I found myself sitting on the beach, watching the calming waves wash away my pain, if even only temporary.

"God dammit, my life couldn't turn out much worse." I said, despite the fact that no one was there to listen to my words, "Why did I betray his trust like that?, why do I ... love her?"

A single tear escaped my eye into the calming ocean waves, melding in with the salt water and disappearing as fast as it appeared.

"She probably hates me now, I should never have gotten her involved ..." I said, burying my head into my knees, "Why didn't I just leave it alone?, why couldn't I wait for her?!"

Sand sprayed everywhere as I pounded my fist into the sandy terrain below me.

"How could I possibly hate you partner ...?"

"Huh?" I said, my eyes widening as I raised my head and looked behind me, "H.how did you ...?"

"Come on, I think I know you well enough by now to know where you'll run to ..." She said with a sad chuckle, sitting down next to me on the cool sand.

The slow and soft splashing of the waves onto the matted sand was the only sound for a while, and along with her soft breathing, it slowly began to brighten my mood.

Until I heard the sound of restrained tears coming from my side.

"Hey, why are you crying?..." I asked her softly, turning to look at her.

She turned her face away from mine, and I scooted closer to her.

"What's wrong?... come on, you can tell me anything, right?" I said as softly as I could, "If it's something I did ..."

"No!, you didn't do anything wrong!" She said, too quickly not to raise suspicion, "You never did anything wrong, you were always the right one ..."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her softly, turning her head towards me with my fingers, "What's going on Sarah?"

"I ... I broke up with Zak ..." She nearly whispered, the tears now flowing openly down her face, "Y.you were r.right, he was only u.using me after all ..."

"Sarah ..." I said, doing the only thing I could do at this point. I pulled her to me, letting her rest her head on my chest and let her wash the pain away with tears.

"W.why didn't I ever listen to you?!" She shouted into my chest, "W.why 't I see that you were the only one that cared ...?!"

"It's okay Sarah, it's okay." I whispered into her ear, "Just let it all out."

I held her in my arms as her body was racked with sobs and tears. The cool ocean waves tickled my toes, and the sun was halfway under the horizon already when her tears had stopped.

"Shadow ..."

I turned my head downwards to look into her eyes, and was startled at what I saw.

Her burgandy orbs were filled with a mixture of Sadness and ... Love.

"S.sarah?" I asked hesitantly, my eyes widening as she moved her lips closer to mine.

"Shadow ..." She said softly, raising her head up and closing her eyes.

The next thing I knew, her lips were pressed tightly against my own, and I felt my own resistance weaking with each second. She slowly shifted her body on top of mine, and we fell back onto the sandy beach.

I felt a few emotions in the next moment. Confusion; at why she was kissing me, Joy; for the obvious reason that I loved her, and an unrelenting need to do whatever it took to help her through this.

I felt something soft probing against my lips, and I gasped softly when I realized that it was her tongue, letting her tongue touch my own without realizing it.

The soft sand felt good against my back as our tongues mingled and she moaned softly into my mouth, our lips finally separating minutes later with a soft sucking sound. The sweet taste of strawberries remained in my mouth and dazzled my senses.

"S.sarah, w.we cant do this ..." I said softly, her small fingers working to take my shirt off, "Y.you're not thinking straight ..."

She shook her head and smiled before placing it against my chest and sighing.

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life ..." She said softly.

When she pressed her lips to mine again, I couldn't resist and kissed her back softly, twisting so that I was leaning over her, her back now pressed against the soft grains of sand.

I felt her arms encircle my neck, and my arms automatically went around her waist, pulling her closer to my body as if we were kissing each other for the last time.

"Y.you ... you were the only one who ever cared, how could I have disregarded your feelings like that? ..." She said, softly pulling her lips away from my own and looking away shyly.

"It isn't your fault, I couldn't make you love me ..." I asked, nuzzling my head into the nape of her neck, "No matter how much I love you ..."

"Y.you wouldn't have to make me do anything ..." She said, cupping my cheeks in her hands and raising my head to eye level, "I...I've always loved you Shadow ..."

My eyes went as wide as the sun, her lips crushing themselves to my own in a desperate attempt to make me believe her words.

"Then why didn't you ..."

"I was afraid ..." She said slowly, turning to look at the sunset.

I chuckled lightly, remembering that I had felt the same way when I had first met her.

"Well ... don't be, okay?" I said, running my fingers through her soft tresses, "I love you, always have, always will."

"Thank you ..." She said softly, the tears threatening to return, "I..."

"Sshh." I said, putting a finger to her lips, "I said i'd wait for you, and I did."

"I love you too Shadow ..." She said, resting her head on my chest and sighing, "I love you too ..."