They made the twenty-minute trek over to where the dorms sat on the edge of campus. Dartmouth looked the same. The same old scary, old, gorgeous stone building that he missed. This is really where he became a young adult, a man. Someone who fell in love with a girl who he didn’t deserve. This is where his life really started. Kendall hopped up the main steps and pushed open the door. “It’s not trespassing, if it’s open.” She smirked. “Yeah that’s the easy part. I highly doubt the actual room will be open.” She sauntered in, and he followed. Like always. They raced each other up the stairwell to the third floor. “Such an old man.” She let out a laugh as they reached the third floor corridor. “I am 25 and feel 50.” He let out a huff as they walked hand in hand to room 327. The door was closed and he smirked at Kendall, knowing he was going to be right. “We’ll get it open. I am determined.” She mumbled as she went to shake the door handle. “Babe you need the key card...” She shook her head, seeing the “Caution Wet Floor.” Sign outside the bathroom. “Winner, winner chicken dinner.” She winked at him as she went into the bathroom, making nice with the housekeeper who came out with her.

“Oh Derek!” Derek smiled as he walked over to Nadia, the faithful Dartmouth housekeeper who always kept the hallways, and bathrooms ridiculously clean, while the 200 boys living there messed it up everyday. “Please Nadia you still have the main key card for getting into the rooms.” He looked at her with a pleading look. “It’s for emergency’s...But it is summer. Fine Stepan just this once.” He bit his lip and smiled as she swiped them in. “10 minutes and then you guys need to leave! No visitors!” She closed the door to 327 behind her leaving them in the empty dorm room. “It’s definitely...emptier.” Nothing but the empty Wardrobes, Desks, and Beds sat in the room. “You could say that again.” He whispered. He didn’t know this room. He knew the room that had hockey jerseys hanging from the ceiling, the walls adorned with posters of Sports Illustrated models, 1980 miracle on ice moments taped up to remind him what he could accomplish, photos of him and Kendall, Josie, Ryan and his parents were taped to every open crevice.

---

It was weird to think that room he made his home, was now just an empty room a bright eyed and bushy tailed senior guy would live in, in August. “Let’s see if it’s still there.” Kendall walked over to the right side of the room, kneeling down and grinning. He walked over to where she kneeled and got down on the floor. On the bottom of one of the legs was “DS and KB ’08 Forever” etched in it. “So cliché.” He shook his head. Kendall took a picture. “Not cliché! Cute! So cute.” She sank into him. “Back then we had so many possibilities...So many dreams. Now we’re accomplishing those dreams or already have.” She replied as they sat on the carpet floor. “We still have so many possibilities Kends. I promise you.” He kissed her forehead, and ran his fingers through her hair in the comforting way she loved. “Promise?” She looked up at him and kissed him. “Promise.” He sat there in the room, Kends on his lap and for a second pictured He and Kendall dropping off their kids to Shattuck, moving them into a room just like this one. He wanted that so badly.

“Kendall?” She looked up at him once more. “Yes?” He kissed her softly and gently. “Come with me.” He pulled the two of them up and slowly left the room that had been a part of the start of their romance. “I want to go somewhere.” She let him lead this time, as they walked out of Dartmouth, and towards the entrance of Shattuck. “Where are we going Step? Our car is parked towards Branford.” She was always curious never letting anything ever be a secret. Buying her gifts was extremely hard. “Shush.” He stashed his hands in his pockets, making sure he could feel the velvet box.

---

They made their way to the entrance of Shattuck, the beautiful arch looking over them. The stonewalls embossed with “Shattuck St-Mary’s School” meeting at the arch.
“So what are we doing at the front entrance?’ Kendall curiously looked at Derek as he smirked at her. “This.” He whispered as he got down to one knee. Kendall’s expressions went from Horror, Shock, excitement, then tears rolling down her face like waves, her hands covering her mouth, wiping away tears.

“Kendall Kelsey Brooks we have been through hell and back. When I got back to Minnesota last month I was upset and angry when I should have been happy and elated about winning the cup. Partly because I didn’t get to celebrate it with the one person I love more then life itself. And partly because I let that person willingly walk out of my life when I should of ran after her. Fought my way back into her heart. The last month taught me that I never want to be without you again. Never ever. It was the worst ten months of my existence. We still have a lot of shit to work on, we’re not perfect. But oddly we’re perfect together. So once again, hopefully for the last time. I will ask the one question I can’t stop loving to ask. Kendall Kelsey Brooks, my person, my rock, my other half, my best friend will you fucking marry me?” He pulled out the tiffany velvet box that had the ring that was rightfully hers in it. Kendall couldn’t breath she was so red, tears enveloping her. She breathed in and out, wiping away leftover tears. “Fucking finally. Yes Derek Kenneth Stepan I will!” He opened the box and slipped the rock back onto her left ring finger. “I feel whole again having this on my finger.” She whispered as he got off the ground and enveloped her in a hug, swinging her around.

“Next summer, summer 2016 we’re getting married Kendall Brooks. I am not letting another summer slip out of my hands without a wedding band on that finger. It should have been done this summer but we fucked it up. So let’s do it right this time.” Kendall wiped away tears and kissed him gently but then harder. “Smaller this time, just our closest family and friends. No country club, the back of the house! And no Minnesota Living magazine cover. Simpler. Sweeter. More us.” He nodded. “Agreed.” He knew since she asked him to come to Shattuck with her last week he was going to ask her to marry him again, in the place where their love story started. This wasn’t an old chapter restarting, this was an old story writing a new chapter. They were going to do it right this time. “We should get back to the hotel and FaceTime our families.” She whispered in his ear, waking him back up from his own mind. “Yeah, let’s go.” He cherished every step back to the car. She asked him for an unforgettable weekend, and she was getting one.

Notes

Sorry it's on the shorter side! BUT THEIR ENGAGED AGAIN! (: The story is far from over!