November Rain

[TelephotoMarigold]

Story title: November Rain

Type of story: One Shot

Main characters: Aden, Belle,

BTTB rating: G

Genre: romance

Does story include spoilers:

Refers to the Aden/Belle wedding and storyline

Any warnings: No

Summary: It is directly before Aden and Belle's wedding and he has to decide if he can take the time they have left....

November Rain

When I look into your eyes

I can see a love restrained

But darlin' when I hold you

Don't you know I feel the same

Aden Jeffries sat at the table in the house he had shared with Nicole and Roman with the toughest decision of his life to make. He re-read the letter from Roman and sighed. It didn’t make it any easier. In a matter of hours he had to decide whether or not he was going to marry Belle Taylor, knowing now that till death us do part was a hell of a lot shorter than anyone knew.

He sighed and moved to the cupboard pulling out a bottle of Roman’s whisky pouring a small measure in a cut crystal glass. He drank it down and moved through the lounge and up the stairs into the bathroom. Stripping off his clothes he climbed into the shower and let the warm water run down his body.

'Cause nothin' lasts forever

And we both know hearts can change

And it's hard to hold a candle

In the cold November rain

Flashback:

He turned around slowly, the rain streaming down. He was hurting and angry and upset and suddenly she was there. She looked at him a puzzled expression on her face and lowered the phone they were talking into. She tilted her head to one side and gave him the look that melted his heart. His anger came through and he dragged her inside holding her and Rachel and his Dad hostage all the time his heart was telling him something different to his messed up head. He’d tried to commit the ultimate crime, revenge for the pain he suffered everyday but in the end it was Belle Taylor who pulled him back. Belle Taylor who gave him another reason to hope.

End Flashback.

We've been through this such a long long time

Just tryin' to kill the pain

But lovers always come and lovers always go

An no one's really sure who's lettin' go today

Walking away

“Belle you are a drug addict.” He said to her and watched as she begged him for another chance. For a chance to make things ok. That she could give up the pills that she wasn’t an addict after all. Seeing tears streaming down her beautiful face he pulled her into his arms while secretly he was reliving the nightmare of his life. Watching his dad, Larry, drinking himself stupid and always promising to change. That things would somehow be different. That they would get better. And always being let down.

He led Belle to get help, too messed up inside himself to help her and then more pain than he knew existed forced him to let go of her. He did it for the both of them, she needed to be clean for herself and well, he needed her to be strong enough to get herself clean. If she depended on him how would things change? Would each time they rowed be a reason to start using again. He was broken by the choice he made but knew that he’d done it for the right reasons.

If we could take the time

to lay it on the line

I could rest my head

Just knowin' that you were mine

All mine

So if you want to love me

then darlin' don't refrain

Or I'll just end up walkin'

In the cold November rain

He’d felt like he screwed up everything when she came out of rehab. But they had found each other again. It had taken time and patience. There were days when he’d thought she’d never give him that Belle Taylor smile again let alone a kiss from those luscious lips of hers.

They’d moved into the house he’d formally shared with Roman and then they decided on marriage. He’d been ready to propose, getting himself in trouble once more before his beautiful Belle had surprised him with her own proposal. He’d looked into her eyes and they’d kissed, of course, why should they be traditional?

Do you need some time...on your own

Do you need some time...all alone

Everybody needs some time...

on their own

Don't you know you need some time...all alone

He moved out of the shower wrapping a towel around his waist and moving into the room he’d shared with Belle. He collapsed sitting on the bed and looked at his shirt hanging up neatly pressed on the wardrobe door next to his suit. He had time now. Time on his own. And he was all-alone. No one could make this decision for him. He took a shuddering breath and imagined for a second that he could do this. That he could really walk away today. He buried his head in his hands and moaned low under his breath. If he was this alone now how would he manage when it was too late, when time had disappeared on them.

And when your fears subside

And shadows still remain

I know that you can love me

When there's no one left to blame

So never mind the darkness

We still can find a way

'Cause nothin' lasts forever

Even cold November rain

He thought to how it would be. Standing there promising to love and honour for all eternity when reality was mocking them. Knowing that he would have to say goodbye to her was the hardest thing he had ever faced. It was just a question of whether he would do it today or take the time they had left.

Don't ya think that you need somebody

Don't ya think that you need someone

Everybody needs somebody

You're not the only one

You're not the only one

He walked up to them and smiled softly. His eyes searching for her in the crowd, she was easy to spot, not only the most beautiful one there but the only one wearing white.

“I’m sorry I’m late. “ he said to her a trace of his old smirk on his face.

“Aden are you sure?” she asked him, tears in her eyes.

“Babe I’d be a fool not to marry you.” He said to her and their gaze held for a long moment. For eternity.

Comments