I Never Saw You Coming

Chapter Seventeen

A/N: This is were the story diverges from real life, just a little heads up. I'll try to keep it pretty close to the truth, but obviously I know these things didn't happen and whatever. Thanks for reading! :)

*A Monthish Later*

Ed's POV

"What if we don't have to hide anymore?" Taylor asked carefully, lifting her head from the book she had been reading across the table. She pushed her glasses up her nose and ran her fingers through her fly away hair.

"What do you mean, love?" I asked cautiously, even though I know exactly what she means.

"You know...us. What if we don't have to hide anymore, or try to keep it out of the public's eye? What if we just walked down the street holding hands and kissing whenever we felt like it, maybe getting dinner or something?" She suggested, staring into her lap.

"What about...the hate? I don't want you to feel unnecessary pain, love. I just want you to be happy." I told her, reaching for her hand and taking it in mine, giving her a reassuring smile.

"I think it'd just be easier to not try and hide, and plus I'd really like to be able to go on a proper date with you, to just hold your hand as we eat at a fancy restaurant and just date like normal people. But if you don't want to, that's cool too, whatever works." She said with a shrug, her hair falling back into her face.

"I'd love to Taylor! Where'd you like to go for dinner then?" I asked excitedly.

"I don't really care, just as long as I get to eat out with you." She said sweetly, standing up and giving me a hug. I smiled and held her close, kissing the side of her head.

"Well then, get dressed Miss Swift, we're going out together." I announced, and she grinned and ran upstairs.

Half an hour later, she returned, contacts in, hair done, makeup on, and a beautiful dress hugging her waist.

"You look very beautiful, love." I said, and she giggled.

"Why thank you." She said, placing a soft kiss on my lips. I took her hand and led her out to the car, taking a seat in the drivers seat as she sat on the passengers side. "So, where are we going, Mr. Sheeran?"

"You'll see, Miss Swift." I told her, and she giggled. She grabbed my hand as I drove, holding it very tightly in her own. I watched her face, and at one moment, out of no where, she lit up like a light. "What's on your mind, love?" I asked, and she seemed to come back down to earth a little bit.

"Oh, nothing." She tried to brush it off.

"Really? It didn't seem like nothing..." I said jokingly, and she giggled.

"You. I was thinking about you."

"Were they good thoughts about me?" I asked, and she laughed.

"Duh, genius. I was thinking about...you know...a year from now....two...where will I be...more importantly, where will you be....like, where will we stand...I was just....you know...daydreaming I guess." She said, staring into her lap. I smiled.

"And where do you see us in a year or two?" I asked, smiling. I felt my stomach clench, and I figured hers did as well.

"Together, definitely together, if you wouldn't mind that...and...oh never mind it." She said nervously, but I gave her hand a tight squeeze, letting her know I was there for her, that I wouldn't judge her no matter what she said.

"It's okay, you can tell me, I swear I won't mind it, no matter what it is." I promised, bringing her hand to my mouth and giving it a gentle kiss.

"Don't hate me...don't let things be weird..."

"I won't, I promise."

"What if...what if we never break up? As in, I...I could do without a tan, on my left hand, where my fourth finger meets my knuckle...but you know, only if you didn't have one there, in the same place...for the same reason...and my last name, it might sound a lot more...you know...like Sheeran...I feel like someday...like, these things might actually happen between us...I feel like someday....maybe...you might get down on one knee, and pull a little black box out of your pocket, and you'd open it up and ask me if I want to put that ring on my finger and I feel like...like I wouldn't hesitate in saying yes, you know? Like...I really really love you, and I feel like...like all the other times, there's always been an end, and lately I've been thinking...what if there doesn't have to be an end, between us? I think...I definitely wouldn't mind it if that's where we both ended up in life, not at all." She said carefully, biting her lip.

"I don't think I'd mind it either, love. I know I would actually really really like that, even though we've only been dating for six months." I told her, and she seemed to relax.

"Me too. I feel like for once I've found that one person, you know? That you just want to hold hands with for the rest of your life?"

"I feel like I know exactly what you're talking about. And luckily, that one person that I'd like to hold hands with forever, I've got her hand in mine right now, it's a beautiful thing really." I told her, and she giggled.

Finally, I pulled up outside one of Taylor's favorite small cafés, and she smiled and quickly, excitedly, hopped out of the car. I got out and pushed the door open for her, bowing as she stepped inside. She giggled and then took my hand in hers again as we waited for someone to take us to a seat.

"Table for two?" A young teenage girl asked, not realizing who we were at first sight.

"Yep!" Taylor chirped happily, and that was when the waitress noticed us.

"Are you...Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes!" Taylor and I both said excitedly, and Taylor gripped my hand tightly.

"Could I take a picture with you two?"

"Of course!" We gathered around her as she held her phone out, quickly taking a selfie.

"Thank you so much!" She said, and then led us over to a table. We sat down, and I reached my hand across the table and took Taylor's hand in mine. We ordered, and then it was just Taylor and I again. I couldn't help but get lost in her blue eyes, to grin at her obvious happiness.

"I really like this." She said happily, holding my hand tight. We leaned across the table and kissed, keeping it short and sweet but still conveying to the other how much we loved the other. "We're gonna be on the cover of every magazine tomorrow, but this is so worth it, Ed, you're so worth it." She told me, and I could tell she meant it with every last ounce of her being, just from the way the sincerity rang in her voice.

"It is so very worth it, love." I told her, smiling.

"Even if they say crap about you, even if you're pinned as 'Taylor Swift's NEXT boyfriend'? I just don't want you to....I know you don't deserve any of it." She said, growing worried all of a sudden.

"I'd love to be pinned as Taylor Swift's next boyfriend, love, that would be amazing if that's how the world saw me. To think, that I was good enough for you, of all people, that's amazing in itself. And it's okay, whatever they say about me, it's all worth it, because I get to be with you." I promised. "Settle down with me, I'll be your safety, you'll be my lady." I sang, and she grinned.

"You've always been worth it for me but...I'm worth it for you?" She asked incredulously.

"Of course you are. And you always will be."