AN: For my beautiful bestie on her 17th birthday. This may not be long but I've been working on it for a long time just for you. I hope that this is the best birthday for you ever. I love you!

PS - think of the old rp when you read this - it's not exact but that should help with the timeline!

If You Don't Know Me By Now by Simply Red was on the radio, the lights were dim, and two honey vanilla scented candles (his favorite) burned down to their last bit of wick on the crimson table cloth. In the center of the table was a vase filled with a mixture of red wild flowers her son had brought home from school for her and the single pink daisy she'd found out on the beach that morning.

Mia sipped at her wine, the bottle now only half full, and stood. Dumping her plate of cold pasta down the drain, she flipped on the garbage disposal and glanced down the hall where her son's favorite toy train sat barren. This was her first night without him in over 5 years.

Valentine's Day.

What was this day even supposed to mean anyway? She'd been with Nathan for over 6 years and had never received more than a couple candy hearts and a half-hearted "You know I love you, baby. Next year." And then suddenly next year had become the year after and then the year after that. Every single time she thought she was finally going to get that perfect romantic moment that all her friends gushed about, it was stripped from her.

This year was no different.

She'd made Nathan's favorite pasta with extra marinara, had washed her hair with his favorite sweet-smelling shampoo, lit candles, and picked out the sexiest dress. She had gone above and beyond for him and yet it was 7:43pm and he was 40 minutes late.

Just then her phone started to ring and she hurriedly answered it, worry in her tone. Had he been in some horrible accident? Or maybe it was the baby sitter canceling. "Nate? Baby, where are you?"

He sighed softly and she heard the rustle of his phone against his collar, "I'm sorry, baby but I won't be able to make it home tonight."

"What? But Nate, you promised me that you'd-"

"I know," he interrupted. His voice was laced with guilt and it made Mia's stomach twist painfully. She knew what was coming. "I'm really sorry, babe. Some things have come up-" she could hear someone laughing in the background and the way Nathan's voice rose to cover the sound "and now I have to stay. I probably won't get out of here til late so I'm stay with Lucas tonight, okay? I'll be home in the morning."

Click.

"Nate? Nathan?"

Silence was all Mia heard. The girl tossed her phone and buried her face in her hands. She was beyond tears at this point.

Somehow the disappointment was so much worse when she was expecting it. And when she had those thoughts, she replaced them with guilt of her own. Would their world be better if she'd been honest sooner about her needs? Would she be happy?

Knockknockknock.

Dark brown eyes raised and Mia slowly got to her feet. Excitement welled in the pit of her stomach as she imagined for a moment that it was him. She'd open the door and he would be standing there with her favorite flowers. He'd say "surprise, baby" and give her the softest kiss. And she'd be so overcome with happiness that she would forgive him anything in the world. She opened the front door and frowned in confusion. Her illusions were all shattered.

Well, half shattered.

Standing right there in front of her was a man with her favorite flower (white roses) and a little box of chocolates. It just wasn't the man she had been expecting.

"Ian?"

The blonde's face broke into that rare smile Mia had only seen a few times since meeting him. The first was when he met his twin sister Peyton for the first time. The second was when he was playing with her four year old son during the group's get together on New Years. And now, now that smile was reserved for her.

She couldn't help but smile back despite her sadness, especially when he spoke, "Hey Peyt mentioned she thought you were on your own tonight. I brought an endless supply of chocolate and a beautiful rose for a beautiful girl."

Ian winked and blood rushed to Mia's cheeks. She bit that luscious bottom lip of hers and reached out, taking the flower from his warm hand, "You're such a flatterer."

"Nah," he told her, stepping forward with a friendly smile, "just honest."

If her cheeks hadn't already been pink, Mia was sure she would have exploded into embarrassment. She ducked her head a little and stepped back to give him room, "You wanna come in?"

"Actually, we're going out," he smirked and his twinkling blue eyes were as flirty as ever. He saw her hesitate and he glanced over her shoulder at the two glasses of wine at the table, "…unless you have plans. Sorry, Catalano," he looked apologetic.

For just a moment she thought about letting him walk away. He'd go back to his hotel room for the night. She'd go back to sulking. Nathan would come home in the morning with their son. Everything would be normal again. The same.

Her tiny hand reached out for his and she smiled shyly, "What did you have in mind?"

Well, this wasn't exactly what she'd expected when he told her he was taking her out…

She looked up at the photography studio in complete confusion before her eyes finally fell on the blonde man picking the lock, "I don't get it… and wait, are you breaking in?!" she screeched.

Ian laughed loudly and shushed her, turning the tiny pick he was using. He grinned triumphantly as the door opened and lightly tugged her inside.

Mia continued to look around nervously, her toe kicking at a loose tile on the floor as he flipped the lights on. She sucked in a deep breath as all the shadows disappeared and tears sprang to her dark brown eyes immediately.

All around them were hundreds of pictures. There were images of him, Peyton, Brooke, Chris, Clay, herself, Aaron… and even a few of Nathan. She looked over at him in confusion. The questions she wanted answers to wouldn't even come to her.

The blonde boy leaned back against the counter at the front and nodded as if he knew exactly what she wanted to know, "I bought this place. I've been focusing on my photography lately and I figured if I was gonna be staying around-"

"You're staying?" Mia was so happy she thought her heart would burst. The tiny girl through herself into his arms and hugged him so tightly around the neck.

Ian wasn't like the rest of them – he hadn't grown up here and basically lived his life here. Mia wasn't really from here either, but once you're in a place long enough, it starts to feel like it. He'd been moving from place to place his entire life, living in hotels so that it was easy to move at a moment's notice.

"What made you stay? Peyton?"

Slowly he shook his head, the boy glancing at one of the photos of Mia and Aaron, "I could stay in touch with my sister on the phone if I had to."

"Then why?" she asked softly, almost scared to hear the answer.

"You know why," Ian told her simply. He turned and their eyes met in that captivating gaze she'd been fighting against for weeks.

Swallowing hard, she took a tiny step forward, "No I don't. Say it."

He licked his lips and matched her step for step, "Mia."

"Ian.."

His strong hand raised and he lightly brushed his fingers down her cheek. Swallowing back any fear he had, he focused on the rapid beating of his heart and whispered a soft "you."

Mia knew it was wrong before ever stood on her tiptoes. She knew she'd feel guilty before her arms ever curled around his neck. She knew she'd dump Nathan in a second (maybe all she'd been waiting for this whole time was a way out) before their lips ever touched.

But she did it anyway.

His mouth felt warm against hers and his fingers dancing down her spine left goose bumps in their wake. She gasped against his tongue and her tiny fingers gripped that soft messy hair hard. He lifted her up onto the counter but she knew he wasn't trying to take advantage. He kissed her more deeply and finally their chests started to ache and they were forced to break apart.

Her breaths hit his lips hard and he pressed their foreheads together, never looking away from those gorgeous eyes of hers. Her hand was shaking as she pressed it against his cheek and slowly she shook her head, "Why? Why would you stay for me?"

"Because," he started quietly, "I feel something for you I've never felt before. And because I love your son like he was mine. Because you helped me meet my sister. You gave me a family. And because I lo… I love you." She gasped softly, "I love you and I have never loved another person like this. I want to be with you. And I want to have a family with you. You and Aaron."

"B-but what about Nathan?" she couldn't help herself; she had to ask.

Ian's tongue brushed his bottom lip and he spoke softly, "If you love Nathan, if you want to be with him, I get it. I'll leave and we can forget about all of this. I want you to be happy. But if you love me… if you love me, then let's be together. Nate will always be in your life – he's Aaron's father and I get that, but maybe he's not the one you're meant to be with. I am."

"And you could love my son knowing he's another man's? You would love him like he was yours?"

Baby blues searched her face slowly and after a moment he nodded, "Baby… I already do. Blood doesn't make family. Love does. You are my family."

It would be a full year before they got married. And another year before they'd have another child of their own. Nathan would find love in a very unexpected place and spend the next year stealing the heart of Mia's best friend Rachel. And Aaron, well, he got to have two families. A mommy who loved him and two daddies.

And Mia, she got to spend every single valentine's day with roses and candies and her favorite food and that song she heard when she'd met the love of her life playing on the radio. She got kisses and whispered "I love you" and for once in her life…

She knew that love was real. She knew that she'd gotten her love story, her fairytale…

In real life.