The End Is The Beginning Is The End...
The End is the Beginning is the End

Author's Note: Sorry if you feel like you're starting this story in the middle (because you pretty much are). Don't worry, you'll get over it ;) I felt that the "episode one" didn't really need to be written (unlike George Lucas).

There's so many things you should have told her
But night after night you're willing to hold her
Just hold her
Tears on your shoulder

Part One: The End

Don't think I can't feel that there's something wrong
You've been the sweetest part of my life so long
I look in your eyes, there's a distant light
And you and I know there'll be a storm tonight
This is getting serious
Are you thinking 'bout you or us

Don't say what you're about to say
Look back before you leave my life
Be sure before you close that door
Before you roll those dice
Baby think twice

"Get out." Her voice was low and dangerous.
"Rach--"
"No, Frank. No more excuses, no more bullshit. There's the door."
"If I go, I won't come back," he warned. "I don't think I can take any more of this."
"Me neither," Rachel agreed, more calmly, but no less angry. "Just go."
Without a word, he pulled his coat from the wardrobe, and slammed the front door on his way out.

After the smoke clears, when it's down to you and I
When the sun appears, and there's nothing left but goodbye
We'll just turn and walk away, how could we let it end like this?
Just turn and walk away, should we seal it with a kiss?
It's too late, now you're out and on the run
It's too late, held up in love without a gun

Out of the door, and out of her life.
~~ * ~~

"Frank," Kevin greeted, tightening the belt on his dressing gown. "You couldn't have called first?"
"Nope, sorry. I need a place to stay."
Kevin sighed. "Again? Why don't you just apologise to her and save yourself the move?"
Frank shook his head. "Not this time. It's over." As nonchalant as he sounded, his devastation was obvious.
"She'll change her mind," Kevin assured his older brother.
Frank's eyes were steely. "I won't," he said.

Hey, if we can't find a way out of these problems
Then maybe we don't need this
Standing face to face, enemies at war we build defenses
And secret hiding places

"Is she decent?"
"What?" Kevin frowned, confused.
"The girl you're hiding in there. Is she dressed, or do I have to wait outside?"
"Oh." Kevin glanced backward. "No, you can come in."
~~ * ~~

When the front door slammed, Rachel flopped onto the bed. She lay there for about half an hour, not moving, just staring at the ceiling as tears streamed silently down her face. Finally she sighed. There was no use being sorry now. She got up and began to pull his clothes out of the wardrobe, throwing them into a heap on the bed.
Shoving them into plastic bags, she carried them down the stairs and dumped them in the hall. Gradually she collected all his things; his stereo, his television, his footy videos. She put everything that belonged to him in the hall with the clothes.
When she'd finished, Rachel sat on the couch in front of the empty space where the tv used to be, and pulled out her mobile phone. She typed in a quick SMS message; "I'll be out until 5 o'clock. Pick up your things before I get back." Then she input Frank's number and hit send.
Slinging her handbag over her shoulder, Rachel grabbed her car keys and headed out the door.
~~ * ~~

Frank stopped talking mid-sentence and picked up his beeping mobile phone. He read the message on the screen and sighed.
"What is it?" Kevin asked.
"I'm going out for a couple of hours. You two can get back to what you were doing before I came in, if you like." He tucked his mobile back in his pocket and left without another word.
When he arrived back home, Rachel's car was missing from the driveway, as he'd expected. He backed his car in and opened up the boot before unlocking the door and going inside.
He saw the bags of clothes and videos immediately. So, an amputation was what she wanted. Well, it was probably for the best. He started loading his car, wondering why he hadn't asked his brother to give him a hand. Because I wanted to be alone to think, probably.
She'd been pretty thorough. In the space of less than an hour, his presence was wiped from their house.
Almost.
Their wedding picture still sat on the shelf in the living room. He picked it up carefully, as if it would shatter in his hands. Like the marriage itself.

It was all so simple when, you were to be queen, and I'd be your king
I guess the dream got lost, cos baby you're still you, and I'm still me
Now letting go is always the hardest part to fight
When we both know we're just two more victims of the night
It's too late, too late to wonder why
Much too late to save a love that's died

He sank on to the couch, clutching the picture frame, and let the tears come.
~~ * ~~

Frank looked at his watch. Four thirty. He'd better get going, she'd be back soon. The last thing he wanted was another shouting match. He started to put the picture back, but he decided not to. She could keep the wedding album, but he wanted the picture.
Carefully he pulled his house key off his keyring and left it on the table, then he locked the door from the inside and pulled it shut behind him.
~~ * ~~

Part Two: Epilogue

"Hi Rachel," Kevin greeted, finding her on his doorstep.
"Hi," she smiled. "Is Frank here? I need to talk to him."
Kevin suddenly looked extremely uncomfortable. "No, he isn't."
"When will he be back?"
"He won't be."
Rachel frowned. "But he always comes here."
Kevin sighed. "He got to a transfer, Rach. To the water police, in Fremantle. Western Australia."
Rachel felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. "Oh," she managed.
"Do you want his address? He'd probably like to hear from you."
Rachel shook her head. "I think he's made it pretty clear that he doesn't. Anyway, I gotta go," she said quickly, unable to stand the look of pity on his face.
Kevin nodded, and Rachel turned and walked away.

Here I go again I promised myself
I wouldn't think of you today
But I'm standing at your doorway
Calling out your name 'cos I can't move on

~~ * ~~

Rachel threw herself into her work. Within two years, she had earned a promotion to Senior Constable. Unfortunately it was about that time the divorce papers arrived.
There was no explanation from Frank, no accompanying letter. Just divorce papers from some solicitor in Perth with little stickers on the side to point out where she should sign. So she signed. He'd probably met someone else and wanted his freedom back. She tried not to think about it.

Ever since you've been gone the lights go out the same
The only difference is you call another name
To your love, to your lover now
The lover after me

The next day she sealed the papers in the convenient reply-paid envelope that had come with them and dropped them in a post box on her way to work.
On her way home from work, she called in to see a lawyer, a man named Jonathon Goldstein, and told him she wanted to change her name back to Friedman.

Part Three: The Beginning

"Detective Senior Constable Rachel Friedman, I'd like you to meet your new partner, Detective Senior Constable Frank Holloway."
Rachel and Frank stared at each other.
Jeff sensed the tension in the air. "You two already know each other?" he asked.
Rachel spoke up quickly, "Yeah, we used to work together about fifteen years ago."
Well, it was the truth, if not the whole of it.
Frank looked at her for a long moment, then added, "But I seem to remember I outranked you, then."
Rachel sighed, relieved.
"So, where's my office?" Frank asked.
"Just down the hall. I'll show you," Rachel answered.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Rachel muttered, "Thanks."
Frank tried not to stare, but he couldn't seem to get enough of looking at her. "I got the impression you didn't want me to mention it," he explained.
"It's just that if Jeff knew, he would probably not want us working together," she answered carefully.
They reached the office, and Rachel indicated the empty desk waiting for Frank.
Frank took a deep breath. "How do you feel about it?" he asked.
"What?"
"Do you want me to transfer somewhere else?"
Rachel thought about it for a minute, then shook her head. "We can both be professional about it can't we?" she answered, surprising herself. "Besides, then I'd only get someone else, and I hate working with strangers."
Frank laughed. "It's been ten years. You don't think I've changed?"
"Well, you look a little different."
"More wrinkles, more grey hair?"
"Something like that."
"You know you look just as... the same as you did then."
Rachel sat down, not looking at him. They'd stumbled into dangerous territory. "Thanks," she answered quietly. "Would you like the station tour now or later?"
"Might as well do it now," Frank answered, to cover his discomfort.
Rachel motioned to the door.
"Ladies first."
Rachel rolled her eyes, but led the way.
~~ * ~~

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