Sunlight engulfed the bedroom forcing Phil's eyes to flutter open, groaning he turned to his side and contemplated the sight before him, Katie's naked back. He ran his fingers along her back and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder, he heard her sigh and cuddle closer to the pillow.
For the first time he felt tranquil and truly happy. He was just going to forget about that night and the awkwardness that followed. The realization hit him that Sam was going to be leaving soon. She had three days left and now he was starting to think that the two months of separation that were ahead, weren't such a bad idea. He still had to call her and apologize for his sudden departure yesterday. He sat up and leaned back on the headboard, should he call her now? She probably was at work and didn't want to disturb her. Jesus Christ! This is Sam you're talking about, just call her.

Sam had woken up in a good mood, despite everything that has happened. She brushed off the weird goodbye he had given her yesterday and actually didn't care much about the fact that he hadn't swung by or even called. She started to truly believe that she had indeed done it. She had managed to turn off her feelings for him once and for all.
As she was getting ready to go to work, she looked around her living room and couldn't help the happiness that washed over her. The day after tomorrow, she will be boarding a plane and working on an actual dig. She couldn't contain the smile that came to her lips. It was going to be a pretty lengthy one but right now distance from Chicago and Phil is exactly what she needed.
She grabbed her things and headed to the bus stop. After sitting down in the bus, she felt a little saddened as she took in the sights of her normal route. She would miss it all, she wasn't a Chicago native but this place had been her home for six years.
She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and fetched it out. She sighed when she saw that it was a text message from Chez.
FROM: Chez
Boy, do I have great news for you! The wicked witch of the west has left the building! I repeat the bitch has left the building! Let us rejoice!
Katie left? That was weird, but again why should she care? This whole thing was over anyway. She sighed and with curiosity filling her brain, before she could stop herself she replied to Chez's text.
TO: Chez
What do you mean she left? I thought she was going to be here with him for the length of his trip.
FROM: Chez
We thought so too but apparently she received a call this morning from the agency she works with and they offered her a spot on a magazine photo shoot or something. I don't really know, and well they wanted her in a flight as soon as possible and she's gone! You know what that means! )
Hahaha, no! She was done, done with all of it. Katie and Phil could fall down a blowhole together, she didn't care. Right?
TO: Chez
Ha, thanks but no thanks. I told you, I am done. D O N E! Have to go, I am getting off the bus.
She sighed, today was going to be a good day, no scratch that a GREAT day and she was going to have an even better one at work. Today was her last day and she was going to enjoy herself.
After seven hours of work and a two hour long goodbye party, Sam felt in great spirits. She had a great time with her co workers reminiscing about the piece she had been working on and the many frustrating obstacles she had encountered, with pictures to match. She would definitely miss this place the most.
As she was gathering her things out of her locker, she looked down at her watch and saw that it was 5pm. She could swing by Chez' place and probably party a bit more with her since she was probably in a very jovial mood. The cell screen brightened up notifying her of a call, she looked down and saw Phil's picture on the screen. Well, she had to talk to him eventually.
Here goes nothing!
"Hello"
"Hey vagisil!" Sam couldn't help but smile, things were back to normal and he was being his normal idiotic self, so of course she had to retort with a nickname that he had always hated, one that always made him cringe.
"How goes it cuntwaffle!"- She laughed when she heard his groan of disgust.
"Ugh, it goes. I am outside, I figured since it's your last day there we could hang out for a bit," she liked the sound of that since they hadn't really hung out, together alone since his return.
"Sure, I am just gathering my things. I'll be out in a minute," she replied and shut her phone. She finished cleaning out her locker and closed it; she gave a final look around the employee's break room and sighed. She knew this day was coming, that working here wasn't permanent but time had just snuck up on her. She turned in her badge and gave a hug to Walter the security guard, with one last look over her shoulder; she headed out before she started to cry - again.
She walked down the museum's steps and spotted Phil standing by his truck, as soon as he saw her he started to walk up to her. He stopped in front of her and smiled at her, he opened his arms and she stepped into them. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She had missed this, especially today.
He took the bag from her and rubbed her back.
"Feeling better?"- He looked down at her, giving her one his famous grins.
"Much better, thanks."- She walked with him to his car and he opened the door for her, she quickly got in wondering exactly where he was taking her. They were probably headed to his house or maybe hers… or maybe the park.
In the ride over to, wherever it was, they had fallen to their common repertoire of name calling and remembering old times. He had asked her about her trip and if she was excited and she couldn't help but rant about it, of course she wanted to tell him that she was going to be gone for two years instead of the two months that she had initially told him but couldn't bring herself to. Not when things were finally becoming normal between them, the last thing she wanted to do was piss him off. She was going to have to do it and soon but that was going to be a problem for another day. Today she was just going to enjoy herself with him…. at a jewellery store? What the hell?
She looked around to see if she recognized a familiar place but nope, she turned and saw Phil getting out of the car and walking over to the passenger side, he opened the door for her and she gave him a curious look. She got out of the car and walked side by side with him into the store.
"So, I have to ask. What are we doing here?"- She finally asked as they made their way to the front counter. She looked around and glanced at the very fancy pieces of jewellery sitting in the cases, some pieces were freaking enormous. Who on earth would want something the size of their fist on their finger?
"I need your help with something," he replied, looking behind over his shoulder and giving her a reassuring smile.
She couldn't help but smile when she saw of one the salesclerks gawking at Phil. She knew that he had grown used to it but she still found it so odd. Every time something like that happened, she felt so proud of him other people would've taken something like that the wrong way but not him. He had always been so grounded.
He spoke with the gentleman behind the front counter while she stood beside him still looking around. This place was so freaking shiny, every so often the shimmer of a diamond would shine right in her eye and made her groan. The quicker they got through whatever this was… the better, before she hulked out and smashed the pretty jewellery.
He nudged her shoulder and she looked down, before her was a cushioned tray with four rings. They were so beautiful, simple and - oh god.
"Phil, what are these?" she asked him, trying to keep her tone in check. She was hoping that she was wrong that this wasn't what she thought it was.
"Engagement rings," he quickly added, just like that. Engagement rings, like it was nothing serious.
"Are you?" she couldn't bring herself to say the next bit. "Are you proposing, to Katie?"- She started to feel hot and dizzy, like all air from the room had evaporated.
"Yes"- He quipped.
"What? Phil, you don't fully know that woman!" She yelled, getting a few stares from shoppers and clerks alike. Phil softly smiled at the gentleman telling him that they would be back and grabbed Sam by her arm and taking her outside.
"What the hell was that?"- He said, looking at Sam who was looking everywhere but him.
"Phil, you don't know that woman. You have been dating her for only five months!"- She was going to try and make him see reason if it was the last thing she did.
"Hey! That woman's name is Katie and I happen to be in love with her!"- He yelled back at her. She couldn't help but look up when he dropped the L word. He loved her. She felt as if she had been sucker punched, again. She thought their relationship was just infatuation but no, here he was throwing in her face the thing she feared the most. It was as if the floor had shifted beneath her feet leaving her breathless and lost. Just when she thought she was over him.
"Phil, you can't possibly be in love with her. You don't even know her, five months is not enough time to know a person. You only know the surface"- She replied, she was going to make him see the foolishness in his action. As soon as those words left her mouth, she wished she could've retracted them. The look of seething anger he gave her rocked her to her core.
They had never really fought before and seeing Phil like that, truly frightened her.
"Sam, who the hell do you think you are? You think you can just TELL me who to love. Fuck you!"- He bellowed and stepped away from her. She let his words wash over her. It's true, she had no right and if he truly did love her than he deserved to be with her.
"You're right; I don't have any right because I am no one. I am just your friend and I want you to be happy, so since you love her and she makes you happy. You go right ahead and ask her to marry you. I hope you two are very happy together"- She replied, meaning every word even though it hurt like hell. She opened the car door, grabbed her bags and walked off, leaving him standing on the sidewalk.
He loved her.
She hailed a cab and after getting in she couldn't fight the tears as they fell, once more.