Love Will Save You // Ryan Follese

Chapter 44: Hey, Baby, I Think I Wanna Marry You

-Ryan-

I drove to the park and sat on one of the benches under the tree Melanie and I always came to. I was so lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed when another car pulled up beside mine and someone got out.

"You realize we're going to talk about this, right?" Danielle said as she walked over and sat down beside me. I shrugged and she asked, "Why'd you leave?"

I finally looked at her, "What would you do if you found out Jamie lied to you about something this serious?"

"Well, I'd be a little pissed, but I wouldn't yell at him and walk out," she answered.

"Why didn't she just tell me?" I muttered, more to myself than to Danielle.

"She's scared out of her mind, Ryan," Danielle said, shaking her head.

"About what?"

"She's always wanted to have a baby, but she didn't expect it to be this early."

"I wouldn't just make her choose between me and the kid. I couldn't do that to her," I said quietly.

"And I know she knows that," she said, "But she wants you to be there for your baby, and you can't do that while you're touring." Danielle didn't let me say anything before she stood up, "I know you're not exactly ready to be a parent either, Ryan, but even though she won't say it, she really doesn't want to put this baby up for adoption. Please... Just consider it, okay?" She walked to her car and drove away, leaving me there for a few minutes before I made my decision.

I got home and pretty much ran through the front door. Everyone was sitting on the couch, including Melanie. Jamie was patting her knee, but stopped when he looked at me.

Melanie immediately stood up and opened her mouth to say something, but I rushed over to her, hugging her as tightly as I possibly could without hurting her. She froze for a moment, but then wrapped her arms around my waist, burying her face in my chest.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled into her hair. I felt her nod and squeeze me harder before we pulled away.

"I would've been pissed at me too," she said.

I held her face in my hands and kissed her forehead lightly, "I wasn't pissed at you. I was just angry you didn't think you could tell me we were having a kid. It is mine, right?"

"Ryan!" she laughed.

"Just making sure," I chuckled.

"No, it's Jamie's," she giggled.

"Oh, God! I knew it! I knew something was going on between you two!" Danielle yelled dramatically. She leaned onto Jamie, "Hold me."

"I'm cheating on you with your best friend and you want me to hold you?" Jamie laughed.

She looked at him and with the most serious face she could manage, said, "I'm hysterical, distraught, and not thinking clearly. Just hold me."

He shook his head and smiled, "Whatever you say, babe," wrapping his arms around her.

"So you're really okay with this? I mean, having a baby?" Melanie asked.

"Of course I am," I said, "I wouldn't want to have a kid with anyone but you." I kissed her and pulled back, then looked at Danielle. She smiled and nodded and I continued talking, "This isn't exactly how I wanted to ask you, but I figure now would be a better time than any." Melanie looked at me with a confused look on her face as I pulled a ring out of my pocket. She went wide-eyed and covered her mouth with her hand as I got down on one knee and smiled, "Mel, will you marry me?" A couple tears escaped her eyes as she nodded as quickly as she could. I slipped the ring onto her finger and stood back up to kiss her as the rest of the group cheered and clapped.

~

-Jamie-

We all decided to turn in to bed early that night since our day was pretty crazy. Danielle had her head on my chest, tracing my 'Let it be' tattoo as I was lying down on my back, staring at the ceiling.

"What's wrong, Jaim?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Nothing," I said, "Why would something be wrong?"

"I don't know. You just don't seem very talkative tonight," she shrugged.

"Do you want me to be more talkative?" I chuckled.

"Yes, please," she smiled.

"Alright, what would you like me to talk about?" I asked.

"Well, we can talk about why you're not that talkative," she said.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about something else?"

"Not anymore," she repositioned herself to look up at me, "Seriously, Jamie. What's wrong?" I sighed, realizing I probably wasn't going to be able to get out of this conversation.

"I guess it's just... The other day... When you told everyone you were pregnant..." I trailed off. Danielle gave me a look, so I continued, "Before you pulled me in here and told me you only said it to cover for Melanie... I felt like I should have freaked out more than I did."

"Yeah... You didn't really freak out that much at all. You kind of just stared at me," she commented.

"That's the thing. It made me realize that... Maybe... I wouldn't mind us having a baby of our own..."

"You mean, you wish I wasn't lying when I told everyone the pregnancy test was mine?" she asked slowly.

"I guess I am," I admitted.

"Are you sure we're ready for that?" she asked quietly.

"Danielle, I've seen you with Nash and Maggie's nieces and nephews. I think you're more than ready to be a mother," I told her honestly.

"Yeah, but we're not talking about other people's kids here, Jamie. We're talking about what would be ours, and I don't want our child to end up like I did," she whispered the last part. I looked at her for a moment before I pulled her on top of me. She put her arms on both sides of my head to hold herself up to look at me.

"The only thing wrong with you is that you refuse to believe anyone when they tell you you're beautiful," I told her firmly, "What your parents did to you was not your fault, just like what Mel's parents did to her wasn't her fault either. You both chose to stay friends with each other despite what your parents said, and I think you turned out pretty damn well." I kissed her nose lightly, then her lips, making her smile. She rolled off of me, but on the opposite side of where she was originally.

"I love you, Jamie," she whispered, laying her head on my chest.

"I love you more, Danielle," I whispered back.

I began playing with the ring on her finger, randomly taking it off and putting it back on. I finally built up enough courage to reach for the engagement ring that had been in my pocket for the past who knows how long. The next time I took off the ring I gave her, I quickly replaced it with the newer ring, hoping she wouldn't notice yet.

I felt her hand twitch slightly, not realizing beforehand that the ring she was already wearing would be warmer than the ring I had in my pocket. I felt her move a bit and watched as she touched her ring finger with her thumb. A few seconds later she looked up at me with watery eyes and biting her lip.

"I know this is the part where I'd usually get down on one knee, but will you marry me anyway, Danielle?" I smiled nervously. The tears came down her cheeks as she laughed and nodded.

"I told you I would never say no, Jaim," she whispered before kissing me.

~

Title: "Marry You" by Bruno Mars