It's been a long time since I've written...
Author: softbalprincess
Title: Too Much
Rating: G
Pairing: Mark/Sabrina
Summary: Highly angsty reflection; Emily walks in on Mark and a bunch of old pictures.
Disclaimer: DWTS, Mark Ballas, Emily Grace, BHB, Sabrina Bryan, etc. are not mine. I'm just having fun with them in imaginary land.
Comments: I've been watching a lot of Sabrina/Mark & Mark/Joanna vids and the like lately and this is what came of it! I hope you enjoy it! Warning:it's angsty!
She was too much for him - that’s what Emily had told him the day she walked into his room and his floor was covered in old photographs of them.
He was sitting on his bed strumming chords on Sabrina - one of his acoustic guitars - lost in his own thoughts. He hadn’t heard the knock on his door or the turning of the knob, so he was quite startled to look up and see Emily standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging wide open.
They just stared at each other for a moment; Emily was too shocked for words and Mark didn’t even know how to begin explaining himself.
“Do I need to be searching for a noose under your bed or something?” Emily finally broke the silence and they both laughed. She hopped over the pictures and onto the bed, situating herself leaning against Mark’s headboard. Mark remained at the foot of the bed with his back to her. “Would you like to talk about it?” she simply asked.
Another moment of silence passed before Mark let out a heavy sigh. He turned to face her before starting.
“I’m happy with Joanna, Em, I really am. She’s great for me and we just have so much in common musically - I’m lucky to have found her.” He paused to take a breath before continuing. “But then I see something or hear a song or go somewhere and all I can think about is…her.” His eyes flashed with a hint of sadness; he couldn’t even say her name.
He looked down for a long while before starting again.
“When she walked into a room, I wasn’t even aware of anybody else. Her smile could make any day better and her laugh…well all I can say is that my goal was to hear that laugh at least once a day. It was like medicine making all the bad stuff go away.” Mark finally raised his head and looked at Emily with a huge grin as he continued. “You know that feeling you get when you’re like 10 and you have a huge crush on someone and as you get older how that feeling kinda diminishes even if you are interested in someone? Those 10 year-old fuzzies hit me again with her. Every time we touched, every time our eyes would catch the other’s, every time we kissed…” Mark reflectively shut his eyes. “Her beauty was just so unique and the intensity of the passion between us just exploded. If we were deemed ‘hot’ on the dance floor, we were scorching well…you know.”
He fell silent again. Emily started to become concerned. “Mark?....”
“I don’t even remember why we broke up anymore. I mean I’m happy with Joanna but I listened to ‘Model in the Making’ and I start to miss her and I can’t remember. Why did we break up? So I pull out the box, the one I stored every photo of us in, to search for a reason - a look of unhappiness, a glimmer of jealousy, an expression of annoyance - any reason that may explain it to me. But not one gave me my answer Em! We’re happily and hopelessly in love in every single damn picture!” Mark slammed his fist into the mattress angrily before realizing he may have said too much. “I’m sorry…” he began to say before Emily cut him off.
“She was too much for you, Mark.” He stared at her puzzled, so she continued to explain. “You were new here; it was your first season of Dancing with the Stars and you were fighting to make a name for yourself. Although she may not have been the biggest name in the world, she still had a name and a fan base. She was an established star and therefore was the center of attention. It’s undeniable that there was an incredible chemistry between you from the start - we could hear it in your voice over the phone when you told us about your new partner and then I’m pretty sure the entire English speaking world saw it from the first week the show aired. In a natural situation, chemistry like that would have time to unfold and naturally evolve, but because of your circumstances you have no choice but to push it faster and more intensely because you had to spend practically every waking moment together. Then your time on the show ended and you were the subjects of a media frenzy - you became the “are they, aren’t they?” pro and celebrity and I think that excitement just added to your feelings for the other. Then you went on tour together, practically living together on buses for 2 months fueled your emotion train even more - it had no choice but to keep chugging on. When she left for India, it was the first time in 6 months you had to be an individual again.” Emily paused to make sure Mark was okay taking what she was saying in. “Your world had to stop revolving around her because she wasn’t around for that to be possible. You started focusing on your love of music again more than ever, and after awhile you started training with Kristi.”
“When she came home, things had changed.” Mark picked up where Emily trailed off. He said each sentence slowly, as if it were all happening to him for the first time. “She was focused on Cheetah Girls work while all my efforts were with Kristi. The only thing that hadn’t changed was how passionately we cared for,” he paused to let out a deep breath as if to brace himself for his next phrase, “and how intensely we loved each other.”
“You tried to make it work…” Emily began.
“…but it was time for me to become my own name and it was all just…” Mark trailed off.
“…too much for you.” Emily completed quietly.
Mark put down his guitar, leaned over the bed, and began gathering his photos up. “Thanks for listening Em,” he offered weakly.
Emily scooted closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder, stilling him with his back turned to her.
“Your love was…is…real, Mark. It’s okay to have memories and remember your time together. Your tale is truly a love story to be envious of. Some people say you only get one love like that in life so it’s natural for you to miss her. But right now, at this point in your lives, it doesn’t work for either of you. I know you’re happy with Joanna; you don’t have to try to convince me of that. So continue to be happy with her for now until life prompts you both otherwise. Time will point you all in the right direction and I know one day you will be with your true love…” she paused and took a hesitant breath, “again,” she finished. Emily paced a quick kiss on Mark’s cheek before sliding off the bed and out the door.
Mark picked up the last photo off the ground as a small tear escaped his eye. They were wearing their similar argyle sweaters wrapped in each other’s arms. She was planting a wet, sloppy kiss on his chin, her eyes doing all the smiling as her mouth was occupied, and he was making a funny expression pursing his lips out and scrunching his nose. Now his eyes fell on her and scanned every dynamic feather about her. He raised his index and middle fingers to trace her face lightly.
“My beautiful Sabrina,” he whispered the words so lovingly as he had many times before.
He placed all the photographs back into the shoebox and carried them into his closet. He shut the door and exited his room, leaving buried in the back a box containing not only pictures, but a box containing feelings and memories of a love that needed to be let go of…for now.
Title: Too Much
Rating: G
Pairing: Mark/Sabrina
Summary: Highly angsty reflection; Emily walks in on Mark and a bunch of old pictures.
Disclaimer: DWTS, Mark Ballas, Emily Grace, BHB, Sabrina Bryan, etc. are not mine. I'm just having fun with them in imaginary land.
Comments: I've been watching a lot of Sabrina/Mark & Mark/Joanna vids and the like lately and this is what came of it! I hope you enjoy it! Warning:it's angsty!
She was too much for him - that’s what Emily had told him the day she walked into his room and his floor was covered in old photographs of them.
He was sitting on his bed strumming chords on Sabrina - one of his acoustic guitars - lost in his own thoughts. He hadn’t heard the knock on his door or the turning of the knob, so he was quite startled to look up and see Emily standing in the doorway with her mouth hanging wide open.
They just stared at each other for a moment; Emily was too shocked for words and Mark didn’t even know how to begin explaining himself.
“Do I need to be searching for a noose under your bed or something?” Emily finally broke the silence and they both laughed. She hopped over the pictures and onto the bed, situating herself leaning against Mark’s headboard. Mark remained at the foot of the bed with his back to her. “Would you like to talk about it?” she simply asked.
Another moment of silence passed before Mark let out a heavy sigh. He turned to face her before starting.
“I’m happy with Joanna, Em, I really am. She’s great for me and we just have so much in common musically - I’m lucky to have found her.” He paused to take a breath before continuing. “But then I see something or hear a song or go somewhere and all I can think about is…her.” His eyes flashed with a hint of sadness; he couldn’t even say her name.
He looked down for a long while before starting again.
“When she walked into a room, I wasn’t even aware of anybody else. Her smile could make any day better and her laugh…well all I can say is that my goal was to hear that laugh at least once a day. It was like medicine making all the bad stuff go away.” Mark finally raised his head and looked at Emily with a huge grin as he continued. “You know that feeling you get when you’re like 10 and you have a huge crush on someone and as you get older how that feeling kinda diminishes even if you are interested in someone? Those 10 year-old fuzzies hit me again with her. Every time we touched, every time our eyes would catch the other’s, every time we kissed…” Mark reflectively shut his eyes. “Her beauty was just so unique and the intensity of the passion between us just exploded. If we were deemed ‘hot’ on the dance floor, we were scorching well…you know.”
He fell silent again. Emily started to become concerned. “Mark?....”
“I don’t even remember why we broke up anymore. I mean I’m happy with Joanna but I listened to ‘Model in the Making’ and I start to miss her and I can’t remember. Why did we break up? So I pull out the box, the one I stored every photo of us in, to search for a reason - a look of unhappiness, a glimmer of jealousy, an expression of annoyance - any reason that may explain it to me. But not one gave me my answer Em! We’re happily and hopelessly in love in every single damn picture!” Mark slammed his fist into the mattress angrily before realizing he may have said too much. “I’m sorry…” he began to say before Emily cut him off.
“She was too much for you, Mark.” He stared at her puzzled, so she continued to explain. “You were new here; it was your first season of Dancing with the Stars and you were fighting to make a name for yourself. Although she may not have been the biggest name in the world, she still had a name and a fan base. She was an established star and therefore was the center of attention. It’s undeniable that there was an incredible chemistry between you from the start - we could hear it in your voice over the phone when you told us about your new partner and then I’m pretty sure the entire English speaking world saw it from the first week the show aired. In a natural situation, chemistry like that would have time to unfold and naturally evolve, but because of your circumstances you have no choice but to push it faster and more intensely because you had to spend practically every waking moment together. Then your time on the show ended and you were the subjects of a media frenzy - you became the “are they, aren’t they?” pro and celebrity and I think that excitement just added to your feelings for the other. Then you went on tour together, practically living together on buses for 2 months fueled your emotion train even more - it had no choice but to keep chugging on. When she left for India, it was the first time in 6 months you had to be an individual again.” Emily paused to make sure Mark was okay taking what she was saying in. “Your world had to stop revolving around her because she wasn’t around for that to be possible. You started focusing on your love of music again more than ever, and after awhile you started training with Kristi.”
“When she came home, things had changed.” Mark picked up where Emily trailed off. He said each sentence slowly, as if it were all happening to him for the first time. “She was focused on Cheetah Girls work while all my efforts were with Kristi. The only thing that hadn’t changed was how passionately we cared for,” he paused to let out a deep breath as if to brace himself for his next phrase, “and how intensely we loved each other.”
“You tried to make it work…” Emily began.
“…but it was time for me to become my own name and it was all just…” Mark trailed off.
“…too much for you.” Emily completed quietly.
Mark put down his guitar, leaned over the bed, and began gathering his photos up. “Thanks for listening Em,” he offered weakly.
Emily scooted closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder, stilling him with his back turned to her.
“Your love was…is…real, Mark. It’s okay to have memories and remember your time together. Your tale is truly a love story to be envious of. Some people say you only get one love like that in life so it’s natural for you to miss her. But right now, at this point in your lives, it doesn’t work for either of you. I know you’re happy with Joanna; you don’t have to try to convince me of that. So continue to be happy with her for now until life prompts you both otherwise. Time will point you all in the right direction and I know one day you will be with your true love…” she paused and took a hesitant breath, “again,” she finished. Emily paced a quick kiss on Mark’s cheek before sliding off the bed and out the door.
Mark picked up the last photo off the ground as a small tear escaped his eye. They were wearing their similar argyle sweaters wrapped in each other’s arms. She was planting a wet, sloppy kiss on his chin, her eyes doing all the smiling as her mouth was occupied, and he was making a funny expression pursing his lips out and scrunching his nose. Now his eyes fell on her and scanned every dynamic feather about her. He raised his index and middle fingers to trace her face lightly.
“My beautiful Sabrina,” he whispered the words so lovingly as he had many times before.
He placed all the photographs back into the shoebox and carried them into his closet. He shut the door and exited his room, leaving buried in the back a box containing not only pictures, but a box containing feelings and memories of a love that needed to be let go of…for now.