After getting everything ready and hoping like hell that his plan would work, Jesse went inside to shower. As he prepared himself to follow through with his plan, his thoughts never strayed from Beca. She didn't deserve what Luke had done and the way he spoke to her made Jesse's blood boil. Luke had no idea how to treat a woman. She deserved so much better and if he had his way, he would spend the rest of his life showing her just how special she really is.
The only thing that worried him was if he would be enough to keep her in Louisiana or would she spread her wings and head off for the bright lights of Broadway. And if she did leave, would they be able to survive the separation. He would never stand in the way of her living her dreams, because he knew what they meant to her but he really did love her too much to let her go so easily. He didn't know any other way of life, so going to New York wasn't really an option for him.
He was reminded of a summer day when she was 10 and he was 11. They had been playing in the pasture when it started to rain and they both took off running to escape the lightning. Jesse suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and asked her to marry him. Beca continued to run and very skillfully avoided the question.
"Answer the question." he said as they ran.
"No!"
"No you won't answer or no you won't marry me?
"Jesse, I'm 10 years old and one of these days, I'm gonna be on Broadway. My name will be in lights!"
When lightning struck very close by, Jesse took her hand to run toward the where the lightning struck. "We'll be safe here." he told her.
"Says who?"
"Everyone knows lightening never strikes the same place twice."
"Why would you want to marry me for anyhow?" she finally asked him.
"So I can kiss you anytime I want." And that was the day they shared their first kiss. It was such a sweet moment one he was sure neither of them would ever forget.
Even at 11 years old he knew he wanted to marry Beca and he would do whatever it took to make that happen. Jesse shook his head to bring himself back to the present. With a huge smile on his face and love in his heart, he made his way toward the main house and climbed the tree near her balcony. Sitting on the thick branch, he began to strum his guitar.
Beca had just gotten out of the shower when she heard a guitar from outside her window. She quickly got dressed and ran out onto her balcony. "Jesse?" she said when she saw him sitting on the tree branch. He looked up to acknowledge that he'd heard her but her continued to play, then began singing.
"Oh uh-huh
If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea
I'll sail the world to find you
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see
I'll be the light to guide you
Find out what we're made of
When we are called to help our friends in need"
"He's crazy!"she thought as she smiled and leaned against the banister.
"You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
You'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah
Ooooooh, oooohhh yeah, yeah"
Looking him directly in the eye, she thought, "Just when I thought he couldn't get any sexier he goes and does this!"
"If you're tossin' and you're turnin'
And you just can't fall asleep
I'll sing a song beside you
And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me
Every day I will remind you
Oooh
Find out what we're made of
When we are called to help our friends in need"
He was shocked when she started singing with him. She was singing the song back to him. He knew in that moment that things between them would be ok.
"You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
You'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah
Ooooooh, oooohhh yeah, yeah
You'll always have my shoulder when you cry
I'll never let go, never say goodbye
You know...
You can count on me like 1, 2, 3
I'll be there
And I know when I need it
I can count on you like 4, 3, 2
You'll be there
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah
Ooooooh, oooohhh
You can count on me 'cause I can count on you"
When he was finished playing, he hung his guitar on one of the tree branches and inched his way closer to her balcony. She reached out her hand and said, "C'mere."
Jesse balanced on the branch before stepping over the bannister and onto her balcony. She was so beautiful and the moonlight only accentuated it. She pulled him into an embrace. He felt so good. She stepped back just long enough to look into his eyes. Taking his face into her hands and pulling him closer to her, she kissed him, really kissed him. They had traded sweet little pecks on the mouth or a kiss on the cheek but they hadn't really kissed until this very moment. Beca saw stars and fireworks and anything else girls are supposed to see when they finally kiss 'the one'.
When the finally broke apart because breathing was becoming an issue, all either one of them could say was "WOW!" before looking at each other and giggling. If was like something out of the movies. Jesse continued to shower her with sweet little kisses on her mouth, cheeks and neck. Beca was sure she had never been happier than she was in that very moment.
Jesse took her hand and said, "Come on?"
With her bare feet still firmly planted she said, "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise. Come on!"
"I need shoes."
"You don't need shoes. Come on."
Jesse climbed over the bannister onto the branch and then helped Beca over. They walked the branch like a tight rope then climbed down the tree. When they were both safely on the ground, Jesse crouched down so she could climb on his back. He carried her to his truck and drove out to the open field where the cotton used to grow.
"What are we doing out here?" she asked.
Taking her hand and helping her out of the truck he said, "Come on. I'll show you." They walked around the back of the truck. He had a pallet of blankets, a radio and a cooler in the bed of his old Chevy pickup. "What's this?" she asked.
He opened the tailgate and lifted her into the back. "A little something special for a very special girl." He said toeing off his boots and socks before joining her in the bed of the truck.
"You're so sweet." She said grabbing his face and planting a kiss on his lips.
"Look...right there." he said pointing into the field.
She chuckled. "Lightning bugs; only you."
The truck was in the middle of an open field and the sky was as clear as a piece of the finest crystal, the stars were the only light to be had for miles. They spent the night in the back of the truck looking up at the stars and talking. They drank beer while snacking on pizza and cheese sticks. It was quiet and romantic, and Jesse pulled out all of the stops to make sure she was comfortable the entire time.
When Jesse asked her if she was ready to go back to the house, she said "no" then snuggled into his side and put her head on his chest. A night under a blanket of stars with Jesse was just what she needed. There was no way Luke would ever do anything like this for her. All he wanted was for her to be his perfect trophy wife to drag around to local social event and of course, he wanted sex.
"Beca, you know that I'd never let anything happen to you right?"
Puzzled she leaned up on her elbow and said, "What do you mean?"
"I'll kill Luke before I ever let him put his hands on you like that again."
"I know but let's not talk about Luke. Not now, not tonight."
"Ok..." he said sitting up and scooting to the edge of the tailgate.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing..." he said. Putting his hand out and said, "Dance with me."
"Here?"
"Yes…here."
She smiled her signature smile then took his hand as he pulled her to the tailgate before helping her down and taking her in his arms. He turned the old radio on, it crackled as the song "When You Saying Nothing At All" by Keith Whitley started playing. The song was a mere coincidence but it couldn't have been a more perfect song to dance with her to under the stars if he had picked it himself.
"It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all"
As they swayed in the moonlight, Jesse started singing along with the radio. He made sure she heard and understood every word he sang. He loved her, he had always loved her, but now was not the time to say the words to her. He knew that she shared his feelings and they both did a really good job of saying exactly what they felt without saying the actual words.
"All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Old Mr. Webster could never define
What's being said between your heart and mine"
As they continued to dance she buried her face in the crook of his neck and took in his scent. He smelled of leather, oak with a slight hint of salty sweat. It was a smell that she savored. If she never smelled the sweet smells of lilac and gardenia again it would be fine with her as long as she could always smell him that was all that mattered to her in that very moment.
"The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all"
He held her tight against his body, one hand on the small of her back the other holding her hand to his chest, he prayed, "Lord, please let me be enough for her to stay. Please. It would break my heart if she ever left."
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all"
When the song ended another began and they continued to dance in the moonlight, neither wanting to let go of the moment. There was something about sharing moments under the stars with that special someone that put everything into perspective.
After dancing they laid back down into the bed of the truck. As she snuggled into his side, she mumbled, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For this, for tonight and for just being you." she said.
"I'd do anything for you...anything at all." he said as he kissed her softly.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" she said as she started to drift off. Falling asleep in Jesse's arms was quickly becoming her new favorite thing. She couldn't imagine ever feeling this way with Luke.
A/N: The flashback that Jesse had to their childhood is actually the opening scene (Melanie's dream) from the movie 'Sweet Home Alabama'. I did change it slightly to fit this story. Since Beca and Jesse have known each other their entire lives I thought it would be cute to add that scene.