A/N: Okay, everyone is going to kill me. Well, at least not until I complete the story :p Okay, I would like to apologize… I know it took, literally, forever to post this mere chapter up. I didn't forget about you guys, I never would. Things are, or were, really, really, really hectic and bizarre for a few months. But I'm back, so please don't murder me. I'll try and get the next chapter in before 2006 comes… so, cross your fingers. Okay, I'm kidding – I'm really going to try and update as much as possible from now on. And I hope all of you didn't forget about me… and I hope this chapter was at least worth 1/1000th of the wait.

Chapter Nine

"He's not behind bars; he barely visited the police. All he has to endure now is therapy."

"What? You're kidding, right? They're trying to help him?"

"We're about the only two who are enraged about this; everyone else doesn't think Monica is much of a loss."

"Shut up."

"What? I'm stating the truth. Learn it and live it."

"Did you visit Officer Kerr? What did he say?"

"Idiot, I just told you."

"Hey, don't let your anger out on me. I didn't do anything."

"Then who am I to let it out on?"

"I'm not about to stand here and be your punching bag. So just shut up."

Tears were melted on their pale faces as they sat in seats facing each other. They'd been in the room for near 24 hours straight, and shadows were embedded in their skin. Once mounted by smiles, their lips curled into deep frowns; so deep, it seemed likely that they would receive wrinkles at the age of twenty. A foot began to tap continuously, creating an unhappy rhythm of astir soldiers.

"Cut it out."

"Why should I?"

"You sound like war."

"I feel like it, too."

"Stop being so pessimistic."

They both almost laughed at that. Pessimistic. Well, what was there to be optimistic about? Life, or lack therefore of? There was a chuckle at the crude irony.

"What the hell is there to laugh about?"

There was no answer; both knew that the question was stated out of pure irritation rather than curiosity.

"Time's been standing still since she left, hasn't it?"

"I sure as hell hope it starts to catch up to par. I don't want to feel so deathly sick the rest of my life. I feel like I'm going to hurl.

"Life will go on. You'll live."

"I'd prefer to die."

To Be Continued…

Ha. You've been waiting months for that. Well, that's really barely a chapter – my next one will be up either later today or tomorrow. I promise. But please review. I know this was a terrible, vague, and EXTREMELY short chapter, but just bear with me. This chapter was really to just let all of you sink in the fact that this story is continuing ;)