Promises to Keep

And all these days I spend away
I'll make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it's all too much to bear

He was flying home. That one simple thought made him smile and he sighed with relief as the plane's wheels finally touched down. He looked out the window at the clouding sky and the rain that had slowly begun to fall. He had been on the road for weeks, and as the time had passed, he had counted the days, hours, and minutes until he could finally return. Return to her – their home, their bed, their love. He could barely wait to get home and tell her just how much he had missed her, how much he loved her. He left the baggage claim, dragging his suitcase behind him, a small smile forming on his lips as he saw his car waiting for him. As he sat in the vehicle that would take him to his ultimate destination, he smiled, leaning back against the cool leather, and closed his eyes for a moment, his thoughts quickly turning to the love of his life. He thought about her smile, her eyes, her lips. Sighing quietly, he leaned forward slightly and took out his wallet. Flipping it open, he stared at the picture of the two of them taken during the company Christmas party the previous year. He had often looked at that picture during the last couple of weeks and imagined being close to her again. She had looked absolutely beautiful that night in a black strapless dress that had clung to all her curves. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her the entire night, watching as she had chatted and laughed with various groups of people. Eventually, he grew tired of simply watching her and had convinced her to leave the party a bit early, to spend the remainder of the night in the privacy and quiet of their own home. Barely able to keep his hands off her in the car, he had carried her straight to their bedroom where he had made love to her throughout the night. He smiled at the memory, casting one last glance at the picture he held so reverently in his hand before closing his wallet, returning it to his pocket.

His thoughts turned back to the places he had been over the last few weeks: New York, England, Germany. So many places and he hadn't really gotten to see anything. He had gone from his hotel room to the arena and back again. And the entire time, all he could think about was home and the woman he had left behind. The woman he had promised to spend the rest of his days loving and caring for. He had promised. He had promised her, so long ago, that he would always be there…be with her. And he intended to keep that promise – as soon as he could get away from the business. He had promised her that, eventually, he would leave the company, leave the traveling all behind, and make it all up to her. Make up for all the lost time, all the days he spent away from her. He missed her. She was the one woman who was never far from his thoughts, the one person in the world who loved him for him. He needed her. Needed her laughter and her love - sometimes she was the only thing that kept him sane.

He had felt lost for so many years, at least until he met her. She had been a reporter for some entertainment magazine and had been doing an expose on wrestling, on the action that took place both in and out of the ring. She had asked him to have a cup of coffee with her, to sit and talk with her for her article. And he had – until the sun came up the following morning. He had left her then, to go back to his hotel. But even as he lay on his bed, trying to fall asleep, he could still smell her perfume, hear her voice, see her smile, her eyes. He had called her that afternoon and they had once again talked for hours – about their dreams, their hopes for the future. Midnight phone calls and quiet dinners in little corner bistros followed. He had fallen in love with her somewhere along the way and in doing so, had promised her that she would never leave his thoughts, his heart. He had promised.

When he was on the road, he called her every night, no matter how tired or hurt he was. He needed to hear her voice, needed her to know he loved her, that he was thinking of her even when he wasn't home. He needed her to know that she was what got him through the days and the nights and the loneliness of being a professional wrestler. Thoughts of her were what helped him survive until he could once again come home and hold her in his arms. She was the one thing in his life that, since the day they had met, had been constant. Opening his eyes, he looked out the window and noticed the car was slowing down. He was finally home. He would finally be able to tell her, in person, how much he had missed her, how much he loved her.

Getting out of the car, he made his way over to her. He was so happy to see her. He had missed her so much over the past few weeks. I love you baby. I missed you. I'm home now though – at least for a little while. he whispered to her. He softly smiled as he continued to whisper words of love to his girl, the love of his life, the woman he dreamt about, the woman he had raced home to be with. His smile soon faded and a small tear trickled down his cheek as he reached out and gently brushed his hand against the headstone, the piece of cold marble that now marked her grave. He kneeled there for a moment longer, ignoring the rain, whispering words that she could no longer hear. As day finally turned to night, and the rain began to fall harder, he stood up and straightened his tie. He cast one last glance down at her grave before returning to the waiting car to continue the journey to his house. But Dave Bautista had already gone home…home to see the woman he loved.

And when the night falls in around me
I don't think I'll make it through
Ill use your light to guide the way

Cuz all I think about is you…

Disclaimer: The italicized portion is from Three Doors Down, Landing in London. I don't own the lyrics, or anything else.

This little one-shot has been saved on my computer forever and I'm just now getting around to posting it! I hope you all enjoy it. Please read and review.