The house was soon complete. Adrien and Adam had almost completely forgotten about their scrape after the school board meeting. It was getting into the dog days of summer, which Adrien found harder to handle than the summers she was accustomed too. Adam found it strange that she was having so much trouble. He wanted her to go to the doctor, but she insisted she was fine. More often than not, Adam ended up bringing her home early from their drives and rides. They spent Independence Day on her rooftop, watching the fireworks from town. But as usual that night was also cut short, because of Adrien's heat sickness. Adrien got used to spending her days inside, instead of helping Adam fix up the barn. Her days inside began to move faster after he was finished. Now he brought her poetry and novels from his own collection at home. As mid-July brought the worst of summer, Adrien became sicker and sicker.

Finally, a day of reprieve came with a welcomed summer storm. Adrien sat by the window, watching the raindrops fall into the creek. She was finally starting to feel more like herself. Today's rain made work on the ranch impossible, so Adam had ridden over with a few more books from his collection, he was sitting on the loveseat reading Longfellow right now, but Adrien was not paying attention.

"Something attempted, something done, has earned a night's repose…." Adam read on.

"Adrien, are you listening?"

"What, did you say something?" she answered coming out of her daydream.

"Adrien, I asked you if you'd heard this one before."

"I've heard almost everything Browning has ever written," she answered

"That wasn't Browning I was reading." He sounded a little annoyed.

"Oh, sorry, I guess I wasn't."

"Is something bothering you?" he asked, concerned that she was getting sick again.

"No, I was just thinking."

"Adrianna…" He closed the book and joined her at the window.
"What?"

"Something is bothering you," he asked hoping to find some clue.

"Nothing's bothering me, just keep reading."

"Adrien, what is it?"

"There's nothing wrong," she looked back at the window. "I was just thinking."

"Adrien, don't lie to me." Adam chastised.

"I'm not…" Adam put his hand over her mouth.

"Adrien, listen you're going to sit down right over there, and tell me what's bothering you, or else. Got it?"

She nodded; Adam led her over to the couch and sat her down, and he removed his hand.

"Tell me," he restated his order.

"Adam, will you quit, I'm…" He put his hand back on her mouth.

"You're going to tell me," he said taking his hand down again.

"No," she answered.

"Then we'll sit here all day."

"Adam, please."

"No, you're going to tell me."

"Tell you what?" she asked.

"Adrien, what's wrong?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Then I'll get it out of you." Adam was not giving up.

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Because you're being stubborn."

"Adam." She turned her back towards him and crossed her arms. He could tell that she was beginning to get very annoyed.

"Adrien."

"Please, just stop." Some tears began to appear in her eyes.

"Adrien, you're telling me."

"Alright, alright, if it'll shut you up."

"What's wrong?" Adam's voice began to soften.

She gave him a last pleading look.

"You got an invitation for a wedding in late February didn't you?" She began.

"Yes, I did. What about it?"

Finally, the end to this mystery, he thought.

"What was the date of the wedding?" she asked again.

"I don't remember."

"July 18th." She answered for him.

"That date seems close."

"It's today." She went back to her window.

"Why are you so depressed? I thought you were happy that you didn't end up married." Adam was beginning to again get confused.

"I am glad. I just started thinking about how different things could be. Would our lives be in completely different places? What would have, or could have happened?"

"We can't change it now. But I'd really like to understand. What happened after I left anyway?" He asked trying to get to the bottom of this.

"It's a long story."

"You said that the day you got here."

"Well, it is!" She exclaimed.

"I'm not in a hurry. Tell me, Adrien. I want to know and get it all out in the open. Then, maybe you can put it behind you. We can put it behind us."

"I planned to meet you at the station, the day you left. I'd made up my mind, I was going to go with as far as Denver, then I was going to see my family and then meet up with you later..."

She paused. Tears threatened again. Adam stood behind her and set his hand supportively on her shoulder.

"Adrien, it's alright." This time his voice was low and soft.

She looked up at him, letting tears fill her eyes.

"Oh, Adam, I'm so sorry…I should have never listened to him." She sobbed into his shoulder. Adam pulled her closer.

" Adrien, it's alright, let it out…Now, what did he tell you?"

"He told me you were dead."

"I still regret not coming for you." He tried to hold he closer. She pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"I shouldn't have believed him," she said, "but I did. I'm sorry, Adam. I'll never forgive myself."

"Who? Who was it that told you I was dead." He held her at arms length. The tears still flowed, but he didn't want to stop her. She was finally letting it all out. He'd finally know the real reason why.

"Gabriel."

"Jennings?" Adam looked disgusted.

"I know, it's hard to believe and I was almost Mrs. Gabriel Jennings." She crossed the room and sat down on the loveseat.

"What?" Adam was almost aghast. Jennings was the only man that Adam had ever met that he immediately didn't like, as he'd gotten to know more about him, that feeling was reinforced.

"Don't look so surprised, you got an invitation," he commented when she saw him face. Adam left the window and joined her on the loveseat.

"It only had your name on it," he remembered.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"But both names where on the…"

"It was handwritten." He interrupted.

"I wonder how that…"

"It wasn't your writing, but it sounded like you wrote it." Adam filled in.

"Then, it must have been him," she concluded.

Adam stood up and began to pace. "Why would you want to marry Jennings anyway?"

"I for the most part wasn't in my own head. You were gone and I was…I was a mess," she answered.

Adam was confused and slightly hurt. He hoped that he had meant enough to at least be mourned over, but Adrien was different, especially when it came to mourning a loved one. When her mother died, she just ran, and then she acted like it never happened most of the time. He had just hoped that she would have acted different, but then again, he did not act much differently when he got home.

"So, he told you I was dead? He had to have come up with one hell of a story."

"He didn't have that hard of a time, there was a shooting near the station that morning, he just altered the timing slightly."

"And he said that I was caught in crossfire." Adam guessed.

"No, he said you started it."

"You actually believed that I would fire for no reason?" Adam asked in disbelief.

"I wasn't thinking. I was in shock from finding out you were dead." she explained, hearing the pain in Adam's voice.

"I don't believe it. I always knew he was cunning, but I never thought he was that smart."

"I didn't know he was either until I came here and saw you alive."

"So, you thought I was dead and then…?" Adam knew there had to be more to this story.

"I went to Virginia for a while, and then when I came back, he was always around. He'd show up the café. I'd run into him after a rehearsal before I quit. He was everywhere, and he'd always talk about you. I'd start crying, he'd be there to comfort me. I eventually felt comfortable around him. After a few months, he brought up the idea of marriage. Rebecca liked him and I was lonely, so I agreed but I kept finding reasons to put it off."

"Then he sent an invitation to me, hoping I'd come, and by the time you found out I was alive, you'd have already said your vows and had no way out."

"He wanted to torture you and get me stuck in a marriage I'd regret for the rest of my life. I'm so sorry, Adam," she apologized and started to sob again, "And the fact that it was supposed to be today just makes it worse."

"It's all right, it wasn't your fault. I've got to admit, he was one clever bastard." Adam replied, "Well, what happened after that?"

"We made plans."

"So, what happened to those plans"

"I was coming home from work one night, by this time I'd quit dancing and was working in the cafe, I was living with Shirley; I'd had a fight with Jessica so I moved. Well, it was okay living there, the rent was higher, but there was so much tension between Jess and me I couldn't take it."

"Did she have problems with Gabe?"

"She didn't think that I should've believed him." She looked down at the floor, "And little did I know, she was actually right. I wonder how she knew."

"She was at the station to say goodbye before I left. We couldn't find you. She thought you were still upset from the fight that we had. So she left to look for you. I couldn't miss that train."

"I know, I almost missed it home this summer, and for some reason they only go out to Denver, once a week."

"Adrien, you're avoiding the subject."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, you moved out because Jess didn't agree with you rushing into a marriage, you were living with Shirley and…"

"I didn't really like her, but the only time Shirley was home is when I was in rehearsal or at work. On night I came home early, and I found them …together."

"What exactly does together mean?" Adam asked.

"You know … together."

"No, I don't know."

"Adam, do I have to spell it out for you?" She thought he was being rather immature.

"Alright, I know what you mean. It's ok, I understand…well at least I think I do, so what happened after that?"

"I left, what did you expect me to do? Did you think I'd actually stay?" Adrien exclaimed surprised, she got up to retreat to her window, but Adam grabbed her wrist to stop her. She sat back down beside him; he looked into her eyes.

"I expected you to confront him right there."

"What made you think that?"

"That's what you used to do. You never were afraid of anything before."

"Things changed after you left."

"How?" Adam asked.

"Nothing was the same, I avoided any confrontation, I got so mad at people sometimes, but I … I just shook it off. Sometimes I'd get so mad I'd start shaking. The night I left Gabe, Will and Grace found me on the street, I was as drunk as a dog, the first and only time I'd ever drank in my life. I felt like it was over anyway. I just wanted to die. I would have if they hadn't found me."

"Is that how you got those scars on your arms?"

"How'd you know about those?" Adrien pulled her sleeves further over her wrists.

"They show occasionally." Adam took her hands in his.

"When did you see them?" She asked, beginning to feel calm, but ashamed.

"One night you got so sick that you passed out. I cut the sleeves off your shirt, so you'd cool off, I thought you knew."

"I guess I'd forgotten. But how'd you guess I got them that night."

"Things are starting to fit together, at first I'd thought something happened with your father, but I after what you just told me, I changed my mind."

"I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing." Adrien explained.

"Apparently, but what were you thinking?"

"You were gone, and I couldn't replace you, no matter how hard I tried. Somewhere I got the idea to break a whiskey bottle and…"

"… And cut your wrists with one of the pieces, then after you cut your wrists, you got out of control."

"I never thought pain would be so pleasant."

Adam pulled her close.

"Just promise me that you'll never do it again, Gabe was never worth it and still isn't even worth a single tear."

"But you are." She looked up into his eyes; Adam was suddenly lost in her small pools of blue that still wanted to brim over. For a moment, he felt as if she was back, she was really the old Adrien, the one he'd fell in love with years ago.

"Adrien, I… I… I…I still…I still…never mind" he trailed off and walked across the room to the window. Adrien followed him.

Stop it! He thought. She's been through hell, and she's finally opening up. You tried to get her to do this for years. Don't screw it up now.

"Adam, you still what?"

"Never mind, Adrien."

"Adam, just tell me, you still what?"

"Adrien, never mind, I almost made another stupid mistake."

"Adam, what do you mean?"

"I'll tell you later." He suddenly jumped from his seat. "Listen tomorrow, how about I take you out for lunch, you've been cooped up in this house way too long." He had a sudden spark in his eye.

"I'd love it Adam, but it's so hot, I don't want to get sick again."

"Don't wear those long sleeves."

"But what about my scars?" Adrien asked.

"Bring a light wrap with you if you have one, you can wear that while you're in the house." He presented his solution.

"What do you mean while I'm in the house?"

"You're going to eat supper with us too. I'll come and get you as soon as I get my chores caught up, it'll probably be about 10:00, be ready."

"That's a little early for lunch isn't it?"

"Just be ready." He ordered with mischief sparkling in his eyes.

"Alright. But are you sure you need to come so early?"

"Just be ready." Adam gave her a stern, yet whimsical look.

"It looks like the rain's letting up. I guess that means we can eat supper on the porch tonight."

"No, if it's letting up, then I better get home."

"Why?"

"If I'm going to spend the day with you tomorrow then I need to do chores tonight." Adam explained.

"So much for supper then."

"Adrien, you know I would, but Pa won't like it that I'm gone all day and then tomorrow too."

"Then maybe tomorrow's not such a good idea."

"Don't worry about it. Pa will understand when he finds out I'm with you."

"Are you sure?" She asked, hoping to get out of going to dinner.

"Adrien, don't worry about it. Just be ready when I come for you." Adam pulled her up from the couch. "I better go, I'm sorry about supper."

"I understand. It's been a long time since someone took me on a picnic though." Adrien replied as she walked Adam outside. Her eyes twinkled with the memory of past picnics.

"I have a feeling no one's taken you on this kind of picnic before." He stated, as he went out the door.

"Oh, no, what have I gotten into now." Adrien exclaimed, wondering what tomorrow would bring.