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Walking hand in hand, the pair slowly made their way to the little, seemingly insignificant patch of grass. Thousands walked past it day after day, many never taking a second glance at the tall lamp, the tacky fountain, and white bench that sat in the middle of the Pawnee parking lot.
But to the man and woman in question, this small, seemingly insignificant patch of grass meant more than anyone could ever imagine.
One year ago today, this place housed the reunion of Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope, the rejoining of two souls that had never truly been torn apart.
This November night was particularly chilly, and Leslie removed her hand from her fiance's grip as she tightened her red coat around herself, the lamplight reflecting off of the ring that graced her left hand. Ben, noticing her shivers, wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him, his hand rubbing up and down her arm to add just the slightest hint of warmth. Leslie leaned into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder as they made their way to the bench.
So much had happened since that fateful night exactly 365 days ago. They restarted their relationship, overcame a potential scandal, confessed their love for each other, ran a clean and successful campaign, survived six months on almost opposite sides of the country, and, of course, got engaged and moved in together.
Looking back, it seemed like only yesterday, and yet so long ago at the same time, a perplexing paradox that neither one dared to try and explain. They just simply wanted to bask in the moment and recognize how far they had come together.
Sitting down side by side on the small bench, Ben grasped Leslie's left hand in his right and allowed his fingers to play with the diamond ring that he had placed there mere weeks ago.
Leslie let out a satisfied sigh as she continued to rest her head against Ben, smiling to herself as she watched her fiance get lost in his actions; Ben still marveled by the way the ring looked on her hand--by the fact that this perfect woman had agreed to spend the rest of her life with him.
Ben was pulled away from his musings by Leslie's soft voice beside him, filled with its own sense of awe and wonder.
"It feels so weird to be back here after a year."
"Leslie, we've been here a thousand times since then," he responded with a grin and a gentle nudge of his shoulder.
"I know," she laughed softly, "but it's different tonight. Despite all of our different anniversaries and holidays, this one is just, I don't know, so special."
The pair sat in a companionable silence for a few moments, content to be in each other's presence despite the cold wind that whipped around them.
"What do you think would have happened if you didn't come that night, or I didn't contact you, or I didn't say to screw it? Do you think we would still have come this far?" she asked eventually in a small, timid voice.
Ben pulled Leslie even tighter against him, dropping a soft kiss into her hair as he contemplated his response, honestly not quite sure how to answer, not wanting to even ponder the possibility that those events had never occurred.
"I don't know, Leslie. I would like to think that we eventually would have come to our senses and realized that we were meant to be together, but there really is no way of knowing. All I know is that I am the luckiest man in the world because you told me to meet you here, and we decided to be together no matter what. What matters is that we are here together, right now, because of everything that we've gone through."
He shifted slightly and moved his hand to caress Leslie's cheek, turning her so that they were looking into each other's eyes.
"That night did happen, and this entire year happened, and you are crazy enough to want to spend the rest of your life with me and make me the happiest person alive. That is all that I care about, and there is no doubt in my mind that you would have won the election no matter what, and I would have supported you with everything that I had, even if it was from a distance. I would have been miserable without you, but I still would have known that no one deserved it as much as you."
At the end of Ben's speech, both he and Leslie had tears welling in their eyes, Leslie shaking her head.
"Ben, you really underestimate how much of an impact your managing had on my success. Yes, I was the best qualified person, and I deserved to win, but if it wasn't for your help, Pawnee would have never realized it. I owe you so much, Ben, and I'm just so happy that I came to my senses and realized how important being with you was to me."
She gave him a watery smile before Ben leaned down to capture Leslie's lips with his own, their skin rough and cracked from the cold, but neither party seemed to care. All that mattered at that moment was each other.
Ben's hand immersed itself into Leslie's blond curls, much like it had done that night one year ago, the feel of her just as intoxicating now as it was to him then.
They eventually pulled apart and rested their foreheads against one another, their red noses grazing as the wind continued to tousle their hair.
"I love this jacket on you," Ben whispered as his hands played with the buttons on her red coat. "It has to be one of my favorites."
"Mine, too," Leslie replied with a smile, reminiscing back to this day last year when she wore it for one of the first times, putting it on unsure if this would be the last thing Ben Wyatt might ever see her wear.
But it wasn't. Of course it wasn't. This man, this comic book loving, Star Trek fanfiction writing, amazing specimen of a man was her soulmate, and somewhere deep inside, Leslie knew that no matter how differently the events of one year ago could have turned out, they still would have ended up together. There was no other option. Leslie was certain that she never would have found anyone else that she could have loved like she loved Ben Wyatt.
While those few months apart had to have been one of the worst times of her life, she and Ben had the rest of their lives to make up for it, and she couldn't wait.
Leslie released an involuntary shiver as the wind grew stronger, Ben tightening his hold on her, the movement of his hands rapidly up and down her arms pulling her from her reverie.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Ben said gently, tugging slightly on her coat sleeve. "We still have he best part of the anniversary celebration."
"Crazy, awesome sex?"
"I was thinking about dinner at JJ's, but I like your idea better," Ben laughed, as he stood up, pulling Leslie with him, his smile large and full of love.
As the couple walked back to the car, fingers laced despite the cold, Leslie turned back for once last glance at the small park--their small park, and couldn't help the the small curve of her lips. Sure, they had a dozen other holidays and anniversaries, and while Butt Day and Waffle day held special places in her heart, Leslie knew that very few other anniversaries would ever compare to this one; that the Smallest Park in Indiana would be one of her favorite places on earth.
"I love you," Leslie blurted out, as if all of the emotions coursing through her all of a sudden became to much to keep inside of her.
"I know. I love you too, so much," Ben responded, his eyes soft and his smile warm as he looked down at her. "Now, come on, I know that there is a waffle at JJ's smothered in extra whipped cream with your name on it."
"See, I knew there was a reason that I wanted to marry you."