[ AVA ] TOLD YOU FROM THE START

[ava brianne mellark]

"It's okay. I forgive you."

[/I] He didn't need to say anything else. Hearing those three words was like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. That was the reason she'd never called him, text him, emailed him, poked him on Facebook... She'd felt so guilty about the way they'd left things that she'd figured that he wouldn't want to hear from her. Who could blame him really? He'd confessed to her that he loved her and Ava had thrown it back into his face. 

His finger rested on her lips for a second as he spoke, but when they left her face and his hand fastened around her waist, she knew what he was planning to do. And she didn't want to stop him. She wanted this. She moved forward  as he pulled her closer, tilting her head up slightly as his lips caught her's. 

Six years. Her memory, apparently, was terrible at remembering how his lips felt on her own. If she thought that it'd felt good when she'd been reliving it, then this was indescribable. Her eyes closed as she focused entirely on Noah and herself, forgetting her surroundings and neighbours and everything else. Right now they didn't exist. Nothing existed apart from Noah and herself. Although they'd kissed before, this was almost like they were kissing for the first time. Maybe it was because this time around she knew what she wanted... She wasn't a kid anymore. She was twenty three and she'd spent the last six years without him. Now was the chance to make up for lost time. Her hands moved swiftly to around his neck, trying to pull him closer... If it were physically possible or not she didn't know, but she was sure as he'll going to give it a try. They broke apart for a split second or two, giving them both a chance to catch their breath, but it wasn't long until their lips combated again. Ava had been here her entire life but only know was it starting to feel like home again. 

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[noah mason scott]

This felt so good to him. Noah couldn't get the first time out of his mind. The way they'd kissed, the way they touched each other, the way their bodies had just naturally seemed to fit together. It was like fate had given them a chance. Now they were getting that chance again. In one minute, their attitudes had gone from fierce and sarcastic to loving and passionate. Didn't all the good ones happen that way? He thought so. He and Ava certainly were amongst them. Scarlett always said men were sexier when they were happy and in love. Noah thought she'd just picked that up off a SOAPnet commercial, but maybe she was right. He didn't exactly know but he wasn't gonna doubt her again.

Noah pulled away again, slowly and gently and just rested his forehead against her. He just listened to the sound of their breathing, perfectly in sync. "I'm sorry I didn't come back.". She would know what he was talking about. The promised she'd made him make and he broke it. But she'd forced him to break it. It didn't matter now. Either way he was back now. Sure...six years too late but better late than never. Wasn't that what they said?

[ava brianne mellark]

 She didn't want to ever have to let him go. It was like he was part of her. Like she'd been broken for the past six years, but now that he was back she was starting to feel whole again. It was a great feeling. She didn't care that she wasn't coming up with witty comebacks and snide remarks. She didn't need them right now. She didn't need anything apart from what she already had with her right now. Besides, now wasn't the time for jokes. If she'd been tired earlier in the evening, she couldn't feel it anymore. She felt wide awake and ready for anything, although since it was late whatever happened next would have to be confined to her apartment. 

The kiss ended once more and Noah rested his forehead against her's. "I'm sorry I didn't come back."

[/I] She knew what he meant by his words. He was referring to the Thanksgivings and Christmases and New Year's Parties and birthdays and every other time that he'd promised to come back to Maine and visit her. She'd expected as much after the night of the party. If roles had been reversed then she was pretty sure she wouldn't want herself as a friend. "It's okay. It's not like I gave you much reason to visit..."[/color] A small smile appeared on her lips as she spoke, even though this was no joking matter. 

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[noah mason scott]

He smiled when she did and knew that what she said was dead on. There wasn't a reason for him to come back and now that he was here he didn't want to leave. Since he was staying, Scarlett would most likely stay. Besides she didn't have anyone else and he was the closest thing she had to a brother. Since he was an only child he didn't mind adopting a sister into the family. Scarlett was an amazing girl and Hanna had welcomed her with open arms. He was sure she'd appreciated that. Noah always wanted a sibling and he found one in Scarlett which was good. They'd met at NYU and had been friends ever since. Noah had tried to have a romantic relationship with her but it didn't work out very well. They mutually agreed that their extent should be friends. That was fine by him because now he had Ava for good. This time he wasn't loosing her.

"I'm not loosing you again," he breathed. "I don't think I could stand it.". Noah was thinking crazy right now. The most random thought then popped into his mind. It was crazy, but not impossible. In fact it was just one of the major events of life. A quick moment left him to debate in his mind before he just blurted it out without really thinking about it. He may have been crazy, but he allowed his mood to change back to serious so she would he wasn't kidding. "Marry me, Ava. Marry me. Be my wife. I love you so much and I can't lose you again.". His voice got quieter. "Marry me.". Then he realized what he said...but he wasn't going to take it back.

[ava brianne mellark]

 Part of her wondered why he'd come back in the first place, but did she really want to know? Did she care? He was back, and right now in her mind that was all that mattered. "I'm not losing you again,"

[/i] He said, his voice barely audiable but she heard every word of it. One of her hands left his neck and she laced her fingers with his. She didn't want to lose him either, she'd already pushed him away once and that had resulted in six years wondering what could have been. But now here she was, and here he was. It was like she was getting a second chance, and she wasn't going to throw it away.

"I don't think I could stand it." Her free hand moved up so that it was soon in his hair. She knew she most probably wouldn't be able to stand it either, and she didn't want to have to find out. She kissed him softly, wanting to tell him that. She figured it would work better than speaking, since she'd most probably get the words all tangled up and she'd end up saying something she hadn't meant to at all. "I love you too,"[/color] She replied, her smile so bright that it could probably light up the room if the light wasn't already on.

She noted a change in his mood that she couldn't quite explain, but the smile stayed on her face. She was just too happy right now. Nothing could ruin it. His next words, however, caught her completely off guard. "Marry me, Ava. Marry me. Be my wife. I love you so much and I can't lose you again." Ava's response? She laughed. He was joking right? He couldn't be serious. But as his voice dropped in volume and he repeated his words, she started to think that maybe he was being serious. "Noah, you're joking right?"[/color] She asked, almost scared of his answer. If he wasn't she probably just offended him more than she ever had before. Oh shit.

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[noah mason scott]

Now that he thought about it, asking her to marry him was a really dumb thing to do. But why not?! They were both 23, done with college and its not like they had anything to worry about. Sure, maybe money was an issue on his part since he was in debt up to his ears with college bills and such. Noah had so many student loans to pay back it wasn't even funny. That's what happened when you went to a four year institution all four years instead of doing two years of community college or something first. But he couldn't redo it now because he was already finished. That's why he hoped a writing career would eventually start raking in the money for him. Right now, all he could do was dream about that. He actually had to write something first.

So when he heard Ava's reaction, Noah felt his heart sink a little. "No, I'm not," he said. "I wouldn't ask if I wasn't serious about it. I should have done this years ago. You could have come to New York with me and we could have started a life there together." Noah wrapped his arms completely around her waist now. "But since I didn't do it then, I'm asking you now." He kissed her forehead and then took a step back, reaching into his pocket because he remembered something he had inside. "If I had known this would happen tonight I would have been better prepared, but..." He pulled out his high school class ring, which he knew had been there for the last 6 years since this jacket had been one he'd kept back home. "This will have to do for now." Noah got down on one knee, taking her hand and slipping the ring onto it. "Marry me, Ava Brianne Mellark. I'm asking you right here....right now. Be my wife. Marry me, and make me the happiest man alive."

[ava brianne mellark]

"No, I'm not," He said, and she could see the hurt in his eyes as he said it. Oh fuck, she didn't really have any other coherent thoughts other than that right now. It was almost like the night in the woods all over again, except this time it wasn't intentional, and it was hurting her just as much. But still, she had her reasons for not wanting to get married. It might have worked for her own parents, but the fact that she'd grown up with both of her parents made her a minority on a lot of places. Especially Whispering Woods since there were so many strange deaths and accidents. And that didn't even include divorce. She didn't have any family members apart from her own parents who were still together. One of her aunt's had divorced her husband a couple of years ago, and it hadn't been a quick, easy or painless process.

The kiss on her forehead told her that she hadn't ruined everything... Yet. She knew she'd have to pick her words very carefully as so not to make things any worse between them. She loved him, yes, but marriage? She'd never thought seriously about it before. She'd never imagined herself married. Although she hadn't thought ahead for a while now. She'd never wanted to. So as she tried to think ahead now, it was no surprise that she was having a bit of a hard time. "If I had known this would happen tonight I would have been better prepared, but..." His words made this sound spontaneous, which in Ava's eyes was a good thing. At least he hadn't come to her apartment with this intention. If he had? Well that would've just been cocky. He had a ring though, even if it wasn't an engagement ring. She'd seen this before, since she remembered him getting it. She inhaled deeply as he sunk to the ground, balancing on one knee and taking her left hand in his own. As he slipped the ring onto her finger, she wondered if it would really be so bad if she said yes. She quickly shook the thought from her head. "Marry me, Ava Brianne Mellark. I'm asking you right here....right now. Be my wife. Marry me, and make me the happiest man alive." She had no more time to try and come up with the perfect speech. It was now or never. "Noah, get up."

[/color] She reached out her other hand to him, helping him up. It also meant that it was harder for him to get away from her now that she was holding onto both of his hands. "This is... amazing to say the least, but I- No. Not yet. I mean you just got back to town, and we started this conversation by yelling at each other. It's just... It's too soon."[/color]

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[noah mason scott]

Of course he had to expect this. As she helped him up and explained herself, Noah knew she had a point. After all, this was really sudden but would it have been even more so 6 years ago when they were fresh out of high school with their lives barely even started? Now, at least, they had their lives going a little having college done and out of the way. Careers were still shaky--at least on his end. There was a lot to consider, and he should have been a little smarter about this. So he couldn't get mad at her for saying no. And in fact...he wasn't even the least bit. Oddly enough a sense of relief was sweeping over him but he actually wasn't really liking that feeling. If she'd have said yes, then he didn't know what he would be feeling inside but it would have been so much more worthy than this.

"I understand," he said. "And I'm willing to wait as long as it takes." Noah wasn't going to fuck up this time, and he certainly wasn't going to hide his feelings because that had been his mistake last time and look where it got him. The six most lonely years of his life and for what? Yeah he'd made a few friends along the way and seen some crazy things--it was New York after all. God, he really needed a cigarette right now. He could feel his urge to just reach into his pocket and pull the pack and lighter out right now, but he wasn't going to do it in front of Ava. Noah knew he had to get some more since he was down to about 2 or 3. "I'm not loosing you again." He held the sides of her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, then kissed her lips. He was insane for doing what he did tonight, but he didn't regret it. Living life with regrets was something he was notorious for doing, and everyone at NYU knew that. Starting now...no more.

[ava brianne mellark]

She felt bad for saying 'no', but deep down she knew it was the right decision for her. At the time anyway. Sure, she wanted to get married and spend the rest of her life with him, but they had the rest of their lives to do so. She didn't want to rush things... Not with him, not now. The next two words that came out of his mouth took an invisible weight off of her shoulders. Thank god that he understood because she wasn't sure how else to explain it. With a small relieved sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder, her foreheard in contact with his neck. Right now all she wanted was this. Just her and Noah and no one else. Of course, there was a whole world out there, but that could wait until tomorrow at least.

"I'm not losing you again."

[/i] He told her, kissing her above her brows before moving down to her lips. She kissed him back, glad that her rejection - because let's face it... That's what it was - hadn't changed anything between them. One of her hands went up to hold onto his as it cupped her face. She covered his hand with her own, holding onto it as if he'd disappear if she let go. She didn't want that. They had six whole years to make up for. They stayed like that for a few moments longer before she pulled back slightly, her breathing heavier than before. "Don't go,"[/color] She said quietly before kissing him once again.

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[noah mason scott]

To hear her tell him not to leave was the most amazing phrase he ever heard come out of her mouth. Noah kissed her back, letting every second last. For a brief moment, he pulled away and breathed, "I won't," before pressing his lips back to hers and slid his hands down her back. He wrung his hands in the edges of her shirt. Slowly, he came around to the front but let go and removed her cardigan before going back down to the edges of her shirt and wringing his hands in them again.

He knew that if he had been rejected by NYU that he would have ended up staying in Whispering Woods and went to community college. His experience would not have been as wide as it had been. Noah still never would have been outside of Maine. He would never gotten the opportunity to realize just how much he loved Ava. Wasn't there some old saying that said Distance makes the heart grow fonder or something to that effect? Noah couldn't remember right now because he was so wound up in the current moment. He was here with Ava now. That was all that mattered.

[ava brianne mellark]

Ava's hands made their way to his face, her fingers lightly tracing the lines of his face, as if trying to memorise every little piece of it. She pulled him closer, well she tried to but since they were already so close it was a feat in itself that she managed to do so. The feeling of Noah's hands exploring her body made her shiver in excitement, and she soon found her own hands doing the same, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt as they kissed. She only let go so that the cardigan she was wearing could come off as Noah pushed it down her shoulders, and it landed quietly on the floor. She took that as a cue and didn't hesitate in removing his jacket, letting it land somewhere near her own. 

She wondered if it would have been any different if Noah hadn't left for New York six years ago. Would it have changed what she'd said to him that night in the woods? Maybe... Probably. But would they be where they were now of he hadn't gone? Would she still be viewing him as one of her best friends, or something a lot closer, like she could see him right now? Well who knew? What she did know was that those six years - however long they'd felt - had helped her to sort her head out... Get her feelings straight. So she wasn't yelling now as she had done before. She knew where tonight would probably end up going, and she was almost buzzing in anticipation. Her hands fumbled with the bottom buttons on his shirt, trying to undo them as quickly and smoothly as she could, but her shaking hands didn't make it easy. Still, she didn't care. 

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[noah mason scott]

Noah got that feeling in the pit of his stomach when Ava removed his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt that took him back to their first time. He slid his hands up her body from under her shirt and pushed it over her head and let it drop on the floor behind her. He let his hands slide around her body and play with the button of her jeans, unhooking it and in the same motion unzipped them. Then he wrapped his arms completely around her and started walking backwards to the couch. While still kissing her, he sat down and pulled her with him, then laid down on his back, moving his lips along her jawline down to her neck. Noah never realized just how in love he was until this moment. The first time had just...happened. Completely unexpected and they never knew about each others feelings. This time....it was so different.

As his hands caressed her body, he could feel himself getting weaker, especially at her touch. This was what it truly felt like to be in love. Noah had so many things he wanted to change and redo in his life but this....right now....he wouldn't change a thing. Not even asking her to marry him. Despite her rejection, he knew that one day in the future she would say yes. Nothing was going to break them apart again. He knew that for a fact. Because he wasn't going to allow it. Right now he was happy--the happiest he'd been in six years. Hell, in his life. His first 23 years had been so miserable and full of pain and lies that he wasn't sure how much more he could take. That ended tonight.

[ava brianne mellark]

She shivered in excitement as she felt his hands grazing the skin beneath her top, each touch sparking electric shots that travelled around her entire body. She tried to think of a time where she had ever felt this good, but could only come up blank. She decided soon after that to just stop thinking altogether for the moment, since anything that was on her mind could surely wait until tomorrow morning... At the least. So she thought nothing of her top being pulled over her head and landing - hopefully - somewhere near her cardigan and her fingers worked more efficiently on his top, now undoing the buttons with ease. It didn't take long for him to get her jeans undone either, and by that time Noah's top was falling to the floor along with most of their clothes. His hands tightened around her waist as he made his way over to one of her couches. It was quite impressive seeing as he'd never been here before, but that was one of the last things on her mind. 

Her second random though was how lucky she'd been when she had gone out to buy the couch, since it could fit both of them on there quite comfortably. The perks of having wealthy parents... They'd paid for half of this as an apartment warming present. Why she was thinking of this of all things right now made no sense to her, and she soon pushed the memories out of her head, and instead focusing on the here and now. His lips moved away from her own and travelled down her neck. A now breathless Ava took a couple of deep, but shaky, breathes, trying to calm herself down. She found it funny, the effect that he had on her, his ability to bring out so many of her emotions, so many colours. Her hands travelled up and down his arms, across his chest, where ever she could reach. Whereas before where her hands had been delicate, lightly tracing invisible patterns, now her hands gripped his skin, as if with the knowledge that if she were to let go for even a split second, he would be taken away from her forever. And she wasn't having that. His name escaped from her lips a couple of times before she placed a finger under his chin and pulled his face back to hers. 

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[noah mason scott]

_________________________________________

It was late. It was really late. It had to be at least midnight, maybe later. But all Noah knew was that he was not leaving Ava's tonight. It had been too amazing so far. Despite how it got started, he sure loved where it ended up. This was the second time they'd been together like this and he wouldn't change it for the world. So he laid there on Ava's couch, holding her in his arms, running his fingers up and down her bare back. "You amaze me," he said, wrapping his arms tighter around her. "Everything you do is just...mind blowing. Just one of the many reasons I love you so much." He kissed her forehead and then gently on her lips. "You're so beautiful. And I'm so sorry. About everything. Even today." Everything he'd said that was meant to be hurtful to her, he wished he could take back. That wasn't fair to her. Not at all.

Now that they were together....Noah was horrified. And it was because of the knowledge he'd been carrying around for the last 6 years. Gina. Henry. That night. If Noah confessed to Ava what he knew now....everything would be destroyed. Only by some miracle in an alternate universe would Ava not blow up when he told her. Noah wasn't planning on that any time soon. He hadn't told anyone and it had been 6 years. Why should he tell people now? What was the point? Gina was dead. It was over. And there was no way they could prove it was Henry now. The gun was more than likely lost and Gina's body was just a rotted corpse. What little evidence they could get off of it wouldn't prove anything. I should've come forward sooner, he thought.

[ava brianne mellark]

She was laying lazily on her couch, snuggled up close to Noah with her head resting on his shoulder, where it seemed to just fit. His fingertips were running up and down her back and she relaxed into his hold. She didn't know what time it was, except for the fact that it was late, since it had been gone ten when he'd turned up, and they hadn't exactly rushed things. "You amaze me," He said, breaking the comfortable silence as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. She smiled to herself at his comment, it'd been a while since someone had said something like that to her. "Everything you do is just...mind blowing. Just one of the many reasons I love you so much." Her smile turned into a laugh as he kissed her forehead before moving to her lips. She kissed him back, because she wanted to, her lips brushing softly against hers. "I love you too,"

[/color] She replied, her voice quiet but definitely audiable in the silence of her apartment.

"You're so beautiful. And I'm so sorry. About everything. Even today."[/i] She shuffled around slightly so that she was leaning on one of her elbows, her red hair framing her face messily. "I'm sorry too... For a lot of things. But not about today."[/color] She replied, her smile so warm that it could probably melt an iceberg or two. She definitely was not sorry about the day as a whole, even if she hadn't exactly been prepared for it. Sure, she'd said some pretty bad things when he'd first appeared outside of her apartment, but she'd already apologised for them. What was the use in doing it twice. She moved back to where she'd been laying before, her fingers idly tracing feather light patterns on his chest. "So... Why are you back? Not that I'm not happy that you are, because I am. But you never said..."[/color] She wondered whether now was the best time to ask, but the question had been in her brain from the moment she saw him that evening. Besides, surely they had no walls up anymore to hide behind.

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