Greenlee felt like her heart was being torn into a different million pieces. Was it just her? Or did she actually feel that Ryan had kissed her and felt something? It was just you silly, she scolded herself. She had been so happy five minutes ago and now here, in Zach's office, she realized that it was just an illusion. A stupid, fake illusion! She could never have Ryan's love, not as long as Kendall was living and breathing in Pine Valley or the world at that. Why limit it to Pine Valley? She should have known better. She should have not allowed herself to hope. She knew that it was wrong -- to hope against hope. When did anything ever go her way? Not where Ryan was concerned. As far as the world was concerned, Ryan was taken. Taken by Kendall and no one could break that especially not her. It had been staring her right in the face but she didn't want to see it -- until now.
She didn't even notice that tears were trickling down her face but as she put her hand on her cheek to see if her skin was as hot as she felt it, her hand dampened and reality came crashing down on her. She was crying. She was crying for something that she would never have. She was crying because she just realized that her marriage to Ryan, no matter how much she loved him was never going to work, because he didn't want her. He didn't want a life with her. He didn't want to be there every morning when she woke up, every night when she went to bed. They both wanted different things. She wanted Ryan and Ryan it seemed wanted Kendall. Kendall wanted Ryan. That was two against one. She came out the loser. Again.
"I never meant to hurt you." She heard Bobby respond, bringing her back to reality and the hurt, the hurt that was threatening to make her chest burst open.
Bobby suddenly jerked Greenlee. Greenlee turned to him and smiled sadly, "I thought he was beginning to love me." She said, almost whispered to herself as her hands went up to her face and sobs silently took possession of her. "Why can't he love me?" she questioned to no one in particular. She couldn't do this anymore. It hurt too much. Every-time she was hurt by Ryan, he took a piece of her heart and she didn't know if this time she could get it back. This one hurt too much – seeing him on that screen on top of Kendall, when he had just kissed her, killed a part of her soul. He had crushed her. Best friends were not supposed to do that to each other. She had trusted him not to cheat on her for as long as they were married. And he had broken that promise. He had lied about not wanting Kendall.
"He doesn't deserve you Greenlee." Bobby said, as he pulled her in for a hug, bringing her once again into the present. Bobby closed his eyes and let her cry. He felt so bad because he had to do this. Did he really have to? Could he be the biggest dick to the one person that was nice to him when he first came to Pine Valley? He needed to do this, he told himself. For Anita – he loved Anita and he was not going to lose her. He would choose Anita over Greenlee any day but it didn't make him feel any better. Greenlee deserved to be happy with Ryan and if he was to judge the kiss that they gave each other in the gazebo he would have to bet that Ryan was pretty much over Kendall. He couldn't swear it, but if his instincts were still good, he knew that Ryan wanted Greenlee. More than he wanted Kendall. Kendall was just so desperate to keep Ryan that she confused herself and everyone in the process. Ryan looked at Greenlee, like he looked at Anita. It hit him then. Ryan loved Greenlee.
Feeling confident about Ryan's love for Greenlee, he said: "Greenlee I really think that Ryan and Kendall are not made for each other. You have struggled so hard to get Ryan to love you. Don't give up." He said, not believing that he was going to have to find another way to pay Kendall the money that he had borrowed from her. But it was the right thing to do. He would come clean with Anita and tell him what he had done and why. She would have to understand. If she didn't then he would be in the doghouse once again but he deserved it. And she would have to forgive him. If he had to beg and plead for the rest of his life, he would find a way for Anita to forgive him. He just wouldn't hurt Greenlee in the process. She was too good a person for that.
"I can't do this anymore." She said, as she pulled away from his embrace and wiped at her eyes. "It's done." She finished, as she took in a deep breath and breathed out. She needed to relax. She needed to get away - away from Ryan, away from Kendall, away from Pine Valley - the sooner the better. She wanted out now.
"Don't let this end your marriage Greenlee." Bobby spoke out as she made her way to the door. "She's not worth it." He reiterated. "Do not let her win. You are stronger than that. You deserve to be happy. Do not let her squash this." Bobby begged. He had just ruined her life and he felt horrible.
"To him she is worth it." She said, as a new onslaught of tears threatened to spill over. "I can't fight this battle alone anymore. I'm exhausted. I have no fight left in me, it's over." She stated, as she turned her back to him and started opening the door. "Thanks for pushing me towards the light."
"Just think about what I said." Was Bobby's final piece of advice. He could not bring himself to tell her the truth. She would hate him and he didn't want to upset her even more. She had enough to deal with already. "Just remember not everything is at it appears Greenlee." "Think about it!" he yelled after her.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ryan screamed as he pulled back from Kendall. "Don't you get it? I love Greenlee. Not you. I want to have children with her. I want the house, the dog, the cat. Everything Kendall, with Greenlee!" He yelled at her, swiping at his mouth. A few minutes ago he had been kissing Greenlee and feeling so many emotions inside of him and now Kendall came and ruined it. The single thought of another woman's lips against his that were not Greenlee's was unfathomable to him now. Not even Kendall's, especially not Kendall's. At that precise moment it hit him like a ton of bricks. Any lingering doubts that he had about his love for Greenlee were gone. He had never been so sure about anything in his life. His love for Greenlee was there, strong, palpitating, and forever. For real – true love.
Kendall laughed out loud as her eyes became bigger. Even after the kiss, he still claimed to love Greenlee. Well she wasn't going to allow it. She wasn't going to give up. Ryan was hers and only hers. She wasn't going to lose him to Greenlee, the person that she hated most in the world. She would not lose him. He was supposed to dance off a cliff with her and still be safe. He loved her. Only her.
"Open the door Kendall." He said, "I'm done with the games, with the lies, with the manipulations. I'm done. I want to live in peace with my wife, whom I love, for the rest of our lives." He reiterated. "What do I have to do to convince you?" he asked, almost desperate.
"No!" Kendall screamed. "You and I are connected. Don't you see Ryan? You can't have me so you settle for Greenlee. But that's not love, that's being content. You want the passion that I can only provide for you." Kendall said, sure that this was the truth. "Greenlee can't make you feel what I make you feel."
Ryan looked at Kendall. He didn't even want to answer her last tirade. It was not worth it. She was right in front of him making a desperate and pathetic attempt to get him to leave Greenlee and he felt nothing. All he felt was sorry for this woman who did not know how to love or how to keep a man. She was poison and he was done with her and happy about it. If she wanted to destroy her life and anyone else's in the process, so be it. He had done his fair share of taking care of Kendall and of loving her but he was done. He wanted the real deal and the real deal was with Greenlee, not with her. It was sad really. After so many years of claiming and actually believing that he could only love Kendall, to come and realize that the one person who could truly make him happy was right in front of him, in the form of his best friend. All the time that he has wasted. He could not get it back but he would cherish all the moments he would have with Greenlee from now on, if she let him.
Instead of saying what he was thinking, he said instead: "If you don't open the door I will call security and get the door unlocked because trust me Kendall, you do not want to see me more mad than I am right now. If I can't get someone here in sixty seconds I will personally kick the door down. I know Greenlee is waiting for me and I am not going to make her wait more than necessary because you have me here against my will!" he screamed. "Open the fucking door!" he said, finally losing it.
"You think you can trust Greenlee?" she spat out as she put her head back and laughed. "Give me a break! Greenlee right now is with somebody that you don't even suspect and she is giving him the time of her life." Kendall actually enjoyed seeing the face of shock in Ryan if it only was for two seconds. She knew him so well. She had made him doubt. He actually looked hurt that Greenlee would be with someone else.
"Shut up!" Ryan screamed. "I am so sick and tired of you trying to tell me that Greenlee is somebody that I shouldn't be with or care about, or even love because she is evil. Look at you. You are a sorry excuse for a woman. You are trying to get me to leave the woman that I am in love with now because you can't let go. The way you tried to get me back was to sleep with my brother. It hurt me, I will confess that much." Ryan said, and continued, before letting Kendall interrupt. "But that hurt transformed me and the one person who has never lied to me. The one person who has always been there for me – the one person who has healed me with her words of comfort and love has my heart now. For good."
"See Ryan!" Kendall screamed, as soon as she saw an opening. "You do love me. If you didn't you wouldn't care who I slept with." She stated, not hearing anything after he said that he confessed that he had hurt her.
"You're not listening to me Kendall. You always choose to listen to what you want to listen. I said it hurt me, past tense. Not anymore. Not anymore, because I have this wonderful, beautiful person next to my side that makes me feel safe, that makes me feel like I'm home, that makes me not want to change who I am because I am not good enough and even though I don't know what Greenlee feels for me, I at this point feel loved. Truly loved." He said, not realizing that he had answered his own question. Greenlee had to be in love with him. It was the only logical explanation.
Suddenly the door opened and Bobby came inside. He didn't care anymore that Kendall was going to be out for blood. Ryan needed to know what had happened. "Ryan, you might want to go and find your wife." He exclaimed, as he almost shooed him off. "She needs you."
At the mention of his wife Ryan turned to Bobby and scrunched his face up questioningly, "Why would you know where my wife is?" he asked. Possessiveness and jealousy seeping right through him right then and there. He never liked this guy but him insinuating that he would know where his wife was and not he; sent a feeling of dread down his spine that he didn't like very much.
"Because they just finished having sex!" Kendall exclaimed, triumphantly, checking herself before she broke out into a wicked laugh. "Didn't you Bobby? That's the news that I was trying to tell you Ryan but you wouldn't listen to me!" She said, feigning hurt for him. "I'm sorry but it's true. Your wifey is just not what you think she is."
Ryan looked at the both of them and shook his head. What was Kendall up to? And why would Bobby be part of it. He didn't know but had a feeling that he was just about to find out. He would never believe that Greenlee would sleep with Bobby not after all they had been through. Besides Greenlee had promised him that she would not cheat on him for as long as they were married and he believed her.
"No Kendall we did not have sex." Bobby exclaimed. "I'm done with this whole plan. I'm done with all the lies and all the deceit. I can't hurt Greenlee the way you want me to." He said, as he looked at Kendall. "I won't do that to the one person who took me in when no one else would. The one person that was nice to me even when my wife would not take me back." Bobby finished, nervously.
Hurt her? What were they talking about? Was Greenlee hurt? "You better start talking man." Ryan found himself saying, as he menacingly approached Bobby. "Is Greenlee hurt?" he questioned, as his blood went cold with worry. She was all right, she had to be all right; he started telling himself inwardly. There was nothing her to worry about.
"Not physically." He said, "But through a video surveillance camera, she happened to see you and Kendall kissing and it just sent her over the edge and she ran out of the room crying." Bobby finished. "I'm sorry Ryan. Kendall paid me to bed Greenlee to hurt you and her in the process and to finish the two of you off. I just couldn't do that to Greenlee. She's too nice and too wonderful"
Ryan felt like he had been punched in the gut. Greenlee saw the kiss and had assumed the worst. Why wouldn't she? Hadn't he already walked out on her once before? Dammit! "Through the video surveillance camera?", he asked out loud. And it dawned on him even before Bobby replied in acknowledgement. "The two of you planned this. The two of you wanted Greenlee to see me kiss you, so she could freak and want to not be with me? Oh my God, how low can the two of you go? I mean Kendall I knew you were desperate but your desperation knows no bounds. You sicken me." He said, as he backed away from her even more. He was never close to her to begin with but at this point being in the same room with her, disgusted him. Appalled him to no end. "And to think that at one point I loved you."
He looked at the both of them with contempt and walked out the door. "I can't deal with either one of you right now but let me just say this. If Greenlee doesn't understand what happened here today, I promise the both of you that there won't be one place under the sky that you can hide. I will find you both and make the both of you pay for what you have done to us. That's a promise." Ryan said, as he pointed his finger to the both of them and slammed the door behind him.
As soon as the door closed behind him, both Bobby and Kendall were out of his mind. He had bigger fish to fry. He needed to find a way to explain to Greenlee that what she saw was not exactly what the screen had portrayed. Thoughts about how he would feel if it was himself seeing Greenlee kiss a guy through a screen flooded him and a newfound panic set in the pit of his stomach. He didn't want to admit it, but just the picture had sent him into a jealous rage, but he had not given Kendall the satisfaction of seeing that. Greenlee had every right to panic and run. God, please don't let her run.
He groaned out loud as he rubbed his face with his hands, never stopping in his quest to get to the reception area. She had to be there, she just had to. He needed to find her fast. Before it was too late.
Greenlee made it into the penthouse and sat down on the sofa, listening to how quiet everything was and crying harder as the minutes went by. She would not face him tonight. She couldn't. She would not give either of them the satisfaction of seeing her cry and hurt. If Ryan wanted to stay with Kendall, then so be it. But she wouldn't stick around to see it. She was leaving town. She had nothing left to give. She had given him her heart and even though it was without him knowing, he had stomped all over it and she wanted nothing more than to just get away from the two people that hurt her. No one should have to go through this.
As soon as that thought took root she went with it and even half smiled. Yep. That was what she would do. She would leave town and make a new life for herself. She picked up a piece of paper and wrote down a few lines for Ryan:
Ry,
Just wanted to let you know that I am setting you free. Please do not feel guilty about wanting to be with Kendall, I understand. She is the love of your life. I had it with Leo and you with Gillian. You found it again and I'm happy for you. Divorce papers will be in route to you soon. I am leaving town.
Please do not look for me. You deserve to be happy and I don't want to hold you back. Thanks for the memories.
Love,
Greens.
This is it! She thought as she headed for the door. She wouldn't take anything with her. What for? She could buy new things. She sighed one last time and made her way to the door. I love you Ryan, she whispered as she closed the door behind her.
Now where would she go? The possibilities were endless but in this frame of mind it really didn't matter where she'd end up. She would not want to leave her bed for months. Depressed city here I come!
Ryan couldn't find Greenlee at the reception and after asking about ten different people if they had seen his wife, one of the waiters finally told him that he had seen her leave out the front door and that she seemed upset.
Greenlee please be at home, he prayed. You need to be at home. I need to get to you before you do anything rash. He understood her. He knew that she was going to be ready, to either do battle with him or to just give up and walk away and right now he would rather face an angry Greenlee, than a Greenlee that didn't want to fight for them anymore. He needed her in his life. There was nobody else that would make him feel like she did, no matter where they were at; they could be at work, in a restaurant, in a hotel room, it didn't matter. She felt like home to him and he reveled in the feeling of it.
He ran to the elevator and ran harder to the door as soon as he reached his floor. His hands fumbled and the keys fell to the floor. He was so nervous. He opened the door and saw that it was dark. "Greenlee!" he screamed out. "Greenlee! Are you home?" Come on Greens, he thought to himself. You can't give up on me now.
When no answer came to him, he started to panic. If she's not here, where could she be? Then he saw it. The piece of paper, right smack in the middle of the coffee table! A feeling of doom started to overtake his body. This note could not be what he thought it was, it couldn't. He slowly picked it up and caressed it. He was afraid to open it but he had to. He slowly began to read it: "Please do not feel guilty about wanting to be with Kendall, I understand. She is the love of your life." And his heart with every word he read broke a little bit more. "You found it again and I'm happy for you. Divorce papers will be in route to you soon. I am leaving town." She had left him. She had actually left him. Divorce papers. What was she talking about? This could not be happening to him. Divorce was out of the question. No way, no how, he wasn't going to allow it.
He sat down in the couch for a second, flabbergasted. What was he to do now? How could he live without her? No. He wouldn't. He grabbed his jacket once again and made his way out the door. He had no clue where she was going but he would find her. He would go to the airport and bribe whoever needed to be bribed so they could tell him what flight she'd be in. He was sure of one thing, she had already bought the ticket. He knew her and when she wanted to get out of a place fast enough, she would. She would never travel by bus or train no matter how fast she wanted to escape. She was in the airport and he would find her.
Hold on sweetie, he muttered. Hold on.
Greenlee walked into the airport and went up to the first available counter. Who cared where she went to, as long as she didn't stay here, "Where to?" asked the attendant, as she looked up at Greenlee. She scrunched her brow for a second and lowered her gaze. This young woman seemed to be preoccupied by something because she was barely holding her tears back. She must have had a fight with her husband, she thought, as she saw the wedding band on her finger.
"The farthest place possible." She answered, as she looked at her in the eyes. "Where's that with your airline?" she questioned.
"Anywhere in the world, ma'am." She said and smiled lightly. "How about Europe?" she stated. People always seemed to want to go to Europe.
"Perfect." She said. "Paris." She would go and remember Leo. Talk to him, ask him to guide her and help her through this time. She was sure that Leo would want her to move on and he would be happy that it would be with his best friend. Leo was always jealous and possessive of her but now that she couldn't touch him and make love to him, she felt all alone and Ryan could be that someone that she could be happy with. Surely Leo would approve. But that's all gone now, she reminded herself. Ryan has made his decision.
"Here's your ticket ma'am." She exclaimed. "You are in luck. This plane is actually boarding as we speak. There wasn't a lot of people on the plane and well it seemed that the sooner you got out of here the better." She stated, not knowing if she was overstepping but not really caring. Mrs. Lavery, as she caught the name on her ID, seemed to be a nice person and if there was anything that she could do to help her, she would.
Greenlee smiled, her first genuine smile. "I really appreciate it." She said. "But the ticket out of here is just the thing that I need right now."
"No problem Mrs. Lavery." She said, as she handed her the ticket. At the mention of her married name, Greenlee froze. And it suddenly hit her, that is who she was. Mrs. Lavery and suddenly she did not know why she was running away from the one person who could and would make her happy if she let it happen. There had to be an explanation as to why Kendall and Ryan were kissing. Of course there was. She needed to get back there. Funny, how her mind raced a mile a minute again but now with thoughts on an explanation. She would let Ryan go if that is what he wanted but he needed to tell her to her face. She would not leave before then. The only way that she would be able to let him go completely is if he told her that he wanted a divorce and he wanted to be with that sack of bones. Ryan told her that he trusted her and she trusted him. What kind of wife would she be if she didn't give him the opportunity to rectify, to explain if that is what he felt he needed to do.
Instead of walking towards the terminal she ran to exit the airport and hailed a cab. She told the driver her address and started calling Ryan on his cell phone. She felt new and revived. Funny how just the mention of her married name sent her into a hurried frenzy. She would not give Kendall the satisfaction of seeing her leave town with her tail between her legs. No. The decision was up to Ryan and if he chose Kendall then so be it but she was not going to give up before time. She had promised Ryan that she would be there for him for as long as she needed him and she would do that. Till the better end, no matter the outcome.
In Ryan's haste to get to the airport he had forgotten his cell phone. When he was driving he reached in his pocket to try and stop Greenlee from getting on a plane and realized that he didn't have his cell phone on. Great! He screamed. Now what? He cursed himself for not getting the car phone that Greenlee had told him to get when she went shopping with him. He had said no because he always had his cell phone on. But after this, he was going to go into the dealership and get one, if not he was trading it in for one that did. Isn't she always right? He thought aloud and smiled. She was his life. He would not let her leave. He would not allow it. How many times had he had that same thought in the last ten minutes? Plenty.
He ran into the airport doors looking for the airline with less people in it. He found it and ran to the lady that was behind the counter. "Hi." He said hurriedly, not letting her get a word in edge wise. "I'm Ryan Lavery and I'm looking for my wife. I just wanted to see if she had come through here." He said, as lines of worry asserted themselves in his face and he looked at the attendant anxiously.
The attendant smiled. So they probably did have a fight. "How did you know to come and ask us first Mr. Lavery?" she questioned. His heart stopped for a second. "So you have seen her?" he asked, hopeful, not answering her question but waiting expectantly for her response.
"Yes" she replied, understanding his anxiousness, or trying to at least. "I'm sorry Mrs. Lavery's plane already left a few minutes ago." She said, as she glanced downward. She didn't want to have to see his look of disappointment.
Ryan's heart sank. He had lost her. He had just realized that he was in love with her and now he had lost her. "Where did she go?" he found himself asking, not really knowing what he could do with that information but wanting it nonetheless.
"Paris." She exclaimed. "I'm sorry." She repeated. She was not supposed to give out information like that but he looked desperate.
To feel close to Leo, he thought. Dammit! Had he really hurt her that bad? Could it be that she was hurt because he had once again betrayed her? Or was it because she was starting to develop feelings for him? He needed to know. "Get me on your next plane." He said, without a doubt. If she needed to get away so soon and so far away, it could be that her feelings for him had intensified as his had.
"I'm sorry sir there are no more flights going out tonight. You will have to wait until tomorrow." Ryan's heart sank for the second time in a span of two minutes at those words. What was he going to do? If he waited that long, she would truly be unreachable. He sighed out loud and nodded to the travel agent. He needed to think and the only place that he could think was at home. He wasn't going to even buy the ticket today.
Greenlee walked into the penthouse and saw Ryan's phone on the coffee table. "Great." She mumbled to herself. "No wonder he didn't pick up my call." She wondered where Ryan could have run off to without his phone. Greenlee knew that he had his phone with him when they went to Miranda's fundraiser. He had to have come home. So he wasn't with Kendall. At least that is what it looked like and that made her feel a little bit better. Maybe she was overreacting to that kiss and Bobby was right, it was all a manipulation of Kendall. That woman was going to be the death of her. No, she would probably end up killing her.
She turned on the lights and smiled. The house had Ryan's presence everywhere. If she closed her eyes she could picture him in front of the liquor cabinet. She could also see him stretching out before sitting on the couch next to her, as he bumped his shoulder against hers purposely. She felt loved by him. She couldn't be entirely off. He felt something for her and it was time that she asked him and confronted this situation. She was not going to tiptoe around her feelings anymore. She couldn't. It would just confuse her more and confuse him. What she felt needed to be said. If he was truly over Kendall then he should have a place in his heart for her.
As thoughts of him flooded her mind, she laid on the couch and covered her eyes with her hand. Funny, how in the beginning when she moved into his place, she thought that she would never get used to the penthouse. She thought that she would miss her furniture, her bed, her things, but oddly enough she didn't. This felt like her home now. Ryan's bed felt like her bed. She couldn't even explain it to herself but the first night that she slept in Ryan's bed she had felt nervous for about five minutes and then she settled in like if she had slept there forever and a day. When Ryan told Jonathan about the truth of their marriage she was devastated to know that Jonathan was going to be so gracious as to give her, her old room back. That was the last thing that she wanted to do but she couldn't complain or say anything because it was not the right time. That first night without Ryan next to her had been torture. If she got two hours sleep, it was a lot. But she had bared it because it seemed that he was content with it.
She grabbed a couch cushion and hugged it to her. She wondered how long Ryan was going to be and where he was at? If he wasn't with Kendall and he wasn't with her, where was he? She closed her eyes and felt herself drained from the day she had. Greenlee could still feel Ryan's lips against hers and she smiled as she gently patted them. He had kissed her so hard and so urgently that her knees had buckled with the first kiss and melted with the second. She was so confused now. Damn Bobby! Damn Kendall! The first thing out of her mouth when she saw Ryan would be what Bobby had told her. No matter what outcome it might bring she had to warn Ryan if he was about to fall for her charms again. She was so exhausted. She was going to close her eyes and rest. Just for a couple of seconds.
Ryan walked out of the elevator and sighed out loud. He had ambivalent feelings about going into the penthouse. He would be reminded of Greenlee at every turn and if she wasn't there to greet him in the evening when he came back from a meeting or from the health-club or in the morning when he got up he was not going to be a happy camper. He hunched his shoulders forward and unlocked the door. He already missed her and it had not been even three hours. The penthouse was going to be so empty.
As he stepped into his home and looked towards the couch, he opened his eyes wide in amazement. It couldn't be. No, he was delusional, dreaming, or just plain crazy. Right there, right in front of him was the most beautiful and the most unexpected sight to greet him. In the sofa, with one hand covering her eyes and the other hugging a cushion to her was his wife. The one woman that had managed to steal his heart in a matter of months – how long had he been in love with her and not known? His memories without her were getting murkier and murkier. All his thoughts now concentrated on this woman before him. He could not deny that he had loved Kendall. It would be a lie to deny it. However, his feelings for Greenlee ran as strong as his feelings for Kendall, if not more. He had always wanted the two of them to get along so they could both be in his life but now that he only had her and Kendall was out of the picture he was fine with it. What did that mean? Had Greenlee always been more important to him than Kendall?
Could Kendall have been right to be jealous of Greens? He didn't know and he didn't care. All he cared about was telling this remarkable woman that he was head over heels in love with her and that if she would have him, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He approached her silently and smiled as he saw her hand over her eyes. The light always bothered her. It was just another thing that he found fascinating about her. She could not even go to sleep if the clock on the nightstand was flashing to the side of her, much less staring straight at her.
He kneeled in front of her and took her in, completely and without qualms. She was so beautiful. She fit in his arms perfectly. He recalled their kiss of earlier that night and he remembered how wonderful it felt to have her in his arms. She was so tiny and fragile. He wanted only to protect her and to keep her safe from everyone. If anyone wanted to harm her, he would fight tooth and nail to prevent it and if someone did hurt her; there would be hell to pay.
She stirred a bit and turned towards him unknowingly. He finally reached out his hand and caressed her hair ever so lightly. She closed the gap between her body and his and reached out for him in her sleep. Once she touched his arm, her other hand automatically came off of her eyes and she tried to focus on him as best she could. She had not realized that she had actually fallen asleep. She had not had the intention of doing that.
Greenlee closed her eyes for a couple more seconds and then opened them again. "Ry." She said, sleepily, as she sat up on the couch. "Where were you?" she questioned, as her thoughts started to make sense once again. Waking up and feeling Ryan's caress on her skin was comforting and it felt nice. Again, things like this were what made her feel loved and cherished by Ryan. This is it; she thought to herself, I've got to know what he feels for me.
"I went looking for you." He exclaimed. "To the airport." He finished as she tried to gauge her reaction.
"Why?" she asked, confused. How would he even know that she left the party unless he asked – and of course he would not ask in front of Kendall. This was all so confusing to her. Either he wanted to be with Kendall or he was finally over her. She wanted to believe that he was over her but why the kiss? Why did he kiss her!!!!!
"Bobby told me what happened Greens." He stated and saw the hurt that overcame Greenlee's face. That hurt, in turn hurt him but at the same time it gave him hope. Hope that she could and did feel something for him. "Why did you leave without looking for me?" he questioned. "Why did you run?"
"You were busy." She said, with a menacing tone. She tried to sound calm but she couldn't. "With Kendall." She finished, sinking the knife deeper. Let him know that she was upset. That she was disappointed in his lack of interest in her. That she was getting tired of playing second fiddle to Kendall. That she had given up so much for him and yet she seemed to get nothing in return but some savvy business deals. Honestly, that wasn't enough for her anymore.
Ryan decided that now was a good a time as any to start being honest about his feelings for her, "Greenlee nothing happened. It was all orchestrated. All of it – by Kendall and by Bobby." He exclaimed and continued not letting her get a word in edgewise. "I know you saw Kendall pull me towards her and kiss me but I swear to you I was telling her that it was over between us." He couldn't tell her right now that he was in love with her. It was not the right time and he wanted to tell her when they were not about to have a fight. But it was so difficult to not blurt it out, to not scream what he felt. This was killing him inside, making him uncomfortable. He had not hidden much from her in the past few months and now that he was, he felt that he needed to tell her as soon as possible because if he didn't it felt like a betrayal to their friendship and possibly a bad start for a potential marriage.
After hearing Ryan, Greenlee nodded her head and jumped out of the couch. She needed to put some distance between them. She gave him her back and looked out the window as she asked him what had been plaguing her mind for the past couple of days: "Do you still love her?" she questioned. She felt herself become stiff and tense, bracing herself for the answer that she didn't quite want to hear but had to because it was time to either let go of him or to be with him forever.
"No." Was Ryan's reply, without hesitation - there was no doubt in his mind but he could tell that Greenlee was not convinced. He didn't blame her but she promised to trust him. At this moment was when he realized that she didn't trust him when it came to Kendall at all. He was hurt by it but also recognized why she wouldn't. Instead of getting upset he tried to explain because of one thing he was sure of: This was the only obstacle in between them, her lack of trust when it came to Kendall and him. Maybe not even lack of trust, but insecurity to be precise.
"Greenlee." He started and continued when she made no move to stop him. "I don't love Kendall anymore." He could not see her reaction but if he knew her like he did, he could swear that at that moment she was rolling her eyes, or close to it.
Greenlee in turn did roll her eyes but made no attempt to move from her space next to the window or to make it easy for him to explain. She just remained still and waited for him to continue. "I know that you don't believe me. When I promised you that I would not go back to her and when I promised to put 100 into our marriage, I let you down. I went back to her and left you at Fusion to fend for yourself. Even though as I left I promised you that I wasn't going to abandon you and that you would have Fusion one way or another. I realize that I left to go to her and I was breaking every promise I had made while we were married. I'm sorry." He said. Hurt more and more by each word that escaped his mouth. But didn't she understand, that was when he started to have feelings for her.
"You left me at Fusion after you told me that you still loved her and that you had to try it one more time. That Kendall was right and that you were just trying to forget her with me and trying to make things right with me because you were hurt at the way things turned out for you two." Greenlee exclaimed. "And I let you go Ryan. I had to because that is where you wanted to be." She finished, as she felt tears gather and did her best to try not to make them drop. She continued: "From a business standpoint I was fine. Don't you see Ryan? I didn't care at that point about keeping Fusion. I cared about you and how much she was going to hurt you."
"Greenlee." Ryan said her name as he tried to approach her. He stopped when he saw her hand shoot up to stop him from getting closer. She turned to him and the sight of her broke his heart. There were tears running down her face and her eyes were pools of anguish and pent up emotion. "I'm sorry." Was all he could muster, he was speechless. He never realized that she had been that hurt by him going back to Kendall.
"Sorry?" Greenlee questioned. "Sorry for what Ryan? For going back to her and then having me comfort you once again because she had messed up yet again? For being right that she wasn't the woman for you and that you were going to regret leaving me for her? Sorry for being there at the hospital with you after this whole altercation unraveled and you not realizing that it wasn't business for me anymore? Sorry for making me fall in love with you and not loving me back? For what are you sorry for Ryan?" she finally finished, not realizing that she had just told him out loud that she was in love with him.
Ryan stood motionless as his own eyes started to water. She loved him. She did. She had just said it and not even realized that she did it. "I love you too Greens." Was what he answered. "I love you too." He repeated, as he rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms for a kiss that he was dying to give her since he had walked in the door.
Greenlee felt herself being pulled towards him and had no time to react. All she was aware of was Ryan hugging her to him as tight as he ever had and his lips on hers. He was holding her face in between his hands not letting her get free. It seemed like he never wanted to stop kissing her. When she felt his tongue slide across her bottom lip for entrance, she complied. A mixture of happiness and wonder seeped into her body yet she felt herself responding to that kiss by pulling him closer to her and snaking her hands around his neck.
After what seemed like hours, Ryan pulled away and kept his hands on her cheeks. "I'm so sorry for being such a coward and not confessing my feelings for you sooner. I just didn't know how you felt and I didn't know how you would react. Besides, today was the day that I had no doubt whatsoever that Kendall was in the past." He stated, as he tried to kiss her one more time, but Greenlee turned her head to the side.
Ryan slightly pulled back as she asked, "Then why did you kiss her?"
"I didn't." he almost screamed, trying to knock some sense into her. "She pulled me towards her. She pretended to not feel so well. She reached out to me and acted like she was about to pass out. As I took her to the couch she pulled me in. I didn't know that you were watching us." He exclaimed. "But if you were watching us you should have seen that I pulled back immediately and started ranting like a rave lunatic at her little game. I didn't want to kiss her Greenlee. I don't ever anymore. Not after sharing that kiss with you in the gazebo. How could I?" he questioned tenderly.
"I didn't get a chance to see you pull away." She exclaimed. "Bobby shut off the screen as soon as you two were in the couch." Greenlee felt life come back into her body. He loved her and it seemed that he was being honest about it. Could this get any better?
"Kendall showed me a picture of you and Bobby in a semi-compromising situation." Ryan said, feeling pangs of jealousy all of a sudden. He had never liked Bobby but now he knew that he would never be able to see him and not remember that picture. Greenlee was his, not anyone else's – by law and now by love.
"What are you talking about? The picture that Kendall was blackmailing Bobby with?" she questioned. "Come on Ry." She smiled. Her first after they had declared their love for one another. "That meant nothing. He was trying to get me to sleep with him because Kendall paid a debt he owed and then she started blackmailing him that she would tell Anita this lie about him if I were not to fall for his charms."
Ryan kissed Greenlee's cheeks as he gently laced his fingers with hers and pulled her towards the couch for them to sit down. "Since when has he been trying?"
"A couple of weeks I guess." She stated and looked at him questioningly as his face became angered.
"And you didn't tell me this? Why?" he asked her, confusion and jealousy fighting for control.
"I didn't think it a big deal. I told him that I was committed to you and that there was no way in hell that things between us would evolve. I told him to go back to his wife. That he was in love with his wife and what he thought he felt for me was wrong." She finished.
"You still should have told me." Ryan said. "I deserved to know that I had some type of competition."
"There is no competition Ryan – none." Greenlee said. "I have been committed to you since our marriage. I have not wanted to be with anyone else. I said yes to your marriage proposal because I wanted to be close to you and I wanted to make sure that you forgot about Kendall. Because that meant that I might have a chance. It was never about Fusion Ry, it was always about you – protecting you from Kendall, loving you from afar. Keeping you happy – that was my goal."
"Being my safe haven?" he stated, knowing now that all along it had been about him and reveling in the fact that he finally had the love of a good woman. Again – Gillian and Leo should be proud of them two. They were missed but with the loss of their significant others, they managed to find each other. This was their reward and he was going to take full advantage of it.
"Being your safe haven." She repeated. "I love you Ryan." She said, tenderly as she climbed onto his lap and kissed his lips, lovingly.
"I love you my green butterfly." He said, as he got up and took him with her. He guided her legs around his waist as she bent down to kiss him once more. They made their way to the bedroom and closed the door behind them.
A new life was waiting in the wings for them -- without outside influences and without Kendall.