'Only five more shopping days Nick. Don't wait till the last minute Nick'.

She does that every year and I don't wait till the last minute I go when I think of something. And I haven't yet she's been pestering me all month about it, I'm thinking about telling her I got her something already just so she'd be quiet about it. Then again that would be worse she would want to know what it is. I let out a sigh and sat back in the armchair. To be honest I had no clue what to get her. I glanced over at the calendar hanging on the wall near the kitchen entry. She was right five more days, five more days to figure out what to get her, five more days of her pestering me.

I hate Christmas sometimes cause that woman bothers me to no end. Maybe I'll just wrap myself up, nah already did that. She really liked that idea, I smiled as I pictured it. No this year I'd get her something special, but what do you get for somebody who has practically everything? She pulls the 'your all I want for Christmas' trick on me every year. But I know better. I looked at the fire crackling in the fireplace just waiting for an idea to come to me...nothing. The sound of the door opening knocked me out of my thoughts. I looked over the back of the chair to see her coming in with groceries.

Maybe I should help her or maybe...

"Nick."

I heard her call out. She saw me oh well, I got up and walked to the door taking the bags out of her arms.

"Thanks baby." She said sweetly giving me a kiss on the cheek and closed the door. I walked them into the kitchen and sat them on the counter.

"Five more days..." She mocked as I pulled stuff out of the bags

"I know baby, I know."

"You know huh? Then what did you get me?"

I continued taking the food out of the bags pretending I didn't hear her.

"Nick...are you listening to me?"

"Yeah baby I hear you, don't worry I'm gonna get you something."

"Yeah last minute."

"Deanna why do you have to do this to me every year?"

"Because I know what's gonna happen, it's gonna slip your mind and you'll remember last minute run out to the store and pick up anything at random. Nicky I don't want jewelry, I don't want clothes, no more stuffed bears. All I want is something special that you put alot of thought into." She walked up to me then "Is that so much to ask for?"

"No and I promise I'll get you something really nice." She smiled and leant up to kiss me.

I woke up the next morning thinking about what Deanna said last night. So she wants something special? How in the hell am I supposed to find something that's special to her? Maybe one of the guys could help me. I picked up the phone and dialed Brian's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Brian."

"Hey Nick. what's up?"

"I'm having a problem."

"With Deanna, what did you do now?"

"Nothing. We were talking about what she wants for Christmas and I have no clue what to get her."

"Nick I'm afraid I can't help ya buddy."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't tell you what to get your girlfriend, you need to pick it out."

"I had a feeling you were gonna say that. Thanks anyway."

"Anytime and don't worry you'll think of something."

"I hope so, bye."

I hung up, he was a big help. Still no idea for a gift, shopping is not a guys forte seriously. Leave the shopping to the girls. Wait AJ...he likes to shop maybe he can help.

"Yo'."

"AJ I need your help."

"Sorry busy later talk."

"AJ, come on, now. I need to find something special for Deanna."

There's a long pause in the background.

"You...just know when you get under people's skin, don't you?"

"What?"

"Man...leave me alone. I'm watchin', "You Got Ass", and I can't watch it when you're...look...buy her some edible panties, and call it a day. Bye." AJ hangs up.

Ok that wasn't what I was expecting two people down and still no idea. I sighed, man this was frustrating. I picked up the phone and dialed another number.

"Hello?"

"Howie..."

"What is it Nick?"

"When a girl says something special what exactly does she mean?"

"Nick she wants something that comes from your heart not just something you pick off of a shelf. Your having trouble finding Dee something for Christmas aren't you?"

"Yeah so much trouble."

"Sorry Nick your on your own."

"Why did I know you were gonna say that I've already called Brian, AJ, and now you."

"This is something you need to do by yourself, I gotta go good luck."

Figures nobody ever wants to help me. It's not that I hate shopping cause I don't, it's just when it comes to Dee I can never find anything that I consider 'special'. Oh well on more shot...

"Kevin."

"Nick...hey man, what's up?"

"Christmas is what's up, I have no idea what to get Deanna."

"Let me guess you've already called everyone else and they told you the same thing?"

"Yeah how did you know?"

"I know you Nick and I will tell you what they told you, you have to get it on your own."

"Thanks anyway Kev."

I hung up and sat back in the chair. Great still no gift idea, what was I gonna do. Maybe I could just go to the mall and look around and see if something catches my eye.

I walked in the door and threw my keys on the inn table. No luck, none whatsoever. Shopping for a woman is hard. Everyone who knows me knows that I do NOT know how to shop for anything, let alone my own girlfriend. The sales girls must have thought I was crazy, and they must get alot of guys like me this time of year. I don't know what a woman likes or what she wants for that matter, and what better way to find out then ask another woman right? Wrong! They kept asking 'Well what does she like?' How in the hell am I supposed to know? The woman has everything and every Christmas she wants something sentimental. I flung myself into the chair by the fireplace and continued thinking. No such luck cause next thing I knew I was being shaken. I opened my eyes and looked up seeing who woke me. It was Deanna. I smiled and she leant down to kiss me.

"I didn't think you would want to sleep out here in the chair. Very uncomfortable."

"Yeah..." I stretched then sat back. My body hurt from the way I was laying. Oh well I thought getting up to follow her. I can get a massage tomorrow right now I just wanna go back to sleep.

Okay day two of shopping and still no gift. I walked through the mall with my hands in my pockets going from store to store. There HAD to be something here she'd like. I walked into a Hallmark store, she always liked the things in here. I started looking around and found a really cute bear that played Christmas music. 'Maybe' I thought putting it back on the shelf, and continued to walk around.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes actually...um..." I rubbed the back of my neck "I'm looking for a Christmas gift for my girlfriend and I have absolutely no clue what to get her." The sales girl giggled at me, can you believe that?

"I'm sorry it's just you wouldn't be the first to be having trouble finding a gift. Is there something in particular your looking for?"

"That's the thing I've been looking for the past two days and still nothing."

"Hmm..." She walked down a few aisles then came back to me "Well me personally I like jewelry and perfume but that's just me."

"Can't a girl have too much of that?"

She giggled again "Sometimes but when all else fails thats usually what my boyfriend buys me when he has no luck."

"I see. Thanks for your help."

"Anytime, hope you find something."

I smiled and left out the store. Jewelry was definitely one thing the girl doesn't need and perfume well she has been meaning to buy some more of that one I like. Maybe I'll just keep looking. I noticed they had a gaming store in here, SWEET! I went in and starting looking around. Shit...if all else fails I'll buy the girl a PS2 then we could go to war. I picked the box up...then again she might kill me and I won't live to see another Christmas. Ok scratch the PS2 idea.

I put it back on the shelf and thought to myself 'Ok Nick think, you've had enough girlfriends to know how to be sentimental'. I walked back out into the mall and sat on a bench sighing heavily. Why does that woman always have to complicate things? Something as simple as finding a gift CANNOT be this hard!

While Nick was out shopping Deanna was on the phone with one of her good friends, Krissie. "You think he'll finally get the hint this year about something 'special'?"

"I don't know I've only been throwing it at him for the past year and a half."

"I thought you two would have took the leap by now, 3 years is a long time Dee..."

"I know don't remind me. Well what's Howie getting you?"

"We're going away after Christmas, to Puerto Rico just me and him. I can't wait!"

"Uh huh...I bet. See, why can't Nick be more like Howie and think of something sweet like that?"

"Deanna were talking about Nick Carter here, the same Nick Carter that does not know what the word sentimental means."

"Why must you always doubt him?"

"I like the boy I do but knowing how you are he really needs to rethink some of the things he buys you."

"I know but he did buy me a puppy last year."

"Yeah so unlike Nick but...Hey girl listen I gotta go Howie's home talk to you soon."

"Alright bye."

She hung up and leaned on the counter. For Nick's sake he better buy her something nice.

Meanwhile back at the mall...

I walked out of the store I was in with a small bag in hand. I finally found a gift she would like, although I hoped she wouldn't faint when I showed it to her. I got to the parking lot and got in the truck starting it up sitting the bag on the passenger seat. Maybe I'll give it to her on Christmas Eve, instead of making her wait. I drove off towards the house.

Christmas Eve...finally! No more nagging, no more gift shopping, just a night with my girlfriend who hopefully won't lose it once I give her her gift. She hadn't said anything to me over the last few days about her gift, she probably thought I forgot again. Nope not this year, this year my lady was getting something really special. The day went by rather smoothly we just spent the day together cuddling on the couch, went out to dinner then came home. Some night huh? I smiled thinking of what her reaction would be when she saw what I bought. I walked into the living room where she was sitting reading a book.

I sat next to her and kissed her temple "Hey sweetie."

"Hey Babe." She said not looking up from her book

Since our first Christmas together we always made it a tradition to give each other a gift on Christmas Eve, I always loved the things she bought me.

"Is that book so important that you can't talk to me?" I asked teasingly as she looked up at me and closed the book.

"It was getting good" She simply said sitting the book on the coffee table "But for you it can wait till later." She smiled sweetly and kissed me. She got up and walked to the tree kneeling down in front of it

"Okay Nick which one?" She asked moving the gifts around trying to find one

"You pick I don't care which."

"Alright..." she picked up a little box wrapped in gold paper and got up giving it to me

"For me? Aww..."

She laughed "Just open it."

I ripped off the paper and opened the box inside lay a silver chain, I picked it up and pulled it out. There was a cross at the end of it. She watched me inspect it.

"Do you like it? The lady at the jewelry store helped me pick it out."

"Like it, I love it. I'll wear it all the time." I leaned over and kissed her. I put the necklace back in the box.

"Don't you wanna put it on?"

"I will in a sec but I have to give you my gift first."

"So you didn't forget..."

"No I did not forget now this took me a long time to find, and I thought about it for alot longer..." I got down on my knees in front of her and placed the black box in her hands.

"What is it?"

"You have to open it to find out."

She undid the ribbon and opened the box and gasped.

"I think I did good..." I pulled the ring out and held it in front of her so she could see.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Maybe but I wanna tell you what the jeweler told me. This is a past, present, and future ring it represents times in our lives. This one." I said pointing to the first stone "Represents our past, this one." I pointed to the one next to it "Represents the present, and this one." I said pointing to the last one "Represents our future and in my heart that future includes you being my wife. You wanted something special something I picked out well baby, this is it. What I'm giving to you is my heart along with my love in hopes that I can show you how much I love you till the day I die. Deanna, will you marry me?"

She covered her mouth and started crying. "I...I don't know what to say..."

"Just say yes. Baby I love you so much and I can't think of a better gift to give you then myself." I looked into her eyes and held her hands as she sniffled.

She smiled "Yes."

"Yes?" She nodded still crying and smiling "Yes...I love you Nick..." She threw her arms around my neck and I held her tight. When she finally let go of me I put the ring on her finger and kissed her hand.

"You know..." I said thumbing her cheeks to wipe the tears away "I thought you would faint."

She laughed then looked down at the ring "It's beautiful Nicky. Thank you."

"No thank you...if you hadn't sent me out for somethng special I probably wouldn't have bought that."

She just smiled and grabbed my face in her hands kissing me. She wanted special well she got special, she got me!