*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much*
Sitting at a table by myself in some hotel event room in Cincinnati during my 10 year high school reunion, Jon didn't even want to come to this thing and I don't blame him at all. Seeing some of the same people that turned their back on me that I used to call friends when Jon got me pregnant isn't sitting well with me now. Their fakeness isn't sitting well with me right now. I'm all of a sudden their best friend again because of my old job with the magazine and because I'm married or as far as they know engaged to a WWE superstar one that they belittled and treated like he was less than human because he didn't have the life luxuries that they had and he was the one that never really cared about going to school now they are on him like flies on shit for autographs and pictures. It's kind of nauseating. These are the same people I would expect to post on the internet that they are best friends with Jon to get WWE tickets or to make friends. Shallow people, I swear and a bunch of fakes being here reminds me of the reason I have avoided coming home for so long. I know Jon can't handle all of this. He had reservations before we even made it into the door and then as soon as we were in here people started lining up to be his best friend when really the only best friend he had in high school was me. I was the only one willing to see beneath his dingy and torn clothes and see beneath his attitude the beautiful man he is and that's why he is the father of my children and my husband. The best part of this reunion was seeing the teacher that set Jon and I up to work together on that English project for The Great Gatsby believe it or not if it wasn't for her we may not be where we are now.
"That was annoying," says Jon as he joins me at the table with a cup of punch for me and some food. "I'm sorry, Baby," he says kissing my cheek softly before he takes a seat next to me.
"I'm sorry," I say as I lean into him as I pick up one of the carrots on my plate. "We shouldn't have come."
Wrapping his arm around my waist he kisses my temple softly. "I'm here because you wanted to be here. You know I will do whatever will make you happy. So I had to sign a few autographs and take a few pictures I still brought my beautiful wife to our 10 year high school reunion right?"
"Right," I say, "I just want to enjoy it with you."
"I know and here I am," he says with a smile as he takes a carrot from my plate. "We have the whole night to enjoy together and besides it's all funny how half these people didn't care about me in high school now they are pretty much worshipping me," he says.
"Yeah," I say with a smile as I look up into his blue eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too," he says with a soft smile before he softly kisses my lips. "So did you see any of your friends here?"
I shrug my shoulders, "Not really," I say. "I lost all my friends when I broke up with Shawn. People hated us together."
He lets out a small chuckle, "now they're obsessed this is great. Some of these people have really let themselves go."
"I know," I say, "especially Shawn what the hell happened to him?"
"Karma," he says with a smile as I lean into him again and start to eat the food he brought me.
"By the way," I whisper into his ear. "You're looking mighty sexy in that tuxedo. I can't wait to get you out of it later."
"Mm, now that's what I'm looking forward to," he says with a smile before he kisses my temple. "I remember you promising me I could do whatever I wanted to you tonight as long as I came here."
"The offer still stands," I say with a smile as I see a girl approaching us. "Ring rat?" I ask him pointing to the girl. She looks like she could be. Her dress falling to the middle of her thigh, her cleavage hanging out, her dark hair pulled off to the side but as she gets closer I realize it was my once best friend Aurora. I'm not sure what happened with her and I but whatever it was I'm sure it had to do with Jon. She was fine for a little and then she pretty much walked out of my life. The last time I saw her she looked at me with pity a look I will never forget.
"Ana," she says happily as she stands in front of me with her arms wide open. She looks like she's been through it like Shawn and sure enough I see him coming toward us as well.
"Aurora," I say standing up and holding my hand out to her. I don't want to hug her. "It's been a long time."
"Yeah," she says, "you and Dean just left out of the blue."
"I went to college," I say as I take a seat next to Jon taking his hand into mine and resting them on the table.
"I heard," she says, "the big magazine writer you must be proud."
"I am but I don't do that anymore."
"Oh really?" she asks as Shawn joins us. "What are you doing here?" she asks him.
"I came to see my friends," he says and I can feel the tension between them. I hear Jon let out a grunt as Shawn takes a seat next to him. "Hey, Dean, how you doing, Man!" he says.
"Hi," says Jon but I can hear it in his voice he's annoyed. I don't blame him. Shawn made high school Hell for him. I stroke his knuckles with my thumb.
"So what's it like in New York City?" asks Aurora.
"It was amazing but I don't live there anymore. We moved to Connecticut a couple months ago."
"I see," she says. "You two made out well for yourselves," she says with a smile. "Dean, I never would have thought you would have become a wrestler."
"Why?" he asks, "because I was a slacker and a father at 17 or because you never really thought much of me?"
"I just never thought you would have become a wrestler."
"Okay," he says.
"So what's it like?" asks Shawn.
"It's a great experience. I'm just happy to be doing something that I love."
"But the money is nice huh?"
"I'm not in it for the money," he says and he has never really been in the business for the money. "I'm in it for the passion. Wrestling saved my life and without it I don't know where I would be right now."
"Oh," he says, "you know a lot of celebrities don't you?"
"I guess," says Jon as he shrugs his shoulders. "Celebrities come to the show all the time but I wouldn't say they are friends. I have met a lot of people but it doesn't mean we're friends."
"And what about you, Ana," says Aurora, "interviewing all those celebrities. Do you ever get into concerts for free and get backstage passes?"
"I have gotten into some good concerts and I usually get backstage passes but that was for interviews. I don't really use my connections to get backstage or whatever."
"Oh," she says with a smile.
"So what have you been up to?" asks Jon. "You two were married before?"
"Yeah but things fell apart," says Aurora as she looks at Shawn with disgust. "Everything was fine and then we lost everything because of the company going under. We couldn't live that way. We were at each other's throats more than anything and it wasn't good for the kids."
"Oh you have kids?" he asks. "How many?"
"3 kids," she says, "9, 7 and 5."
"Girls, boys or what?" I ask.
"Two girls and one boy," she says, "they're a lot of work. I have no idea how you two did it at 17. I was 18 when I had our first daughter. It was hell. I dropped out of college to be a mom. How did you do it?"
"It wasn't easy," I say, "but Natalia was my biggest motivation to get through college plus where I went to school they had a family unit for families to live and she went to daycare for free. I had all the resources that I needed. She went to daycare while I went to class. Studying was hard but I managed to do it for her."
"I commend you for that," she says, "I wish I didn't drop out of college now I'm working in some grocery store barely making enough money to pay bills and this guy is like a child."
"Don't fucking belittle me," says Shawn. "It's not my fault the company went under."
"That may not be your fault but the fact you act like a child is your fault. Grow up and get a real job."
"I like my job," he says.
"Pumping gas," says Aurora. "That's something to be proud of. Ana, you made the right choice even if Dean was a low down scoundrel back then. He turned out to be a pretty good guy."
I would be offended by the comment but it's something I have heard before. "He was a pretty good guy back then too," I say, "which is why 11 years later we're engaged with one daughter and a son on the way. And he wasn't even rich with money just rich in personality. I feel bad that you got strapped with Shawn money can't buy personalities can it?"
"That was harsh," she says.
"It's the truth," I say, "I'm sorry you two have it so rough but you two used to look down on Dean because he wasn't like you because he didn't have the money you had but now you're acting like he is your best friend because he has a little bit of money in his pocket. It's not about money. Life isn't about the money. You two know money can disappear in an instance as it did in your case and you two found out you were married to someone you truly didn't love and now you're not happy. Money doesn't buy happiness it never could. It can hide the disappointment but it doesn't last."
"I'm just trying to be your friend," says Aurora. "I know that I treated you poorly back in high school but do you blame me?"
"I didn't do anything to you back then and neither did Dean. He never once did one thing to hurt anyone in this school and yet every single one of you are on his ass tonight trying to make amends and why? Because he has money and he got out of this God forsaken town. I'm glad we left."
"Okay maybe you didn't," says Aurora, "but you messed up your life."
"I didn't mess up anything," I say, "look at me. I'm happy and in love with a man that I fell in love with in high school."
"You were a slut back then and you're still a slut now," says Aurora. "I read things on the internet. I know about you and your boss."
"Here we go," says Jon. "First of all, lesson to be learned there is everything you read on the internet may be a lie. You can't trust the internet. Second of all, what is it any of your business what Ana has done or hasn't done? Is it ruining your life? You two have been shallow since high school and you're still shallow. Just hearing your questions about celebrities and money just proves our point. You aren't really our friends. You're here to rub elbows with us because we have money. Money isn't everything. Happiness and love is everything. Ana makes me happy and I love her. I have loved her since we were 17 years old. She has made me happy since day 1 and whether we were rich or poor nothing would ever change that. Our money could disappear tomorrow but we would still be happy and still love each other the same. It's time that you two grew up and realize there is more to life than being famous and having money. The sad thing is that in the 10 years we've been out of high school you're still stuck in the past. You're still the same two people you were back then. You didn't grow up at all. Life isn't about the money. I assume your children think that everything has to be about money and have the best clothes in the world? Money can't make you nice people, only you can do that yourself. Just like outside beauty doesn't make you a nice person. Your heart does," he says and it makes me smile. I love my husband. "Try to grow up," he says. "Ana, I'm over this. I'm ready to go."
"Me too," I say as we stand up together.
"You two can be rich and famous," says Aurora, "but you two will always be the trailer trash that had a kid at 17 years old," she says making me turn around.
"And you know what, Aurora that may be true. We may have had a kid at 17 years old but she is happy and she is healthy she is well loved. We are fine. We're good. Unlike you we're happy with our lives famous or not. I'm happy to have Dean and my daughter in my life. I don't care if I was 17 when I became a mom it happens. I'm not ashamed of it. I never have been and I never will be. I have NOTHING to be ashamed of you on the other hand should be ashamed of your personality," I say as I turn back around to walk with Dean. I can't wait to get out of here.
"Does this mean I can't get tickets to the next WWE show?" asks Shawn. Jon and I look at each other and keep walking. We can't walk fast enough to get out of here and of course on our way out people want more pictures so he poses with them for a few pictures before we can finally get back to my dad's house.
"Well," says Dean as we are in my old bedroom at my dad's house later that night after we get back from the reunion. "That was an interesting night."
"I'm sorry I dragged you to that thing. I should have known that none of those people would change."
"Ana, it's fine," he says. "I still had a good time because I was with you. Screw everyone else it was all about you and me in high school anyway. None of those people mattered. They never did."
"I guess," I say as we climb into my old bed together. "I don't want to come back here again."
"Yeah me either," he says, "I have always hated it here. I just keep remembering everything bad that happened here. It happens every time I come back. I hate it. I always think about what I went through as a child and a teenager. I went driving through my old neighborhood today when you were out with your brother and Natalia having lunch."
"How did that go for you?" I ask as I rub my hands on his firm chest.
"It hurt," he says. "Everything came flooding back but then I'm looking around at the place I used to be and thought about the place I am now. We did good for ourselves."
"Yes we did," I say with a smile as he nuzzles at my neck. "But does the money and fame really matter?"
"It never did," he says with a smile. "It was cool seeing Mrs. Regan tonight though."
"Yeah," I say with a smile. "It's funny because without her we wouldn't have all that we have together."
"I know," he says, "I always thought you hated me."
"I didn't hate you. I didn't understand you," I say running my hand through his wild hair. "I saw you as some troublemaker, some bad boy that didn't care about anything but you had me fooled when I sat down and got to talk to you."
"You took care of me," he says with a smile. "Remember you snuck me in here to live when my mom kicked me out?"
"And packing two lunches every day or taking a little extra lunch money so you could eat, I remember," I say with a smile. "I hate this place in so many ways," I say, "but some of the best moments of my life happened here."
"Making Natalia," he says, "for one. Can you believe that we conceived her in this very room?"
"Yeah," I say with a smile. "we were so young. I was scared when I found out I was pregnant. It was like my biggest fear coming true."
"That was irony," he says, "I was scared too. I didn't' think we were going to make it."
"I wasn't sure either," I say. "I wanted to drop out of school at the beginning of it all."
"I told you I was never going to let you do that."
"I know," I say, "I couldn't do it anyway not with Natalia. As much as I love you, I don't want Natalia to go through what we went through."
"Me neither," he says as he rests his hand on my hip. "We grew up really fast."
"You were already grown up when you got with me," I say as I rub his bicep. "You helped me grow up."
"Probably not in the way I should have," he says. "Do you ever wonder why it happened like that?"
"Not really," I say, "I was just always scared that I would get pregnant and sure enough I did. It was tough. I hated giving up on my ballet dream. Maybe I wasn't meant to be a ballerina."
"Maybe not," he says, "but you were a beautiful one."
"Thanks," I say with a smile. "I miss it sometimes and I feel like I'm pushing Natalia into ballet."
"Trust me you're not. She loves it and you know how I know that?"
"How?" I ask.
"Because she has the same look you used to get on your face when you talked about ballet or when you danced. She loves it as much as you did. She wants to be a ballerina and I'm going to do whatever I need to do so that she reaches that dream. I want her to have the best."
"Me too," I say. "Do I really make you happy?"
"Always," he says, "you have always made me happy, Ana. My life with you makes me happy. You were the only one that cared about me."
"How do I make you happy after everything I've done to you? I haven't been the best girlfriend."
"Ana," he says, "we're moving past that. I'm not holding it against you. Yes I still want a paternity test on Oliver but I'm trying to move past that. We all make mistakes. We've been through this."
"It just makes me feel bad that you think the world of me and I go and cheat on you. I wish I could take it back."
"I know," he says as he takes his hand to my face and brushes my cheek with his thumb. "And it's over, Ana, we're in a better place now. We're going to be all right."
"I hope so," I say with a soft smile.
"We will," he says before he kisses my lips softly, "so how do you make me happy huh?"
"Yeah, how do I make you happy better yet what makes you love me?"
He smiles at me softly with nothing but a deep love in his blue eyes making me smile. "You're beautiful," he says, "those beautiful dark brown eyes are the most beautiful things I have seen. You're smart, very smart one of the smartest women that I have ever met not many people go through high school with a 4.0 and continue through college with a 4.0 on a scholarship with a baby either. You're an amazing woman, Anastasia. You make me laugh like no one else does and while I don't let many people in to see me you have seen me at my worst and still love me anyway. You've been my biggest support system and you've been my best friend. You've seen my flaws and love me the same. You're my favorite person to make a person with," he says making me smile. "And I want to make a lot of persons with you. I want to grow old with you and continue to support you in everything. You're different, Ana. I don't think there will ever be anyone like you. And your heart is beautiful. The way you love me is amazing. The way you look at me is just as amazing. I can see you falling in love with me more every day just like every day I fall more in love with you. You're a great mom and you're the strongest woman I know. I love you because you're Anastasia Bennett, well to the world but to me you're Anastasia Ambrose and I love you with everything in me because you're you. You're strong, you're assertive and you're determined yet the softer side of you is so caring and gentle," he says, "that's why I love you."
"Jon," I say with a soft smile. "That was beautiful."
"Thanks," he says, "so why do you love me? I mean I had nothing to offer you 11 years ago so why me? Why do you love me, Ana?"
"Because you're a beautiful man," I say with a smile. "A very beautiful man on the inside, you're sensitive and you're sweet. You're wild and you're mean but damn it you're the sweetest man I ever met. You're sexy and you're hot but there's so much more to you that people don't see. You're an amazing father to Natalia and you're still my favorite person to make a person with and there will be lots of little people I promise," I say with a smile. "And you're determined and you're dedicated. You love stronger than anyone I have ever met and your heart is gold. You're a little rough on the edges but once you get past that you're soft and you're sweet. You save it for me and I love it. And you save it for our daughter and our son. You're an amazing guy and yet you see my flaws and I hurt you but you love me still the same and accept me as I am. You're amazing, Jon and I love you, I love everything about you. You're amazing and I want to spend the rest of my life with you forever and always. I love you," I say with a smile.
"I love you too," he says with a soft smile before he kisses my lips softly as he rolls me over onto my back, holding my hands over my head and interlocking our fingers as his mouth takes control of my body, kissing my neck softly making me moan softly, he nuzzles at it softly mixing in soft kisses and soft nibbles. "Let's go to the lake tomorrow."
"The lake?" I ask.
"The lake that my mom used to take me to when I was little, I want to go there, you, me and Natalia what do you say?"
"I say what about work?" I ask as he looks down at me with those deep blue eyes full of lust and love.
"I say I have a couple more days off and I want to go to the lake. I want to spend time as a family, go fishing, go hiking and all that fun stuff that I used to do when my mom was sober. I feel like I never get to make memories with Natalia and I want to make memories with you two. Let's go to the lake and spend the weekend there."
"Okay," I say with a smile. "We'll go to the lake."
"We'll have some fun if the city girls can handle it."
"I think I can catch a fish and swim in a lake," I say with a smile.
"Don't break a nail," he says teasingly.
"Shut up, Asshole," I say with a smile. "You're lucky I love you."
"I am a pretty lucky bastard to have a hot wife like you," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly as he keeps my arms over my head. I feel his erection growing between his legs. "Do you see what you do to me?" he asks as I feel his hardness on my inner thigh. "There will never be anyone else that affects me like this. I believe that you promised me a night of doing whatever I wanted to you."
"I did," I say with a smile. "You're in charge," I say with a smile. "Take me however you want to," I say with a smile before his lips are on mine and that's just what he did. He took me the way he wanted to from the late night to the early morning making sweet passionate love to me, satisfying me and satisfying himself. I love nights like this and as we reached our final climax together he held me in his arms as I snuggled up to his firm body and drifted off to sleep by the sound of his heart; the heart that belonged to me and has accepted me despite everything I've done wrong.
*A/N: How do you think their high school reunion went? Would you say people were more aware of Dean because he's rich and famous? What did you think of Aurora and Shawn? Have they changed or do you remain the same? What did you think of the comment Aurora made about Dean and Ana being parents at 17? What do you think of Ana and Dean never wanting to go back home again? Do you blame them? Do you feel if all their money disappeared tomorrow they would still love each other and still be happy? What do you think about Dean wanting to take Ana and Natalia to the same lake his mom used to take him when he was younger? Do you think Dean feels guilty since he made the comment that he never gets to make memories with Natalia? Do you think this small trip to the lake will be good for them? Please review and thank-you for reading.