Okay, again, many and I mean MANY gratitudes to all of you supporting this fanfic. Though writing this alone has been fun and one of the few things keeping me going through my career at this point, you guys have made this experience all the more interesting and fun so just thank you for the continued kindness and support to this fanfic project of mine. :) Anyway, this chapter skips ahead to a little over a month after Alejandro dropped Heather off when they had their fight at the lake house. Hope you all enjoy it!

(Alejandro's POV)

I finally rounded the corner back onto my street and stopped jogging before pacing back and forth to cool down in the driveway as I looked at my watch and put my fore and middle fingers to my pulse point on my neck.

Well, my heart rate seems right on target as per usual. Wish I could say that about something else…

"Buenos días, mijo!" I looked over and saw my mother walking out of the house with her bags.

Okay Alejandro, you can do this...

I grinned and jogged over and helped mother with her bags to the car.

After I got them into the trunk for her, she smiled and said, putting her hands on either side of my face.

"Gracias Alejandro, I can always count on my amable gentleman son to help me. Now just let me look at you one last time before I go… Oh, I know I always say this, but you look more and more like your padre everyday." She said, smiling at me before kissing me on each cheek like she's done since I was a child.

Even though smiling is the last thing I wanted to do right now with everything going on in my head… I managed to smile back as I said, "Of course, mamá. Hope you and father have a nice trip back home."

"Oh we will. It will be a nice change for us to have a bit of break. Fortunately, I was able to line up some company meetings with your padre's review with the embassy. After that, we are both hoping to have a nice little recreo. Speaking of… aren't you going to hug your 'dear mamá' before she goes?" She said, opening her arms and waving her hands at me.

I smiled as I put my hands up before saying, "Well, I just finished my run…" "No importa. Now stop making excuses and hug your mother." She said playfully, giving me her usual warm smile.

I gave in and let her hug me and kiss me on the cheek again.

Right as we separated, father walked toward us with his suitcase as he said, looking toward mother with an almost playful expression, "Never thought I'd see the day with only two bags. Traveling a bit lighter this time, I see..."

Mother gave my father a playful look back and said, her tone having a little playful warning to match, "Gerardo…"

Father chuckled and said, "Lo siento, only joking, mi amada. Pity Elena, I thought you knew me better than that. At least after almost 35 years of marriage I'd like to think so, mi reina."

Father came up next to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek like he usually did with her, making her smile slightly for a second before she continued to give my father a playful look, "I'd say so... mi rey."

Mother reached over, putting her hand on father's cheek and giving him a light but lingering kiss like she's done every day before she goes to work for as long as I could remember.

As much as it made my entire stomach feel like it was being crushed in a vice at the moment… I couldn't fight back a slight smile.

After they separated, they exchanged a smile before father opened the passenger door for mother and helped her in before throwing his suitcase in the trunk.

He looked to me before saying, "Well, José is already off on that 'bachelor-stag party' trip with his friends, so you should have full reign of the house. I hope you don't mind us letting Isobel take the week off?"

I shrugged before saying, "Doesn't matter. I can manage. She told me she was insisting on prepping some meals for me ahead of time for dinner, which was kind. Besides, I think I could use some solitude personally at the moment."

My eyes immediately looked off at the street as I let out a frustrated sigh, not even bothering to cover it up.

"Still nothing?" I heard father inquire, making the vice in my stomach get tighter and tighter. I pursed my lips before letting out a sigh as I said, trying and failing to not sound completely frustrated, "Not a thing…"

At that moment, I felt father put a hand on my shoulder, "Chin up, mijo. It's just been a month."

"Just?" I scoffed indignantly, still feeling like everything about this was so frustratingly pointless that I wondered why I haven't lost my mind completely.

"Alejandro, Rome wasn't built in a day. Just take this time to yourself to 'sort through things'. Who knows? A little rest and relaxation for once could do you some good. Just don't give up so easily, sí? And speaking of time… your mother and I should be off to our flight." Father said, checking his watch.

I put a hand up saying, trying to force a slight smile, "Yes, go. I'll handle things here. And… I'll try."

Father slowly smirked at me before giving me a couple pats on the shoulder and then got in the car himself.

I waited until they rounded the corner and smirked as I waved them off… and then felt like I ran another 5K as I walked into the house, feeling drained.

I kicked off my cross-trainers at the door before making my way up stairs and getting set for a much needed shower, and not just because of the jog.

When I undressed and tossed everything aside and got in, I made the water as hot as I could stand it in the hopes the steam would somehow clear my head.

Even though I can already say to myself that I know it won't work.

The anger and frustration has been doing nothing but just fester and continue to tear through me since the last time I saw her.

I know father told me to wait for Heather to reach out to me, but… I'm still standing by that this is all just a hopeless and complete waste of time.

My whole body staggered in the shower as I put my hand against the wall and let out a sigh, just letting the water run over me.

But... I have no idea what else to do?

It's not like I can even forget about her and try to move on. For me... it's not even a remote option at this stage.

As much as José especially mocks me and makes jabs at me for not 'trying anything' with other girls because of my feelings for Heather, but I just… can't.

No matter what I do there's just nothing. Because now I look at other girls… and nothing.

I want nothing, I feel nothing, I do nothing because I can't.

Because of her, other women might as well be nothing, practically like a wall… or a lamp.

Her…

AGH! THIS IS ALL HER FAULT! Why did I have to let myself fall for her?!

ESTÚPIDO!

She's just such an insufferable, unreasonable, and infuriating bruja! But I'm still so in love with her that I feel like I'm being tortured from the inside out, and yet… it's like I still can't help but just embrace it.

Especially after that night at the lake house with her, it's only been worse.

Much worse.

I thought I wanted Heather before, but how I feel now makes that seem like a passing teenage crush. Now that I've had her and been with her, it's no longer a 'want'.

It's like now I... crave her, need her.

Just having that feeling that I can still only describe as absolute satisfaction and just… perfection that I felt with her. And yet even that somehow seems inadequate to capture that experience.

Every single aspect and sensation of us together in that moment just felt so entirely right. The overall connection, her body against mine, her arms locking around my neck and shoulders, her breath against my skin, and her fingers running through and gripping into my hair as we just let everything between us practically consume us.

Everything that's been held back between both of us since that third season til that moment was just an open flood gate that night.

Then… she just treated that 'mutual moment' between us and my love like nothing.

"Carajo!" I growled through my teeth in frustration as I slammed my fist against the wall of the shower, my breathing becoming ragged. I ran my other hand over my hair, still feeling like I was completely losing my mind.

I almost rushed through the rest of my shower, just trying to focus on anything else.

2 hours later

What am I even doing?

All I've been doing for the past hour after trying to keep my mind occupied is lay on the couch in the living room. I just have no idea what I'm even doing anymore?

My whole life I've been so used to having a full itinerary nearly every single day. School, sports, lessons, helping entertain mother and father's friends and associates at dinner and cocktail parties.

But now since I decided to take a break for the past two semesters from school to reacclimate myself to a normal physical existence that wasn't trudging through the house and feeling weak as if I was perpetually infirm.

As it was I practically focused all my time into working out and putting weight back on to get myself back to my former physique that had almost completely deteriorated during my recovery.

Even then, since the only place I was comfortable for the longest time was laying in a bed, I pretty much concentrated all my time outside of physical therapy, treatments, and doctor's appointments into academics for those 3 years.

Luckily due to my circumstances with my injuries and some connections my father had, I was able to do all my classes online for my international relations degree. The material was easy enough for me to do remotely since I've been practically studying this since I was 13.

For as long as I could remember and also because of a life long exposure, I've always wanted to be involved in politics and diplomacy like my father.

And since I had nothing but time, as well as just a lot of things on my mind I was trying to ignore, I took the maximum amount of credit hours that they'd allow me to do and just poured myself into my academics.

Then as a result I was able to obtain my bachelor's degree in international relations with a minor in sociology and just waiting on starting grad school.

But then I decided to take a few semesters off for Total Drama and then her and finally let myself think again, but look at what's happened to me.

I allowed her to consume me even more than she already had.

Who cares about degrees, a lucrative career to look forward to, a powerful future… nothing! None of that matters because the one damn thing I really want will just eternally taunt me until I finally lose every ounce of my sanity over her.

It's like I can't do anything without thinking about her.

I even tried to watch the second Scrollsaw movie to distract myself last week since it was one of the few leisure activities I could think of that I was interested in doing but then ended up shutting it off in the first five minutes because all I could think about was…

AGH! DAMMIT HEATHER! POR QUÉ?! Why must you do this to me?!

Ay, Dios mío...

As much as I'm frustrated with everything about her and her denial with EVERYTHING, I just… I miss her.

Ugh… What do I do?

I kept laying there, gripping my hands into my hair, and practically dissecting my brain for any idea until the doorbell going off practically snapped me back into reality.

I got up off the couch for the first time in an hour as I quirked up an eyebrow at the door.

Strange?... Mother and Father didn't say to expect anyone?

The doorbell went off again and I rolled my eyes, thinking it was one of José's amigos who didn't 'get the memo' on where to show up.

But, right as I opened the door… my entire body just immediately locked up as my eyes went wide and almost felt like they were going to fall out of my head while my stomach felt like it was contorting violently.

And said person now reflecting a similar state right back at me.

Heather.

She was standing there plain as day, but... I didn't know how to feel?

It's like I was right back to square one with my conflicting feelings toward her that I had during my years in recovery.

On one hand I was so happy to see her because of how much I missed her, then on the other hand just the sight of her painfully disgusted me and tore me apart after everything.

Though at the moment… the annoyed disdain felt strongest for me.

I gave her a skeptical, hard, and conflicted look as I tilted my head and crossed my arms before saying, my voice laced with passive aggressive venom, "May I help you?"

She immediately looked away from me, crossing her arms with a look of some kind in her eyes.

But, nothing. She just remained silent.

Of course, just as insufferably stubborn as ever. Not surprised in the slightest.

But… then why is she here?

I was also about to question how she was able to figure out where I lived if it wasn't for how she was able to even get into our secured gated community with limited access? Sure Heather's subdivision is gated as well, but not to the scale of mine.

Basically access is only granted to residents, designated family members, and people with guest passes in their possession such as friends.

Especially since I could see her silver, hard top convertible in the driveway… I was definitely intrigued to say the least.

Eventually I couldn't help my curiosity as I inquired, "So.. how did you manage to get in here? Didn't you have to get past security?"

She still didn't look at me at first until she rolled up her left sleeve and revealed the tennis bracelet I gave her as she turned it to show me the long horn charm on the clasp before explaining matter of factly, "Easy. Showed this to that roid monkey working the checkpoint... he let me in without question."

My eyes went wide and I had to practically fight off a smirk at her since I still felt like every muscle in my body was being crushed in a vice since I was still more than upset with her… but, I had to concede that I was impressed by her plan of action.

"Clever." I conceded shortly.

She rolled her sleeve back down and gave me a look that was just as unreadable as mine before responding, her tone just as short, "Naturally."

It remained silent and the only sound was cool fall wind blowing some dried fallen leaves over the pavement.

"You still didn't answer my first question." I pointed out, still feeling conflicted to completion about the entirety of the situation.

But, as much as I was conflicted as she was just continuing to avoid responding to the obvious subject matter from me… I couldn't help myself from continuing to look at her after not seeing her for over a month.

She was dressed in a lavender cold-shoulder long sleeve blouse, black leggings, and a pair of knee high leather fashion boots that all suited her to a T. Her hair was down but held back with a headband that complimented the rest of her outfit.

She always does have an excellent sense of style for herself.

Though she infuriates me to no end still…. She looked just as beautiful and put together as ever.

It remained silent until I finally gave her a glare and started, "Look Heather, as I very well remember, you seem to prefer to treat anything with me as just 'a waste of your time'. So, if you have nothing to say to me… then adíos."

I started to shut the door on her until my eyes went wide when she practically overpowered my control over the door shoved it back open as she said, "HEY!"

She gave me a hard glare and grabbed me by the shirt and started jabbing me in the chest with her left index finger as she spat, "OH no! I did not just drive almost 5 FUCKING hours all the way here after almost hitting a damn deer and getting stuck in traffic with having nothing half-ways decent come through on my radio for the majority of the way just to have a stupid door slammed in my face by you!"

"Then why ARE you here then, Heather? Just stopping by to rub more 'salt in the wound' like you always have to do to me?!" I countered, testy and still entirely frustrated with her.

"No, you stupid jerk! I'm here to!…" She started, only to stop and scrunch her eyes shut, her jaw tensing up on reflex.

Though progressively her whole demeanor tensed up, almost looking like someone was twisting a knife into her back by the almost pained and uncomfortable look on her face.

I quirked up an eyebrow, confused by what was happening as I crossed my arms and pressed, knowing my tone was still quite short, "Here to what?"

It was dead silent until I heard her let out a rough sigh before slowly looking up at me.

Her hands were clenched so tight at her sides that I saw her knuckles turn white before it finally looked like her demeanor relaxed slightly as she opened her eyes and said, hesitant and almost strained, "Alejandro, I… I'm just here to… I want to… Ugh, why is this so damn hard?!"

I gave her an even more confused look as she looked like she kept twisting up in annoyed and frustrated confliction.

Well, until she finally let out a long sigh before she looked me right in the eye and said, very direct, "Look… I'm here to talk."

And cliffhanger!... I apologize. Lol. XD But, just trust me that there is more to come, including explaining how Heather even ended up going to see Alejandro to talk. Wow, Heather actually wanting to talk to Alejandro? How did that end up happening?! Now the apocalypse must really be upon us if Heather wants to do something like that, right? Lol. All will be answered in time! Also, I hope you enjoyed me showing some more of the 'Burromuerto familia', mainly more of Alejandro's mother Elena. Since last time we saw more of her protective and intense maternal side in the flashback, I wanted to show her more present sweet and doting side with how affectionate she is as a mother, particularly with Alejandro. And also her dynamic with Gerardo as a married couple. Honestly I'm a heavy believer in the 'monkey see monkey do' theory with how children are exposed to and learn certain things, and I could see part of the reason why Alejandro is such a flirt with girls (especially Heather) is because that's all he knows from watching his parents dynamic as a couple. To me it just made sense that if his parents were usually flirting, being affectionate, and playfully teasing each other as part of their dynamic and Alejandro observed this, then naturally that mentality would rub off on him and explain why he is a bit of a romantic, and also because he just enjoys teasing and making Heather flustered with his flirting as well. But hey… that's Alejandro for you! We love you Alejandro… you teasing, sly, manipulative flirt. Lol. XD Anyway, hope you also enjoyed the look into Alejandro's head with his conflicting thoughts and feelings over Heather and what he really wants. A great many thanks to all of you for taking the time to read and constructive feedback is always appreciated! Seriously, hearing from you guys and hearing your thoughts on what I've written literally makes my day so much that you have literally no idea right now. So if you have time and want to make a constructive comment… don't ever be shy! :) Hope you all and your loved ones are safe and well as always.

Stay Classy!

Dexter1995