Author's Note: I wrote this story as an entry for the Lyrics to Lovestory challenge over at the BAMboard. What that means is that within this story is literally a song that I have used to write it. Not EVERYTHING is part of the song. But hidden in the work are lyrics to a song. I was allowed to change SOME of the words but I left most of them the same. I will post the name of the song after a few people have guessed. I hope that you like the small piece of work and give guessing a try.

EDIT: This story is a BIG (like gigantic) spoiler for The Stranger Series and Strange Businesses. You have been warned.

Scene: Maggie and Bianca in Kendall's condo after lunch. Maggie has confessed her love to Bianca and Bianca, scared that she cannot give Maggie everything she deserves because she is pregnant—and Maggie does not know—pushes her away. Breaking her heart along with Maggie's. Another side for Installment One: An End Before A Beginning; Strange Businesses

I feel my heart ache as Bianca stands before me, flaying her arms, tears streaming down her face as she looks at me and tells me that she loves me. That would usually delight me and fill me with the uttermost joy. Today, it does not. Now, after only an hour of happiness and delight of knowing Bianca loves me back, it does not. Because as Bianca stands before me and tells me she loves me she also tells me that she doesn't love me enough to give us a chance.

Her words say one thing but her eyes say another.

I don't understand.

I thought that I had done enough to show her that I was willing to do anything. Willing to sacrifice anything for her! I thought that I had proven I would be the one that she could turn to, to lift her up when she thought she didn't have enough strength to on her own.

So why is she pushing me away? Why now? Why after she told me in no uncertain terms that she was in love with me too.

I try and get close to her but she turns away from me and I halt in my progress towards her. I try. I try to tell her that I'll do anything to prove I love her. I tell her from the deepest parts of myself that I love her and that I want to try. I don't care about being in a long distance relationship. I'll move with her. I'll follow her. I tell her I'll follow her. I'll do anything to be with her. She doesn't stop trying to push me away while I try to follow after her.

Her words say one thing while her body nearly wails for my arms to hold her.

There's nothing that I can do or say now to show her how much she is wrong. She turns from me and there's nothing I can do. So I ask her for the truth because she knows that I'd do that for her, give her the truth. Of why…why…why is she pushing me away?

I want to know. I want to know why. Why we'd be a waste of time. Why she seems to think I wouldn't want to touch her, love her, romance her.

I wonder how she could be running so fierce away from me without even leaving the room.

Why is she running away from me? Why is she running away from me, from us?

Is it me?

Or is it her?

She's saying that it's her but I don't believe her.

She says that I can't do anything to change her mind. I try though.

I pour my heart out to her. I try and tell her that I'll show her. That I won't run away, that I'm not confused, or nearly as straight as she thinks I am, but she won't listen to me.

It's not me, it's her and I can't do anything to change her mind.

I try.

Damn it all to hell I still try.

Why…I ask why. Why is she running away, why are you running away from the future we both so obviously want?

What is it that you want me to say? What can I say to change your mind? What can I do to prove myself to you when I thought that I had? I am willing to do and give and sacrifice anything to be the one to lift you up.

You tell me that it's not me that it's you.

But it's not.

It's me and I can't do anything to change your mind. The ghost of my brother has clouded your mind and you can't see me without seeing him. There is nothing that I can do against that. Anything I say or do won't matter and you're right. It's not me. It's you.

So you run away from me while standing ever so close to me, trying to reach me over the distance that you have created. You use words to break apart the happiness that I thought we could finally have together. You run from me while standing still. I wonder what you're secret it. But I don't stay long enough to find out how you can so easily race away from me while walking towards me.

I run from your words and from the pain that has encased my heart and I run from you.

Still I wonder…why do you run away from me? Why did you not admit that you were scared, afraid of what we had? Why hurt me?

I do not stand and try to confess my unyielding love to you. Not anymore.

I do not try and make you understand that I would have done anything for you.

I turn from you and run away.

I run because you pushed and ran from me while standing right before me. I run because I can't take the pain and the death of a life together that can never be.

I run because I don't want you to feel sorry for me. I asked for the truth because it was the least you could give me. I would have given you the same.

But still I wonder as I stop running and stare at myself in the dark wake of Willow Lake why, why are you running away. Away from me?