"Hey Karen, check out this picture," Nick said and his sister approached and sat down next to him. He turned the picture over to read what it said on the back of it. "August 24th, 2001--Black and Blue Tour, Milwaukee, backstage before show." Nick looked up at AJ who had also come over to see the picture. "Wasn't that the first show back on the road after--"

"After my rehab, yeah," AJ said, smiling as he looked at the picture of everyone together backstage. "I remember that night like it were yesterday. I was feeling better than I had in years, and so happy to be on tour again, and your mom was just ecstatic that our first date back was in Milwaukee. She was always glad to go back to Wisconsin to see her family and friends. In fact, your grandparents are in that picture as well, and your mom's brother too."

Karen took a couple more pictures out of the box, all of them shots from the same day. "Hey, look at this pic of Dad and Grandpa talking," she said, handing the picture to Nick.

Nick smiled looking at his father and his mother's father talking backstage. "Looks like a pretty intense conversation, if you ask me," he said, passing the picture to AJ. Brian had come over and looked at it over AJ's shoulder.

"Oh my, I think I know what they're talking about!" Brian said, a big smile coming over his face. "Hey AJ, isn't that the day Nick asked Laura's father for his permission to marry her?"

Nick was surprised. "Dad asked Grandpa for Mom's hand in marriage?? This was the year 2001, right? I mean, didn't people do that kind of thing over a hundred years ago or something??"

Brian and AJ laughed, as did everyone. "Well, first of all, while it's true that the tradition of asking for a girl's father for her hand in marriage was something of the past, it still did happen on occasion. Your mother had a tough-as-nails exterior most of the time, but she was a true romantic at heart. Chivalry went a long way with Laura, that's for sure." Brian paused as he looked closer at the picture, Karen and Nick listening closely as he told them more of how their parents were when they were so young...

"Mr. Evans?" Nick said nervously, approaching Laura's father slowly. He smiled as he looked up from his magazine at Nick. "Can I talk to you for a little bit?"

"Nick, lay off the 'Mr. Evans' crap, will ya? Just call me 'Bob.' There's no need to be so formal, you're practically family as it is," Bob Evans said smiling as he turned the page of his magazine, and Nick sat down across from him. Hearing him say that relaxed Nick a little bit, for he was nervous enough as it is.

"OK, Bob," Nick said, blinking hard as he continued. "Y'know, it's funny you should mention that I'm almost part of your family, 'cuz that's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about."

Bob looked up curiously, putting his magazine down and giving Nick his full attention. "OK, Nick, what's on your mind?"

"Well..."

"Well...? Go on," Bob urged with a smile. Nick shifted in his chair as he continued.

"Well... I want to tell you that... um, what I mean is... I want to ask you...." Nick paused, looking up at Bob before going on. "I--I want to ask you for your blessing. I want to marry Laura."

"Marry Laura?" Bob echoed. "My blessing?" He was stunned that the young man before him was being so formal about the whole thing. "Nick, of course you have my blessing! You don't have to ask me, the person you need to be asking is my daughter!" Bob said with a chuckle.

Nick smiled, almost relieved. "I know I didn't have to ask you, but I wanted to. Laura has become very special to me and I just wanted to do everything just right, know what I mean?"

Bob smiled as he saw his wife and daughter enter the room. "Yeah... yeah, I do, Nick." He smiled as he and Nick stood up. "When do you plan on asking her?"

"I'm not sure yet. I don't even have a ring bought yet. I had thought possibly around the holidays, though." Nick's eyes gleamed as he turned and saw Laura and her mother across the room. Nick laughed. "Y'know, I look at her sometimes and I find it so hard to believe that when we first met, we couldn't even stand the sight of each other. But now when I look at her..."

Bob patted Nick's shoulder. "I know. I feel the same way about Laura's mom. In fact, Julie and I really didn't get along together when we first met, either. We mixed about as well as oil and water," Bob laughed, reflecting. "What a long time ago that was." He paused as Julie caught his eye. She smiled and winked at him then turned her attention back to Laura. "Anyway, Laura's a lot like her mother. Probably even more of a spitfire. I'm impressed that you were able to 'tame' her, and--" Bob paused again as he walked around Nick to face him, his tone turning a bit more serious. "--And, I'm thankful to you. You were there for her when she needed someone, after things fell apart with Derek when they lost their baby. She told us that she didn't know how she would have coped without your support. You really came through for her, and we're grateful. So do you have my blessing? Our blessing? Yes, Nick. Yes, you do."

Nick smiled as he extended his hand for a handshake. "Thank you, Bob, for your blessing, and everything you said. But you don't have to thank me for being there for Laura, I was glad to do it, and would do the same over again." Nick's face lightened up. "I can't wait to ask her, I hope she says yes!"

Bob bear-hugged Nick. "I'm sure she will, Nick, I'm sure she will. Welcome to the family, Nick," he said, patting him on the back.

They broke away and smiled at each other. "Thank you," Nick said, turning with Bob and walking over to Julie and Laura.

"...And that was that. Your Dad was now determined to ask your Mom to marry him." Kevin said. "I remember after the show that night, when we were all in wardrobe dressing down. All Nick could talk about was proposing to Laura, remember that, Brian?" he asked his cousin, sitting down with the group, looking at the pictures.

"Oh yeah, he wouldn't stop. In fact, he had asked both Kevin and I how we proposed to Teresa and Leighanne to get some ideas," Brian laughed. "He eventually came up with a plan of his own."

Karen and Nick looked at each other quizzically and then back to Brian and Kevin. "Well?? What did Dad do? How did he ask her??" Brian and Kevin smiled as AJ sat down and continued the story...