A/N: Hello again all! I know, I know. It's been like, FOREVER, since I updated AKTR, trust me, it's getting there. I've been having a rough time lately and I've just really been blocked writing wise and I couldn't think of anything to write. I hope to get you a new chapter soon, but don't hold out hope just yet (I think).
But anyway, this. I have uploaded this before, but this is a new edited version. I couldn't decide whether to just wipe the other one and put this over it but I chose against that. So, sorry if you read this and are all "why is it up twice?". It's technically not, because there are changes and this is longer. But whatever :')
I hope you like this new and, hopefully, improved version. If you've read the original too, let me know if you think this is better or whatnot?
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own zilch. But thank god JTam doesn't either anymore ;)
It's a hard life for you. Always being in the spotlight. Every move, every word you speak being watched, analysed, publicly announced for everyone to know. You've had no secrets for over a decade. Nothing is private anymore.
It's not like you asked for this. You didn't, you explicitly said you didn't want anything to do with any of this. You never wanted to be this person. You didn't want people to be able to know your every move. Didn't want them to want to know. Marrying Garrett wasn't your choice. Nothing ever was. Your parents are rich, important. You needed to marry someone on the same standing as you or they would've been "shamed", you would've been disowned, simply for wanting to marry someone you love, not someone your parents love. You couldn't handle that. You've always felt like you didn't belong. So you went along with it. To keep your family, you sacrificed your life. And for what? Garrett barely speaks to you anyway, always too busy. You don't even share a bed. Hell, you don't sleep in the same room anymore. He pushes you away time and time again but you've finally learnt to accept it. You used to fight for it, force him to talk because you didn't want to lose it, but now you see no point in forcing anything. He doesn't care, he only married you for your name. You can admit that now. You can admit that your marriage has fallen apart and that there is nothing you can do about it and he certainly won't try.
It leaves you feeling so alone. The emptiness swells in your chest, making you feel like you want to curl up in a corner and just disappear forever. It hurts your heart, to think you gave it all for nothing. It sits in your chest, never wavering, never diminishing, just existing. You just exist.
That is, until she starts working there. Walking in, acting like she owns the place, her lanky, Italian frame oozing confidence in a way you never knew would be possible as she turns and catches your gaze. She stares at you. Time seems stretched as you notice the depth of her eyes and the dazzling quality to her smile. It's hesitant, but kind, and you feel yourself getting lost within it. No, you feel like you're being swallowed in it. Into a place so warm and comfortable and loving that you never want the real world to come back into focus. But it does, as her attention is pulled elsewhere and you feel a longing build at the pit of your stomach, wishing that she would just look at you again.
Even on her first day, she makes you laugh. A real laugh. Loud and full bodied. A laugh you haven't laughed in years. One she brings out of you again and again, like nobody else ever has been able to do. And it fascinates you. She fascinates you, with how she makes you feel. But she saves you. Keeps you hidden when you don't want to be seen, gives you time to yourself. Occasionally, she sneaks you out and takes you for a drive, on a walk through an empty park, window shopping in the dead of night. You never ask her to do it, never call her to get you. She's just there. Ready. Waiting. You ask her once how she always knows when you need her. She just looks at you and smiles. "I can feel it. Deep down. I can hear you calling for me." You smile back, walking on in silence. You come to the realisation that you feel normal again. You aren't being constantly watched anymore. You don't have to hide your pain.
Somewhere along the way, you fall in love with her for it. You, the First Lady, the President's wife, fall in love with your bodyguard. A woman. Not that you've ever had anything against it, but it's a shock to the system. You've only ever been with Garrett. Only ever experienced his "care". This is new, foreign, to you. But you don't care. When you realise this is what you've been feeling for months, that this is what true love feels like, you squeal. A loud, high pitched squeal like a hormone infused teenager. You revel in it. You feel free for once in your adult life. You continue to dance around the room, laughing and being free. When you're finally worn out, you collapse on your bed, just breathing. Then, you hear a chuckle, and your head pops up and there she is. Jane Rizzoli, the love of your life, is leaning against the doorframe, laughing at you and you can't help but join in with her. She lies next to you after a while and you both just stare at your ceiling, catching your breath, grinning like maniacs. You notice her scarred hand, something you tell yourself to ask her about later, laying flat in between you. You reach across and slip your fingers between hers and squeeze, receiving one right back. You both look at each other at the same time, heads rolling inwards. You don't say anything. Neither of you do. She's never needed you to say anything and you don't want to change that now. Her smile widens, larger than you thought humanly possible, before she stands up pulling you with her and into her arms. You stand like that, just looking at each other for what feels like eternity. "I'm getting a divorce." Her face drops. You know what she's thinking, that that means you'll be leaving. That you'll never see her again. So you reach for her face, cupping her cheek against your palm and rub soothing rings with the pad of your thumb. "I'm getting a divorce, because I'm in love with you." And she gives you that same smile, if not brighter, that she gave you the first time you saw her and you know that this was the right thing to do. That she is home and you're not alone anymore.
A/N: And that's it! Hope it's better. Sorry if it's worse :') Thanks for reading! I've missed you guyssss. I'm so sorry!
