Troian was driving home from a long day of work, heading to her small home in LA, Santa Monica. She kept thinking of the scenes with Keegan, not once about her scenes with the girls, which was unusual.

She was driving home, when she heard her phone chime. She sighed, and reached to get it.

Troian kept her eyes on the road, and looked at the text.

ONE NEW MESSAGE FROM: KEEGS

Hey, T-Bells. Want to hang out tonight? My place, 12 AM?

Troian felt her heart flutter, even though the darkness in the night was everywhere. She tried to reply, but her fingers slip, and she drops her phone under her seat.

"Dammit!" She hisses under her breath, agitated.

She reaches down, her left hand still on the wheel. Troian heard a loud

BLEEP

And she shoots herself up right before a car smashes into her own car. She swerves to the right, back into her lane, and breaths out shakily. She could've gotten in a crash.

She dials Keegan's phone number, and it rings only twice.

"Hey, Troi. What's up?"

"Uh, hi Keegan. Can I come over… uh, now?"

She asks nervously, as she drives her car down the highway towards Santa Monica.

"Yeah, sure. Take your time, Troian. You alright? You sound shaky"

She lets out a groan.

"I'm fine, it's just"-

"Did something happen with you and Patrick?"

Troian froze, and furrowed her eyes on the road ahead of her.

"Uh, no… why, why would you ask?"

Keegan stopped for a moment, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

"Nothing… just… you're engaged. I just was being a… friend"

He sounded almost… disappointed. Almost.

"Okay, so I'll come over now, I'm like, ten minutes away"

"Kay, Troian, see you soon"

"Bye Keegs"

"Bye"

And they hung up.

Keegan was putting the rest of his white dishes away into the urban setted cabinets. He was nervous, and a bit upset. He had hoped that he and Troian could, somehow, connect.

But he knew it was impossible. She was engaged. He was… well… alone.

But Keegan at least wanted her over, so he could just spend time with her.

Minin, Keegan's black tom loomed over to him, purring.

Keegan smiles at his loyal cat, and picks him up, putting him behind his shoulder's like he always did. Minin crawled on his shoulders, and lied down on them, his green eyes slipping closed.

Keegan laughed, and then he heard his door of his apartment knock.

Troian!

He thought, happy. He ran to the door, Minin clawing onto his shirt to not fly off.

Keegan unlatched the door, and swung it open to find Troian, beautiful as ever, standing in his door way.

She seemed tired, her eyes squinty, but her presence here was like of an angel to Keegan.

"Hey Keegs" Troian looked at Minin, and smiled.

"Hi Minin"

Minin purred in response.

"Come in Troian"

Troian walks into the apartment, wearing a long cream colored coat, a navy t-shirt that said, 'Arcade Fire' and leather boots.

She sat on the couch, and looked over at Keegan, who was still standing.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Uh, do you want a drink?"

"Do you have, um, beer?"

Keegan laughs.

"Yeah, what kind?"
"I don't care"

Keegan nods, and walks into his kitchen, opening the fridge, and grabbing two Coors Light. He opens both of them with a loud POP, and reaches for Minin.

Keegan sets Minin down on the kitchen floor, and Minin purrs, walking off into his bedroom.

Keegan walks back into the room with Troian, and hands her the beer.

"Mmmm, good choice" Troian says, and chugs it down in a loud gulp.

Keegan sits next to her, taking a sip of his own beer. He stares at her. The way she smiles, the way she moves her legs when she crosses them, even the way she pulls a piece of her hair behind her ear.

He was indulged in her presence, like a deer in front of headlights. He couldn't stop looking at her. Here she was, with him.

"Uh, Keegan?" She says, concerned.

"What?"
"You're staring at me" She laughs, shoving his shoulder.

Keegan shoves her back, but tickles her stomach.

She lets out a cry in protest, laughs escaping her mouth, as she sets down her beer on the coffee table.

"Stop, Keegan, stop!" She cries out.

Keegan stops, but he stays above her a few seconds.

They're looking in each other's eyes, but Keegan pulls himself away, and he puts his head in his hands.

"Keegan, you okay?"

Keegan can't tell her… she would hate him.

"Nothing, just a little tired…"

"Come on Keegan, you can tell me anything. I know there's something wrong. You were thinking something; I could see it in your eyes"

"It's nothing Troian. I just… missed you a lot"
Keegan knew he wasn't technically lying. He did miss her a lot… maybe more than a lot.

"Awe, I missed you too Keegan. A lot a lot. It felt like years!"

"That, it did"

They both got quiet.
Troian reaches for her beer, and chugs it, looking straight forward at Keegan's record player.

"Hey, Keegan, can you play something for me? I know your good at the piano"
"Hmm, okay"
He knew he would do it for her any day.

He walks over to his piano, and he lifts the lid up, and strokes a few keys, the music vibrating through the walls, echoing through the quiet apartment room.

Troian sits and listens, and a light bulb goes off in her head.

"It's, 'Another Story' by The Head and The Heart"

"Correct, Troian. I learned it because"-

He was about to say "Because you're in it", but instead he says,

"…I like the band"
"Really? Me too! I was actually in a music video for that song… I love it"
Hearing her say, "I love", and it not ending with "you" left a crack in Keegan's heart. He sighed, and turned to face her.

"Troian?"
"Yes?"

"You know I care about you, right?"
"Of course I do Keegan, why?"

"I… I just want you to know, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on… you can come over here anytime"

Troian smiles, and gets up, walking over to Keegan.

She kisses his cheek lightly, and a shutter of electricity speeds through Keegan's core, paralyzing him in his place.

"Thank you Keegan. You're a really great friend"
Keegan plants on a smile, and he gets up, sitting back on the couch as Troian sits at the piano, pressing in a few keys.

'You're a really great friend'

Keegan felt the drop of his heart once again. That's all he would ever be to her. Her friend.

Suddenly, Keegan can't help himself. And he knows he has to do it then, now.

"Troian"
"What, Keegs?" She replies, still playing the piano.

"I… I love you"
But she doesn't turn around

"I love you too" She says, but there's only a friendly presence in her voice.

"No, Troian, you don't understand"-

Troian turns around, looking at him now.

-"I love you" He says, more passion in his voice than ever. He stares at her, and Troian looks like she has pity in her eyes, and she opens her mouth to speak…