A/N: Okay guys! I know you have been waiting FOREVER for this fic to be updated, but as I kept looking it over, I kept changing my mind on details and I didn't exactly like the way it was going. So here is the reposted version! I hope this one is better and makes more sense :D Anyways, enjoy!

Shadow Of Love:

Chapter One – Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow

I'd rather you be mean than love and lie,
I'd rather hear the truth and have to say goodbye,
I'd rather take a blow,
At least than I would know,
But baby, don't you break my heart slow.

"Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow" by Vonda Sheppard

He shifted slightly, his arm curling around the smaller body and bringing it closer to him, his long fingers slowly dragging themselves up and down ever so slightly over her pale skin.

The man lay in bed, continuing to stroke her skin, quiet and simply staring up at the ceiling, his mind drifting and thinking about nothing in particular, but somehow always returning to one specific thought: Is leaving an option?

The woman shifted in bed and allowed a soft moan to leave her pink lips as she lifted her head off of the man's chest. Blinking slowly, the woman quietly turned her head to look at the man in her bed, and squinted her blue eyes in an attempt to half wake up.

"Chase? Something the matter?" Her voice was quiet and full of sleep.

Robert Chase swung his glance over to the woman and offered her a slight smile before leaning forewards and softly pressing his lips to her forehead in a kiss.

"Nothing that we can't deal with in the morning." He answered, his thick Australian accent cutting into the comfortable silence of the room. "Go back to sleep love. Get some more rest."

The woman shook her head and clutched the bed sheet to her chest more, covering her naked form, and sat up, watching him. Running her fingers through her mussed brown hair, blue eyes peered at the Aussie in the darkness.

"If it's nothing important, we can deal with it now." She debated quietly, still watching him. "What's going on?"

Chase sighed and pushed his body up into a sitting position, resting his back against the light brown headboard. Remaining quiet for a few long moments, the man finally turned to face the woman.

"Reese…" He started before becoming silent again, trying to figure out what he was going to say to create the least pain for her. But anything he said would be painful. Yet, the woman was still watching him, obviously waiting to hear him.

"This…thing we have," a hand wave between the two bodies was produced. "Isn't working out."

Robert Chase watched the smaller woman for her reaction, but the woman wasn't responding to his comment. Simply, there was no reaction present on her face; just an inviting look to continue.

Another heaved sigh. "I can't continue seeing you. I can't keep coming here."

Another few long moments before the ultimate question: "Why not?"

That was it; with those simple words, Robert Chase owed her an explanation and chose to go with a half-honest answer.

"I'm a doctor, you know that. That alone takes up a lot of my time." Chase answered, still watching her. "This between us…this situation that we're in, isn't helping me out here." He let that settle before, "And at the moment, I can't deal with both my job and you."

"So you're choosing your job over me?" Reese questioned, hurt evident in her voice, her blue eyes glassing over with unshed tears.

"You're important to me Reese…but my career means a lot to me too." Chase replied softly before leaning in and moving to kiss her, but at the same moment, Reese gathered up the bed sheets and created a make-shift dress with them before standing.

"Reese, where are you going?" Chase questioned as the woman began picking up her fallen clothing.

"Away from you, you asshole!" She snapped before turning around so Chase could catch the first tear rolling down her cheeks. "I can't believe you'd use me like that!"

"That's not what I meant to do!" Chase shot back, grabbing his black boxers off the floor and slipping them on before standing up. "I can't deal with both you and my job at the moment; I never meant to hurt you."

"Bullshit!" The upset woman cried before wiping her cheeks and taking a shaky breath. "Tell me the truth Chase, because I don't want you breaking my heart slowly. If you have something else to tell me, than say it! Is this only about your job?"

The sound of the clock ticking time away seemed to drag on forever, as an awkward silence grew between them. Finally, the Australian ran a hand through his blonde locks and peered at the woman with brown eyes.

"No…it's not." Another few ticks of the clock sent more time into the past, the ticking seeming to echo throughout the entire room.

"Well?" A screech from the woman demanded an answer.

Chase heaved one final sigh, and looked right into the woman's eyes.

"Reese…I can't see you anymore…because I don't love you."

A/N: Dun dun dun…review please!