Fin and Daprima have just returned from a charity ball

and are about to have a late night snack in the kitchen ...

DAPRIMA:

That sounds a bit ominous.

FIN:

No, not really. It’s actually kind of cute. Orrie wants to be an uncle.

DAPRIMA:

He just blurted that out - did he?

FIN:

You know Orrie. I guess he figures I'm his only shot, and he has Brynie's 

support. Actually I was ambushed by all of them when I went to see 

Karanthir. They demanded to know why I hadn't proposed to you yet.

DAPRIMA:

I hope you told them you did, more than once.

DAPRIMA:

Babe, listen to me ... I love you. You're my very best friend, my forever always. We don't need a ring or a document. We're good, we're better 

than good. We're fantastic. Why can't we just be?

DAPRIMA:

Well, if we got married, it would be like ... the beginning of the end. 

I know it doesn't make much sense but the way I see it – you grow up, 

get married, have kids, and then you die.

FIN:

Well, yes, but hopefully not as quickly as you make it all sound.

DAPRIMA:

That's irrelevant. Look, my parents got married, had kids and died. 

Your parents got married, had kids and died. See?

FIN:

So, by not marrying me, you're saving my life?

DAPRIMA:

I know it's not rational, and I wish I could shake this feeling 

but the whole thing just scares me to death.

FIN:

I'm glad you told me. Now, how do we get passed this? 

DAPRIMA:

I've been racking my brain about it ever since you proposed. 

I'd like to say yes but … I'm sorry Fin – I just can’t, not now. 

FIN:

OK. What if we approach this with baby steps?

DAPRIMA:

Baby steps?

FIN:

We become engaged. No - wait!  Hear me out ...

FIN:

… We become engaged, but we don't set a date. We can just be happily engaged, indefinitely. Is being engaged part of the beginning of the end?

DAPRIMA:

I'm not sure. Maybe being engaged feels OK to me? 

I’ll have to think about some more. 

FIN:

And just to be clear – I'm not proposing right now. 

This is just a hypothetical solution.

DAPRIMA:

I'm good with that.

FIN:

Great. Now about these kids, I'm in no hurry to become a father. I'm

already responsible for Brynie and Orrie, and then there's Karanthir 

- who's still my younger brother. And you have Mez and Grace ...

DAPRIMA:

And Io. Don't foget about Io. Sometimes he's a like a little kid  too.

FIN:

Exactly. I mean, I'm looking forward to a time when 

they're all out of our hair and it's just the two of us.

DAPRIMA:

Oh babe – I'm so relieved to hear you say that. I feel exactly the same way.

And I still have to pass the bar, practice law, maybe become a judge

– who knows? Having a baby is pretty far off into the future for me.

FIN:

But, you do want one?

DAPRIMA:

Yes, I think so. You?

FIN:

I think so too. Just, like you said, far off in the future.

DAPRIMA:

Oh babe, I'm so glad we had this little talk. I feel so much better now.

FIN:

Me too, about everything. So how do you want your eggs?