A/N: Hey guys! So it's been like over a year since Mars Landing and I thought I should write something to mark that. I actually started writing this on March 25th so it's set then (just after Walk Of Shame).

I'm still updating Voice of An Angel as inspiration hits, though it's been sparse lately. As for The Match That Lit the Fire, I think I'm going to stop it right there because I said it would just be a sort of prologue, and I can't be bothered writing about all that depressingness.

I need you to know as you read this, that I'm not trying to put the break-up on Nick or anything like that, but this is how I imagine he sees it due to his lack of self-esteem.

Schmidt stared at Jess then back at Nick as they ate their breakfast in tense silence. It was Saturday, and though it was expected of Nick to sleep in until lunch, Jess had always considered sleeping until nine to be a wasted morning, but this morning she stumbled out of her room around eleven thirty. Schmidt was in his usual chipper weekend mood, but both of them seemed at their very worst. He watched as Nick put away the milk and Jess immediately took it back out of the fridge instead of asking him to leave it out, before grabbing her own spoon and shutting the draw in front of Nick. It wasn't that either of them did anything particularly aggressive or mean, but their normal morning flow was gone and they just looked... not mad... hurt?

"Okay seriously you guys – what's up?" He eventually broke the silence.

"Nothing, Schmidt." Nick replied sharply with a glare. Jess just snickered as she continued the staring contest with her cereal. "If you've got something to say Jess..." he trailed off before sighing and marching out the door, grabbing his keys and leaving his half-eaten cereal.

"Nothing?" Schmidt questioned.

"Drop it Schmidt."

Once the elevator doors closed, Nick slammed his hand on the elevator door in frustration. March 25th. It had been a year. He knew that today was going to be difficult for him, but he hadn't known if Jess would have noticed, and he wasn't sure whether it would have been easier if she did or didn't, but he could tell right away from the way her sad eyes wouldn't make contact with his that it hurt her just as much. As he walked towards his car not sure where he was going, he considered all that had happened since that morning when he had woken up with her in his room but not in his arms. He had dated, she had 'loved', they had been good at retaining their friendship, but it wasn't the way it had been before.

Over all, he really wished they had never broken up. It's not like he could have done anything else though. Could he? What did he do? He told her he loved her, and he had tried to kiss her during a temporary lapse on the cruise, but really, he never fought for her. For them. How could he not have fought for her? And how was he only just realizing this now? Is it too late? Wait, what? No! Stupid thoughts – of course it is. It had been a year, she'd moved on. She'd been in a serious relationship since then – a serious relationship that ended... after he had talked to her. Nick sat dumbfounded in his car as it all hit him at once. The fact that not only had he let Jessica damn Day slip away without a fight, but that he may actually be able to get her back. Is that crazy? Of course it is. Maybe it is...

Jess slinked off to take a shower feeling moody and sort of mad but at nobody in particular. Well... maybe a little mad a Nick. Today was hard on both of them, why was he making things so tense and awkward? He wouldn't make eye contact and he had gone from grumpy in a sweet way, to just plain grumpy.

She couldn't really be mad at him though. After all, it was her that had continued to push him when he wasn't ready, and it was her who had told him that his love wasn't enough. They didn't want the same things. Ryan had known since he was a teenager that he wanted two kids, and to live in a cozy family home near good schools in the suburbs. He'd known what he wanted, and what he wanted was what she wanted, but that hadn't been enough either apparently. Jess let out a sigh as she realized that she'd deemed neither love nor stability as good enough for her and wasn't entirely sure what was. She didn't really miss Ryan though. If anything she felt guilty – guilty that a relationship that had lasted months felt like a rebound. She considered what her life would be like by now had her and Nick never broken up and let the hot water burn her skin as she closed her eyes and could almost feel the ring that wasn't on her finger, the kicking that wasn't in her stomach, and the arms that hadn't wrapped around her waist in a year. Why couldn't she have just given Jacob the toy in the damn box?

Nick drove as fast as he could get away with, until eventually he realized he didn't have his wallet with him, and if he went any further, he might not have the gas to get home. He pulled over near a beach front and quickly wished he hadn't. The night they'd thought he had cancer was the first night he fell asleep next to Jess, the freezing cold waves crashing in front of them. He'd spent his first few days with Jess in Mexico at the beach, forgetting the world and everything in it but each other and the sand. Now here was a million grains of it, a million little reminders of what he'd let go of and it hurt. He needed that though. He needed to remember. He'd made the decision to win her back, and now he needed to figure out how. He couldn't just spring it on her. He knew Jess, and he knew that if she ddin't have time to decide what she wanted, she would choke and act rationally when confronted and his whole plan would turn to crap. For now he just had to keep letting her know that he hadn't given up on them.

I just realized the 25th was a Wednesday – just roll with it. Thanks for reading! Reviews and criticism are appreciated! :)