"Drinking's bad for your ulcer."

Miss Parker heard a familiar voice as the sound of footsteps entered her living area. The only light came from the glow of the fireplace which illuminated the room.

Gulping down her drink, she got up from her sitting position and poured herself another, glancing over at her 3:00am visitor. "What? Are your fingers broken? Can't pick up the phone to call me? It's been a week," she snapped, waving her glass into the air.

"I said drinking's bad for your ulcers." He grabbed hold of her glass and laid it down on the table.

"Why the hell do you care? Loosen up, Jarod. Join me in a drink," she purred.

"No, thank you. Drinking blurs your thoughts."

"So, why are you here? I'm out of your life. Isn't that what you wanted?" Daggers escaped out of her icy blues.

Jarod cleared his throat. "It's only fair that I explain to you about me, about things. I didn't like the way we had our last visit with each other. We're friends, Parker."

"Friends? I wasn't welcomed in your house. I clearly remember that you didn't want anything to do with me. And now you're here. And why do you just walk in here? I could charge you with with trespassing."

"But, you won't. Parker, I didn't like the ending we had. I didn't want us parting as enemies. I'm sorry I yelled. But, you can't force someone to be with you."

She shrugged. "Okay, I'm not forcing you to be with me. You've made that clear weeks ago."

"Parker."

Picking up her glass, she threw it against the wall and screamed. "What? What do you want? I know you don't want me in your life! Any idiot knows you've moved on! So, you came by to rub that into my face?"

"No. I just need to explain, for you to understand..."

"Understand what? That you're fucking someone on a nightly basis! I don't need for you to come tell me the gory details!"

"Parker, stop. I haven't had a good night's rest since you left."

The "ice queen" clapped her hands. "Bravo! The "pretender" has feelings!"

"Could we just sit and talk a bit? I want to be honest with you." He gently took hold of her arm.

She jerked her arm away. "I prefer to stand. Honest about what? I'm not begging to be with you anymore. You got your wish. I'm out of your life completely. See how easy it was? You told me to walk away. Well, I tried it! And by golly it worked! So, get out, Jarod!"

"Turning points only come when you have something to turn to."

"That's just how the damn story goes, Jarod."

"We each need our turning point."

"I know what you're trying to say. You go your own way and I go my way! Whatever the hell it may be! I never meant nothing to you. Is that it? Look! Shit! First you tell me to leave you alone and now you're here! For what? You don't care about me!"

"You don't understand. I do love you, Parker, I always will, you were my first love."

"I hear a "but" coming." She circled around him.

"I will always be there for you in your darkest moment, but, I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have." Jarod leaned against the mantel place.

"So, just leave, why don't you."

"I came here for a reason, Parker and I'm not leaving until I've said what I needed to say."

Miss Parker rubbed her temples. "I have a headache."

"You shouldn't be drinking at this time of night or should I say morning. Do you want a glass of water and some aspirins?" He asked with great concern.

"Always a gentleman, aren't you, Jar? I don't need any nursemaid and I don't need you!" She brushed a tear away. "The wonderful thing about life is if you change the story, the ending is up to you." Miss Parker stared at his dark chocolates. "And you're here to tell me your story and your ending. Aren't you?"

"You and I, we both deserve something more, but, it wasn't meant to be for us. I'm sorry, Parker, but, that turning point that you wanted to turn to isn't going to be me. And the reason for that is, because when I least expected it, when I felt as though I had nothing to live for anymore due to your cold rejections, a beautiful woman walked into my life.

Miss Parker felt her heart break in two. Her deep blue eyes glistened with sorrow, as tears slid slowly down her face.

"I'm sorry, Parker." He caressed her cheek. "The one I chose to turn to is someone else, several months ago." With a slight smile, he cupped her face in his hands. "I'm sorry."

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "It's not true. Don't lie to me."

"It was soon after Carthis, I met her, after that last conversation of ours. I still thought about you, but, I could never have a life with you. She made me forget. Then, you came back into my life. I needed to get away, to be with her. You see, you were my fantasy, she's my reality. I love her, Parker. I needed her, but, not the same way I needed you. I needed you to be my friend and only my friend. Nothing more."

Miss Parker moved away from Jarod. Tears continuously dripped down her pale face. "I guess you could say, we're like two ships passing in the night."

"Come here." He pulled her into him.

"No. I'll be alright. I'll be fine." She said, but, lied.

With his fingers, he wiped her teardrops. "I without a shadow of a doubt know that one day you will find your turning point as I have. But, if you need me, if you need a friend to lean on, I will not hesitate to help you out."

She shook her head and stepped back. "No. It wouldn't be fair to her. I won't be in your way of happiness. I'll only be a reminder of the grief I've brought upon you. I won't stand in your way. Does she know about me?"

"Yes. She knows I'm here."

"If I was her, I wouldn't have allowed you to be here."

"She's not you, Parker. She knows we needed closure. Trust is what we have with each other."

"You'd better go, Jarod. The love of your life is waiting for you."

"You were once the love of my life, so very long ago."

"You'll always be my love, Jar. I'm sorry for everything."

"I am, too."

"Right now, I'm just nobody." She put on her mask and smiled. "Hey, you'd better go home to her now."

He approached her, holding his arms out. "Friends are entitled to a hug and a kiss."

"Give her a hug and a kiss. She's the one who deserves it, not me."

"Parker."

"Go home to her, Jarod, your turning point." Walking to the front door, her best friend followed behind. "Goodbye, Jar."

He lightly pecked her on the cheek before she had time to react. "Goodbye, Miss Parker."

Her world crumpled inside of her. Even if she tried, there was no way she could have stopped her tears from gushing out of her baby blues.

He stared at her for a moment, then, wrapped his arms around her. Snaking her arms on his back, she tightened his hold, laying her head on his shoulder. "Don't leave me, Jarod. Please don't." She cried deeply into his chest as tears soaked up his shirt.

"It's too late, Parker. I have to go. Shhh. Hey, I have to go. You'll be alright." He kissed the top of her head. A teardrop fell atop her hair. "You know we have to go our separate ways. I'm so sorry it had to end this way."

"I love you, Jarod."

He still hung on to her. "I know. I know you do. I'll always love you. No one ever forgets their first love. I'll never forget the little girl who gave me my first kiss."

"But, I won't be the one who'll give you your last, Jar."

Jarod tried prying himself away from her. "I've got to go."

"No," she said, twinning her arms around his neck.

"I have to. You know that. Parker, let go. Please."

"No." She wept sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry for everything. What can I do to change your mind? What can I do to make you love me? To love me forever. To never leave me. Everyone I love leaves me eventually. But, I never imagined you would. Please don't."

He leant his forehead on hers, his hands went around her waist. "Parker, don't do this to yourself. Stop it. You'll be alright. Where's the Parker who never fell apart?"

Sobbing convulsively, she spoke in between breaths. "She never existed. This is the Parker you never knew. The one you should have known. The one I hid from everyone, especially from you. You're the one I've always loved. Teach me to stop loving you, because I don't know how. I don't know how to let go."

Pulling away from her slightly, he smiled. Jarod kissed her tenderly, and tasted her salty tears as it fell between their lips. "Goodbye, Miss...goodbye Melissa." Droplets of tears rolled down his face as he walked away.

That early morning he left, she cried for everything that would never be. This was now the beginning of the rest of her life. She blamed no one but herself for the destruction of both of their lives. Not once had she ever imagined Jarod being completely out of her life. She watched painfully as her love walked out the door forever.

Loving Jarod caused her much pain, but, not as much pain as she had caused him. There was nothing else which could have been done. He chose a new "beginning" with someone else. Miss Parker cried sorrowfully as her walls came tumbling down.

You will never know what you will do in the heat of the moment, we sometimes do or say things we may later regret.

"The wonderful thing about life, Miss Parker, is if you change the story, the ending is up to you."

The End

Author's Note: I've started on a sequel called "Return To Me"