I knew my words were pitiful, that so much of what I was saying put her on the spot. I didn't mean to make her responsible for everything that I felt, but I had to be truthful. There was very little I could do to change who I was and who I had been; this part of me had existed long before I'd met Noelle.

But she had shown me a new world and a better version of myself. It was self-serving in the extreme but I didn't want to let that go, didn't want to let us go. More than any desire or want, I needed her and needed her love. It was dangerous to have the feelings that I did, I knew it myself, but there was no way to stop.

Noelle's smile is full and watery, and I lift up a hand to wipe away the tears that I've caused, my chest clenching in pain knowing that I made her cry for a second time.

"Jonghyun, why would you think you're the only one with secrets? Why did you think you had to lie to keep me? Don't you know that everything you were changed me, that you eased my pain just as much as I eased yours? Don't you understand that all the love that I gave you, you paid it back to me a thousand-fold. You reminded me that strength wasn't something that I had to gain singlehandedly, that I could borrow it and build it up until I could stand on my own."

Noelle grabbed me into a hug and I went willingly, finally able to breath now that I was back in her embrace. "I didn't save you Jjongie, we saved each other."

"I'm so sorry Noelle, I should've told you everything from the beginning but I was a coward. And when you left I thought-."

"No, that one's on me. I shouldn't have just left you."

But I didn't want to hear her apologies, I only wanted the sweet taste of her lips on mine and the knowledge that things between us would be good again. Now that I could finally live, now that I could have her close to me once again, I never wanted to be separated.

"There's never been a time when I didn't want you with me. There will never be a time when I think I'm better without you. I don't care how far you run away, no matter where you go, I'm going to come after you. No matter how much pain you're in, let me be the one to ease it. I can live without you, but it would be a desolate existence Noelle and the thought of so much loneliness...I don't think I can take it.

"Don't say that anymore, it's not going to happen. You're stuck with me for good now, you might as well get used to it."

Her hand reached up to brush my bangs off my forehead and I leaned into her caress, feeling as if I had gained the world. And in a way I had; Noelle had become my everything, my most valuable treasure. She took my battered self and loved me for it, wanted to love me through my hurt. It was overwhelming to know that someone cared about me enough to look past my shortcomings and see only goodness in my failures.

I couldn't stop my lips from trembling as I kissed her open palm that rested against my cheek, as I pressed them against the pulse at her wrist and as I brought that same hand to rest over my shoulder. I turned Noelle into my embrace and she came willingly because she knew like I knew that even one millimeter of distance between us is too much.

I rubbed my cheek against her soft curls and inhaled the scent of coconut oil and almonds, the familiar aroma one that I had only been able to dream of for the past few days. And somehow our tears turned into soft kisses, and those kisses into tiny bites. And when Noelle's fingers dug into my hair and grasped at the strands until she was able to press me even closer, I knew that the time for confessions was long over. I had been without her for so long that I yearned for her touch, I needed it like an addict needed his next fix.

I kissed my way downto Noelle's chin and then I was at her ear, my teeth gently tugging on her earlobe before following a path along her collarbone. Her gasps were light and breathy, and her hands opened and closed over my arms, her fingers digging into the skin there. She strained against me and I tried find a way for my lungs to keep working, to keep my mind clear enough to pleasure her while she made me lose all thought.

I was in a hurry to be naked, to feel our skin pressed against each other's with no barriers. I pulled my shirt off quickly and in between pulling it up and over my head, I rained kisses on every inch of her that I could get, eager to taste all of her goodness. Her breath shook as I took her nipple into mouth, the dark brown pebble standing at attention as I rolled it gently between my teeth, licked it in time to each of her gasps. It was a powerful feeling knowing that I could evoke this response in her, that I could make her lose control. In some ways she seemed too perfect to be real but she made me just as invincible when I was with her.

I peeled the loose-fitting blouse from her body in stages, making sure to kiss every inch of her I could reach until she was writhing beneath me, the keening noises she made only making me harder. Her jeans and panties came next and I slipped them off of her quickly, wanting to see all of her because from now on every bit of her would belong to me. There was no more hesitation in my thoughts; I wouldn't live without Noelle and I would make sure I kept her for good this time. I spared one thought for the ring hidden in my dresser drawer before I pulled my own skintight jeans from my body.

"Take it all off Jonghyun, I can't wait anymore," she begged me but I didn't want to listen. She was too precious and I had to make sure that I could savor every last inch of her. The only thing in my entire universe was the feel of her in my hands, her delicate whimpers and the smoothness of her skin that I couldn't help but expose inches at a time so that I could temper my own response.

The sofa was nowhere big enough for the two of us to lay down, so I carried Noelle out of my studio and down the hall to my bedroom. Placing her gently on the bed, I smiled when she giggled at the sight of my erection straining against my boxers, the evidence of my arousal too conspicuous. Maybe on another day I would've played with her in kind, run my fingers over her pert breasts and played in the slick wetness that was hidden in her soft folds. But today I was in a hurry to be on her, in her and I didn't have the patience to wait any more. As gently as I could, I touched Noelle's body with all the reverence I felt in my heart, the sounds of her soft moans only causing me to go slower, to give her the most enjoyment she could handle.

I examined my prey as she sighed while I worked my fingers against the slick seam that I longed to be in. Noelle was beautiful as she lost herself inside her own pleasure and if it was possible, it turned me on even more to watch her squeeze her eyes shut as she clamped her thighs against my wrist and snapped her hips up to meet me in time to my hand's thrusts. It wasn't long before she froze, all the muscles in her thighs and stomach tense and quivering, until I felt her contract against my fingers in release.

Spent she lay quiet but I wasn't done with her yet. I turned her until she lay on her stomach, the smooth expanse of her back was explored by my fingers, the soft globes of her ass kneaded by my greedy hands. I kissed my way across the broad space of her, each press of my mouth causing her to flinch until she cried out softly. With her distracted, I divested myself of my underwear and slipped on a condom, the smell of latex sharply familiar.

Noelle lay supine beneath me and I used that to my advantage. Rising up behind her, I pulled her lower body up to mine, and put a hand on her back, pushing her down onto the pillows under her head. Unresistingly she came to me and with a furious push I entered her roughly, my thoughts of taking things slow shot to hell the minute her ass was in front of my dick.

Once she had taken me deep inside, Noelle began a slow rotation of her hips. The undulation she created was steady as a wave pushing against the shore and I felt myself come apart at the seams. Unable to hold back, I grabbed her breasts in my hands and squeezed them in time with my shoves inside her, my own harsh breathing inaudible to my ears. And then there was kissing and touching, soft whispers and harsh sighs that drove us further into the need that we couldn't escape. Noelle raked her fingers across my back and though I knew it should hurt, all I felt was a sharp pleasure. Inside her I felt complete and I knew that I was completing her. Slowly we burned together as our desire fell into madness.

When I was younger I had done nothing but dream of having the kind of relationship that was on TV and in books. A deep, passionate and unshakable love that could weather any and every storm. As I grew older and became more involved in SHINee, I had stopped wanting anything beyond peace; I had stopped expecting and hoping to find that blissful perfection with a woman who would hold half of my heart. But now I had more than I'd imagined, I had someone who belonged to me just as much as I belonged to them. And maybe I would never be perfect but she would make me whole. Love was finally mine and now I had it all; one lifetime would never be enough. As Noelle slept after our lovemaking, I rose from the bed and removed the small box hidden in my dresser. Stealthier than any assassin, I got back into bed and slipped the diamond ring onto my lover's finger. Satisfied by the way it looked, I found my own sleep as I held Noelle close.

A/N: OK! So guys this is the end with the exception of an epilogue, I sincerely loved writing this story and I'm so happy that you all found something worth your time to finish. Definitely make sure to check out my other fics and leave your request for Kpop scenarios on my Kpop Imagines work! Much love, <3