Gone

[A/N: My first fic, please be kind, and please review. The song's called "Gone", by *N Sync. =P It is advisable to be listening to it while you're reading this. The characters will become obvious by the end, so don't fret. Enjoy.]

There's a thousand words
That I could say
To make you come home
Seems so long ago
You walked away
Left me alone
And I remember what you
Said to me

It'd been a year since she'd left, but the pain made it seem like it was only yesterday.

You were acting so strange,
Mmm
Maybe I was too blind to see
That you needed a change
Was it something I said
To make you turn away
To make you walk out
And leave me cold
If I could just find a way
To make it so that
You were right here
Right now

He should've known, he should've been able to tell, he should've noticed the warning signs.. he should have showed his love for her more, should've paid more attention to her, showered her with gifts, should've taken her to exotic places and to dinners out in fancy restaurants.

Should've.

I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind
I've tried my best to be a man
And be strong
I've drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face
But the truth re-mains
You're...

He had been too obsessed with his job at the Ministry. Worked all night, and barely came home. She'd accused him of having an affair with his secretary, which he brushed off, each saying hurtful things to the other. He'd stormed out of the house, back to his job, and forgotten all about it.

And when he'd returned home, she had left, taking all her posessions with her, and the only thing that remained had been a photograph and a note.

Gone
You're gone
Baby you're
Gone, girl you're gone
Baby girl you're gone
You're gone
You're...

I gave you a chance
to choose between
me and your job. I
guess your decision
is clear. I hope you
find someone suitable.
Good-bye.

Now I don't wanna make
Excuses baby
Won't change the fact
That you're gone
But if there is something
That I could do
Won't you please let me know

He'd frantically phoned all his relatives, but they'd seen no sign of her. He called all her friends, all her family, but they knew nothing. Either that or they were lying.

The latter was likelier.

The time is passing so
Slowly now
Guess that's my life
Without you
And maybe I could change
My every day
But baby I don't want to
So I'll just hang around
And find some things to do
To take my mind off missing you
And I know in my heart
You can't say that you don't
Love me too
Please say you do

He'd quit his job, and stayed home all day now. Inside, he still believed that she still loved him, at least a little. Where ever you are, I hope you're happy, he thought, eyes filled with unshed tears. And I hope he's giving you the life I couldn't.

Yeah

His friends and family were worried about him, of course, but none of them could motivate him to get up and get on with his life. Without her, he was nothing. He couldn't be anything. He died slowly, spiritually and physically, alone in his home.

I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind
I've tried my best to be a man
And be strong
I've drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face
But the truth re-mains you're..

Tracing the contours of her face on the only photograph he had of her, he smiled bitterly. She was still looking at him with her eyes full of love, not the way she'd looked when she left.

It'd been like she was drowning alive, like she couldn't survive here, with him.

And that was what hurt the most.

Gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone

His dreams were filled with her face and his thoughts were only about her. He wanted to die, so he wouldn't have to end his self-torment and the pain any longer.

Oh

Then the news came. His sister had brought it to him, looking slightly shocked. It had been an old, old issue, printed a few days after she'd left, and it contained her whereabouts.

What will I do
If I can't be with you
Tell me where will I turn to
Baby where will I be
Now that we are apart
Am I still in your heart
Baby why don't you see
That I need you here with me

She was dead.

Oh

She'd committed suicide, and thrown herself into a lake. It turned out that she'd donated all her posessions to charity and drowned herself as soon as she'd left.

I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind
I've tried my best to be a man
And be strong
I've drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face
But the truth re-mains you're gone

But even death was better than living with him, apparently. For the first time since she left, he broke down and cried.

I've been sitting here
Can't get you off my mind
I've tried my best to be a man
And be strong
I've drove myself insane
Wishing I could touch your face
But the truth re-mains
You're..

He searched his medicine cabinet for the vial of poison he knew he had. She's been waiting for me all along.. and for once in my life, I have to do something right for her. Just once. He swallowed and lay down in his bed, preparing himself for the inevitable.

Gone
You're gone
You're gone
You're gone
Baby girl you're gone
You're gone
But the truth re-mains
You're...

He could feel the poison taking effect. And for the first time in his short, hard life, he was truly happy.

He smiled, and died with her name on his lips.

Penelope.