They had missed their anniversary because they had been in Romania. Just like they had missed her birthday and Christmas too. And even though they had been back home for months, they still hadn't celebrated their anniversary.

So celebrating it at the one and a half year mark had sounded like a plan.

Tarin was out still out at the shop while Lee was getting things ready at home. Nice, quiet dinner celebration at home, but a celebration nonetheless. Going out was all well and good, at least for most people, but things tended to not exactly work out how they planned it when they went out, and Lee wanted tonight to actually be a good night.

So Lee had already gotten ready, having chosen a lacy red tank top and a black skirt. She had set the table with their no longer mismatched dishes, including even having some candles ready to be lit.

And she was currently in the kitchen, chewing absently on her lower lip as she stood in front of the stove. Tarin should bee home very soon, she knew, which worked out because the water had just started to boil for the spaghetti, which she carefully put into the pot to cook. Turning the oven on then to preheat for the garlic bread that was sitting on the counter, Lee then turned back to the sauce.

She thought that it was done, but it didn't taste the same as when Tarin made it, which is why there was a slight frown on her face as she stood there biting her lip. But Lee had no idea what else was supposed to have gone into it; while she was getting better at cooking (the simple fact that she was willing to cook for their anniversary dinner proved that), it didn't mean that Lee was very good, and spices other than salt, pepper, and garlic were a bit beyond her still.

Dipping the spoon into the sauce, Lee tried it again. Well, it wasn't as if it tasted bad, it just wasn't the same as Tarin's. It would have to do, right?

Tarin had Lee’s gift in his pocket. A little velvet box that most women would be thrilled to see. Lee would be excited. Tarin knew this because he knew Lee. Knew Lee as well as he knew himself. Had he existed before Lee? The medium didn’t know anymore.

Eighteen months. They’d been married for eighteen months now. Tarin grinned as he continued to walk down the street towards their apartment. Their new apartment. With the matching furniture and all the prettiness two people could hope for.

Life was good.

There had been a time, when they got back from Romania, when Tarin hadn’t thought life was so good. Then he’d talked to a few people, figured a few things out, and realized that living was enough. If they were alive, no matter how, life was good.

Tarin had dressed a little nicer today when he left for work, the occasion had called for it and he wasn’t catering to many patrons these days. The wine colored shirt that he’d worn on his and Lee’s first real date had remained clean all day and the jeans still fit. That was definitely a good thing.

Into the apartment building Tarin went, to the elevator, and up to their floor. He could smell the Italian cooking when he stepped out and wondered who was cooking. Down the hall he went, and after a final hand-running through his hair to make sure it was crazy enough to meet Lee’s high standards, he went inside.

The smell was coming from inside.

”Lee?” he called out, ”Are you cooking?” Nothing smelled burned. Well, she had been practicing.

The spaghetti was about half done. Or at least Lee thought the spaghetti was about half done cooking, so she tossed the garlic bread into the oven, and was just going to check the sauce again on the slight chance that inspiration might strike and Lee would figure out what else she should be putting into it.

And that's when she heard the door. Followed almost immediately by Tarin's curious voice. "Yeah, I'm in the kitchen, hon!" Lee called back, her lip finally dropping out from between her teeth as she opened her mouth.

Setting the spoon back in the sauce, Lee double checked everything on the stove, then glanced at the counter, to the small wrapped present sitting there. Everything was ok, Lee decided. She'd be able to turn away for a moment, and disaster shouldn't strike.

So Lee turned and stepped to the kitchen door to see her husband standing near the front door of the apartment. "I just figured this was a special night," she said with a slight shrug and a small smile on her lips. "It's always special when you cook for me, after all, so I thought I'd try to for you."

Yup. Lee was cooking, and it smelled good. Tarin grinned. Dinner was still cooking. He could tell by the fact that Lee was afraid to leave the kitchen. Man she looked good. Who dressed like that when they cooked? Lee did. ”I think we need to have anniversaries more often.”

Tarin chuckled and moved further into the apartment to the sounds of frantic scrabbling against a metal cage door.

Peeking his head into the laundry area, Tarin leaned back and rose an eyebrow at Lee, ”What did Axel do?” he asked as he reached his wife and gave her a quick hello kiss.

”It smells like Italian. What are you making me?”

Lee's smile grew as Tarin started to speak. Not only because of what he said, but because of how he was looking at her. Even after all this time, and the fact that she wasn't all that dressed up that night, the look in his eyes...She might have dressed like this on a regular basis before she had met Tarin, but now those looks were the main reason.

It was only as Tarin made his way further into the apartment that Lee heard Axel scratching at his cage. Which led Tarin to ask about why the dog was there. "Well, as I was getting started in here," Lee replied. "He decided it would be fun to jump up and down around my feet. I figured it would be safer, for everyone, if I put him in there."

That said, Lee turned back into kitchen. She needed to check on the noodles, and she figured that it was time for the garlic bread to come out of the oven. Grabbing the oven mitts, Lee opened the door just in time to hear Tarin ask about dinner.

"Spaghetti with meat sauce," Lee said nodding at the pots on the stove as she set down the pan holding down. "And garlic bread to go with it. Which, I think is all ready now," Lee finished as she turned to drain the spaghetti. At least she was very well used to doing this, thanks to all the times she had helped Tarin.

”Hmmm. I think you’re probably right. Cooking takes all of a person’s attention. Silly doggies bounding all around legs are definitely distractions.” Axel would settle down. Mommy and Daddy needed alone time.

Lee turned away and went back to the stuff that was in the kitchen. The pasta pot was boiling nicely, and apparently it had been for a while. Lee drained the stuff and as Tarin watched over her shoulder he smiled proudly. It looked absolutely edible.

She’d also made meat sauce, and garlic bread? ”This is awesome Lee. You’ve really been learning a lot. I’ll set the table.” he said, then turned, ”Or not.” Lee had really pulled out the stops. ”I mean I’ll light the candles and get the lights.”

Those tasks didn’t take long, and soon they were sitting down to a candlelit dinner made completely by Lee. A candlelit dinner that tasted good.

”Happy anniversary.” Tarin said between bites two and three. Man, candlelight did incredible, beautiful things to faces. "Have I told you lately how absolutely gorgeous you are?"

Lee had been holding back her happiness about how dinner was turning out as it cooked, but now, as it was finishing up and she was getting it ready to put on the table for her and Tarin, she let that happiness, and a bit of pride, about the fact that she had actually been able to do this come to the surface.

Tarin seemed to feel the same way, or at least it sounded like that when he said this was awesome. Lee couldn't help but smile. And a little more when Tarin said that he would set the table.

It really didn't take long from this point to finish up and get everything on the table. But soon enough, Lee was sitting down at the table with her husband, illuminated only by the candles she had set out and Tarin had lit.

Taking a bite, Lee chewed it slowly. The taste and the knowledge that she had made it didn't quite meld together. It actually was good. To be honest, better than she would have expected.

"Have I told you lately how absolutely gorgeous you are?"

Lee blushed and ducked her head slightly before looking back up and across the table at Tarin. "Not today, you haven't," she said softly.

Lee was so happy, Tarin could see it on her face and that made the night complete. The candles were lit, the dog was quiet, the food was great, and they’d been married for a year and a half. It was almost too much. Just a couple of months ago he’d been in those camps, then the breakout had happened and everything had seemed so bleak.

Lee responded to his compliment and Tarin put on a horrified face, ”What kind of husband am I? A wife like you deserves to be told twice a day how utterly breathtaking she is.”

He ate in comfortable and happy silence for a few minutes, and looked around the apartment again. Amazing.

”I can’t believe it’s been a year and a half. I really can’t.”

The blush on Lee's face intensified slightly as Tarin continued speaking. "Utterly breathtaking?" Lee questioned, her voice still soft. Then she shook her head. "You really are slipping, aren't you? I'd have thought you should be telling me that at least three times a day, not just twice."

With that, Lee gave her husband a wink before turning back to her plate. The spaghetti was good, as was the sauce, even if it wasn't seasoned the same as Tarin made it, and the garlic bread was well toasted, maybe a little too much in a couple of places, but not too bad.

When Tarin spoke again, Lee looked up at him with a small smile on her face. "I know exactly what you mean," she replied. "I can't believe it's already been a year and a half, but at the same time it feels like forever."

”That’s what happens when men get married. They get comfortable and forget things like their wife’s basic needs. I’ll have to write myself a post-it. Three times a day.”

Eating and eating. Eating was good, especially when his wife had cooked him dinner. Tarin finished his plate and leaned back in his seat at about the same time that Lee responded to his comment about the current length of their marriage. It seemed like it had gone so fast, but it felt like it had been forever.

He grinned.

”When things are exactly how they’re supposed to be, it feels like that’s how they’ve always been.”

He grinned more at his wife, ”Is the cake all thawed out for dessert?” That part hadn’t been a surprise. They’d talked about that. It was the one traditional thing they were going to do.

He'd have to write a post-it to remind himself. Now that, that really made Lee smile. It would, however, be interesting to see whether post-its started appearing around the apartment in the next couple days.

But Tarin had finished eating before she had, not that that was uncommon, at least if he was only having a single helping. So as she watched her husband push his plate away from him and lean back in his chair, Lee finished eating her own food.

"It should be all thawed," Lee replied, glancing over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen, even though she would not have a chance of seeing the cake through the wall. "It's been thawing all day, so it should be ready."

Taking a deep breath, Lee glanced at her almost empty plate then back up at Tarin. "I think I know what you mean by that," Lee said, going back to what Tarin had said before he asked about the cake. "To be honest, I'm not sure I even properly remember what it's like when you're not around, except as a nightmare..."

”Good” Tarin said, rising from his seat and going to remove the small, cardboard box from the refrigerator. He’d been worried about leaving it out on the counter because of condensation and as he opened the top he grinned. The cake still looked excellent. Maybe it would be a little stale…it was a year old, but married people he’d spoken to indicated that there was something magical about wedding cake. They’d just have to see.

Back to the table Tarin went, to set the box down. Then he grabbed the empty plates, deposited them in the sink, and returned for the rest of the food. Lee had cooked, he could clean up.

He returned to the table in time to hear Lee say that she couldn’t remember what it was like without him, unless it was in a nightmare. Tarin sighed, a happy sigh, but one filled with emotion. Lee had always been able to mirror his thoughts and feelings at the most important time. He just nodded his head. There weren’t words.

He reached into his pocket and ran his fingers over the box. It needed to wait for the perfect time. After the cake. In he reached to pull out the round little cake topper. It made him think about Vegas. The cake had been small but lovely, and what he could remember of the whirlwind night was spectacular. He cut a small piece and held it out to Lee.

”You have to let me feed it to you.” he said, grinning brightly. He didn’t say so, but Lee had nothing to fear. He hadn’t smeared cake in her face the first time, he wouldn’t now either.

Tarin hadn't said anything about her comment that she didn't really remember what it was like to be without him any more. That's not to say that they were incapable of functioning if they were apart. Far from it, that very day they'd been apart from the time Tarin had left for the shop in the morning until he'd come home for this dinner. But the difference was that they knew they would see each other, and in a way that meant that they were still together.

But, while he didn't say anything about her comment, Tarin got up and grabbed the cake from the kitchen, then took their dirty plates back in, all without a word.

Finally, Tarin sat back down, and opened the box that held the small cake that was left over from their wedding. Somehow, it still looked perfect, just like it had the night they had gotten married, despite the fact that it had made the trip from Las Vegas to Texas, and back to New York, and then an apartment move after they had gotten back here.

Or maybe it was through eyes clouded by memories of her wedding night that made the cake look perfect to Lee.

At least it was until Tarin cut off a small piece and held it out, on the fork, toward her. "You have to feed it to me?" Lee asked, a smile on her face again. She couldn't help it, it really wouldn't have mattered what Tarin had said, Lee would have smiled seeing that grin on his face. "You better hurry up and feed it to me, then," Lee continued, leaning forward toward the fork slightly. "I want to see if I'm really remembering how good it all was."

Tarin laughed when Lee said he’ better hurry up with the cake and held it out for her to eat. ”You’re a step ahead of me. I don’t even remember eating the cake. I was so nervous.” he said, shaking his head.

There hadn’t been anything in the world he was more sure of than the action he’d taken that night, but it had still been a night full of nerves and nervousness and a crazy feeling that nothing in his life would ever be the same.

It was…and it wasn’t.

Either way, as Lee ate the cake, Tarin watched eagerly for her reaction. ”Happy Anniversary.”

Tarin held the fork out toward her even more, so Lee opened her mouth and ate it. It was a little dry, but still very good.

"I had a couple of bites that night," Lee said once she had swallowed the bite of cake. "At least I think I did. Or maybe I'm remembering something that came up on the room service tray..."

Lee's voice trailed off as she looked at Tarin, her mind drifting back to their wedding night, when they'd been in their hotel room, eating what room service had brought up for them, sitting in the hot tub...

Taking a deep breath, a happy smile on her face from the memories, Lee lifted her hand and took the fork from Tarin and cut another piece of cake. "Happy anniversary," Lee replied, holding the cake out for him.