To everyone who has been reading this story, thank you for all the great reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy it as I go further into making Lindsay more sympathetic post her breakup with Dean.

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"Time, sometimes the time just slips away
And you're left with yesterday
Left with the memories
I, I'll always think of you and smile
And be happy for the time
I had you with me
Though we go our seperate ways
I won't forget so don't forget
the memories we made"

(LeAnn Rimes, Please Remember)

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"Lindsay, honey, you can't keep doing this to yourself. Come on inside."

Ever since returning from her confrontation with Dean, Lindsay had felt unable to go into her own house. Dean was still there for her, sitting on the couch, eating at the kitchen table and even walking up the staircase to their bedroom. No, what used to be their bedroom. It was all in past now and the sooner she got used to that, the better off she would be.

"That's such bullshit," she thought aloud.

"What sweetie?"

"Nothing, Mom. I was just thinking...trying to get my thoughts focused."

"Honey, it's going to be alright. Dean will be back-"

"He's not coming back. Even if did, I wouldn't take him back."

"Lindsay, every married couple goes through a rough patch when they first start out. Men are easily tempted by the familiar, by the...things they left behind and want to recapture. Those illusions never last."

"Well, Mom, if it's an illusion he's after, it's an illusion he's going to stay with.

"Honey-"

She stood up and started pacing back and forth on her porch. "No, that's it. I'm not backstepping. It's over. My marriage is over and....he's just not....."

It finally resonated within her that this wasn't a situation she could stay emotionally detached from. Lindsay began to cry, sobbing uncontrollably as her mother took her into her arms.

"There, there baby. Everything's going to be alright. Let it out. Cry all you want."

They sat together on the porch bench. Lindsay stopped crying after a few minutes. What she needed now was some distance.

"Mom?"

"What, honey?"

"Do you think Aunt Cathy would mind if I went down to her new place for a bit?"

"Sweetie, now isn't the time for a visit."

"Mom," she said very seriously,"I'm not talking about a visit. It's over, Mom. Dean and I are over and I need to not be here."

"It's tiny."

"I don't really need much room," Dean insisted.

"You won't be able to fit half your trophies in the living room."

He laughed, shook his head and looked down. They had spent the entire morning looking at apartments, finally finding one that fit his budget and location. It was in New Haven. Dean wanted to be close to Rory now that they'd decided to stay together no matter what happened.

"Rory?"

"Yes?"

"Am I a total bastard? Because I'd be lying if I didn't admit to feeling like a complete son of a bitch right now."

"Dean, you did what you had to do. I'm not saying it was the best move for either one of us, but it's what happened and what we have to face."

"I know," he agreed,"and I don't regret having you in my life. You are and have always been one of the best things that ever happened in my life but I'm going to be in a hellish situation for God knows how long. You deserve so much better-"

She walked up to him and placed her hand on the side of his face, shaking her own head and smiling. "Dean, could you do me a favor."

He placed his hand over her own and replied, "What?"

"Shut the hell up." She kissed him gently on the lips, only their lips and hands meeting.

They both sighed, their foreheads meeting gently. "I'm in love with you, did you know that?"

"It's the current rumor," she laughed.

"Am I worth all of this?" he said as he hugged Rory.

"Absolutely," she whispered into his shoulder.

sometimes I think of all this that can surround me
I know it all as being mine
but she kisses me and and wraps herself around me
she gives me love, she gives me time
yeahh.... and I fine
but time I cannot change
so here's to looking back
you know I drink a whole bottle
of my pride
and I toast to change
to keep these demons off my back
to keep these demons off my back
cause I want to shimmer, i want to shine
I want to radiate
I want to live, I want to love
I want to try to learn not to hate
try not to hate
we're born to shimmer
we're born to shine
we're born to live, we're born to love
we're born to never hate

(Shawn Mullins, Shimmer)