No Love Like Ours.

Chapter 1.

Ryleigh.

A Hundred days have made me older, since the last time that I saw your pretty face,

A thousand lies have made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same. All the miles that separate, disappear now that I'm dreaming of your face.

The sound of Levi's raspy voice poured through the speakers of my radio. Closing my eyes trying to envision him in front of me singing; despite that it had been nearly a decade since I watched him walk out of our Los Angeles apartment and out of my life. It still hurt like hell when I thought back to those days and … him.

I had tried numerous times to get over Levi, but how did you do that when everywhere you went or every radio you turned on .. There he was?

An exasperated sigh fell from my lips as I flipped over and buried my face in the pillow. Did I regret leaving him in LA? Not really. It had been the right thing to do, I loved him. Probably more than I had ever loved anyone and that hadn't changed in all the years. Maybe he wasn't the same Levi that I remembered, I know that I wasn't the same Ryleigh he used to know. However, my feelings for him have been the one constant in my life.

Giving up on trying to sleep, I had been patrolling most of the night with both Hiram and Orion being in Seattle visiting their sister Jayde. It was obvious that Aiden needed as much help as possible since Avery was still a kid and couldn't do the patrols alone. Luckily, I had the night off so maybe sleep would come better later on.

Kicking the blankets back. (Which I didn't particularly need) and slamming my hand against the radio to shut it off; but as much as I tried, I still couldn't get that day out of my head.

5 Years earlier

Los Angeles was hot as hell and while Levi had been in the studio for the day, I was stuck in the kitchen trying my hardest to copy a recipe that I had found a few days ago. Levi and I hadn't seen each other as much as I had hoped recently and I wanted to do something special for him to show him how proud I was. We both knew that living so far from our home wasn't going to be easy but honestly, it was so much harder than I expected. He was due to leave for his first tour soon and I knew it was only going to get harder and harder.

I was miserable; I didn't have any friends and getting a job was turning out to be a complete nightmare. As the days rolled into each other I was beginning to realize that this was Levi's dream not mine.

It was well after 1am by the time Levi came stumbling through the front door. The food that and surprise I had spent all day planning for him, was now cold and looking a little on the gross side. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he had been out drinking while I was waiting here for him – alone. My eyes rolled in annoyance and I instantly pushed him away as he inched closer to me with his arms wide open.

"You've been out drinking? What happened to our dinner date?"

Stepping back with arms crossed over my chest. He could tell I was pissed and knew better than to try to touch me now.

"Baby I'm so sorry. It completely slipped my mind, I swear I'll make it up to you. Just you and me tomorrow?"

He flashed me that cocky grin that on a normal day would still make my knees weak. But tonight? It wasn't working.

"Where have you been?"

He sighed instantly dropping the act now that he knew damn well it wasn't working for him

Levi didn't answer for a long moment, the guilt he was feeling now completely taken over his features. He knew he couldn't lie to me. I knew him too well after all this time.

"Okay okay, One of my back up dancers invited me to get a drink with them."

I knew going into this I was going to have to learn to share Levi with other girls and not get jealous every time he had beautiful girls hanging all over him. I had to trust that he loved me enough not to do anything to fuck us up. But it was a lot easier said than done. I tried not to let him see how much it hurt.

"Wait … so you ditched /our/ plans to spend time with another girl?"

I couldn't look at him right now; instead of waiting for his answer, I turned and headed to bed leaving him standing there alone.

"Come on baby girl. It wasn't like that. They're going to be on my tour. I just figured it would be better to get things off on a good foot. After all this time, I would like to think that I've made it abundantly clear that you're my /only/ girl."

Dammit. Even when he was drunk he seemed to know just what to say to get out of trouble. Dragging my hands over my face. I couldn't help but let out a sigh. I hated that I felt jealous. Coming from a small town like Neah Bay. Washington everyone already knew that Levi and I were together and to keep their hands to themselves. But now? I felt like I was sharing him with the world.

"I love YOU, Ry. That's never going to change".

It might not change, but was it going to always be enough? Turning around, I gave him a soft smile and nodded as I climbed into bed. I was still mad as hell but now? It was something a little more than that. I realized that this was our life now. Could I just sit around while he made excuses to go out with his new friends? If it was just that .. Why didn't he invite me to join him?

That night I spent most of it tossing and turning. I tried to think of all the possible ways this could work. But they always ended one way; With me heading back to Neah Bay.

By the time morning had rolled in, I realized what had to happen.

I needed to set both of us free. It wasn't fair to Levi that I kept getting jealous of every model and dancer he worked with and it wasn't fair to me. Sitting in an apartment all day, in a city I hated while all I could think about was Levi with a bunch of beautiful girls. Girls that ultimately had a lot more to offer him than what I would ever be able to; it was like there was an invisible rope that was pulling me back home further and further away from Levi.

"Good morning, beautiful. You're up early."

Wiping away the tears with the back of my hand before Levi could even see them. I plastered on a fake smile and spun around. Two aspirins in one hand and coffee in the other to hand to him.

"I couldn't sleep much. It's probably this heat. How's your head?"

Raising a brow with a teasing grin when his only response is a groan. I was slightly taken aback though when he suddenly pulled me down onto his lap; The playful expression disappearing just as quickly.

"Don't lie to me, Ry. I know you better than that. I've been in love with you since I was a kid. What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"

Fuck, I should have known he'd see right through me. Pushing myself off his lap and pulling one of the other chairs out a little closer before I take a seat.

"I love you, Levi. I always have and always will but let's not kid ourselves here. This .."

Motioning towards the room around us before I looked back to him with tear filled eyes.

"Is your dream and you're going to be /so/ amazing at it. The fans are going to adore you. Once the tour starts and your album is dropped you're going to be a Rockstar and so busy. A distraction is not what you need right now. And we both know, me being cooped up here is going to be just that."

Levi's entire body froze. I watched the concern shift to confusion, anger and then hurt.

"Is this about last night? Because you know damn well that nothing happened with Madison, I'm not that stupid to throw what we have away over some trashy blonde, Ryleigh."

Wincing when he used my full name, something he only did when he was pissed off.

"I know that, but there is always going to be a dozen Maddisons, Levi. I can't sit home while you're off touring thinking about the girls who are throwing themselves at you. Not that I blame them, but coming here .. was a mistake"

The moment the words slipped from my mouth I instantly regretted it. My voice immediately dropped. I wanted to run up to him and say I was sorry that this entire conversation was a mistake but I couldn't do that because despite that the absolute last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. I knew that this was bigger than just us fighting over another girl. This wasn't even about Madison anymore. It was more than that. If I truly wanted Levi to be happy (And I did) I knew I needed to let him go. Even if it meant that he hated me for the rest of his life.

"That's not what I meant"

Levi cut me off before I could explain. The pain radiating off every inch of his face.

"You know. Don't even bother. If this .. or us, was such a mistake. You're free to go."

Staring at him in surprise. I couldn't help but feel a little more hurt than I expected. Granted that this was my choice. But he didn't even try to fight for us. Letting go seemed so easy. Stepping back I forced myself to look away from Levi doing my best to hold back the tears.

"I'll pack and be gone before you get back"

All he did was nod before he grabbed his leather jacket. (The one that he wore because he knew how much I loved him in it.) along with his phone and walked out the door and out of my life without as much as a backward glance.