Disclaimer: I do not own DTBH. I only own Reese and any others you may not recognize.

The ride back to the complex seemed to take an eternity! I couldn't believe that I was riding in a vehicle with the same guy who tried to kill me! It was a very surreal experience. We didn't speak at all through the ride. The only words exchanged were when he asked me where I was staying. I gave him the address and he took me there.

"Um-thanks." I uttered when we reached the building.

"No problem."

As I was about to get out of the car he spoke again.

"Reese.." He trailed off, "I know I fucked up, but I still do care about you. I always have."

"Oh." It was the only thing I can think of to say.

"I know I can never take back what I did, and I know that you'll probably never forgive me. You were always stubborn like that." He chuckled as he reached over and fingered a lock of my hair. "But I'd really like it if maybe you would re-consider everything. Maybe even us?"

I sat completely rigid while he played with my hair. Even though he wasn't hurting me, I could feel myself start to shake. I just didn't trust him. "I really have to go," I said softly, "It's getting late."

"Alright." He sighed as he withdrew his hand.

I got out of the car and made my way inside the building. I really didn't know what to think. He sounded as if he were telling the truth, but there's a difference between sounding truthful and being truthful. Plus I knew him well enough to know that he was the master of lying. It was always hard to tell with him. Also the fact that he wanted me to re-consider us? Yea right!

I reached up and retrieved the spare key I had hidden on the doorframe above the door The anger I could feel earlier was starting to catch up with me again. This was all Leland fault! If he wouldn't have ditched me on the side of the road then I wouldn't be having a mini panic attack right now!

The next morning I woke up with a huge headache and attitude to boot. I caught the bus down to Da Kine to give Leland a piece of my mind. When I got there I ran into Lisa

"Hey girl!" She said as she gave me a hug, "Duane Lee told me that you were back. I was wondering when I was gunna get to see you."

"Well, here I am. Do you know if Leland's here?"

"No, he's not, why?"

"I kinda need to talk to him." I didn't really want to explain to her everything that had happened the night before, "Do you know when he might be here?"

"Not a clue. Duane Lee might though."

He came into the room a few moments later and gave me a strange look, "Do you think I could talk to Reese alone for a sec?" He asked Lisa.

"Yea, sure. I have to go anyway." She gave him a kiss, and then gave me another hug, "It was great seeing you. We'll have to get together soon."

I nodded and watched her leave. I then turned my attention back to Duane Lee who was now sitting down on the couch. He signaled me over and patted the seat next to him. I trudged over and flopped down with a sigh.

"So what happened last night?" He asked

"What do you mean?"

"Well I was over at Leland's place last night looking for a game he borrowed and he came in freaking out about something. He said something about being a huge dick and a complete jerk. When I asked him what was up he didn't say anything. He just left again."

I couldn't help the small smile of satisfaction that grew on my face when I heard the words huge dick and complete jerk. That meant he felt totally bad about what he had done. Well good for him. He should feel bad!

"Something tells me that's what you wanted to hear." He said, taking note of my smile.

"You could say that."

"Ok, so happened?."

I explained to him everything that had happened. From hearing Lani talk bad about the family to her cheating. Then how I tried to tell Leland what I had heard and he had refused to believe me.

"Then he told me to get out, and left me there on the side of the road! In the middle of nowhere!" I told him, "I couldn't call anybody either because I left my purse in the truck."

"I can't believe he would just have left you there. That's just not, well, Leland. And Lani? I knew that chick was bad news since I first met her."

"Yea, too bad he won't believe me."

"Well you said you guys were drinking. Maybe if would be better to talk to him now that he's sobered up. Just wondering though…. But how did you manage to get home?"

I clammed up then. I didn't want to tell him that I got a ride home from Kevin. I knew that I would probably get an earful. Not only from him, but also from everybody else. Considering Duane Lee had a big mouth I knew he would tell the others. Besides, this wasn't about me. This was about Leland and his well-being.

"I found a bus stop and took that home." I lied to him. "So anyways, is he coming in today?"

"Yea, I'm about a 100 positive that he'll be in at some point today."

"Guess I have to play the waiting game then, huh?" I looked up at him from my sunken position in the corner of the couch.

"Guess so."

Why is it whenever you're waiting for something time seems to pass so incredibly slow? It seemed like hours had gone by before Leland finally walked through the front door of the office with a tired, haggard look on his face. He did a double-take when he noticed me sitting on the couch. A relieved look came across his face.

"I think we need to talk."

He nodded and sat down next to me on the couch. I put on my maddest face and was about to completely ream him out. Just as I was about to open my mouth to say something, he grabbed my hand.

"I'm so sorry." He said, "I should have never left you out there. I don't know what I was thinking. I was just really mad. I drove back out to get you and you were gone. I thought something had happened to you. I was out all night looking for you.…." He trailed off. He looked me in the eye with one of the most sincere faces I've ever seen, "Please forgive me."

I don't know if it was what he said or how he said it, but I knew at that very moment I had fallen for him, and I'd fallen hard.