RATING: PG for one bad word
SUMMARY: response to fanfic challenge from Sarah. that's all I'm gonna say!

"I... I just don't understand. After all everything we've been through ... all those things. You just chuck it away!" She bit back tears as she ran her hands through her hair tiredly, a sign of defeat.

Adam was stunned by her outburst, though he tried not to show her.
"Listen, you're taking it the wrong way. I'm leaving because I don't belong here any more. I don't know if I ever belonged here." He looked at her, pleading for her to understand him.

She didn't.
"Where does that leave me, then, Adam? Am I a failure because our relationship was?"

Adam opened his mouth to protest but she ignored him and swept on.

"Adam, you can't just tell me you're leaving and just go. You can't just walk out of my life like this. I won't let you!"

He put a hand to her face gently to calm her, but she pulled away from his touch.
"If you're going, then just go," she said in a low, choked voice.

"Babe..." Adam tried. He looked at her unhappily. "I need you to be okay with this. We've been together for almost four years, and -"

"And you want me to say it's okay so that you won't feel guilty about what you've done, is that it?" she demanded fiercely. "Damnit Adam, you can't just do this to me! We've been through so much together. So much!!"

"I know that," Adam admitted quietly, ashamed. "And it's been the hardest decision of my life. But I need to go. It's something that I have to do."

She was shaking her head with silent anger.
"If you go, you're never coming back. I won't forgive you for leaving me. I can't."

Adam nodded slowly. "I understand that. I'm sorry about this, babe. I can't express how sorry I am. But I have to do this."

Rachel nodded, letting out a choked sob of resignation. 
"Go back to Dash, Adam. Just go."

- end -