I ignore Adam as I walk inside the apartment. All I want to do is curl up in a blanket and cry. I don’t know what I’m feeling and what I should do about it. I hate this feeling. But Adam is persistent and wraps two arms around me. No! It’s supposed to be Alex!

My lower lip trembles pathetically and I break down in tears again. Damnit. Adam slowly guides me to the bedroom and makes me sit down on the bed. I curl up against him and in between sobs I tell him everything. He listens to me and soothingly rubs my back.

When I’m done, he stares at me and says, “You’re still in love with him.” Both of the people I tell both say I’m in love with Alex. Yes, once upon a time I did, but not anymore…right? I say nothing and bury my face into his neck. I’m hesitant to ponder it but…do I love Alex? No, I hate him and want him to burn for what he did…That’s a laugh. I can’t hate him. Never hate him. But love? I just want him to be happy and safe and-and-…

I break out in laughter and Adam stares at me in shock. “I’m an idiot,” I whisper. Adam raises an eyebrow at me. “I just figured it out…I still am and have been this whole time…” I guess it didn’t seem like I loved him at first with all my cursing at him and wishing him pain…but…after two days, I guess all my love for him just decided to resurface. That’s probably why I had wanted to comfort him when he had been crying. Guess Joyce had been right when she said that I had probably forgiven him on some level. Oh my fucking god. And it wasn’t me just in love with the memory of who Alex was. There was something about him now that also attracted me to him. He was wiser obviously. He knew when to hold his temper. Jeez…I bury my face harder into Adam’s neck and giggle helplessly.

He runs a hand through my hair. “Babe, what are you still doing here? You have to go get him.”

I pull away and stare at him with wide eyes. “What?’

He sighs and ruffles my hair a bit. “If you love him, you have to go and make sure he knows it before he leaves.”

“But…we…” I sputter. He laughs and then grins.

“It’s okay. You’d be happier that way.” It takes a minute for my mind to process that and when I do, I throw my arms around him and squeeze tightly. Then I pull back, opening my mouth to thank him when he yells, “Go!”

I smile at him and run out of the apartment.

---

I pace around in the lobby of the hotel Alex had written down. The secretary had just called Alex down to the lobby to let him know he had a visitor. Then only a minute or so later, Alex walks out of the elevator. He sees me and a pained smile appears on his face. Now that won’t do, now will it? But before I make him happy I have business to deal with. I walk up to him and backhand him. His eyes go wide with shock and he opens his mouth but I cut him off with another smack.

The secretary glances over at us, her eyes wide and terrified, much like a doe that has seen a hunter.

“What was that-?” Alex starts but then I pull him down and into a kiss. He pauses for only a second before responding. Mmmm….Yum. I pull away from him with a wet smack. He licks his lips and stares down at me before asking, “What was that for?”

I grin. “One smack for doubting me, one smack for cheating on me, and the kiss because I love you.”

He grins slowly and then pulls me into a hug. He murmurs, “What about your boyfriend?”

“I told him everything. He said that I loved you and to go after you before you left.”

I feel him smile against my cheek. Then he says, “Make sure you thank your friend…um, Aimee. She’s the one who called me and told me to, and I quote, ‘get your ass over here and love Charlie-boy before I come to Chicago and drag you down here myself,’ end quote.” I laugh. Yeah, I would have to thank Aimee. And Adam…and now that I think about it, Joyce. And Chelsea and Eric for just getting married. Oh well.

I nuzzle his cheek and whisper, “I love you.” It feels so good to say that again to him.

He pulls back and brushes his lips over mine gently. Then he smiles and says, “Love you too.”

I smirk and quietly say, “Jut make sure, this time around you don’t get drunk when Tess is around, please?”

He frowns at me but then laughs. “Whatever.” He leans towards me again and presses his lips against mine.

After another minute or so, he pulls away from me and whispers, “Come back with me to Chicago.”

I have things here; I can’t go to Chicago… “But I have my job, my apartment here…” I make a vague gesture to the sliding automatic doors of the lobby, which we can see the street through.

He gives me a grin. “Live with me. You can get another job.”

I sputter a bit in protest but then let my head drop onto his shoulder with a murmured, “I hate you.” He laughs in response, knowing me saying that meant I had agreed.

“Hate you, too.” He kisses me on the cheek and I can’t help the grin that comes to my face.

---

I fall to the ground with a relieved sigh. Damn, those boxes are heavy. After that night, Alex and I had gone to my old apartment and got all my stuff together. Adam had been surprisingly fine with it. Just said I’d be happier. I gotta make sure I stay in touch with him. Aimee had cried at the airport. I told her I’d visit and talk to her with letters, e-mails, or phone calls, but she just stared at me for a second before bursting out into tears again.

My thoughts are interrupted when Chelsea runs into the room, squeals, and wraps me in a hug. Eric shakes his head at her when he walks in. “Oh my god!” Chelsea yells. “I’m so happy you two are together again.”

Alex walks into the room, sees Chelsea and walks right back out of the room. Ah, too late. Chelsea runs after him and squeezes him tightly. Alex makes a gurgled choking sound and I laugh into my hand. Eric watches on, a bemused look on his face. Chelsea chatters on happily while Alex stares at her, confused.

After of ten minutes of that, I stand and wrench Alex from her. She looks wounded and Alex looks relieved as he takes several deep breaths. “Thanks,” he says. Then he leans down and kisses me. In the background, I hear Chelsea go “Awww!” and muffled laughter from Eric. Life is good.

THE END