There was very little that Oliver had in common with his much more sane copy, Arthur, very little indeed, but one thing they did share was their mutual pride. Yes, Oliver was prideful, he'd admit to that. He'd also admit that was most likely the reason it had taken him three years to face her again.

Eliza, always beautiful Eliza; the young woman he had considered himself close to so many years ago. She was everything, funny, kind, forgiving, intelligent. So, naturally, she had stolen his heart and broken it into a million little pieces with seemingly no effort at all. He fell for her so hard! She was his entire world! He couldn't deny the moment they kissed for the first time was the absolute greatest moment of his life. Had it really been three years? Well either way, he was here now.

"Hello, love. It's been quite some time, hasn't it? I'm so very sorry for not visiting you until now, but then again, I suspect you're not too happy to see me, huh?"

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened. I think you, of all people, deserve an explanation, my dear Lizzy. It was a little difficult to find any, but…I tried my best, so please listen."

"I wanted you to know, first off, that I don't hate you; I never have. In fact, if anything I'd say that I'm still very much in love with you. I'd give anything in the world just to have you be mine again, like you were when we were…well, back when we were in happier times."

"And even though I know you hate me now, I really can't blame you; I could never hate you back. You're too precious to me. You have no idea how much I treasured you when we were together; so incredible and I was so happy."

"Looking back, there were so many warnings that you were leaving me. I think I just didn't want to see it. Heh! You of all people know how stubborn I can be, my sweet Lizzy."

"I really was only trying to protect you, dearest. Those people they…they wanted to hurt you; wanted to take you away from me! Maybe I could've gone about it differently and I definitely shouldn't have involved you in it, but I really did it for you, love, I swear!"

"And then when you left me, everything just fell apart, you have no idea. I…I need you to come back to me! I need you to come home!"

Oliver smiled at himself.

"Like that's even possible. Oh, and before I forget, I got you these. I know they're out of season, but last I checked they were your favorite."

Oliver placed the sunflowers. He kissed his fingers before placing them on the cold, hard stone.

"I love you, my little Lizzy."

*Later at Oliver's House*

Oliver sat down, doing the same thing he did every night; cup of tea in one shaky hand, and in the other the same sad letter that he had tried so hard to destroy so many times. He hated that letter, hated it so much with a passion nothing could quench, but somehow he just kept gravitating to it. He was unable to let it go as much as he knew it was killing him!

My dearest Oliver,

I am so sorry it has had to come to this. I know I promised you I would never leave your side, but I feel I can no longer keep that promise. I know why you did what you did, and I am truly grateful to you, but I cannot take it any longer. All the people you killed for me, I realize it was none of my doing. I know that you did it on your own accord, but still I cannot help but feel responsible. All of those people, no matter how awful, they all had someone out there who loved them. And now that person has lost them forever, and it's all my fault! In my sleep I keep hearing the cries of those people and those dead blaming me for my part in this terrible thing that has happened to them. I know it's all in my head but it's torturing me! I can't deal with this and it's not as though I can tell a therapist because I'll have to explain what you did, and then you'd be charged with manslaughter. I've thought about this, Oliver, for a long time now. Believe me when I say, this is the only way. I know you may never understand, and a part of you might hate me. But I keep as much of my promise to you as I can; I will stay by your side for the rest of my life. I love you so much my darling and I am so sorry.

This is goodbye.

Eliza (Lizzy)

Oliver gritted his teeth trying to hold back tears. He didn't want to shame her memories; he knew she wouldn't want him to be sad. However, there was no way he could keep them back for a moment longer, as they stream down his face to hit the page like so many others had done in the days before. His voice came ragged. "I'm sorry, Lizzy; I'm so, so-" his breath hitched as he felt two slender arms drape over his shoulder. He thought for sure that this was one of the voices Eliza had written about. Perhaps it was a ghost that was following her around, the ghost of someone he had killed; and now it had come to take its revenge on him. Strangely enough, he wasn't afraid, rather he was happy or at least something like it; and it was for one reason only. 'Eliza,' he thought to himself. 'we'll be together soon, love, don't you worry.'

He waited for the misty, yellow entity to break his neck, but it never came. Instead a voice whispered to him that made his eyes shoot open at its familiarity, just as he had heard it every afternoon three years ago.

"Oliver, I'm home."