tight around him.

He shook his head then and stepped away from me.

"No, I don't think you do," he said softly, his hand going to his pocket,"But I want you to know just how much."

Then Jake did something that I'll never forget. He  got down on one knee and he held out a small diamond ring. I gasped and my hand flew to my mouth.

"I've never been the type of guy who wanted to get married. I never wanted to be tied down and I didn't know how to open up to anyone. And I thought that I was okay with living like that...until I met you. You changed my whole world in a second. I've had this ring in my pocket for days, still unsure...and then this outbreak happened..." he said, stopping briefly before continuing,"...and there was a possibility that I'd lose you. A possibility that I'd lose the love of my life without ever getting to tell her any of this. And I'm sure now. In fact, I've never been more sure of anything. Jessie, will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in my eyes at his speech and I nodded my head frantically.

"Yes, Jakey, yes! Yes!" I said over and over as Jake grinned and slipped the ring on my finger.

He picked me up and twirled me around, the both of us laughing. Once he put me down, I kissed him softly before breaking away.

"So, it took an apocalypse for you to propose?" I asked, playfully. 

Jake smirked down at me, leaning closer.

"What can I say? I'm slow." he grinned before capturing my lips with his own.