Meg wasn't sure if she was finally getting over the events on the island, or if she had just run out of tears. She felt empty, lost and alone. Her best friend had died, and now, she had to face the future without his help, his reassurance, his presence in her life. His life was cut short, viciously, and she couldn't do anything to save him. Mark had died a hero, doubly so for the fact that he finally ended the terror of their nightmarish New Years party on the island Ben had given her for Christmas, by fighting back and killing the masked murderer. She stared vacantly out the window, the net curtains gently caressing her skin in the breeze from the open door. She knew she should sleep, but to do so meant to face the nightmare of seeing Mark die before her eyes.

Over,

And over,

And over, again.

She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her eyes, tiredness making them seem itchy and sore. she sighed and dropped her hands, turning her face to the ceiling as she tried again to clear the gruesome image, her last sight of Mark, from her mind. No matter how hard she tried, she knew it would be the only thing she saw whenever she closed her eyes, for a long time to come. She jumped, a scream dying in her throat as she spun around instantly, her hand raised to her chest as her heart raced from the surprise of a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Meg, I didn't mean to startle you..." Ben's warm voice wrapped around her chaffed nerves like a balm, and she immediately melted into his embrace. His arms wrapped around her, and she tightly grasped the back of his jacket, pulling him close and wishing he would never let her go.

"No, it's fine." She sighed tiredly, resting her head on his chest. He tucked his chin over the top of her head, and held her, and she felt the safety of his arms around her. "I'm just a little, jumpy." She felt the rumble of Ben's chuckle in his chest, the sound rich as it quietly left his throat, though there was no amusement in it. He was mourning also. She leaned away, and looked up, meeting his dark eyes and seeing the pain in them. She raised her hand to his cheek, gently tracing her fingers over his handsome features as she once more drank him in. His black hair and brooding gaze left her heart racing for different reasons, and she tentatively leaned upwards, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Ben gently returned the pressure, enjoying the closeness and intimacy of the moment.

"Get the hell away from her murdering you son of a bitch!" Meg gasped, as Ben was suddenly ripped from her arms. Her heart cried out, as the man she loved was shoved away from her and another stood in his way, stopping him from returning to her arms. Blonde hair and crazed eyes stared down at Ben, as Tim paced before her, his arms raised both to keep Meg back, and keep Ben from coming closer to her.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Meg cried, her fear, confusion and sadness all combined into a maelstrom of fury. She shoved Tim's shoulder, but he stood fast, turning his crazed gaze to her instead of the dark haired man that was now too many paces away from her. She ran her eyes over Ben, and though he was clearly irritated by the interruption, he didn't seem too surprised. Meg supposed she shouldn't be either, but by now, her pain was turning to anger, and Tim had thrown himself in the line of fire, as her furious glare met his fearful one. "What the hell are you doing here, Tim?" She repeated, allowing the fury and venom to drip from her tone.

"I'm protecting you Meg!" Tim cried, his words as tormented and crazed as his eyes. Meg would have felt bad for him in another life, before she came to know the kind of man Tim really was deep inside. She wasn't sure the man she had grown up with, had ever been the man she had thought he was. "Protecting you from Ben! He's a killer Meg! He murdered Mark!" Meg's world exploded in fury, pain and sorrow. Bad enough she had lost so much, now she had a deranged ex-lover who was so twisted by hatred, he would even try and use her friend's death to separate her from the man she loved.

"Ben, did not kill anyone, Tim!" Meg screamed, raising her hands to shove him away from her. He dodged her attack, and kept himself firmly planted between her and Ben, forcing himself between them, though he was sure to always keep one eye on the dark haired man. "He wasn't even there! For god's sake Tim, how can you do this?!" Meg covered her eyes with her hands, distraught over the way Tim was still trying to destroy her relationship with Ben, even to the point of using a dead man to do it. It sickened her, fed her fury within her, like a disease spreading through a persons body.

"Meg, I keep telling you - I heard Mark's last words!" Tim shouted, as though raising his voice would somehow make her believe him. "You don't lie with your last breath! His last words were; It was Ben. Please Meg, come with me, leave Sunset Beach with me, we can go home, to Kansas, please Meg-"

"Enough Tim!" Meg screamed, her heart racing as fury blasted through her. She dropped her hand from her face and shoved the blonde man harder, narrowing her eyes as she fixed him with a furious glare. "I don't believe you! Ben didn't kill Mark! He didn't kill Maria!"

"Yes he did, Meg! You're just too blinded by his charm and-"

"No I'm not, Tim! I love Ben, and you're just jealous and twisted with hatred! How can you use Mark's death like this?!"

"Because I won't let him kill you too Meg! I won't let you end up like Mark!"

"If you hadn't accused Mark he wouldn't have died!" Meg screamed, and for the first time, Tim took his gaze fully from Ben. He stared at her in dumb shock, while she glared at him with cold hatred and disgust. "You, accused Mark of being the murderer. You, started a fight with him when I had finally convinced him to come back to Gabi, to the house. You, went on a rampage, screaming to anyone and everyone you could, that Mark was the murderer. He was out there, because of you. He died, because of you." She spoke the words deathly quietly, but she knew he heard each and every one perfectly from the disbelief on his face.

"No, Meg, I was just trying to protect you-"

"Well you didn't!" She cried, her eyes pricking with the itchy wetness that had plagued them for the past three days since they had returned from the island. Tears of sorrow. Tears of rage. Tears of pain. They rolled down her cheeks, and she swiped them away angrily. "Mark, did. Because you, forced him out of the safety of the group. And I will never, ever, forgive you for it. You, are the reason Mark is dead. Not, Ben." Tim stared at her in disbelief, and her anger at him only intensified at his confusion. "I never, want to see you again Tim. Now, get out!" Ben had stood, quietly watching, knowing it wasn't his place to interfere in Meg's argument with Tim. But when she told him to leave, and he just continued to stand there staring at her, he decided enough was enough.

"You heard her, Tim. I think it's time you left." He said, and Meg threw him a thankful look over Tim's shoulder. Tim himself turned to Ben with a furious glare to rival Meg's own for him.

"I swear, I will show her that you're the murderer Ben. You might think you won, but I'll prove it to her. To everyone." He spat. Meg jumped slightly, her hand to her chest, as Ben suddenly grabbed Tim by the shoulders, forcing him towards the balcony door.

"I think Meg has more than made her feelings clear on the matter Tim," Ben said, as he tossed him through the door and out onto the beach. "Don't come back." He said, as he shut the door and locked it, shutting out Tim's protests and his accusations, at least for the rest of the night. Meg cried to herself, her head in her hands, as she felt Ben's hesitant embrace around her shoulders. She pressed her face into his shirt, sobbing into the fabric quietly. Her hands rested on his shoulders, almost holding herself up against him. Ben patiently consoled her, and soothed her as best he could, holding her tight against him.

"I'm so sorry." She muttered, when the worst of her tears finally abated. Ben gently rubbed her arms, and then gently slid his hands to her cheeks, raising her head so he could meet her tearful gaze with his own warm and loving one.

"You have nothing to apologize to me for Meg, least of all Tim." He said, half hitching her favourite crooked grin at her. She tucked her head back under his chin, and was content just to be in his arms. To be held, to be safe. She shut her eyes, and tried hard not to see the image of Mark as he died. She hoped he was somewhere wonderful, waiting for them all, when their times eventually came, but her fury over his stolen life began to override her hopes. She found herself recalling her words, how she would never forgive Tim for his part in causing Mark's death. She opened her eyes and stared vacantly at the far wall. She couldn't punish Grogan for the actual deed, for Mark's murder, but she could damn well make sure that everyone knew it was Tim's fault that it happened. And she planned to start first thing in the morning.

A/N:~ Aloha...

Welcome to another Sunset Beach fic!

I know, I have one already, but I'm actually watching this sort of area of the show at the moment and in the space of about ten minutes THIS all pooped right out of me so; had to share! I just get so mad that this show is so sadly underrated. I hope someone out there reads this; and likes it and enjoys it... I really want to bring Sunset Beach back to people's minds, remind them how great it was! (ok, I can admit some of it was pretty bad acting, but that just makes the show so much BETTER!)

So anyway, if you read my other fics - please, read this too (though I guess you just did if you're here...) even if you don't know the characters. It will be so worth it (I hope) to fall in love with this show with me (I REALLY hope you do!)

Please review and let me know what you think; I know it was short, but then as I said, it was a sudden need to share that just kinda popped up outta nowhere... I hope you come along for the ride with me :) I'll try and post more to this soon... if you like it that is because obviously if you don't then I will just bumble about and maybe post some more one day but also maybe just like, eventually update it sometime in the distant future..?

x My love to you all x