We All Wanted These 'Bach' Couples To Exist

For as long as The Bachelor franchise has been around, so has there been an eager and invested audience. An eager and invested audience that takes much pride and joy in doing one thing: shipping their favorite Bachelor and Bachelor ette couples. Though it seems that, unfortunately, as much as you might have seen fireworks and babies and everlasting happiness between some of the contestants and the lead on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, the lead, um, might not have. Or maybe the contestant might not have, and didn't open up in time, resulting in their ultimate demise. Whatever the case, you can't be a Bachelor or Bachelorette fan and not constantly be creating onscreen romances in your head. It's just not possible.

It's also not as fun. Now, with spoilers being so hard to avoid (thanks to the internet and social media) it's difficult to watch the show without at least having a pretty strong sense of who will win. Nonetheless, much of the joy lies in fantasizing that it could go a different way and surprise you. That maybe after all, the lead will pick who you picked for them. Below, a list of Bachelor/ette couples who we all totally shipped over the years, because who knows better than us, right?

1. Ben Higgins And Joelle Fletcher

Though I am happy for newly engaged couple Lauren Bushnell and Ben Higgins, I would be lying if I told you I wasn't pining for Ben and JoJo. The two had an instant connection and were easily shippable from the get-go.

2. Kaitlyn Bristowe And Nick Viall

Call me crazy, but when Nick Viall sauntered into Kaitlyn Bristowe's season, there were some intense fireworks. While I totally see her connection with winner Shawn Booth, I was definitely hoping these two goof balls would end up together.

3. Kaitlyn Bristowe And Chris Soules

Chris Soules and Kaitlyn had an easy-like-Sunday-morning kind of relationship. I saw more chemistry between these two than I did with Chris and his winner, Whitney, even. (The pair has since called it off, just sayin').

4. Clint Arlis And J.J. Lane

It was a joke crafted by the genius Bachelor producers, but come on, how cute was this bromance?

5. Juan Pablo And No One

I think I speak for a lot of fans when I say that I shipped Juan Pablo Galavis and no one. Because, to be honest, he didn't really deserve any of those ladies.

6. Desiree Hartsock And Brooks Forester

Sweet Desiree was head over heels for Brooks Forester (as was a lot of America) and probably would have picked him had he not left early. It all worked out for the best though, as she's now married to the final man standing — Chris Siegfried.

7. Emily Maynard And Arie Luyendyk Jr.

Besides the fact that these two looked like Barbie and Ken together, there were some real sparks between them. I was absolutely crossing my fingers that she'd make him her final choice.

8. Courtney Roberston And Arie Luyendyk Jr.

Though they didn't get together on any of the shows, when Courtney and Arie were rumored to be dating, Bachelor nation went crazy. In a weird way, they're kind of perfect for each other.

9. Ben Flajnik And Lindzi Cox

Everyone was pretty surprised to see Ben pick Courtney Robertson over Lindzi Cox during his season.

10. Jake Pavelka And Tenley Molzahn

Tenley was the quintessential Bachelor fan favorite. Beloved by all except for the lead, who sent her home in favor of picking Vienna Girardi.

11. Ashley Iaconetti And Jared Haibon

This on-again-off-again couple spawned during Bachelor in Paradise. It was endearing to watch these two try to make something work. Ashley very clearly had feelings for Jared, and while it wasn't so clear where Jared stood, they made an adorable almost couple.

12. Michelle Money And Cody Sattler

Another BiP couple that was so strange, it just might have worked — and it did, for a while. The couple has broken up a few times since their season, but from the looks of things, they are still trying to stay together. Definitely hoping that they continue their romance.

I'd like to think that all the shippable Bachelor/ette couples who didn't make it are off in some parallel universe, somewhere, drinking Pina Coladas with a retired Chris Harrison. But that's just me.

Images: ABC (6); Giphy (6)