Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply here: I don't own Jericho, or any of its main characters. I do own this story, however…

Character(s): Jake & Emily

Time Frame: 5 years before the start of Season One (a look into why Jake left town).

Rating: G

Author's Note: This story was inspired by one I read elsewhere. I give all the credit due to that author, and my gratitude for being a very good writer.

Summary: Why did Jake leave town? This is one look at the answer…

Moving On by peacejaw

I stare at her as the evening sky envelops us; she's so beautiful, even more so than when I first met her some twenty years ago, and she's just as strong and enigmatic as ever. And I'm going to miss her.

For nearly twenty years, she's been a big part of my life. Unfortunately for the both of us, that has to end, and quickly. We grew up together as well as faced the burdens and challenges our families put on us. It was something that I wasn't sure we'd survive. She pulled us through, however, and she did the impossible: she never gave up hope.

But with the impossible came the end of the journey for us. When I realized what Jonah Prose, her father, was asking me to do for him, I knew that I had a difficult choice to make: leave Jericho for good and live, or stay in Jericho and die. The decision to leave was difficult to make, as it means leaving her behind, but I knew in my heart that it was the right decision.

Walking away from her is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I'll never forget her. She can never be replaced in my heart, for it was because of her that I grew into a better, stronger, person, and I know myself better than I did as a child. I spent the best the best years of my life, and the worst, with her, and for that, I will always be grateful.

She may have protected me from our enemies, both new and old, but she couldn't protect me from me. Or her father, not this time. This time, I have to stand for myself. My friends and family will always wonder why I've left town without saying goodbye, and though I understand why, it can't be helped. One day, perhaps, they will know that leaving this way was the right decision for me.

As I climb back into my car, the darkness brings me strength, comfort, and even love. It lifts me up in a way I've never known before. I will always miss Emily, but she belongs to my past now, and it's time for me to move on.

It's time for me to look to the future.

The End