Please see Prologue for general info and disclaimers.

*~*

One day earlier…

With her work uniform tucked securely under her left armpit, Francie paused in front of her apartment door to rifle through the mail she had just retrieved. There was a Victoria's Secret catalogue (which produced a mischievous twinkle in her eyes when she saw they were having a sale on merrywidows), a postcard from her dentist reminding her that it'd been six months since her last cleaning (and, in the process, reminding her that it was time to start flossing again), her Visa bill (which made her grimace – why had that shopping spree two weeks ago seemed like such a good idea then?), and a card housed in a red envelope, Sydney's name and address neatly typed out on a computer label.

Flipping the card around and running her thumb over the raised insignia of the manufacturer's name, Francie immediately noticed there was no return address on either the front or back of the envelope.

Interesting.

The corners of her lips shot upwards as she made a mental note to tease Sydney about who her secret admirer might be when she saw her next. When will I see her next, she asked herself as she eased her key into the main lock on the front door.

After Sydney's antics from the previous week, she highly doubted the bank would be sending her on an overnight trip any time soon, but Sydney's recent lack of travels hadn't increased the amount of time she'd been spending at the apartment. As a matter of fact, Francie couldn't recall whether she'd actually seen her roommate in the past few days. Sure their schedules sometimes appeared to be polar opposites of each other's, but this was bordering on the ridiculous.

With these thoughts running through her head, Francie let herself into the apartment and then stopped dead in her tracks. There was Sydney, sprawled out on the couch, her attention obviously torn between the paperback book in her hands and whatever images where flashing across the TV screen.

Hearing the front door open, Sydney looked up and greeted her roommate with a warm smile. "Hey. You left early this morning."

"Oh, yeah, I, uh… I had…" Francie fumbled with her words as she also fumbled with shutting the door behind her. What the hell was Sydney doing home in the middle of a weekday? "I had to work a breakfast at the convention center."

"How'd that go?"

"F-fine." She hung her uniform on the outer knob of their front hall closet and glanced around the room for a clock before remembering the watch encircling her left wrist. "Syd, it's—"

"Hey, this is a fantastic book," Sydney began at the same time. "Do you know that?"

Squinting at the book cover and recognizing it as one she'd read in an American History class her junior year as an undergrad, Francie nodded and said, in bemusement, "Yeah, it's my book."

"I mean, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the Underground Railroad," she continued, almost as if she was oblivious of Francie's comment, "but I apparently didn't know half of what went on. The extent of that railroad is just amazing. Do you know they had tunnels leading from outhouses and dried up water wells?"

With her voice exhibiting a bit more annoyance than she'd meant it to, Francie reiterated, "Yeah, it's my book," as she stared at Sydney in puzzlement.

Catching the edge in her friend's tone, Sydney looked down at the book in her hands and laughed, a tinge of pink slowly creeping up the length of her cheekbones. "Oh, right. I hope you don't mind I borrowed it. It's just that I woke up this morning desperate to read something that had absolutely nothing to do with either English Literature or banking."

"Syd, it's fine," Francie backtracked as she crossed the room and plopped herself down on their coffee table so that she now sat directly opposite Sydney's face. "You know you can borrow whatever you want from my room whenever you want, but... It's 11:33."

"I know."

The indifference in Sydney's voice caused all desires Francie had had to be subtle and tactful to fly out the window. "Okay, it's 11:33 on a Monday. Not that I don't love seeing you – because you know I do – but what are you doing here? In your pajamas?" she added when she finally took notice of her roommate's farm animal print PJs. "Did you quit your job? And school? Again?"

Even though she knew the concern in Francie's voice was real and entirely warranted, Sydney couldn't hold back the peals of laughter that erupted from her chest.

"Syd, c'mon, I'm being serious." There was no ignoring the annoyance creeping into Francie's voice.

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just that—" Sydney gasped between giggles. "Okay, let me start over. My class was canceled today because the professor's in Italy for a conference or something, and I decided to call in sick and take a mental health day from work."

"But you've never taken a mental health day before."

"I know. So doesn't it seem like I'm definitely due for one?"

Francie inspected her roommate's cheerful face – which was a shock to see in and of itself – with suspicion before cautiously asking, "So…you're okay? You're not flipping out like you did last week?"

"I didn't flip— All right, I might have flipped out a little last week, but I'm fine now. Really."

Still unconvinced, Francie narrowed her eyes and lifted an eyebrow as if she was Jessica Fletcher on yet another search for a Cape Cod murderer, which was almost enough to send Sydney into another fit of laughter. After a few seconds had passed and Francie was content with what she'd found – an honest-to-God happy Sydney – she smiled and asked, "So, really, you're good? Because if you're not, we could—"

"I'm fine."

"Does this mean we can…we can talk about me then?"

Tossing the fleece blanket she'd been wrapped in off her body, Sydney sat up straight on the couch and leaned forward with interest. "Why, Francine Calfo, is there something about you that needs to be discussed?"

Her stomach the sudden playground for a million butterflies, Francie wrung her hands in embarrassment and felt her cheeks begin to burn. "I…I bumped into Charlie this morning."

"Oh my God," Sydney murmured, ready to embrace her best friend with a comforting hug if that was what she needed. "Are you okay? How did it go?"

"I…don't know. I mean, I think it went well. No, I— I know it went well."

"How did it happen? Was he at the breakfast you had to work?"

"What? No. He wasn't at the breakfast. He was, um…" Francie paused to lick her lips, a lightheaded giddiness taking control of her mind. "After I was done working, I decided to stop by campus and pick up that paper I wrote for my International Finance class. But I wanted to grab a cup of coffee first and stopped by that café near the North entrance. And as I was going in, Charlie was coming out."

"Oh my God," Sydney exhaled again, a hand flying up to cover her mouth.

"I know. That was pretty much my reaction."

"What did Charlie do when he saw you?"

"Kind of stared at me, which was basically what I was doing to him, so…"

When she saw Francie's head drop, Sydney pulled herself up from the couch and took a seat beside her on the coffee table as she draped an arm across her shoulders. "You can't expect—"

"I wasn't angry with him," Francie interrupted, lifting her head. "That's the thing: I wasn't angry. I knew I should have been, that I had every right to be, but I wasn't. And believe me when I say I was trying really hard to be mad. But when I looked at him and he looked at me, I just… I realized just how much I've missed him, Syd. Being there with him like that, it was…it was familiar, and that felt really nice."

"Fran," Sydney began, forcing her tone to remain nonchalant, "you and Charlie, you guys haven't…"

"What?"

"Gotten back together, have you?"

"Oh, God, no," Francie laughed. "I may be sentimental right now, but I'm not stupid. At least not yet. He went back into the café with me and we had some coffee and talked and…I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it felt good listening to what he's been up to and me telling him what my plans are for the summer. It was almost as if nothing had happened, that we were still…together."

"Oh, Fran, I…"

"I know, you don't know what to say; I'd be the same way if I was in your shoes right now. This just doesn't make any sense. And you want to hear the best part? He asked me out on a date."

This time Sydney didn't even attempt to hide her O-shaped mouth of surprise behind a hand. "Wow. This just keeps getting better by the second."

"Tell me about it. And the saddest part? I actually thought about saying yes. For a couple seconds after he asked what I thought about going out to dinner with him, I actually considered forgetting how he cheated on me, how he lied to me, how he made me feel like the stupidest person on the face of the Earth."

"But?" Sydney quietly prompted, knowing there was a 'but' on the tip of Francie's tongue.

"But I told him no, I couldn't do it and he said he understood and we hugged and I drove back here and… I wish I'd said yes. I really, really wish I'd said yes, Syd. I need to get my head checked, don't I?"

Chuckling as she pulled Francie closer to her with a sideways hug, Sydney asked, "Can I offer a suggestion, for what it's worth?"

"Of course."

"I think you should talk to him – on the phone – and try to work through what happened. And I think you should also invite him to the surprise birthday party you and Will are throwing for me next week."

"Wait, you know about that?" Francie pulled away from Sydney's embrace and faced her with an expression that was a mixture of horror, fear, and guilt. Lots of guilt.

"Fran, you and Will have got to be two of the worst liars alive. The way you guys would shush each other whenever I walked into the room? I pretty much figured you were either planning a party for me or were having an affair. And, you know, there are just some places my mind refuses to go."

Wincing and snickering at the thought of having an affair with Will, Francie buried her fiery face into Sydney's shoulder. "Are you are okay with the party? We know you hate surprise parties, but you've been so depressed lately that we thought a bunch of people screaming surprise at you might cheer you up."

"It's fine. I'm actually really touched you guys have gone to the trouble. And, hey, it'll provide you the perfect opportunity to hang out with Charlie in a less intimate setting. And even though the last time we talked I told him that I would kill him if he didn't tell you about his affair, you can tell him that you're not inviting him because you want to see him, but because I do."

Both girls dissolved into a mass of giggles. "Somehow I think he'll see right through that, but thanks," Francie managed to say moments later despite her aching cheek muscles. "You really think I should do it? Invite him to the party?"

"Sure. Will and I will be there to kick his ass if he gets out of line."

"You two are impossible," Francie commented with a friendly roll of her eyes while she tucked the sides of her hair behind her ears and planted her feet to the ground in order to push herself upwards. "I'm gonna have to think about this party thing. I… I don't know." As she began to shuffle her way to her room, her mind lost in a fog of confusion, she remembered the red envelope she was still holding in her hands. "Oh, hey, Syd, mail call," she announced as she tossed her the card. "You have a secret admirer you'd like to tell me about?"

"What?" Sydney looked down at the envelope sitting in her lap and drew her eyebrows together. It was bright, it appeared cheery, and it scared her more than she knew she could admit to Francie. "Oh, I'm sure it's just a birthday card from my…insurance agent or something."

"Well, if it is, then I've got to switch carriers because my agent not only never remembers my birthday, but she also still insists that my first name is really Francesca. Hey, do you have any plans for lunch? That new Thai place opened up downtown. Maybe we should go check that out and…"

Shutting out the sound of Francie's voice, which was fading by the second as she walked into her bedroom, Sydney stared at the envelope and hesitated for a second before finally slipping her right index finger under the back flap to tear it open. Housed inside was a standard, run-of-the-mill birthday card: an array of multicolored balloons crowding the front cover with the words 'Happy Birthday' prominently displayed in the middle in red metallic, script print. Opening the card, Sydney's breath caught in her throat as she read: Happy 28th birthday, Syd. Put a candle in the window.

Both the familiar handwriting and phrase triggered a million memories.

Put a candle in the window…Put a candle in the window…

Put a candle in the window, 'cause I feel I've got to move. Though I'm going, going, I'll be coming home soon. Long as I can see the light…

"What is it with you and this band? I'm beginning to think I should be jealous of four middle-aged, white men."

Dressed merely in a navy blue towel, the young woman exited the bathroom and padded across the adjoining bedroom. First to the stereo to lower the volume, and then to the man sitting on the bed, who was pulling on a pair of sweat shorts. Crawling onto the bed, she snuggled up against his bare back and wrapped her arms around the front of his neck, strands of her damp brown hair suctioning onto his skin. He smiled as he felt her rest her chin against his right shoulder and reached up to run a hand over her left arm.

"They're classic rock," he replied in response to her question. "How can you help but love them?"

"Mmm," she murmured unintelligibly as she nuzzled his neck and planted a kiss behind his ear. "You going for a run?"

"Yeah. I want to take advantage of this cooling trend while I can. You coming into work today?"

"Yeah, but not until after lunch. I have two midterms this morning."

"What?" He untangled himself from her arms and turned around so he could face her. "Why didn't you tell me that last night? You should have been studying instead of hanging out with me."

"It's not a big deal," she protested with a carefree laugh. "I'm ready for the tests. And, for the record, I liked hanging out with you last night."

"You should have been studying," he insisted.

"It's really not that big of a deal."

"Yes, it is. You're letting yourself— You can't—" He cut himself off and heaved a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair and looked away. She didn't understand; he was aware of that, always had been. "Just don't forget that school's important, okay?"

"Of course I won't. Don't be silly." She watched him get off the bed, the springs creaking loudly from the removal of his weight, and reach for a T-shirt that had been draped over the back of his desk chair. While he was obviously unhappy with the news she'd blown off studying to see him instead, all she could see was the glorious man who'd walked into her life and made it brighter, more meaningful.

"I've got to leave for this run now or else I'm going to be late for work. You'll be okay letting yourself out?" His tone was as abrupt as his imminent departure.

"Yeah. Not a problem."

"Okay. I'll see you later then."

He was back by her side with only two long strides and planted a kiss on her forehead. And as she watched him leave, she mumbled, "I think I'm falling in love with you."

But he never responded or reentered the room, so she shrugged and assumed he hadn't heard. Probably just as well, she thought to herself as she disappeared back into the bathroom to dry her hair.

He, however, had heard her and stood pressed against the wall adjacent to his bedroom door, his body trembling. Don't, he screamed in his head. Don't let yourself do that.

But he knew it was happening and he knew it was happening to both of them.

"Syd? Are you still out there?" Francie peeked back into the living room to see Sydney lost in thought, the birthday card clasped in her right hand. "Earth to Syd…"

"What?" Instinctually sliding the card behind her back, Sydney withdrew from her reverie to see Francie's gaze firmly affixed on the hand she'd moved behind her. "I, uh…"

"Are you trying to hide something from me?" Francie asked with an arched eyebrow.

"No, of course not. I'm just— You— You caught me off guard, that's all."

"And you're hiding your card behind your back because…?"

"You scared me." The lie dribbled off her tongue as if it was butter and Sydney flashed a bright smile with the hopes of putting an end to Francie's line of questioning.

"So the card's not from a secret admirer?"

"Nope. My insurance agent, like I said it would be."

"Man, I really do need to change carriers. Anyway, what's your status for lunch? Wanna check out that Thai place, or do you think that'd be bad form since you're supposed to be home sick?"

"Yeah, I should probably stay in."

"Okay. I'm sure there's something here I can whip together into a meal…"

As Francie went off to the kitchen and busied herself with preparing lunch, Sydney glanced down at the card and felt the beating of her heart accelerate.

Put a candle in the window…Put a candle in the window…

She understood that – squeezed her eyes shut at the relief it brought her – but she wasn't sure who was supposed to put that candle in the window. Her or someone else?

*~*

A/N: Lyrics in chapter are from "Long as I Can See the Light" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.