~ The nex day -- December 24th -- 10:00 pm ~
Nick has been reviewing the case and doing the follow up work for the whole afternoon. He is in his cream-color tux, ready to go to the party. He looks at his watch and decides it's time to go. Everybody left except him. Just as he is ready to go, somebody called him.
"Detective Carter, suspect Joyce Thomson wants to see you."
Nick enter the room. Joyce is sitting there crying.
"Nick, remember two years ago, on this exact same day, we broke up."
"Yes. I remember."
"Nick, I know I'm going to regret if I'm not telling you the way I feel now, just like I regret two years ago."
"What do you mean Joyce?"
"I still love you Nick. In these two years, there was not a single day that I didn't think about you. I was forced to break up with you two years ago. My dad borrowed a big amount of money from my so-called boyfriend and had no way to return them. I didn't know what to do. And the thing is, you're a police. I was scared that my family's lives would be endangered. So I made my worst decision in my life. I chose to break up with you and help them on the drug dealings."
"Why don't you tell me that time? I think it's kinda late now, isn't it? Joyce... I think I gotta go now, Lori is waiting for me."
"You mean the Chinese girl?"
Joyce takes hold of Nick's hand.
"Nick, please don't go... stay here with me tonight... please..."
~ Millennium Hotel -- LAPD Annual Christmas Night Ballroom -- 11:30 pm ~
Everybody are having so much fun in the party. David ended up going with Mandy. But both of them are "aiming" on the other couple. They walks up to Lori.
"Lori... where's Nick?"
"Oh... he's coming... just got a couple of things to handle."
Michelle, Brian, Melissa and Kevin just finish the slow dance. Michelle spots Lori being annoyed by David and Mandy once again. She and Melissa decide to help Lori out. They tell Kevin and Brian about it.
As they walk away, Brian asks Kevin, "Kev, what do you think about Melissa?"
"She's cute... pretty sweet girl."
"I think Michelle is so pretty tonight..."
They smile at each other.
At the same time, Michelle and Melissa bring Lori away from David and Mandy.
"Lori, are you okay?"
"Yes... thanks you guys. But I think I might not be able to do the performance tonight. It's 11:40 already."
"Don't worry Lori. Nick will be here."
A slow song starts. "Michelle and Melissa, go join Brian and Kevin... don't worry about me... I'll be okay." Lori says with a fake smile.
Lori walks out the ballroom as everybody is doing the slow dance. She goes to the garden outside. She is standing there, looking at the stars up there. She looks back down at her watch, it's 11:45 already. Lori sighed.
Nick walks to the garden, looking at Lori from the back. "I'm sorry I'm late Lori..."
Lori turns around, looking surprise. "I thought you're not coming..."
"I always keep my promise girl." Nick looks at Lori. "Got stuck in a traffic jam just now... accident..."
"I see..."
"Lori, you're so pretty tonight."
"Thanks."
"Well, another reason I'm late is because of Joyce. She tells me to stay with her tonight. But I told her a girl so important to me is waiting for me." Nick takes Lori's hand. "Lori, I wanna tell you that although Joyce is my ex-girlfriend, I don't like her anymore."
Lori doesn't let go. "Why are you telling me all these?"
"Lori, I'm always confused with the feelings I have for you since the day we met. But since the moment I thought I'm gonna die that day and later you cried for me, I've got the answer. I wanna be with you, I don't wanna be just a friend of yours." Nick takes out a small box from his pocket and opens it, there's a plain white-gold ring in it. "Lori..." Nick's voice is shaking. "This ring is not about marriage or engagement or anything like that. All I'm asking is a start... are you willing to take this gift?"
Lori is so touched by what Nick has just said and done. She doesn't know what to say, she just nods her head. Nick takes her hand and put the ring on the middle finger of her left hand. He shows Lori his left hand. "Look, I've got the same ring too! They came in a pair."
Others in the ballroom are doing the countdown. "FIVE... FOUR... THREE... TWO... ONE... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!"
Nick and Lori kiss passionately.
"Lori, that's the best Christmas gift I ever have in my life."
Nick holds Lori tightly in his arms.
