Sam and Diane loved their Tuesday nights off. It was their time to be together and do whatever they chose. As crazy as their courtship would seem, lately their time together had been mellow. The relationship had already gone from physical lust to emotional attachment. Diane knew it, Sam knew it, and neither one of them spoke about it. It wasn't something that needed to be discussed. The relationship for the time being was just what it was and there was nothing either of them could do but let it be.

"Hey, sweetheart," Sam said to Diane one Tuesday night. "Want to go down to the docks tonight?"

"Sounds lovely, Sam," Diane replied, albeit a little apprehensive. "However, it is Autumn."

"Yeah, so?"

"So. Don't you think it would be a bit on the chilly side?"

"So?"

"Well?"

"Dress warm."

"All right," she would finally give in with a smile.

They had just finished dinner at Diane's apartment. Diane cooked as a matter of course. She was a wonderful cook and Sam would forever be impressed by that.

"What did you put in the roast?"

"A little something extra," she would reply with a sly grin.

"Like what? Garlic? Oregano, maybe?"

"Love."

"I like that," Sam replied with his million dollar smile of his.

"When can we go to the docks?"

"Right now."

"Yes, Sam, but what about all these dishes?"

"They'll be here when we get back. Come on, sweetheart."

Diane couldn't argue with his logic this time. She scrambled to find her long, red coat and black, flat boots. Sam had on his signature Red Sox coat that Diane always secretly loved. They headed out to Sam's car hand-in-hand and hopped in. The early autumn sun was still out and glistening the freshly turned red leaves. Nobody could live in Boston and not love autumn. It was especially Diane's favorite season; she always found it cozy and in a way, romantic.

Luckily, Diane's apartment wasn't that far from the docks and they made it there in ten minutes. Not bad for Boston traffic time. Getting out of the car, both Sam and Diane were hit in the face with the smell of the water. They breathed in deeply, knowing that this would be one of their last times this year that they would be coming here. It would be too cold for anyone to come here by Thanksgiving time.

"Where does the time go?" Diane asked, putting her arms around Sam.

"I was wondering the same thing," Sam admits as he puts his arms around her. They make their way to a park bench of to the left corner of the docks locked in each other's embrace the whole way. They take in another deep breath as they let go of each other and sit down. Summer turning to autumn was definitely a magical, bittersweet time. The water was still blue, the sun was still setting in the same way with every shade of pastel one could think of, and the remaining seagulls were still gawking overhead. Only the leaves on the trees and the dip in temperature were giveaways of what was to come.

"Why do things have to change so often?" Diane wondered out loud.

"What do you mean?" Sam was puzzled by her question.

"Like the seasons, like people, like life."

"Well, seasons always come back, I know that. People can come back too, you know."

"Amazing."

"What I just said?"

"Yeah. I'm not ribbing you, either. What you just said made me feel like I was wrapped in a warm blanket."

"That good, huh?" He asked, putting his arm around her in a smug manner.

"You don't know your own goodness, Sam Malone."

And with that, the red sun dipped beneath the indiago waves, bathing Sam Malone and Diane Chambers in a crystal pink light that shined down from the pastel sky.