Update! Track two (and title track of the CD) Red. Enjoy.
Title: Red
Summary: Loving him was never going to be easy. It was hard but it was real, and that was enough for her.
Genre: Romance/Angst
Pairing: Lassiet
Word Count: 580
Disclaimer: Not mine!
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Losing him was blue like I've never known
Missing him was dark gray, all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody I never met
Cause loving him was red
-Red
Where did it all go wrong?
Juliet O'Hara repeated the question over and over again in her mind, like a record with a broken needle. For almost a year, she had been dating her partner and best friend, Carlton Lassiter. She had fought her feelings for him for years, until one day she just couldn't do it anymore. To her relief and delight, he had felt the same way. What followed was quite possibly the best year of her life, until a few weeks ago. Then the fights had started. They were in the middle of a particularly rough case in which a man had killed his wife and two of his children before killing himself. The third child was missing from the house, and Juliet was certain she was dead, but Lassiter, usually never one to cling to hope, was convinced she had somehow survived. They fought and snarled at each other until Vick was forced to send them to separate areas to cool off. But the act only seemed to make things worse.
Her eyes watered as she sat down on her couch and wrapped an old afghan around her shoulders.
The fight came to an ear shattering climax in her apartment last night. They had found the missing girl buried in a shallow grave in the backyard. Vick had quietly sent everyone home for the weekend, and Juliet and Lassiter had gone to her apartment. She had hoped they would be able to fix things and go to bed, but it was like they just couldn't let it go. They continued to fight, until he had stormed out after saying they had been a mistake. She had stood there for hours, staring at the door in disbelief and heartache. He didn't call, he didn't return, and sometime after midnight, she finally crawled into bed and cried herself to sleep.
Now she was sitting on her couch, feeling more lost and alone than she ever had before. Had she lost him for good? Would she go into work Monday to find a request for a new partner and his desk devoid of his personal items?
Would she ever see him again?
She was so lost in her misery, she almost missed the soft knock on her door. Her eyes shot to the clock on the wall. It was late, too late for any normal visitors or even Shawn. Getting to her feet, she dropped the afghan and made her way to the door. She hesitated briefly before turning the locks and pulling the door open.
Carlton stood there, leaning against the wall and a remorseful look on his handsome face. "Juliet…"
"Carlton."
Reaching out, he gently touched his fingertips to her cheek.
She slowly leaned into his hand and closed her eyes.
Encouraged by her reaction, he slid his other arm around her and gently drew her against his chest. Then he guided her back into the apartment, kicking the door shut behind them with his foot.
As soon as he kissed her, Juliet felt relief wash over her. She returned the kiss eagerly and slid her hands under his shirt.
Loving him was never going to be easy. It was hard but it was real, and that was enough for her.
Loving him was red.
The End.
A/N: Next up, Juliet contemplates her relationship with Shawn in Treacherous. Thanks for reading, and please review!