One year. He turned the small coin over and over in his hand. He was supposed to feel something, he realized, but what? Pride? Relief? Satisfaction? Achievement? Nick Fallin sighed heavily, placing the coin on the counter in front of him. He couldn't feel any of those things. There was simply no room in his heart for anything except the overwhelming pain that came with being alone.

The kettle whistled behind him, breaking the silence that had settled over the kitchen. He moved slowly, fetching his favorite mug from the cupboard. Being alone wasn't a new sensation for him. It was something he should be used to. He'd been alone most of his life after all. He was even alone when he was surrounded by other people. No one really got in…not usually….except for his mother and her.

The thought of her made him swallow hard as he poured the steaming water over the tea bag. She was still in his life. He'd seen her just yesterday when she came by for a visit with Anne—his Anne. Anne was the only good thing in his life. She was the only person that saw him without his flaws. He wasn't a sum total of his mistakes with her. He was her father…he was someone that could make her smile simply by walking into a room. He'd reach out his arms and she'd squirm, struggling to get to him. She wanted to be with him…to be around him. She loved him.

Lulu came by every day for dinner, allowing him to spend a few hours every night with Anne. On the weekends, she usually spent the night, but Lulu always stayed. She never said it, but he knew she didn't trust him…she didn't trust him alone with Anne.

"Why would she?" he muttered sighing as he took the first sip from the mug. The steaming liquid burned his lips, but he didn't care. "I'm a screw up," he whispered.

Lulu glanced down at her feet as she ran out of the house. She sighed. Appropriate shoes, both the same color, both on the right feet. This morning was already starting off better than yesterday. She hadn't realized she had been wearing one blue and one black shoe until her third meeting.

Working part time was supposed to make things easier, but Anne was a full time job and somehow doing anything else seemed almost impossible. She lived for her evenings…the hours she got to spend with Nick and Anne. It started out as a necessity. She couldn't leave her alone there…not when he was so early in his recovery, but now watching them together was almost like therapy for her.

Nick was a different person with Anne—open and honest and caring. He was everything she'd always wanted him to be. She had seen glimpses of that when he was with her, but everytime she felt like she was getting close, he would shut down again, or she would shut him down. She never really understood what happened between the two of them.

When she watched him with Anne though, she thought she wanted to find out more. She thought there could be a chance for them. Maybe they could be a family…maybe they could have a chance at a life together after all. Maybe…just maybe.

She pulled her phone from her pocket, dialing Nick's number. The phone rang as she placed her briefcase in the back seat and moved to slide into the car.

"Great," she sighed. "Guess he's already left for work." She placed the phone in the passenger seat and pulled the belt across her chest, shrugging off the gnawing bit of worry that crept into her mind. "Stop it," she whispered aloud. "You'll talk to him tonight."