A/N: Hello everyone! I hope that everyone had a great holiday season. :) I apologize for the delay on my long stories, I really was planning and hoping to be almost finished with them both before the end of the year. However, I've been going through a period were I'm really just more in a reading mood than a writing mood. Which sucks, and I'm greatly sorry for all who are waiting patiently for updates. I appreciate all your patience and support. :)

Now, about this post. This is just a short story, drabble if you will, that I thought of last night, while listening to the Backstreet Boys' song "Drowning". Because it's so short, I've just read it through myself instead of sending it to my beta, so please overlook any errors. :) This is meant to be able to be from any point of view that you wish to see it as; I, of course, see it as Emmett's. lol. So, it could be any pairing that you want. :) I might actually use this scene in a story later on, one that I'm already working on, or one that I have yet to write, you just never know. ;) It's not set in stone just yet.

Now lastly, as usual and required, the DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything Twilight related, I just like playing with SM's genius characters. lol. Nor do I own any part of the Backstreet Boys or their song "Drowning". Also, I got the quote for the summery and at the beginning from quotes_x on twitter. :) So... Much love and please ENJOY!

Drowning

"Thinking of you is easy; I do it every day. Missing you is the heartache that never goes away."

She finally opens the door; after what seems hours, but I know is only minutes of knocking. My breath catches as I see her for the first time in months: hair damp, starting to frizz slightly as it air dries; flushed cheeks, possibly from her recent shower or rushing to the door; and plump ruby lips looking like she's been worrying them to death with her teeth.

I can't help the small smile that comes to my face as she stands there in shock at my presence. I watch her reaction and the emotions that cross her face, anxiously waiting for her decision. To let me in or to turn me away, that is her dilemma. After what feels like an eternity passes, she sighs and steps to the side, holding the door wider in silent invitation.

I walk in slowly with my hands stuffed into my pockets, my right holding a small box tightly, knowing that my life and future are riding on everything that I say in this moment.

I wait for her to close the door and lead the way into her living room. I've been here more than enough times to know the way, but I don't want her to think that I'm assuming anything in particular will come from this visit.

Upon reaching the center of the room, she turns to me, crossing her arms across her chest, and releasing another sigh before meeting my gaze tentatively.

"Why are you here? It's," she looks at the clock and turns back to me, "just after midnight."

This is my chance, the moment I've been waiting for the last several months. I close my eyes, trying to gather myself, words, and thoughts so I won't screw this up. However, upon opening them and seeing that hers are still meeting them, I lose all thought and the words, that I'll admit, were well practiced.

"I know you said that we weren't working. And that I shouldn't come back around, or anything. But I just can't." I release a breath and know that for this to come across right, I need to maintain eye contact, but I just can't anymore. The tears are already welling up, and I promised myself I wouldn't let her see just how much I've been dead without her these past months. Clearing my throat, I start again. "When I'm with you, I can finally breathe again. I feel alive, like I have purpose, merely in your presence. The past months without you, the pain wouldn't stop; nothing I tried would ease it. With each passing day it just got stronger and I came to the conclusion that I physically can't be without you.

"I'm so tuned into you that all you have to do is walk into the same room as me and I'm better, the pain finally goes away. But even then, you're all I can see. Everything else is opaque, all sounds that aren't your voice are fuzzy, and my chest feels as if I'm crushed under water. As painful as all that sounds, being away from you is ten times worse because I seriously feel as if I can't breathe or get enough oxygen to function properly. You are my breath, my water, my air, my everything. I can't live without you, I tried for the past three or so months, and it just wasn't working." I take a deep breath, look into her eyes again, move a step closer to her, and bring my hands from my pockets and give her the conclusion to my rambling, the big selling point.

"When I'm with you I'm weak and breathless, but I'm never more alive. And I simply can't imagine a life without you; without your smile, your sparkling eyes, your touch, but most of all, your love. And forever still doesn't seem like it could possibly be long enough for us. And yes, I might be a drifter; crazy, impulsive, and at times reckless, but you're the only person that can ever ground me, save me. Even though I'll forever have the feeling of drowning by spending out all my days with you, that's the only possible way I want to live."

I don't break our eye contact as I let everything I said sink in for a couple minutes. As soon as the silence gets tense and seems to settle for a beat too long, I take another step closer, my hand grasping the box that much tighter.

"I don't know what else I can possibly say." I look down at my feet before looking back to her, only to notice that her gaze has drifted downward too. But instead of our feet, she's looking at my hand, my right hand, more specifically the small blue box in said hand. I try to swallow around the lump that's developed in my throat over these last few brief moments, but to no avail.

She meets my eyes and looks back pointedly at the box before meeting my gaze again and finally speaking for the first time since I first got here. "I can think of something." She whispers and looks to the box again.

I'm not sure if she's really meaning what I think she is, but I take the risk anyway, knowing I have nothing left to lose. Taking the last step to her, I grasp both her hands into my left gently, before sinking down to one knee. I release a shaky breath, open the box looking at what's resting inside before meeting her eyes again.

"When I'm with you, you're all I see and all I take in. I'm not saying it will be easy, that we won't fight, I know that we will. I'm ready for the work it'll take. All that I truly know is that I would rather have those fights with you than to ever be with anyone else. Baby, will you please marry me?"

As the tears run from her bright eyes, making her gorgeous face red and splotchy, she's never been more beautiful in my eyes. And the slow, wide smile spreading across her lips just enhances her beauty that much more. She looks to the ring and back to my eyes nodding twice before breathing a soft 'yes'.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. :)