A/N: I know that this sequence of events will seem to be going by quickly, but all this is a prelude of sorts to the real story. I decided to change things a little from the summary I gave in "The Sophomore Chronicles." That whole thing with the week was just detracting from the real story.

Adam and Roxanne Baker burst through the front door of the bachelor pad late on a Saturday night, after spending the long day together touring the city. Adam wasn't sure why he called Roxanne back or why she called him in the first place, but he was kind of glad that they did.

Adam gazed appreciably at Roxanne. A year older and ever-as-gorgeous, Roxanne was a vision to behold in her slinky nightclub gear and blonde hair flowing straight down her back. They had spent the last couple of hours dancing inappropriately close and getting buzzed.

"Can I get you a coffee?" Adam asked as he headed toward the kitchen.

"Sure," Roxanne responded as she followed him. "Where's your housemate? He's the one I talked to on the phone the other day, right?"

As Adam scooped the ground coffee beans into the filter, he answered, "Scooter is a bartender and doesn't get back until early in the morning, usually."

Roxanne gave Adam a wickedly charming and sexy grin. "Well, that means that we have a couple of hours alone, then."

Adam turned to look at Roxanne and saw single-minded intent in her eyes. "Why did you call me, Roxanne? You gave me no indication last year that I was going to be anything more than a one-night stand."

Roxanne fingered her collarbone distractedly. "I suppose the same reason you called me back—I couldn't get you out of my mind."

Inwardly, Adam disagreed with Roxanne's assessment. Until Scooter had given him the message, Adam had all but forgotten his encounter with Roxanne. Why exactly he had called Roxanne was a mystery. Maybe it was Adam's nervousness about his impending marriage or the feeling of a lifelong repetition that comes with a seven-year relationship with a girl he met in high school.

"I have a fiancée in Los Angeles," Adam told Roxanne half-heartedly. God damnit, Adam thought to himself, this is the woman you've loved for seven years! Get a little more enthusiasm in your voice! That, of course, was a ridiculous thought, considering that in the presence of Roxanne, Tamsin was just a distant part of his consciousness.

Roxanne was undeterred. "I know." She added mockingly, "I saw the photo on your bookshelf and you two are just SO sweet. But don't you want something more?"

Adam wasn't sure what exactly what he wanted, but before he had a chance to answer, Roxanne's lips were on his. Adam couldn't deny that he had an intense physical attraction for her and pressed up against the refrigerator, he couldn't truly say that this wasn't what he wanted. In the middle of the sexually charged and alcohol-induced haze, a crazed, charging figure came bounding out of the hallway. Roxanne saw it from the corner of her eye, backed away from Adam and screamed. Despite himself, Adam gave out a yell, but could only really hear the primal scream of the quickly approaching figure.

Adam was stunned into stillness as he realized with paralyzing dismay who it was. Dressed only in one of Adam's oversized, rumpled t-shirts, Tamsin looked like she had been awakened from a deep sleep. Adam swore as he finally spotted her traveling bag by his computer desk.

Tamsin froze just as the foyer of the kitchen, baseball bat in hand. "Adam?"

Adam could barely get any words out, but he managed to ask, "What are you doing here?"

Tamsin looked from Adam to the strange blond woman, taking in her mussed hair and the distinctive lipstick stains on Adam's mouth, and her heart broke on the spot. In a moment of visible emotional pain, Tamsin said, "I guess you don't remember that we rescheduled our monthly weekend. I thought that you and Scooter were having burglars, so I was going to scare them off. But I guess the bat might come in handy for another reason."

There was a distinct fear in Roxanne's eyes as Tamsin regarded her with contemptuous indignation. "Now, I don't know who you are, other than a slutty tramp, but if you aren't out of here in five seconds..." Tamsin's voice cut off, not really needing any more explanation.

Needless to say, Roxanne exited pretty quickly and Adam was left alone with Tamsin's quiet fury. "Please don't bother to try to explain. I'll pack my things and take a flight back to L.A. tomorrow."

Adam started with "Tamsin, please don't go..." but Adam was speaking to Tamsin's back as she dialed for a taxi and starting heading back to Adam's bedroom to get dressed.

Adam was too stunned by the ongoing events to stop her. She walked out the door, giving him a cold expression. "Goodbye, Adam."

Adam was in a deep sleep the next morning when Scooter, who slammed his face playfully with a pillow, awakened him. "What the hell?"

"Good morning to you, too, sunshine. Where's Tom? I thought she was supposed to be here this weekend."

So Adam was the seemingly the only one who forgot this detail. It was with that reminder that all of the dreadful events of last night came rushing back to Adam's mind. "She left early."

Scooter gave Adam an uncharacteristically serious look of concern. "Was there an emergency back in L.A.?"

Adam was dreading telling Scooter the truth, but he had to do it. "More like an emergency here. Tamsin's gone, and she's probably never coming back. I cheated on her." There—Adam had said it, and saw a look of disgust register on Scooter's face.

"What? You cheated on her last night? With who?"

"Tamsin found me with Roxanne Baker—but that wasn't the first time I cheated on her."

Adam saw a look of recognition wash over Scooter as he remembered Adam mention meeting Roxanne at the conference last year. "So, what happens now?"

"Well, Tamsin is flying back to L.A. today, if she hasn't done so already. And I guess that we're over."

"Is that it? Are you going to do anything about it?" Scooter was getting progressively angrier. "Aren't you even going to TRY and talk to her?"

Adam yelled, "After everything I did, I don't deserve her back! What can I do?"

Scooter yelled back, "Damn it, Banks, I don't know, but DO SOMETHING! Don't just let her walk away! I can't help but hate you right now, but convince her to stay!"

With that, Adam was charged with a crackling energy, and moments later he was driving furiously towards the hotel Adam knew that Tamsin would be staying in. His foot hit the gas, not caring if he got a ticket. As Adam drove up to the entrance of the hotel, to his ridiculous luck, Tamsin was just walking out with her bags. He pulled up beside her as she was trying to call a cab. "Get in."

Tamsin regarded Adam with an expressionless face that just barely shielded the hurt she still carried. "You can give me a ride to the airport, I guess."

Adam and Tamsin rode in silence, except for the sound of honking horns and bustling streets.

It was Tamsin who first spoke. "Who is she?"

As Adam was about to answer, Tamsin put up a hand to interrupt him. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

Adam's voice was desperate. "It didn't mean anything."

"Do you know what you are really saying by 'It didn't mean anything?' You're saying that 'It is meaningless to me that I cheated on you.' Of course it meant something to you or else you wouldn't have done it. But why?"

Adam didn't have an answer why. "I don't know."

Tamsin sighed angrily. "Every time you hurt me and I ask you why, you say 'I don't know.' And I always let it pass—but not this time, Adam. I want to know why."

Under Tamsin's expecting stare, Adam blew up. "Damnit, Tamsin, I don't know! All I do know is that I'm sorry."

In contrast to Adam's shouting, Tamsin said quietly. "That's not enough, Adam."

"Then what CAN I do?"

Tamsin took out a pack of cigarettes from the breast pocket of her blazer and lit up. "I never knew that you smoked."

As she blew out a puff of smoke Tamsin said, "I don't—it's disgusting. But it just seems like an appropriate thing to do right now. And as for what you can do...I don't know...I'd want you to turn back time if you could."

They both knew that time-manipulation was an impossibility, and that this would probably be the last time they ever saw each other.

As Adam parked at the loading/unloading area of the airport, Tamsin said abruptly, "I won't tell anyone."

Adam threw Tamsin a questioning glance. "What?"

"We can tell everyone that we split amicably. It'll save us a lot of trouble—you from all the dirty looks and me from all the embarrassment. I just want to put this all behind me."

Adam was beyond caring. "Whatever you say."

Tamsin nodded. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, then."

They looked at each other, as if trying to memorize every detail about this moment. Adam took in Tamsin's low ponytail, black, square-framed glasses and tight-fitting black blazer. His eyes locked on the embroidery on the front pocket of her jeans. "Goodbye."