Reagan had been standing outside of Austin's apartment for the past hour, trying to get the courage to knock on the door. She got quite the surprise when his door opened without any prompting from her.

Austin look surprised for a moment,"What are you doing out here, Red?" He seemed curious and suspicious, "Better question, how long have you been standing out here?"

She cleared her throat, "Like an hour." There was no reason to lie. Reagan had come to lay herself bare before him and hope that he wanted to listen to anything she had to say after what had happened the last time they had seen each other.

"That's some commitment." He remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Reagan swallowed back her nerves, "What can I say? I wanted to talk to you"

"So you resorted to stalking?"

"I tried other ways to get a hold of you but you wouldn't answer any of my calls or texts." Reagan remarked, twisting her fingers together as she rocked back on her heels. This was the most uncomfortable situation to be in but she had to know if he still felt the same for her.

He leaned his shoulder into the door, "I know. I've been busy."

"You're a terrible liar." She replied. In all the time she had known Austin he had never lied to her, even if what he thought was repulsive to her. Reagan sucked in a slow breath when he didn't respond, "Look I get why you didn't want to talk to me. I was a big idiot."

She paused, giving him a chance to say anything, "Please go on. I'm enjoying this. You are a big idiot..." He waved his hand for her to pick up where she had left off.

Reagan bit into her cheek, she had expected some hostility from him, "Alright. I should have noticed sooner the way you were treating me was more than a friend. If I'm being honest it's because I didn't want to see." He held her gaze, listening intently to what she was saying to him.

"I needed a friend. I needed you to be exactly where you were so that I could have time to grow and heal on my own, without getting lost in someone else, again." She was being completely vulnerable with him. She could feel herself trembling as continued to share and Austin only continued to watch her silently. It was like she was standing in front of him completely naked and he could see all the good and bad parts of herself.

In truth, he had seen Reagan at her worst. That was how they had met, and he had fallen for that girl and all her unpretty parts. Perhaps that had been the case for both of them. He had shown her his worst self too, and yet, she had come to him, wanting to know more.

"I love you, Austin. I might have taken me a second to realize it but once I did...All I could think about was you, and how I wanted to spend every day with you. Hanging out in your apartment, watching stupid movies or talking about Casey or cuddling in your bed listening to your heartbeat." The words were tumbling from her mouth now like an open tap, "I just know that I love you, and I am sorry it took me so long to realize it."

His lips twitched upward in a slow grin, "You kept me waiting long enough. I love you. I don't know why I do? But damn it, I do. I love you, Reagan Parker. Even if you are a big idiot."

She found happy tears welling up in her eyes, "Say that again."

Austin lifted a brow, "That you kept me waiting?"

"No, the other part."

"That you're a big idiot?" She glared at him, knowing that he was teasing her on purpose. He chuckled softly as he pushed away from the door, reaching out and taking her face in his hands. The feeling of his thumbs, wiping away the tears that had fallen free, "I love you, Reagan Parker."

His lips molded to hers in a sweet kiss that took her breath away. This was what she had been looking for, this thing that was between her and Austin. Only she had been looking in all the wrong places and in all the wrong people. If she had just slowed down and taken more time she would have noticed that she already was complete on her own.

She didn't need Austin. She knew she would be okay on her own because he had helped her find that place in herself.

No, she didn't need him, but she wanted him. Oh, God did she want him. Reagan wanted to love him for as long as she was able and that's exactly what she planned to do.