So Wrong, It's Right.

"You okay, baby?" Alex questioned, looking over at his girlfriend quickly before looking back at the road.

"Yeah, I'm fine." They were going to the cemetery for the first time since her parents died. It was just too hard for her to go, but since it has now been ever a year, she felt that she needed to go. She needed to talk to them, in some form.

Lanie turned to look in the backseat where Colton was strapped into his car seat, fast asleep with a pacifier clenched in his mouth. Lanie smiled softly but saw through the lines of his face, features that she had gotten from her father, as well as a few features inherited from her mother and it made her smile fall.

She knew that if they were here, they would love Colton so much. She could just picture her mother holding him, playing with him.

She turned back ahead as Alex slowed down to a stop in front of the cemetery gates.

"You sure that you want to do this? I understand if you don't." She sighed and unbuckled her seat belt before looking over at him.

"I have to do this, Alex. They deserve it. It's almost Christmas, they spent last Christmas without me, they at least deserve a visit this Christmas." She explained. He nodded and leaned over to press his lips softly to hers, bringing his hand up to get lost in her hair.

"Let's go then." She nodded and got out of the car, while he did the same. She stared into the gates, at all the tombstones that stretched before her. She heard Alex getting Colton out of the car but she just stared ahead of her. Her parents were there. Just right inside those gates. So close, yet... they were so far as well.

"You ready?" She just nodded at Alex's question before reaching over to take the hand that wasn't gripping onto Colton's car seat and allowed him to pull her through the gates. They had looked at maps of the plots so they wouldn't have to search for her parents, meaning that they found them pretty easily.

They stood in front of the two side by side gravestones, staring down at it. Alex set the car seat down on the ground in front of them and pulled his girlfriend into his arms.

"Wanna talk to them?" He asked her softly, speaking low into her ear. She nodded and gripped at his sides, holding them close together. She took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Hey mom and dad. I'm sorry that it's been so long since I've been here. It was just too hard and I've had a lot going on. First, I would like to introduce you to Alex, the love of my life as well as our son Colton. Yes, you heard me right, son. He was born at the end of August. I'm sorry that I never told you about Alex when I had the chance to, but it was all just so confusing and messed up at the time. That was a year ago now. And one year since you guys left me. I miss you two so much. It's just not the same without you guys around. I've needed you so much lately. Mom, every day I beg for you to be here, I need your guidance with Colton. I'm a teenager, I'm not made to be a mother yet. I need you." By now Lanie had tears falling down her cheeks. She brought her hand up and wiped away the tears.

Alex sighed and held her tighter, tucking her head under his chin as she sobbed into his shirt.

"I need to leave, Alex. I can't do this." She said into his chest, making him nod. He turned and kissed the side of her head before pulling away.

"Okay. Head to the car, I'll get Colton and follow you." She nodded and stepped away from him, quickly walking away from everything, rushing to the car. Alex sighed and turned back to his girlfriends deceased parents.

"Mr and Mrs Eastman, I wish that I was able to be speaking to you face to face. I've heard so much about both of you and I know that it would have been an honor to meet you. I just want you two to know, that I love you're daughter, with all my heart. I plan on holding on to her forever. You raised a marvelous girl and I am the luckiest man in the universe to be able to call her mine and have a child with her. Now, her 18th birthday is coming up in about 2 weeks. Mr. Eastman, if you were here, I would do the old fashioned thing and ask you're permission for what I plan on giving to her for her birthday, but since you aren't here, I guess I'll just ask this way and hope you give me you're blessing." Alex paused and turned to make sure that Lanie wasn't in earshot.

When he saw that she was in fact leaning against the side of the car, her face in her hands, he turned back to the graves and took a deep breath.

"I want to ask her to marry me. I need to be with her for the rest of my life. God, I hope she says yes." Alex sighed before reaching down to grab the handle of his son's car seat. "Well... good-bye. And Happy Christmas." With that he turned and made his way back to his girlfriend who quickly got in the car as soon as he unlocked the doors and strapped Colton back into the back seat.

"Were you talking to them?" Lanie asked softly as Alex started the car and drove off.

"Uh.. yeah. Just saying a few words. How I wish that I could have met them and all that." Alex looked over at her and smiled softly.

"Another Christmas without them... it still doesn't feel real." She muttered, staring out the window as the houses and trees flew past.

"I know it doesn't, sweetheart." Alex reached over to take her hand in his. "One day it will get better, I promise." She just nodded and stayed silent.
She was hoping it was one day soon.

She pushed those thoughts from her head though and gripped onto her boyfriends hand tighter. She had him, she had Colton, she had her friends. No, she had no parents, not her true parents at least, but she still had a family. In the truest sense someone could have a family. She was loved, and had people that she loved.

She was happy.