So this ended up being the last chapter. I was originally going to have a meet Rio's mother chapter but it just wasn't working. I built the character up too much and now it's at the point where it's best to leave her to your imagination. Meeting her would ruin the illusion, like in Big Bang Theory, the audience will never meet Howard's mom. If you want a description, think female Gannon from HM Island of Happiness. I still have a "deleted scene" from the original chapter at the end though.

This chapter is still kind of clearly divided though because it was originally two.

"Neil… why?" I asked, voice cracking.

He didn't respond he only looked at me with empty, uncaring eyes.

"Why does it have to be like this? Have you forgotten?" I urged, "Everything we said at the Goddess Pond? You said you loved me." The last part coming out as a pathetic whisper.

"That was then." He said coldly, "This is now."

I chocked tearfully and hurried over to sit next to him, but somehow ended up throwing myself on his lap, tossing my arms around his neck.

He scoffed angrily, "You actually think you can seduce me?"

"I can't?" I asked innocently.

"B-" I cut him off by smashing my lips against his. I deepened the kiss until he was forced to kiss back. My hands rose slowly to entangle in his hair but he held each down with his own and separated. He leaned in, and I closed my eyes expectantly but he past my lips and brought his mouth right next to my ear. "B4." He whispered.

"Before what?" I asked pretending I had no idea what he meant.

"No." I could feel his smirk against my cheek. "B…4."

I leaned out and huffed. "Say it." He said.

"You." I said in irritation. "You just sunk my battleship."

I threw up my arms in angry defeat and looked back at the rejected game on the table. I hated losing.

"This makes three wins for me in a row now doesn't it? He asked cockily.

"Maybe." I mumbled, "But who's counting? Oh yeah, you."

I made a move to slide off his lap but he held me in place, "and just where do you think you're going?"

I looked at him questioningly. "I just won the war. I demand my spoils." He said, raising an eyebrow.

We were interrupted by a small thunk outside and I perked up. "Mail!" I exclaimed, leaving him in cloud of dust. Tina looked up in surprise and then smiled.

"Rio! Hey, I got the latest newspaper here."

"Really?" I asked reaching into the mailbox and retrieving the paper. Neil emerged from the house, running a hand through his tousled hair and walked over.

Tina grinned, "oh what's this? Did I interrupt Rio/Neil time?"

We both blushed, then looked away and then scowled at her in unison. She simply laughed, "Come on that's not fair, I've shipped you two since I first came to this town! I deserve some juicy details from the long wait." She nudged me and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Sure, sure." I said patting her head and whispered in her ear, "later." I gave her a conspiratory wink making sure that I was in a position that Neil would see. He scowled and she ran away with a wave and a fit of giggles.

"What did you just tell her?" He asked, his cheeks burning.

"Hmm, I wonder what the weather will be tomorrow." I said ignoring his question.

"Whatever." He said. "I have to get to work."

"Bye bye!" waved after him as he stalked off.

It had been over a season since we had started dating and Echo Village was in full out summer mode, unfortunately, with the heat and all. Despite the sweltering temperatures though, I still held strong through all my daily chores. Though guiding you through all of them may be boring for you so please enjoy this montage as I work:

Cue RP#6 couples montage

All of the couples were still holding strong, Rod and Iroha surprisingly, were the first to tie the knot. Like a puppy, it took him less than a month to fall completely in love with her and like a puppy, he really loved to show it. Who would have guessed though that the strong blacksmith was weak to affection? It really wasn't fair to her, she never stood a chance against him but where other's might have felt smothered she loved every second of his doting. They really were a match made from heaven.

Allen was clearly in love with Yuri, not that he'd admit it. If you'd ask how they were doing, he'd adjust his glasses smugly and say, "She worships me. I don't blame her." Yet he'd always seem just a little perkier when she was at his side. I was pretty sure Yuri was also still into him but it's hard to tell because she is well… Yuri.

Soseki and Tina would occasionally co-write articles and Felicity had my brother completely wrapped around her finger. I may have mentioned this before but, as much as I loved her as a friend, she terrifies me. It was a wonder my female-shy brother could handle her, maybe he had more guts than I gave him credit. Camellia and Charles, needless to say were also still married. Big shocker.

Anyway, now that that whole couple montage created to distract you as I worked is done, cue time skip.

Another days work finally done, I limped to bed, wincing at the fatigue in my muscles. For the past couple months I had been trying to make up for lost time. During the restoration plans I had to focus on the town, using money from my own pocket to implement town projects… I'm still not exactly sure why I was the one who paid for everybody's homes but that's beside the point. I finally had the chance to focus solely on improving my farm and making a profit and I took on that task full-heartedly.

Every day I would farm and mine, forage and fish until I was ready to collapse and at this moment, I was definitly ready to collapse, and I did, onto my warm fluffy bed. I nestled my face into the pillow and sighed in content. I wished I could just stay in that moment forever and never wake up.

I breathed in deeply, smelling my favourite shampoo ingrained in the fibres. The moment was blissful, but that's all it was, a moment.

There was a light rapping at the door and then it slowly opened. I grudgingly glanced over my shoulder, just to make sure it wasn't a psychotic-murderer and when I recognized the man's silhouette in the dark room I turned back.

"Rio?" Neil asked tentatively.

I grumbled unintelligibly then whined, "I'm sleeping."

"It's only eight thirty." He said.

"But I'm tiiired." I groaned.

I heard him sigh, "Look Rio, I get that. I know you're working hard but could you just go somewhere with me for a little while?"

"I'm not leaving this bed." I said stubbornly, throwing the duvet over my head. I didn't not hear his footsteps marching away so I knew he had no intention to leave. I smirked with a plan to scare him off. "Of course," I started removing the blanket. "you could always join me." I teased.

He looked at me for a moment, not nearly as thrown off as I had expected. He kicked off his boots and shrugged off his coat a moment later laying next to me on the small bed.

"Wha-what are you doing?!" I asked in surprise.

"It's not like we haven't done this before." He said.

"Yeah but-" I protested but he had already settled. I tried to shrug it off, he was right. We had been stuck in several circumstances where we had to share a bed, this wasn't exactly something new to us. Except we weren't being forced. "Any monkey business and I'm kicking you off." I finally agreed and then did my best to ignore him.

"You're still in your farm clothes." He commented.

"So?" I asked in irritation.

"You sleep in that?" He asked skeptically.

"I'm just too tired to change." I snapped. "Now seriously if you say one more word…" I left my threat blank for him to fill it in. I feel threats are most effective that way. He's probably shaking in his figurative boots imagining the worst possible situation as we speak.

An arm wrapped around my waist, or maybe he's not thinking at all. "You could at least take you're scarf off." He said. His hand slowly slid up to gently grasp one its ends and pulled lightly. I shivered as the scarf slid across the back of my neck slowly as it was undone and pulled away, leaving my neck exposed.

Neil nestled closer and I felt not just my face, but my whole body heat up. Then, ever so lightly, his hot breath was felt on the nape of my neck. He brushed the hair out of the way and gently kissed it. That was as far as I could take. Like a started cat I leaped out of the bed and stumbled my way to the door reclaiming the scarf as I went and tied it back. "You said you wanted to go somewhere?" I asked, voice coming out as a squeak.

I turned on the light, wincing as my eyes adjusted. When I could finally see again Neil was sitting, one leg propped on the bed with a self-satisfied smirk. "You did all that to get me out of bed." I said in disbelief.

He shrugged and I grimaced, "You know what, you were a lot cuter when you used to get embarrassed about everything."

"But it's so much more fun to watch you make those expressions for me." He said.

"I hate you." I glared.

"No you don't." He said, putting back on his boots.

"I know." I sighed as he headed over, putting his coat on as he went. "So where are you taking me?" I asked.

"You'll see." He responded opening the door. We were greeted by the cool summer's night air and I shivered.

"Abducting me in the middle of the night from my soft cozy bed, I think I'd rather have taken my chances with the psychotic-murderer." I muttered.

He put an arm around me as we walked, learning long ago not to bother with questioning me. "No you wouldn't."

"No I wouldn't." I admitted again.

We walked in silence and I glanced up at the man whom I had been dating for a little over a season. I could not figure out what he was up to, and that made me nervous. His arm steered me until we faced the festival grounds and I gave him a look. What could he possible want to do at the festival grounds? I wondered for a moment if it was some sort of surprise party but ruled that out because it was not my birthday and there'd be no other reason for me to be kept out of the loop on a celebration.

My confusion doubled as we actually entered the grounds. There didn't appear to be anything set up, then my eyes widened, "fireflies." I marveled. There had to be hundreds off them only coming to life as our entrance disturbed them, countless dots of light taking flight. "I've never seen so many in one place before." If I were a sappier person I would have called the whole sight beautiful.

"Me neither." Said Neil, "and when I saw them all here tonight I knew this was the perfect opportunity."

I turned in confusion and for a moment, didn't see him until I looked down. Despite the dew soaked grass he was on one knee. "Neil?" I asked, starting to anticipate what was coming next.

He reached into the inner breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a feather, the plume glowing blue in the moonlight. "Is that a…?" I asked breathlessly in the case my eyes were playing tricks on me in the dark.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, with a serious enough expression to prove he wasn't joking.

"So that's why." I said, piecing together the events of this night.

He remained on his knee, "Your answer generally comes next Rio." He prompted.

"I know." I said glad it was too dark for him to see my blush. "It's just embarrassing, you know I suck at this romance stuff."

"Tough, 'cause that's what you're getting." He said.

"Fine." I said begrudgingly.

"Fine what?" He asked.

"I'll marry you, you idiot!" I said taking the feather.

"I deserve a nicer response than that." He said standing up.

"Yes. One hundred times yes." I said cheesily.

He scoffed, "I guess you don't want to take this seriously." He began to walk away.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I called out chasing him down, "I really, really do want to marry you!"

He turned with a grin, "Really?" he had been baiting me.

"yeah so will you marry me?" I asked giving him the blue feather. He looked at it a laughed.

"Now you're proposing to me with my feather?" He asked.

I looked at it, "Er, yeah I guess so…"

"Why not?" He said and accepted the feather.

"why not what?" I asked smugly.

"Why not marry you?" He smiled mischievously.

"I deserve something better then that." I grinned.

"You're right." He said and hugged me tightly, only leaning out to prop up my chin and kiss me.

As he walked me back to the house I laced his fingers between mine, "So what would you have done if I didn't go?"

"I guess I would have had to propose to you in bed." He said simply.

"In bed? What kind of story would that be to our future kids?" I asked.

Finally, I caught Neil off guard and he blushed, "k-kids?"

"We can't have any?" I asked.

"Well, I mean, It's kind of soon and all… to be talking about that." He stammered.

"Oh pleeeaaassee Neil? I'll take good care of them! I'll feed them everyday, and change their clothes and clean their litter." I joked.

"That's what they always say." He said, playing along, "but in the end it will probably be me doing all the work. I'm not sure you're up to the responsibility."

I bumped his shoulder and then rest my head on it.

"You know, usually people propose at the Goddess pond." I told him.

"Last time I took you to the pond you pushed me in." He objected. "It had to be the festival ground."

"Why?" I asked.

"There was nothing around for you to hurt me on." He said.

"Like with the bed?" I asked.

"I wasn't liking the look of the edge on your end-table." He admitted.

"You're talking as if I'm some sort of living safety hazard." I pouted.

"That's because you are." He said.

"You're suck a jerk." I scowled.

"but you love me." He said.

"Yeah, I love you."

Oh my Gosh! We're done! It's been quite the run. Thank you everybody for following, favoriting, reviewing and reading this far! Really, it's what kept me going and your reveiws always made my day! (And thanks Swag Giraffe for the virtual cupcake, it was delicious. You simply must send me the recipe)

Anyway as promised, the deleted scene from the deleted chapter:

-So originally right after Rio intercepted Tina at the mailbox she recieves a letter that had been lost in the mail:

"Sure, sure." I said patting her head and whispered in her ear, "later." I gave her a conspiratory wink making sure that I was in a position that Neil would see. He scowled and she ran away with a wave and a fit of giggles.

"What did you just tell her?" He asked, his cheeks burning.

"Hmm, I wonder what's in this envelope." I said, ignoring his question.

"Really Rio!" He urged as I tore it open and read the contents. I froze, and paled considerably, the paper slipping through my fingers. "Rio?" He asked in worry.

Ever so slowly I turned to him, as if just noticing he was there. "My mother… is coming to visit."

"Really?" He asked, "We finally get to see your infamous mother?"

I reread the text twice picking the paper back up before it blew away. "Seems so, now that both me and Henry live here she figured it was worth the visit."

"When will she be here?" He asked as we walked back into the house.

I stopped and had to steady myself on the doorframe.

"Rio?" He asked.

I looked at him in terror. Tina wasn't kidding when she said the message was delayed. "Today." I whispered. I dropped the papers on the entrance table and at lightning speed, began to re-organize the room. Ugly decorations she sent at Christmas were pulled out of neglected boxes and anything in the house too 'frilly' was quickly removed.

In my frenzy I didn't hear Henry knock, and I didn't see him come in with a look of confusion crossing his face, glancing at Neil who shrugged and back to me. No I didn't notice him until he walked over and shook my shoulder, I almost dropped the tacky lamp I was holding and then ruefully regretted that I didn't.

"Rio what's wrong? You have crazy eyes." I gave him a good long look and handed him the lamp. He took it with a bemused expression and waited for me to speak.

"Mom's coming today." Was all I had to say.

He dropped the lamp. Good.

A moment later we were both scrambling to fix up the house and Neil continued to watch with his arms crossed, "I don't get it." He finally said.

"That's because you haven't met her." I called out as I ran past him.

"Oh Goddess. Oh Goddess." Henry chanted, making my bed. "I need to get out of here."

We both stopped immediately looking up. "What now?" Asked Neil in irritation.

"She's almost here." We both said in a dazed whisper. Over the years we had developed a sixth sense for this.

"How do you even-" Neil began to object but stopped as we obviously weren't listening.

"How do I look?" I asked Henry in a panic.

"Like a harlot." He said.

"Whoa." Said Neil in outrage, What did you just call my gir-"

I ran to the mirror, "You're right." I said. My outfit was all in all too feminine. I ripped off my scarf and hat and began to remove my overalls.

Neil turned deep red. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Changing." I said without stopping.

"At least wait until we're out of the room!" He protested, yet making no move to look away until Henry turned him around.

"No Time!" I said, rummaging through my drawers until I found a pair of my oldest and rattiest unisex overalls and threw them on.

"Hair!" I said and Henry ran over as we both took a half of my locks and began the braid them into two even and messy braids.

Neil had finally turned back as we finished.

"I need to go!" Said Henry looking a little green as he raced out the door, almost escaping if it weren't for the figure on the other side. He looked up at the massive and burly woman and fainted, down for the count.