A/N: I am so, so sorry that I haven't updated this! I've been super busy, blah blah blah, y'all don't care, you just want the story. Here it is. Usual disclaimer applies! Please Read and Review!

Chapter Three

"And I will take you in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Til the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you"

Ryan closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. It had been a long day…it had been a long couple of days with Greg off in Vegas, and Ryan stuck in Miami, in the apartment, because it wasn't like he could go to work, since his suspension wasn't up until the next day. He was bored, and he was restless. He didn't like not being able to work, or, more accurately, he didn't like not being able to work when Greg wasn't there to keep him otherwise occupied. Thus far, all he done for the last several hours was watching some marathon that Spike TV was showing about some cops or something that was totally unrealistic.

Sighing deeply, Ryan snuggled back further into his chair, feeling himself start to doze off. He knew that he should stay awake, since Greg should be back soon, but he couldn't seem to keep his eyes open as the TV droned on in the background…

The next thing Ryan knew, he felt soft lips on his own, and his mouth curved into a smile. "Hello, beautiful," Greg whispered into his ear as Ryan opened his eyes slowly.

Sitting up, Ryan kept the smile on his face. "Hello to you too," he said, reaching out to wrap an arm around Greg's waist. "Come back over here and kiss me properly." Though Greg instantly obeyed, Ryan felt as if there was something different in Greg's kiss, something hesitant. Ryan pulled back, frowning. "What's wrong?"

Greg looked away, but not as if he were hiding something, more as if he were contemplating something. "I went to Vegas," he started, his voice soft, "and when I first decided to go, I wasn't entirely sure why. I just knew that I needed to get out of Miami, and Vegas was the place that I instinctively turned to. I think because Vegas was my home for so long that it's naturally the place I go to hide when things get tough or when life gets complicated. And things certainly were complicated."

Ryan started to interrupt. "Greg—" he said softly, but Greg shook his head.

"No, let me get this out, because I need to say this. I went to Vegas with every intention of telling my Vegas friends that the wedding was off, that I couldn't go through with it."

Instinctively, Ryan jerked back. "What?" he said, struggling to keep breathing. "What do you mean? You were going to cancel the wedding? Why?"

Greg reached out and took Ryan's hand, squeezing it gently. "Because I saw firsthand what you were sacrificing in order to go through with the wedding. I saw the pain that you were dealing with just to be with me. And I didn't want to put you through that, not if there was another way."

Ryan stood up, abruptly, his face dark, and began pacing like a caged tiger. "You…I…how…"

Greg looked nervous. "Ryan, you need to calm down," he said softly.

"Calm down?" Ryan laughed darkly. "You have no right to tell me to calm down, Greg. In fact, you had no right to do what you did. I mean, God Greg, where the fuck do you get off?"

"What do you mean?" Greg asked, his voice quiet.

"I mean where do you get off deciding what I need or that you're making me sacrifice something?" Ryan shouted, still pacing. "Honestly, sometimes I think that you think you're the only person in this goddamn relationship. You see something happen, and it hurts you, so you decide to cut and run. What about what I want? What about me?"

Now it was Greg's turn to stand, his face white. "I was going to do it for you!" he snapped. "I was going to do it because I saw that you were hurting, and I was tired of being the reason for you to hurt. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was doing this in spite of what I wanted, just for you?"

Ryan pinched the bridge of his nose. "And where do you get off being so noble and self-sacrificing?" he asked tiredly. "For God's sake, Greg, I never asked you to be noble. I don't want you to be noble, not for me, not for anyone."

Frowning, Greg said softly, "I wasn't trying to be purposely noble. I just saw that you were hurting. I'm sorry I took matters into my hands, but I hate seeing you hurt."

"But what you don't understand is how you would have hurt me irreparably had you gone through with what you had planned," Ryan pointed out. "And you hurting me again would have hurt more than anything else." After a long moment, Ryan sat down tiredly on the couch and asked quietly, "Besides, I don't even know what you're talking about. I'm happy, and I'm not hurting. I have you, so everything in my life is perfect."

Greg shook his head violently. "Don't lie to me," he said fiercely. "Don't lie to me because you think you have to pretend everything is fine. It's not fine, Ryan. I was there—I heard what that asshole said to you. So don't tell me everything is perfect."

"What are you even talking about?" Ryan asked exasperatedly. "What who said to me? I seriously don't know what you mean!"

"That asshole Mitchells!" Greg exploded, pacing again. "What he said to you, after you beat his ass. 'Once a cop, always a cop doesn't apply to fags.' You heard him."

Ryan stared at Greg. "Yeah, so?" he asked, his brow furrowed in conclusion.

Greg clenched his teeth. "So, that's a huge deal, Ryan! I know how much you love being a cop, what it means to you to be part of that brotherhood. And I didn't want you to feel like you had to give that up for me. I didn't want you to have to make a choice."

Still staring at Greg, Ryan asked, "Was that what made you almost call off our wedding? Really?" Unexpectedly, Ryan began to laugh, deep belly-laughs that made his entire body shake with humor.

"I don't know what you find so funny," Greg said stiffly, his hands on his hips. "I know that you heard him just as I did."

Ryan was still laughing, to the point where tears were rolling down his cheeks. "You thought…Mitchells…"

"This isn't funny!" Greg insisted, beginning to sound upset. "I'm not backing off of this because you seem to think you can laugh it off. I know this is important to you!"

Wiping the tears from his cheeks, Ryan slowly stopped laughing. "I'm sorry, Greg," he said, though a smile still stretched across his face. "I'm not laughing at you, I swear. It's just…I mean, you really let what Mitchells said get to you? I worked with him back when I was on patrol, and he hated me then just as much as he hates me now. What he said literally went in one ear and out the other. He has no hold over me, no matter what he said."

Greg frowned. "But he said he wasn't the only cop who thought so, that there were other cops who thought that you weren't a cop anymore just because you and I were together."

Ryan sobered slightly. "And I suppose he's right," he said softly to himself. "But that's not the point. Those cops were never ones that I was friends with anyway." When Greg still looked trepid, Ryan held his hand out. "Come here, you stupid man," he said softly.

Taking his hand, Greg joined him on the couch, burying his face in Ryan's shoulder. "I'm sorry I went to Vegas, and I'm sorry I thought about calling off our wedding," Greg said, his voice muffled. Then he sat up. "But at least you understand where I'm coming from. I really don't want you to have to give something up for me, especially not something as important to you as being a cop is."

"I know that," Ryan said, leaning forward so that his forehead rested against Greg's. "But you also need to know that I love you, Gregory Hojem Sanders. I love you with my whole heart and my whole life, and nothing, no amount of friendship or brotherhood lost, would make me change that. Losing you would be like losing my entire life, and nothing could ever be worth that. Nothing. I've made my choice, and it's you." He paused to kiss Greg gently on the lips. "The friends who are true will stick by me through that, and whatever brotherhood I have that is real will withstand this. But most importantly," Ryan reached out and titled Greg's chin up so that Greg was looking into his eyes. "Our love is true, and so very real, and it will withstand whatever sacrifices you or I have to make."

Greg smiled and kissed Ryan back. "The same goes for me," he said softly. "You know that. And I promise in the future I won't do anything this stupid without talking to you about it beforehand."

"Good." Ryan nipped jokingly at Greg's nose. "Because I would hate to have to hide your body." He stood suddenly, offering his hand to Greg. "Now come on."

Though he stood, Greg still raised an eyebrow. "Where are we going, oh lover of mine?"

Ryan pulled him close, hooking his fingers through Greg's belt loops. "Well," he whispered in Greg's ear, "we kind of had a fight today, and since I haven't seen you in two days, I figured it was fine time for some hot make up sex before we have to go back to work."

Greg grinned. "I like that plan," he said, following Ryan to the bedroom, both perfectly happy.