Come Back to Me - It's Almost Easy

[Zack's POV]

"Lea?"

My voice hollered through the bus as I entered. The last few days had been great, finally having her with me again, seeing her smile, being able to touch her soft and silky skin. I think it had been Matt, who had pointed out yesterday, that Brian was being a bit too friendly towards her, and I had watched him all day long...and had to agree with Matt's observation. Brian was having that glint in his eyes every time he looked at Lea, and he made body contact a lot. But I was also very aware, that Lea was not responding to his advances at all, she even looked uncomfortable around him ever since she had joined the tour a few days ago.
I heard noises from the bunk area and made my way down there, after snatching a beer from the small fridge.

"What are you doing babe? You're not really planning on leaving just because Brian is being a jerk!"

She was standing in front of our bunk, stuffing things into her duffel bag that Brian had originally brought along for her. I could see anger in her face, tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't even look at me, she seemed so determined in what she was doing.

"Lea! Stop packing and talk to me!"

I raised my voice, not able to see her walk out on me for a second time in such a short period, even though this time had nothing to do with me. My hand grabbed her by the elbow to make her stop packing, and for one second, she turned her face slightly and our eyes met. The second I looked at her, my heart sank.

"I am sorry Zack, but I can't do this. I cannot stand in between 3 men and just pretend that nothing is happening. I hate that I cannot be myself around you anymore. It was bad enough that Matt always gave us hidden stares, but with Brian in the mix now, too,...I can't do it. I gonna go to our house and just wait till you get back, I am only in the way here anyhow."

Just as she wanted to start packing again I pulled her towards me and cupped her face with my hands, as another tear rolled out of her eyes.

"Lea, I love you! And even though they may make you feel uncomfortable, it won't stop me from feeling the way I do. Can you not just ignore them and be happy with me? I haven't seen you in months, and I don't want you to leave me so soon again, I thought we had agreed you stay on for at least a week."

I wiped away her tears, wanting to kiss her so badly right now, but I knew that it wasn't the time to do so.

"Trust me Zacky, I am trying to do the right thing for all of us here. I don't want to end up doing the same mistake that happened that afternoon after the strip club with Matt and you. You have no idea how guilty I still feel for agreeing to let him fuck me even though you were OK with it. But I feel responsible for him not being able to move on. And Brian knows that...I like him, even if it is not the way he thinks I do. He would use every drunk moment to get more from me than I am willing to give. He actually wants me to split up from you so that he has free way to make moves on me!"

I had to swallow hard during the reply she gave me: she had never let on that she saw the threesome as a mistake. It made me cringe inside that she felt this way, as I had been the one to instigate all of it. Matt and me had corrupted her into it, and she felt terrible about it.

"Do you love me?"

I whispered, my thumb whisking away yet another of her tears.

"If I didn't love you, I wouldn't feel so guilty and responsible for this messy situation! Because of me, the three of you are drifting apart from each other, I am causing your friendship to people you know since almost 10 years be torn. I should have left Huntington after catching Matt in bed with that girl, and none of this would have happened!
It hurts not to be myself, but you have no idea how terrible I feel...about that afternoon with Matt, possibly having given Brian the wrong idea of how I feel for him...but most of all, that I am running an ego trip here, wanting this relationship so bad that I didn't care about destroying this band and your friendship with the guys. I can't do this any longer Zack...I have come to recognize that my being needy and wanting to be happy shouldn't stand in between you and your career and friends. It's just...all so messy."

She let out a whimper, almost collapsing to the floor, as I was just able to steady her fall. I held her and we settled on the floor, all tension had gone from her body. All the bottled up fears and emotions and secrets had now been revealed, and it seemed as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, causing her legs to give in.

"Why didn't you tell me that you felt this way about what happened between Matt and you? It wasn't your fault, and if anything, I was the one that kind of forced you into doing it in the first place. We both need to accept the fact that it happened, and we cannot turn back time to make it unhappen.
And apart from that: your happiness is damn important to me! I have been with these guys for years, yes, but I am not in a relationship with them for crying out loud! I am jumping from one bad relationship to the next fake one. There is no way I'd let anyone destroy this relationship with the first girl that doesn't give a shit about my money or my status or what I represent...but loves me for the person I am underneath all of this. You keep me grounded, you make me discover feelings that I never thought I would experience. You mean the world to me Lea,...and I am not allowing anyone or anything to ruin this...for me or you!"

She finally looked up to me, her lips still quivering. Her moist dark brown eyes carried so much confusion and self doubt, but I found something else in them: surprise. As if she had expected me to choose the band over her! Fuck, did she have no idea what she meant to me!?
She brushed some strands of curls behind her ear, letting a stream of air escape her perfectly shaped lips.

"What are you trying to say?"

Her voice was still a little shaky and I could hardly hear the softly spoken words. My left hand was slipped inside the pocket of my jeans, playing with the little black velvety box that I carried around with me constantly since she had joined me on tour. I just wanted to have it handy, should the perfect occasion arise. I pulled it out, whilst still hiding it in my fist, unnoticed by Lea, who was still searching my face for answers.

"It seems like you're doubting the fact that i have made you my number one priority months ago. Which I guess is understandable with my two fuck ups recently. But I want you to know every day, whether we are together or I am half way around the globe, that you are the first thing I think of when waking up and the last thought before I slip off to sleep."

I looked down to the box in my hand. I had somehow expected to be nervous doing this, but I felt like this was the first thing in my life I had been so confident about! Both of us were sitting on the floor, legs strangely interlocked, out bodies facing each other. Her eyes finally followed my gaze and I could hear her take draw a sharp breath, causing me to smile as my fingers flipped the box open in one swift movement, my eyes locking onto the slim silver band, that was decorated with tiny tribal engravings reaching up the the small diamond that was mounted in the middle. Even though me and Brian resented each other right now for various reasons, he had been a great help picking out a ring with me. He knew that she was nothing like Gena, and appreciated simple things in life, and would love me the more, if I wouldn't buy her something too expensive...well, I'll never tell her what it cost me, she'd most likely get a stroke if she ever finds out!

"I guess it's not really something I am trying to say...but something I wanted to ask you really. I want you to be part of my life Lea, whichever way it'll go in the future. I want you to know that you're the most important person in my life, and only after that this bunch of clowns and disloyal bastards...at least 2 of them. If you'd reply with a 'yes' to my question if you are willing to marry me after all that has happened in the past few months, I will do whatever is necessary to make sure that you'll feel safe and comfortable and loved...even if it means I'd have to leave the band coz them two dimwits can't keep their cocks in!"

She just stared at me and I had to smile, as her usually almond shaped eyes were now as round as quarters. I took the ring out of the little box and raised it to her eye level, so that she could have a better look at it. Her jaw dropped immediately and once more, I could see that tears were building up in her eyes...accompanied by a soft smile forming around the edges of her mouth.

"Zachary James Baker...are you asking me...to...marry you?"

I had to laugh, starting to slip the ring on her finger.

"Let me see: I am pretty much on my knees, sliding a nice piece of expensive jewelery on the hand of the woman I love...yep, ticked all the boxes, I guess I am asking you if you'd want to become Miss Zacky Vengeance alright!"

I couldn't believe how quickly the whole atmosphere shifted, from her feeling trapped and helpless and me being worried, to me joking and her smiling, drying her eyes with the long sleeves of the hoodie she was wearing...which looked like she had stolen from me by the way!

"So you're saying that I am so important to you you'd be willing to put up with me until we're grey and old, and would even quit the band, if necessary?"

She looked at the ring, and then my eyes again, disbelief in her eyes.

"I have always told you I'll prove how much I love you one day...remember? I hope it those two idiots get their act together and I don't have to leave the band for us to have a normal relationship without interruptions...but I would if it was necessary, yes!"

"Normal relationship...with the rock star and the stripping Playboy model...nice try Zack!"

She started laughing and threw her arms around me, her lips crashing into mine, into the most meaningful kiss I think we have ever shared. This kiss was certainly not a 'no'...it couldn't be a 'no', eventually a 'maybe'...dammit, I was driving myself crazy, I needed to hear her say it! I had trouble trying to push her off me, finally detaching her from my lips. She had pinned me on the ground and was lying on top of me.

"Wait! What's your answer?! I need to know...I need to hear you say it, please!"

My eyes must have been pleading with her, as she distanced her face even further from mine, in order to get me into focus, yes, she hated the fact I knew, but she does wear glasses for reading or working on the PC, and is shit in seeing things that are too close to her eyes.

"I have your name tattooed twice, I have lied to my best friend because I didn't want you to get into trouble, I have forgiven you that you shared heated kisses with your ex AND that you almost raped me...do you really think I would say no?"

Argh...I hated the way she answered my question with another answer! I was too nervous to just assume she had said yes with her kiss.

"Lea! Please! Throw your man a bone here! I want to hear your answer. The kiss was amazing, but...please?"

She smiled at me once more, her lips softly kissing my ear, her warm breath next to it causing me to get goosebumps all over.

"Yes, that was a 'yes' babe! I just can't believe you asked me! After all that happened, and me running away and-"

I cut her off by pulling her face to mine, sealing her lips with yet another deep kiss, before allowing her to breath again. I smirked again as I looked at her now bright eyes, and a similar smile on her face.

"Shut up with all the worries and just believe it! I love you and that's all you need to know!"

She relaxed against me again, her slender body lying on top of me again. I think, this must have been the happiest moment of my life so far, right here on the dirty floor of the tour bus, between the bunks!
In these arms of mine, I was holding my fiancee. My future wife. Mother of my unborn children...
Miss Lea "Vengeance" Baker.