When You Love Someone

"Colton! Get back here!" Lanie called after her young son as he darted away from her. She sighed and began to run after him, as she didn't want her son getting too far ahead of him here at the venue, but she felt a hand on her arm before Jack began to run after the toddler. Lanie called a thanks to the tall and lanky man before falling back into step with her boyfriend, and the father of previously mentioned child.

"Why does he have to have so much energy?" Alex questioned, laughing as he reached over to grasp her hand tightly in his. Lanie sighed and shook her head.

"I don't know, but thank God for Jack or I would die. I can't keep up with that kid." Alex laughed at her words and nodded as they stopped walking and stood side stage as the crew set up for Alex's band's show tonight.

It had been 2 years since the couple had their baby. A number of things have happened in that short span of time. First, Colton of course entered his terrible twos, Lanie became a legal adult, which made her and Alex's relationship free and clear of any laws, so they could now go out in public and be as couplely as they wanted to be. Alex quit teaching at the end of last school year so he could pursue his band full time. Lanie enrolled in college the previous year and is a sophomore now, taking all sorts of writing classes.

"Excited to play tonight?" Lanie asked Alex, curling up against his side, her head resting in the crook of his neck.

"Yes, I am. Tonight will be very amazing." He commented, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He turned his head to the side and kissed her blonde head softly, closing his eyes as he took in the sweet smell of her shampoo.

Jack then came up beside them, out of breath and carrying a giggling little boy over his shoulders.

"One child, here you are." Jack said, dumping the wiggling and giggling kid into his parents arms, who laughed. Lanie stepped away from Alex and rested Colton on her hip.

"You know you aren't supposed to run off like that." Alex said, staring his son in the eyes. The child looked up at his father and nodded.

"Sowwy." He mumbled, burying his face in his mothers neck, making everyone smile and Lanie kiss his light brown hair colored head.

"Doors open in five minutes." Matt Flyzik spoke to the two band members, coming up beside them. He ruffled Colton's hair and kissed Lanie's cheek before rushing off to do something else that needed to be done before the show started. Lanie noticed Alex's face go a little pale but had no time to question it as her best friends Matt and Kara walked over to them.

Another thing that should be mentioned that had happened over the last two years was Jake and Lanie's friendship. Which had been strained when Jake got back with Sebastian, the ex boyfriend Lanie had drunkenly slept with years before. Her and Sebastian were too shy to be around each other so Jake would stay away from Lanie.

Then four months ago he announced that he and Sebastian were moving to California so Sebastian could pursue his acting career, which the last Lanie had heard, was going decent enough. Jake and Lanie rarely every spoke to each other now and it tore Lanie up but she had too much going on in her busy life to worry too much about it. Jake had other people, and Lanie had other people. People grew apart; it sucked but it happens.

"Hey, guys." Lanie smiled at her friends, receiving a kiss on the cheek from Matt, who then also kissed Colton on top of the head before taking the toddler in his arms. "Thank you for baby sitting him tonight, Matty. Means a lot to me. I don't like him going to too many concerts, but I wanted to be here tonight, as it's their last home show for a few months." Matt smiled and nodded.

"You know I love this kid, I will always be willing to watch him." Lanie smiled up at her best friend. "Which we should get going; the doors open soon, right?"

"Yeah, in a few minutes." Lanie answered. Matt nodded.

"Alright. We'll head out now then. I'll drop him off tomorrow around noon, that good?" Lanie nodded and leaned forward to kiss her son.

"Be good for Matty tonight, okay? I'll see you tomorrow." The toddler nodded his head and puckered his lips, leaning forward to his father who still stood beside Lanie. Alex smiled and leaned over to give his son a kiss.

"Love you, little guy." Alex spoke fondly to his child.

"Wove you too, daddy." The child spoke in his own childish voice, making everyone smile. With that Matt said the rest of his good byes and they left the building.

"Hey you guys!" The four friends turned to see the two remaining band members walk up them. Rian kissed Lanie's cheek but just smiled at Kara. Though it had been years since their breakup, they still weren't very close. Rian had a girlfriend, and Kara had a boyfriend but they had still been together for years; it was hard to forget those things.

"Almost show time! You ready, Alex?" Zack questioned the singer who just nodded. Lanie stared up at him, frowning. He had something on his mind, but then she figured it was just pre show nerves, they happened to him a lot, surprisingly, when he was up on stage, he was so energetic and seemed to be so in love with what he does. Which that is true, but that doesn't mean he's not nervous before he goes on.

By now they could hear the fans rolling in, the doors now open. Lanie and Kara wanted to be out there in the crowd, but Alex for some reason had asked Lanie not to go out into the crowd tonight, that he needed her side stage. When she asked why, he just said 'moral support' She didn't want to question him so she just agreed to stay side stage for tonight's performance.

Tonight was their fourth home show before they packed into a small, fifteen passenger van and began a full US tour. Lanie would be joining them for it, as she worked for the band. She was Vinny's assistant merchandise manager. She normally would be out at the merch table with Vinny but since Alex wanted her side stage tonight, she couldn't. While the couple was on tour, Kara willingly agreed to taking care of Colton.

"Five minutes until you guys go on." Matt spoke to the band as he ran up to them before rushing off to do something else.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Lanie asked quietly to her boyfriend as all of their friends entered their own conversations. Alex looked down at his girlfriend and smiled softly.

"I'm fine. Just getting in the zone for the show." He answered, making her nod and smile, reaching up to kiss his lips softly.

"You'll do amazing, like you always do." He nodded.

"It's not the actual performing I'm worried about." He spoke softly. Lanie wasn't sure he actually meant her to hear it but she had to question it.

"Then what are you worried about?" She questioned him, frowning.

"Nothing. We are just doing something a little different tonight. Don't worry, you'll see what it is in about 20 minutes." Lanie just nodded, the frown still on her face.

"Alright guys, grab you're instruments. It's show time." Matt said, coming over to them. He patted Alex shoulder before Alex went and grabbed his guitar. He blew Lanie a kiss before the four band members ran on stage, instantly getting a reaction from the crowd.

"Do you know what they are doing tonight?" Lanie asked Kara who smiled, it was a very knowing smile.

"Nope." She answered, but kept the smile up.

"Liar." Kara laughed. "Tell me what it is, Kara." Lanie begged but Kara just shook her head and pointed at the stage, making Lanie pout and turn her attention back to the band on stage.

They played all of their old stuff, as well as a little bit of the new songs that they had been working on before all 4 band members stopped playing. Alex took off his guitar before taking his mic from it's stand.

"Alright, right now, we, well actually I am going to do something very special." Jack, Rian and Zack all came and sat on the riser that the drums sat on, staring and smiling at Alex; Lanie stood frowning at Alex as he began to walk towards her. "I need my girlfriend Lanie up here with me for this."

"What?" She questioned, making Kara laugh and shove her towards Alex who was holding his hand out to her. He was standing enough on stage to where the crowd could still see him, so when she stepped into view and placed her hand in his, the crowd started clapping. She was known well enough in their crowd base, what with the tour they had done when she was pregnant, as well as her merchandise work.

"Now, everyone, this is my beautiful girlfriend Lanie." The crowd cheered her while she smiled nervously. Alex brought her to stand up front and center, in view of everyone.

"Alex, what are you doing?" She questioned him but he ignored her.

"Her and I have been together for 3 years now, live together, have a son together, but there is one thing missing from our relationship. Something I had planned for her birthday 2 years ago, but I chickened out and never did it. So here I stand now, up in front of all my loving fans and friends, ready to do what I should have done a long time ago." Lanie continued to frown at Alex's words. He turned to face Lanie and smiled at her before reaching behind him to take something from his back pocket.

At the same moment that he pulled it from behind his pocket, he kneeled down on one knee. Everyone in the crowd, as well as Lanie, gasped. Some people in the crowd awed as Alex opened the small velvet box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. A ring that he had bought two years ago.

"I love you with all my heart, Lanie Eastman, I want you to be mine forever. Forever and always. Just you, me, and Colton, and whatever other children we may produce in the future. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. I can't live any other way. Will you marry me?" Alex asked, making the crowd aw louder and Lanie's eyes well up in tears. She brought her hand up to her mouth and stared down at Alex, who waited for her answer, a gleam in his eyes that only happened when he stared at her. It was a gleam of love.

"Alex..." She whispered. She had no microphone so only he heard it. "Of course I will." She nodded her head yes, so even though the crowd couldn't hear her, they knew her answer. They all burst into cheers and applause, as well as the rest of All Time Low who stood up and started clapping, and Kara who cheered from side stage. Alex grinned, tears of his own welling up in his eyes as he took the ring from the box and slid it onto Lanie's waiting finger before standing up to take her in his arms, kissing her lips heatedly as the crowd cheered around them. They were both in heaven.

What a life.