a/n: haiiiiii! Okay okay, firstly, you guys are all awesome for still reading this fanfic. Thank you for all the reviews. Makes it so much more fun to write when I know people want to read it. (actually I don't know if it's just one person writing all these reviews or multiple haha) Also, when I say regular updates, I mean like once a week maybe, probably once every two weeks if i'm being realistic. I have to leave the house sometimes! Just follow or fave the story so you get an email when I update :) Aaaanyway...here it is!

A few months passed… Blake was still with Leo, and Ryan was still sending her romantic—and sometimes jealous—messages. It didn't get any easier, for either of them. Blake never replied to any of the messages, but Ryan figured if he just kept going, she'd break eventually. By this point, his hopes were dwindling, as was his sanity. He needed something, soon.

But Blake felt trapped. She knew if she broke up with Leo, she'd have Ryan banging down her door. It wasn't that she didn't want to give Ryan a chance. She did. Things were just difficult because she just didn't want to be associated with his divorce. The last thing she needed attached to her name was 'homewrecker.' Plus, dating Leonardo DiCaprio definitely had its perks: she had just got back from spending the day on Steven Spielberg's yacht in Cannes. Some people might call that 'sleeping your way to the top' but if she's only sleeping with one influential guy, that doesn't count, right? Leslie loved it too. Made her job a hell of a lot more exciting when one of her clients was dating one of the most desired men in Hollywood. It was kind of annoying, actually. Leslie was always telling Blake what to do (who to do). It drove her crazy. She was obsessed with public image to the point where everything she wanted Blake to do was carefully calculated to make her appear a certain way to the public. Blake understood that was her job and essentially what she was paying her for, but sometimes she just wanted to live her life. Her way. When Leslie got too hands-on, Blake would ignore her calls and emails for a few days just to wind her up and freak her out a little bit. It was cruel but oh so amusing. After all, Leslie worked for her, so she could afford to have her fun every once in a while. This week was one of those instances. It isn't often you get to experience Cannes film festival on fancy yachts with world renowned directors, designers and actors. She didn't want to be Leslie's puppet for this one.

Ryan had been unwillingly dragged out of his home by an old friend who he hadn't seen in a while. They wound up at a busy bar in downtown LA and if Ryan was going to get through the night, he needed the drinks to keep coming. He hadn't really had a whole lot of human interaction lately and he needed a little helping hand if he wanted to be good company.

"Dude what have you been up to?! You get a little time off and still got no time for your brother?"

"Nah, it's not that, man. Been wanting to see you, Matt. Just had a lot on my plate. It's good to see you" he said genuinely.

"I get it, I get it… you're an eligible bachelor. No more women holding you back. I don't blame you, play the field while you can, man" his friend laughed and grabbed onto his shoulder.

Yeah, not exactly. "Yeah, exactly," he laughed. "What about you?"

"Still looking, man."

"I know you, and the places you're looking," Ryan laughed. "Not gonna find a keeper like that."

"Coming from the divorcee," Matt joked.

Ryan gave him a stern look. "Dude. Too soon."

"Sorry, I'm sorry," he cracked up laughing, earning himself a punch in the arm. "You think you could get me in with that blonde chick you worked with recently."

"Gonna have to be a little more specific."

"I don't know her name. Green Lantern."

"You'll have to get in line behind Leonardo DiCaprio," he scoffed.

Matt furrowed his brow in suspicion. "Sounds like I'll be behind you too…"

"Nah, man." Ryan took another shot.

"Come on. What's going on?"

"Nothing? We haven't spoken in months." Technically not a lie. One-way emails didn't count as conversation.

"You like her though?"

"What's not to like?" he replied, defending himself by claiming that every other straight guy on the planet would like her too. Again, probably not much of a lie.

Matt shrugged and nodded in agreement. "So that's all you're gonna tell me then?"

"She's a great girl, but she's off the market. That's all there is to tell."

"Whatever you say, man. But if you ask me-"

"I didn't ask you."

"But if you did. Hypothetically. I'd tell you to get off your sorry drunk ass and go get your girl."

"You're the one who brought me to this bar, you dick!" they both laughed then downed a few more drinks until they were sufficiently buzzed. Ryan was right, Matt did drag him out here, so while they were there they were going make the most of it.

Groups of girls approached the pair but even in his drunken state, Ryan knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew picking up a random blonde in a bar wasn't even going to come close to filling that void that Blake left that night when she told him they couldn't be together. Matt, however, didn't have that problem and was single-handedly entertaining any girl who was interested. Ryan wasn't rude to any of them. He was his normal, charming self. But it just wasn't fun for him. He watched Matt across the table and he looked like he was in his element. As Ryan watched, he saw his eighteen-year-old self: carefree and working his baby face and quick wit on as many willing ladies as he could. He had so much confidence back then, and he had so much fun. He never had to worry about the future. About a wife and kids. But now it seems that's all that's left to worry about for him. He makes more money than he has things to spend it on and he couldn't be more content with the success he's had with his job. But he would never forget what Blake told him that first day they met:

"At the end of the day, your marriage is the most important thing. Acting is just a job. You could do fifteen movies a year, but what's it all worth with no one to come home to, and no family to share it with?"

She was right. She was so right, and he was really feeling it first-hand. He wondered how she was so wise beyond her years. Eleven years stood between them in age, but it was almost as if the ages were reversed. He'd taken so much from her in the short period of time he'd known her, and he was sure he couldn't have given her nearly as much back. A wife and kids was all well and good…but Ryan wanted her. It had to be her. It was either going to be a blessing or a curse, but the way he felt right now, he didn't think he could ever be with anyone else.

If only she felt the same.

"Hey man, I'm gonna head out. I have some things to take care of" he said as he got up from the booth.

"Oh, you need me to come with?"

"No, no, I'm good. You guys stay. Enjoy yourselves. Was lovely meeting you ladies. Matt, I'll catch up with you tomorrow." Ryan ducked out as he raised a hand goodbye. He walked the streets for a while, enjoying the warm LA breeze as the traffic shot past him. He liked to get out sometimes and just not think about anything. Just observe. See, listen, smell. Forget. It worked like a band-aid. Fixed the problem temporarily but not the underlying cause. As soon as he was back in his home, everything he was trying to forget came flooding back to him. He reached for his phone to look for a distraction, but it was like every name he saw was 'Blake.' He battled between calling her or not. It was late in LA, but it was the afternoon in France. She'd probably be busy. Instead, he just typed a quick text, but he couldn't send it. It wasn't good enough. He cleared what he had written and put his phone away. He reached for a pen and paper and began writing again. He wrote and wrote, deep into the night, searching for the perfect words to describe what he was feeling. Scribbling and writing and rewriting. Three coffees and six sheets of paper later, he typed her up another email. He hoped that this time, he would earn a response.

From: ryanrreynolds

To: belively

Subject: Save My Heart

I want what I can't have. I wanna make you mine

I don't care what it takes

I'm fearless with my heart. I'll take it any place

I don't care if it breaks

I wanna tell you things I never tell myself

These secrets hurt like hell.

Call me crazy,

Maybe I'm insanely out of my mind, but it'll never phase me

If I have to, I'm not afraid to

Save my heart for you

I'm a rebel even if it's trouble

I'll pull you out from all the rubble

If I have to, I'm not afraid to

Save my heart for you

Tell me I'm wrong

Turn around and run

Still I'm gonna

Save my heart for you

I know you want me too

Even if it's not now

I'm gonna wait it out

But don't you dare forget

That moment that we had

I know we both felt it

I want what I can't have. I gonna make you mine

I don't care what it takes.

Blake was laying out by the pool with Leo when her phone buzzed. The sun was going down in Cannes but the weather was still beautiful and Blake wanted to watch the sunset.

"It's late back home. Who's texting you so late?" Leo pried.

Blake squinted at him in annoyance. "What, I'm not allowed to talk to my friends past a certain hour?"

"I didn't say that… I was just wondering." Leo took his Ray Bans off and propped himself up on his elbow.

Blake opened up her email and her chest immediately felt heavier when she saw who it was from. There was a subject this time... 'Save My Heart.' She didn't want to open it. She wasn't ready for whatever was inside. Part of her wanted to delete it without reading what he wrote, but a bigger part of her needed to know. It was almost like she was waiting for a big enough gesture that would make her give up the act with Leo and fly back home to him. But then again she knew that couldn't realistically happen.

Could it?

She finally opened up the email and started reading. It was a long one. She wondered how long he'd been up writing it. Leo saw her pensive expression and asked what it was.

"Nothing" she managed to choke out as she got up to go and read it elsewhere. She didn't want to have to worry about what she looked like while she was reading it. She owed it to him to at least give his words her full attention. She locked herself in the bathroom, fell back against the door and slid down. She sat there on the bathroom floor and began to read. She could hear his deep, velvet voice speaking it to her and it broke her heart. She'd been on the receiving end of numerous thoughtful gifts but this was easily the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. Penn had written her beautiful songs in the past, but there was something about this situation which made Ryan's gesture so much more powerful. It's a lot easier to share your feelings with somebody who reciprocates, but here Ryan was: a man she hadn't shared more than an on-screen kiss with, halfway across the world from her, repeatedly expressing his feelings for her, only to get knocked back again and again. But he never gave up. As hard as it must have been for him; as painful as it must have been to his ego, he kept trying. "I'm gonna make you mine…I don't care what it takes." That line kept echoing in her mind. The more she read his words, the more she wished it would happen. She wanted so badly for him to just show up at her hotel. She wouldn't care what Leo would think. She wouldn't think twice about running off with him. Blake was falling in love with the love story Ryan was creating all by himself… but she couldn't tell him that. How was she supposed to reply to his email? What do you say in response something like that?

Forty-five minutes must have passed before she left the bathroom. It was dark outside; she missed the sunset, but she didn't care. She walked into the bedroom to see Leo in jeans and a wife beater, putting on an oversized black button-down. Ugh. She hated how he dressed. It was so sloppy and boring. Blake was so passionate about clothes so it was kind of annoying when people around her didn't make an effort. She always said that how a person dresses is an 'expression of self', so maybe Leo was just expressing himself.

"Where have you been? I thought you were getting ready for dinner."

"Sorry, babe. I was on the phone. It was important. I'll get ready now."

"Is everything okay? You look a little…distant."

"Hmm? No, I'm fine, baby." She lied as she kissed him, hoping that would make him lose his train of thought. She pressed another kiss below his jaw, just to make sure before she wandered off to get dressed.

Leslie had been blowing up Blakes phone all afternoon. Blake giggled to herself as she watched her phone light up incessantly. She had been ignoring Leslie for the past four days. She'd let her suffer for a little while longer before she responded to her. Maybe call her tomorrow.

"You're not gonna answer that?" Leo laughed as he saw who was calling her.

"Nah, I like making her sweat a little. She's like an overbearing mother. I'm on vacation. She can wait."

"Damn. Well, fair enough. I get you to myself," he smiled as he snuck over to her and kissed the back of her neck while she did her makeup.

As much as she was getting ready for the night aesthetically, she needed to mentally prepare also. She needed to try and keep Ryan off her mind and have a good time in the moment with Leo. It sounded simple enough but when someone talked as much as Leo did, it was hard not to zone out and think about something else. She only had a few more days to get through in Cannes, so she tried to think of it as just another job. Just a few more nights.

"Jesus Christ, who the hell keeps calling you?" Leo moaned into the pillow.

"Ugh," Blake rolled over to check her phone. "It's Leslie again. Wow."

"Please just answer. This woman is killing me."

Seventeen missed calls. Four text messages. The last one read:

'Blake, this is not a joke. You're going to want to deal with this RIGHT now. Call me ASAP.'

Oh my God. Her stomach dropped. This sounded serious. Crazy thoughts were rushing through her mind. She thought of the worst possible things, but prayed Leslie was just being dramatic this time. After jumping out of bed and pacing around the hotel suite, she finally summoned the courage to call Leslie. The phone rang longer than she knew was even possible. It was like she forgot how to breathe. She was about to break into a full blown panic attack when Leslie answered.

"Blake! What the hell have you been playing at?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. What's going on?"

"Someone has gotten hold of nude pictures of you and posted them online. They're everywhere."

"Oh my God." She felt sick. This had to be a joke. Maybe Leslie was trying to prove a point and teach her a lesson for ignoring her. "How?! Do something, Leslie!"

"Maybe if you would return my calls, we could have done something about this earlier."

Blake's hands were shaking. She couldn't talk anymore. She hung up and dropped the phone on the bed.

"Leo, where's your laptop?...Leo!"

"What?" he mumbled, still face-down in bed.

"This is serious, please! I need your laptop."

"In my backpack by the window."

Blake hurried over, pulled out his MacBook, powered it up and began furiously typing. She didn't have to go very far before she realized this wasn't a joke. All it took was a 'Blake Lively' Google search to be one click away from the images.

'17 Blake Lively Nude Photos You Need To See Right Now'

'Blake Lively Nude Pics *NSFW'

'Blake Lively Naked Selfies Leaked'

She scrolled through the photos but couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her nerves couldn't take it and she suddenly bolted to the bathroom to throw up. She couldn't believe this was happening. This wasn't supposed to happen to her. This was the kind of thing that happened to the Kim Kardashian's of the industry. The very same people who she'd condemned in the past for things like this. What if people thought she did this for publicity? This could ruin her entire career. It could compromise all of her professional relationships. The first individual who came to her mind was Ryan. What would he think of her? Her parents were going to see it. Her brothers, her sisters. Friends. Everyone. The pictures were online for the world to see. She began to sob uncontrollably now. She didn't want to leave the safety of the bathroom and face the reality that stood outside. She knew, realistically, there was nothing she could do to stop this; it was already out there. She could deny it and call the images fake until the cows came home but ultimately they would still be there for everyone to see and make their own minds up about it.

"Dude, have you seen this?!" Matt and Ryan were heading out to grab something to eat when Matt saw the TMZ article with Blake's leaked photos. "Holy shit."

"What is it?" Ryan asked.

"It's Blake, man. Fuckin' naked as the day she was born." Matt's eyes were fixed on his iPhone screen, scrolling through all the photos and saving them one by one.

"What?" Ryan was confused. He figured Matt was looking at new promo pics for a movie or something, but it didn't add up that she'd be naked. That didn't seem like her. He was probably just exaggerating.

"Her freaking nude selfies are online!"

"Come on man," Ryan laughed it off. "Very funny."

"I'm serious, look!" Matt turned his phone towards Ryan to show him but Ryan swatted his phone away once he read the title of the article.

"Put that shit away, man! What is wrong with you? I don't need to see that."

"What's wrong with me? I'm showing you multiple naked photos of a girl you like...You don't wanna see them, and there's something wrong with me?"

"Well they weren't meant for my eyes. Nor yours, or your hand later tonight. Those were obviously private photos that got into the wrong hands and are now for the whole world to see. That's fucked up, man. Don't be a pervert."

"Oh, come on. You really believe this wasn't for publicity? " Matt raised an eyebrow.

"It's not. Blake wouldn't do that. I know her."

Funnily enough, when Ryan was married to Scarlett, the very same thing had happened to her. Someone had hacked into her phone and leaked nude photos that were sent to him while they were away from each other for work. It didn't take her very long to get over it, but he remembered how upset she was at the time and he couldn't stop thinking about Blake and how she must be feeling. Scarlett was always much more sexually expressive than Blake was. Blake was very private and reserved. She was extremely conservative and was always concerned with what people thought of her, and despite her outward appearance and apparent confidence, she had real self-esteem issues. He hated that she had to go through this. Though his last email had not been responded to, that didn't stop him from taking out his phone and sending her a quick message of support. He knew how cruel people could be in times like these and he wanted her to know he was still there. That he still felt the same way about her.

I'll pull you out from all the rubble

If I have to, I'm not afraid to

Save my heart for you.