6 months later...

Dani

The cool wind was blowing against me, the sun shining bright. 

I looked up and felt the sun against my skin, and the wind blowing in my face, and sighed. 

A lot has happened in the past six months. I made peace with my parents and our relationship is stronger than ever. It wasn't easy. There was a lot of heated words and a lot of pain, but in the end, we listened, we understood, and we chose to forgive. All I ever wanted was to be loved for who I am. To be me. To be free. To be able to live my life the way that I want, not in the way that is expected of me because of who my parents are and the last name I carry. Underneath all the glamour, the money, I'm still just a person. A person who wants to be happy and to live a life filled with joy, love, and laughter. 

I'm slowly putting the pieces back together, but I'm glad to say, I'm no longer alone in doing so. I have the love and support of my family. 

"Hey, sis," my sister said as she plopped her self on the sand beside me.

"You look happy."

"I am."

"I'm glad. You deserve it."

I smiled. 

"Does that mean you're coming home?" she asked.

Does it? Am I ready? 

"Sam, I'm really happy with the way things are now and even happier that mom and dad are a part of my life again, and they finally understand what I want and need. But I never really felt like I belong in that life. The life that they have. I don't want to be hounded by the press or have my photographs taken or see myself in some sleazy tabloid. I want a quiet life."

"So what are you saying?"

"I think, I'm gonna stay here a little longer and figure things out. I love it out here. It's so quiet and peaceful. Besides, I want to spend more time with Grams. I want to learn more about the farm and how to run it. Who knows? Maybe I'll take over from Grams when she retires."

"You're sure?"

I nodded. "It's not like I'm not coming to visit or you're not going to see me. I'll still come home and visit. And you know you can come here anytime. Grams would love it."

"What about Leo?" She suddenly asked and I felt the same aching pain in my chest at the mention of his name.

"What about him?" I asked.

"He's still calling non-stop."

"I told you to change your number."

"It's such a pain in the ass to do that."

I shrugged. "Just keep ignoring his calls. He'll stop eventually."

"Did I tell you he's camped out outside our house many times?"

"So you keep telling me."

"Aren't you even the least bit curious to what he has to say?" Sam asked. 

I shook my head. "No. And I don't care."

"You're such a liar."

"Since when where you on his side."

"I'm not on his side. I'm always going to be on your side, even if you're being a bonehead." I rolled my eyes at her description of me. "I've listened to his messages and he even sent letters and honestly, I think you should hear him out."

I shook my head. "Sam, he broke my heart. He will never know how much he hurt me."

"Men are stupid. That's what they do, but some of them do deserve a second chance and not everyone deserves or gets a second chance, and in this case, you both deserve a second chance."

"That's a lot of second chances in one sentence," I teased, trying to change the subject.

"Fine. I'm not going to force you. But can I at least tell him were you are so he can stop pestering us and he can crawl on his knees and beg you for forgvieness."

"Don't you dare!" I hissed. "I don't want to see him, Sam."

She sighed and nodded. "Fine."

"Thank you. And I'd appreciate it if you would stop mentioning his name."

She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. "

Leo

"I've done everything. Everything I could think of. I've called and called everyone I know and sent letters to her parent's address, badgered her sister, but she won't take any of my calls. And I tried her grandma's and nothing, housekeeper said, she hasn't been there in years. No one would tell me where she is."

"Maybe it's a sign that you should give up," Gavin said, making me want to strangle him.

"Never. I love her, Gav. I need her. I want her."

"I don't know what to tell you. I wish I could help."

"I'm running out of ideas. It's been six months and I still haven't found her."

"Maybe it's because she doesn't want to be found."

"I can't accept."

"You're gonna have to. At least until we finish tonight's gig."

I nodded. "I just hope she hears the song I wrote for her."

"You'll never know. Maybe she will."

The concert tonight is sold out. The crowd is wild and loud cheers rang loudly.

We sang a medley of some of our greatest hits and the crows went wild, but all I could think about was Dani. How I miss her and love her so. 

The next song I'm about to perform is a song I wrote for her the first night we met. I didn't get to finish it, but after losing her and our baby, it became my catharsis. My way of healing. 

"How are we all doing tonight?" I called out to the crows. "You guys are seriously amazing. I love the energy." More cheers. 

"Alright. Alright," I said, trying to quiet them down so they can hear me."

The cheers slowly died down. 

"This next song, I wrote about may journey to meeting the one," the crowd went wild once more. I smiled. "Like most guys, I was dumb and blind that I didn't appreciate what I had until I lost it. I'm asking for your help. If you guys could take your phone's out and record this and post it online, it would really help. I really want her to hear the song, because this one is from my heart."

The crowd cheered and clapped and I watched as they all took their phone's out ready to record me.

"To Dani. If you're listening, this is for you. I love you and I'm sorry I failed you. This song is called, You're the One."

I strummed my guitar and began to sing.

With my eyes on the floor

Feeling lost and out of control

But then I looked your way and caught your eye

Got a feeling that I can't deny

I was drowning

Mourning

But you brought me out of the dark

And gave my life a brand new start.

You are the one

You are the one I love

Oh baby, you are the one

You're the one I want

The one I wanna wake up to

The one I wanna make love to

The one, The one

You Are the one

I thought I knew what love was

Turned out I'm just like any lass

Feeling lost and out of control

But when I look your way and into your eyes

Got a feeling that I can't deny

I was confused. 

Bemused.

But you're the one who made me realize

I knew nothing of love until I you

You are the one

You are the one I love

Oh baby, you are the one

You are the one I want

The one I wanna wake up to

The one I wanna make love to

The one, The one

You are the one

I've made mistakes

I broke your heart

But here I am, down on my knees

Begging you ple-ease

Please forgive me

Oh ple-ease

Please love me

Cause, you are the one

You are the one I love

Oh baby, you are the one

You are the one I want

The one I wanna wake up to

The one I wanna make love to

The one, The one

You are the one

"I love you, Danielle," I said. The crowd continued to cheer and clap. My eyes filled tears and all I could do was hope. Hope for a miracle.

Leo

"Leo, someone is insisting on talking to you. She said, she's Dani's sister."

"Sam?"

"It's me," I heard her call out.

"Let her in," I said.

"You're here," I said in surprise.

"I am. I may not be your biggest fan as a person, because of what you did to my sister, but I am a fan of your music, and that song about Dani. I have to say, it's got to be your best work yet."

"Thank you," I said. I'm sure that's not the only thing she came here to tell me.

"My sister will kill me if she finds out I helped you in anyway."

"Sam, please. I love your sister. I want her back."

"She's at my grams."

I frowned. "She is. But the housekeeper said she hasn't been there in years." I called every single day until I think they had my number blocked."

"Housekeeper?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah," I confirmed.

"My grams doesn't have a housekeeper," she said. "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Wait, which grandma did you call?" she asked. 

"I don't know. Your dad's." 

Sam rolled her eyes. "You called the wrong one, idiot."

Shit. "We're not really close to my dad's mom. But that's not the point. I can't believe you've been calling the wrong Grams this whole time."

"You and me both. I've wasted so much time."

"She's at Rancho De Paraiso, if you leave now, you can get there right before sunrise," Sam said.

"Thank you."

"Just make her happy."

"I will."

Dani

I yawned and snuggled in my bed. 

I sighed and leaned over to  look at the clock. 

It's 6am.

I groaned. I spent the entire night crying. Sam sent me a video and without knowing what it was about, I made the mistake of opening it. As it turns out, it was Leo. I closed the video right when I saw and heard his voice speaking to the crowd at what looked like a concert.

I just can't. 

Seeing him, hearing his voice... It hurts. It's like reliving that painful day over and over again. I could never forgive him for abandoning me when I needed him most. For making me feel like second choice. I shook my head. I wasn't eve second choice. I was a responsibility. I was just some girl that he knocked up.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, determined to get on with the day and my life.

After getting ready for the day, I headed down to the kitchen and found a note my grams left me. She said she headed into town to grab a few things.

I frowned. I wish she had woken me so I could go with her.

I poured myself some coffee and decided that it was such a nice day out and it would be a good idea to drink it out on the front porch.

I opened the front door and found a strange vehicle parked in the property.

I frowned. 

I decided to walk over to see if it was someone my grams knew. The sun was shining so brightly, blinding me that I couldn't see clearly if there was someone inside the vehicle. 

As I was walking over, the driver's side door opened.

"Can I help you?" I asked, as I raised my hand up to my face to block the sun, so I can see better.

"Dani," a familiar voice breathed. I dropped my coffee on the ground at the startling realization of who it was. But the bigger shock was the strong pull that settled in the pit of my stomach and it felt like a betrayal. I didn't want to feel this way. Not about him.

"How did you find me?" I asked, my voice shaking and my heart beating fast.

"It took me this long to find you."

"That wasn't what I asked."

"You just disappeared without a trace. I went back to the hospital the next day to find you gone."

"I didn't want to see you."

"Dani, please."

"I want you to leave, Leo."

"No. I'm not going anywhere. Not when I've finally found you."

"I don't want you here. I want you to leave me alone. I left because I didn't want to be found."

"Dani, I'm sorry. So fucking sorry. You don't know how sorry I am and I know that sorry is never going to be enough for the pain I caused you, but it's all I have aside from my heart and soul."

"Stop."

"I just..."

"I said stop," I said loudly. "I don't want your apologies, Leo. It doesn't mean anything to me. What I want is for you turn your car around and leave and forget that you ever saw me."

"Dani, don't do this. Please. I'm begging you."

I shook my head. 

He held me and I tried to push him away, but he cupped my face and looked into my eyes and said the words that I've been longing to hear, but is now only causing me great pain."I love you, Dani." 

I pushed him away and slapped him. "How dare you? How dare you say that to me? After everything? What makes you think I'm going to believe you? You have no right, Leo. No right," I grounded out. "You have no right to hurt me this way."

"Dani, I love you. It's the truth."

"Since when?" I asked. "When you refused to come home even when I begged you to? Or when you called me a child?" I asked. "Or was it when you said I wasn't your wife anymore than you were Andi's husband?" I added. "Oh, no. Wait. Was it when you ignored my calls because you didn't want to be bothered?"

"Dani..." he said painfully.

"When? When did you love me?"

"I didn't know..."

"Didn't know..." I echoed.

"I gave you a second chance because you wanted to try and make it work. I believed you when you said that you wanted to be with me, not just because of the baby, but I should have known."

"Dani, no," he tried to protest, but I wouldn't let him speak. 

"I gave you a second chance, because I wanted to try and make it work. I trusted you and I believed you when you said that you were committed to me. But when I needed you, you weren't there. Instead, you were with the woman you were in love with. Do you know how much that hurt me?" I asked, tears streaming down my face. "Do you know how much it hurt and what it took for me to ask you to come home. I have never asked anyone for anything. I have never begged, but I asked you, because I trusted and believed in you even when I knew you didn't love me."

"I didn't think... I don't know what to say. I have no excuse. I was an arrogant asshole who thought that being there with you the past month or so was enough to show you that I wanted a life with you. That it should have been enough to show you that I was committed to you and our baby," he explained. "And as much as it pains me to say this, but I don't think you trusted me. Not completely. I never gave you any indication that I would leave you. I showed you everyday how much I cared about you and the baby."

"And when I said I needed you, you didn't come. You pushed aside what I was telling you and thought me childish for wanting you back home. You were in love with her. You were always honest, you never hid the fact that you were in love with someone else. How did you think I'd feel when you said you weren't coming home because she needs you?" I asked. "How did you think I felt when you were brushing off how I felt as some stupid jealousy."

"I was trying to reassure you."

"You were trying to reassure yourself and ease you guilt to justify staying with there and not immediately coming home. You made the judgement that I was being a jealous mother of your child, so you didn't think once that I needed you. I never asked you for anything. You didn't think of me at all, so don't you dare tell me that you love me."

"It was the firs time I asked you for something, Leo. I was having pains. I was getting scared, but I pushed it aside because I knew you were coming home. Then you didn't and I was worried because I didn't hear from you and when I did, it was as if I was a bother. Like you couldn't wait to get rid of me."

"It's not like that. and if I had known you were having pains, I would gone home. Why didn't you tell me? You could have told me that that was the reason you wanted me to come home."

"Do you even hear yourself, Leo? I shouldn't need a reason for you to come home. Asking you to come home wasn't reason enough? It should have been enough for you. Telling you I needed you should have been enough, but it wasn't. You know. The funny thing is, when I called you back and you refused to take my call and ended up turning your phone off, I was calling you to tell that I knew that something was seriously long and I needed you and that I needed to get to the hospital. But when you ignored my calls, I told myself, what was the point? You convinced yourself that I was just overreacting to the thought of you being with the woman you claim to love."

"I honestly didn't see it that way. She's my best friend. My close friend. I thought and believed you were safe. I just wanted to make sure she was okay. It's even in that moment that I realized that I was never really in love with her. I loved her,  but not in the way that I love you. When my parents died, I found it hard to connect to people. To build relationships. I met her and she was the epitome of what you would want in a woman. And she was the first person I connected to after losing my parents. I mistook it for love. I just didn't want to lose another person I cared about. I slowly realized it as soon as I came to the hospital and saw what a mess Ethan, her husband was. I started thinking about you and I couldn't breathe. I felt like I wanted to die. The thought of you being in that situation killed me. I knew then that I loved you. But I didn't want to admit it. It was easier to deny it, because I was scared. It was easier when I was blind to how I really felt about you. It was safer not to love you, because if I didn't then I wouldn't lose you. It wouldn't matter because I didn't love you, but damn it, Danielle. I love you. When Gavin gave me the news about what happened to you, I felt like I died. I was so angry and the pain was excruciating. I couldn't believe what was happening. I felt like the world dawned on me. It was like being in a dark hole and being stuck. There are no words to explain how sorry and how angry I was at myself, for being so stupid. So thoughtless, insensitive and arrogant."

"It doesn't really matter anymore, Leo. We can't change the past."

"I love you, Dani," I flinched. "Please believe that. I know that it's hard to believe given how I've behaved appallingly. But it's true. I know that I haven't shown you and proven it to you, but I swear to you that if you give me a chance, I'll prove to you that you are the one. The only one for me."

"I can't. You hurt me too much. I don't want to give you another chance to hurt me again."

"You don't believe that I love you."

"I don't," I said bluntly. "I'm just a girl that you fucked and knocked up. Sucks for you."

"Dani, don't. You're the one who owns my heart."

"I don't want it."

He staggered back, pain in his eyes as more tears threatened to spill.

"But I'll give you a chance to prove it to me," I said. 

"Anything. I swear. I'll do anything."

Good. "Do I have your word?"

He nodded.

"Leave and don't come back."

"Dani, please. Don't. Anything but that," he begged. 

"You gave me your word. If you don't do it, then you prove that you don't love me."

"That's what it will take?" He asked.

I nodded.

He closed his eyes as his body shook with tears and when he opened them, it was like he stuck a dagger to my heart.

"I love you so damn much," his voice broke and I had to look away from him cause it was too hard and painful. "You're my heart and soul and I'll forever regret that I realized it too late and lost you and our child. But you will always have all of me, even if you don't want it."

I bit the insides of my cheek to keep my self from crying. 

He took my hand and opened my palm. "This is for you," he said. 

I frowned. 

It was his phone. 

"I will do as you ask, but when the time comes and you can think of me without remembering the pain I caused you, please listen to song I got your sister to send you and look thought this phone. And when you can trust and believe that I love you, I'll be waiting."

I continued to look at the phone in my hand. 

"I love you, Danielle," he said one last time, before dropping a sweet goodbye kiss on my forehead. 

I felt his tears and his lips quiver.

I watched him get in his car and drive away, my heart breaking more and more the further away he got.

Dani

"Grams, I just don't know if I could trust him again. He broke my heart. I lost him and our baby all on the same day. It hurts," I said, tears filling eyes. "I loved our baby so much, and losing the baby nearly killed me. I just want the pain to go away."

"Oh, honey. It never really goes away. It just gets easier with time. You learn to live with the pain and continue on with your life," Grams said. 

"What do I do?"

"All I know is that, when you love you, you open yourself up to pain. If you let your fear of getting hurt stop you from loving someone, then you also deny yourself of the chance at happiness."

"I've had a chance to talk to him, and I don't know how blind you both are, but one look at the boy and no one would doubt he cares about you. It's written all over him," Grams said. "People make mistakes. It's human nature. What matters is how we make up for it. I'm not saying you should forgive him right now, because only you know when you're ready. I guess all I'm saying is, don't stop yourself from feeling what's in here," she said pointing to my heart, "because you're afraid. Listen to your heart, and you'll know when you're ready."

"Ready for what?"

"For what you need to be."

That night, I lay in bed debating if I should look at the phone, Leo gave me, as well as the video my sister sent me. 

Listen to your heart and you'll know when you're ready, Grams said. And right now, my heart is telling me I'm not.

I placed his phone in the drawer and shut it close. 

Not just yet, I thought to myself.