Disclamier: I don't own Community or the lyrics featured just my computer and my OC's.

A/N: This chapter gets a little bit dark towards the end

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Chapter 2 The City

Jeff was riding into town after driving through the countryside for what seemed like a few minutes. The sun was still shinning out and literally nothing had changed except the locale. Jeff taking a look around the street he was on there was nobody out except Jeff right now was in front of a television store that seemed to be repeating different images on each of the seven TV's that were out on display in an ongoing loop. Each separate moments between Jeff and Annie or at least the parts that Jeff didn't feel bad about the first television showed was their first kiss at the debate beating Simmons and the City College debate team, then suddenly switching to the Tranny Dance to the kiss that she initiated then again coming to think about it she was the one to first see that they could be so much more, while Jeff cowered behind in his fears of uncertainty. The second television showed the moment when the blanket fort came down after his and Annie's after their night school conspiracy adventure and they found themselves closer than they'd usually be especially with how things had been with them during their second year.

Up next was the Model UN incident and this time he could actually hear the TV from the window like if someone had just turned up the volume from inside the store, though he couldn't shake the feeling like something or someone was watching him…...

"Listen, when you really hate someone the way you hate Annie Kim or you feel the way I feel about you, the easy loophole through the creepiness and danger is to treat them like a child. 'Chip off the old block!', 'You're the best kiddo!' It's a crutch; it's a way for me to tell you how important you are from a distance….."

He remembered the next part vividly and how he missed his chance then and there to seize the day as he heard Professor Whitman say many times before. Jeff put his attention onto the fourth television which was playing he saw how his counterparts from the darkest timeline were happier than him…..how he and her were together hell they probably got married already and had a bunch of kids spreading chaos and anarchy across their timeline…..

The fifth TV showed Borchert's Lab right at the exact moment he opened that door it repeated itself over and over forever engrained in his mind as the moment he accepted what he felt for Annie it was the moment that set off the events that summer finally manning up and asking Annie out (with some added help of course.)

The sixth TV showed the moment when Annie announced she had gotten accepted to the FBI…..Seeing his reaction from a different perspective he noticed the fear in his eyes the array of emotions showing through his face ranging from scared happy, sad, acceptance and sad again, the moment he heard that Annie was leaving he felt his heart sink though he should have been happy for Annie! It was the perfect opportunity for her though here he was still miserable as evident by his recent state of emotions and lack of sleep. That's when the seventh and final television's static cleared up and all it showed was a repeat of Jeff being unable to sleep in his bed tossing and turning after the second night being without Annie…..this was supposed to be his happy place! He didn't want to be reminded of what he was going through at least not now…..grabbing a pipe that was conveniently placed next to the brick and mortar store he smashed the window and in a dramatic fashion began busting up all the TV's that were on the display taunting him with moments of the past he had forgotten or kept closely to himself as to not seem sensitive or emotional, Jeff knew he was wrong when he snapped out of his rage induced stupor and began hearing clapping from behind him.

"Nice job dumbass, those were some good TV's now Mr. Nadir has to order more though you're lucky he's out of town right now." The teenager said as Jeff had an annoyed look on his face while the kid simply looked at Jeff with an eyebrow raised."

"Listen kid this doesn't concern you so how about you buzz off."

"Whatever you say square….." The teenager said vanishing around the corner giving the former lawyer a disgruntled glace before vanishing into the shadows, as Jeff felt a feeling of familiarity when looking at the young man almost if he was looking into a mirror. The teenager was wearing a striped flannel shirt with torn denim jeans, Jeff dropped the pipe and rubbed his eyes to make sure it wasn't an illusion he created….

It couldn't have been…..no….it couldn't.

"It's just a trick…it's just my mind playing tricks on me just like that one song Emilio likes….right just like that."

Realizing he was standing in front of "Abed's World Of Television." He felt awkward about smashing his friend's imaginary television store he stepped back out into the sidewalk looking around him he figured it wouldn't hurt to take a peek inside again grabbing the pipe he decided to use the front door this time except it was locked and there was a small flyer clinging to the glass door.

Party At The Black Triangle

Time: ?:?-?:?

Hosted by the one and only EL SULTAN OF FUNK AND STUFF

"You'll find what you want"

Deeming it important he folded the flyer and slipped it into his back pocket, picking up the pipe he smashed through the door clearing out any shards of glass that might stick him he pushed the door open….

"TROY AND ABED IN THE MORNING!"

Jeff heard the jingle out of nowhere and began swinging hitting a few more TV's only to realize that there was nothing there except him…..

He felt like an idiot, getting spooked by his friend's imaginary talk show jingle. Momentary embarrassment aside he started looking throughout the store as the song Daybreak began to play. God how he had come to loathe that it especially since he had heard it countless numbers of time that if he heard it once more he'd likely snap…..then he remembered the moment during the planning of Shirley's wedding when he tried writing his speech when Annie strolled by past him humming the song…..then he felt a little less angrier and felt that feeling in his heart whenever he thought about her as once again at that specific moment one of the TV's turned on by itself repeating those same images that were in his heart except this time there was more Annie than scotch or Labradors or actress' from the 80's…it was her and her alone.

Deciding he had caused enough mayhem in the store, he went to the counter saw a notepad ripping out a page he grabbed a pen and wrote.

Sorry for the mess I'll pay you back sometime-Jeff

Exiting the shop he put the pipe in his passenger seat he looked around the city street and saw that he was again alone and that the teenager was nowhere to be found. Turning on the ignition he put the car in motion and decided to drive aimlessly until he found this "Black Triangle".

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Meanwhile back in reality

"You think Jeff's okay in there?" Britta asked as Dr. Mitchell was looking into the laptop feed in Jeff's bedroom.

"Based off his heart monitor there was a brief moment of stress before he calmed down."

"Weird…." Britta said as she put on her glasses, which earned a curious stare from the doctor.

"You really fancy yourself as a future psychologist?"

"Well yeah, um I'd like to think I could help people out with their issues even if it's only for an hour or two, I mean I want to help people with their issues for example Jeff I want to know what causes someone like him to be so messed up and maybe help them out."

"Noble intentions you have Ms. Perry, I hope you succeed." Mitchell smiled at Britta.

"Thanks!" Britta's lighted up at compliment from Mitchell.

"You're welcome…..if you wish to truly pursue your wishes you can come shadow me sometime."

"That'd be really awesome!" Britta now had a huge grin on her face with the prospect of helping out a real psychiatrist.

Emilio stepped back into the apartment taking a look around he saw Britta talking with the doc possibly begging him to join his practice or something of the sorts, Chang was taking a look inside Jeff's closet trying to maybe find something from when he lived with him, the Dean and Paul were looking at the photo's Jeff had of the study group as well as photos of him and Annie, while Frankie sat silently on Jeff's couch, Emilio noticed that the woman had a look of guilt…almost as if she was upset about something.

"What the hell would she be upset about?" Emilio thought to himself, he decided to grab his roommate stepping out with him into the hallway outside.

"Hey can you talk to Frankie for me? She's been really quiet since Jeff was put under."

"Yeah sure…...I was just wondering what took you so long with ordering the food."

"It's nothing, I just had to make a quick call look I'll explain everything later, but I need you to talk to Frankie and let me know what's going on." Emilio was being evasive with his answer

"Fine….I'm just going to assume whatever that other call was about is in regards to Jeff because you were out for at least thirty minutes."

"Maybe…probably….."

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Meanwhile

Jeff was driving around the same two blocks he was literally going nowhere. He stopped and proceeded to bang his head against the steering wheel. Right now he was between Hickey Avenue and Whitman Street, letting out a loud groan he looked at the top of his Lexus and proceeded to feel another memory kicking in…..

1 year ago

Greendale had been saved and Subway was beaten all due to one phrase. The engagement was off and Dave Matthews was playing he should have felt happy about all of this though instead he felt kind of empty. He only stayed for about an hour after everything was all said and done he went home and proceeded to pour himself copious amounts of scotch as he heard the movers coming into the apartment next door, not bothering to pay attention to what was going on outside he felt the liquor burn as he thought about her….

He screwed up this time no doubt proposing to Britta! God was he stupid, and not only that but seeing the hurt in HER eyes. It made his stomach twist and turn with self hatred and pity for himself, and then he thought about what if this was really his last shot to be with Annie and he screwed it all up because of his cowardice…

The sun was setting now and the only sounds came from next door as the movers started arranging his new neighbor's things….getting up from his chair (rather stumbling actually) he went to his bedroom closet looking for a box that he kept locked in his safe, opening the safe up he looked around until he found it…..it was a black shoebox full of little keepsakes and reminders of her from photos he took of her on his phone while she wasn't looking or little study notes to remind him that a project was due and that he shouldn't be slacking off. Placing it on the left side of the bed he closed his eyes and dreamt up one of the more pleasant dreams he had of her.

"Good night Annie." He said to himself, hoping it'd make him feel a little less bad and maybe through some kind of luck or cosmic energy she would feel that he loved her just from him uttering these words to himself…..

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Present

Jeff in his moment of pondering didn't notice the tears falling from his eyes wiping them away, he needed to stay strong and continue on, not letting himself get caught up in whatever negative feelings his brain tried to throw at him.

Then he heard Henry Rollins' voice coming from the stereo…

I think you got a low self opinion man

I see you standing all by yourself

Unable to express the pain of your distress

You withdraw deeper inside

You alienate yourself

And everybody else

They wonder what's on your mind

They got so tired of you

And your self ridicule

They wrote you off and left you behind

Great now ironic song describing Jeff's opinion of himself (Abed would have a field day with this) he tried turning off stereo jamming his fingers repeatedly, but it wouldn't turn off….

You sleep alone at night

You never wonder why

All this bitterness wells up inside you

You always victimize

So you can criticize yourself

And all those around you

Well that was just saying the obvious as Jeff continued listening involuntarily to the song.

The hatred you project

Does nothing to protect you

You leave yourself so exposed

You want to open up

When someone says

Lighten up

You find all your doors closed

Get yourself a break from self rejection

Try some introspection

And you just might find

It's not so bad and anyway

At the end of the day

All you have is yourself and your mind

The self hatred that blinds you

Binds you grinds you keeps you down

Your world falls down around you

You build up walls around you

You wear disgust like a crown

Whenever Jeff tried to look inside himself he didn't like what he found in there most of the time hiding behind the snark and sarcasm was he had done his whole life because that was safe for him…

If you could see the you that I see

When I see you seeing me

You'd see yourself so differently

Believe me

Then he thought about Annie who was always seeing the good in him even when she didn't have to and could have just wrote off Jeff as a bitter and unhappy drunk, a disgraced ex lawyer though instead she saw a guy who could be a happy and charming person when not manipulating others for his own gain…

I know the self doubt that runs inside your mind

I know the self that treats you so unkind

He again thought about how Annie saw the good in him when he couldn't see it in himself and that was one of the reasons he loved her….

If you could see the you that I see

When I see you

You would see things differently

I assure you

Perhaps he shouldn't feel so bad about himself; he did have friends and a girlfriend who loved him though the reason why he was doing this was his inability to cope with her leaving….though listening to this song made him feel slightly better. Again he felt determined to drive off to his destination even if there was nothing to guide him not realizing the two figures who were watching him in the shadows in the alley behind him.

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Well hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I promise next chapter will be happier and not so angsty and if you're wondering what song I quoted it is the Rollins Band song "Low Self Opinion" from their album "The End Of Silence." (it's probably just me, but Jeff strikes me as the type of guy who secretly listens to Metal and Punk when he's had a bad day) anyway thanks for reading!