A/N

Watched a little Dharma and Greg and I wanted to write a tiny little story about Kitty and Edward, because I think they're so sweet together. It's shamelessly cheesy, you have been warned. I don't write a lot of hetero pairing, so I'm kind of threading on thin ice here. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you.

I'm standing on top of the stairs, watching as you get ready to leave, and although I know it's all for the best, I can't help but feeling a dull pain in my heart. Three decades of for better and for worse, and this is what it came to. Your bags packed, a taxi parked outside, waiting to take you away from our home, and here I stand, quietly watching as my marriage falls to pieces. True, we both agreed to end it, but I had no idea it would hurt this much.

You turn around and look at me, and my heart leaps. I know you can't tell. I have always been good at hiding my feelings – perhaps that is part of the problem. But although my face reveals nothing of the turmoil inside, the hand holding my glass of sherry trembles slightly as your gaze falls upon me. I try to look away, but I can't.

"Katherine", you say, and there is that dull heartache again, because you only ever call me by my full name when you are truly disappointed or angry with me. I try not to let on how much it hurts to part this way, like strangers, after thirty years.

"Edward", I respond, my voice calm and even. I sound devoid of emotions, when in reality they are threatening to choke me. You keep looking at me and what little artificial tranquillity Valium has brought me is shattered. Inside, I plea for you to have a change of heart, right there in the doorway, to throw your hands up and say the whole idea of divorce is ridiculous, that love will find a way and that we can still work it out. But when you open your mouth, you merely say:

"I guess I should be going."

With that, you pick up your bags and open the door. A gust of cold air rushes in and I pull my dressing gown closer around my shivering body, as if an extra layer of silk would make any difference. As you turn your back on me and walk out, I want to scream. I want to cry out to you to put your bags down, come back, come to bed. I want to beg of you to reconsider; I want to promise you that I would try harder if you would only give us another chance. But I can't get any words out. I can't move. I can't breathe. As the door closes behind you, I'm finally giving in to the tears. And I wonder, what is the point of falling in love at all, if this is where that road ends?

I whisper "goodbye" as the car drives off, and I can feel the salty taste of my own tears at the back of my throat. It burns. I finally muster the strength to move again, but my entire fake façade has crumbled and I'm nothing more than a middle aged woman alone in a ridiculously large and expensive house. I have never felt so lonely in my life. Darkness seems to be seeping in through the walls from the stormy night outside, and it has already settled around my heart. I remember our love and the fire that came from it, and how it faded to embers and then into ashes. There are no powers on Earth that can turn ashes into fire again.

But if it hurts so much to watch you go, perhaps there are still embers hidden beneath the ashes. Perhaps there could have been hope, if you had only felt the same thing.

That's when the key turns in the lock downstairs. I freeze instantly as I hear your footsteps draw nearer and I tell myself you must have forgotten something, that you're not really back. There's a knock on my bedroom door and when I answer, you step inside. Your eyes are filled with tears.

"Is it really too late for us?" you ask solemnly. "Because I still love you, Kitten."

Suddenly the ashes are blown away and a raging bonfire stands in their place. I love you desperately.

"It's not too late", I croak and wipe at my eyes. "Come to bed. Please, don't leave me."

"Kitty, I won't make that mistake again."

I cling to your body and whisper; "That's good. Not that I would ever make the mistake of letting you go again."

You chuckle and we lie there in silence, as the darkness envelops us. It's intriguing how much friendlier darkness is when you share it with someone. I take your hand and notice that you still have the wedding ring on. That's all it takes. I start crying again, but this time I'm not embarrassed. Perhaps because this time, you are crying, too.