We arrive in Chicago after a grueling plane ride. Me and Howie get off the plane, with him feeling fine, but with me feeling like utter shit. Howie held onto me, despite the fact that he felt slightly jet-laggish. "D, are you ok?" "I'm fine, Howie...just..." I quickly got out of the tarmac, and searched for a nearby bush, and empty out everything I ever ate. Howie was standing behind me, rubbing my back, telling me that I'll be fine. I raise my head up, wiping my mouth. I turn around, and there's a mint staring me in the face. "I think you might need this," stated Howie, with a smile. I popped it in my mouth, "Thanks." He patted me on the shoulder, and we hailed a cab to take us to the Marriott Hotel. "So, you said that he's in the hotel?" "Yep. You're anxious to see him, huh?" "Anxious is not the word to describe it, Dorough. Thank you so much for taking me to him." "As said before, Diana, anything for you."
We got off the elevator, and headed to the room that AJ was staying at. My nerves began to get the best of me. My hands were starting to shake, and Howie noticed this. He takes my hand, and intertwined it with his. "Don't you worry, everything will be fine." Easier said than done. Even though AJ was on the road to recovery, I didn't know if he wanted to see me again, seeing as she shooed me away after busting him using drugs. I had to tell AJ how I felt about him. If I didn't, I would spend my whole entire life wondering if he too, loved me.
"Well, this is it," Howie said, as we stood by AJ's hotel room. I took a deep breath, swallowing the rest of my mint. I look up at Howie with worry in my face. He gives me the, "everything will be alright" look, and I immediately calmed down. Howie knocked on his door. My stomach began to get entangled in knots. The tension was so thick, and there was a point in that moment where I couldn't breathe. "Dorough, I can't do this." "Sure you can, D. Besides, it's only AJ." The door opens, and AJ walks out, taking Howie into a deep embrace. "D! So good to see you, man!" AJ's look had changed thoughout the course of 3 years: he now wears Von Dutch caps, tight sweaters with t-shirts over them, torn-to-the-knee blue jeans, and gymshoes. He has more tattoos than I previously seen, and most of all, he stopped wearing shades. "How's everything goin', man?" "I'm good, DLF's good, and Diana's good." "Diana?" I walked out of my mini hiding place, and stood in front of AJ. He was very surprised to see me, much to my own, for I didn't expect that. "Hey, Diana..." AJ walked up to me, and held me tight, laughing in my neck, stating how he missed me so. "My God, how long has it been, girl?" "Too long..." I say to him in a whisper. He takes my hand, and leads me to the room. As Howie was about to walk in, AJ stopped him. "Um...me and Diana has a lot of catching up to do..." Howie smiled a bit shyly, resting his hands in his pockets. "I see...tell her I'll call." Howie then turns around, and walks down the hall, entering the elevator to the first floor.
"2 years sober, huh?" "Yep...and I feel great." "You look great too, AJ." he smiled sweetly, rubbing his hands on his legs. "Diana...there's something that I have to tell you...I've been meaning to get it off my chest, but I wasn't able to reach you." AJ takes both of my hands, and places them on his chest. "Wh--what is it, AJ?" He took a deep breath, and begins after saying, 'whoo'.
"Look, for the past 3 1/2 years, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I wanted to say I was sorry for what I said to you that night. You only wanted to know what was the matter, and I drove you away. I never meant to drive you away, Diana. You mean too much to me. When we danced at that concert, I felt something I've never felt before. I wish that you were there with me to help ease my pain, and to help me get through pre-sobriety. Diana, can you ever forgive a healing fool?" I didn't know what to say at first. He actually poured his heart out to me, and it shocked me more than anything. I never thought that he would care a great deal for me, nor would remember me at all. AJ looked me in the eyes, waiting for me to give him an answer. "Yes, I forgive you, AJ..." AJ leaned in to my ear and whispered, "Please...call me Alex..." the sound of his raspy whisper sent chills down my spine. "Alex..." He brings his head up, and we are again face to face. "Diana, I never want to lose you...ever." "Alex...you can never lose me...I am for you, and you are for me." He had a free hand, which was placed on my face, caressing it. I lightly covered my hand over his, and close my eyes. I hear him sing in a soft, angelic voice:
"...This is no ordinary love
And I can never have enough
Of all the things you've given to me
You're my heart, my soul, my everything.
Every night, I thank you, Lord
For giving me the strength to love her more and more
Each day I promise her
As long as I hear those three words..."
Those are the most wonderful lyrics I have ever heard. Without us knowing, we were in the middle of the hotel room floor, rocking back and forth, holding each other. My head was on his chest, and I sighed at the sound of his heartbeat. "Diana...?" "Yes, Alex?" "I...I love you." My head sprung up, and I looked into his eyes. "Alex...yo..you mean it?" "More than ever, de Luriese...more than ever." "I love you, too, AJ McLean..."
He leans in, and lays a sweet kiss upon my lips. Absentmindedly, I wrap my arms around him, pressing the kiss on more. He pulls back, looking into my eyes with his light brown orbs. "Don't let me go, Alex..." "Diana...that's a promise that I am willing to keep."
EPILOGUE:
"So, how do you feel tonight, Mr. McLean?" "Well, I feel mighty dandy, Mrs. McLean." AJ and Diana are now married. It wasn't long that they had tied the knot either. In fact, it was in the spring of 2005 that they shared wedded bliss.
AJ and Diana are in their bed of their newly furnished apartment building. They are both entangled in the covers, holding each other close. "Alex...?" "Yeah, babe?" "Can you believe it?" AJ sits up, looking down at her. "Believe what?" She snuggles closer to her husband, playing with his '69' tattoo around his belly button. "That we're finally married? That it actually happened? That we're together to express our love?"
AJ cups her face in his hands, leaning down to her. "Yes, Diana...I can believe it...because we're built to last." he gives her a soft peck on the lips, and lies
back down, holding her close. He rubs her arm, looking into her eyes. "I love you, AJ McLean..." "And I love you, Diana McLean...now, and forever."
Chapter End Notes:
This is the last chapter of the story. I hope you all enjoyed it.
