I'll never let you slip away again.

Chapter one.

'Am i your comfy blanket?"

"What?"

"Do you cling on to me because you're scared of letting go of things in the past? Am i just your back up for when you're bored?"

"Ryan.."

"Andrea, I know i said we were just having good fun but if i'm your past, you need to move on."

Andy feels sick at the thought of losing him.. It always has and always will be her biggest fear. She went completely blank for a minute or two and they were looking into each others eyes the whole time.

"Ry, I'm sorry. I do have feelings for you and i do want to be with you but i'm just scared of messing us up again. I don't even know if you feel the same way but i.. I can't pretend."

And then he kissed her. Right there in the bar. In front of everybody. He didn't care, he just needed her to know that he felt the same way. He put one hand on her waist and the other on her cheek and kissed her harder than ever.

Mid-kiss Ryan's name got called out by Sullivan who was asking him to sing for karaoke night.He pulled away from her and smiled and then got up and walked right over to the karaoke machine. Ryan whispered to the DJ the song he wanted to sing and it started playing.

Take On The World.

Andy knew it was their song and got up from the bar and sat on a stool opposite the stage. Every world he sang he was looking at her, with those bright blue either and that soft beautiful smile of his. Near the end he grabbed her hand and pulled her up on stage, arm wrapped around her.. Singing into her eyes.

The end came and she immediately kissed him, she wanted nothing but to just kiss him and kiss him. It went on for about 30 seconds and the whole bar was cheering.. Except Sullivan. He had walked out as soon she pulled Ryan in for that kiss.

"I need to take you somewhere" Ryan blurted out, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the stairs of the stage.

"Ryan? Where are we going?"

"You'll see"

As soon as they arrived Andy knew where they were. The boat launch they were parked at 6 years ago when Andy found out she was accepted into the fire academy. Her mind automatically flashed back to after that fight they had when they were back at his place.

He had cooked for her that night to apologise for bringing things up. And then he had sung her a song. 'Teenage Dream' by Katy Perry.

Her mind flashed back to reality and she thanked him.

For everything

"You didn't have to do this."

"Of course i did. It's our place."

"Why do you.. Like me?"

"Andy, i wish i knew. To me love is when you truly don't understand what you love about someone, when it's just simply loving them because they're them. Because they make you feel some sort of way."

"Did you say love?"

"Wait, i'm sorry, did i freak you out?"

"No, no.. I just didn't know you felt like that."

"It's been over 20 years, babe. Obviously i feel like that. And i cant imagine it any other way."

Andy shivered when he called her 'babe'.. He had never used that before. It always used to be 'My love' or 'Honey'.

But she loved 'babe'.

Andy had a tear streaming down her face at this point, she felt special. They had so many amazing memories and bringing them all back made her extremely emotional. Since they were laying on the car, they were looking at the moon so when Ryan asked if she was crying she just blamed it on the moon being so damn bright.

Then.. She grabbed his hand.

"I love you. I hope you know that, Ry. And i'm sorry for being so dumb these past couple of years. I want you, please just don't ever leave me."

Andy started sobbing. Hard. Ryan then put his arm around her to comfort her.

"I love you too, my love. And i promise you, i'll never let you slip away again."

"Ti amo tanto, Andrea."

They kissed. Butterflies in both of their stomachs, wondering why they didn't realise all of this sooner.

They were in love.

Finally together after so long.