Did you ever wonder what would have happened to Holly and Roger if there had been no rape? No shooting, no trial, no Santo Domingo...no Blake?! Without that tortured past, would they still be as drawn to each other? Would they still share that special bond?

This is my take on what could have happened between them. This story takes place in an alternate universe, so be aware that, while some things are like in the real show, I have changed many dates and events from their past. This means that relationships between several characters have been altered accordingly. Don't be surprised, for example, if some people don't hate each other as they used to!

I really enjoyed writing this, and I hope that you will enjoy reading it!

And for those who are reading "The Other Life of Holly Lindsey", I'll try to get back to it after this one.

Prologue

Springfield, late August 1970

Roger rang the bell at the Norrises' house and nervously ran one of his hands through his jet black hair. He then looked at the roses he had brought for Holly and sighed for the third time since he had bought them; he really should have gotten a bigger bouquet.

He knew that he hadn't always been the perfect boyfriend since they had started seeing each other earlier that summer, but all of that was about to change. After all, he was 22 years-old and it was about time he started acting a little more seriously when it came to love.

Love. Could it really be the feeling that had taken over him in the last few weeks? The feeling that had led him to finally make love to Holly for the first time the night before? Oh, he had tried to get her into bed a couple of times already, but she had known better than to fall into his arms. She was only nineteen and wanted her first time to be special, with a man who truly loved her.

She must have sensed the change in him, because when he had brushed his lips against hers, only hours ago, she had not pushed him away after a few minutes like she usually did. In fact, she had been the one who had pushed things further, clumsily unbuttoning his shirt and sliding the straps of her dress off her sun kissed shoulders. He had done his best not to hurt her and, although it hadn't been the first time for him, it had definitely been the sweetest.

Roger would have happily replayed the whole night in his mind, standing on the porch, when Thomas, the butler, finally opened the door, sporting a pompous expression.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Thorpe?"

"Hi, Thomas! I'm here to see Holly," Roger replied, brandishing the roses under the man's nose.

"I'm afraid that will not be possible; Miss Norris has left to Europe earlier today," Thomas said impassively.

Roger thought he had not heard right. "There must be a mistake; she never said anything about going to Europe!"

"And yet, there she went."

The young man fought the urge to shove the flowers down the butler's throat. "Well, when is she coming back?"

"I'm afraid I couldn't tell you; she's starting college in Switzerland in a few days.

Roger almost dropped the bouquet on the ground, still trying to grasp the meaning of Thomas' words. Surely Holly wouldn't have left him without at least saying goodbye? Not after what had just happened between them?

Seeing Roger's distress, Thomas finally took pity on him and added: "I think that Mr. Norris was the one who had insisted that she should leave at once."

"Better that than hanging out with me, right?" Roger blurted out bitterly, the truth finally dawning out on him. Holly's father, also his employer, had first insisted that Roger dated his daughter to get her out of his hair. Since the previous week, however, he couldn't wait to get her away from him, and Roger knew exactly why.

"Can you at least tell me where she is?" he added hurriedly, seeing that Thomas was about to close the door.

"All I know is that she will be attending the University of Geneva…but you didn't hear it from me."

Once alone, Roger stood on a porch for another five minutes, still dumbfounded. Then a pain slowly arose in his chest, clawing at his heart and making him wince. Holly was gone.