She cannot believe this is happening to her for a second year. It was cruel, just plain cruel for her parents to go out for the night, again, and ask her to take her brother to the toy store, again. As if spending the night searching for a freaking Wii wasn't horrible enough now she would have to relive last year, remembering how sweet the night had turned out. She'd now spend the whole night thinking about Eli and how wrong everything had gone between them. Just looking at the entrance of the store she wanted to sob.

And then, after paying, and getting ready to leave she heard a voice that she would know anywhere.

"Okay, princess, slow down, we'll get there in plenty of time."

She didn't turn; instead she looked down at her brother, "How could you?"

Ryan smiled sheepishly, "Ophelia made me. Said it was time you and her brother stop being so dumb."

"I'm your sister. You are supposed to be loyal to me," Mac said, almost whining.

Ryan shrugged, "She pouted."

Mac growled under her breath as she turned, coming face to face with her ex, "Hello Eli."

"Hi…Mac," he looked at her face, clearly angry by now, and then down at his niece, "What did you do princess?"

"Nothing. You were the one who promised to take me here and stay until midnight, remember?"

Eli growled himself and stared down at Ryan, "And I supposed you had something to do with this?"

"Hey," Mac said, "Don't blame him; it was your niece's idea. It doesn't matter anyway. Ryan and I are leaving."

"What?" Ophelia asked, her face dropping into a pout and her eyes tearing, "But…but if Ryan leaves I'll be all alone."

Mac forced herself to look away from Ophelia. The kid had a hell of a great pout. Mac remembered lots of nights when she'd let her stay up later than she should, or when she'd snuck in extra candy for her at the movies. She really could not say no to that pout, "Fine, fine," she finally said, "Ryan you stay where I can see you and you," she said, pointing at Eli, "You stay as far away from me as possible."

Eli snarled, "Whatever you what i querida /i . Far as I'm concerned, you aren't even here."

&&&&&&

Eli was true to his word. He appeared to not even remember she was there as he chatted up not one, but two single young parents.

She, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking. She watched him run his fingers down one of the girl's cheeks and could feel, actually feel, his warm, callused hands on her skin. There was no way she was going to be able to do this all night.

She walked quickly towards one of Ryan's friends mothers and, feigning sickness (not that hard considering how pale she was) asked her to take Ryan home at the end of the night.

She moved to tell Ryan, who just shrugged, but Ophelia grabbed her hand and asked "But Mac, if you go who will kiss my uncle at might night?"

Mac couldn't take it, it was the last straw. Opehlia's question was so much like the question she asked last year and she rushed out of the store, hoping that she could make it to her car before she started to sob.

She had her keys out, was almost there when she heard him, "Mac, Mac wait."

"Go away Eli," she yelled, refusing to turn around because the tears had begun to fall.

"No," he said grabbing her arm and turning her to face him, "I went away before and that's why we aren't together right now. Things got a little tough and I ran like a kid instead of staying and fighting for the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Eli, stop it," she said, pulling away, "Just…its too late, we can't…"

"It's not too late," he said pointing to the clock behind him, "One minute to midnight, perfect timing. A new year, a new start. I love you, Mac."

She smiled, "I love you too, Eli. I missed you so much."

"Come here i querida /i ," he said, and pressed his lips against hers as the clock struck midnight.